Final Kingdom MUSH - User contributions [en]

Scavenging in Deling

2014-04-01T06:29:14Z

BlondeFox:

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2014/03/31
|Location=Deling City
|Synopsis=Leo, recently freed from his captors and having fled his now fallen world, scavenges for food in Deling city, but meets a new friend! (yay!)
|Cast of Characters=Leo, Zerum Valos
|pretty=yes
}}
:'''[[Leo]] has posed:''' Evening is settling into the city about now, the temperature dropping with the winter season still not having given up it's tenacious hold on the world. In some areas its more like they let that season stay as long as it wants to, but Spring is soon to come in and usher it out like an old friend who's stayed well past the time to turn in. A few trash cans clang in an alley somewhere, cat's yowling. The city doesn't seem to sleep at night, as some places tend not to. Right now Leo was just trying to find some food. It had been a week or so seemingly since he'd arrived there, not really understanding what had happened back at his world, it had fallen of course, but right now he was just glad to be free of the White Queen and her castle, but he also had no where to go or anyone to turn to, so he was scrounging around for takeout or food businesses had tossed out, kind of like a rat. He kept his head down, course, he didn't want to run into any of the gangs that might have been about, hell he'd only just started not bolting from people at first sight. Many a times he'd stumble upon bums or prostitutes and wind up freaking out, still having some kind of fear that maybe the White Queen wasn't dead after all, and maybe some familiar faces would come out of the dark, looking for him.

:'''[[Zerum]] has posed:''' The dark elf known as Zerum Valos had come to Deling in a bit of a hurry, hoping to elude the authorities who might've wanted to pursue him after his episode over at the jail in the Traverse Area. Having riddled the prison full of holes after ripping out a plethora of their support beams and walls in an attempt to free Rhiannon, he was eventually forced to retreat before he could penetrate the inner sanctum that would've allowed him to meet with success. Deling City was not far and so within a day's time it was quite plausible that the dark knight could reach it. As a realm that was said to have been influenced by a witch named Edea, at least within some of the more seedy circles, Zerum had learned that such a place might be willing to house someone like himself until the dust cleared, at which time his name would become a vague memory. There were far worse of fiends to deal with than Zer, so as he became welded with the rest of the anonymous civilians in the World of Ruin, the sinister culprits would stand out in stark contrast, causing him to fade into obscurity from the minds of those seeking harmony. One person seeking harmony, who was perchance finding it difficult to locate was Leo, a young man scavenging off of the dumpsters in the city in the alleyways. Trying to stay off the grid for awhile, even inside of a realm like Deling, Lord Valos happened to hear movements in 'his' alleyway. Leo had just come around the bend from the neighboring street, and Zerum turned his attention upwards, while remaining seated against a wall, under a makeshift awning constructed from tattered cloth, which was keeping him dry; there had been a mild drizzle for the last hour or so.... Even so, Zerum's penchant for detecting pressures and sounds informed him that soon enough, there would be a downpour, "It's going to get extremely moist, soon." Zerum had designed the awning to be long enough for him to lie beneath horizontally, so it clearly could afford to shield two or three people if they were sitting upright, and since the dark elf was indeed sitting, for the moment, it meant that the little alcove could feasibly shelter Leo, too, if the boy was willing to take a gamble.

:'''[[Leo]] has posed:''' It was luck that Leo had taken up vagrancy in a town that had a magical kind of history to it, and indeed had even been lorded over by a witch of sorts. He didn't know who any of these people were fortunately, and likely better for it. What he did want though, was food, and maybe a dry place to sleep for the evening. It was easy to rip stuff off from vendors and the like using a few magical tricks, sleight of hand stuff, he knew how to do things like that. Except now all the shops were closed, and the people who might have little things to eat had all gone home. As he hung over the edge of a dumpster, he pulled out what looked like a few slices of cold pizza using his teeth, his hands instead balancing him on the edge, looking over to the side where he'd heard the voice. He didn't care about the rain, but suddenly someone was talking to him, the blood draining from his face as he suddenly felt quite a bit... vulnerable, or maybe scared, sitting there with the pizza hanging from his teeth like a dog that'd been caught rummaging through it's master's food. "Mphh?" he muffled something thanks to his mouth being full, retreating back and hopping down from the dumpster, intently tearing into the pizza that had been discarded some time that day, thankfully. He ate quickly, on the spot, just in case he had to drop the food to vamoose.

:'''[[Zerum]] has posed:''' He wasn't a humanitarian, so it wasn't as though Zerum was about to go out on a limb and beg to have the privilege to help another person in need, even if he wasn't a true hellion, either.... so when Leo responded with his nondescript sound effect that implied both curiosity and confusion, the dark elf shrugged his shoulders, "Suit yourself. But your old, cold pizza certainly won't taste any better if it's all squishy from soaking up the water coming down..... Even if the sponging effect doesn't dillute the flavor, the texture will be totally unlike that for which it was designed." The large sylvan could tell Leo was some kind of victim of abuse, but then.... if Zer was too insistent about foisting 'help' on Leo, it wouldn't've seemed genuine anyway, since predators and swindlers were usually the types to pressure one into accepting an offer of some kind. No traps here, no sir.... just a dark skinned dark knight in a dark alley offering a nice spot in the shade to a teenager who was living hand to mouth; with this instance being an exception to the rule, Leo hadn't even bothered to grab the article of discarded food with his hands, and gave his mouth a chance to do all the work.

:'''[[Leo]] has posed:''' Leo was in fact busily snarfing up that cold pizza like he hadn't eaten for a week, though that was due to habit by now, if it was in his stomach he couldn't drop it while fleeing. Course, it was mostly gone as he ducked down a little and his sandaled feet slapped against the cold, damp pavement--that might have been dusty before, still had small particles of rocks and pebbles scrunching underfoot. His fingers curled around the crust of the pizza as he nommed it a bit noisily, before finally letting his hands fall away form his face, trying to clean his cheeks with the back of his hands in a way that seemed decidedly cat-like, just from the body language. "Wh-who are you?" he asked, voice a bit gravelly from still trying to clear his throat, voice sounding high and with a distinct tone of a German accent. Jah jah, schnell schnell~

:'''[[Zerum]] has posed:''' Zerum watched as Leo gobbled the old scrap of bread covered in tomato and cheese, which inspired him to start snacking as well; a man who was seven feet in height, and wearing dense mail was one who could work up an appetite just by existing. "I guess you wait to eat like one pig waits for another...." Valos says, teasingly, not really caring that much that Leo started dining without allowing the dark elf to dine with him.... on the other hand, far be it for a dark knight to be beyond a little bit of abrasive chiding, even if this particular minion of shadow wasn't as sadistic as many of his ilk. He picks up his sack, and draws out a half of an entire cheese-wheel, which is followed up by incisions being made to cut a wedge-shaped slice from the body. Suddenly, a dog from some distant block howls, which from that range would hardly seem intimidating to anybody, let alone an enormous, armored sylvan.... nonetheless, he feigns a temporary overwhelming of fear, tossing his arms outward, causing his cheese to soar all the way over towards Leo, and even past him! The cheese is now well beyond Zerum's range, and he'd have to bypass the boy to fetch the thing, which meant that it could've easily been considered a writeoff. "Hmm... those stray hounds can be so startling....." Valos states, as he calmly begins to cut away another piece from his half-wheel. He wouldn't bother with the slice of cheese that ended up on the ground, anyway, because it had been contaminated with a myriad of unidentified germs. Typically, Lord Valos did /not/ approve of folks getting within two to three yards of himself, as evidenced by how he treated Echo and Morrighan, but since this kid was as destitute as they looked, thus seemingly powerless, Zer banked on the notion that Leo wouldn't be able to take him down.... beyond that, the drow was on the far right of his little hovel, which meant Leo could easily sit to the far left and they'd never end up touching one another, if they were careful. "My name is Lord Valos. But.... here... in this land? I might as well just be Mister Valos."

:'''[[Leo]] has posed:''' "Wh-why are you wearing armor?" Leo was naturally a bit suspicious, course, he didn't want to run into any of the White Queen's people, but this guy didn't seem to be coming after him exactly, either. A few more shuffling footsteps brought him closer and soon he was kneeling down with his feet flat against the alley pavement, his knees bowed out in front of him as he hunched down there, still chewing on the remnants of that pizza, mostly the crust. He blinked a little as he saw the cheese being brought out, though he didn't seem to eye it hungrily. "Ah, it has been so long since I had real cheese... this stuff they put on this bread doesn't seem too much like it.." he seemed to lament, shrugging a little. Hearing the animal a block away his ears seemed to prickle at the howl, looking around a little animatedly. His pupils seemed narrow, though wider now than they might have been in the light. He crouched down a little closer to try and get some of the shelter there, though he hadn't cared about the rain, he didn't want to be wet /all/ evening, exactly.

:'''[[Zerum]] has posed:''' With Leo askin several consecutive questions, Zer figured that he was beginning to earn the boy's trust; he wasn't sure if the teen would be worth anything to him in the grand scheme of things, while, by the same token, it didn't really cost him much to say a few words and toss away some of his cheese. In any case, the piece Valos had chucked was on the end, so it had been exposed to the air awhile, causing it to be slightly dried out, albeit still far superior to whatever the pizza was topped with-- Zerum could afford to squander some of his booty without suffering tremendously. Valos could easily tell by now that Leo was some manner of hybrid. He wasn't quite human /or/ animal, but to the dark elf, humans were just as alien as any other sapient non-elven breed, so the boy's appearance didn't strike him as being any further peculiar than would have an 'ordinary' homosapien. Finally answering the boy's inquiry, Zer retorted, in a relatively deadpan voice, "They have laws forbidding indecent exposure in this city. If you're looking for the nudist colony, then you need to do some inquiring on your own, because I dunno where the closest one is." He shrugs his shoulders; well, it was at least /ONE/ good reason he chose to wear armor, right?

:'''[[Leo]] has posed:''' Leo would catch the cheese, sniffling it almost a bit suspiciously before bringing it to his lips and having a few nibbles at it. It was indeed of a much sharper and desirable flavor than the processed mozerella that had been on that pizza. The teen did indeed resemble several animals in several strange ways, his eyes, ears, that long draconic tail with the spaded tip... like several different animals had just started sprouting up here and there. "What? am I not wearing enough?" he looked down, a little self-conscious, though normally he might not have cared. He wasn't trying to show too much skin there with his tunic, not by his own doing anyway. These were just the clothes on his back when he'd fled. "I don't quite understand, but you seem alright, I'm Leo," he nodded a little to the dark elf, that spaded tail of his lilting and lashing about behind him slowly in a way that more resembled a cat's than a reptiles, just with the motion of it.

:'''[[Zerum]] has posed:''' Wagging his wrist indifferently, Zerum tried to offer further assurance to Leo that this was in no way an inconvenience to him, losing that piece of cheese, to motivate the young one to do a little more than nibble, hopefully, "Bah.... that part of the wheel was old anyway.... Good riddance to it...." This additionally was a way to help sell the idea that Valos wasn't terribly fond of Leo, or one to show charity to others. If people started to think he was a sentimentalist, who knows what stunts they'd try to pull, what with so many other alleged 'dark knights' reforming to the side of 'good'; this isn't to say Valos was /bad/, per say, but he was determined to be a fence-sitter if he could help it-- the Valii /were/ known for their partiality towards being.... well.... impartial! "You asked me why I elected to wear armor, and now you're asking me if you're properly dressed; you're beginning to make me wonder if you're some kind of fashion fanatic.", he sighs, before snapping his fingers, "I'll tell you what. If you want an accurate answer, then go to the nearest police station, and start stripping. Every time you remove a garment, you can ask them if you're suitably dressed, up until they arrest you. That's when you'll know that you need to adorn more." And there was his advice for Leo; not advice Zerum himself would really capitalize on, because he was quite content to /have/ to wear a full suit of armor, but it was something for someone else who felt insecure about themselves, which was undeniably untrue of the dark one. It was hard to tell if he was being serious, or facetious.... or some of both. All that could be said was that he had his own way of doing things, and when others wanted to know how to live their lives, he would provide obvious answers that didn't really say much as to Zer's opinion on such matters. Glancing at the tail, Zerum made a mental note to be watchful of all of Leo's appendages, because otherwise he might be missing a wallet if he didn't consider that tail. "You appear to be in unreasonably dire straits, Mister Leo....." He raised a brow, inquisitively.

:'''[[Leo]] has posed:''' Leo didn't seem to mind the fact that Valos seemed a little cold, he seemed used to such. He blinked a little and leaned back at his replay, but didn't seem to be upset by it. "Fashion? you're wearing f-full armor in the rain, don't you have clothes?" he seemed just a little incredulous there. Poor Leo, he didn't know Dark Knight's practically /lived/ in their sadistically constrictive armor, was part of their 'deal' at least the traditional ones, anyway. "Police...?" he wasn't so sure what to make of that bit, tilting his head, a bang of charcoal black hair getting in the way of one eye, which he quickly brushed away. "I should wear more? okay, well, when I get something new to wear, if I get some money, that is," he seemed a little confused there. He was from a rustic society where new clothes was a thing only when extremely necessary, he was far from the idea of buying new clothes just for 'fashion' or the like. "Jah, you could say that," he nibbled a little bit on the cheese, considering it. He seemed like he'd finish it before he moved on, he didn't have many places to carry it. "Just Leo, tis my name," he also didn't want to comment that he likely would have a hard time remembering his full family name.

:'''[[Zerum]] has posed:''' Zerum scratches the side of his head when Leo persists in his interrogation of the bit about having chosen to wear armor, which was just slightly beginning to grate on the elf's nerves, however, Valos remained mostly relaxed, "I'm not in the rain. There's an awning above me. I foresaw it, and took shelter. When the rain is gone, the awning I'll be out and about." Of course, armor was expensive, and in many places, a declaration of one's prestige, since they costed thousands, but in the sylvan's case, it actually enabled him to levitate, along with high-vaulting, so the metallic costume embellished his person as frequently as he could possibly justify it. All doubts are banished from Valos' mind that Leo is impoverished, once the hybrid admits it.... not that a verbal confession would've been confirmation if the previous facts hadn't matched the testimony, "Hmmm... I could use another hired-hand. You'd have to get yourself educated as to the nature of this world a bit before I could really make the most out of you, but for now.... you'd be ideal for minor tasks, thereby, in turn, making you deserving of minor reimbursements." Zer folds his arms over his chest, "....I don't know how long you've been here, but you don't seem to be knowledgable about the cultural norms; if you were a conscientious objector showing non-conformity, then you might still be showing defiance of the establishment.... but you'd be doing it consciously, instead of ignorantly." He snickers, then waves his hand, "Okay. I'm convinced. I'll hire you, Mister Just." He doesn't want to be called 'Mister Leo', but he's apparently 'Just Leo', and Valos doesn't refer to people without honorifics, since it implied emotional affinity, so a mister, miss, lord, sir, madame, or otherwise was /mandatory/ from his own end. "You see.... I'm a man of the truest science. I seek all knowledge. Funneling it into specific applications is best, initially, but eventually, I hope to diversify into /all/ fields of study, so that nothing is beyond me. So, for me, munny is no object. I want munny? I send out some pulses, figure out what minerals, or metals are nearby, collect them, pawn them.... and then I can afford to do more research. The problem is that sometimes there are things cash alone won't buy, so I have to form alliances, because, in the end.... finances are just promisary notes, and if people don't have confidence in your credibility." He stares at Leo for a second and sighs, "....Never mind. Look. Do you want a job? Yes or no?"

:'''[[Leo]] has posed:''' The young man seems to enjoy the food at least, nibbling on the bit of cheese he'd been given. He seemed to nudge himself back a little when the Dark knight mentioned ignorance, since his tone of voice might have scared him a little. "I do not come from here, and I'm a stranger in this land, I have not been able to find my way back to where I come from," not that he'd looked especially hard, though he had looked. He'd mostly been confused, and it wasn't as if the path to his own world still existed. The chimerical boy frowned a little and shook his head. "Nnn-nono, see, I'm only called Leo, 'just' isn't part of my name," he gestured in the air with his hands a little distractedly that might have seemed like a cat, pawing at the air. He fussed a little before returning his arms down to focus on kneeling and keeping out of the rain, ducking more under the awning. "Aw, you are a man of scientific pursuits then?" if Leo had known better, he'd be a little more suspicious here, he didn't want to wind up in a hamster wheel, or anything. Though this probably seemed odd. What kind of professors wore armor?? "Ah, ah... I see, well if you are offering me work I guess I could try, depends what you need me to do," he nodded, not looking especially strong, but he was spry. He huddled in a bit closer to the armored man, wanting to keep out of the rain and pulling his legs in close, his tail sweeping in around him like a cat's to keep warm. "Mind if I sleep here?" he asked with a hopeful look on his face.

:'''[[Zerum]] has posed:''' The dark elf tilted his head curiously at Leo as the boy elaborated on his woeful tale, until deciding that it was just as he suspected; a newcomer who was lost and trying to find his way-- either back home, or to somewhere better, but whatever they wanted, it was not to be stumbling through the alleyways living off of half-rancid leftovers. That was what Valos' piercing mind detected through all of the information he was being inundated with, and soon enough, this was confirmed after Leo agreed to offer his service to Zerum.... provisionally. The dark knight wouldn't bet the farm on Leo being willing to steal babies from nurseries so that Valos could suck their blood and turn them into vampiric-infants that could be promptly returned to their cribs, then used to bite into their mothers' mammary glands, consequently turning /them/ into vampires, which could result in a whole plant of.... well, yeah, that wasn't going to happen. Maybe something a little more conventional would be necessary. In any case, Zer couldn't convert folks into vampires, not being one himself, and it was questionable if he could be turned into one, since there had to be biological prerequisites for what was compatible with vampirism, and what was not. "Yes, I am a scientist.... you see, the oldest origin of the word 'science' is the word 'skei', which means 'to cut', or, to separate one thing from another, so that they may be distinguished." He smirks proudly, ".....And if there is one thing I spend all my days doing, it is to disassemble, and then reassemble-- but don't worry.... I don't dissect organisms like yourself. I have bigger ambitions than to waste my time on the unreliable, undefinable expanse of medical dissection, which spends an eternity trying to isolate individual mutations which are liable never to truly reproduce themselves in exactly the same fashion as their predecessors." Letting that sink in before proceeding, he paused, "I'm looking for something more universally applicable. Let the folks with short life expectancies do their meager delvings into th...." He blinks astoundedly as he fellow curls up like a cat, asking permission to sleep in the same quarters as himself, with a countenance exhibiting hopefulness, which must've been proof that Leo now had invested /some/ trust in Zerum. Deciding his tangent was unnecessary, the dark elf shrugged, "I don't have a deed to this spot. You've got as much right to it as I.... so by all means, Mister Leo." He grins.

Zerum Valos

2014-04-01T05:37:04Z

BlondeFox:

{{Character Infobox
|firstname=Zerum
|middlename=Strackar
|lastname=Valos
|age=A few centuries or so
|image=ValosThornCrown.jpg
|caption=Rough Sketch of Zerum in armor
|species=Dark Elf
|sex=Male
|height=7'
|weight=345 lbs
|series=Final Fantasy 4
|styles=Shadow Blade
|hometown=Lodestone Cavern
|alignment=Wandering Force
|group=Unaffiliated
|occupation=Black Chevaleresque
|quote=Striving towards perfection is a goal one should always pursue, but hope never to actually reach.
|footer=Being a perfectionist.
}}

=Appearance=

Having dark knight armor, Zerum stands out among his contemporaries in that he rarely actually wears a helmet, preferring a more stylish-looking ciclet, outside of much of having decidedly left his abdomen unarmored. There is method to this madness, in that he feels confident in his reactionary prowess, so attacks coming at his upper body are generally easier to deflect than low blows which requires more time to reach towards; with a lower center of gravity, it also makes magnetic-jumping easier. He has lavender-silver colored hair, green eyes, blueish pigmented skin, and a braid that sometimes ends up draping itself over his shoulder. Zerum is a few inches shorter than his cousin, Gidarch Valos, but still reaches the seven foot range, which isn't incredibly abnormal for drows of the Blue Planet. Also, like dark elves hailing from the Blue Planet, he has a tail.

=History=

=Personality=

=Abilities=

Magnetism- Zerum has an especially strong magnetic influence, and can reduce or increase the weight of metals for as long as he focuses on them. Zerum can even yank weapons out of people's hands, but this is subject to consent. Proficiency-wise, the epicenter of his influence is where his magnetic might is most potent, like that of a bomb's explosivity. When a metal object is right next to him, he can bend it with the strength of a giant, but by the time Zerum targets something metallic that's a football-field away, he'll have problems lifting it unless he exerts the totality of his concentration.

Geokinesis- Zerum can use earth-elemental attacks, and can petrify targets(with their OOC consent) by focusing his energy, akin to how the 'Stone' spell works. He can also manipulate minerals and metals, but has little persuasion over terran-based things such as fauna, and flora.

Shadowmancy- Zerum has familiarized himself in the way of shadow elemental attacks, primarily to do with swordplay, though he does have a few tricks up his sleeve that don't rely on his blade, which are akin to spellcraft.

Levitation- Zerum has a suit of metal armor that, when worn, can be self-targeted and magnetized in order to help him to mimic the effects of the 'Float' spell. This also allows him to decrease his weight, it allows him to leap higher than normal.

Auditory Prowess- Zerum doesn't need to 'see' using visible light, he can use a technique called Flash-Sonar, which allows him to hear/feel vibrations that reflect off of objects. He isn't blind, but in poorly illuminated environments, the power to detect reverberations will help him navigate without falling into pits and the like.

Mental Resilience- Zerum's psychological/emotional state cannot be easily influenced by magics, or by unnatural methods, besides through the medium of verbal assault; it takes a substantial force to affect him. Mind-control and the like will have a questionable success rate, in most cases.

Melodic Debilitation- Harmonic sounds from magical musical instruments can disrupt Zerum's train of thought, and unbalance him. This can impair his control over magnetism, magic, and even decrease his physical proficiency.

=Relationships=

[[Angantyr Vespar]] "Thanks for offering to show me the door, but trouble yourself not, for I can make my own~"

[[Echo]] "Evidently, you don't understand that 'no' means 'no', so next time I'll just take your head off, and no words need be exchanged."

[[Kyra Hyral]] "My thanks for the introduction negligence; now, if you contact me from afar, I've no proof that you shall be you, and reimbursement mayn't be necessary....."

[[Leo]] "If someday you come to appreciate the most authentic science of all, then you'll be my sole competition.... or colleague?"

[[Mercade Alexander]] "They say humans are a wasteful species, and he wastes his breath plenty by making naive requests-- point taken."

[[Morrighan Alazne]] "Hmm. I must say, t'was a pleasure being improperly introduced."

[[Ophelia]] "The loss of a few book sales pales next to the gain of learning a morsel or two about you, Miss Lovett...!"

[[Rakassa]] "Every day you become more the debtor, whilst I, the indebted!"

[[Rosemarie]] "Your reputation precedes you greatly, and your flank retrocedes you exponentially!"

[[Warden Thache]] "False modesty and false heroism equals truly deceptive talent."

=Trivia=

The correct pronunciation of Zerum's name is "Zay - rum".

Zerum is shorter than most dark elves of his world of origin; typically, they range between 7 to 8 feet, with Zer being at the bottom of what's normal.

Zer's preferred headgear is a Thornlet, which is among the very best pieces of armor in the FF installations, except that it gradually drains HP; this coincides with his dark knight theme.

= Logs =
{{Character Logs}}
= Cutscenes =
{{Character Logs|Cutscenes}}

Zerum Valos

2014-04-01T05:33:24Z

BlondeFox: /* Relationships */ added Rosemarie, Warden, Mercade, Leo, Angantyr

{{Character Infobox
|firstname=Zerum
|lastname=Valos
|age=A few centuries or so
|image=ValosThornCrown.jpg
|caption=Rough Sketch of Zerum in armor
|species=Dark Elf
|sex=Male
|height=7'
|weight=345 lbs
|series=Final Fantasy 4
|styles=Shadow Blade
|hometown=Lodestone Cavern
|alignment=Wandering Force
|group=Unaffiliated
|occupation=Black Chevaleresque
|quote=Striving towards perfection is a goal one should always pursue, but hope never to actually reach.
|footer=Being a perfectionist.
}}

=Appearance=

Having dark knight armor, Zerum stands out among his contemporaries in that he rarely actually wears a helmet, preferring a more stylish-looking ciclet, outside of much of having decidedly left his abdomen unarmored. There is method to this madness, in that he feels confident in his reactionary prowess, so attacks coming at his upper body are generally easier to deflect than low blows which requires more time to reach towards; with a lower center of gravity, it also makes magnetic-jumping easier. He has lavender-silver colored hair, green eyes, blueish pigmented skin, and a braid that sometimes ends up draping itself over his shoulder. Zerum is a few inches shorter than his cousin, Gidarch Valos, but still reaches the seven foot range, which isn't incredibly abnormal for drows of the Blue Planet. Also, like dark elves hailing from the Blue Planet, he has a tail.

=History=

=Personality=

=Abilities=

Magnetism- Zerum has an especially strong magnetic influence, and can reduce or increase the weight of metals for as long as he focuses on them. Zerum can even yank weapons out of people's hands, but this is subject to consent. Proficiency-wise, the epicenter of his influence is where his magnetic might is most potent, like that of a bomb's explosivity. When a metal object is right next to him, he can bend it with the strength of a giant, but by the time Zerum targets something metallic that's a football-field away, he'll have problems lifting it unless he exerts the totality of his concentration.

Geokinesis- Zerum can use earth-elemental attacks, and can petrify targets(with their OOC consent) by focusing his energy, akin to how the 'Stone' spell works. He can also manipulate minerals and metals, but has little persuasion over terran-based things such as fauna, and flora.

Shadowmancy- Zerum has familiarized himself in the way of shadow elemental attacks, primarily to do with swordplay, though he does have a few tricks up his sleeve that don't rely on his blade, which are akin to spellcraft.

Levitation- Zerum has a suit of metal armor that, when worn, can be self-targeted and magnetized in order to help him to mimic the effects of the 'Float' spell. This also allows him to decrease his weight, it allows him to leap higher than normal.

Auditory Prowess- Zerum doesn't need to 'see' using visible light, he can use a technique called Flash-Sonar, which allows him to hear/feel vibrations that reflect off of objects. He isn't blind, but in poorly illuminated environments, the power to detect reverberations will help him navigate without falling into pits and the like.

Mental Resilience- Zerum's psychological/emotional state cannot be easily influenced by magics, or by unnatural methods, besides through the medium of verbal assault; it takes a substantial force to affect him. Mind-control and the like will have a questionable success rate, in most cases.

Melodic Debilitation- Harmonic sounds from magical musical instruments can disrupt Zerum's train of thought, and unbalance him. This can impair his control over magnetism, magic, and even decrease his physical proficiency.

=Relationships=

[[Angantyr Vespar]] "Thanks for offering to show me the door, but trouble yourself not, for I can make my own~"

[[Echo]] "Evidently, you don't understand that 'no' means 'no', so next time I'll just take your head off, and no words need be exchanged."

[[Kyra Hyral]] "My thanks for the introduction negligence; now, if you contact me from afar, I've no proof that you shall be you, and reimbursement mayn't be necessary....."

[[Leo]] "If someday you come to appreciate the most authentic science of all, then you'll be my sole competition.... or colleague?"

[[Mercade Alexander]] "They say humans are a wasteful species, and he wastes his breath plenty by making naive requests-- point taken."

[[Morrighan Alazne]] "Hmm. I must say, t'was a pleasure being improperly introduced."

[[Ophelia]] "The loss of a few book sales pales next to the gain of learning a morsel or two about you, Miss Lovett...!"

[[Rakassa]] "Every day you become more the debtor, whilst I, the indebted!"

[[Rosemarie]] "Your reputation precedes you greatly, and your flank retrocedes you exponentially!"

[[Warden Thache]] "False modesty and false heroism equals truly deceptive talent."

=Trivia=

The correct pronunciation of Zerum's name is "Zay - rum".

Zerum is shorter than most dark elves of his world of origin; typically, they range between 7 to 8 feet, with Zer being at the bottom of what's normal.

Zer's preferred headgear is a Thornlet, which is among the very best pieces of armor in the FF installations, except that it gradually drains HP; this coincides with his dark knight theme.

= Logs =
{{Character Logs}}
= Cutscenes =
{{Character Logs|Cutscenes}}

Zerum Valos

2014-03-29T05:53:49Z

BlondeFox: /* Trivia */ less wordiness, for once!

{{Character Infobox
|firstname=Zerum
|lastname=Valos
|age=A few centuries or so
|image=ValosThornCrown.jpg
|caption=Rough Sketch of Zerum in armor
|species=Dark Elf
|sex=Male
|height=7'
|weight=345 lbs
|series=Final Fantasy 4
|styles=Shadow Blade
|hometown=Lodestone Cavern
|alignment=Wandering Force
|group=Unaffiliated
|occupation=Black Chevaleresque
|quote=Striving towards perfection is a goal one should always pursue, but hope never to actually reach.
|footer=Being a perfectionist.
}}

=Appearance=

Having dark knight armor, Zerum stands out among his contemporaries in that he rarely actually wears a helmet, preferring a more stylish-looking ciclet, outside of much of having decidedly left his abdomen unarmored. There is method to this madness, in that he feels confident in his reactionary prowess, so attacks coming at his upper body are generally easier to deflect than low blows which requires more time to reach towards; with a lower center of gravity, it also makes magnetic-jumping easier. He has lavender-silver colored hair, green eyes, blueish pigmented skin, and a braid that sometimes ends up draping itself over his shoulder. Zerum is a few inches shorter than his cousin, Gidarch Valos, but still reaches the seven foot range, which isn't incredibly abnormal for drows of the Blue Planet. Also, like dark elves hailing from the Blue Planet, he has a tail.

=History=

=Personality=

=Abilities=

Magnetism- Zerum has an especially strong magnetic influence, and can reduce or increase the weight of metals for as long as he focuses on them. Zerum can even yank weapons out of people's hands, but this is subject to consent. Proficiency-wise, the epicenter of his influence is where his magnetic might is most potent, like that of a bomb's explosivity. When a metal object is right next to him, he can bend it with the strength of a giant, but by the time Zerum targets something metallic that's a football-field away, he'll have problems lifting it unless he exerts the totality of his concentration.

Geokinesis- Zerum can use earth-elemental attacks, and can petrify targets(with their OOC consent) by focusing his energy, akin to how the 'Stone' spell works. He can also manipulate minerals and metals, but has little persuasion over terran-based things such as fauna, and flora.

Shadowmancy- Zerum has familiarized himself in the way of shadow elemental attacks, primarily to do with swordplay, though he does have a few tricks up his sleeve that don't rely on his blade, which are akin to spellcraft.

Levitation- Zerum has a suit of metal armor that, when worn, can be self-targeted and magnetized in order to help him to mimic the effects of the 'Float' spell. This also allows him to decrease his weight, it allows him to leap higher than normal.

Auditory Prowess- Zerum doesn't need to 'see' using visible light, he can use a technique called Flash-Sonar, which allows him to hear/feel vibrations that reflect off of objects. He isn't blind, but in poorly illuminated environments, the power to detect reverberations will help him navigate without falling into pits and the like.

Mental Resilience- Zerum's psychological/emotional state cannot be easily influenced by magics, or by unnatural methods, besides through the medium of verbal assault; it takes a substantial force to affect him. Mind-control and the like will have a questionable success rate, in most cases.

Melodic Debilitation- Harmonic sounds from magical musical instruments can disrupt Zerum's train of thought, and unbalance him. This can impair his control over magnetism, magic, and even decrease his physical proficiency.

=Relationships=

[[Echo]] "Evidently, you don't understand that 'no' means 'no', so next time I'll just take your head off, and no words need be exchanged."

[[Kyra Hyral]] "My thanks for the introduction negligence; now, if you contact me from afar, I've no proof that you shall be you, and reimbursement mayn't be necessary....."

[[Morrighan Alazne]] "Hmm. I must say, t'was a pleasure being improperly introduced."

[[Ophelia]] "The loss of a few book sales pales next to the gain of learning a morsel or two about you, Miss Lovett...!"

[[Rakassa]] "You sick pervert."

=Trivia=

The correct pronunciation of Zerum's name is "Zay - rum".

Zerum is shorter than most dark elves of his world of origin; typically, they range between 7 to 8 feet, with Zer being at the bottom of what's normal.

Zer's preferred headgear is a Thornlet, which is among the very best pieces of armor in the FF installations, except that it gradually drains HP; this coincides with his dark knight theme.

= Logs =
{{Character Logs}}
= Cutscenes =
{{Character Logs|Cutscenes}}

Win, Lose, Or Draw One's Sword?

2014-03-29T00:35:31Z

BlondeFox: Created page with "{{Log Header |Date of Scene=2014/03/28 |Location=Mullonde |Synopsis=Ophelia attends a book-signing that happens to involve Zerum. After verbally fencing, she ends up being obl..."

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2014/03/28
|Location=Mullonde
|Synopsis=Ophelia attends a book-signing that happens to involve Zerum. After verbally fencing, she ends up being obligated to retreat, however, not without delivering a parting shot. On the other hand, the dark elf still gains at least one thing from the ordeal, even if it's a minor one.
|Cast of Characters=Ophelia, Zerum Valos
|pretty=yes
}}
:'''[[Zerum]] has posed:''' People who were of a higher class did not as often frequent places like taverns or lodges; yes, they did enjoy alcohol like their brethren, yet, wine-sampling was their standard place of inebriation, or places that served high-end liquors. Another place for the nobility in particular, especially the intellectual types, were at book-signings, inside of libraries. Being an individual who was a dark knight part of the time, yet a scholar the other portion of his life, as a seeker of wisdoms, Zerum Valos had elbowed his way into getting a small booth at a library where he had been granted a place to promote his own book, that he was offering with the accompaniment of his John-Hancock. His was a more obscure title that had to do with a fusion between the dark arts as well as ethics, which left most folks a little uncomfortable, since shadowmancy was a subject that upstanding citizenry feared, to a degree, or felt was too corrupt for them. Providence shone on him because he happened to have a few contacts within the church, otherwise he might not have been allowed to attend at all.... but, since there had been other loayl dark knights within the order of Glabados in the past(namely Gafgarion), and because he /was/ of noble-birth.... they handwaved the fact that he was vending a genre that was a little bit more macabre than the kind of 'pleasant' stuff that constituted the main theme of the book-signing. Right now, he was sitting at his desk with just a single patron asking a few queries about his title, at which point that individual purchased a copy, then meandered off to another section of the facility.... ergo, he had plenty of time to spare for anyone whose interest might have been at least remotely piqued by the themes of horror mixed with spirituality; this mayn't have guaranteed a sale, but he'd do his best to try and enlighten prospective subscribers as to what his tome was all about, so that they could at least /consider/ investing in it!

:'''[[Ophelia]] has posed:''' Unfortunately, not all members of the 'elite' upperclass are the sorts to delve into literature at every convenience. Most are merely parasites or spoiled children of wealthy parents who's vices tend towards the more lurid and showy side of things and quite often their ability to read at all stems from little more than a petty desire to have one more item on the list of reasons why they can look down upon the illiterate masses of common folk. They might keep up on the odd manuscript or two that makes itself famous among the upper circles so that they aren't left looking entirely foolish when the time for small talk comes about but those that truly have interest in the art of literature are often too busy putting their wisdom to use to spend time time on such minor engagements as book signings. When she was but a young girl Ophelia would have been a member of the former crowd herself, far too interested in honing her skills at swordplay or flirting with the local noblemen to waste a perfectly good day with her nose in a book. However, in the decades that have followed since she was turned, the young vampire has come to appreciate the value of knowledge. Whereas she only had to deal with the occasional duel for sleighting some overly sensitive noble's honor or chase off would-be apprentices coveting the secrets of her father's art while living at home, there have been very few moments she can recall since that fateful day where something /hasn't/ been trying to kill her. Keeping abreast of the local lore seemed like a good idea considering her line of work and so Ophelia is something of a regular at the local library, a fact which many find quite stunning considering her frivoulous and autocratic personality. Today is something different, however. The atmosphere since the murder of a local priest has been quite tense among the already uptight religious zealots that populate Mullonde, which has evaporated what little mirth she is usually able to squeeze from the clergy completely. Devoid of her usual array of armaments, save for the vampiric blade resting in its beautifully laquered sheathe, Ophelia stalks through the towering walls of wooden shelves that fill the library with an obvious look of boredom about her. She pauses every now and then to eye the unusual volume of visitors that have flooded the front of the establishment thanks to the book signing but no one of interest stands out to her until her eyes to come rest on the lone man sitting off to one side. It's almost comical how much effort people seem to be going through to avoid approaching him which only makes her even more curious. Putting on a smile, Ophelia stalks directly up to the desk where Zerum has set up his display and grabs one of the books from his pile, flipping open the cover to glance at the title. "Well, now I understand why you're sitting all alone."

:'''[[Zerum]] has posed:''' It was true that book-signings were sometimes ways to waste time, and one could write them off as a way to fritter away hours when true wisdom could be applied to the world, but, on the other hand, few things in the world were one-directional in terms of their usefulness, being either all bad, or all good. Book signings were also opportunities for people to gain an audience with persons who were established writers, as a means of stimulating conversations that could further enlighten.... for at least in Zerum's mind, all knowledge was of potential value, simply by virtue of being yet another device through which one could try to manipulate the world around them. This was what he had tried so adamantly to convey to Rakassa, before she dismissed him as a philosophical rambler whose head was in the clouds. Needless to say, not many were interested in having a debate with Lord Valos on this day, so whether he was intuitive or ignorant.... one could only guess! Ophelia carried herself in a manner that exuded negativity uncharacteristic of most of the others in the room, although this wasn't to say that in their own way, the remaining customers weren't somehow rotten, since many of the aristocratic folk had a self-righteous mode of mind, but hers was more engulfing... as though, to say that she was simply absorbing the light itself around her-- which presumably caused the patrons to evade her every bit as much as Valos, in spite of the fact that Ophelia was much less intimidating in terms of size.... her more insidious nature must've compensated for the absence of physical abundance that was intrinsic to the drow. Although he couldn't exactly put his finger on why, in a conscious sense, he somehow had this hunch that Ophelia might've had a favorable chance of approaching his table when contrasted against the likelihood of others doing so, and this estimation was given purchase when the prediction realized itself! Those with strong moral fiber, who were few in number, had demonstrated an appetite for knowledge in an egalitarian way by having provided Zerum a chance to give his pitch, but many of these fellows found his stance a little disagreeable, even if they were too mannerly to say anything blatantly condemning towards his masterpiece. In the end, Ophelia was probably correct in asserting that she understood why the stygian noble was a solitary figure amongst the masses, but while they may have shared some similarities pertaining to the type of forces they wielded, perchance they had a different take on the logistics of the world? That would be yet to be seen, if she engaged him on the topic of his title.... but if they conversed about other themes, that might've proven just as intruiging to Zerum Valos; the bottom line was that someone was curious in his work, so it was time to see if he could indoctrinate them in some fashion, even if they didn't end up buying his book today, it was entirely plausible that they'd accept a business card and mail-order on the morrow! "To understand that, you'd have to have a working knowledge of both the atmospheric entities that surround me, as well as the subject matter of my wares.... the latter of which are undoubtedly obvious." He stands, and gives a minute bow to her, as he figures is the custom, "....Sir Zerum Valos, at your service... or Mister, if you prefer that."

:'''[[Ophelia]] has posed:''' Ophelia snaps the book shut after the introduction and sets it back on the pile in a casually dismissive manner. "Never heard of you," she says, letting the boredom she's feeling seep into her tone of voice. The young woman turns away and takes a seat on the corner of his desk, crossing her legs as she leans backwards to rest her hands on its wooden surface in a lazy posture. "Ophelia Rosai Lovett, in case you were unaware that this face went with the reputation. Your choice of venues upon which to peddle philosophies is quite poor, you know. The established order tends to frown on secular dogma."

:'''[[Zerum]] has posed:''' Zerum raises an eyebrow as she mentions that she's never heard of him, but his eyelids lazily droop as he decides that it isn't horribly important whether or not his reputation preceded him.... he could either work behind the curtains, or on the center-stage, nevertheless-- so long as his ambitions came to fruition, it was of little consequence if people knew /him/, for he was preoccupied with the notion of knowing /them/. It's plain to see that she's either bored, or putting on an act to convey apathy in an attempt to ruffle his feathers, so as to spur him to 'proving his worth', but in either case.... that's precisely what he needs to do, if he expects to make a sale, so he'll have to leap through her hoops for awhile. Given how many people have found his text alluring, he has absolutely nothing better to do! Tapping his finger against his chin amusedly by her admonishment, he met her riposte head-on, and countered, "Quite poor, you say.... But preaching to the choir involves scarcely an ounce of real wit, and nary a chance of drastic conversion in mentality. The true test of mettle is when a wolf attacks a flock of sheep whilst encumbered by a sheep-dog with spiked-collars in tenfold." The dark elf shrugs, "So it depends on what my goal is...." He doesn't really correct her on her misassumption that his book was utterly secular, since it was actually rooted in some of the monastic teachings he'd obtained while studying under Gidarch Valos, but if he came out and declared publicly that some of his sentiments had a religious basis that was /not/ Glabadosian, in a non-ambiguous way, then he'd be asking to have Ophelia take him into custody, which she was probably capable of doing, firstly, because she could easily call for reinforcements on a whim, and secondly, unbeknowst to Zerum..... because the sword he had was a lot less extravagant than hers, and without his armor, he was at a severe disadvantage, courtesy of the fact that some of his abilities were derived from it! No.... he's not going to argue about such a small technicality, not in the middle of Zealot-Central. "I've heard of your name, yes. Upon coming to this place, it'd be hard for someone to fail to become acquainted with your notoriety for.... assertiveness, I imagine." He chooses his words carefully-- calling her violent, while true, might've been a form of effrontery, which he wished to avoid. It's at this point that his body suddenly vibrates at the most faint of levels, when he feels resonation with something emanating from her-- most likely the demonic saber she held, alas.... just because he sensed that /something/ was amiss, was not a free ticket to the discernment of what that thing was!

:'''[[Ophelia]] has posed:''' A smirk plays across the woman's face, though Zerum cannot see it at present with her back to the elf. She can hear the racing of his heart as clearly as drums playing in her ears, speculating it's either from excitement at being approached by a beautiful woman or nervousness from knowing that one of the religion's most ruthless enforcers has taken an interest in his work. Or maybe he just wants to talk. Regardless, every time the man hesistates to pick and choose his words in a diplomatic fashion sends a wave of pleasure through her body. It is intoxicating to have such power that even strangers know to watch their step around her. Bullying the clergy isn't much fun when they get worked up over the smallest things. "So is it wit you wish to peddle then? Come to shower the poor unenlightened masses with the truth's of which only you are privy? You're certainly going to be... /popular/, around here." She puts emphasis on the word with a knowing grin.

:'''[[Zerum]] has posed:''' In all fairness, Zerum's heart-rate was probably operating at approximately one-hundred and ten to fifteen beats per minute, which was a modicum over the standard, but maybe not outright panicked, if for two separate reasons....! For starters, he was in the middle of the lion's den, with one of the most fearsome of the pride hovering in his midst, and second, because now her dark aura, or that of some object on her person had found its way onto his radar; so there was a mixture of fear and excitement alike. On the other hand, his proclivity towards semantic obsession was already becoming renowned in Vector, so he wouldn't have dared advertise himself so boldly in Mullonde if he felt he wasn't up to the challenge. Lord Valos was not ashamed of the anxiety innate to his existence, for fear was a gift.... it was what drove one to do any number of things in the world-- the fear of expiration, or of pain, were the primary attributes which kept passionate sapients intact, and caused lazy, or apathetic husks of living matter to embrace their ultimate end, instead of utilizing exertion in order to stay alive. Nothing continued to exist, in some capacity, if it put forth no effort to exist, therefore, any such thing would fear nonexistence in totality; the dark elf was not defiant towards his core programming, but while he 'consciously' recognized that he was uncomfortable with Ophelia in his presence, at the very least, his mindfulness enabled him to maintain a middling calmness(comparatively) in the presence of an otherwise impossibly formidable foe with a predisposition towards bloodlust, which to his credit.... put him miles ahead of most people, who trembled at just /hearing/ her name, let alone being in her company. Beyond that, he didn't want to die over a simple book-signing, so it wasn't as though he was going to vehemently oppose Ophelia at this juncture, whether or not he'd shown that he could be plenty mouthy towards mortifyingly dangerous beings on their own turf. "Acuity of mind is not something I merely wish to render; it is also something I wish to glean." He raises his voice ever so subtly as he proceeds with his thoughts, "I always /pray/ that I shall be sent one who is capable of refuting what I say, in the vein of perfecting my own views, where they might be blemished." The dark knight folds his arms over his chest, having deliberately included the word 'pray' to help solidify the notion that he might be at least a pinch faithful in the higher powers, unlike many a dark knight, or Morrighan Alazne herself, who'd come into the employ of the church, through considerable corruption. Was it a massive testimonial verifying that he wasn't a heretic? No.... But at least there are some witnesses who heard him use the word 'pray', in case he lands himself into trouble. Either Ophelia has an impressive sway over Zerum, he enjoys the game of politicking, or a blend of both. But then, Valos sighs, nonchalantly, "...Regrettably, my popularity will have to be short-lived, since my stay here is likely to end, soon. I have many duties which impose transience on my lifestyle." He chuckles at Ophelia as she mocks the fact that he's going to have a smooth ride while in Mullonde; touche!

:'''[[Ophelia]] has posed:''' Ah, the joys of being in a position of power among a group of fanatically devout sheep. She's going to miss this luxury once her master's eternal quest to root out darkness demands they move elsewhere. More often than not, she ends up posing as some dirty adventurer or travelling peddler. Far less glamourous disguises to be sure. "It is taking every ounce of self control to contain the utter shock at the revelation that one such as yourself, who carries the torch of knowledge before him as a shield, would be forced to suffer such an ignoble fate as to wander the earth bereft of friend or comfort." The mockery in her tone makes it pretty clear that she's thinking the exact opposite. Ophelia slides off the table and turns to face the knight once more, leveling a thin-lipped smirk down at him through half-lidded eyes. "Mayhaps you've enough time to share with me what it is you expect to 'glean' from the faithful chosen that have gathered under the banner of our Lord... and perhaps I shall 'render' my wisdom unto you."

:'''[[Zerum]] has posed:''' It is when Ophelia suggests she's flabbergasted at the prospect of Zerum being nigh-friendless, that he adorns the slighest of frowns.... not something noticeable to the untrained eye, but mayhap someone thoroughly versed in picking up on hairline cues would see it for what it was; aside from that, the unpracticed individual would simply observe his expression remaining unchanging. A small reminder that he's with few allies alerts him inwardly to the fact that he's got few clients so far.... not zero in quantity, but few enough to indicate that his information wasn't as profound as he would like to believe, unless he was just unfortunate in the kinds of people he'd encountered. But when she inquires on what he expects to siphon from the humble people of Mullonde, he scratches the side of his forehead, signifying his genuine attentiveness to the question administered, since he takes her more seriously than she's evidently taking him, "....I've already told one person that I'm no master of the prophecy, but I don't mind relaying this again to another." The dark elf grins, "I have no idea what lies in store as far as refinement, so this is something of a gamble. I was hoping to locate a specific member of your organization during my visit, but I wager she's been too busy or absent, due to the fact that I've been able to set up some kind of contact. I plan to visit another time to get ahold of her..... however....." He then squints at her a smidgen, as he issues his next statement, "....On the topic of popularity, it is rumored that you have quite a following. Some say that you're an achiever of magnificent feats, and others gravitate more to the end of the mystified end of the spectrum, in their ponderings of the behaviors you've been known to exhibit at times, that, to them..... seem a little peculiar." Zerum reclines, and folds his arms behind his head, "Mind you, I don't claim to really put too much stock into things too heavily until I've done an examination on a personal level, and.... for all I know, it could be that these people talk of 'dark radiances' simply because you /might/ happen to carry on your person an artifact of questionable malignancy." After this postulation, he follows up, "I wouldn't want to blame you for having any sort of innate perversity that is part of your very being, and when it would be far more respectful to surmise that you might have a Blood-Sword on you, or something of that nature..... Why, if I did the former, that could be construed as some sort of accusation, and, blasphemy just isn't my style." Shortly thereafter, he drums his fingers against his cheek as his eyes shift upward in thought, "I would say though, as one versed in the dark arts, I can't help but feel that.... somewhere in this room, it feels like something might be releasing the kinds of energies that I've felt when amongst necromancers, and the like. This isn't to say I'd want to interview them as a means of endorsing some sort of foul religious infidelity that might be part of their calling, but I'm -always- on the lookout for those who have a skill-set in the same family as my own...."

:'''[[Ophelia]] has posed:''' Ophelia's eyes slide the rest of the way closed as the dark elf drones on and on, one hand going to rest on her hip and the other on the hilt of her sword. The motion is not aggressive, merely habit, but it may be misconstrued as such. When it finally looks like he's actually gotten to the point, she lets out a long exasperated sigh. "Tell me, have the long days spent wandering upon the lonely roads driven you to seek comfort in the sound of thine own voice?," she asks, completely ignoring the irony of the statement. The talk of dark powers, while perhaps expected considering his book, seems to have cast a pall over the previous busy atmosphere. Several of the more devout visitors make religious signs in the air while many others simply leave for fear of being caught up in a disagreement between a well known Inquisitor and someone foolish enough to bandy rumors and ill suggestions about her nature directly to her face. Ever so slowly, the woman's eyes slide sideways to peer down at the annoyingly relaxed posture Zerum seems to be enjoying after practically announcing to the world that there might be something insidious lurking beneath the skin. "You play a dangerous game, wanderer. If you think that clever wordplay shall shield you from the dire consequences of slighting my honor and the divine providence to which I have sworn my service..." Her thumb flicks upwards against the square crossguard of the blade at her side, revealing an inch or two of pristine shimmering steel to the air. Faint wisps of energy pulsate about the metal, shimmering a dull crimson like the pulsing of blood. "Then you are woefully mistaken."

:'''[[Zerum]] has posed:''' The dark elf observes as his correspondant becomes more fatigued by the minute, as he proceeds to talk of various topics that are apparently of interest to him, until the point at which she disparages his manner of speech. It's at this point that he pokes the table with his index finger, as though making a point, "....I seek comfort in the fact that I cater to my own notion of what I fathom to be an adequate degree of clarification, when speaking. One could say two words, and one could recite an encyclopedia on a whim; what's verbose and what's not is a judgement call." He shrugs, and pulls his finger back, "To tune to which I dance is the one of my choosing; not the one expected of me by others!" He smiles confidently, rapidly becoming unimpressed with Ophelia as she flings one insult after another, without offering much real data for him to chew on-- she was known for ferocity of body, but he'd hoped she was also fearsome in her compulsions towards the pursuit of academic fields! Maybe he was just catching her on a bad day. Starting to already ease into the conversation, he raises a brow and sits a little more straight in his chair when she starts to brandish the beginnings of a weapon, to which he shakes his head, "Hmmm. As you've pointed out.... I'm just a meager wanderer, what do I know of people who are more than they seem?" Zerum neatly stacks the book Ophelia had earlier gathered, back onto the pile, as other inhabitants begin to vanish from the scene, "I never once slighted your honor. I was repeating what I heard /OTHERS/ tell me, which means you should really be keeping a lid on what your citizens are whispering about, for... evidently they have misled poor innocent me.... And on that note...." The dark knight looks from side to side, as though suspicious of his environment, "....it may also be entirely possible that I no longer feel that presence of necrosis which I'd announced seconds ago, maybe.... which'd mean that the real fiend who'd been secretly lurking amongst us, who is trying to subvert the faithful, has heard my words and taken flight, to elude your impeccable scrutiny, and possibly, their due justice!" He points at her, "Everyone already knows I'm a dark knight, so whatever I may have felt, if I'm indeed no longer feeling it, then surely is, or was not of my ownership. You'd best be along, Miss Lovett.... you've got a defiler to detain, and I've got books to sell, yes?" The dark elf winks, "But, since it's obviously not /you/ who may have caused this foreboding dark tingling that I seemed to have felt.... which by the by, nobody whose perceptibility is not contained within my mind can really verify... I'd be /glad/ to have a rendezvous with you in the future, when you aren't chasing down evildoers!"

:'''[[Ophelia]] has posed:''' "Tch." After glaring rather balefully at the dark knight while he continued to rant despite her rather obvious annoyance at his long winded speeches, Ophelia slides her sword back into its sheathe with a sharp click. She isn't fooled for an instant by the gambit that Zerum plays; after all, she would know better than anyone what said source of necromancy is. But, with atleast a dozen people watching their conversation, she cannot afford to give that away nor appear to be lax in her duties. "Your concern for the safeguarding of my faith is most 'touching'," she sneers at him. "As thanks for your service, I give you until sundown to see to it that you and your sacriligious books have vacated this sanctuary of the faithful or the sense of foreboding you shall experience next shall not vanish so quickly." Ophelia turns on her heels and stalks out of the library, her angry glare replaced with a smug grin in a flash. Let's see him sell those books of his now that one of the faith's most well known Inquisitors has just publicly decried it as heresy. Perhaps that shall inspire him not to anger the wrong people in the future. Confident she got the last laugh, the Inquisitor makes her exit and goes about looking for someone she can pin some blame on.

:'''[[Zerum]] has posed:''' Was it a loss, or was it more akin to being almost in the proximity a draw? Indeed, Zerum would lose some sales from this particular title, for the time being, unless he could get a mandate from higher up, somehow-- but contradicting the credibility of Ophelia was not something that the bureaucrats would risk just for the sake of appeasing some stranger to their lands, even if he was in the good graces of Bishop Emerald.... to a very minuscule degree, with minuscule being the key word; he didn't have nearly the weight that some of other foreigners had attained recently. The bottom line was, Valos was not going to be setting up a table until he wrote another title that had yet to be marked as heretical, but that could take months, or even years. On the other hand, there had been some profit-- he confirmed that Ophelia had deserved all the mystique she'd been ascribed by others, for whether she was an otherworldly creature or not, it couldn't be argued that her weapon was potent. Just possessing a supernatural blade was enigmatic, and surely hinted at more than that, even if Zerum knew she'd deny it to her dying(or the vampiric equivalent of) breath. He couldn't rightly tell if Ophelia would be up to meeting him voluntarily at another juncture, or not, but even though the dark elf had yet to come to appreciate the pretty face of the humanoid, it would be dubious if one said he didn't appreciate her other assets!

Zerum Valos

2014-03-29T00:15:33Z

BlondeFox: /* Relationships */ Ophelia

{{Character Infobox
|firstname=Zerum
|lastname=Valos
|age=A few centuries or so
|image=ValosThornCrown.jpg
|caption=Rough Sketch of Zerum in armor
|species=Dark Elf
|sex=Male
|height=7'
|weight=345 lbs
|series=Final Fantasy 4
|styles=Shadow Blade
|hometown=Lodestone Cavern
|alignment=Wandering Force
|group=Unaffiliated
|occupation=Black Chevaleresque
|quote=Striving towards perfection is a goal one should always pursue, but hope never to actually reach.
|footer=Being a perfectionist.
}}

=Appearance=

Having dark knight armor, Zerum stands out among his contemporaries in that he rarely actually wears a helmet, preferring a more stylish-looking ciclet, outside of much of having decidedly left his abdomen unarmored. There is method to this madness, in that he feels confident in his reactionary prowess, so attacks coming at his upper body are generally easier to deflect than low blows which requires more time to reach towards; with a lower center of gravity, it also makes magnetic-jumping easier. He has lavender-silver colored hair, green eyes, blueish pigmented skin, and a braid that sometimes ends up draping itself over his shoulder. Zerum is a few inches shorter than his cousin, Gidarch Valos, but still reaches the seven foot range, which isn't incredibly abnormal for drows of the Blue Planet. Also, like dark elves hailing from the Blue Planet, he has a tail.

=History=

=Personality=

=Abilities=

Magnetism- Zerum has an especially strong magnetic influence, and can reduce or increase the weight of metals for as long as he focuses on them. Zerum can even yank weapons out of people's hands, but this is subject to consent. Proficiency-wise, the epicenter of his influence is where his magnetic might is most potent, like that of a bomb's explosivity. When a metal object is right next to him, he can bend it with the strength of a giant, but by the time Zerum targets something metallic that's a football-field away, he'll have problems lifting it unless he exerts the totality of his concentration.

Geokinesis- Zerum can use earth-elemental attacks, and can petrify targets(with their OOC consent) by focusing his energy, akin to how the 'Stone' spell works. He can also manipulate minerals and metals, but has little persuasion over terran-based things such as fauna, and flora.

Shadowmancy- Zerum has familiarized himself in the way of shadow elemental attacks, primarily to do with swordplay, though he does have a few tricks up his sleeve that don't rely on his blade, which are akin to spellcraft.

Levitation- Zerum has a suit of metal armor that, when worn, can be self-targeted and magnetized in order to help him to mimic the effects of the 'Float' spell. This also allows him to decrease his weight, it allows him to leap higher than normal.

Auditory Prowess- Zerum doesn't need to 'see' using visible light, he can use a technique called Flash-Sonar, which allows him to hear/feel vibrations that reflect off of objects. He isn't blind, but in poorly illuminated environments, the power to detect reverberations will help him navigate without falling into pits and the like.

Mental Resilience- Zerum's psychological/emotional state cannot be easily influenced by magics, or by unnatural methods, besides through the medium of verbal assault; it takes a substantial force to affect him. Mind-control and the like will have a questionable success rate, in most cases.

Melodic Debilitation- Harmonic sounds from magical musical instruments can disrupt Zerum's train of thought, and unbalance him. This can impair his control over magnetism, magic, and even decrease his physical proficiency.

=Relationships=

[[Echo]] "Evidently, you don't understand that 'no' means 'no', so next time I'll just take your head off, and no words need be exchanged."

[[Kyra Hyral]] "My thanks for the introduction negligence; now, if you contact me from afar, I've no proof that you shall be you, and reimbursement mayn't be necessary....."

[[Morrighan Alazne]] "Hmm. I must say, t'was a pleasure being improperly introduced."

[[Ophelia]] "The loss of a few book sales pales next to the gain of learning a morsel or two about you, Miss Lovett...!"

[[Rakassa]] "You sick pervert."

=Trivia=

The correct pronunciation of Zerum's name is "Zay - rum".

Zerum is shorter than most dark elves of his world of origin; typically, they range between 7 to 8 feet, with Zer being at the bottom of what's normal.

Zer's preferred headgear is a Thornlet, which is among the very best pieces of armor in the FF installations, except that it gradually drains HP; this is appropriate for his dark knight theme.

= Logs =
{{Character Logs}}
= Cutscenes =
{{Character Logs|Cutscenes}}

File:ValosThornCrown.jpg

2014-03-28T05:32:18Z

BlondeFox: Zerum Valos.... still a bit sketchy, but much more accurate than the last image.

Zerum Valos.... still a bit sketchy, but much more accurate than the last image.

Zerum Valos

2014-03-28T05:31:10Z

BlondeFox: New image, a little more up to date; a lot more accurate.

{{Character Infobox
|firstname=Zerum
|lastname=Valos
|age=A few centuries or so
|image=ValosThornCrown.jpg
|caption=Rough Sketch of Zerum in armor
|species=Dark Elf
|sex=Male
|height=7'
|weight=345 lbs
|series=Final Fantasy 4
|styles=Shadow Blade
|hometown=Lodestone Cavern
|alignment=Wandering Force
|group=Unaffiliated
|occupation=Black Chevaleresque
|quote=Striving towards perfection is a goal one should always pursue, but hope never to actually reach.
|footer=Being a perfectionist.
}}

=Appearance=

Having dark knight armor, Zerum stands out among his contemporaries in that he rarely actually wears a helmet, preferring a more stylish-looking ciclet, outside of much of having decidedly left his abdomen unarmored. There is method to this madness, in that he feels confident in his reactionary prowess, so attacks coming at his upper body are generally easier to deflect than low blows which requires more time to reach towards; with a lower center of gravity, it also makes magnetic-jumping easier. He has lavender-silver colored hair, green eyes, blueish pigmented skin, and a braid that sometimes ends up draping itself over his shoulder. Zerum is a few inches shorter than his cousin, Gidarch Valos, but still reaches the seven foot range, which isn't incredibly abnormal for drows of the Blue Planet. Also, like dark elves hailing from the Blue Planet, he has a tail.

=History=

=Personality=

=Abilities=

Magnetism- Zerum has an especially strong magnetic influence, and can reduce or increase the weight of metals for as long as he focuses on them. Zerum can even yank weapons out of people's hands, but this is subject to consent. Proficiency-wise, the epicenter of his influence is where his magnetic might is most potent, like that of a bomb's explosivity. When a metal object is right next to him, he can bend it with the strength of a giant, but by the time Zerum targets something metallic that's a football-field away, he'll have problems lifting it unless he exerts the totality of his concentration.

Geokinesis- Zerum can use earth-elemental attacks, and can petrify targets(with their OOC consent) by focusing his energy, akin to how the 'Stone' spell works. He can also manipulate minerals and metals, but has little persuasion over terran-based things such as fauna, and flora.

Shadowmancy- Zerum has familiarized himself in the way of shadow elemental attacks, primarily to do with swordplay, though he does have a few tricks up his sleeve that don't rely on his blade, which are akin to spellcraft.

Levitation- Zerum has a suit of metal armor that, when worn, can be self-targeted and magnetized in order to help him to mimic the effects of the 'Float' spell. This also allows him to decrease his weight, it allows him to leap higher than normal.

Auditory Prowess- Zerum doesn't need to 'see' using visible light, he can use a technique called Flash-Sonar, which allows him to hear/feel vibrations that reflect off of objects. He isn't blind, but in poorly illuminated environments, the power to detect reverberations will help him navigate without falling into pits and the like.

Mental Resilience- Zerum's psychological/emotional state cannot be easily influenced by magics, or by unnatural methods, besides through the medium of verbal assault; it takes a substantial force to affect him. Mind-control and the like will have a questionable success rate, in most cases.

Melodic Debilitation- Harmonic sounds from magical musical instruments can disrupt Zerum's train of thought, and unbalance him. This can impair his control over magnetism, magic, and even decrease his physical proficiency.

=Relationships=

[[Echo]] "Evidently, you don't understand that 'no' means 'no', so next time I'll just take your head off, and no words need be exchanged."

[[Kyra Hyral]] "My thanks for the introduction negligence; now, if you contact me from afar, I've no proof that you shall be you, and reimbursement mayn't be necessary....."

[[Morrighan Alazne]] "Hmm. I must say, t'was a pleasure being improperly introduced."

[[Rakassa]] "You sick pervert."

=Trivia=

The correct pronunciation of Zerum's name is "Zay - rum".

Zerum is shorter than most dark elves of his world of origin; typically, they range between 7 to 8 feet, with Zer being at the bottom of what's normal.

Zer's preferred headgear is a Thornlet, which is among the very best pieces of armor in the FF installations, except that it gradually drains HP; this is appropriate for his dark knight theme.

= Logs =
{{Character Logs}}
= Cutscenes =
{{Character Logs|Cutscenes}}

Zerum Valos

2014-03-28T04:46:38Z

BlondeFox: /* Trivia */

{{Character Infobox
|firstname=Zerum
|lastname=Valos
|age=A few centuries or so
|image=ZerumBust.jpg
|caption=Rough Sketch of Zerum in armor
|species=Dark Elf
|sex=Male
|height=7'
|weight=345 lbs
|series=Final Fantasy 4
|styles=Shadow Blade
|hometown=Lodestone Cavern
|alignment=Wandering Force
|group=Unaffiliated
|occupation=Black Chevaleresque
|quote=Striving towards perfection is a goal one should always pursue, but hope never to actually reach.
|footer=Being a perfectionist.
}}

=Appearance=

Having dark knight armor, Zerum stands out among his contemporaries in that he rarely actually wears a helmet, preferring a more stylish-looking ciclet, outside of much of having decidedly left his abdomen unarmored. There is method to this madness, in that he feels confident in his reactionary prowess, so attacks coming at his upper body are generally easier to deflect than low blows which requires more time to reach towards; with a lower center of gravity, it also makes magnetic-jumping easier. He has lavender-silver colored hair, green eyes, blueish pigmented skin, and a braid that sometimes ends up draping itself over his shoulder. Zerum is a few inches shorter than his cousin, Gidarch Valos, but still reaches the seven foot range, which isn't incredibly abnormal for drows of the Blue Planet. Also, like dark elves hailing from the Blue Planet, he has a tail.

=History=

=Personality=

=Abilities=

Magnetism- Zerum has an especially strong magnetic influence, and can reduce or increase the weight of metals for as long as he focuses on them. Zerum can even yank weapons out of people's hands, but this is subject to consent. Proficiency-wise, the epicenter of his influence is where his magnetic might is most potent, like that of a bomb's explosivity. When a metal object is right next to him, he can bend it with the strength of a giant, but by the time Zerum targets something metallic that's a football-field away, he'll have problems lifting it unless he exerts the totality of his concentration.

Geokinesis- Zerum can use earth-elemental attacks, and can petrify targets(with their OOC consent) by focusing his energy, akin to how the 'Stone' spell works. He can also manipulate minerals and metals, but has little persuasion over terran-based things such as fauna, and flora.

Shadowmancy- Zerum has familiarized himself in the way of shadow elemental attacks, primarily to do with swordplay, though he does have a few tricks up his sleeve that don't rely on his blade, which are akin to spellcraft.

Levitation- Zerum has a suit of metal armor that, when worn, can be self-targeted and magnetized in order to help him to mimic the effects of the 'Float' spell. This also allows him to decrease his weight, it allows him to leap higher than normal.

Auditory Prowess- Zerum doesn't need to 'see' using visible light, he can use a technique called Flash-Sonar, which allows him to hear/feel vibrations that reflect off of objects. He isn't blind, but in poorly illuminated environments, the power to detect reverberations will help him navigate without falling into pits and the like.

Mental Resilience- Zerum's psychological/emotional state cannot be easily influenced by magics, or by unnatural methods, besides through the medium of verbal assault; it takes a substantial force to affect him. Mind-control and the like will have a questionable success rate, in most cases.

Melodic Debilitation- Harmonic sounds from magical musical instruments can disrupt Zerum's train of thought, and unbalance him. This can impair his control over magnetism, magic, and even decrease his physical proficiency.

=Relationships=

[[Echo]] "Evidently, you don't understand that 'no' means 'no', so next time I'll just take your head off, and no words need be exchanged."

[[Kyra Hyral]] "My thanks for the introduction negligence; now, if you contact me from afar, I've no proof that you shall be you, and reimbursement mayn't be necessary....."

[[Morrighan Alazne]] "Hmm. I must say, t'was a pleasure being improperly introduced."

[[Rakassa]] "You sick pervert."

=Trivia=

The correct pronunciation of Zerum's name is "Zay - rum".

Zerum is shorter than most dark elves of his world of origin; typically, they range between 7 to 8 feet, with Zer being at the bottom of what's normal.

Zer's preferred headgear is a Thornlet, which is among the very best pieces of armor in the FF installations, except that it gradually drains HP; this is appropriate for his dark knight theme.

= Logs =
{{Character Logs}}
= Cutscenes =
{{Character Logs|Cutscenes}}

Rebel With A Correlation

2014-03-28T02:01:41Z

BlondeFox: log

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2014/03/24
|Location=Vector - Palace
|Synopsis=Rakassa is befallen by Zerum, who draws a few conclusions about her inclinations based on her behaviors; things escalate after she's unable to refute his accusations, and he soon finds himself bordering on becoming unemployed, thus encouraging a hasty retreat.
|Cast of Characters=Rakassa, Zerum Valos
|pretty=yes
}}
:'''[[Zerum]] has posed:''' Zerum had, for all intents and purposes, decided that one of the surefire ways to expand his ability to siphon memories or to hijack others' consciousnesses, it would have to involve dark magic of some kind. His shadowmancy skills were limited at the time, but he knew that Rakassa had an extensive information network that might enable him to connect with other sources who knew of those who were versed in the ways of black sorcery. The drow didn't have to go back too far into some of the files in Vector, to which he'd been given limited access for the time being, to learn about an incredibly recent incident involving the rescue of Vohstras, Cadence, and one Morgan Alabaste. Rakassa had personally been dispatched to foil the schemes of a very well-known outlaw who'd eluded Vector for some time, who went by the name of 'Rohy', so, following the emancipation of the hostages, the Admiral graciously extended to the victims a complementary stay in the medical ward so that they could all recover from their ordeal. This was well-publicized, since it served to brag on the naval general's reputation-- naturally, she took all the credit, and anyone else involved in the rescue were downplayed when it came down to attention afforded by the Vector media. It was also said that she personally visited some of the victims in the hospital to make certain that they were granted nothing but the highest quality of doctoring during their stays; did she hold conversations with them about their religious beliefs, their careers, and their families, as a way of offering a good bedside-manner? None could truly say, but one thing was clear.... She was known for extracting information even where it seemed where there was none, and it was almost as if she could squeeze blood from a stone. This was precisely why Zerum had sought an audience with /her/, instead of some lower-ranked peon. So it was that the dark elf entered her chamber boldly, as he'd been given permission to do, albeit only during certain hours, in the vein of doing some extracting of his own. Dark knights /were/ good at draining health from others, so, why not information, too?

:'''[[Rakassa]] has posed:''' Looking up from a decent glass of wine, Rakassa lightly frowns. She's already have way to being well and truly pickled. The fact that someone is disturbing her is usually grounds for yelling, threats, and maybe a thrown object or two. No, right now, she's regretting ever giving Zerum permission to come in on a whim. "What is it?" No hellos, no pleasantries. She's not going to waste time on someone /not/ currently attending to her needs. This is business, after all. She does at least kick out a chair, though, followed by a glass of wine. An admiral has to at least pretend to have manners and respect for her fellow person.

:'''[[Zerum]] has posed:''' The dark elf came in, hoping to be received with a minimal amount of cordiality, but when Rakassa abruptly demands to know what it is he wants, he shakes his head, and wags his finger disapprovingly, "Now, now, for someone who I didn't retaliate against after the stunt you pulled with that camera of yours, you should extend a little more warmth, don't you agree?" This was, in every sense of the word, a facectious stab at how generous he was hypothetically being despite Rakassa's perversity, when the fact was that he knew very well she received no satisfaction from the photograph she took; all cameras contained metal, and Valos had detected the device long before she'd plucked it from her pocket. Needless to say, when he started to get the idea that she was going to use it, since she'd already squandered a minute leering at him, Zerum was ready to disrupt its functionality by the time she'd gotten the thing lined up with her eyes, and pushed the button-- ultimately, the admiral ended up with a blurry image that didn't do Zerum any justice, which didn't even account for the fact that the quality was so poor that he couldn't've been identified at all. Programs similar to photoshop existed, alas... if it had to be heavily edited, wouldn't it have been just as useful to start from scratch using a standard picture? Zerum can feign ignorance all day long, if the accusations start up. He throws back his hand dismissingly, and gets straight to the point, since Rakassa wasn't interested in digression, "I just got back from the Thunder Plains, and brought with me a generous sample of the metal of which the towers used to ground the lightning are comprised. In the process of doing this, I sustained considerable damage, and ended up owing somebody a favor who came along and healed me. I succeeded where Captain Vohstras Egress could not, so..... now I've come to collect." And indeed, many folks could travel through the Thunder Plains while getting moderately burnt if they were fast or hardy, but who would have /dared/ to actually haul around a hunk of metal that weighed in the hundred-something-pound realm, while meandering through that death-trap? Even more importantly, who /could/ have done something like that, short of the likes of a supremely-talented warlock that was capable of heaving cumbersome loads while also deflecting the incoming barrages of voltaic matter, for the simple price of being allowed to ask a few questions? No, not even Rakassa's 'favorite' vassal could have done this deed, and maybe Zerum didn't excel at absolutely everything in the same fields as the frosty Mtek, but because of his unique ability to magnetize metal, this was a task for which he was well-suited. As part of their deal, Valos had fulfilled one of the chores that had been assigned to him, and it spoke volumes for his greediness, that he was extremely prompt in having the debt paid instead of giving Rakassa a sliver of time to just sit back and enjoy the artifact, instead of having to worry about being nagged by the tax-man!

:'''[[Rakassa]] has posed:''' "I'm not interested in games right now." Apparently, the woman's in a bad mood, and is clearly not willing to play ball. "Let's get down to business." She presses. Then, there's mention of payment. She'll of course first confirm with one of her underlings via a linkshell that it's actually been received, before leaning back. Chatter chatter. She takes her time here in confirming it. Oh yes, she's going to double check. No one short of the Emperor makes her work on the time of others. "...Alright, looks like you're not lying. Not a bad job I suppose. Could've been a bit more prompt." Tilting her head this way and that, she ponders. "Alright. What's your asking price?"

:'''[[Zerum]] has posed:''' The dark elf rolls his eyes, "Seems that when it's convenient for /you/, that you expect others to eagerly cooperate and play /your/ games, but when you get a taste of your own medicine....." He shugs, helplessly, deciding not to make a massive fiasco, by charitably refraining from finishing his sentence. Zerum had patiently stagnated in limbo while Rakassa confirmed that the package had been delivered as promised, and he snaps his fingers, to demonstrate pride in his achievement, "I could've walked up to the first tower I saw, ripped out a measly fistful of its exterior, before returning..... But I went beyond the call of duty. I examined every single one of those shoddy poles, and once I felt the strongest presence of concentration of the mystery metal that was contained in those things, I tore a yeti-sized piece, then dragged it all the way to Vector." He rests his thumb underneath his chin in a thinking posture, "....I think I'm entitled to at least a few leads, not just one." With that, he points demandingly at Rakassa, in a manner that shows confidence and determination, something that practically nobody in all of the imperial nation would do to the admiral, showing that he had no plans of backing down even mildly, "I'm going to have some names before I leave this room. And I want at least a few clues as to where Miss Alabaste was last seen, even if it was from some time ago. If I'm to evolve in my field, then I need to seek out persons who have a grasp of dark magics; I don't care if some of the names you give me are no more substantial than mere rumors suggesting the existence of said individuals, but I want something to work with, because sometimes even phantoms can be touched." As abrasive as he was, the truth was, Zerum was still far less rotten than Rakassa at his core, but he was every bit as fiery, which could be seen in how he refused to budge on getting adequate funding for his work.

:'''[[Rakassa]] has posed:''' Once again, Rakassa neatly takes refuge in her wine, not at all taking the bait Zerum lays out. She swallows a majority of the glass, before kicking up her booted feet. Nope, this one isn't going to show a shred of decency here. At least, until it comes to payment. She actively smiles. "Finally. Someone with a spine." She actually sounds impressed. "If you need the elf, investigate the Church of Glabados. As for magicians...mmm. One moment." She touches her ear, and has a whispered conversation with one of her flunkies. Normally, it'd be Queegma, but the kappa's away. No, instead, she's quietly relayed some information that she already well knows by now. "A name is all I have. 'Seith'. One of my informants say he's known as a user of dark powers. Don't know anything else, though. Payment enough?" Slowly, she grins. "Keep working like you did today, and /maybe/ you'll get paid like a real mercenary."

:'''[[Zerum]] has posed:''' Valos groans, pinching the bridge of his nose as though warding off a headache, "Need I remind you that I'm a dark knight, and not a prophet? I can only get things accomplished as quickly as I get handed the orders. I have no way of knowing in advance what you want from me, and there's always a slight delay before I get started, because I don't like to just go jumping off cliffs blindly, with but a scant /hope/ that there may be a fifty percent chance of an outcropping or two that'd break my fall." He scratches his head, and it sways side to side for a moment as he thinks, "Beyond that, I fathom that you've given me enough to handle, for now, if due to the fact that tracking down two separate people will take a good amount of time; with my luck, they're on opposite ends of the World of Ruin." He cackles defiantly, but not in a bellowing fashion, as a maniacal individual would do who gets overwhelmed by their feelings; like other dark elves of his blood-line, he was diluted in that sense, "....Paid like a real mercenary?" Zerum frowns faintly, "With ears like those, one would think you'd be a great listener. I don't want to be paid like a real mercenary, because real mercenaries have no direction in life. They chase their own tails endlessly, with no comprehension of their inability to satisfy their impulses using temporary solutions, such as confections, liquor, and sex." Well.... that's nice, he just insulted everything that made Rakassa's life worth living, but the chances were, he didn't do it intentionally, he has no idea that she's another hedonist who lives hand-to-mouth, hoping to gratify herself with indulgences of the flesh. Haughty, and thinking himself transcendant of the frailties of standard sapient ideology, Zerum must have been leaving a bad taste in Rakassa's mouth already.... not that she wasn't arrogant, and of the belief that she was above others, as well-- but here, the drow went and actually defined /why/ he felt his ambitions were more idealistic. Rakassa usually just used violence to convince others she was right and that they were wrong, so there may have been a chance that certain dark elves' words had actually stung her like no words from any other she'd encountered, before. Welcome to the personality of the erudite; they're superior, they know it, -AND- they /will/ validate their claims. Nothing deflates another's ego more than being shown up, if they actually have an ego..... but with how much Rakassa bragged, was that ever in doubt?

:'''[[Rakassa]] has posed:''' The woman herself laughs a bit. "Just pray they don't end up in another world entirely~" Sing-songs the elf tauntingly. Clearly the man has enough on his plate indeed, but Rakassa can't help but rib him a bit. "Mmm. Not very proactive, are you? Oh well. I only need a decent lap dog." Shrug. Her eyes go wide just a moment as her lifestyle is neatly prodded. Anger rises up...and cools. A smile comes to her face, and she leans over the table after setting her feet down, seduction in her eyes even as there's poison. To lay with her is to lay with a snake. "...No direction? Pleasure, my dear Zerum, is direction in and of itself. It fuels ambition, greed, desire.../everything/! The want for a better life, less pain, enjoyment, love, lust! It's the underpinnings of any society. People are just too stubborn to admit it."

:'''[[Zerum]] has posed:''' Zerum points at Rakassa, critically, "If it ends up that every time you give me a lead and they turn out to not be in this world, or any reachable ones, then you may find yourself in another world, too.... so you better do some praying, too." He growls, disliking Rakassa's propensity towards trying to daunt his quest, which was already anything but an easy one. He sees the anger escalate, before it sinks back down, mayhap implying that she had a retort in mind to the dark elf's argument, so Valos steels himself in case she says something even remotely brilliant, against which he'd need to exert some labor to counter. Soon enough, she goes into a miniature tangent about how her drive for euphoria and that of others gives them the initiative they need to function, but first, he corrects her, wagging his finger, "Lord Valos, or Mister Valos will do fine, thank you.... we may be allies, but we're not even close to having a personal relationship." The drow folds his arms over his chest, "They're devoid of direction because they're no more competent than any mindless, drooling beast that becomes hungry, who responds by immediately going off to use the same old trick to fix the problem without realizing that the problem will simply arise all over again a few hours later!" He scoffs, "Your idea of direction is as developed as the predispostion of a magnet to move towards or away from whatever polarity is influencing it in that very moment. Is that the extent of your vision? To be a slave to your own components?" Zerum grins, "You bigwigs who run nations always talk about ruling the world, but none of you can even govern the whims of your own bodies, or minds.... so what good is owning the world, when you don't even own yourself?" He laughs..... this time, a /real/ laugh, a condescending, conceited, and as cocksure as one could possibly be, yet.... it still wasn't terribly loud-- positively-charged sounds, especially emotional ones, were the root of his undoing, and this is why music effected him so thoroughly.

:'''[[Rakassa]] has posed:''' Rakassa only rolls her eyes as she's corrected initially. Here, she puts her feet right back on the table. Seems she's not willing to play ball when it comes to politeness. She's the employer here, on her soil. She'll be damned if she follows the whims of some croney. "Same old trick? Poor, ignorant soul. If you lust enough, desire enough, and have enough coin? There are pleasures you couldn't even /dream/ of. I'll be the first to admit I'm a hedonist. I don't claim to cling to some ideal...aside from Emperor and country of course." She has to pay /some/ lip service. "A life without pleasure isn't worth living. That's what I believe. That's why I work so damn hard, so I can afford to enjoy my life. Other than that? I don't give a hound's tail about 'ruling the world' or 'governing'. I'm an Admiral. Heh. Even /that/ gives me ways of having a good time." She's squarely in the sadist territory, after all, and seeing the light slip from someone has its own joys. "Leave the ideals and rulership to my betters. I'll reap the profits as I may right here."

:'''[[Zerum]] has posed:''' Cooperation wasn't a strongpoint of Rakassa's, but in Zerum's line of work, it was expected to that turbulence needed to be tackled, at intervals. It was plausible that her delusions of grandeur would leave her exposed to ideological attack, but the woman could always shrink back into her shell and start spouting nonsensical diatribes if she didn't have actual arguments with intellectual weight to them-- that happened to be a typical response from those who had nary a substantial recourse, from what Valos had seen in his lifetime!! "There may be pleasures I could not dream of, but they will be pleasures you won't have, if you don't strive to be second-to-none. So pine away for what will always be out of your reach, then, and watch as others delight in what the world has to offer, while you settle for cheap knock-offs of what they inherit." He smirks, proudly; could she truly disagree that if she was willing to be a doormat to the emperor, that she would be able to revel equally in the same tokens that brought him comfort? How could one who was lower, hope to be equal? Mathematically, that was an impossibility, and if there was one thing Zerum knew, the mechanics of the coding behind all reality could not be refuted, with any true gravity. "There you go. You yourself just admitted it. You /work/ so d*mn hard.... and you always will sweat, because you are blue-collar, underneath all the fronts you adopt of greatness, which is precisely why...." His teeth show as his smile widens to a massive degree, "....you will continue to leave ideals to your betters.... people such as myself...." Well. Unless she had a good comeback to that one, the dark elf was sure that he'd just hung her with her own rope; this is where he suspected she would tire of debating, and insist he stop dawdling, so as to put his money where his mouth was, by going out to achieve some of the things he asserted that he would accomplish. It wouldn't change the fact that her confession defined her as one of the 'worker-class', but it would at least get the uppity blue-skinned blue-blood out of her hair! There was one ace in her hole that she wished to use, but most likely much to her dismay, was something that was unuseable because of confidentiality issues-- she was a Shadow Lord. That gave her access to more resources than what she had as an admiral in exclusion. It must have burned inside to know that she could have pulled that out of her hat, but knowing that if she did, the consequences would be dire; one thing Rakassa was notorious for disliking, if anything, was holding her tongue.... alas, even gods and demons sometimes must eat a slice of humble pie. Mayhap the sole thing to comfort her in what could be disputable as a moment of defeat, was that she could one day toss aside her mask and reveal all that she was, thus enabling her to turn the tables on her conquistador, and relish the most delicious dish ever known to man, or demonkind..... revenge!

:'''[[Rakassa]] has posed:''' Rakassa starts to roll her eyes...up until the point where he mentions that he's her better. Hands slam into the table, shaking the very wood as she stands up. She glares over the table. "...You filthy little elf git! You never have been, and never will be my equal, nevermind my 'better'. You're a foreigner, an outsider, and arrogant besides! Know your place, mercenary! What armies do /you/ lead?" Indeed, in Vector, she's miles above the man. "Get out of my office, and get back to work. I don't pay you to sling insults at me. Next time you run off the mouth like that to me, you're spending a week rotting in jail. And I'll be sure there's not a hint of metal within a mile of you!" He's definitely rustled her hair here.

:'''[[Zerum]] has posed:''' Zerum flaps his wrist dismissively, evidently unimpressed with her threats, as she calls him a snob, which is something he's heard a plethora of instances in the past; it might've even been true, but he didn't care, since he felt it was well founded. Of course, when she asks a question, as if to solidify her stance on being superior to him, in regards to leading an army, the dark elf yawns a little, "What armies do I lead? A better question is, what armies do I /need/?" He starts to walk towards the door, since he can already tell that the woman is tired of his prattling, besides the fact that she couldn't really decry his words that effectively, in an academic sense, "I'm sure you've heard the tale of 'The Leafer And The Kappa', back in your world?" He looks over his shoulder at her, "It speaks of a lagomorph that lives a fast-paced life, rushing ahead to win a race, while the slow-moving, but tenacious turtloid moves steadily, even though it rapidly loses ground to the rabbit. Eventually, though, the Leafer thinks, in its pomposity, that it cannot ever lose, because it has so many resources at its disposal.... mainly, a lot of speed, and a much better start than the Kappa had." He shrugs his shoulders, "Turns out, though, that because the rabbit gets swallowed up in its own sense of sense, that it comes to a halt, while the tortoise-man bypasses it, eventually giving it the chance to win the race." The dark knight points accusingly at Rakassa, "You have armies /now/, and you have a better start than I do. But you will reach a stopping point, because you freely admitted without persuasion from my end, that you're content to stay beneath others in this life, complacent to enjoy the feeble, temporal delectables that keep you from reaching self-actualization." He hooks a thumb at himself, after that, "I, the tortoise, currently have no armies, and paltry finances, which could be comparable to being the one getting off to a slow start..... but here is something you may not have known....." Or maybe she did, and if she did, the reminder of such would've most likely eaten away at her upon having it brought up, "My race lives a very long time.... longer than you, human! And besides /that/? We've been known to auto-resurrect. Once you die, you will either become dust, or end up having to owe Hades in order to return to the land of the living, by making some pitiful bargain in which you'll be under his sway! Myself?" He flicks his head back, causing his braid to swing towards his back, "I will be subject to no liabilities if I come back, which means I will rack up no debts." At this point, she commands him to evacuate, which he's in the process of doing, for fear, although not much of it, of being stuffed into some box for a week or so, "....If there won't be a hint of metal within a mile of me, that's naught but an assurance, Miss Rakassa..... because that will mean that /YOU/ will not be there!" Standing in the doorway, facing her, he issues one final taunt, ".....I've seen how you've studied me, and even now, the fact that I make your blood boil as you stand helplessly to bend me to your will, it just makes me all the more appetizing to you to make into one of your conquests.... That picture you tried to take? I'm pretty sure I can guess why you took it.... but as you know, the moment you're close to me, I'll but strain my mind to deprive you of the metals in your body, denying you not just myself.... but YOURSELF. You talk of me never knowing pleasures? Well.... I am one you shall never have!" The drow pivots on his heels, and exits, allowing the door to close behind him, quietly.

:'''[[Rakassa]] has posed:''' Slowly, the 'leafer' of the pair stands. Already incensed, she visibly trembles in fury. "THEN GET OUT YOU DAMN TURTLE BEFORE I DEVOUR YOU!" Screams the admiral, several guards down the hallway wincing. Yup, they're soon to have /very/ bad days. Nevermind how Queegma'll be treated when he's back! Then she's being taunted with death, and the possibility of making a deal with that bastard Hades. /Another/ deal. It's at this point that the wine glass goes zipping past Zerum's head out into the hallway as he moves to leave, smashing into the back of one of the guard's heads. "DON'T YOU DARE! YOU'LL NEVER GET TO MY LEVEL!" Shouts the woman, clearly in no more mood for rational discussion.

Blunder Road o/~

2014-03-24T22:59:58Z

BlondeFox:

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2014/03/22
|Location=Thunder Plains
|Synopsis=Kyra comes to the rescue of Zerum Valos when he bites off more than he can chew by venturing into the Thunder Plains without any prior experience with the place.
|Cast of Characters=Kyra Hyral, Zerum Valos
|pretty=yes
}}
:'''[[Zerum]] has posed:''' Always hoping to learn, since only a wholly omniscient entity could ever attain a point where there was nothing that had yet to be discovered, Zerum had trekked to the Thunder Plains in the hopes of obtaining new information. He'd heard about the peculiar phenomena that went on in that place, which might've offered some leads on more efficient energy conversion, or technology that could store power, since there were towers erected expressly for attracting lightning towards themselves made by people with whom the dark elf had not familiarized himself; primarily because he had no means of doing so! The reality of life was that there would always be trial and error-- learning something, anticipating what would come next, trying to prepare for it, and then.... finding out the application had merit, or did not. Far be it for Zerum Valos not to investigate beforehand, he'd accumulated some factoids on the Thunder Plains, which alerted him to the fact that when one was not in proximity to the large towers, one still might've been subject to cascading bolts sporadically, resulting in the formation of a plan; he'd use his magnetic powers to keep suspended above, and not making any physical contact with himself, a large piece of metal that would act as a portable lightning-rod to conduct the plasma that would inevitably be drawn his way. He did not have the aptitude to foresee that while roaming about the territory, that the electricity could incarnate to the severity that it would eventually incinerate his contraption of forestallment, which would bring him to his present condition; sub-optimal health. After his encounter with a few stray shafts, his weakness to lightning compelled him to seek shelter adjacent to one of the giant spires, for an indeterminant amount of time. As a dark knight, his forte wasn't healing, hence, he would have to hope the few potions he brought would sustain him when he would eventually try to make a break for it, and get clear of no-man's-land; it was just taking him a smidgen to work up the courage to make the attempt, meanwhile, he resembled something of a scorched burn-survivor during his residence in the Thunder Plains,.... nothing that hadn't been seen before!

:'''[[Kyra Hyral]] has posed:''' Ramuha had been an impressive city. Spanning the continent in its mass, it existed beneath a perpetual blanket of clouds that changed frequently and with ferocity. Although sun barely penetrated, the city teemed with life given by the storm above through lightning culled and captured by the technology below. As with the rest of Galandia, the city with no sun had been swallowed by the darkness. Neo Ramuha was a pale shadow thus far, to no one's surprise. Considering that it had only existed for a month, the progress made was still very impressive. The refugees of Galandia had scrambled to recreate some space to call their own (with the exception of some as the Ifriti had no home, even on their previous world). The structures are durable and well-made. As Zerum examines the spire at close range, he would notice that unlike his own invention, they can withstand extreme amounts of voltage. There are many visible failsafes and bleed-overs built into the spires should a strike exceed the calculated strength. It doesn't take long for Zerum to be noticed. The first few seem content in going upon their own business, not interested taking the time out of their day to see to an injured elf. Some run off. But eventually, one does approach. Where Zerum's profession of a dark knight affords him telling, almost ceremonial aspects to his armor, from a distance it could quickly be assumed that the approaching girl was a white mage. She has a white hood on with a pattern of red triangles lining the edge of the hood. When she draws closer, it's obvious that it's not only in the style of the white mage hood, but reminiscent of a moogle's head, complete with ears and eyes sewn into the fabric. The hood does not belong to a cape but to a hoodie. She wears a pleated plaid skirt and enormous black boots with thick heels and large, shiny silver buckles. With each step, her footwear jingles as the buckles clank against each other. She stops before Zerum, green eyes observing the knight critically. "Hm." she finally vocalizes. "Looks like you've taken several million volts. You are fortunate to be alive." With little preamble, she unzips the front zipper to her hoodie, revealing several bandoliers stocked with vials and a pair of under-shoulder gun holsters beneath. A hand plucks a vial free, green liquid sloshing around within. "You want some healing, right?"

:'''[[Zerum]] has posed:''' Never having known anything of Kyra's world of origin, Zerum was content to marvel at what he'd seen on the continent, to some extent, which might've been absent of his attitude if he'd stood testament to the original Ramuha. Right now, he was grateful for the fact that somebody had taken the time to construct the column that was guarding him, so his thoughts revolved around being glad of his temporary refuge, and depressed over the journey that was seemingly ahead of him, since nobody was interested in assisting him; it didn't make his quest for medicating any easier that he elected not to voice his concerns when passerby would show little thought over his welfare. Zerum was a proud sort, and asking for help wasn't a habit of his.... but when volunteered, he wasn't one to turn it down, if he was in dire straits. When the girl in the moogle-esque hoodie arrives, he's tempted to bequeath the same warning he does to everybody else that nears him.... to do just the opposite, and keep their distance. As said, though, there were some earmarks of doctoral calling that radiated from the girl in white, which clued him to the fact that there was a chance she could, and even /would/ heal him, allowed the opportunity! What student of curative magics would refrain from aiding one in need? Mayhap one that didn't want to improve, and refine their technique. The dark elf hoped this was not that type, and his wishes look as though they'll be granted when she takes the time to acknowledge his predicament, as well as choosing to question if he wanted some healing. "Given my current quality of life, Miss, I'd like to concede, if I'm allowed a modification to your statement.... I think I'm just barely fortunate to be alive. I mean no offense, but there are conditions in which one would not be fortunate to be alive, I think." He shrugs, then coughs a little, showing some more telltale signs of his wear and tear, before he grins, "Healing would be welcome. Eventually, I have to brave that jazz all over again, sans my original ward which had kept me safe for about an hour.... I have no paper though, so I can't put together a formal contract." She might be wondering what he meant by that, but mystery or not, he expanded on what he meant, "I can only offer a verbal agreement to assure you payback."

:'''[[Kyra Hyral]] has posed:''' Kyra Hyral carries no staff on her; another thing that Zerum would and possibly find odd if he has a certain schema of what a white mage was in his mind. Apparently she has eschewed blunt objects in the favor of projectiles and who knows what else. Some of the vials upon her bandoliers contain liquids or powders of other hues, betraying a non-curative nature. "Would you prefer being dead to being alive right now, given your current state?" Kyra queries as she reaches for one of the weapons contained in her holsters. Drawing it forth, it's clearly not a traditional gun meant to expel bullets. There is an area along the barrel where the vial she took fits in neatly. At the end of the muzzle is a long, conspicous needle. "I agree there are some states worse than being dead. But you aren't a vegetable or being compelled to act against your will at the moment, just to name a few." Holding up her weapon, she flicks the side a few times before approaching the drow. "Present your arm with your palm upright, please." She doesn't even pause at the mention of contracts or paybacks, but her eyes do flicker. "Well I could declare this an act of charity buuuuuut...give your profession, I could see your skillset helping me out in the future."

:'''[[Zerum]] has posed:''' The dark knight did take note of the oddities she had on her person, but didn't make a big commotion over it, since the World of Ruin had so many folks that a lot of people were a blend of different classes and skill-sets, and felt that if she wanted to tell him about herself, she'd do the announcing. Right now he didn't want to be too nosy, since overly-inquisitive people sometimes scared folks off; not a good idea, since Kyra was planning on rendering remedial service. As she brings the gun to bear, Zerum begins to wriggle around very lightly, as though thinking she was indicating that she planned to offer to put him out of his misery, yet, within an instant, he could tell that it wasn't a standard gun, and he calmed down. As she spews forth her query, Zerum nods his head to the side, aiming to direct her attention to the sword that was propped against the tower only about a couple feet away, which she probably already saw when she was approaching, as if to accentuate its importance, and with his coming statement, it becomes clear why, "See that thing, there?" He smirks, "When barely becomes negatory, I'll be able to fix my problem with promptness.... and that's all I have to say on that topic." When she entreats him to hold out his arm, the drow complies, moving slower than usual, since movement apparently caused him distress. It's only when her eyes flicker does he realize that he is truly and undeniably dealing with an unorthodox white-mage, since she takes the time to even consider charging him for her help; this isn't to say his bid wasn't genuine, but implied entitlements were something that frequently accompanied 'charity', so he was testing to see if he actually was likely to receive unquestionably free treatment. "It's at this point that I can't discern whether you're more an opportunist or more a humanitarian, since you seem to be teetering on the cusp of whether or not to indulge me with or without reimbursement. Well, I won't complain with whatever you decide, just as long as you're honest and upfront about it. An enemy stabs you in the back, but a friend, if they are indeed a friend, will stab you in the chest, if they must do the deed."

:'''[[Kyra Hyral]] has posed:''' Once the arm is presented appropriately, Kyra steps forward and crouches before Zerum, taking his arm with one hand and inserting the needle just beneath the crease where the elbow bends. The needle hurts going in but the pain is barely comparable to what Zerum had suffered moments before. The vial is emptied of its contents and within seconds, he can feel the pain drain away from him, spreading from the site of the injection. Damage tissue sloughs off to reveal new and healthy skin beneath. "Studies have shown that healing remedies admitted intravaneously are thirty percent more effective and sixty-five percent faster." Kyra notes as she pulls the needle out. The now empty vial is ejected from the gun and stuffed into a pocket on her hoodie. A hand is offered to help him up. A laugh escapes her. "I don't think anyone I know would describe me as a humanitarian. Opportunist, now, that sounds closer to the truth. If you really are grateful enough for my help to insist on some form of repayment, I would be happy to take it. I am always in need of the strong to help me when my work takes me into dangerous areas with dangerous creatures." She slips her needlegun away. "But if you refuse, there is really nothing I can do to stop you. I am not so cruel as to lace my cures with biological agents to force you to help me."

:'''[[Zerum]] has posed:''' The needle is hardly an afterthought, with all other things considered, but there is a silent, mental rejoicing when the major culprits contributing to his discomfort are extinguished, aside from a weak grin to convey his happiness over the fiasco. He's seen things like this happen before, but more often than not it was thanks to spells that spontaneously helped with regeneration, and less so with potions, which took a bit longer. "Hmm. When you ingest things, even if it gets into your bloodstream, some of it gets ruined because it has to go through the digestive system, plus.... as to be expected, this also takes more time." He agreed with the concepts that Kyra professes, but he doesn't immediately buy into those numbers, if because he hasn't seen the documentation for himself.... It was irrelevant, anyway-- what mattered was that she had a more fruitful medium of transferring the substances into his system, which would allow him to punch through the desolate prairie so that he could go about his business, very shortly. Her laugh causes a very tiny twitch of one eye, due to the fact that he had super-sensitive hearing, and positively-emotionally-charged sounds had a way of irritating him, much like the Dark Elf King, who could one day be unlucky enough to fall victim to a bard, if he wasn't careful; however, there was a more pressing matter to be dealt with, "I'm not refusing or insisting." He finally says, "I don't want to encourage or discourage; I am simply telling you that if you feel it is imperative that I repay you, that I will do so. My feelings on what I prefer should technically count for zero, because I'm not the one who just had to deal with an expenditure on someone else's behalf." He points, "This is all about what you think I should do." And with that, he folds his arms, showing minimal mirth or misery. "....And for the record, if you went into studying the science of manipulating a person's physiological condition, but you classify yourself as an opportunist, then I'm not completely sold on the idea that you wouldn't be above lacing your agents with something in the same family as sodium pentathol...." Zerum yawns, "....but I'm not sold that you /would/ necessarily do it, either. I haven't made up my mind about you, not by a long shot."

:'''[[Kyra Hyral]] has posed:''' "Yes! Correct!" Kyra grins, "A portion of the chemical does succumb to digestive enzymes and is rendered inert and ineffective. Directly in the bloodstream there is no such danger." She seems liable to go on further and, in fact, would produce the relevant papers if questioned about the numbers. One such paper would have her own name listed under the authors. "Then call me an opportunist. Give me a means of contacting you so I may call upon your services in the future. If anything, you seem like someone I might have an intelligent conversation with." At his accusation of poisoning her own cures, Kyra smiles mysteriously. "Knowledge can be a dangerous thing. But I maintain that if I had such mixtures on my person, they'd only be deployed in the direst of circumstances."

:'''[[Zerum]] has posed:''' Zerum would certainly have inquiries to make even if he received the papers, for his one calling in life was the pursuit of knowledge, which was only acquired by asking questions; sometimes of others, and even more importantly, perchance, of oneself. For now, he'll trust that her numbers are at least more accurate than the testimonies he might get from somebody off the street, which was almost what she was, if the Thunder Plains had formally paved roads running through it. Normally, Lord Valos was a lover of tutelage, but he wasn't comfortable in a place where he really had no leverage if he somehow managed to provoke her by yoking the wrong words unintentionally.... and while she didn't initially appear the type who was riled swiftly, as he'd stated before, he barely knew the woman; discourse was simply better when his back wasn't against a wall-- or a tower. To make things more convenient, she asks him for contact information, and he hands her some kind of card that has his name on it, but very little else, which meant that he probably didn't have a phone, and gave precedence to things like Mognet. "I can provide assistance as long as it doesn't violate the terms of any agreement made with other institutions or persons prior to my arrangement with you; I operate on a first-come, first-serve basis." He didn't exactly say /who/ his primary employer was, surmising he even had one, but as of yet, the dark one had shown himself reluctant to give out much information on himself unless asked-- he didn't even confirm what his skillset was when Kyra seemed to hint that she knew he had talents of some brand. Drumming his index finger wonderingly against the side of his cheek, he gazed upwards whilst exhibiting the signs of someone in a state of consideration, "....Only deployed in the direst of circumstances..... and I suppose, you'd be the judge of when those circumstances presented themselves." Zerum smirks, already beginning to stand, "You may maintain the moon is made of green cheese until you turn blue in the face, if you desire, or you can assert that it's made of rock. No matter what you say, everything that ends up on my plate only gets admittance if I get to add a grain of salt, otherwise it gets sent back to the kitchen, unless the chef has verified to me that he runs a five star restaurant." He bows, "I trust you need nothing more from me at this particular juncture? If you're going my way, you may choose to accompany me, supposing that is your wish-- there's no way that a jolt of energy will seek you out when a seven foot tall slab of metal is right there beside you.... If not, well, I'll make an effort not to lose sleep over the brevity of our encounter."

:'''[[Kyra Hyral]] has posed:''' New Ramuha was working its way up to formally paved roads. For now it was making do with hard-packed dirt and gravel which, unfortunately, got pretty messy in the rain. They will manage eventually, more sooner than not since paved roads would make material transportation so much easier. That is if they hadn't devised a way to summon items as needed before then or simply stuck to Souji's airship. Unwise to fly in the weather? Maybe, maybe not; his airship was accustomed to bad weather. Thus far she hadn't seemed the least bit riled by the drow. There is the slightest bit of disappointment, it seems, when she examines the card and realizes there's no phone number on there. While it wasn't a dealbreaker, it made contact a bit more inconvenient for her. "We'd draw up a contract beforehand to make sure you did not encounter conflicts of interest." Kyra offers, pocketing the card of contact information. "Absolutely, as the keeper of these mixtures, the responsibility falls upon me when and when not to use them. That is an awfully extensive metaphor about food. Are you a food critic?" There is but a brief moment of contemplation before she shakes her head, "No, be well and tread carefully. I have no need to cross the plains myself right now-I have construction and experiments to attend to. But if you happen to be struck again, I would certainly come help."

:'''[[Zerum]] has posed:''' Paved roads would be an improvement, but Valos wasn't sure when he'd return, so, for all he knew, he might not benefit from them even if they were put into place.... either that, or after several centuries, if he'd returned, maybe the roads that could have supposedly been built could have eroded; things changed comparatively quickly for an individual whose lifespan stretched over the course of many an age. But.... Zerum was still young, for a dark elf, so he had some spark in him, yet, if he was lucky, he wouldn't get anymore, since the thunder had put him through the wringer already. And speaking of being spirited, he tilts his head at her offer to help him if he were to be struck again, at which point something dawns on him. "Hmmm...." Spinning around on his heels, he sheathes his sword, and faces the tower, then places his hands against it. Either by decree of his possessing greater than average strength physically, or whether he had aid by way of his magnetic powers(probably the latter), he managed to tear free a massive metal panel which left a patch that exposed the circuitry of the pillar. Molding it for a moment, he created yet another conduit which he'd suspend above his head until such time that it was detonated by an especially potent bolt of lightning, on his trip out of the plains; no self-respecting dark knight would be qualified to continue to categorize themselves as a wielder of the dark sword if they were beyond morally questionable vices like vandalism, now and again. Aside from that, the forgers who made the thing were long dead, and since he suspected nobody had a valid deed of ownership, then he was declaring himself the owner of that piece right then and there! As the thing hovered above his head, Zerum nodded to Kyra, "I am a critic of everything; being willfully negligent in a mental fashion is the absolute best way to allow enemies to fly under my radar. Good day, miss, and thank you for the help." He cants his head over towards the other travelers who were cowering under various towers as they darted between them, and remarks, "As I pass them by, I'll also be /certain/ to commend them for being true paragons of humanity, by being of the mind to watch others' plights sympathetically, and that in the knowing that when it's convenient for them, that they are the sorts to assist sufferers as you have just done!" Well.... isn't that.... nice of him to do. Who says a compliment is good for the soul?

Blunder Road o/~

2014-03-24T22:58:15Z

BlondeFox: log... HOpefully the o/~ shows.....

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2014/03/22
|Location=Thunder Plains
|Synopsis=Kyra comes to the rescue of Zerum Valos when he bites off more than he can chew by venturing into the Thunder Plains without any prior experience with the place.
|Cast of Characters=Kyra Hyral, Zerum
|pretty=yes
}}
:'''[[Zerum]] has posed:''' Always hoping to learn, since only a wholly omniscient entity could ever attain a point where there was nothing that had yet to be discovered, Zerum had trekked to the Thunder Plains in the hopes of obtaining new information. He'd heard about the peculiar phenomena that went on in that place, which might've offered some leads on more efficient energy conversion, or technology that could store power, since there were towers erected expressly for attracting lightning towards themselves made by people with whom the dark elf had not familiarized himself; primarily because he had no means of doing so! The reality of life was that there would always be trial and error-- learning something, anticipating what would come next, trying to prepare for it, and then.... finding out the application had merit, or did not. Far be it for Zerum Valos not to investigate beforehand, he'd accumulated some factoids on the Thunder Plains, which alerted him to the fact that when one was not in proximity to the large towers, one still might've been subject to cascading bolts sporadically, resulting in the formation of a plan; he'd use his magnetic powers to keep suspended above, and not making any physical contact with himself, a large piece of metal that would act as a portable lightning-rod to conduct the plasma that would inevitably be drawn his way. He did not have the aptitude to foresee that while roaming about the territory, that the electricity could incarnate to the severity that it would eventually incinerate his contraption of forestallment, which would bring him to his present condition; sub-optimal health. After his encounter with a few stray shafts, his weakness to lightning compelled him to seek shelter adjacent to one of the giant spires, for an indeterminant amount of time. As a dark knight, his forte wasn't healing, hence, he would have to hope the few potions he brought would sustain him when he would eventually try to make a break for it, and get clear of no-man's-land; it was just taking him a smidgen to work up the courage to make the attempt, meanwhile, he resembled something of a scorched burn-survivor during his residence in the Thunder Plains,.... nothing that hadn't been seen before!

:'''[[Kyra Hyral]] has posed:''' Ramuha had been an impressive city. Spanning the continent in its mass, it existed beneath a perpetual blanket of clouds that changed frequently and with ferocity. Although sun barely penetrated, the city teemed with life given by the storm above through lightning culled and captured by the technology below. As with the rest of Galandia, the city with no sun had been swallowed by the darkness. Neo Ramuha was a pale shadow thus far, to no one's surprise. Considering that it had only existed for a month, the progress made was still very impressive. The refugees of Galandia had scrambled to recreate some space to call their own (with the exception of some as the Ifriti had no home, even on their previous world). The structures are durable and well-made. As Zerum examines the spire at close range, he would notice that unlike his own invention, they can withstand extreme amounts of voltage. There are many visible failsafes and bleed-overs built into the spires should a strike exceed the calculated strength. It doesn't take long for Zerum to be noticed. The first few seem content in going upon their own business, not interested taking the time out of their day to see to an injured elf. Some run off. But eventually, one does approach. Where Zerum's profession of a dark knight affords him telling, almost ceremonial aspects to his armor, from a distance it could quickly be assumed that the approaching girl was a white mage. She has a white hood on with a pattern of red triangles lining the edge of the hood. When she draws closer, it's obvious that it's not only in the style of the white mage hood, but reminiscent of a moogle's head, complete with ears and eyes sewn into the fabric. The hood does not belong to a cape but to a hoodie. She wears a pleated plaid skirt and enormous black boots with thick heels and large, shiny silver buckles. With each step, her footwear jingles as the buckles clank against each other. She stops before Zerum, green eyes observing the knight critically. "Hm." she finally vocalizes. "Looks like you've taken several million volts. You are fortunate to be alive." With little preamble, she unzips the front zipper to her hoodie, revealing several bandoliers stocked with vials and a pair of under-shoulder gun holsters beneath. A hand plucks a vial free, green liquid sloshing around within. "You want some healing, right?"

:'''[[Zerum]] has posed:''' Never having known anything of Kyra's world of origin, Zerum was content to marvel at what he'd seen on the continent, to some extent, which might've been absent of his attitude if he'd stood testament to the original Ramuha. Right now, he was grateful for the fact that somebody had taken the time to construct the column that was guarding him, so his thoughts revolved around being glad of his temporary refuge, and depressed over the journey that was seemingly ahead of him, since nobody was interested in assisting him; it didn't make his quest for medicating any easier that he elected not to voice his concerns when passerby would show little thought over his welfare. Zerum was a proud sort, and asking for help wasn't a habit of his.... but when volunteered, he wasn't one to turn it down, if he was in dire straits. When the girl in the moogle-esque hoodie arrives, he's tempted to bequeath the same warning he does to everybody else that nears him.... to do just the opposite, and keep their distance. As said, though, there were some earmarks of doctoral calling that radiated from the girl in white, which clued him to the fact that there was a chance she could, and even /would/ heal him, allowed the opportunity! What student of curative magics would refrain from aiding one in need? Mayhap one that didn't want to improve, and refine their technique. The dark elf hoped this was not that type, and his wishes look as though they'll be granted when she takes the time to acknowledge his predicament, as well as choosing to question if he wanted some healing. "Given my current quality of life, Miss, I'd like to concede, if I'm allowed a modification to your statement.... I think I'm just barely fortunate to be alive. I mean no offense, but there are conditions in which one would not be fortunate to be alive, I think." He shrugs, then coughs a little, showing some more telltale signs of his wear and tear, before he grins, "Healing would be welcome. Eventually, I have to brave that jazz all over again, sans my original ward which had kept me safe for about an hour.... I have no paper though, so I can't put together a formal contract." She might be wondering what he meant by that, but mystery or not, he expanded on what he meant, "I can only offer a verbal agreement to assure you payback."

:'''[[Kyra Hyral]] has posed:''' Kyra Hyral carries no staff on her; another thing that Zerum would and possibly find odd if he has a certain schema of what a white mage was in his mind. Apparently she has eschewed blunt objects in the favor of projectiles and who knows what else. Some of the vials upon her bandoliers contain liquids or powders of other hues, betraying a non-curative nature. "Would you prefer being dead to being alive right now, given your current state?" Kyra queries as she reaches for one of the weapons contained in her holsters. Drawing it forth, it's clearly not a traditional gun meant to expel bullets. There is an area along the barrel where the vial she took fits in neatly. At the end of the muzzle is a long, conspicous needle. "I agree there are some states worse than being dead. But you aren't a vegetable or being compelled to act against your will at the moment, just to name a few." Holding up her weapon, she flicks the side a few times before approaching the drow. "Present your arm with your palm upright, please." She doesn't even pause at the mention of contracts or paybacks, but her eyes do flicker. "Well I could declare this an act of charity buuuuuut...give your profession, I could see your skillset helping me out in the future."

:'''[[Zerum]] has posed:''' The dark knight did take note of the oddities she had on her person, but didn't make a big commotion over it, since the World of Ruin had so many folks that a lot of people were a blend of different classes and skill-sets, and felt that if she wanted to tell him about herself, she'd do the announcing. Right now he didn't want to be too nosy, since overly-inquisitive people sometimes scared folks off; not a good idea, since Kyra was planning on rendering remedial service. As she brings the gun to bear, Zerum begins to wriggle around very lightly, as though thinking she was indicating that she planned to offer to put him out of his misery, yet, within an instant, he could tell that it wasn't a standard gun, and he calmed down. As she spews forth her query, Zerum nods his head to the side, aiming to direct her attention to the sword that was propped against the tower only about a couple feet away, which she probably already saw when she was approaching, as if to accentuate its importance, and with his coming statement, it becomes clear why, "See that thing, there?" He smirks, "When barely becomes negatory, I'll be able to fix my problem with promptness.... and that's all I have to say on that topic." When she entreats him to hold out his arm, the drow complies, moving slower than usual, since movement apparently caused him distress. It's only when her eyes flicker does he realize that he is truly and undeniably dealing with an unorthodox white-mage, since she takes the time to even consider charging him for her help; this isn't to say his bid wasn't genuine, but implied entitlements were something that frequently accompanied 'charity', so he was testing to see if he actually was likely to receive unquestionably free treatment. "It's at this point that I can't discern whether you're more an opportunist or more a humanitarian, since you seem to be teetering on the cusp of whether or not to indulge me with or without reimbursement. Well, I won't complain with whatever you decide, just as long as you're honest and upfront about it. An enemy stabs you in the back, but a friend, if they are indeed a friend, will stab you in the chest, if they must do the deed."

:'''[[Kyra Hyral]] has posed:''' Once the arm is presented appropriately, Kyra steps forward and crouches before Zerum, taking his arm with one hand and inserting the needle just beneath the crease where the elbow bends. The needle hurts going in but the pain is barely comparable to what Zerum had suffered moments before. The vial is emptied of its contents and within seconds, he can feel the pain drain away from him, spreading from the site of the injection. Damage tissue sloughs off to reveal new and healthy skin beneath. "Studies have shown that healing remedies admitted intravaneously are thirty percent more effective and sixty-five percent faster." Kyra notes as she pulls the needle out. The now empty vial is ejected from the gun and stuffed into a pocket on her hoodie. A hand is offered to help him up. A laugh escapes her. "I don't think anyone I know would describe me as a humanitarian. Opportunist, now, that sounds closer to the truth. If you really are grateful enough for my help to insist on some form of repayment, I would be happy to take it. I am always in need of the strong to help me when my work takes me into dangerous areas with dangerous creatures." She slips her needlegun away. "But if you refuse, there is really nothing I can do to stop you. I am not so cruel as to lace my cures with biological agents to force you to help me."

:'''[[Zerum]] has posed:''' The needle is hardly an afterthought, with all other things considered, but there is a silent, mental rejoicing when the major culprits contributing to his discomfort are extinguished, aside from a weak grin to convey his happiness over the fiasco. He's seen things like this happen before, but more often than not it was thanks to spells that spontaneously helped with regeneration, and less so with potions, which took a bit longer. "Hmm. When you ingest things, even if it gets into your bloodstream, some of it gets ruined because it has to go through the digestive system, plus.... as to be expected, this also takes more time." He agreed with the concepts that Kyra professes, but he doesn't immediately buy into those numbers, if because he hasn't seen the documentation for himself.... It was irrelevant, anyway-- what mattered was that she had a more fruitful medium of transferring the substances into his system, which would allow him to punch through the desolate prairie so that he could go about his business, very shortly. Her laugh causes a very tiny twitch of one eye, due to the fact that he had super-sensitive hearing, and positively-emotionally-charged sounds had a way of irritating him, much like the Dark Elf King, who could one day be unlucky enough to fall victim to a bard, if he wasn't careful; however, there was a more pressing matter to be dealt with, "I'm not refusing or insisting." He finally says, "I don't want to encourage or discourage; I am simply telling you that if you feel it is imperative that I repay you, that I will do so. My feelings on what I prefer should technically count for zero, because I'm not the one who just had to deal with an expenditure on someone else's behalf." He points, "This is all about what you think I should do." And with that, he folds his arms, showing minimal mirth or misery. "....And for the record, if you went into studying the science of manipulating a person's physiological condition, but you classify yourself as an opportunist, then I'm not completely sold on the idea that you wouldn't be above lacing your agents with something in the same family as sodium pentathol...." Zerum yawns, "....but I'm not sold that you /would/ necessarily do it, either. I haven't made up my mind about you, not by a long shot."

:'''[[Kyra Hyral]] has posed:''' "Yes! Correct!" Kyra grins, "A portion of the chemical does succumb to digestive enzymes and is rendered inert and ineffective. Directly in the bloodstream there is no such danger." She seems liable to go on further and, in fact, would produce the relevant papers if questioned about the numbers. One such paper would have her own name listed under the authors. "Then call me an opportunist. Give me a means of contacting you so I may call upon your services in the future. If anything, you seem like someone I might have an intelligent conversation with." At his accusation of poisoning her own cures, Kyra smiles mysteriously. "Knowledge can be a dangerous thing. But I maintain that if I had such mixtures on my person, they'd only be deployed in the direst of circumstances."

:'''[[Zerum]] has posed:''' Zerum would certainly have inquiries to make even if he received the papers, for his one calling in life was the pursuit of knowledge, which was only acquired by asking questions; sometimes of others, and even more importantly, perchance, of oneself. For now, he'll trust that her numbers are at least more accurate than the testimonies he might get from somebody off the street, which was almost what she was, if the Thunder Plains had formally paved roads running through it. Normally, Lord Valos was a lover of tutelage, but he wasn't comfortable in a place where he really had no leverage if he somehow managed to provoke her by yoking the wrong words unintentionally.... and while she didn't initially appear the type who was riled swiftly, as he'd stated before, he barely knew the woman; discourse was simply better when his back wasn't against a wall-- or a tower. To make things more convenient, she asks him for contact information, and he hands her some kind of card that has his name on it, but very little else, which meant that he probably didn't have a phone, and gave precedence to things like Mognet. "I can provide assistance as long as it doesn't violate the terms of any agreement made with other institutions or persons prior to my arrangement with you; I operate on a first-come, first-serve basis." He didn't exactly say /who/ his primary employer was, surmising he even had one, but as of yet, the dark one had shown himself reluctant to give out much information on himself unless asked-- he didn't even confirm what his skillset was when Kyra seemed to hint that she knew he had talents of some brand. Drumming his index finger wonderingly against the side of his cheek, he gazed upwards whilst exhibiting the signs of someone in a state of consideration, "....Only deployed in the direst of circumstances..... and I suppose, you'd be the judge of when those circumstances presented themselves." Zerum smirks, already beginning to stand, "You may maintain the moon is made of green cheese until you turn blue in the face, if you desire, or you can assert that it's made of rock. No matter what you say, everything that ends up on my plate only gets admittance if I get to add a grain of salt, otherwise it gets sent back to the kitchen, unless the chef has verified to me that he runs a five star restaurant." He bows, "I trust you need nothing more from me at this particular juncture? If you're going my way, you may choose to accompany me, supposing that is your wish-- there's no way that a jolt of energy will seek you out when a seven foot tall slab of metal is right there beside you.... If not, well, I'll make an effort not to lose sleep over the brevity of our encounter."

:'''[[Kyra Hyral]] has posed:''' New Ramuha was working its way up to formally paved roads. For now it was making do with hard-packed dirt and gravel which, unfortunately, got pretty messy in the rain. They will manage eventually, more sooner than not since paved roads would make material transportation so much easier. That is if they hadn't devised a way to summon items as needed before then or simply stuck to Souji's airship. Unwise to fly in the weather? Maybe, maybe not; his airship was accustomed to bad weather. Thus far she hadn't seemed the least bit riled by the drow. There is the slightest bit of disappointment, it seems, when she examines the card and realizes there's no phone number on there. While it wasn't a dealbreaker, it made contact a bit more inconvenient for her. "We'd draw up a contract beforehand to make sure you did not encounter conflicts of interest." Kyra offers, pocketing the card of contact information. "Absolutely, as the keeper of these mixtures, the responsibility falls upon me when and when not to use them. That is an awfully extensive metaphor about food. Are you a food critic?" There is but a brief moment of contemplation before she shakes her head, "No, be well and tread carefully. I have no need to cross the plains myself right now-I have construction and experiments to attend to. But if you happen to be struck again, I would certainly come help."

:'''[[Zerum]] has posed:''' Paved roads would be an improvement, but Valos wasn't sure when he'd return, so, for all he knew, he might not benefit from them even if they were put into place.... either that, or after several centuries, if he'd returned, maybe the roads that could have supposedly been built could have eroded; things changed comparatively quickly for an individual whose lifespan stretched over the course of many an age. But.... Zerum was still young, for a dark elf, so he had some spark in him, yet, if he was lucky, he wouldn't get anymore, since the thunder had put him through the wringer already. And speaking of being spirited, he tilts his head at her offer to help him if he were to be struck again, at which point something dawns on him. "Hmmm...." Spinning around on his heels, he sheathes his sword, and faces the tower, then places his hands against it. Either by decree of his possessing greater than average strength physically, or whether he had aid by way of his magnetic powers(probably the latter), he managed to tear free a massive metal panel which left a patch that exposed the circuitry of the pillar. Molding it for a moment, he created yet another conduit which he'd suspend above his head until such time that it was detonated by an especially potent bolt of lightning, on his trip out of the plains; no self-respecting dark knight would be qualified to continue to categorize themselves as a wielder of the dark sword if they were beyond morally questionable vices like vandalism, now and again. Aside from that, the forgers who made the thing were long dead, and since he suspected nobody had a valid deed of ownership, then he was declaring himself the owner of that piece right then and there! As the thing hovered above his head, Zerum nodded to Kyra, "I am a critic of everything; being willfully negligent in a mental fashion is the absolute best way to allow enemies to fly under my radar. Good day, miss, and thank you for the help." He cants his head over towards the other travelers who were cowering under various towers as they darted between them, and remarks, "As I pass them by, I'll also be /certain/ to commend them for being true paragons of humanity, by being of the mind to watch others' plights sympathetically, and that in the knowing that when it's convenient for them, that they are the sorts to assist sufferers as you have just done!" Well.... isn't that.... nice of him to do. Who says a compliment is good for the soul?

Zerum Valos

2014-03-24T19:37:24Z

BlondeFox: Description thingy

{{Character Infobox
|firstname=Zerum
|lastname=Valos
|age=A few centuries or so
|image=ZerumBust.jpg
|caption=Rough Sketch of Zerum in armor
|species=Dark Elf
|sex=Male
|height=7'
|weight=345 lbs
|series=Final Fantasy 4
|styles=Shadow Blade
|hometown=Lodestone Cavern
|alignment=Wandering Force
|group=Unaffiliated
|occupation=Black Chevaleresque
|quote=Striving towards perfection is a goal one should always pursue, but hope never to actually reach.
|footer=Being a perfectionist.
}}

=Appearance=

Having dark knight armor, Zerum stands out among his contemporaries in that he rarely actually wears a helmet, preferring a more stylish-looking ciclet, outside of much of having decidedly left his abdomen unarmored. There is method to this madness, in that he feels confident in his reactionary prowess, so attacks coming at his upper body are generally easier to deflect than low blows which requires more time to reach towards; with a lower center of gravity, it also makes magnetic-jumping easier. He has lavender-silver colored hair, green eyes, blueish pigmented skin, and a braid that sometimes ends up draping itself over his shoulder. Zerum is a few inches shorter than his cousin, Gidarch Valos, but still reaches the seven foot range, which isn't incredibly abnormal for drows of the Blue Planet. Also, like dark elves hailing from the Blue Planet, he has a tail.

=History=

=Personality=

=Abilities=

Magnetism- Zerum has an especially strong magnetic influence, and can reduce or increase the weight of metals for as long as he focuses on them. Zerum can even yank weapons out of people's hands, but this is subject to consent. Proficiency-wise, the epicenter of his influence is where his magnetic might is most potent, like that of a bomb's explosivity. When a metal object is right next to him, he can bend it with the strength of a giant, but by the time Zerum targets something metallic that's a football-field away, he'll have problems lifting it unless he exerts the totality of his concentration.

Geokinesis- Zerum can use earth-elemental attacks, and can petrify targets(with their OOC consent) by focusing his energy, akin to how the 'Stone' spell works. He can also manipulate minerals and metals, but has little persuasion over terran-based things such as fauna, and flora.

Shadowmancy- Zerum has familiarized himself in the way of shadow elemental attacks, primarily to do with swordplay, though he does have a few tricks up his sleeve that don't rely on his blade, which are akin to spellcraft.

Levitation- Zerum has a suit of metal armor that, when worn, can be self-targeted and magnetized in order to help him to mimic the effects of the 'Float' spell. This also allows him to decrease his weight, it allows him to leap higher than normal.

Auditory Prowess- Zerum doesn't need to 'see' using visible light, he can use a technique called Flash-Sonar, which allows him to hear/feel vibrations that reflect off of objects. He isn't blind, but in poorly illuminated environments, the power to detect reverberations will help him navigate without falling into pits and the like.

Mental Resilience- Zerum's psychological/emotional state cannot be easily influenced by magics, or by unnatural methods, besides through the medium of verbal assault; it takes a substantial force to affect him. Mind-control and the like will have a questionable success rate, in most cases.

Melodic Debilitation- Harmonic sounds from magical musical instruments can disrupt Zerum's train of thought, and unbalance him. This can impair his control over magnetism, magic, and even decrease his physical proficiency.

=Relationships=

[[Echo]] "Evidently, you don't understand that 'no' means 'no', so next time I'll just take your head off, and no words need be exchanged."

[[Kyra Hyral]] "My thanks for the introduction negligence; now, if you contact me from afar, I've no proof that you shall be you, and reimbursement mayn't be necessary....."

[[Morrighan Alazne]] "Hmm. I must say, t'was a pleasure being improperly introduced."

[[Rakassa]] "You sick pervert."

=Trivia=

= Logs =
{{Character Logs}}
= Cutscenes =
{{Character Logs|Cutscenes}}

Zerum Valos

2014-03-24T18:18:16Z

BlondeFox:

{{Character Infobox
|firstname=Zerum
|lastname=Valos
|age=A few centuries or so
|image=ZerumBust.jpg
|caption=Rough Sketch of Zerum in armor
|species=Dark Elf
|sex=Male
|height=7'
|weight=345 lbs
|series=Final Fantasy 4
|styles=Shadow Blade
|hometown=Lodestone Cavern
|alignment=Wandering Force
|group=Unaffiliated
|occupation=Black Chevaleresque
|quote=Striving towards perfection is a goal one should always pursue, but hope never to actually reach.
|footer=Being a perfectionist.
}}

=Appearance=

Having dark knight armor, Zerum stands out among his contemporaries in that he rarely actually wears a helmet, and much of his torso is unprotected. There is method to this madness, in that he feels confident in his reactionary prowess, so attacks coming at his upper body are generally easier to deflect than low blows which requires more time to reach towards; with a lower center of gravity, it also makes magnetic-jumping easier. He has lavender-silver colored hair, green eyes, blueish pigmented skin, and a braid that sometimes ends up draping itself over his shoulder. Zerum is a few inches shorter than his cousin, Gidarch Valos, but still reaches the seven foot range, which isn't incredibly abnormal for drows of the Blue Planet. Also, like dark elves hailing from the Blue Planet, he has a tail.

=History=

=Personality=

=Abilities=

Magnetism- Zerum has an especially strong magnetic influence, and can reduce or increase the weight of metals for as long as he focuses on them. Zerum can even yank weapons out of people's hands, but this is subject to consent. Proficiency-wise, the epicenter of his influence is where his magnetic might is most potent, like that of a bomb's explosivity. When a metal object is right next to him, he can bend it with the strength of a giant, but by the time Zerum targets something metallic that's a football-field away, he'll have problems lifting it unless he exerts the totality of his concentration.

Geokinesis- Zerum can use earth-elemental attacks, and can petrify targets(with their OOC consent) by focusing his energy, akin to how the 'Stone' spell works. He can also manipulate minerals and metals, but has little persuasion over terran-based things such as fauna, and flora.

Shadowmancy- Zerum has familiarized himself in the way of shadow elemental attacks, primarily to do with swordplay, though he does have a few tricks up his sleeve that don't rely on his blade, which are akin to spellcraft.

Levitation- Zerum has a suit of metal armor that, when worn, can be self-targeted and magnetized in order to help him to mimic the effects of the 'Float' spell. This also allows him to decrease his weight, it allows him to leap higher than normal.

Auditory Prowess- Zerum doesn't need to 'see' using visible light, he can use a technique called Flash-Sonar, which allows him to hear/feel vibrations that reflect off of objects. He isn't blind, but in poorly illuminated environments, the power to detect reverberations will help him navigate without falling into pits and the like.

Mental Resilience- Zerum's psychological/emotional state cannot be easily influenced by magics, or by unnatural methods, besides through the medium of verbal assault; it takes a substantial force to affect him. Mind-control and the like will have a questionable success rate, in most cases.

Melodic Debilitation- Harmonic sounds from magical musical instruments can disrupt Zerum's train of thought, and unbalance him. This can impair his control over magnetism, magic, and even decrease his physical proficiency.

=Relationships=

[[Echo]] "Evidently, you don't understand that 'no' means 'no', so next time I'll just take your head off, and no words need be exchanged."

[[Kyra Hyral]] "My thanks for the introduction negligence; now, if you contact me from afar, I've no proof that you shall be you, and reimbursement mayn't be necessary....."

[[Morrighan Alazne]] "Hmm. I must say, t'was a pleasure being improperly introduced."

[[Rakassa]] "You sick pervert."

=Trivia=

= Logs =
{{Character Logs}}
= Cutscenes =
{{Character Logs|Cutscenes}}

Zerum Valos

2014-03-24T03:17:45Z

BlondeFox: /* Relationships */ Added Kyra Hyral

{{Character Infobox
|firstname=Zerum
|lastname=Valos
|age=A few centuries or so
|image=ZerumBust.jpg
|caption=Rough Sketch of Zerum in armor
|species=Dark Elf
|sex=Male
|height=7'
|weight=345 lbs
|series=Final Fantasy 4
|styles=Shadow Blade
|hometown=Lodestone Cavern
|alignment=Wandering Force
|group=Unaffiliated
|occupation=Black Chevaleresque
|quote=Striving towards perfection is a goal one should always pursue, but hope never to actually reach.
|footer=Introspection
}}

=Appearance=

Having dark knight armor, Zerum stands out among his contemporaries in that he rarely actually wears a helmet, and much of his torso is unprotected. There is method to this madness, in that he feels confident in his reactionary prowess, so attacks coming at his upper body are generally easier to deflect than low blows which requires more time to reach towards; with a lower center of gravity, it also makes magnetic-jumping easier. He has lavender-silver colored hair, green eyes, blueish pigmented skin, and a braid that sometimes ends up draping itself over his shoulder. Zerum is a few inches shorter than his cousin, Gidarch Valos, but still reaches the seven foot range, which isn't incredibly abnormal for drows of the Blue Planet. Also, like dark elves hailing from the Blue Planet, he has a tail.

=History=

=Personality=

=Abilities=

Magnetism- Zerum has an especially strong magnetic influence, and can reduce or increase the weight of metals for as long as he focuses on them. Zerum can even yank weapons out of people's hands, but this is subject to consent. Proficiency-wise, the epicenter of his influence is where his magnetic might is most potent, like that of a bomb's explosivity. When a metal object is right next to him, he can bend it with the strength of a giant, but by the time Zerum targets something metallic that's a football-field away, he'll have problems lifting it unless he exerts the totality of his concentration.

Geokinesis- Zerum can use earth-elemental attacks, and can petrify targets(with their OOC consent) by focusing his energy, akin to how the 'Stone' spell works. He can also manipulate minerals and metals, but has little persuasion over terran-based things such as fauna, and flora.

Shadowmancy- Zerum has familiarized himself in the way of shadow elemental attacks, primarily to do with swordplay, though he does have a few tricks up his sleeve that don't rely on his blade, which are akin to spellcraft.

Levitation- Zerum has a suit of metal armor that, when worn, can be self-targeted and magnetized in order to help him to mimic the effects of the 'Float' spell. This also allows him to decrease his weight, it allows him to leap higher than normal.

Auditory Prowess- Zerum doesn't need to 'see' using visible light, he can use a technique called Flash-Sonar, which allows him to hear/feel vibrations that reflect off of objects. He isn't blind, but in poorly illuminated environments, the power to detect reverberations will help him navigate without falling into pits and the like.

Mental Resilience- Zerum's psychological/emotional state cannot be easily influenced by magics, or by unnatural methods, besides through the medium of verbal assault; it takes a substantial force to affect him. Mind-control and the like will have a questionable success rate, in most cases.

Melodic Debilitation- Harmonic sounds from magical musical instruments can disrupt Zerum's train of thought, and unbalance him. This can impair his control over magnetism, magic, and even decrease his physical proficiency.

=Relationships=

[[Echo]] "Evidently, you don't understand that 'no' means 'no', so next time I'll just take your head off, and no words need be exchanged."

[[Kyra Hyral]] "My thanks for the introduction negligence; now, if you contact me from afar, I've no proof that you shall be you, and reimbursement mayn't be necessary....."

[[Morrighan Alazne]] "Hmm. I must say, t'was a pleasure being improperly introduced."

[[Rakassa]] "You sick pervert."

=Trivia=

= Logs =
{{Character Logs}}
= Cutscenes =
{{Character Logs|Cutscenes}}

Zerum Valos

2014-03-21T23:36:33Z

BlondeFox: /* Relationships */ Added Rakassa

{{Character Infobox
|firstname=Zerum
|lastname=Valos
|age=A few centuries or so
|image=ZerumBust.jpg
|caption=Rough Sketch of Zerum in armor
|species=Dark Elf
|sex=Male
|height=7'
|weight=345 lbs
|series=Final Fantasy 4
|styles=Shadow Blade
|hometown=Lodestone Cavern
|alignment=Wandering Force
|group=Unaffiliated
|occupation=Black Chevaleresque
|quote=Striving towards perfection is a goal one should always pursue, but hope never to actually reach.
|footer=Introspection
}}

=Appearance=

Having dark knight armor, Zerum stands out among his contemporaries in that he rarely actually wears a helmet, and much of his torso is unprotected. There is method to this madness, in that he feels confident in his reactionary prowess, so attacks coming at his upper body are generally easier to deflect than low blows which requires more time to reach towards; with a lower center of gravity, it also makes magnetic-jumping easier. He has lavender-silver colored hair, green eyes, blueish pigmented skin, and a braid that sometimes ends up draping itself over his shoulder. Zerum is a few inches shorter than his cousin, Gidarch Valos, but still reaches the seven foot range, which isn't incredibly abnormal for drows of the Blue Planet. Also, like dark elves hailing from the Blue Planet, he has a tail.

=History=

=Personality=

=Abilities=

Magnetism- Zerum has an especially strong magnetic influence, and can reduce or increase the weight of metals for as long as he focuses on them. Zerum can even yank weapons out of people's hands, but this is subject to consent. Proficiency-wise, the epicenter of his influence is where his magnetic might is most potent, like that of a bomb's explosivity. When a metal object is right next to him, he can bend it with the strength of a giant, but by the time Zerum targets something metallic that's a football-field away, he'll have problems lifting it unless he exerts the totality of his concentration.

Geokinesis- Zerum can use earth-elemental attacks, and can petrify targets(with their OOC consent) by focusing his energy, akin to how the 'Stone' spell works. He can also manipulate minerals and metals, but has little persuasion over terran-based things such as fauna, and flora.

Shadowmancy- Zerum has familiarized himself in the way of shadow elemental attacks, primarily to do with swordplay, though he does have a few tricks up his sleeve that don't rely on his blade, which are akin to spellcraft.

Levitation- Zerum has a suit of metal armor that, when worn, can be self-targeted and magnetized in order to help him to mimic the effects of the 'Float' spell. This also allows him to decrease his weight, it allows him to leap higher than normal.

Auditory Prowess- Zerum doesn't need to 'see' using visible light, he can use a technique called Flash-Sonar, which allows him to hear/feel vibrations that reflect off of objects. He isn't blind, but in poorly illuminated environments, the power to detect reverberations will help him navigate without falling into pits and the like.

Mental Resilience- Zerum's psychological/emotional state cannot be easily influenced by magics, or by unnatural methods, besides through the medium of verbal assault; it takes a substantial force to affect him. Mind-control and the like will have a questionable success rate, in most cases.

Melodic Debilitation- Harmonic sounds from magical musical instruments can disrupt Zerum's train of thought, and unbalance him. This can impair his control over magnetism, magic, and even decrease his physical proficiency.

=Relationships=

[[Echo]] "Evidently, you don't understand that 'no' means 'no', so next time I'll just take your head off, and no words need be exchanged."

[[Morrighan Alazne]] "Hmm. I must say, it's been a pleasure being improperly introduced."

[[Rakassa]] "You sick pervert."

=Trivia=

= Logs =
{{Character Logs}}
= Cutscenes =
{{Character Logs|Cutscenes}}

Zerum Valos

2014-03-21T02:00:06Z

BlondeFox: /* Abilities */

{{Character Infobox
|firstname=Zerum
|lastname=Valos
|age=A few centuries or so
|image=ZerumBust.jpg
|caption=Rough Sketch of Zerum in armor
|species=Dark Elf
|sex=Male
|height=7'
|weight=345 lbs
|series=Final Fantasy 4
|styles=Shadow Blade
|hometown=Lodestone Cavern
|alignment=Wandering Force
|group=Unaffiliated
|occupation=Black Chevaleresque
|quote=Striving towards perfection is a goal one should always pursue, but hope never to actually reach.
|footer=Introspection
}}

=Appearance=

Having dark knight armor, Zerum stands out among his contemporaries in that he rarely actually wears a helmet, and much of his torso is unprotected. There is method to this madness, in that he feels confident in his reactionary prowess, so attacks coming at his upper body are generally easier to deflect than low blows which requires more time to reach towards; with a lower center of gravity, it also makes magnetic-jumping easier. He has lavender-silver colored hair, green eyes, blueish pigmented skin, and a braid that sometimes ends up draping itself over his shoulder. Zerum is a few inches shorter than his cousin, Gidarch Valos, but still reaches the seven foot range, which isn't incredibly abnormal for drows of the Blue Planet. Also, like dark elves hailing from the Blue Planet, he has a tail.

=History=

=Personality=

=Abilities=

Magnetism- Zerum has an especially strong magnetic influence, and can reduce or increase the weight of metals for as long as he focuses on them. Zerum can even yank weapons out of people's hands, but this is subject to consent. Proficiency-wise, the epicenter of his influence is where his magnetic might is most potent, like that of a bomb's explosivity. When a metal object is right next to him, he can bend it with the strength of a giant, but by the time Zerum targets something metallic that's a football-field away, he'll have problems lifting it unless he exerts the totality of his concentration.

Geokinesis- Zerum can use earth-elemental attacks, and can petrify targets(with their OOC consent) by focusing his energy, akin to how the 'Stone' spell works. He can also manipulate minerals and metals, but has little persuasion over terran-based things such as fauna, and flora.

Shadowmancy- Zerum has familiarized himself in the way of shadow elemental attacks, primarily to do with swordplay, though he does have a few tricks up his sleeve that don't rely on his blade, which are akin to spellcraft.

Levitation- Zerum has a suit of metal armor that, when worn, can be self-targeted and magnetized in order to help him to mimic the effects of the 'Float' spell. This also allows him to decrease his weight, it allows him to leap higher than normal.

Auditory Prowess- Zerum doesn't need to 'see' using visible light, he can use a technique called Flash-Sonar, which allows him to hear/feel vibrations that reflect off of objects. He isn't blind, but in poorly illuminated environments, the power to detect reverberations will help him navigate without falling into pits and the like.

Mental Resilience- Zerum's psychological/emotional state cannot be easily influenced by magics, or by unnatural methods, besides through the medium of verbal assault; it takes a substantial force to affect him. Mind-control and the like will have a questionable success rate, in most cases.

Melodic Debilitation- Harmonic sounds from magical musical instruments can disrupt Zerum's train of thought, and unbalance him. This can impair his control over magnetism, magic, and even decrease his physical proficiency.

=Relationships=

[[Echo]] "Evidently, you don't understand that 'no' means 'no', so next time I'll just take your head off, and no words need be exchanged.

[[Morrighan Alazne]] "Hmm. I must say, it's been a pleasure being improperly introduced.

=Trivia=

= Logs =
{{Character Logs}}
= Cutscenes =
{{Character Logs|Cutscenes}}

Zerum Valos

2014-03-21T01:57:09Z

BlondeFox: /* Relationships */ Echo and Morrighan

{{Character Infobox
|firstname=Zerum
|lastname=Valos
|age=A few centuries or so
|image=ZerumBust.jpg
|caption=Rough Sketch of Zerum in armor
|species=Dark Elf
|sex=Male
|height=7'
|weight=345 lbs
|series=Final Fantasy 4
|styles=Shadow Blade
|hometown=Lodestone Cavern
|alignment=Wandering Force
|group=Unaffiliated
|occupation=Black Chevaleresque
|quote=Striving towards perfection is a goal one should always pursue, but hope never to actually reach.
|footer=Introspection
}}

=Appearance=

Having dark knight armor, Zerum stands out among his contemporaries in that he rarely actually wears a helmet, and much of his torso is unprotected. There is method to this madness, in that he feels confident in his reactionary prowess, so attacks coming at his upper body are generally easier to deflect than low blows which requires more time to reach towards; with a lower center of gravity, it also makes magnetic-jumping easier. He has lavender-silver colored hair, green eyes, blueish pigmented skin, and a braid that sometimes ends up draping itself over his shoulder. Zerum is a few inches shorter than his cousin, Gidarch Valos, but still reaches the seven foot range, which isn't incredibly abnormal for drows of the Blue Planet. Also, like dark elves hailing from the Blue Planet, he has a tail.

=History=

=Personality=

=Abilities=

Magnetism- Zerum has an especially strong magnetic influence, and can reduce or increase the weight of metals for as long as he focuses on them. Zerum can even yank weapons out of people's hands, but this is subject to consent. Proficiency-wise, the epicenter of his influence is where his magnetic might is most potent, like that of a bomb's explosivity. When a metal object is right next to him, he can bend it with the strength of a giant, but by the time Zerum targets something metallic that's a football-field away, he'll have problems lifting it unless he exerts the totality of his concentration.

Geokinesis- Zerum can use earth-elemental attacks, and can petrify targets(with their OOC consent) by focusing his energy, akin to how the 'Stone' spell works. He can also manipulate minerals and metals, but has little persuasion over terran-based things such as fauna, and flora.

Shadowmancy- Zerum has familiarized himself in the way of shadow elemental attacks, primarily to do with swordplay, though he does have a few tricks up his sleeve that don't rely on his blade, which are akin to spellcraft.

Levitation- Zerum has a suit of metal armor that, when worn, can be self-targeted and magnetized in order to help him to mimic the effects of the 'Float' spell. This also allows him to decrease his weight, it allows him to leap higher than normal.

Auditory Prowess- Zerum doesn't need to 'see' using visible light, he can use a technique called Flash-Sonar, which allows him to hear/feel vibrations that reflect off of objects. He isn't blind, but in poorly illuminated environments, the power to detect reverberations will help him navigate without falling into pits and the like.

Mental Resilience- Zerum's psychological/emotional state cannot be easily influenced by magics, or by unnatural methods, besides through the medium of verbal assault; it takes a substantial force to affect him. Mind-control and the like will have a questionable success rate, in most cases.

Melodic Debilitation- Harmonic sounds from magical musical instruments can disrupt Zerum's train of thought, and unbalance him. This can impair his control over magnetism, magic, and even decrease his physical proficiency.

(These are essentially a nerfed version of what Count Valos possessed)

=Relationships=

[[Echo]] "Evidently, you don't understand that 'no' means 'no', so next time I'll just take your head off, and no words need be exchanged.

[[Morrighan Alazne]] "Hmm. I must say, it's been a pleasure being improperly introduced.

=Trivia=

= Logs =
{{Character Logs}}
= Cutscenes =
{{Character Logs|Cutscenes}}

An Elfy Sense Of Skepticism

2014-03-21T01:24:20Z

BlondeFox: log

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2014/02/26
|Location=Mysidia
|Synopsis=While under the influence of Echo's spell, Morrighan is enlisted to help capture Zerum for Rakassa's experiments. Despite how dubious Zerum is of Echo's request, and in defiance of the resistance he offers, the two women still end up taking him into custody, against his will. (Backscene)
|Thanks=Morrighan and Echo for accommodating the time-bubble aspect of the scene
|Cast of Characters=Morrighan Alazne, Echo, Zerum Valos
|pretty=yes
}}
:'''[[Zerum]] has posed:''' Mysidia was an enchanted realm that prided itself on its dedication to the study of magic, and as such, it was headed mostly by sorcerers of varying skill. It had also been assaulted by a certain Cecil Harvey not too long ago, which made the inhabitants at least remotely distrustful towards dark knights in general, who were never afforded a good reputation even in other nations; those wielding the sword of darkness were renowned for having questionable alignments. To top this off, dark elves didn't receive much compassion from the world at large, at least as far as it applied to attitudes of those who thrived in the world of the Blue Planet, ergo, Zerum Valos had a couple strikes against him when he finally reached Mysidia. At first, they could barely be convinced to allow him inside the city limits, but after a little bribery, which was something Zerum was not above, being one who had a streak of corruption in his veins, he was given access with probation. It was likely that the drow wouldn't receive all the benefits of those with citizenship, including use of public facilities without some sort of application, as well as some of the protections granted to upstanding members of the community. At seven feet in height, he didn't feel that he'd had to worry too terribly about the authorities giving priority to him over their inclination to rush to the aid of little old grannies in distress, so he was quite comfortable in a less populated part of town, trying to figure out how he could endear himself to the locals, which might enable him admittance to the libraries. It was dusk, so the sun hadn't yet gone down, but red and orange tones suggested that it was not long for gracing Mysidia with its basking-- again, not a problem for Zerum, he had a technique nearly identical to echo-location, so lack of proper illumination wouldn't be much of a hindrance!

:'''[[Echo]] has posed:''' "Alright, miss Rakassa has need of this person, they are not seeming like they're too happy at the moment here, are you sure you can do this?" Echo had done a little talking with Morri before this 'project' of the lady back at the bastion was to be carried out. She smiled and had an arm around the dark elf's waist, gentle with her almost completely. She might have liked the company, truth be told, or maybe just a friend to pal around with on things. She had not exactly wanted the elf taken out to do work with her so soon, without some more posturing time, but Rakassa had posed this job to them, and it was either going to be now or Echo could have gone out to do it herself.

:'''[[Morrighan Alazne]] has posed:''' "....." Silence. Morrighan didn't particularly have outstanding opinions on the task at hand, or her readiness to handle it. Echo's arm around her waist went ignored as they made their way. Eventually, the elven woman responded. "...We just need to find this person and bring them back, yes? I hardly see the trial in it." Either she was supremely confident in her abilities, or she wasn't given an explanation on what exactly they were going to do. Echo was the one who did the talking anyhow. Which meant it was likely the latter. That said, Morrighan has gone back to being quiet. As she usually was recently. No need to speak out of turn. "Do we know where he is?"

:'''[[Zerum]] has posed:''' Depending on how far away Echo and Morrighan were, Zerum might've heard their brief discourse, or, barring that, their approach as they moved towards him..... yes, Echo could fly, and Morrighan, as a time-mage, had the 'Float' spell, but the occasional click that the black knight issued was enough to give him a mental layout of his environment without any problem. The bottom line was, unless they were moving at light-speed, he would know they were coming.... but if he hadn't heard their actual words? It's self-evident to say that without mind-reading, the tall drow wouldn't be able to assess their intentions. He was somewhat absorbed in reading through a few legal documents for the time being, since they might've held clues that would provide him with insight on how to get inside the library. Meanwhile, nothing too eventful was going on, aside from the occasional passerby giving Zerum unfriendly gazes, due to being a warrior of darkness; after the first day of being in Mysidia, he was already accustomed to this, so it hardly bothered him. As long as people kept their distance, he'd leave them alone.... and being a man who preferred his privacy, he universally had a policy of requesting others maintain a berth of about six feet away from him at almost all times. Some individuals just weren't social.

:'''[[Echo]] has posed:''' "Well, right here, don't worry, It'll be alright," Echo smiled a little, hiking the hood she wore, presumably the female next to her might be in one, though it wasn't likely any of the poor mages here were going to bother about a beast kin or an elf, they were still mourning the loss of their friends struck down and captured and the loss of the water crystal. She would approach the dark knight with casual softness, the bat lady smiling with her ivory fangs hanging over a lip that had been done up especially red with some rouge lipstick. "Hello there," the bat would say, the dark elf next to her, one arm around her waist as she nodded a little. "It can get very cold in this area at night sirrah, might you not have a place to stay this evening?" she spoke up, addressing the dark knight.

:'''[[Morrighan Alazne]] has posed:''' "......" Morrighan meanwhile wasn't exactly comfortable with this approach, though she didn't say anything outwardly. Unlike Echo, she hadn't done herself up in any special way. Nothing more than the usual anyway. Her hooded cloak hid most of her upper body, only tapering off at around the thighs. One could suppose she looked like any old mage skulking about around here. She probably would have gotten about as much derision as Zerum if she'd taken her hood down, so it stayed up till now. Once Echo had made the move to address their target, Morrighan lowered her hood, freeing the majority of her sight to better take in their target. Ah, a dark elf, similar to her. But not quite. ".....Hello..." She greeted, running a stark contrast to the bat mage's own forward approach. It wasn't exactly an act, but perhaps the unsure type was more to his liking. Who knew. She nodded in agreement with her companion regarding the cold night, but didn't say anything more to aid Echo's case.

:'''[[Zerum]] has posed:''' Zerum raised a brow when Echo directs some words towards him, and he twists his body a little bit so that he can take sight of them from over his shoulder, and he realizes one of the persons is a dark elf, albeit not the same breed as himself. This did something to earn some trust, but not a terrible amount, given that even amongst his kin, there was always both literal and metaphorical backstabbing-- all in the name of refinement... a dark elf that couldn't survive the tribulations of a nigh-cannabalistic society deserved to be swallowed up and removed from the gene-pool. When the bat-girl inquires as to whether he has a place to stay, the machine inside his head begins to churn, activating his introspective propensity. If this was an act of true altruism, then it should be something offered without strings attached. If it was some sort of ruse, then it was doubtless that he'd be incapable of coercing them into rendering free accommodations on Zerum's terms, which were hardly unreasonable, despite the fact that they wouldn't promote rapport between him and his benefactors, "I don't take up occupancy within the same quarters as others, so if you have an extra bed, then I'll respectfully decline, buuuuut...... if you're willing to pay my way.... then just toss the munny to me from where you are-- I don't like people in close proximity to myself, they might accidentally.... touch me." He nods to Morrighan, simply, "Greetings, as well, miss. I have to say, it's nice to see something beautiful in this eyesore of a commonwealth."

:'''[[Echo]] has posed:''' Indeed, the bat's companion is a bit more of an ebony beauty sort of skintone than the shade of blue the drow they were attempting to come in contact with. "Surely we could escape somewhere for a little something to eat, and perhaps a warm bed for the evening?" Echo had decided to make her approach a bit less blunt and maybe a bit more coy than she initially had the mind to. This was the same sort of routine women of her family had used hundreds of times before, and had always used. Men were a lot easier to lure with a woman's special charms. It was also perhaps a good opportunity to show Morrighan how guile worked, she perhaps thought, nobody suspected women after all. "Touch you? I don't seem to understand sir," she frowned a little herself, looking honestly a little confused. Like seriously, who would turn down two women like that? This might need a more 'blunt' approach than what she'd intended.

:'''[[Morrighan Alazne]] has posed:''' Zerum's comment earned him a smile and a nod. "You have my thanks, kind sir." Not one hundred percent genuine, but if this was their target, she couldn't drive him away with grumpiness. Morrighan stayed mostly silent, arching a brow curiously at the man's answer and demeanor. Looks like this one wasn't the type of fool to be easily snared by a pretty face. Admirable on one hand, irritating on another. "If I may ask..." The elven woman spoke up after Echo. "Why would touching you be a problem?" Did this man have some sort of phobia regarding close contact? She couldn't imagine so, but one could never truly know unless said...

:'''[[Zerum]] has posed:''' Looking at Echo, as she began to give her pitch, he wondered how the bat stood to profit from the arrangement that was being offered; then it occurred to him.... this would be one of those situations where they got him drunk and then made off with his wallet, or maybe they just wanted a lay. The problem with the latter was that the black knight only had eyes for Morrighan, between the two of them, and he suspected Echo wouldn't be content to sit back and watch while being denied active participation. When the bat-girl explains that she doesn't comprehend his meaning, he decides to clarify, in the hopes of enlightening Morri, in addition, "I find that keeping a good distance away from others prevents the unintended collision between myself and others. This is necessary because until I get to know somebody, their impulses are an enigma to me, which means they may either have a dagger waiting, or they might try to snatch something and run off with it." The dark knight pauses, before proceeding with the rest, "Ya see.... Some people grow up in these nice, suburban neighborhoods where everybody hugs each other and offers one another a ride to work on the back of their chocobo, or some nonsense like that." He bobs his head back and forth a little, "That was not my cultural upbringing, so, I like to err on the side of caution. Plus.... the touchy-feely thing just doesn't do it for me. If I want compassion, then I'll gladly take a kick in the @ss over a shoulder to cry on." Zerum smirks, hoping that clears things up for everbody.

:'''[[Echo]] has posed:''' "My friend here is very nice, I think you'll find, won't you spend an evening with her? Err, us," Echo unlaced her arm from around Morri and instead put her hand on her shoulder. She wasn't exactly trying to seem like her pimp, though it might have made the bat seem more like a madam in this respect. The bat stepped away from her and instead gestured Morri a little closer, it wasn't impossible that the other elf might like this elf here more than a bat, and all, of course. "Oh, no body is expecting you to cry here sir, don't worry, these people have done enough crying lately, I think..." she gestured to the town at large, who understandably had something to cry about.

:'''[[Morrighan Alazne]] has posed:''' Morrighan didn't offer any outward reaction to Zerum's explanation of why close contact was a no no. In the back of her mind however, she could hear the words 'uncouth barbarian!' being muttered by some haughty, spoiled princess. Surely that couldn't have been her. No way. No how. Returning to reality, the dark elf had heard Echo offer her up to the man 'for the evening'. Her skin immediately began to crawl at the thought. This man was a stranger! And she was not an object to be bartered! "....Um..." Nonetheless, she stayed her hand and her words, just awkwardly muttering her confusion as she was urged forward. She took a step forward inadvertently in the process and stared up at the large, imposing, dark knight. "....." And then with a huff, she looked away. Not looking all too forthcoming about 'an evening together'. She mentally attempted to convince herself that it was just a ruse, but some part of her found this to be utterly repulsive, which just made it harder.

:'''[[Zerum]] has posed:''' Zerum sighs, and folds his arms over his chest, turning to finally face the two of them, instead of unsocially staring at them over his shoulder while keeping his backside their way, "Okay.... Let's be realistic here." He then taps the pommel of his oddly-shaped sword, which remains in its makeshift sheathe, for the time being, mayhap cluing them to the fact that he's already growing suspicious, "First of all, the red-light district doesn't run a delivery service, so you aren't here to try and sell this delicious-looking specimen of a dark elf to me for an evening." He nods his head, satisfied with this analysis, then continues, "Second, do you seriously expect me to believe that you randomly decided to offer me a place to stay for the night, and a meal, without expecting some kind of reciprocation, when everyone in this cesspool is hoping that I'll give them just enough of an excuse to let them slaughter me?" Following this, Zerum gives them a discerning gaze, "This has gotten to the point where I'm no longer impressed with your dog and pony show. I don't know who you fathom you're fooling, but you're not some traveling philanthropist hoping to save the world, and if you actually expect me to buy that, then you're just insulting my intelligence, or extremely delusional." He frowns, "Now, maybe if your friend here....", he cants his head towards Morrighan, "...hadn't gotten all huffy, I might've considered that there was a /ghost of a chance/ that any of this was halfway true, but as it stands...." Zerum begins to turn away from them, "....I was in the middle of trying to do something intellectually stimulating, and entertaining these antics is hardly liable to increase my health, wealth, or wisdom. So!.... If neither of you would be unspeakably offended by my inclination to do so, I'll let you both go your way, and I'll go mine, in the hopes that on our next encounter, we'll be of mutual benefit to one another!" He half-grins, "Good day to you ladies, especially /you/!" he bows to Morrighan, and takes his first step away from them, planning to depart.

:'''[[Echo]] has posed:''' "What if I was?" Echo eyed the man, replying to his first argument, raising a brow and honestly looking a bit confused again when the man goes on. "We are two women looking to perhaps pool together for lodgings for the evening sir, and maybe dinner," she said getting back a bit of her pleasant, friendly smile, patting Morri on the back. She gently urged the girl a bit foward as the bat would try to be manuevering around behind the dark knight perhaps now, as stealthily possible, the bat had training in this, after all. The bat is apparently hoping Morri will help stall the man while she gets closer, taking what appears to be a damp rag out of one of her bags.

:'''[[Morrighan Alazne]] has posed:''' Sigh. Morrighan wasn't cut out for this cloak and dagger work. Straightforward was more her style. Nonetheless, she did get the cue and stepped forward a tad, one arm slightly reached out in an effort to stop him. "Excuse me...before you go...might I have your name?" She really didn't want his name at all. But she wasn't going to throw herself at him. Nor was she going to flirt. She hoped that was enough to stall him for Echo to do what she needed to do. Resorting to force would have been troublesome as well. She'd hoped it wouldn't get there.

:'''[[Zerum]] has posed:''' He almost rolled his eyes when Echo tried to propose that she was engaging in the former practice that Zerum speculated was being delineated very poorly. The dark knight didn't even want to argue about it anymore, and having felt that he respectfully requested he be permitted to go on his merry way, he lightly waved his hand when she kept running her mouth, as though it were just empty talk that had no worth. Now, it could be said that Zerum couldn't hear a tiny rodent chewing on a kernel of corn from a mile away in a grassy field on a windy day, but if there was the most miuscule caliber of motion within about a dozen meters, his ears would pick up on it, even if he couldn't rightly /see/ in behind himself-- rear-view mirrors? No. T Rear-view headphones? Definitely. When Echo began to circle around towards him, he knew where she was moving, and the hand that was on the pommel of his sword clutched it a little tighter. In her defense, those without such proficiency in auditory magnitude would likely have been unable to see anything out of the corners of their eyes, even for those who were trained in archery, but this fellow named Zerum was not vision-dependent. No, he wasn't as unreasonable skilled as Count Gidarch Valos, his cousin, but he had a few of his kin's tricks, and seeing without sight was one of those talents. When Morrighan beseeched him for a name, he answered, still keeping his hand on the pommel of his sword, "My name is Lord Zerum Valos..... and I recommend you tell that flying rodent friend of yours not to try any stunts while she's sneaking around, because I'm about two seconds from letting Hades inherit the headache that I've gotten from her up until now." It looks like Echo would have to do things the hard way, but that would probably mean higher pay for the deed, since more labor would be involved.

:'''[[Echo]] has posed:''' Inwardly, Echo was both proud of Morrighan's initiative and a little annoyed at how this was going. Wrestling with the dark knight with the chemical soaked rag might make this a bit messy, especially since she was sure she needed to pretty much latch onto the big guy to do so. "Men always gotta make things difficult, can't just come along like they're told," the bat muttered, trying to grab the man with both arms and the rag in her right hand, trying to shove it around his face to get it pressed over his nose!

:'''[[Morrighan Alazne]] has posed:''' Morrighan sighed as she heard his name. It wasn't familiar at all. She just nodded. "Well then, Lord Zerum Valos. ...I apologize for this, but do try and stay put." Seeing Echo leap into action, she followed through by extending an arm. Light magic glyphs began to form at several points along the ground. Without much flashiness or stalling otherwise, chains of light burst up through the circles, aiming to wrap around the man's arms and legs to restrain him. At least enough for Echo to get in and do what she needed to. This truly was repulsive work.

:'''[[Zerum]] has posed:''' Zerum was being tag-teamed! Since magic was something he felt less confident about being able to counter, the first thing he saw fit to deal with were the ethereal chains surging towards his appendages. What's the scientific approach to neutralizing any sort of element, or matter? To use the antipodal type of substance, which would cancel out the aforementioned plague. It just so happened that his specialty was shadowmancy, so when manacles of luminosity erupt, he conjures up a cyclonic barrier around himself that devours the chains before they can wrap around him. But.... this exhausts his concentration as the stygian shell evaporates as it finishes dispelling the spell Morrighan had used against him, which gives Echo just enough time to ensnare his limbs. She's hardly strong enough to hold him in place, and in just moments, he's self-assured that emancipation shall come, yet, unlike his nihilistic relative The Count, he has more of a temper, and feels the compulsion to verbally scorn his attackers, in place of infusing his attention solely on functional applications, such as freeing himself, so he shouts at the two of them as they besiege him, "BLOODY PEASANTS! How dare you attack a man of noble birth! You don't deserve to lick the toejam from my pet chime....." His mouth and nose are smothered by the moist cloth, causing him to inhale the fumes, which promptly puts him out. This was surely providential in the sense that Echo wouldn't have to do battle with Zerum, but on the other hand, his limp body falls down, and weighing in at three hundred some pounds, carrying him will be troublesome, assuming he doesn't regain consciousness and present them with more resistance..... After all, who knew how long he'd remain comatose; Rakassa didn't exactly get much information on the other Gidarch Valos from the church, since that particular drow had been good at keeping his secrets before his untimely death. But.... maybe they could get him on a chocobo and carry him to.... wherever it was they wanted to transport him?

:'''[[Echo]] has posed:''' Indeed, Echo is not strong enough to hold Zerum down, though Morrighan has been lovely enough to distract the blue elf long enough for her to jump on him from behind and place the chemical rag over his face. "Now take a big long breath~" she might even try to make a small grab at his throat just to facilitate him no longer having air immediately in his lungs. It's the bat quickness that wins out apparently, and soon the man would find himself feeling quite weak, like the darkness at the edge of vision was quickly surging in on him. "Agh, shoulda just taken our offer, woulda been a lot more fun for you, Morri get the plastic rope the witch gave us..."

:'''[[Morrighan Alazne]] has posed:''' Morrighan watched as Echo did her work on Zerum. Feeling absolutely disgusted with the whole thing herself. She couldn't remember why, or if there was even anything to remember, but this sort of thing just infuriated her for reason. How strange. Nonetheless, she nodded and produced the aforementioned rope from her cloak, stepping forward to hand it to Echo. "...We should hurry before the authorities come." Though in this part of town, it might not be too soon. That thought out of her mind, she pulled her hood back up and glanced at her companion. "Where are we taking him anyhow?"

:'''[[Echo]] has posed:''' "Get his feet," once Echo had the male's arms bound, she'd start to begin trying to drag him. "Ugh, all that armor, might need a mini spell," she was already panting, grunting trying to get her arms under his and trying to drag him off. "One part of the job that never gets easy hon, c'mon," she resettled her hood over her head and big white ears as she proceeded to drag the man off to where she had a shadow lord portal setup to get the man properly transported.

Zerum Valos

2014-03-21T00:51:44Z

BlondeFox: /* Abilities */

{{Character Infobox
|firstname=Zerum
|lastname=Valos
|age=A few centuries or so
|image=ZerumBust.jpg
|caption=Rough Sketch of Zerum in armor
|species=Dark Elf
|sex=Male
|height=7'
|weight=345 lbs
|series=Final Fantasy 4
|styles=Shadow Blade
|hometown=Lodestone Cavern
|alignment=Wandering Force
|group=Unaffiliated
|occupation=Black Chevaleresque
|quote=Striving towards perfection is a goal one should always pursue, but hope never to actually reach.
|footer=Introspection
}}

=Appearance=

Having dark knight armor, Zerum stands out among his contemporaries in that he rarely actually wears a helmet, and much of his torso is unprotected. There is method to this madness, in that he feels confident in his reactionary prowess, so attacks coming at his upper body are generally easier to deflect than low blows which requires more time to reach towards; with a lower center of gravity, it also makes magnetic-jumping easier. He has lavender-silver colored hair, green eyes, blueish pigmented skin, and a braid that sometimes ends up draping itself over his shoulder. Zerum is a few inches shorter than his cousin, Gidarch Valos, but still reaches the seven foot range, which isn't incredibly abnormal for drows of the Blue Planet. Also, like dark elves hailing from the Blue Planet, he has a tail.

=History=

=Personality=

=Abilities=

Magnetism- Zerum has an especially strong magnetic influence, and can reduce or increase the weight of metals for as long as he focuses on them. Zerum can even yank weapons out of people's hands, but this is subject to consent. Proficiency-wise, the epicenter of his influence is where his magnetic might is most potent, like that of a bomb's explosivity. When a metal object is right next to him, he can bend it with the strength of a giant, but by the time Zerum targets something metallic that's a football-field away, he'll have problems lifting it unless he exerts the totality of his concentration.

Geokinesis- Zerum can use earth-elemental attacks, and can petrify targets(with their OOC consent) by focusing his energy, akin to how the 'Stone' spell works. He can also manipulate minerals and metals, but has little persuasion over terran-based things such as fauna, and flora.

Shadowmancy- Zerum has familiarized himself in the way of shadow elemental attacks, primarily to do with swordplay, though he does have a few tricks up his sleeve that don't rely on his blade, which are akin to spellcraft.

Levitation- Zerum has a suit of metal armor that, when worn, can be self-targeted and magnetized in order to help him to mimic the effects of the 'Float' spell. This also allows him to decrease his weight, it allows him to leap higher than normal.

Auditory Prowess- Zerum doesn't need to 'see' using visible light, he can use a technique called Flash-Sonar, which allows him to hear/feel vibrations that reflect off of objects. He isn't blind, but in poorly illuminated environments, the power to detect reverberations will help him navigate without falling into pits and the like.

Mental Resilience- Zerum's psychological/emotional state cannot be easily influenced by magics, or by unnatural methods, besides through the medium of verbal assault; it takes a substantial force to affect him. Mind-control and the like will have a questionable success rate, in most cases.

Melodic Debilitation- Harmonic sounds from magical musical instruments can disrupt Zerum's train of thought, and unbalance him. This can impair his control over magnetism, magic, and even decrease his physical proficiency.

(These are essentially a nerfed version of what Count Valos possessed)

=Relationships=

=Trivia=

= Logs =
{{Character Logs}}
= Cutscenes =
{{Character Logs|Cutscenes}}

Zerum Valos

2014-03-21T00:50:17Z

BlondeFox: /* Abilities */ Forgot to add all of them

{{Character Infobox
|firstname=Zerum
|lastname=Valos
|age=A few centuries or so
|image=ZerumBust.jpg
|caption=Rough Sketch of Zerum in armor
|species=Dark Elf
|sex=Male
|height=7'
|weight=345 lbs
|series=Final Fantasy 4
|styles=Shadow Blade
|hometown=Lodestone Cavern
|alignment=Wandering Force
|group=Unaffiliated
|occupation=Black Chevaleresque
|quote=Striving towards perfection is a goal one should always pursue, but hope never to actually reach.
|footer=Introspection
}}

=Appearance=

Having dark knight armor, Zerum stands out among his contemporaries in that he rarely actually wears a helmet, and much of his torso is unprotected. There is method to this madness, in that he feels confident in his reactionary prowess, so attacks coming at his upper body are generally easier to deflect than low blows which requires more time to reach towards; with a lower center of gravity, it also makes magnetic-jumping easier. He has lavender-silver colored hair, green eyes, blueish pigmented skin, and a braid that sometimes ends up draping itself over his shoulder. Zerum is a few inches shorter than his cousin, Gidarch Valos, but still reaches the seven foot range, which isn't incredibly abnormal for drows of the Blue Planet. Also, like dark elves hailing from the Blue Planet, he has a tail.

=History=

=Personality=

=Abilities=

Magnetism- Zerum has an especially strong magnetic influence, and can reduce or increase the weight of metals for as long as he focuses on them. Zerum can even yank weapons out of people's hands, but this is subject to consent. Proficiency-wise, the epicenter of his influence is where his magnetic might is most potent, like that of a bomb's explosivity. When a metal object is right next to him, he can bend it with the strength of a giant, but by the time Zerum targets something metallic that's a football-field away, he'll have problems lifting it unless he exerts the totality of his concentration.

Geokinesis- Zerum can use earth-elemental attacks, and can petrify targets(with their OOC consent) by focusing his energy, akin to how the 'Stone' spell works. He can also manipulate minerals and metals, but has little persuasion over terran-based things such as fauna, and flora.

Shadowmancy- Zerum has familiarized himself in the way of shadow elemental attacks, primarily to do with swordplay, though he does have a few tricks up his sleeve that don't rely on his blade, which are akin to spellcraft.

Levitation- Zerum has a suit of metal armor that, when worn, can be self-targeted and magnetized in order to help him to mimic the effects of the 'Float' spell. This also allows him to decrease his weight, it allows him to leap higher than normal.

Auditory Prowess- Zerum doesn't need to 'see' using visible light, he can use a technique called Flash-Sonar, which allows him to hear/feel vibrations that reflect off of objects. He isn't blind, but in poorly illuminated environments, the power to detect reverberations will help him navigate without falling into pits and the like.

Mental Resilience- Zerum's psychological/emotional state cannot be easily influenced by magics, or by unnatural methods, besides through the medium of verbal assault; it takes a substantial force to affect him. Mind-control and the like will have a questionable success rate, in most cases.

Melodic Debilitation- Harmonic sounds from magical musical instruments can disrupt Zerum's train of thought, and unbalance him. This can impair his control over magnetism, magic, and even decrease his physical proficiency.

(These are essentially a nerfed version of what Count Valos possessed)

=Relationships=

=Trivia=

= Logs =
{{Character Logs}}
= Cutscenes =
{{Character Logs|Cutscenes}}

Zerum Valos

2014-03-20T19:05:18Z

BlondeFox: /* Appearance */

Zerum Valos

2014-03-20T18:58:22Z

BlondeFox: /* Appearance */

Zerum Valos

2014-03-20T18:49:51Z

BlondeFox: /* Abilities */

File:ZerumBust.jpg

2014-03-20T18:25:44Z

BlondeFox: A rough sketch of Zerum

A rough sketch of Zerum

Zerum Valos

2014-03-20T18:24:51Z

BlondeFox: Putting together a page

Aeschere The Vampire Drainer

2014-03-17T22:41:18Z

BlondeFox: log

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2014/03/16
|Location=Bevelle
|Synopsis=Aeschere is hired by Queegmaa to go hunt down Ophelia, who is rumored to be a vampire. Que hopes to use the fact that it's just speculation to encourage Chere to equip herself adequately, while simultaneously wagering that due to lack of concrete proof, the fees for her services may still be kept at a minimum.
|Cast of Characters=Aeschere Childs, Queegmaa
|pretty=yes
}}
:'''[[Aeschere Childs]] has posed:''' On the contrary, Aeschere is always seeking work. For those times when work is seeking her, however, there are certain measures in place. You'll have seen the guild postings, before; jobs that need doing, doers that need jobs, you know. It's mostly on MogNet these days. If you're looking for a bounty hunter, she comes well-recommended. Competitive rates, too. When she /isn't/ working, which is rare, she maintains a residence in Bevelle. You've probably been directed to find her here, out on the plaza or wherever. Just leave her a message, and she'll be along.

:'''[[Queegmaa]] has posed:''' It's quite possible that Queegmaa has gotten wind of Aeschere, when factoring in his ability to listen in on the grapevine; he isn't one of those folks who does much beyond sneaking around, networking, and delegating, but in his defense, he's excellent at deciphering who are reliable employees for the respective jobs that need to be done. He's undoubtedly done enough research to have determined by this time that the white-haired girl is fairly capable, at least based on rumor, so the kappa skulks along the streets, squinting his eyes, surveying the angelic architecture, hoping to envision his quarry-- none other than Aeschere Childs! He's at the plaza area, and he may have already left her a message requesting a rendezvous.... whatever the case, this unusual cybernetic turtle finally takes a breather on a wall, since he's been moving about most of the day. She couldn't hide forever.... not that she was necessarily trying to be elusive.

:'''[[Aeschere Childs]] has posed:''' She'll be along, yes. You just won't spot her through the crowd. The crowd that might have been gathering around the sudden appearance of a kappa on the square. For the most part, they're polite enough not to stop and stare; she gets that a bit, too, you know. "You're new." This is the agreed location, and this kappa looks least like he belongs here, so he's probably the one. Aeschere Childs presents herself, in a dark outfit hardly appropriate to culture or climate, and probably standing barely taller than the kappa himself. "Were you waiting for someone?"

:'''[[Queegmaa]] has posed:''' The one Que sought might not have been easily found, yet, if she was as accredited as he was led to believe, then she might even find him first.... as long as his time wasn't wasted, he would have less of an excuse to become riled. It does help that some of the denizens were paying particular attention to him, which would easily draw further attention to the focal point of those who happen to be side-glancing the troll. Kappa were simply less common than humankind, and that's how it would always be. When he's approached by Aeschere, and she denotes that he's new, Que peers over in her direction, and grunts, "Compared ta mos' planets, I'd be inclined tuh 'gree widd ya.... They's 'bout a few billeen yars uld." However, he doesn't elaborate on his exact age, and examines her carefully, deciding that the woman before him matches the descriptions he's gotten before. "Yeah, I'm waitin' on some'un, 'n she 'sposedly matches yer discerpshun, so fer all I knowed, she might be you. I'm waitin' on Ayshir Chihldz. Y'eard of 'er?" In truth, Queegmaa is excellent at distinguishing different faces belonging to humans, but when it comes to cultural norms as it applied to fashion, it was a bit harder for him to figure out who wore clothes that fit in, and who didn't, so he didn't rightly have the knack to determine that she was a little out of place, in terms of her apparel; the fact that Que didn't have pants or a shirt could clue one in to the fact that he didn't keep up on cosmetic fads.

:'''[[Aeschere Childs]] has posed:''' It seems like she has to think about that for a moment. "/Aeschere/ Childs, yes?" Three syllables. She's taken jobs from stranger people before, she supposes. Heck, she's still waiting to collect from that cat guy. "You're the one with the job, yes? How can I help you?"

:'''[[Queegmaa]] has posed:''' When she gives her name, confirming Que's suspicions, he rubs the side of his nose a little, "Soun's 'bout right." She evidently doesn't realize how lucky she is that he didn't murderize her name even more than that; outside of that little tidbit, he elaborates when she asks about the job, "Ain' me tryin' ta hire ya. I'm jus' a mil man.... representerin' somebody ess." He nods his head, clarifying, "Fact r'mains, I'm needin' a vampihr named Offleeya Lavat tuh 'ave summa 'er fluids extrakteed. Dun care if ya gotta knock 'er out, or if ya tiar up, or both, but one way or anudder, I's wantin' ta git old o' 'er essence. Why's no concern o' yers." With that, the kappa folds his arms over his chest, "All ya gotta know's dat we need that sh*t from'r. She's a toughie, so we ken supply a couple goons tuh 'elp ya, but dey wun be's capable as you, so yer gonna 'afta be da big guns." He taps his fingers against the wall where he'd propped himself up, "Y'in or out?"

:'''[[Aeschere Childs]] has posed:''' She takes a few moments to parse the request. "You want... what? Blood? From a vampire?" That's a new angle for her, too. "...go on, then. I need a bit more to work on than that, I think." So, she might be in. She doesn't usually turn down a job, you know.

:'''[[Queegmaa]] has posed:''' Que draws out two things: a standard syringe, as well as a strange looking, heavy-duty syringe that has a needle resembling a drill-bit, which is quite thick. The kappa doesn't surmise that much more information is really needed for Aeschere to be able to do the job, if she's truly competent; a resourceful individual should be able to find the person in question, when considering that a name was provided. "Now't ain't confirmed dat she's a vamp.... but e'erybody spekahlates dat she is wi' all da signs she dun showed us.... 'n dat's gud enough for the people who're wantin' 'er fluids." Queegmaa raises the ordinary needle, "Dis's tuh get 'er blood." He lowers that arm, then raises the odd, drill-looking thing, "Dis's whatcha need ta get 'er marrow. Gonna afta pierce some bone, which's why I say dat she eeder gotta be knocked out or tied s'curely." The imp chortles, "Nobody'd letcha just stick'em widda needle, let alone grin' inta deir bone tuh suck out deir marruh. 'N I shud also add dat confidentiality's importin'.... dun nobody shud be knowin' 'bout 'oo hired ya." With that, he placed the two instruments into a tin box for medical supplies, and then offered her a business card, "I ain't da one who's gonna negosheet yer salary widja. Dis person ya contact'll be da one who'll talk to ya 'bout prices 'n stuff." Following this, the troll puts away the medical box, "If ya 'gree tuh 'is prices, den he'll show up tuh meetcha'n person, accompanied by da lackeys who's gonna help ya bushwhack Offleeya, 'n give ya a medkeel box widd da proper utensils 'n tubes so yuh got a way o' transportin' da goods all sterile-like when yer done da job. He'll also pay ya half da price of da full contract in advance, and give ya half after....." He grins, "I'm jus' a demo-man."

:'''[[Aeschere Childs]] has posed:''' Chera studies the sampling tools with interest, until Queegmaa stows them again. That clears thing up, just slightly. She accepts the card, and pockets it without looking. "You let them know we spoke, then. I will consider this. It's not a normal job." Obviously. She gives the kappa a nod. "Half in advance is good. I'll be in touch, yes?"

:'''[[Queegmaa]] has posed:''' Queegmaa nods to the woman, and remarks with brevity, "Yeh, I'll do't.", referring of course to the fact that he'll relay the message to the person Chera has been instructed to contact. As for whether it's a normal job or not, Que could care less-- either she accepts or doesn't, and if not, then somebody else will be on the payroll. It wasn't always easy finding people with the level of proficiency that Aeschere was renowned for, but it also wasn't impossible, so it would just be a matter of time before the troll found a suitable customer, even so..... it would've been a lot more convenient if Chera ended up taking the job, and Queegmaa didn't have to do anymore scouting. "I'll be around." Que retorts, when the girl asks him if she'll be in touch, but the chances were, she'd be meeting up with other people in the future, and if she saw the troll again, it'd be nothing short of a miracle, being that he only makes house-calls when absolutely necessary.... otherwise, someone else could do it in his stead! Promptly, he starts to wander off, knowing that his job was done, for now.

Queegmaa

2014-03-12T01:15:48Z

BlondeFox: /* Relationships */ changed a few of these

{{Character Infobox
|firstname=Queegmaa
|middlename=Ratho
|lastname=Piir
|age=????
|image=queegmaasoftlines.jpg
|caption=Que, if he didn't have a head-plate
|species=Kappa
|sex=Male
|height=5'6
|weight=279 Lbs (Shell + Addons, now including a leg made of metal!)
|series=Final Fantasy 6
|styles=Saboteur, Warrior
|hometown=Southern Continent
|alignment=Forces of Ruin
|group=Church of Glabados
|occupation=Exalted Chaperone
|themesong="Obsession" - Seiken Densetsu III OST
|quote=If ya got aximimoms, den you got kints in yer mentil armor, n' dat means I cud moldja like clay if I wan'ed!
|footer=On Exodus
}}

=Appearance=

(In short, picture a short, skinny Blanka from Street Fighter II, but with crazy blonde, not red hair, and a slightly upturned nose, as well as a shell, and prothesis)

Having the typical 'mop-top' of other kappa from The World Of Balance, Queegmaa has light-blonde hair, and large eyes, as do many fish, reptiles, and lizards, or other aquatic creatures. His lips protrude forward boldly, almost like a 'beak' that turtles often have, except not to the same, exaggerated degree. A prominent feature of Que's would be his crooked nose, which was broken and never set properly when it healed, so that it bends slightly to one side. He has an quadrilateral shape for a face, in that it juts downward in an elongated fashion, as well as sideways, but between these cardinal points, the ordinal regions are more concave, giving him a facial shape looking something like a plus sign, hailing from the world of arithmetic. Sharp fangs hide under his wide lips, and his upper brow extends almost across his entire forehead, wrapping around the sides.

Normally, where kappa have a depression inside their tall, coney heads, Que has had a strange helmet permanently grafted to his skull, which is encircled by his long hair, yet, the headgear itself is a cap designed to prevent damage to his soft, sensitive inner cranium, since kappa are traditionally known for their upper 'pocket' being tender, with a thin membrane containing thick fluid that gives them their strange, inhuman strength, in the cases of those water-imps who possess this power. Queegmaa has bionic arms, and parts of his chest, especially the clavicle areas are reinforced to help stabilize the cumbersome weight of these prosthesis; additionally, it stretches around the backside and inserts into his shell, for added support, since kappa tend to be fairly lanky in physique. The mechanical arms of this water-imp, as well as the other portions of machinery to be found on his person look to be in the style of steam-punk, which is typical of industrial design from his world, which were less concerned with ergonomics, and more with practicality, due to the low-level of scientific knowledge they had, necessitating bulk in order to enable power. His skin is a sickly greyish-green, and his eyes are violet. Que's feet are mildly webbed, being remarkably common for kappa, which end in long talons that are perfect for gripping things, akin to a second pair of hands.

Que's hair is a disaster, though, given that frizz and moisture are abundant in the areas from which he often hails, thus, it looks like something out of a rock-band from an 80's glam group, despite still having that moppish flair. He usually carries a staff with him that possesses mana, which aids him in those few instances where he casts spells, beyond serving as a cattle-prod, since he doesn't have any lightning 'spells', in light of the fact that his 'natural' cantrips are pretty much all water, or nature-based. His dilapidated, intricate prosthesis have numerous compartments and sockets in the event that he wishes to add adaptors or new drivers down the road to grant him extra features to his array of gimmicks. Queegmaa does carry a tanto as well, which is often hidden, but all in all, his focus leans towards 'artificial' magic, so it's more likely he'll launch bullets, hooked-wires, slippery grease, or other articles from his stockpile of weaponry, if he's not using flame-throwers to obliterate his foes.

=History=

Queegmaa was a kappa who'd existed in his respective lake for as long as the lake itself had been, being one of the original progenitors of his tribe, which ultimately amounted to a community of dozens. Long-lived creatures, they were never reproduced in droves, so it wasn't difficult for Admiral Rakassa of the empire to trick Que into undermining his own people, while disguising her motives as mutually beneficial. Quick to ascend to greatness, he sold his people down the river unwittingly, while ignoring his better judgement to decline the general's offer, and then ended up with more guilt than he could handle.

Revealing herself to be a Shadow Lord, she exposed the sole survivor of the clan, Que, to a terrible truth that resonated with such seemingly overwhelming truth, that in the face of its admission, the kappa couldn't deny what she'd proclaimed. Seeing no other path available that made any sense, Queegmaa took her up on her offer.

=Personality=

Selfish, paranoid, cowardly, sycophantic, greedy, munny-grubbing, power-hungry, and would just as soon butcher his neighbor out of convenience just as he does the language of the common-tongue; Queegmaa serves Rakassa because she bribes him, but she only keeps him nourished just enough to sustain him, so that he'll be useful to her without getting any ideas of ascension to power. Being the quintessential boot-licker, Que doesn't actually enjoy his downtrodden status, but hasn't the gall to defy her, especially when he foresees the day that he'll inevitably uncover enough skeletons in her closet to provide him with the leverage he needs to oust Rakassa from power, in spite of her oppression, so as to take it for himself. Overall, Queegmaa holds the view that life is a punishment, because of his lack of control over his own fate, and the natural entropy that's part of his default existence, so as a means of exacting revenge against the powers that be, he chooses to try and sabotage everything that the forces at work seemingly aspire to create; this means he resents everything in the universe, including himself; as Rakassa is Vector's manifestation of the one of the seven deadly sins known as 'Lust', Queegmaa is wrath incarnate.

[[File:Queegmaa-FK-Profile.gif]]

=Abilities=

General Stuff- Quegmaa is very elongated in limb, and oblong in body, despite being short-statured, which means his ability to hit targets physically is above average- but ironically enough, because of his affinity for magic, his truest boon rears its ugly head when he flings around spell-craft and elemental forces, or if he makes use of the machinery that comprises a high fraction of his being. For ranged fighting, he carries bolts that've been installed inside his forelimbs, which can be replenished by accretion of dust particles, which become compressed, enabling combustion upon impact with targets, much akin to a gun's bullet- barring that, he's just as accurate with a tanto(short-sword) always on his person, making him fairly well-rounded, if slanted in the direction of divination a touch.

Toxinator- Having been subjected to the vibes of a highly poisonous esper's magicite for years on end, Quegmaa has taken on some of the attributes of said creature; he is highly resistant to acidic, or else noxious substances, which would normally sicken or erode the hardiest of individuals. If that in itself would seem something that couldn't be topped, Queg has another advantage that lies in his ability to occasionally envenomate his victims with physical touch alone.

Aquabotic- He breathes underwater, he's resistant to water-based attacks, and he's a cyborg. Designed for sub-hydrant environments, he has sonar which gives him the ability to visualize his environments by sending wavelengths from himself which give him a sense of topography, or the objects therein; he also carries potions in some otherwise vacant compartments in his arms. He's not an outright grandmaster in magic, or mechanics alike, so he fancies himself a 'technomage', or, an ideal union between mysticism and science- though he prides himself on his unlocking of the 'Exploder' spell, even though it was thought that he'd never master any true fire 'spells'. Being aqua-based, and having a share of metal on his person at all times makes him weak when barraged by lightning, on the other hand....

Sink Syncing- Quegmaa can harmonize with technologies from his world, especially things that relate to aquatics, such as boats, submarines, or possibly even kitchen sinks, which means either attaching to them, controlling them, or at the very least, understanding them. Given time, he can most likely disassemble the structure of alien units that are water-oriented, but it would require at least a day's time to analyze the components involved, even if memorization comes easier; this ability to assimilate/use outlandish devices doesn't apply to any non-hydration type instruments.

Sinewy Sighted- Facial recognition is the name of the game; having dealt with the likes of Rakassa for years at a time, unless someone has a flawless poker-face(listed in their official application or powers or upgrades), and they do not have a mask on, Quegmaa can discern if the person speaking to him speaks with anxiety, or confidence, by way of watching the twitching of optics, and facial muscles, or bodily movements.

=Statistics=

Queegmaa has recently started to collect statistics as polled by the Argent Crown Agency, as they apply to the most feared/hated persons within Vector City. The list doesn't list how many people are aware of the subsequent entities, but rather, lists how many have an aversion towards them /of/ the ones who /do/ know of them in some capacity.
(Actual impacts made by persons during Vector-related events and/or gossip/smear-campaigns may have contributed to these numbers)

Emperor Gestahl 99.95%
Rosemarie 99.92%
Maleficent 99.12%
Hades 98.04%
Kefka 97.93%
Rakassa 96.50%
Shadow 96%
Garland 94.35%
Merlock 91.02%
Artemis Eurus 90.01%
Angantyr Vespar 89%
Avira 87.50%
Horned King 86.35%
Rhiannon Zellen 86.21%
Ophelia Lovett 86.20%
Deelel 80.02%
Maira 74%
Queegmaa 65.02%
Echo 53.03%
Vohstras Egress 45%
Morrighan Alazne 39.50%
Morgan Alabaste 25.03%
Faruja Senra 20%
Nagetta 15.05%

=Relationships=
'''Disclaimer: Anyone who interacts with Queegmaa will /not/ be likely to receive forgiving reviews-- RP with him at your own discretion'''

[[Artemis Eurus]]: All Fardjee's work went right down the drain! Maybe yant so bad after all.

[[Avira]]: If y'only knowed da truth....

[[Echo]]: That dark tart gave me da silent treatment. I 'ope ya din let da cat outta the bag!

[[Faruja Senra]]: Ya oughta stay outta da way o' that cardnel, if you ever plan tuh get tuh high places, 'n dat means stayin' outta my way, tuh!

[[Hades]] : I dink I's gotta talk to you, soon.... maybe?

[[Maira]]: Yull never save me....never! Even if ya knock down one'a my masters, I still got anudder who kent be cast off.... 'n ya don' know't, but yuh gots da same one!

[[Morrighan Alazne]]: High time tuh seek new employment? Muusc tuh my ears! Soon's we ain't workin' fer da same employer, I ken ice ya!

[[Nagetta]]: Guess ya got better tings ta do than hang 'round Vector, eh?

[[Ophelia]]: Yet anudder ingredient fer da meltin' pot!

[[Rakassa]]: We're both in our prime, 'n it wun last f'rever, but I'll slow down a lot later dan you.... and I'm jus' waitin' fer dat moment ta come.

[[Rosemarie]]: Ding's've changed. Yer suddenly better tuh me 'live dan dead.

[[Shadow]]: Ya waltz inta the Holluh Basteen even dough ya got no garntays they'd letcha leave. 'Spose it ain't no difurnt from any udder Shaduh Loryed, cuz dey's always stabbin' 'chother in da back, nohow!

=Trivia=

Voice Actor: Matthew Wood (General Grievous)

Name: His name, if correctly pronounced, sounds akin to 'Keg - Maw', as opposed to how it's spelled, which may have most thinking it sounds more like 'Kweeg - mah'.

True Age: Lakes generally last from a few thousand, to dozens of millions of years old at most, and thus it could statistically be inferred that Queegmaa may have seniority over some espers from his world, since kappa have lifespans that typically equal that of the basins they inhabit.

Misogyny: Having masculinity issues, Queegmaa ins unable to allow himself to admit when he's attracted to women who dwarf him in girth or height.

Cosmetics: Being on dry land is a real drag, so he does what many drag-queens do, by employing moisturizers constantly, in order to maintain hydrated skin, yet, since this is related to his 'medicinal needs', unlike in the perceptions of humankind, he doesn't see many cosmetics as a 'feminine' thing.

Pets: If Que were to adopt a pet, it would be a dog of some sort, since they are pack-animals which are inclined towards obedience, and asserting dominion over another creature would be the kappa's best way of reclaiming some self-respect, being that he's essentially Rakassa's whipping-boy.

Subjugation: Queegmaa's prosthesis has a greater sensitivity to touch, but this comes with a price; normally, stabbing a prosthetic limb would yield no pain, but Rakassa has wired Que's robotics in such a way that the electro-transmitters send signals to the kappa's brain to induce, or replicate anguish, which means that she can effectively create suffering where there would ordinarily be none possible.

Phobia: Kappa are known to be as strong as ten adult men, allegedly, by way of canon sources; crocodiles can reach up to approximately four-thousand plus pounds, which would technically make them as strong as much more than that. Pound for pound, kappa are stronger, but when crocs grow large enough, they eventually eclipse most kappa, so many water-imps have a (healthy)fear of crocodiles, as a general rule.

= Logs =
{{Character Logs}}
= Cutscenes =
{{Character Logs|Cutscenes}}

A Thorn In, Or On Morrighan's Side?

2014-03-11T22:05:17Z

BlondeFox: log

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2014/03/11
|Location=Mullonde
|Synopsis=The World of Ruin is a chaotic place, and one of the people who Morrighan dislikes the most, who endlessly causes her trouble, is evidently an ally of hers. Faruja has the regrettable task of having to try to keep the peace.
|Cast of Characters=Faruja Senra, Morrighan Alazne, Queegmaa
|pretty=yes
}}
:'''[[Morrighan Alazne]] has posed:''' It's been a few days since that vicious attack on that church. The Shadow Lords were repelled and restoration efforts were undertaken. Morrighan herself had been there, aiding the enemy for a time, but Will Sherman managed to break Echo's magic spell. She made off with Echo in the aftermath, flitting away from the battlefield. What happened after...? Well, she wasn't saying. And Echo was long gone. Having submitted a report explaining her absence, the dark elf was cleared to return home and rest for a few days. And she planned to take advantage of those days. On this particular afternoon, Morrighan was strolling through the marketplace, browsing the wares of various merchants. In her arm was a basket partially filled with purchased items. "Hm...No, not that one...nor that." Currently she was standing in front of a fruit stand, picking through various types meticulously in order to find psecimens without bruises and such. The merchant himself waited patiently, offering advice and explaining each type's origins while she browsed. It was such a peaceful day. Far be it for some troublemaker to show up now.

:'''[[Queegmaa]] has posed:''' Well, maybe one could say far be it for some troublemaker to show up, but the distance could be closed pretty quick if he were far, and so consequently, Queegmaa 'innocently' hobbles up right next to Morrighan while she examines the fruit at the stand, standing right beside her acting as though he didn't even see her. For an individual with an aptitude for sensing things, and people long before he saw them, Que sure was doing a good job feigning ignorance to his surroundings, and those within them. Suddenly, he begins to go into a coughing spasm, and some phlegm randomly projects from his mouth onto a few pieces of fruit that the dark elf had just bought; to this, he turns to the woman and says, "Ah, sorry 'bout dat, miss. Been a lil sick lately, affer some witch 'tackt me da udder day, 'n it compromised my 'munity, see.... now I'm hackin' up sh*t all over da place, 'n it looks like I jus' got somma my sputum on yer apple. No harm done, eh? Yah ken jus' wipe't off!" He wasn't actually sick, of course; that was a well fabricated lie, being that he had an uncanny resistance to toxic, bacterial, and viral agents, but who could really truly determine the truth without taking a white blood cell count? However, to help preserve the illusion that he was besieged by a malady, he'd have to put a conscious effort into coughing every few minutes or so, else lead one to believe he was fibbing, but it was well worth it, after having seized the opportunity to ruin several of Morrighan's lucious desserts!

:'''[[Faruja Senra]] has posed:''' Being captured and messed with by strange mercenaries /is/ a good way to get out of Heresy. Not that this makes Faruja Senra at all happy. No, after a few hours of his own reports on the incident and peering over other accounts, he's out to take a nice relaxing walk. Only to bump into two people he /definitely/ doesn't want to see right now. "Ahh, Lady Alazne, Ser Queegma. Lord bless." Ajora help him, he needs a vacation.

:'''[[Morrighan Alazne]] has posed:''' Ah. Queegmaa. Just who she didn't want to see. "......." Morrighan offered him nothing but silence. She didn't even look at the troll. Instead, she turned away from the stand, much to the merchant's disappointment, and outrage at Queegmaa to soiling his goods. He'd be complaining to the authorities later! Because that's what merchants do! "Ah, Ser Senra." The elf greeted, offering a small smile as well. Moving past the insufferable imp, she moved to approach Faruja. "I was not expecting to see you today." There was a pause, and then she spoke on. "I suppose I should offer my apologies for the other day. It seems that no matter how much I wish to be left alone, /some/ sort of trouble decides to stand in my way anyhow." That 'some' was said higher, to make a point of the unwanted presence nearby whom she wasn't going to grace with a look if she could help it.

:'''[[Queegmaa]] has posed:''' As Faruja approached, feeling compelled to greet them both once it was beyond the point of being able to avoid either, Que could just feel how uncomfortable the Nezumi was, and flashed a smile bearing jagged, hideous rows of fangs similar to that of a great white shark, albeit without the macabre blood-stains upon them, "Fairjer..... Ain't seen ya since ya failed ta save dat church. Kinda funny, ya know.... Yer target was Artimays, 'n she got away clean. My target was dat Morreegin feller.... 'n whaddya know, not only did we get 'er, but she's on ar side uhgin. Looks like once more, I dun my part to see dat my goal was 'cheeved, 'n yuh dint do yers! Da more dings change, da more dey stay da same...." He chuckles, then rubs his chin, postulating, "Guess da lord sure blesst me, but I dunno if I kud say he dun da same fer you." Unfortunately, though, whether Morrighan wanted to acknowledge Que or not, she might have to acknowledge the residue of what he spewed on the fruit, because it seems that a few droplets found their way onto her hand. As Faruja and Morrighan might both observe, not only did this ichor begin to turn the color of the afflicted fruit black, almost immediately, but perhaps Morrighan's skin would even shift in color remotely, in the area where his slime touched; it was well known to the Shadow Lord Rakassa, who had 'endowed' the goblin with this gift that he would henceforth be noxious to anything his saliva, or mucus contacted, along with the oils from his skin. In a few minutes, it was entirely possible the dark elf would begin to feel sickly.... But Queegmaa wasn't about to admit that he was poisonous, and to be held responsible for any discomfort Morrighan might or might not feel in the near future! .....It looks like the lord didn't bless her, either. As if to add insult to injury, Queegmaa advertises, in a poor light, what he feels Morrighan is doing, while pretending as though he were completely guiltless of causing anybody any problem, "Course.... some folks is passive-'gressive, 'n won't even face da peeps dey's talkin' 'bout when dey's badmouthin' em. So Fart-ja, I commend ya on at least havin' da b*lls ta actually address Artimays directly on her bein' unwelcome, when she was indeed unwelcome, da udder day!"

:'''[[Faruja Senra]] has posed:''' Faruja's tail trembles lightly. He wants to strangle the little bastard. But he calms himself. "If ye believe that to be the case, then ye know my calling ill, Ser Queegma. My 'target' was not the Heretic. My objective was to save the Father's life, and that of the parishioners. To abandon /them/ would be a great Sin. The Heretic shalt be caught. I was /praised/ for my work, my superior is most pleased with the Father still remaining alive despite the forces arrayed against us." Counters the rat. "He blessed us both, that whatever horrid curse hath befallen the Lady was broken." Here, he turns to Morrighan, and manages a smile. The rat's had a bad week, but he's come out glowingly for it all. "Ye do seem to attract it. 'Tis why ye should be assigned a guardian, my dear. Think nothing of it, ye were hardly in control of thyself." Suggests the rat.

:'''[[Morrighan Alazne]] has posed:''' Faruja wasn't the only one who wanted to strangle the little bastard. Or in her case; riddle him with bullets. But no. She wasn't here to fight this day. "A guardian...Yes, that does seem like a sound idea. Considering the amount of times I have been kidnapped, tampered with, and otherwise accosted, a guardian would alleviate most of that." Back when she was still with Baron, that 'guardian' was Kaydin, but now... Morrighan sighed at the thought, shaking her head. Queegmaa's irritating voice was ignored for the most part. She felt that if she so much as entertained his presence, she'd be pulling a gun on him. "...By the way, Ser Senra; you seem to be familiar with this person whose name I will not deign to utter. Why is this?" Surely this /thing/ wasn't an ally. She hoped to god not. ".....?" Right around then, she felt a slight wetness on her hand. The one she'd used to hold the fruit. "...Ergh! Ew! Disgusting!" The dark elf complained loudly, shaking her hand quickly. At that point, she'd begun to feel a slight sickness in her stomach. "...Guh! Esuna! Esuna!" She chanted quickly, a white light washing over her and purging whatever was setting in. Once that was over with, Morrighan settled down, brow twitching in growing anger. "...Permission to destroy this insect, Ser Senra?"

:'''[[Queegmaa]] has posed:''' Que coughs a little bit when Faruja corrects him on what his mission was, and he remarks, "Ah.... yuh were tryin' ta save that preacher? Well, who's ta say he wudn'ta got away anyhow? I says that 'e was alive ta start, 'n 'e was alive when all was done.... but we're still minus a church, when ya add up eryding. I also dun guess dat you do much accountin', since you in no egghead, which jus' 'appens ta be /MY/ department!" He rubs his temple, "Now.... da bottom line is..... yer 'sposed ta be some kinda fighter, 'n my job is ta mainly spread da word o' Faram. So, when I was in dat lil shrine helping da fadder wi' 'is sermon, I done my job tuh da letter. Whatever praise ya got from yer spearer, I's sure I got tenfold dat.... So ya see, Mister Fartjee, maybe /part/ o' yer job was ta see da priest saved, but /part/ o' yer job was ta apprehen' dat foul infidel.... 'n ya din do dat!" He cackles, "But I wager it's an improvement if ya even did 'affa yer job crektly, dis time 'round." But, he's not even close to finished scolding Faruja, and proceeds with his former point, "Now.... when ya roun' up da numbers... ballpark esteemiht is dat a church like dat costs, fifty thousand munny. Da edjeekashun costs fer a priest is about dirty-dousand.... So, morality aside, 'n not considerin' dat of 'uman life.... we acksheeally /lost/ munny." By now, Faruja must have been pissed that Que dared to put a monetary value on life, but since he was sort of the church's new accountant, he was technically 'just doing his job', which meant that he was only /bordering/ on speaking untruth.... but not quite! As soon as Morrighan started to declare that she wanted to destroy an insect, Que raised a hand to his ear, as though straining to 'overhear' something that was quite audible, "What's dat? Fardjee.... yer friend wants ta kill some innocent arthropod! I dun see no insects nearby but dat one over dere!" with that, the troll points to a beetle that was crawling on the ground, "One 'o da flock is feelin' wickt!" He frowns, "Maybe I oughta suggest ta Bishop Emerald dat we need tuh increase taxes in dis part o' town ta pay fer ta support our church services, if our people are so misguided as ta be wantin' ta randomly kill God's creashures!" The kappa knew well and good that Morrighan was paid well, and didn't really need too much cash, but it still would have been an inconvenience for her income to be reduced, even if it was an incredibly petty way to retaliate.

:'''[[Faruja Senra]] has posed:''' Faruja just shakes his head lightly. Arguing with the kappa is generally useless. "No doubt." Indeed, the rat's eye narrows. If he hadn't the ear of a Bishop, Faruja would haul him off to a cell. "I hath no intention of continuing a debate that skirts upon placing value upon a hallowed Father's life. 'Tis for thine own good." Faruja makes a point of peering into the kappa's eyes there. The man's on thin ice, at this point. "No Lady Alazne, ignore him. So strange that so much trouble ever doth follow him..." Mutters the rat. He shrugs. "Some art cursed. Now then. There shalt be no tax increases, the poor here could not afford it. By doing so, the most humble; those whom we protect would be driven away." The rat turns to get his own food. He actually pays for it.

:'''[[Faruja Senra]] has posed:''' With that, he bows. "Good day Ser and Lady." Yup, the rat's off to finish up paperwork.

:'''[[Morrighan Alazne]] has posed:''' Every word that escaped this fool's mouth just made her angrier. She briefly wondered if anyone would miss him if she wiped him off the map. "....." And a sigh. Faruja was right of course. No need to start a fight right here in the middle of town. There were better things to do. "Good say, Ser Senra." The elf replied in kind, shaking her head and glancing down at her basket of goods. She had everything she needed for now. She just wanted to go home. And so without sparing Queegmaa any attention still, she unceremoniously turned and walked off in another direction, the destination being her home. "I'm beginning to think it's high time to seek other employment..." Morrighan muttered to herself as she went.

:'''[[Queegmaa]] has posed:''' The imp peers right back at Faruja when he tries to intimidate Queegmaa, and the green sprite cracks his knuckles, coughing a little bit, "Mmmmmm....... Yuh mean /YOU/ are gonna go ahead here and dictate what da tax rates /shalt/ be in various districks? Sounds almos' like yer tryin' ta impersonate a bishop...! But...." He flaps his hand dismissively, "....Since yuh have a good point, seein' dat we dun wanna hurt da poor too much, I'll overlook your slip o' da tongue, Mister Farjeel." If Faruja is going to claim that he's discontinuing a line of thought for Que's own good, he's going to extend the very same courtesy in turn! Soon thereafter, Faruja bids them farewell, and Queegmaa also gives a bow, "Same tuh you." Biggest fib ever-- all he ever wanted for anyone and everyone was pain and suffering. As quickly as the group had assembled, it dispersed, with Morrighan and the Nezumi each going their separate ways. The dark elf had planned on a relaxing afternoon, and Que had robbed her of it; she was angry, and he was delighted. Faruja was hoping to wind down, and Queegmaa had shown he had enough power to drive him off, as well.... Evidently, he had considerable influence over others, and this gave him /much/ satisfaction.

Queegmaa

2014-03-10T19:33:18Z

BlondeFox: Change in allegiance

{{Character Infobox
|firstname=Queegmaa
|middlename=Ratho
|lastname=Piir
|age=????
|image=queegmaasoftlines.jpg
|caption=Que, if he didn't have a head-plate
|species=Kappa
|sex=Male
|height=5'6
|weight=279 Lbs (Shell + Addons, now including a leg made of metal!)
|series=Final Fantasy 6
|styles=Saboteur, Warrior
|hometown=Southern Continent
|alignment=Forces of Ruin
|group=Church of Glabados
|occupation=Exalted Chaperone
|themesong="Obsession" - Seiken Densetsu III OST
|quote=If ya got aximimoms, den you got kints in yer mentil armor, n' dat means I cud moldja like clay if I wan'ed!
|footer=On Exodus
}}

=Appearance=

(In short, picture a short, skinny Blanka from Street Fighter II, but with crazy blonde, not red hair, and a slightly upturned nose, as well as a shell, and prothesis)

Having the typical 'mop-top' of other kappa from The World Of Balance, Queegmaa has light-blonde hair, and large eyes, as do many fish, reptiles, and lizards, or other aquatic creatures. His lips protrude forward boldly, almost like a 'beak' that turtles often have, except not to the same, exaggerated degree. A prominent feature of Que's would be his crooked nose, which was broken and never set properly when it healed, so that it bends slightly to one side. He has an quadrilateral shape for a face, in that it juts downward in an elongated fashion, as well as sideways, but between these cardinal points, the ordinal regions are more concave, giving him a facial shape looking something like a plus sign, hailing from the world of arithmetic. Sharp fangs hide under his wide lips, and his upper brow extends almost across his entire forehead, wrapping around the sides.

Normally, where kappa have a depression inside their tall, coney heads, Que has had a strange helmet permanently grafted to his skull, which is encircled by his long hair, yet, the headgear itself is a cap designed to prevent damage to his soft, sensitive inner cranium, since kappa are traditionally known for their upper 'pocket' being tender, with a thin membrane containing thick fluid that gives them their strange, inhuman strength, in the cases of those water-imps who possess this power. Queegmaa has bionic arms, and parts of his chest, especially the clavicle areas are reinforced to help stabilize the cumbersome weight of these prosthesis; additionally, it stretches around the backside and inserts into his shell, for added support, since kappa tend to be fairly lanky in physique. The mechanical arms of this water-imp, as well as the other portions of machinery to be found on his person look to be in the style of steam-punk, which is typical of industrial design from his world, which were less concerned with ergonomics, and more with practicality, due to the low-level of scientific knowledge they had, necessitating bulk in order to enable power. His skin is a sickly greyish-green, and his eyes are violet. Que's feet are mildly webbed, being remarkably common for kappa, which end in long talons that are perfect for gripping things, akin to a second pair of hands.

Que's hair is a disaster, though, given that frizz and moisture are abundant in the areas from which he often hails, thus, it looks like something out of a rock-band from an 80's glam group, despite still having that moppish flair. He usually carries a staff with him that possesses mana, which aids him in those few instances where he casts spells, beyond serving as a cattle-prod, since he doesn't have any lightning 'spells', in light of the fact that his 'natural' cantrips are pretty much all water, or nature-based. His dilapidated, intricate prosthesis have numerous compartments and sockets in the event that he wishes to add adaptors or new drivers down the road to grant him extra features to his array of gimmicks. Queegmaa does carry a tanto as well, which is often hidden, but all in all, his focus leans towards 'artificial' magic, so it's more likely he'll launch bullets, hooked-wires, slippery grease, or other articles from his stockpile of weaponry, if he's not using flame-throwers to obliterate his foes.

=History=

Queegmaa was a kappa who'd existed in his respective lake for as long as the lake itself had been, being one of the original progenitors of his tribe, which ultimately amounted to a community of dozens. Long-lived creatures, they were never reproduced in droves, so it wasn't difficult for Admiral Rakassa of the empire to trick Que into undermining his own people, while disguising her motives as mutually beneficial. Quick to ascend to greatness, he sold his people down the river unwittingly, while ignoring his better judgement to decline the general's offer, and then ended up with more guilt than he could handle.

Revealing herself to be a Shadow Lord, she exposed the sole survivor of the clan, Que, to a terrible truth that resonated with such seemingly overwhelming truth, that in the face of its admission, the kappa couldn't deny what she'd proclaimed. Seeing no other path available that made any sense, Queegmaa took her up on her offer.

=Personality=

Selfish, paranoid, cowardly, sycophantic, greedy, munny-grubbing, power-hungry, and would just as soon butcher his neighbor out of convenience just as he does the language of the common-tongue; Queegmaa serves Rakassa because she bribes him, but she only keeps him nourished just enough to sustain him, so that he'll be useful to her without getting any ideas of ascension to power. Being the quintessential boot-licker, Que doesn't actually enjoy his downtrodden status, but hasn't the gall to defy her, especially when he foresees the day that he'll inevitably uncover enough skeletons in her closet to provide him with the leverage he needs to oust Rakassa from power, in spite of her oppression, so as to take it for himself. Overall, Queegmaa holds the view that life is a punishment, because of his lack of control over his own fate, and the natural entropy that's part of his default existence, so as a means of exacting revenge against the powers that be, he chooses to try and sabotage everything that the forces at work seemingly aspire to create; this means he resents everything in the universe, including himself; as Rakassa is Vector's manifestation of the one of the seven deadly sins known as 'Lust', Queegmaa is wrath incarnate.

[[File:Queegmaa-FK-Profile.gif]]

=Abilities=

General Stuff- Quegmaa is very elongated in limb, and oblong in body, despite being short-statured, which means his ability to hit targets physically is above average- but ironically enough, because of his affinity for magic, his truest boon rears its ugly head when he flings around spell-craft and elemental forces, or if he makes use of the machinery that comprises a high fraction of his being. For ranged fighting, he carries bolts that've been installed inside his forelimbs, which can be replenished by accretion of dust particles, which become compressed, enabling combustion upon impact with targets, much akin to a gun's bullet- barring that, he's just as accurate with a tanto(short-sword) always on his person, making him fairly well-rounded, if slanted in the direction of divination a touch.

Toxinator- Having been subjected to the vibes of a highly poisonous esper's magicite for years on end, Quegmaa has taken on some of the attributes of said creature; he is highly resistant to acidic, or else noxious substances, which would normally sicken or erode the hardiest of individuals. If that in itself would seem something that couldn't be topped, Queg has another advantage that lies in his ability to occasionally envenomate his victims with physical touch alone.

Aquabotic- He breathes underwater, he's resistant to water-based attacks, and he's a cyborg. Designed for sub-hydrant environments, he has sonar which gives him the ability to visualize his environments by sending wavelengths from himself which give him a sense of topography, or the objects therein; he also carries potions in some otherwise vacant compartments in his arms. He's not an outright grandmaster in magic, or mechanics alike, so he fancies himself a 'technomage', or, an ideal union between mysticism and science- though he prides himself on his unlocking of the 'Exploder' spell, even though it was thought that he'd never master any true fire 'spells'. Being aqua-based, and having a share of metal on his person at all times makes him weak when barraged by lightning, on the other hand....

Sink Syncing- Quegmaa can harmonize with technologies from his world, especially things that relate to aquatics, such as boats, submarines, or possibly even kitchen sinks, which means either attaching to them, controlling them, or at the very least, understanding them. Given time, he can most likely disassemble the structure of alien units that are water-oriented, but it would require at least a day's time to analyze the components involved, even if memorization comes easier; this ability to assimilate/use outlandish devices doesn't apply to any non-hydration type instruments.

Sinewy Sighted- Facial recognition is the name of the game; having dealt with the likes of Rakassa for years at a time, unless someone has a flawless poker-face(listed in their official application or powers or upgrades), and they do not have a mask on, Quegmaa can discern if the person speaking to him speaks with anxiety, or confidence, by way of watching the twitching of optics, and facial muscles, or bodily movements.

=Statistics=

Queegmaa has recently started to collect statistics as polled by the Argent Crown Agency, as they apply to the most feared/hated persons within Vector City. The list doesn't list how many people are aware of the subsequent entities, but rather, lists how many have an aversion towards them /of/ the ones who /do/ know of them in some capacity.
(Actual impacts made by persons during Vector-related events and/or gossip/smear-campaigns may have contributed to these numbers)

Emperor Gestahl 99.95%
Rosemarie 99.92%
Maleficent 99.12%
Hades 98.04%
Kefka 97.93%
Rakassa 96.50%
Shadow 96%
Garland 94.35%
Merlock 91.02%
Artemis Eurus 90.01%
Angantyr Vespar 89%
Avira 87.50%
Horned King 86.35%
Rhiannon Zellen 86.21%
Ophelia Lovett 86.20%
Deelel 80.02%
Maira 74%
Queegmaa 65.02%
Echo 53.03%
Vohstras Egress 45%
Morrighan Alazne 39.50%
Morgan Alabaste 25.03%
Faruja Senra 20%
Nagetta 15.05%

=Relationships=
'''Disclaimer: Anyone who interacts with Queegmaa will /not/ be likely to receive forgiving reviews-- RP with him at your own discretion'''

[[Avira]]: If y'only knowed da truth....

[[Echo]]: Yuh jus' stay right where y'ar, 'n dere wun be nuh trouble.

[[Faruja Senra]]: Ya oughta stay outta da way o' that cardnel, if you ever plan tuh get tuh high places, 'n dat means stayin' outta my way, tuh!

[[Hades]] : I dink I's gotta talk to you, soon.... maybe?

[[Maira]]: Yull never save me....never! Even if ya knock down one'a my masters, I still got anudder who kent be cast off.... 'n ya don' know't, but yuh gots da same one!

[[Morrighan Alazne]]: Yer right 'bout one ding.... Ya dun belong 'mongst nuh wild beasts; yer vuligritee puts ya /WAY/ b'low em all!

[[Nagetta]]: Shud be a crime ta be dat good-looking'. All dese fleshy folk an't got nothin' next ta scaly chicks. Ya seem kinda apprehensive, though.... Uneasy. Trust issues come from bein' victimized, 'n I'd love ta pound da ones who mistreated you!

[[Ophelia]]: A self-important snob like you ain't gonna get too far in life; ya kick-down like any other honcho, butcha also kick-up, which dar gon getcha kick'd right beck down ta da bottom!

[[Rakassa]]: Sometimes da pawn is controllin' da queen, and da queen dun know't cuz she's too busy sittin' back while 'er minion is out dere figarin' out stuff in da real world.

[[Rosemarie]]: I herja sprung da coop rayle quick-lik cuz o' dat indayalent Nez'mi. Once a predter picks a target, dey ignore e'rybody else, 'n yant got 'way jus' yet, case yer rejoicin'.

[[Shadow]]: Ya waltz inta the Holluh Basteen even dough ya got no garntays they'd letcha leave. 'Spose it ain't no difurnt from any udder Shaduh Loryed, cuz dey's always stabbin' 'chother in da back, nohow!

=Trivia=

Voice Actor: Matthew Wood (General Grievous)

Name: His name, if correctly pronounced, sounds akin to 'Keg - Maw', as opposed to how it's spelled, which may have most thinking it sounds more like 'Kweeg - mah'.

True Age: Lakes generally last from a few thousand, to dozens of millions of years old at most, and thus it could statistically be inferred that Queegmaa may have seniority over some espers from his world, since kappa have lifespans that typically equal that of the basins they inhabit.

Misogyny: Having masculinity issues, Queegmaa ins unable to allow himself to admit when he's attracted to women who dwarf him in girth or height.

Cosmetics: Being on dry land is a real drag, so he does what many drag-queens do, by employing moisturizers constantly, in order to maintain hydrated skin, yet, since this is related to his 'medicinal needs', unlike in the perceptions of humankind, he doesn't see many cosmetics as a 'feminine' thing.

Pets: If Que were to adopt a pet, it would be a dog of some sort, since they are pack-animals which are inclined towards obedience, and asserting dominion over another creature would be the kappa's best way of reclaiming some self-respect, being that he's essentially Rakassa's whipping-boy.

Subjugation: Queegmaa's prosthesis has a greater sensitivity to touch, but this comes with a price; normally, stabbing a prosthetic limb would yield no pain, but Rakassa has wired Que's robotics in such a way that the electro-transmitters send signals to the kappa's brain to induce, or replicate anguish, which means that she can effectively create suffering where there would ordinarily be none possible.

Phobia: Kappa are known to be as strong as ten adult men, allegedly, by way of canon sources; crocodiles can reach up to approximately four-thousand plus pounds, which would technically make them as strong as much more than that. Pound for pound, kappa are stronger, but when crocs grow large enough, they eventually eclipse most kappa, so many water-imps have a (healthy)fear of crocodiles, as a general rule.

= Logs =
{{Character Logs}}
= Cutscenes =
{{Character Logs|Cutscenes}}

Infectuous Defector

2014-03-03T23:40:36Z

BlondeFox: log

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2014/02/27
|Location=Hollow Bastion - Library
|Synopsis=Queegmaa defects from Vector and plans to spread his poison in Glabados, or maybe he plans to help Glabados spread its own toxin, since it has some noxious individuals already befouling the waters who could use some further aid. This is at the behest of Rakassa, or rather, as her Shadow Lord alter-ego, Olivia.
|Cast of Characters=Queegmaa, Rakassa
|pretty=yes
}}
:'''[[Rakassa]] has posed:''' And so, Rakassa has called Queegma to the library. 'Olivia' is sitting at a large desk, several tomes in front of her as she awaits her trusted minion. Sipping on some wine, her face is one of blissful, drunken joy. Who /knows/ what she's loaded herself wit this time.

:'''[[Queegmaa]] has posed:''' Entering the library, Queegmaa, stooped over, as usual, hobbles into the room expecting to hear some kind of half-baked idea, being that usually when Rakassa comes up with ideas, they need refinement. Once in awhile, he doesn't really feel the need to suggest 'minor modifications' to her schemes, but most of the time, she needs him to take her the extra mile, if she comes up with anything good to start with; whatever the case, he had to abide her wishes, whether she ultimately agreed to his sentiments or not. "Matron Olivia.... It's kinda unyuhshul fer ya tuh sum'n me here 'stead of back at Veckter. Takin' it dat ya have stuff ta say dat ain't fer impreel ears.....?" He comes to a halt about a dozen feet from her, since he knows that approaching too close to his 'master' would be effrontery, and presumptuous on his end.

:'''[[Rakassa]] has posed:''' The woman nods. She's indulgent today, and so she doesn't yell at him for imagined slights. No, she's in a good mood today. She kicks her feet up onto the table, which seem to wiggle today in /strange/ ways. "I need a spy in the Church." Comes the woman bluntly. She nods to the odd creature. "You're going to work with those Bishops to strengthen ties between Vector and the Church. Your allegiance to Vector shall be only slight. Make it sound like you've turned a new leaf, found a calling to their God. They'll take you in. Report to me anything you find, particularly dirt on the higher ups. We need blackmail material."

:'''[[Queegmaa]] has posed:''' Queegmaa scratches his head and tilts his head to the side, then straightens up, remarking, "Undercover.... in da church..... Seems tuh me like ya might be tryin' to convince Vector datcha ant crupt, by showin' 'em dat nepotism ain't how yuh doin' dings no more. Gonna try ta win over da conspirsee deorists by provin' dat ya run a fair 'n imparsheel regime, yer gunna hafta ruhplace me widd somebody who's known fer bein' 'posed tuh yer idoljees." He sneers, "Dey has a sayin' dat comes from duh world o' Manhatten... Only Nixon ken go tuh China." With that, the kappa shrugs, "But yer killin' two birds widd one stone.... Yer gittin' me out 'n den 'stalling a dissentor right under ya tuh make it look like yer tryin' to enable more transparency, cuz yer new helper is liable to turn ya in if ya get caught. Plus.... yer gonna diversify yer portfolio 'n put a pair 'o eyes in Mullonde....." He folds his arms over his chest. Queegmaa suspected that Rakassa had thought of simply instating Vohstras as her new errand-boy, in truth, following her plan to inject Queegmaa into the church, since that seemed to be her usual line of thinking. Get one loyal servant out, and put another to take their place. The troll, on the other hand, deliberately vocally hypothesized that she'd already taken it a step further, by surmising that she'd made the more intelligent move; putting in a potential whistle-blower to assuage the malcontents, so that less eyes would be on her, in thinking that she was already under enough scrutiny as it were, with a helper who opposed her views. Why did Queegmaa do this? The same reason he did everything else. He gave Rakassa the benefit of the doubt publicly, while inwardly suspecting that he was giving her credit for his own idea, while pretending that he thought she had been two steps ahead, when she was likely only actually one step ahead. Rakassa wasn't likely to admit the idea wasn't hers if Queegmaa volunteered to give her credit for it, too, because that would force her to humble herself, which went against the typical pattern of the hedonist.

:'''[[Rakassa]] has posed:''' "Tell me something I don't already know." Yawn. Rakassa, if nothing else, is /very/ good at well timed put-downs. In a few words, she could belittle the grandest of architects or artists in their work. She's had practice, after all, with Que around. "Anyway, you heard me. Get to Mullonde, and grovel before them, spouting a bunch of religion. Find someone in there, make them like you. Zealot type. Make them think you really mean you want to serve. You'll get twisted up in plots in no time. It's how those organizations go." Shrug. Then, standing, she does something that she rarely ever does. She smiles, and nods. "...Make me proud. There's a reason you're still alive, and so many others aren't." Always good to give sudden, unwarranted encouragement for your minions even if you're evil.

:'''[[Queegmaa]] has posed:''' Queegmaa grumbled a little bit when she dismissed 'his' idea as significant, not only allowing her to claim it for herself, but to pretend as though it weren't spectacular that the orc had caught on. Canting his head towards his prosthetics, he denotes, "Might be prudent tuh see 'bout gittin' me some organ transplants sometime from a donor or sumdin. Even if I'm still da same fella personal'ty-wise, people er li'bul tuh trust me more if I look more organic.... less... robotic..." He gives a thumbs up, "Might endear me to 'em if choose a more 'natural' appearance dan dis arteeafishul one. Church types are intuh da whole deal 'bout bein' what God begotcha as, 'stead of bein' somethin' made by science. Call it a psychological edge I'd have in gainin' deir confeedence." With that, he shakes his cybernetic members a little to emphasize their remaining importance, "S'well, might do tuh give Emruld or Jairn a lil nudge to see 'bout teachin' me Ivalician-style magic, if I'm losin' my bionics, since right now dey's a good source of my power. E'rybody knowed dat Ivalician magic takes faith to work, 'n if I can perform some of deir stuff, even if I dun do't well, still'd show 'em dat I ain't no heathen. When in Rome, do's da Romans.... yet anudder sayin' from Manhatten's world." Yet again, he purposely 'forgets' to foresee a problem in his strategy-- there were almost no kappa from which to get a donation, and so replacing his unnatural parts with flesh would be nigh-impossible to do for even Rakassa..... unless she expanded her horizons a bit, and looked into ShinRa for tissue/organ cloning. Taking Queeg's own cells would help bypass the problems of rejection, which would mean he could essentially return to being 'the way God made him', to appease the Ivalicians even better. Expensive, since she'd have to barter with Rhiannon, or some other psychotic scientist, but if she wanted to go the whole nine yards, that would've been an option. Was she smart enough to think of it? Perhaps she would be. But the main reason for Que neglecting to offer the suggestion, at least initially, was to give Rakassa the opportunity to feel smart by coming up with an idea her stooge 'had not thought of', or thereabouts. Yet more ego-stroking possible, depending on how inventive and informed the matron is.....

:'''[[Rakassa]] has posed:''' "Right, right. Go barter with the Shinra Electric Power Company." Dismisses the woman, hmph'ing a bit. From her tone, it's as though the kappa's mentioned the most obvious thing in the world. Sorry Que, your compliments are done with. With that, she leans back, sighing happily. "There's some nut scientist...mmm, Rhinnon? Rhiannon? Right. Find her. Ruin all my work." Mutter.

:'''[[Queegmaa]] has posed:''' The olive goblin bows a little lower in compliance when she orders him to make contact with SEPC, demonstrating that he was willing to do just that, while feigning as though he'd been ignorant to it having been a viable option all along, remarking, "Ah.... That is an excellent idea. But need I remind you that you'll get reimbursement for your work.... The parts that are detached will obviously be returned to you, and besides that-- not /all/ of your work will be undermined....." He points to his parietal area, indicating that there was no plan to have his 'helmet' tampered with, which was what not only gave Rakassa influence over him, but that which contained the self-destruct button that always acted as her trump card. It was within the realm of possibility that Rhiannon could remove it safely, but not without substantial risk to both herself and Que, since the resulting explosion could level a building, not to mention that those in the epicenter would practically evaporate from such a point-blank proximity to said combustion. Was Queegmaa likely to take the gamble? No. Was Rhiannon likely to do such a thing for some kappa she knew nothing about? It would certainly take more money than would be allowed for the budget that Rakassa would give Que, and if he overspent, the Shadow Lord would know something was amiss, again.... provided the extraction succeeded! For the time being, the reminder must have been at least a mild reassurance to Rakassa, who had to look forward to dealing with somebody who wasn't likely to handwave all her antics as eagerly as Que did. It would be a bittersweet victory if Rakassa did find some skeletons in Mullonde's closet, but at least she had the gall to make the attempt, unlike Queegmaa, who was too wimpy to dare such stunts!

:'''[[Rakassa]] has posed:''' /Sigh/. Rakassa finally gives a small nod. There may be a few wiggly appendages in her robes moving too. Her Shadow Lord form is creepy like that. "...Alright, fine. Just keep that pretty little head intact~" Teases the woman, a predatory grin to her. "Right! You've got work, then. Do well, and you'll be rewarded. The usual. Remember this always: you are MINE." Smile. She laughs. "And no one elses. I /hate/ traitors. Well, when they're not working for me, anyway."

:'''[[Queegmaa]] has posed:''' Queegmaa himself wasn't entirely sure what Olivia looked like under her garments, but it was a rare occasion indeed that he wanted to consider mentally undressing her, given how much he disliked his oppressor. He begins to turn around and waddle back towards the door, then pauses, turning his head to the side, with the arising of a new thought, "Since I'm gonna be all skin, 'n no machine.... Dat means I wun be able tuh help wid yer little diamond mine plot...." he says, as a sidenote, although it is yet riddled with another inaccuracy; it was actually /his/ plot, as usual. "Yer gun hafta git somebody else to oversee da robots we're fixin' on stickin' in Afirka, where e'rybody turns tuh animals. I only know o' one udder fella widd any brains who's made of robotics, who won't transform when he goes tuh da Pride Lands, hull be able tuh use opposable thumbs ta manage sh*t." Que snickers lightly, finally getting a microscopic amount of revenge by being able to bring up something that would act as a thorn in Rakassa, as though getting the upper hand for just one instant, "Dat snob.... Sebruh.... or whatever 'is name is. 'E ain't gunna give ya an easy time, eider. Yer gonna hafta learn ta compromise."

:'''[[Rakassa]] has posed:''' And thus, Queegma manages to throw a wrench into Rakassa's plan that she's trying her hardest to /not/ think about. She takes a long, ominous sigh. "...Yeah. Yeah, I know." Then, she's glaring at the kappa. Someone's sleeping on the spikey bed tonight. "I'll talk to the fool. He's...useful, if nothing else." Groan. Oh, she's going to need so much alcohol to get through this.

Queegmaa

2014-03-02T22:44:37Z

BlondeFox:

{{Character Infobox
|firstname=Queegmaa
|middlename=Ratho
|lastname=Piir
|age=????
|image=queegmaasoftlines.jpg
|caption=Que, if he didn't have a head-plate
|species=Kappa
|sex=Male
|height=5'6
|weight=279 Lbs (Shell + Addons, now including a leg made of metal!)
|series=Final Fantasy 6
|styles=Saboteur, Warrior
|hometown=Southern Continent
|alignment=Forces of Ruin
|group=Gestahlian Empire
|occupation=Toady / Chief Engineer
|themesong="Obsession" - Seiken Densetsu III OST
|quote=If ya got aximimoms, den you got kints in yer mentil armor, n' dat means I cud moldja like clay if I wan'ed!
|footer=On Exodus
}}

=Appearance=

(In short, picture a short, skinny Blanka from Street Fighter II, but with crazy blonde, not red hair, and a slightly upturned nose, as well as a shell, and prothesis)

Having the typical 'mop-top' of other kappa from The World Of Balance, Queegmaa has light-blonde hair, and large eyes, as do many fish, reptiles, and lizards, or other aquatic creatures. His lips protrude forward boldly, almost like a 'beak' that turtles often have, except not to the same, exaggerated degree. A prominent feature of Que's would be his crooked nose, which was broken and never set properly when it healed, so that it bends slightly to one side. He has an quadrilateral shape for a face, in that it juts downward in an elongated fashion, as well as sideways, but between these cardinal points, the ordinal regions are more concave, giving him a facial shape looking something like a plus sign, hailing from the world of arithmetic. Sharp fangs hide under his wide lips, and his upper brow extends almost across his entire forehead, wrapping around the sides.

Normally, where kappa have a depression inside their tall, coney heads, Que has had a strange helmet permanently grafted to his skull, which is encircled by his long hair, yet, the headgear itself is a cap designed to prevent damage to his soft, sensitive inner cranium, since kappa are traditionally known for their upper 'pocket' being tender, with a thin membrane containing thick fluid that gives them their strange, inhuman strength, in the cases of those water-imps who possess this power. Queegmaa has bionic arms, and parts of his chest, especially the clavicle areas are reinforced to help stabilize the cumbersome weight of these prosthesis; additionally, it stretches around the backside and inserts into his shell, for added support, since kappa tend to be fairly lanky in physique. The mechanical arms of this water-imp, as well as the other portions of machinery to be found on his person look to be in the style of steam-punk, which is typical of industrial design from his world, which were less concerned with ergonomics, and more with practicality, due to the low-level of scientific knowledge they had, necessitating bulk in order to enable power. His skin is a sickly greyish-green, and his eyes are violet. Que's feet are mildly webbed, being remarkably common for kappa, which end in long talons that are perfect for gripping things, akin to a second pair of hands.

Que's hair is a disaster, though, given that frizz and moisture are abundant in the areas from which he often hails, thus, it looks like something out of a rock-band from an 80's glam group, despite still having that moppish flair. He usually carries a staff with him that possesses mana, which aids him in those few instances where he casts spells, beyond serving as a cattle-prod, since he doesn't have any lightning 'spells', in light of the fact that his 'natural' cantrips are pretty much all water, or nature-based. His dilapidated, intricate prosthesis have numerous compartments and sockets in the event that he wishes to add adaptors or new drivers down the road to grant him extra features to his array of gimmicks. Queegmaa does carry a tanto as well, which is often hidden, but all in all, his focus leans towards 'artificial' magic, so it's more likely he'll launch bullets, hooked-wires, slippery grease, or other articles from his stockpile of weaponry, if he's not using flame-throwers to obliterate his foes.

=History=

Queegmaa was a kappa who'd existed in his respective lake for as long as the lake itself had been, being one of the original progenitors of his tribe, which ultimately amounted to a community of dozens. Long-lived creatures, they were never reproduced in droves, so it wasn't difficult for Admiral Rakassa of the empire to trick Que into undermining his own people, while disguising her motives as mutually beneficial. Quick to ascend to greatness, he sold his people down the river unwittingly, while ignoring his better judgement to decline the general's offer, and then ended up with more guilt than he could handle.

Revealing herself to be a Shadow Lord, she exposed the sole survivor of the clan, Que, to a terrible truth that resonated with such seemingly overwhelming truth, that in the face of its admission, the kappa couldn't deny what she'd proclaimed. Seeing no other path available that made any sense, Queegmaa took her up on her offer.

=Personality=

Selfish, paranoid, cowardly, sycophantic, greedy, munny-grubbing, power-hungry, and would just as soon butcher his neighbor out of convenience just as he does the language of the common-tongue; Queegmaa serves Rakassa because she bribes him, but she only keeps him nourished just enough to sustain him, so that he'll be useful to her without getting any ideas of ascension to power. Being the quintessential boot-licker, Que doesn't actually enjoy his downtrodden status, but hasn't the gall to defy her, especially when he foresees the day that he'll inevitably uncover enough skeletons in her closet to provide him with the leverage he needs to oust Rakassa from power, in spite of her oppression, so as to take it for himself. Overall, Queegmaa holds the view that life is a punishment, because of his lack of control over his own fate, and the natural entropy that's part of his default existence, so as a means of exacting revenge against the powers that be, he chooses to try and sabotage everything that the forces at work seemingly aspire to create; this means he resents everything in the universe, including himself; as Rakassa is Vector's manifestation of the one of the seven deadly sins known as 'Lust', Queegmaa is wrath incarnate.

[[File:Queegmaa-FK-Profile.gif]]

=Abilities=

General Stuff- Quegmaa is very elongated in limb, and oblong in body, despite being short-statured, which means his ability to hit targets physically is above average- but ironically enough, because of his affinity for magic, his truest boon rears its ugly head when he flings around spell-craft and elemental forces, or if he makes use of the machinery that comprises a high fraction of his being. For ranged fighting, he carries bolts that've been installed inside his forelimbs, which can be replenished by accretion of dust particles, which become compressed, enabling combustion upon impact with targets, much akin to a gun's bullet- barring that, he's just as accurate with a tanto(short-sword) always on his person, making him fairly well-rounded, if slanted in the direction of divination a touch.

Toxinator- Having been subjected to the vibes of a highly poisonous esper's magicite for years on end, Quegmaa has taken on some of the attributes of said creature; he is highly resistant to acidic, or else noxious substances, which would normally sicken or erode the hardiest of individuals. If that in itself would seem something that couldn't be topped, Queg has another advantage that lies in his ability to occasionally envenomate his victims with physical touch alone.

Aquabotic- He breathes underwater, he's resistant to water-based attacks, and he's a cyborg. Designed for sub-hydrant environments, he has sonar which gives him the ability to visualize his environments by sending wavelengths from himself which give him a sense of topography, or the objects therein; he also carries potions in some otherwise vacant compartments in his arms. He's not an outright grandmaster in magic, or mechanics alike, so he fancies himself a 'technomage', or, an ideal union between mysticism and science- though he prides himself on his unlocking of the 'Exploder' spell, even though it was thought that he'd never master any true fire 'spells'. Being aqua-based, and having a share of metal on his person at all times makes him weak when barraged by lightning, on the other hand....

Sink Syncing- Quegmaa can harmonize with technologies from his world, especially things that relate to aquatics, such as boats, submarines, or possibly even kitchen sinks, which means either attaching to them, controlling them, or at the very least, understanding them. Given time, he can most likely disassemble the structure of alien units that are water-oriented, but it would require at least a day's time to analyze the components involved, even if memorization comes easier; this ability to assimilate/use outlandish devices doesn't apply to any non-hydration type instruments.

Sinewy Sighted- Facial recognition is the name of the game; having dealt with the likes of Rakassa for years at a time, unless someone has a flawless poker-face(listed in their official application or powers or upgrades), and they do not have a mask on, Quegmaa can discern if the person speaking to him speaks with anxiety, or confidence, by way of watching the twitching of optics, and facial muscles, or bodily movements.

=Statistics=

Queegmaa has recently started to collect statistics as polled by the Argent Crown Agency, as they apply to the most feared/hated persons within Vector City. The list doesn't list how many people are aware of the subsequent entities, but rather, lists how many have an aversion towards them /of/ the ones who /do/ know of them in some capacity.
(Actual impacts made by persons during Vector-related events and/or gossip/smear-campaigns may have contributed to these numbers)

Emperor Gestahl 99.95%
Rosemarie 99.92%
Maleficent 99.12%
Hades 98.04%
Kefka 97.93%
Rakassa 96.50%
Shadow 96%
Garland 94.35%
Merlock 91.02%
Artemis Eurus 90.01%
Angantyr Vespar 89%
Avira 87.50%
Horned King 86.35%
Rhiannon Zellen 86.21%
Ophelia Lovett 86.20%
Deelel 80.02%
Maira 74%
Queegmaa 65.02%
Echo 53.03%
Vohstras Egress 45%
Morrighan Alazne 39.50%
Morgan Alabaste 25.03%
Faruja Senra 20%
Nagetta 15.05%

=Relationships=
'''Disclaimer: Anyone who interacts with Queegmaa will /not/ be likely to receive forgiving reviews-- RP with him at your own discretion'''

[[Avira]]: If y'only knowed da truth....

[[Echo]]: Yuh jus' stay right where y'ar, 'n dere wun be nuh trouble.

[[Faruja Senra]]: Ya oughta stay outta da way o' that cardnel, if you ever plan tuh get tuh high places, 'n dat means stayin' outta my way, tuh!

[[Hades]] : I dink I's gotta talk to you, soon.... maybe?

[[Maira]]: Yull never save me....never! Even if ya knock down one'a my masters, I still got anudder who kent be cast off.... 'n ya don' know't, but yuh gots da same one!

[[Morrighan Alazne]]: Yer right 'bout one ding.... Ya dun belong 'mongst nuh wild beasts; yer vuligritee puts ya /WAY/ b'low em all!

[[Nagetta]]: Shud be a crime ta be dat good-looking'. All dese fleshy folk an't got nothin' next ta scaly chicks. Ya seem kinda apprehensive, though.... Uneasy. Trust issues come from bein' victimized, 'n I'd love ta pound da ones who mistreated you!

[[Ophelia]]: A self-important snob like you ain't gonna get too far in life; ya kick-down like any other honcho, butcha also kick-up, which dar gon getcha kick'd right beck down ta da bottom!

[[Rakassa]]: Sometimes da pawn is controllin' da queen, and da queen dun know't cuz she's too busy sittin' back while 'er minion is out dere figarin' out stuff in da real world.

[[Rosemarie]]: I herja sprung da coop rayle quick-lik cuz o' dat indayalent Nez'mi. Once a predter picks a target, dey ignore e'rybody else, 'n yant got 'way jus' yet, case yer rejoicin'.

[[Shadow]]: Ya waltz inta the Holluh Basteen even dough ya got no garntays they'd letcha leave. 'Spose it ain't no difurnt from any udder Shaduh Loryed, cuz dey's always stabbin' 'chother in da back, nohow!

=Trivia=

Voice Actor: Matthew Wood (General Grievous)

Name: His name, if correctly pronounced, sounds akin to 'Keg - Maw', as opposed to how it's spelled, which may have most thinking it sounds more like 'Kweeg - mah'.

True Age: Lakes generally last from a few thousand, to dozens of millions of years old at most, and thus it could statistically be inferred that Queegmaa may have seniority over some espers from his world, since kappa have lifespans that typically equal that of the basins they inhabit.

Misogyny: Having masculinity issues, Queegmaa ins unable to allow himself to admit when he's attracted to women who dwarf him in girth or height.

Cosmetics: Being on dry land is a real drag, so he does what many drag-queens do, by employing moisturizers constantly, in order to maintain hydrated skin, yet, since this is related to his 'medicinal needs', unlike in the perceptions of humankind, he doesn't see many cosmetics as a 'feminine' thing.

Pets: If Que were to adopt a pet, it would be a dog of some sort, since they are pack-animals which are inclined towards obedience, and asserting dominion over another creature would be the kappa's best way of reclaiming some self-respect, being that he's essentially Rakassa's whipping-boy.

Subjugation: Queegmaa's prosthesis has a greater sensitivity to touch, but this comes with a price; normally, stabbing a prosthetic limb would yield no pain, but Rakassa has wired Que's robotics in such a way that the electro-transmitters send signals to the kappa's brain to induce, or replicate anguish, which means that she can effectively create suffering where there would ordinarily be none possible.

Phobia: Kappa are known to be as strong as ten adult men, allegedly, by way of canon sources; crocodiles can reach up to approximately four-thousand plus pounds, which would technically make them as strong as much more than that. Pound for pound, kappa are stronger, but when crocs grow large enough, they eventually eclipse most kappa, so many water-imps have a (healthy)fear of crocodiles, as a general rule.

= Logs =
{{Character Logs}}
= Cutscenes =
{{Character Logs|Cutscenes}}

Queegmaa

2014-02-20T02:13:48Z

BlondeFox: Fun little thing.

{{Character Infobox
|firstname=Queegmaa
|middlename=Ratho
|lastname=Piir
|age=????
|image=queegmaasoftlines.jpg
|caption=Que, if he didn't have a head-plate
|species=Kappa
|sex=Male
|height=5'6
|weight=279 Lbs (Shell + Addons, now including a leg made of metal!)
|series=Final Fantasy 6
|styles=Saboteur, Warrior
|hometown=Southern Continent
|alignment=Forces of Ruin
|group=Gestahlian Empire
|occupation=Toady / Chief Engineer
|themesong="Obsession" - Seiken Densetsu III OST
|quote=If ya got aximimoms, den you got kints in yer mentil armor, n' dat means I cud moldja like clay if I wan'ed!
|footer=Orchestrating Kidnappings for Rakassa
}}

=Appearance=

(In short, picture a short, skinny Blanka from Street Fighter II, but with crazy blonde, not red hair, and a slightly upturned nose, as well as a shell, and prothesis)

Having the typical 'mop-top' of other kappa from The World Of Balance, Queegmaa has light-blonde hair, and large eyes, as do many fish, reptiles, and lizards, or other aquatic creatures. His lips protrude forward boldly, almost like a 'beak' that turtles often have, except not to the same, exaggerated degree. A prominent feature of Que's would be his crooked nose, which was broken and never set properly when it healed, so that it bends slightly to one side. He has an quadrilateral shape for a face, in that it juts downward in an elongated fashion, as well as sideways, but between these cardinal points, the ordinal regions are more concave, giving him a facial shape looking something like a plus sign, hailing from the world of arithmetic. Sharp fangs hide under his wide lips, and his upper brow extends almost across his entire forehead, wrapping around the sides.

Normally, where kappa have a depression inside their tall, coney heads, Que has had a strange helmet permanently grafted to his skull, which is encircled by his long hair, yet, the headgear itself is a cap designed to prevent damage to his soft, sensitive inner cranium, since kappa are traditionally known for their upper 'pocket' being tender, with a thin membrane containing thick fluid that gives them their strange, inhuman strength, in the cases of those water-imps who possess this power. Queegmaa has bionic arms, and parts of his chest, especially the clavicle areas are reinforced to help stabilize the cumbersome weight of these prosthesis; additionally, it stretches around the backside and inserts into his shell, for added support, since kappa tend to be fairly lanky in physique. The mechanical arms of this water-imp, as well as the other portions of machinery to be found on his person look to be in the style of steam-punk, which is typical of industrial design from his world, which were less concerned with ergonomics, and more with practicality, due to the low-level of scientific knowledge they had, necessitating bulk in order to enable power. His skin is a sickly greyish-green, and his eyes are violet. Que's feet are mildly webbed, being remarkably common for kappa, which end in long talons that are perfect for gripping things, akin to a second pair of hands.

Que's hair is a disaster, though, given that frizz and moisture are abundant in the areas from which he often hails, thus, it looks like something out of a rock-band from an 80's glam group, despite still having that moppish flair. He usually carries a staff with him that possesses mana, which aids him in those few instances where he casts spells, beyond serving as a cattle-prod, since he doesn't have any lightning 'spells', in light of the fact that his 'natural' cantrips are pretty much all water, or nature-based. His dilapidated, intricate prosthesis have numerous compartments and sockets in the event that he wishes to add adaptors or new drivers down the road to grant him extra features to his array of gimmicks. Queegmaa does carry a tanto as well, which is often hidden, but all in all, his focus leans towards 'artificial' magic, so it's more likely he'll launch bullets, hooked-wires, slippery grease, or other articles from his stockpile of weaponry, if he's not using flame-throwers to obliterate his foes.

=History=

Queegmaa was a kappa who'd existed in his respective lake for as long as the lake itself had been, being one of the original progenitors of his tribe, which ultimately amounted to a community of dozens. Long-lived creatures, they were never reproduced in droves, so it wasn't difficult for Admiral Rakassa of the empire to trick Que into undermining his own people, while disguising her motives as mutually beneficial. Quick to ascend to greatness, he sold his people down the river unwittingly, while ignoring his better judgement to decline the general's offer, and then ended up with more guilt than he could handle.

Revealing herself to be a Shadow Lord, she exposed the sole survivor of the clan, Que, to a terrible truth that resonated with such seemingly overwhelming truth, that in the face of its admission, the kappa couldn't deny what she'd proclaimed. Seeing no other path available that made any sense, Queegmaa took her up on her offer.

=Personality=

Selfish, paranoid, cowardly, sycophantic, greedy, munny-grubbing, power-hungry, and would just as soon butcher his neighbor out of convenience just as he does the language of the common-tongue; Queegmaa serves Rakassa because she bribes him, but she only keeps him nourished just enough to sustain him, so that he'll be useful to her without getting any ideas of ascension to power. Being the quintessential boot-licker, Que doesn't actually enjoy his downtrodden status, but hasn't the gall to defy her, especially when he foresees the day that he'll inevitably uncover enough skeletons in her closet to provide him with the leverage he needs to oust Rakassa from power, in spite of her oppression, so as to take it for himself. Overall, Queegmaa holds the view that life is a punishment, because of his lack of control over his own fate, and the natural entropy that's part of his default existence, so as a means of exacting revenge against the powers that be, he chooses to try and sabotage everything that the forces at work seemingly aspire to create; this means he resents everything in the universe, including himself; as Rakassa is Vector's manifestation of the one of the seven deadly sins known as 'Lust', Queegmaa is wrath incarnate.

[[File:Queegmaa-FK-Profile.gif]]

=Abilities=

General Stuff- Quegmaa is very elongated in limb, and oblong in body, despite being short-statured, which means his ability to hit targets physically is above average- but ironically enough, because of his affinity for magic, his truest boon rears its ugly head when he flings around spell-craft and elemental forces, or if he makes use of the machinery that comprises a high fraction of his being. For ranged fighting, he carries bolts that've been installed inside his forelimbs, which can be replenished by accretion of dust particles, which become compressed, enabling combustion upon impact with targets, much akin to a gun's bullet- barring that, he's just as accurate with a tanto(short-sword) always on his person, making him fairly well-rounded, if slanted in the direction of divination a touch.

Toxinator- Having been subjected to the vibes of a highly poisonous esper's magicite for years on end, Quegmaa has taken on some of the attributes of said creature; he is highly resistant to acidic, or else noxious substances, which would normally sicken or erode the hardiest of individuals. If that in itself would seem something that couldn't be topped, Queg has another advantage that lies in his ability to occasionally envenomate his victims with physical touch alone.

Aquabotic- He breathes underwater, he's resistant to water-based attacks, and he's a cyborg. Designed for sub-hydrant environments, he has sonar which gives him the ability to visualize his environments by sending wavelengths from himself which give him a sense of topography, or the objects therein; he also carries potions in some otherwise vacant compartments in his arms. He's not an outright grandmaster in magic, or mechanics alike, so he fancies himself a 'technomage', or, an ideal union between mysticism and science- though he prides himself on his unlocking of the 'Exploder' spell, even though it was thought that he'd never master any true fire 'spells'. Being aqua-based, and having a share of metal on his person at all times makes him weak when barraged by lightning, on the other hand....

Sink Syncing- Quegmaa can harmonize with technologies from his world, especially things that relate to aquatics, such as boats, submarines, or possibly even kitchen sinks, which means either attaching to them, controlling them, or at the very least, understanding them. Given time, he can most likely disassemble the structure of alien units that are water-oriented, but it would require at least a day's time to analyze the components involved, even if memorization comes easier; this ability to assimilate/use outlandish devices doesn't apply to any non-hydration type instruments.

Sinewy Sighted- Facial recognition is the name of the game; having dealt with the likes of Rakassa for years at a time, unless someone has a flawless poker-face(listed in their official application or powers or upgrades), and they do not have a mask on, Quegmaa can discern if the person speaking to him speaks with anxiety, or confidence, by way of watching the twitching of optics, and facial muscles, or bodily movements.

=Statistics=

Queegmaa has recently started to collect statistics as polled by the Argent Crown Agency, as they apply to the most feared/hated persons within Vector City. The list doesn't list how many people are aware of the subsequent entities, but rather, lists how many have an aversion towards them /of/ the ones who /do/ know of them in some capacity.
(Actual impacts made by persons during Vector-related events and/or gossip/smear-campaigns may have contributed to these numbers)

Emperor Gestahl 99.95%
Rosemarie 99.92%
Maleficent 99.12%
Hades 98.04%
Kefka 97.93%
Rakassa 96.50%
Shadow 96%
Garland 94.35%
Merlock 91.02%
Artemis Eurus 90.01%
Angantyr Vespar 89%
Avira 87.50%
Horned King 86.35%
Rhiannon Zellen 86.21%
Ophelia Lovett 86.20%
Deelel 80.02%
Maira 74%
Queegmaa 65.02%
Echo 53.03%
Vohstras Egress 45%
Morrighan Alazne 39.50%
Morgan Alabaste 25.03%
Faruja Senra 20%
Nagetta 15.05%

=Relationships=
'''Disclaimer: Anyone who interacts with Queegmaa will /not/ be likely to receive forgiving reviews-- RP with him at your own discretion'''

[[Avira]]: If y'only knowed da truth....

[[Echo]]: Yuh jus' stay right where y'ar, 'n dere wun be nuh trouble.

[[Faruja Senra]]: Ya oughta stay outta da way o' that cardnel, if you ever plan tuh get tuh high places, 'n dat means stayin' outta my way, tuh!

[[Hades]] : I dink I's gotta talk to you, soon.... maybe?

[[Maira]]: Yull never save me....never! Even if ya knock down one'a my masters, I still got anudder who kent be cast off.... 'n ya don' know't, but yuh gots da same one!

[[Morrighan Alazne]]: Yer right 'bout one ding.... Ya dun belong 'mongst nuh wild beasts; yer vuligritee puts ya /WAY/ b'low em all!

[[Nagetta]]: Shud be a crime ta be dat good-looking'. All dese fleshy folk an't got nothin' next ta scaly chicks. Ya seem kinda apprehensive, though.... Uneasy. Trust issues come from bein' victimized, 'n I'd love ta pound da ones who mistreated you!

[[Ophelia]]: A self-important snob like you ain't gonna get too far in life; ya kick-down like any other honcho, butcha also kick-up, which dar gon getcha kick'd right beck down ta da bottom!

[[Rakassa]]: Sometimes da pawn is controllin' da queen, and da queen dun know't cuz she's too busy sittin' back while 'er minion is out dere figarin' out stuff in da real world.

[[Rosemarie]]: I herja sprung da coop rayle quick-lik cuz o' dat indayalent Nez'mi. Once a predter picks a target, dey ignore e'rybody else, 'n yant got 'way jus' yet, case yer rejoicin'.

[[Shadow]]: Ya waltz inta the Holluh Basteen even dough ya got no garntays they'd letcha leave. 'Spose it ain't no difurnt from any udder Shaduh Loryed, cuz dey's always stabbin' 'chother in da back, nohow!

=Trivia=

Voice Actor: Matthew Wood (General Grievous)

Name: His name, if correctly pronounced, sounds akin to 'Keg - Maw', as opposed to how it's spelled, which may have most thinking it sounds more like 'Kweeg - mah'.

True Age: Lakes generally last from a few thousand, to dozens of millions of years old at most, and thus it could statistically be inferred that Queegmaa may have seniority over some espers from his world, since kappa have lifespans that typically equal that of the basins they inhabit.

Misogyny: Having masculinity issues, Queegmaa ins unable to allow himself to admit when he's attracted to women who dwarf him in girth or height.

Cosmetics: Being on dry land is a real drag, so he does what many drag-queens do, by employing moisturizers constantly, in order to maintain hydrated skin, yet, since this is related to his 'medicinal needs', unlike in the perceptions of humankind, he doesn't see many cosmetics as a 'feminine' thing.

Pets: If Que were to adopt a pet, it would be a dog of some sort, since they are pack-animals which are inclined towards obedience, and asserting dominion over another creature would be the kappa's best way of reclaiming some self-respect, being that he's essentially Rakassa's whipping-boy.

Subjugation: Queegmaa's prosthesis has a greater sensitivity to touch, but this comes with a price; normally, stabbing a prosthetic limb would yield no pain, but Rakassa has wired Que's robotics in such a way that the electro-transmitters send signals to the kappa's brain to induce, or replicate anguish, which means that she can effectively create suffering where there would ordinarily be none possible.

Phobia: Kappa are known to be as strong as ten adult men, allegedly, by way of canon sources; crocodiles can reach up to approximately four-thousand plus pounds, which would technically make them as strong as much more than that. Pound for pound, kappa are stronger, but when crocs grow large enough, they eventually eclipse most kappa, so many water-imps have a (healthy)fear of crocodiles, as a general rule.

= Logs =
{{Character Logs}}
= Cutscenes =
{{Character Logs|Cutscenes}}

Queegmaa

2014-02-05T02:55:03Z

BlondeFox: Minor edit that needed fixing

{{Character Infobox
|firstname=Queegmaa
|middlename=Ratho
|lastname=Piir
|age=????
|image=queegmaasoftlines.jpg
|caption=Que, if he didn't have a head-plate
|species=Kappa
|sex=Male
|height=5'6
|weight=279 Lbs (Shell + Addons, now including a leg made of metal!)
|series=Final Fantasy 6
|styles=Saboteur, Warrior
|hometown=Southern Continent
|alignment=Forces of Ruin
|group=Gestahlian Empire
|occupation=Toady / Chief Engineer
|themesong="Obsession" - Seiken Densetsu III OST
|quote=If ya got aximimoms, den you got kints in yer mentil armor, n' dat means I cud moldja like clay if I wan'ed!
|footer=Orchestrating Kidnappings for Rakassa
}}

=Appearance=

(In short, picture a short, skinny Blanka from Street Fighter II, but with crazy blonde, not red hair, and a slightly upturned nose, as well as a shell, and prothesis)

Having the typical 'mop-top' of other kappa from The World Of Balance, Queegmaa has light-blonde hair, and large eyes, as do many fish, reptiles, and lizards, or other aquatic creatures. His lips protrude forward boldly, almost like a 'beak' that turtles often have, except not to the same, exaggerated degree. A prominent feature of Que's would be his crooked nose, which was broken and never set properly when it healed, so that it bends slightly to one side. He has an quadrilateral shape for a face, in that it juts downward in an elongated fashion, as well as sideways, but between these cardinal points, the ordinal regions are more concave, giving him a facial shape looking something like a plus sign, hailing from the world of arithmetic. Sharp fangs hide under his wide lips, and his upper brow extends almost across his entire forehead, wrapping around the sides.

Normally, where kappa have a depression inside their tall, coney heads, Que has had a strange helmet permanently grafted to his skull, which is encircled by his long hair, yet, the headgear itself is a cap designed to prevent damage to his soft, sensitive inner cranium, since kappa are traditionally known for their upper 'pocket' being tender, with a thin membrane containing thick fluid that gives them their strange, inhuman strength, in the cases of those water-imps who possess this power. Queegmaa has bionic arms, and parts of his chest, especially the clavicle areas are reinforced to help stabilize the cumbersome weight of these prosthesis; additionally, it stretches around the backside and inserts into his shell, for added support, since kappa tend to be fairly lanky in physique. The mechanical arms of this water-imp, as well as the other portions of machinery to be found on his person look to be in the style of steam-punk, which is typical of industrial design from his world, which were less concerned with ergonomics, and more with practicality, due to the low-level of scientific knowledge they had, necessitating bulk in order to enable power. His skin is a sickly greyish-green, and his eyes are violet. Que's feet are mildly webbed, being remarkably common for kappa, which end in long talons that are perfect for gripping things, akin to a second pair of hands.

Que's hair is a disaster, though, given that frizz and moisture are abundant in the areas from which he often hails, thus, it looks like something out of a rock-band from an 80's glam group, despite still having that moppish flair. He usually carries a staff with him that possesses mana, which aids him in those few instances where he casts spells, beyond serving as a cattle-prod, since he doesn't have any lightning 'spells', in light of the fact that his 'natural' cantrips are pretty much all water, or nature-based. His dilapidated, intricate prosthesis have numerous compartments and sockets in the event that he wishes to add adaptors or new drivers down the road to grant him extra features to his array of gimmicks. Queegmaa does carry a tanto as well, which is often hidden, but all in all, his focus leans towards 'artificial' magic, so it's more likely he'll launch bullets, hooked-wires, slippery grease, or other articles from his stockpile of weaponry, if he's not using flame-throwers to obliterate his foes.

=History=

Queegmaa was a kappa who'd existed in his respective lake for as long as the lake itself had been, being one of the original progenitors of his tribe, which ultimately amounted to a community of dozens. Long-lived creatures, they were never reproduced in droves, so it wasn't difficult for Admiral Rakassa of the empire to trick Que into undermining his own people, while disguising her motives as mutually beneficial. Quick to ascend to greatness, he sold his people down the river unwittingly, while ignoring his better judgement to decline the general's offer, and then ended up with more guilt than he could handle.

Revealing herself to be a Shadow Lord, she exposed the sole survivor of the clan, Que, to a terrible truth that resonated with such seemingly overwhelming truth, that in the face of its admission, the kappa couldn't deny what she'd proclaimed. Seeing no other path available that made any sense, Queegmaa took her up on her offer.

=Personality=

Selfish, paranoid, cowardly, sycophantic, greedy, munny-grubbing, power-hungry, and would just as soon butcher his neighbor out of convenience just as he does the language of the common-tongue; Queegmaa serves Rakassa because she bribes him, but she only keeps him nourished just enough to sustain him, so that he'll be useful to her without getting any ideas of ascension to power. Being the quintessential boot-licker, Que doesn't actually enjoy his downtrodden status, but hasn't the gall to defy her, especially when he foresees the day that he'll inevitably uncover enough skeletons in her closet to provide him with the leverage he needs to oust Rakassa from power, in spite of her oppression, so as to take it for himself. Overall, Queegmaa holds the view that life is a punishment, because of his lack of control over his own fate, and the natural entropy that's part of his default existence, so as a means of exacting revenge against the powers that be, he chooses to try and sabotage everything that the forces at work seemingly aspire to create; this means he resents everything in the universe, including himself; as Rakassa is Vector's manifestation of the one of the seven deadly sins known as 'Lust', Queegmaa is wrath incarnate.

[[File:Queegmaa-FK-Profile.gif]]

=Abilities=

General Stuff- Quegmaa is very elongated in limb, and oblong in body, despite being short-statured, which means his ability to hit targets physically is above average- but ironically enough, because of his affinity for magic, his truest boon rears its ugly head when he flings around spell-craft and elemental forces, or if he makes use of the machinery that comprises a high fraction of his being. For ranged fighting, he carries bolts that've been installed inside his forelimbs, which can be replenished by accretion of dust particles, which become compressed, enabling combustion upon impact with targets, much akin to a gun's bullet- barring that, he's just as accurate with a tanto(short-sword) always on his person, making him fairly well-rounded, if slanted in the direction of divination a touch.

Toxinator- Having been subjected to the vibes of a highly poisonous esper's magicite for years on end, Quegmaa has taken on some of the attributes of said creature; he is highly resistant to acidic, or else noxious substances, which would normally sicken or erode the hardiest of individuals. If that in itself would seem something that couldn't be topped, Queg has another advantage that lies in his ability to occasionally envenomate his victims with physical touch alone.

Aquabotic- He breathes underwater, he's resistant to water-based attacks, and he's a cyborg. Designed for sub-hydrant environments, he has sonar which gives him the ability to visualize his environments by sending wavelengths from himself which give him a sense of topography, or the objects therein; he also carries potions in some otherwise vacant compartments in his arms. He's not an outright grandmaster in magic, or mechanics alike, so he fancies himself a 'technomage', or, an ideal union between mysticism and science- though he prides himself on his unlocking of the 'Exploder' spell, even though it was thought that he'd never master any true fire 'spells'. Being aqua-based, and having a share of metal on his person at all times makes him weak when barraged by lightning, on the other hand....

Sink Syncing- Quegmaa can harmonize with technologies from his world, especially things that relate to aquatics, such as boats, submarines, or possibly even kitchen sinks, which means either attaching to them, controlling them, or at the very least, understanding them. Given time, he can most likely disassemble the structure of alien units that are water-oriented, but it would require at least a day's time to analyze the components involved, even if memorization comes easier; this ability to assimilate/use outlandish devices doesn't apply to any non-hydration type instruments.

Sinewy Sighted- Facial recognition is the name of the game; having dealt with the likes of Rakassa for years at a time, unless someone has a flawless poker-face(listed in their official application or powers or upgrades), and they do not have a mask on, Quegmaa can discern if the person speaking to him speaks with anxiety, or confidence, by way of watching the twitching of optics, and facial muscles, or bodily movements.

=Relationships=
'''Disclaimer: Anyone who interacts with Queegmaa will /not/ be likely to receive forgiving reviews-- RP with him at your own discretion'''

[[Avira]]: If y'only knowed da truth....

[[Echo]]: Yuh jus' stay right where y'ar, 'n dere wun be nuh trouble.

[[Faruja Senra]]: Ya oughta stay outta da way o' that cardnel, if you ever plan tuh get tuh high places, 'n dat means stayin' outta my way, tuh!

[[Hades]] : I dink I's gotta talk to you, soon.... maybe?

[[Maira]]: Yull never save me....never! Even if ya knock down one'a my masters, I still got anudder who kent be cast off.... 'n ya don' know't, but yuh gots da same one!

[[Morrighan Alazne]]: Yer right 'bout one ding.... Ya dun belong 'mongst nuh wild beasts; yer vuligritee puts ya /WAY/ b'low em all!

[[Nagetta]]: Shud be a crime ta be dat good-looking'. All dese fleshy folk an't got nothin' next ta scaly chicks. Ya seem kinda apprehensive, though.... Uneasy. Trust issues come from bein' victimized, 'n I'd love ta pound da ones who mistreated you!

[[Ophelia]]: A self-important snob like you ain't gonna get too far in life; ya kick-down like any other honcho, butcha also kick-up, which dar gon getcha kick'd right beck down ta da bottom!

[[Rakassa]]: Sometimes da pawn is controllin' da queen, and da queen dun know't cuz she's too busy sittin' back while 'er minion is out dere figarin' out stuff in da real world.

[[Rosemarie]]: I herja sprung da coop rayle quick-lik cuz o' dat indayalent Nez'mi. Once a predter picks a target, dey ignore e'rybody else, 'n yant got 'way jus' yet, case yer rejoicin'.

[[Shadow]]: Ya waltz inta the Holluh Basteen even dough ya got no garntays they'd letcha leave. 'Spose it ain't no difurnt from any udder Shaduh Loryed, cuz dey's always stabbin' 'chother in da back, nohow!

=Trivia=

Voice Actor: Matthew Wood (General Grievous)

Name: His name, if correctly pronounced, sounds akin to 'Keg - Maw', as opposed to how it's spelled, which may have most thinking it sounds more like 'Kweeg - mah'.

True Age: Lakes generally last from a few thousand, to dozens of millions of years old at most, and thus it could statistically be inferred that Queegmaa may have seniority over some espers from his world, since kappa have lifespans that typically equal that of the basins they inhabit.

Misogyny: Having masculinity issues, Queegmaa ins unable to allow himself to admit when he's attracted to women who dwarf him in girth or height.

Cosmetics: Being on dry land is a real drag, so he does what many drag-queens do, by employing moisturizers constantly, in order to maintain hydrated skin, yet, since this is related to his 'medicinal needs', unlike in the perceptions of humankind, he doesn't see many cosmetics as a 'feminine' thing.

Pets: If Que were to adopt a pet, it would be a dog of some sort, since they are pack-animals which are inclined towards obedience, and asserting dominion over another creature would be the kappa's best way of reclaiming some self-respect, being that he's essentially Rakassa's whipping-boy.

Subjugation: Queegmaa's prosthesis has a greater sensitivity to touch, but this comes with a price; normally, stabbing a prosthetic limb would yield no pain, but Rakassa has wired Que's robotics in such a way that the electro-transmitters send signals to the kappa's brain to induce, or replicate anguish, which means that she can effectively create suffering where there would ordinarily be none possible.

Phobia: Kappa are known to be as strong as ten adult men, allegedly, by way of canon sources; crocodiles can reach up to approximately four-thousand plus pounds, which would technically make them as strong as much more than that. Pound for pound, kappa are stronger, but when crocs grow large enough, they eventually eclipse most kappa, so many water-imps have a (healthy)fear of crocodiles, as a general rule.

= Logs =
{{Character Logs}}
= Cutscenes =
{{Character Logs|Cutscenes}}

The Early Lizard Gets The Worm

2013-12-14T20:10:23Z

BlondeFox: Rakassa attacks Queegmaa, so he badmouths her and demeans the institution of the Shadow Lords. They both reconcile after, to some extent.....

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2013/12/14
|Location=Hollow Bastion - Castle
|Synopsis=Rakassa ambushes Queegmaa as punishment for his failure, with a hideous, gargantuan worm. Going into hyper-drive, he manages to defeat it by way of a preemptive, electrical interception. After the skirmish is done, he chides Rakassa, while also criticizing several other Shadow Lords who he'd felt had been failures in regards to multiple aspects of their approach towards exerting intellectual supremacy over the protagonists of the world. Finally, the vile troll and the admiral come to a compromise, and they conspire against some of Rakassa's fellow coworkers.... for it can be said indeed, that there is no honor among thieves or murderers!
|Cast of Characters=Queegmaa, Rakassa
|pretty=yes
}}
:'''[[Rakassa]] has posed:''' Rakassa, or 'Olivia' as she might be better known here, is quite simply waiting upon her cowardly charge. He's useful. More useful than she'd admit to the little wretch. And to a degree, his cowardice is useful. But as it stands, he's simply /to/ cowardly. He needs to be able to stand and fight when he must, rather than shrink away like he did last time. And so, she's called upon her magic as she waits in the large, open room. It very much resembles a ballroom, but far too empty to be actively used as such. Magic permeates the air; something dark, and foul. And it's not just the bulky form of Rakassa's true form either.

:'''[[Queegmaa]] has posed:''' Queegmaa has been summoned by his liege once more, and though he doesn't like visiting the Hollow Bastion, that usually meant he was going to have to undergo some kind of trial for him to prove his worth. The chances were, that he'd achieve victory, and receive a temporary boost in confidence from his triumph, to the effect of believing himself powerful, and competent.... alas, though, for seldom did his spikes in self-esteem last for long, and the odds were that in subsequent battles, he'd relapse, regressing back into his abominably timid state. Rakassa had seen it many times before. She helps him build up, enough so that he could perform well in one or two battles, then his internal strength would wane, such that he'd regain his normal vices, ultimately leading him to elect retreat in a truly violent scuffle. It wasn't incredibly useful for her to bolster Queegmaa's morale, since it was quite transient in nature, but usually, she could milk a handful of decent sieges out of the runt after, and at a low cost to herself. Usually it just meant spending one afternoon, or evening watching Que duke it out with some expendable beast, and often it was a monster that'd become far too unruly to keep, thereby warranting its euthanizing, anyway. There were risks, because at times Queegmaa's boldness would reach heights where he would start to cast doubts on Rakassa's capacity to defeat him, if they were to engage each other, except that she would quickly rob him of his will to challenge her, by reminding him ever so kindly that she had the ability to detonate him for disobedience. Rakassa, in her own way, also possessed some cowardice, for she knew that while she was a Shadow Lord with expertise beyond most mortals, she was not invincible, and even with better odds of winning than losing, a battle between herself and a cybernetically-enhanced demon such as Que was still a bit of a toss-up. Rakassa did not like to have to pay the piper, as a hedonist who lusted for everything in sight.... she wanted her way at any cost, and if it meant sometimes effectively 'pulling rank', by threatening to pull the switch to make Queegmaa explode, causing him to back down, resuming his subservient role as her faithful, mistreated underling. The only real difference between the two, in some senses, were that Rakassa believed in herself, and Queegmaa had little faith in his own abilities-- were they to ever level out, she knew she'd be in danger; harboring the power of instant-death over him was her one real trump card. They do say, that where there is a will, there is a way; this kept in mind, Que perceived his will as weaker than Rakassa's, so he always had to give way. So it was he entered the chamber, beholding Olivia, and groaning, "I hope dis in one o' yer 'tests' datcha gon' puhtt me thruh. Ya got a lot o' more yusful folk dat you cud send ta da front-lines dan me!" His statement was ever more proof that he was doubtful of himself.... for when he mustered up his courage, he could surpass even Vohstras, but the fact of the matter was.... Rakassa wasn't grooming Queegmaa to be a Shadow Lord, not only because he'd be too dangerous for her to control, but also due in part to knowing it would take decades of real psychological progress to bring the imp up to speed; Vohstras had /near/ mastery in skill, and could unleash his 'potential' all day long, because he already had confidence.... whereas Queegmaa could feasibly eclipse this fellow, at the expense of both an obscene amount of time, resources, and in the process, becoming more a liability than an asset. One cannot create a war-machine of true power /AND/ intelligence, without having to contend with the possibility that it would turn into Skynet.

:'''[[Rakassa]] has posed:''' Crack! Rakassa cracks a whip in the air, the sound echoing off of the strangely humming room's walls. The whip, suspicously tentacle-like, retreats back into her robed sleeves with an oddly organic squelching sound. It's never a good idea to ask what's beneath those robes, in this form of hers. "Shut it! I don't care if you're a simple coward. But a spineless little amphibian? Not happening! You're /USELESS/ without a damn spine! Even groveling little insects need to be able to serve on the front lines when it comes that time. And it /will/ come when Vector's on the warfront. You know that. I know that. Now let's make you into something that's above a squirming worm." She knows well his tendencies. All too well. Today, she's not just going to challenge him physically. She snaps her fingers...and immediately dark portals to a corner of the room. With just enough room for her, purple wards flash into existance. Even Rakassa shivers as the darkness in the room bleeds together. The creature that emerges shifts, and writhes over itself; inky blackness, looking far too worm like slithering over itself like a dozen snakes coiled together. Dripping red mouthes squirm, bumping against Rakassa's ward hungrily. Whatever this /thing/ is, it's hungry. Worst of all, it's malevolence seems to batter at one's mind. The hungry feeling in the air may well be apparent to Queegma; it hungers for the body, soul, and one's inner-most demons. A creature of consumption, personification of Gluttony. It simply /has/ to be put down. Otherwise, Que may well cease to exist.

:'''[[Queegmaa]] has posed:''' The kappa trembles as the segmented monster appears, giving off the sort of sensation that suggests it can never be satiated, no matter what it's fed. It will show no mercy, and Rakassa is well aware of the fact that the beast was on the verge of rebelling, hence, why she needed to have it dispatched, before it developed too much of a willpower to be manipulated. It had grown large, swollen with power derived from its many absorptions of other entities smaller, and weaker than itself, to the point that it was at the maximum level it could've reached, biologically speaking. Queegmaa backed away from the monster and narrowed his eyes, barking, "Ya cud get Vohstras tuh take dis ding down in a snap!" Which wasn't quite true, because this thing the Shadow Lord had summoned was nearly a match for herself, and the icy Mtek was certainly not Rakassa's peer! Queegmaa had the 'potential' to be, if he ever attained self-actualization, but those were very rare occureances, however.... she knew how to 'activate' his 'on' switch, every bit as much as she was aware of how to turn him off. But it was in these moments that brought about the troll's adrenaline that he could conjure up the courage he needed to dispense with his fear, exchanging it for that pulsating rage kept dormant the majority of the time. A blue-ish hue faintly outlined his body as he shook with anger, as though feeling betrayed by his master, for having had the segmented slitherer of unreasonable, and possibly 'lethal' formidability charged with the task of harming, or slaying Que! He was now exposed to the moment of truth, once more.... when one's inner fires came out-- often, most never know how tall they might stand until they are called to rise. Standing tall for long periods of time was tiring, on the other hand, which is why the imp often shrunk back to his piteous, contracted, fetal position after ascending to grandiosity, unlike Vohstras, who always stood tall, albeit standing with a stature that would not quite rival Rakassa's /truly/ most perilous creation-- Queegmaa. Everyone and everything had pros and cons. Que's was that it took a lot of work to tap into his real magnitude if only to exploit it for short intervals. The fact was, Rakassa knew very well that one day, even one as lowly would become too strong to manipulate, and so, his days were numbered, in her mind. She didn't want to spit him out, but the most delectably flavored gum is still a toxin to be anything but chewed, for if it is swallowed, it can damage one, or kill one, if they ingested a high quantity of it. Queegmaa's potency could become too much to handle, and he'd have to be put down, like this worm, someday, and he suspected that he was on borrowed time..... But then, why did he not self-destruct while in Rakassa's presence, with his 'Exploder' spell, that if taken to the absolute limitations, could take her with him to the afterlife? This was simple.... He was a coward! Beyond that, mayhap death wasn't inevitable, if he could discover some way to thwart her /without/ having to sacrifice himself in the process! The nature of the two fiends, the troll and his master, were somewhat predictable; they were both so selfish that they were willing to take a gamble to grasp for two birds in the tree, while discarding the -guarantee- of one bird in the hand! So it was that they would play chess against each other for as long as they both could cling to the mortal coil, but in the end, which one was the light side, and which was the dark? Whatever the case, it was now Queegmaa's move, and he took out his tanto-blade, which he faintly chucked upwards like a miniature juggle, grasping the blade-portion with one hand in a singular swift motion, enabling him to hurl the thing at the coiled leviathan as quickly as possible. This wouldn't've been astronomically damaging to a worm, of all things, which, if severed, could continue to prosper, if given ample chronometers. No... this was to see how thick its skin was.... and being as calculating as Queegmaa was, a deviously creative reason was behind it; he knew that his cybernetic augmentations would doubtlessly penetrate the hide completely, which meant that if he could subsequently retrieve his knife, he could take a quick measurement of how deeply it dug. It is a very uncommon day indeed, where Queegmaa will throw away a weapon that he might need, but this is what he considered to be.... delayed gratification!

:'''[[Rakassa]] has posed:''' "I could. But this isn't about him. This is about you...a little groveling insect who is about as worth-while as /this/ abomination. The one that lives, gets to /not/ get destroyed. Live or die, little worms. Live or die." Rakassa leans back, grinning as she watches it all unfold. The tanto is thrown, and it indeed buries into the creature's flesh. It sinks in, sticks, and seems to just sit there in it with relatively little damage done. The scary part is when the worm that was hit rises up, wiggles, and the knife begins to slide through its flesh. The worm seemingly melts away into goop, weapon now stuck in slickened coils. That damaged worm then starts to solidify, before wriggling around again. With a screech that seems to echo across more than one plane of reality, the creature surges forth to towards the only edible thing in the room right now; Queegma, it's many mouthes and suckers flailing about.

:'''[[Queegmaa]] has posed:''' Queegmaa nodded his head when Rakassa claims that Queegmaa is an insect, and that she could have simply gotten Vohstras to do the job. However, he doesn't take warmly to her remark about how he's barely worth anything, which, in his angry state, gives him courage that typically would've been considered highly uncharacteristic for the kappa. As such, he activates his cybernetic implants, running one of the programs built into his system. "An' ya know what? Yer prattlin' is worth even less dan the buzz of an insect.... so I dun wanna hear't!" Immediately, he conjures up one of his bizarro abilities that allows him to contrive a 'field' around different targets, which as a result, can either lower their mystical abilities, or mute them utterly, so that they couldn't speak. If he chose to prevent speech, then he couldn't prevent the target from using magic, but if he muzzled them verbally, that wouldn't necessarily deprive them of their talents for making noise using their vocal chords. Deciding to go all-out, in his revved up condition, he was able to crank up the juice on his mechanisms to full power, against which his 'master' would likely have little recourse.... It wasn't fully without chance of failure, since Rakassa might've actually had to move her tush to avoid it, but since she looked rather comfortable, Que suspected she wasn't mentally anticipating that she'd have to leap into action, not counting for the 'type' of power output being applied; as he used artificial magic via Mtek technology, instead of 'true' magic, she wasn't equipped to nullify his enchantments as she might've done an incoming spell of a more formal nature. This was the one real advantage he had over her- at the same time, because he had artificial magic, at that current point, her incantations would've been hard to block if Queegmaa was on the receiving end.... But she'd purposely built him that way, so that in a combat situations, provided she could actually get him to fight, Rakassa could employ a 'pincer' attack from two sides, so that if her enemy was resistant to normal magic, then Que would step in and do his thing. Rakassa /could/ undo the field after it was put in place, however, that would require an Esuna of some sort, which Que suspected she did not have.... which would've meant she'd have been forced into quiescence until such time the troll deemed her worthy of speaking! Hit or miss, Queegmaa winces as the wirey demon lunges, having taken his physical weapon out of the playing field, and leapt upwards, clinging to the ceiling as his metallic talons embedded themselves into the upper corner of the room, making use of the vertical walls to offer a fraction of additional gravitational support that he couldn't get from just attaching to the ceiling. The imp managed to evade the attack, but he didn't have enough moments to disgrace Rakassa concurrently to impairing the worm in some fashion..... This was still tactically sound, since demoralizing types of sound such as Rakassa's diatribes were likely to stymie his full potential; beyond that, he was still enraged, so he was going to vent at anything and /everything/ that assaulted him, no matter the media involved.

:'''[[Rakassa]] has posed:''' Finding herself silent, Rakassa merely leans back. Smirking, seemingly amused, she contents herself with watching the battle. Time to judge to see if her little toy is worthy! The worms don't give up, even as Que leaps up to the ceiling. With wet squelching sounds, the creature(s) begin to quite simply crawl up the walls, leaving trails of acidic ooze in their wake. It's as easy as walking for the odd mass, though it'll take some time for it to traverse the wall to get to Que. For the moment, he's safe; but he better start an offense soon! Rakassa laughs soundlessly. This isn't a creature that could be ran away from.

:'''[[Queegmaa]] has posed:''' Queegmaa is quite satisfied with his ability to shut the Shadow Lord up, but not quite as satisfied with the fact that he still has a worms on his tail; if he perished, then his master would be back to talking in no time, but Queegmaa would still be dead. But Queegmaa was a smarter breed than most, even if his actual power-level was still yet to realized, which meant that he knew something of mollusks, and similar kingdoms of animilia. Worms, snails, and slugs in particular, were covered with mucous membranes which helped them slip, courtesy of having weaker muscles than more solidly-built animals composed of sinew, that could afford to have dry surfaces on their body. No, the worms did not have a problem climbing walls /yet/, but this would be likely to change, in the near future, if Que had any say in the matter; the one family of magic in which he excelled was poison, as well as water, which were either innate to him being an aquatic devil, or else unnaturally gifted as per Rakassa's trickery with that toxic Magicite! Snarling, Queegmaa lashes his tongue out in a wild, aggressive fashion.... a tongue that was easily a foot and a half in length, like that of a lizard-- yes, folks, this lizard could cast spells without having to use arms or legs, hands, or feet; he had another prehensible appendage that wasn't clinging to the walls, which could do the deed with the utmost efficiency. A downpour of Acid-Rain hails from above, on the other hand, the cascade is primarily aimed at the walls themselves, instead of the worms.... the chances were, the corrosive chemicals that touched the worms would eat away at them in a way that would 'burn' them, and prevent regeneration, at least in the immediate moment, but more importantly was if one accounted for the walls being 'coated' in a substance that would 'dissolve' the mucous membranes which allowed the worms the adhesive they needed to move freely. Que couldn't target the entire room, nor did he want to spend so much mana attacking areas where the worms weren't yet originating from, but for the time being, the beasts were essentially trying to climb, what, for a human, would be a completely acute, ninety-degree angle, with grease that /burned/, when it made contact with 'flesh'.

:'''[[Rakassa]] has posed:''' The worms are not happy about this turn of events. They start to slide off of the wall as they burn, the excess acid quickly halting their ability to get at the food that's stuck in a coner. They're not without intelligence, however, and soon back off. Writhing and squelching, several worm 'heads' lean upwards. Magical power gathers. A spike of pure darkness lashes out at Queegma, swift and snarp with malevolence! Hit or miss, it'll embed into the wall with enough force to send cracks thoughout the wall away form the impact.

:'''[[Queegmaa]] has posed:''' Worms and Heartless were both not without any brainpower; they were both smart enough to make distinctions between what could be preyed upon, and what were effectively useless objects, such as rocks, burlap, and plastic. They were autonomous, which meant they didn't need to be given commands manually every single time they were expected to do something, for they could survive independently of a host, or a master, which was the case with parasites and machines. Now, here was something new! Worms that shot out darkness! Queegmaa grunted as he could barely maneuever in his little nook, which meant that he had to drop a few feet lower when they projected shadowy streams of force in his direction, to avoid the brunt of the flurry. Some did get him, but part of the onslaught missed by just a paltry margin, which meant that hiding wasn't an option; they had long-range weapons at their discretion! The walls break up a little bit, and Queegmaa remarks to his matron, "Ya dang ful! Mal's gun make ya pay fer dat sh*t.... dat's vand'lism if I's ever saw't!" But it probably wouldn't ruin the budget too much, since Rakassa could always suction and redirect funds from the empire and the Hollow Bastion alike, depending on what official appeals she issued. It was a poor attempt to get her to regret her decision to send the worms at him, but Que had hoped to dishearten her just a smidgen. Opening his mouth wide, exposing deadly incisors, the water-troll takes note of the beasts that were not only moist to start with, but who had just been rained upon further by his deluge of drizzling. With that, he thrusts his tongue out from his mouth, which seems to have enough might behind it to pierce the wall and function as yet another limb, which results in freeing up one of the hands that was suspending his cumbersome weight. Suddenly, the bionic hand juts forward, sending all manner of electrical voltage throughout the area, in a massive web of branching, twirling wires, and of such intensity that its sizeable nature meant that it would've run the risk of even striking Rakassa from her distant location; this was the equivalent of a Thundaja, spread-out a bit, weakening it a little, as far as striking individual victims.... but still enough to electrocute anything that was comprised of hydrogen; intelligently, Queegmaa, being very damp by default, keeps his hand as outstretched as much as possible, to prevent any of the wirey bolts from backfiring, and then being conducted through himself....

:'''[[Rakassa]] has posed:''' Luckily, Rakassa has all of that figured into her budget. Namely, the 'training Damages' fund. She knows how to prepare! Lighting, or at least the electricity that Queegma lashes out with, crashes into the flailing beast. Covered in water now, it's quite effective, and the creature lets out a screech that causes the barriers between world to shiver for a moment. Truly, whatever this thing is, it's an utter abomination. Its entire body rears up again, drawing in dark magic. A sphere begins to form, floating, as the creature starts to power up for something...

:'''[[Queegmaa]] has posed:''' The monstrosity still lived after Que's combustive discharge of lightning that could've scarcely been rivaled by many-- thanks in part to Rakassa's instructions to the engineers to do the designing, to her own specifications. You make your bed, and you sleep in it. Queegmaa had only one way to take care of the creature, and that was to beat it to the punch; so he began to do some charging up, on his own. His machinery was efficient, and well-designed, so that his accretion of energy could probably bypass the worm's just a touch. It would be a close-call, and the kappa would not have an instant with which to spare, because the window of opportunity for proper timing would've been down to the miliseconds, practically. Nonetheless, he was going to gamble.... such was the nature of wrath-- when pushed to the limits, it became 'all or nothing', and didn't compromise at all, unlike the other sinful habits that often still held out 'hope' that one could save themselves in the process of doing what needed to be done. No.... When enough anger overwhelms one, they lose interest in their own welfare, and consent to their own demise, so long as their adversary, their object of loathing, is taken with them to the pits of Hades! Already, Queegmaa is weaving about, trying to avoid the worm's heading, so that it has to keep refocusing if it plans to blast him. On the other hand, whatever Que has in mind, it must be gravely serious, for he removes the silencing field that'd been placed around Rakassa, to devote all his charging power into his mechanical veins. No doubt, the ozone could be felt arising, as the ionic polarity began to disperse, and separate in a very dramatic, antipodal way. This would not be good for anyone. Not for Que, not for the worm, and not for Rakassa.

:'''[[Rakassa]] has posed:''' As the shield goes down, Rakassa laughs. "Try not to kill yourself~ It'd be a shame to waste what use you have. Oh, and /this/ damage is coming out of your paycheck." The woman isn't dumb enough to stick around. She'll return and pick through the wreckage later. A Dark Portal sweeps her away into another room, /far/ away. The worm's own blast grows and grows, evil malevolence seething! It lets loose, a beam of dark energy sweeping towards Queegma!

:'''[[Queegmaa]] has posed:''' Before Rakassa can depart, Queegmaa shouts, "YA FILDY HUR! DIS'S YER DOIN', 'N YER GON PAY'T ALL!" but whether it came from him or not, the bottom line remained the same, the Shadow Lord showed that she was more concerned with her own skin than bearing witness to the living manifestation of pure hatred.... The lustful one has many desires that keeps her tied to the life that she desired to keep, whereas Que had resigned himself to either killing, or being killed while killing in the process.... But death was the only thing on his mind, and he didn't care how much it would tax him, or anyone else, for the unprecedented degree of craving for vengeance had over-ridden almost all of his sensibilities. Yes.... since Rakassa had just fled, Queegmaa could have probably made for the door he entered, and fled, but this was no longer about surviving, this was only about his thirst for the destruction of anything that he despised, whether the worm, Rakassa, or himself! Conveniently enough, Rakassa would not be on the receiving end, because even she wasn't psychotic enough to stick around when absolute ruination was about to transpire. Finally, the output levels caused Queegmaa's circuitry to start to overload, as his metallic parts colvused, while his jagged fangs chattered from the degree of pulsating energy emanating from him. Smoke began to pump through his vents at a ridiculous rate, and some of his external scaffolding covering his robotic innards began to come loose from the tremors that encompassed his being. An unforeseeable maelstrom of a voltaic genre spewed forth as Queegmaa immitated 'Iron Man', filling the entire chamber with zigzagging power, which would consume all within, even.... himself.... but mayhap to a lesser degree than the monster the troll was in the process of fighting. Something akin to what a tier of lightning above Thundaja, perhaps a Thundaza(?) was surrendered from both arms, which began to turn red as the metal in his arms heated up, whilst snaking cilia of energy split off in every which direction, going hither and thither, aiming to collapse whatever was in their path. As he continued to do this, some of his machinery overloaded and began to burst, or break off, but he continued unwaveringly, desperate to cause pain to something else,.... and himself, too, if need be, in the process. He would do anything to hurt others, even if it meant doing it to himself! This is something even Rakassa didn't like to practice. Nevetheless, it would come to pass that Queegmaa's prosthetic fore-arms would explode from the unspeakable surge of power, throwing him back against a wall as the room was consumed in electrical death. Queegmaa's fleshy parts were moderately sizzled, and now he didn't have his hands, so if this had not the capacity to be the harbinger of doom to the gargantuan maggot, then much smaller versions of said abomination would soon be feasting on Queegmaa's corpse. It didn't help that the worm's shadowy laser added to the chaos, even though it had been engulfed by Que's own attack, empowering it further.... In the wake of the attack, it was unlikely that the room itself would be entirely intact, but that was the price one paid for vengeance; .....barrenness.....

:'''[[Rakassa]] has posed:''' The release of energy has the room neatly cleared. Rakassa, now neatly waiting in another room, sipping at wine and eating her meal, smirks to herself as she hears the explosion. He really /could/ do it. Hopefully he's not dead! There's nothing left of the worm, but toasted scraps of flesh. Seems it's weak to being exploded by Que's cyborg arms. The kappa's won the day...if he survived.

:'''[[Queegmaa]] has posed:''' The explosivity levels, combining the worm's final attack, and Que's own, was ample enough in destructivity that he was able to eradicate most of the room itself, leaving himself in a smouldering status, with half of his mechanisms no longer operational. Fortunately he /had/ elected to use that electrical blast, for it overwhelmed and deflected the laser, otherwise, the joined forces of his own strike and the dark blast might've been enough to do him in; Queegmaa is a shrewd, arithmetician, on the other hand, so he knew beyond the decimal point, what would happen.... or at least, he had an /educated/ guess, as opposed to an ignorant one. His exhaust pipes pour sooty mist into the air as he shakily gets to the doorway of the room, whose doors were ripped from the hinges in the infernal blast, not having manipulatory limbs to open it, unless he were to employ his feet, and just hobbles painfully outside. Going just a little bit down the hallway, he uses his tongue to grasp the knob, like a frog would do, in order to open the door to which the knob was attached. Inside was Rakassa. He figured she'd be indulging while he was suffering. Still on a high, Queegmaa was filled with some measure of residual bravado, and thus, upon entering, he has a brief coughing fit, before he addresses his master, "Cughh... CUhhhh... ACHK..." He spits right on the floor while the woman dines. "Ya shud knowed dat mud-skippers is above da worms who live inside mud. We eats 'em!" He snorts, and elaborates, "Ya Shaduh Lyerds is all da same!.... 'Cept you. You acksheeally got some kinda brain in dere." Queegmaa wipes his mouth, and scoffs, "I seen some recordins' from Manhatten of some'a yer spearyers who like tuh yammer lihk a buncha windbags! They's all unedjeecated boors!" He must've been feeling pretty bold to start trash-talking the Hollow Bastion's proprietors while in the Bastion, but he figured that if they had an issue with him, Rakassa would be responsible for stepping in and writing him off as being damaged senseless from the altercation with the enormous leech, and that his 'delirious stupidity' needed to be excused, since, she was, in effect, his ward! At least Queegmaa had enough wits to enter the alcove and allow the door to shut before he went on his rant, and started to slander everyone. "Yer former Shadu Lyerds like Ang 'n Morraygen is wi'out conviksheeun, defectin' like dey dun gone'n did aways back!" He raises one toe, with that point, then he continues, "Yer Mal'faysend talks all dis nonsense about smotherin' the world in darkness, but even dat won't kill all forms o' life, cuz hydradermyac worms is able tuh live on da heat vents wi'out nuh light t'all! So she's git dar mistaken in her thinkin'!" He raises a second toe-- that was point two. "Den ya got that blowhard name't Garland. 'E goes on 'n on 'bout dis samsereea o' war bullsh*t, talkin' on how all forms o' life gotta feed on 'chother, 'n gots ta be at war.... But he prolly ain't edjeeckated eider, cuz I 'spect he's never heard of archea, which dun need nuh organic matter tuh keep 'live. They dun kill nuddin' 'tal!" He briefly holds up a third toe, then lowers his foot to the ground. The troll trudges forward unsteadily, having poor usage of his propulsionary devices, "If yuh dink ya ken beat me wi' a worm, den yer sorely mistaken. Yuh shud knowed dat as a water demon whose lived a million years, I's pretty smart when it comes tuh annelids, 'n squirmers...." He points one of his stumps at Rakassa, accusingly, since he had no index finger to use, as he came to a pause, "Yuh din sen' dat worm jus' ta push me ta duh limits.... I knowed you got some ulteryur motive. 'N I saw ya givin' orders tuh Vohstras tuh make ice golems recently, out in the trainin' area back in Vectur. Yer gun tell me what yer tryin' ta git outta me, or I'm takin' my chances on da road!"

:'''[[Rakassa]] has posed:''' Rakassa leans back in her chair, a constant little smirk on her face: in between bites. She listens to his diatribe, his ranting, his ego-stroking. Truly, he had a point: many of the Shadow Lords were worthless to Rakassa. But it's in that, that she's perfectly content. As long as she can reap the rewards of the organization, the rest could do what they want. All she wants is wealth, power, prestige, and all the trappings of her call-sign: Lust. She doesn't answer immediately, the threat seemingly ignored. It's only once sh'es pushing his tolerance that she finally answers. "I'm glad you were paying attention. You said it yourself: if it was about the creature, I'd've sent my little darling samurai. Just needed to see your spine, and how strong it was. Lacking, certainly. /Very/ lacking. But it's good enough for what I need." Siip. She finishes off her glass of wine. "You're going to teach me about water magic, Que. And someone who doesn't have the spine to fight, doesn't have the spine to stand up, can't teach me. You'll do, for now. Good job." It's probably one of the few times she's praised him. For once, she's /proud/ of her little attendant.

:'''[[Queegmaa]] has posed:''' As Rakassa gives him flattery, Que shudders a little bit, unaccustomed to recieving compassionate words that were sincere; for even Rakassa was capable of /some/ generosity, whereas the one who abhorred himself was always in a state of eternal turmoil; he didn't want to be condemned, but he didn't want to be complimented, because he didn't feel he deserved it. Maybe that's what made Rakassa such an effective mastermind over Que-- the fact that she knew he couldn't be placated no matter what one said to him, for nothing... /nothing/ was good enough to ever truly make him happy. He was a blight on the world, and belonged nowhere, not even amongst the worst of the worst, which is why he had to be erased, someday.... yet, the irony was that he was so despicable that he didn't even have the gall to do it himself, so inwardly, he hoped that one day, someone else would have the ingenuity to bring him his final breath of air(or water). As much as he wanted to self-terminate, he was too spineless, except on occasions where his anger rose to the extent that it made him the epitomization of unbridled fury, and at this point, he would only self-terminate if he knew it would take down others in the process, because all he could see was the hue of vermillion, in those moments. Already, he began to shrink away from his station of power.... for the one thing that could frighten him more than being threatened with death, was when one threatened to care about him, thus, the commendation siphoned some of his courage from his body. Yet another weapon Rakassa knew of, that made Queegmaa's blood curdle, and that which would stimulate him to back-down.... showing true affection. Shivering, unable to allow anyone to ever love him, his knees wobbled a little, as he started to back away, towards the door, a shadow of gloom overtaking his countenance, "I.... I... will help, but... Dun dink fer one second dat I'll be pane fer dat room I jus' bursted up, in dere.... Yuh ken shuffle aroun' funds however ya feel lihk't, but I an takin' da blame fer dis.... Cuz keep in mind...." He sneers, "....I ain't technic'ly a Shaduh Lyerd trainee, which means dat yer 'sposed tuh be usin' dese facil'ties for those who're evensheeally gun serve Mal.... 'n you knowed s'well as ah do, dat I in nuh servant tuh two mas'ers... Ain't gon be tugged in ten difurnt dirkshuns..."

:'''[[Rakassa]] has posed:''' Rakassa smiles, a genuine one. Just what she wanted out of the little welp. She's the picture of superiority and victory. She waves a hand dismissively. "Right, right. Have a few dummy accounts from those soldiers who died last time. They'll do." Shrug. Experiments take cash, and thumbing the Empire for money is certainly not beyond her. She claps her hands, standing. "Now let's get you back together in one piece! Then we can start right away. A few drugs, a bit knife, aaaand...." Griiiin! She looks absolutely /delighted/.

:'''[[Queegmaa]] has posed:''' Queegmaa grumps, "Hmmph.... Well, on da topic of soldeers, dun forget dat we need one o' yer idolizers ta get his name changed leeglee, 'n I do mean all 'o his names. Consol'date 'em to one single name.... But keep it strickly un paper, so nubody dar findin' out who shudn knowed 'bout it, til da time's right. Make sure da approval process git stall't til any contracks is signed....." He smirks, "Ya gotta trus' me on dis. Da lerd o' dee undareworl' probably has him some reeayle gud informens, 'n if he's findin' out somebody tuhk his name, den we'll have trouble. I in gon be able tuh 'sploit loophulls ferver, if he figars out we're playin' games wi' 'im. But we'll come out on top o' dis, cuz I kin git 'round anyding dat anybody ken get me to 'gree tuh!" With that, he grabs the door using his tongue, and opens it up, waiting to hear Rakassa's final sentiments on his statement. Upon receiving confirmation, he'll exit promptly.

:'''[[Rakassa]] has posed:''' "Already have someone in mind. Little wretch sent me a love letter once. Isn't that cute? Ugly as sin, beneath me. But I can use that. Loopholes are useful, and we'll use them as we have to. It's how we've stayed out of the spotlight too much." Shrugging, she waves him on. "Got it, got it. It's going to work." Rakassa sounds confident enough.

Bat Got Que's Lung

2013-12-13T04:16:30Z

BlondeFox: Echo is not always bad, sometimes she behaves good.... towards bad people!

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2013/12/12
|Location=Forgotten Oasis
|Synopsis=Following a battle with a crocodile, Queegmaa is then visited by Echo, who shows a bit of compassion for his predicament. She explains that she 'got his back', so to speak, and for that matter, she probably almost got his lung, too, since his injuries were fairly grievous. After helping to bandage him up, he offers her a chance at researching a specific breed of monster, for whatever reason it was that Que had in his mind; this, of course, is to be left to the imaginations of the omniscient onlookers!
|Cast of Characters=Queegmaa, Echo
|pretty=yes
}}
:'''[[Queegmaa]] has posed:''' Queegmaa was not looking like his normal self today, for he'd come to the Pride Lands to investigate the rumors of diamond-veins in said realm. In the 'normal' world, Kony had used hundred of children as prepubescent-soldiers, as well as slaves who mined precious gems galore, but this had been an impossibility in the nexus that was part of the World of Ruin, because folks simply turned into animals when they made exodus to Africa! On the other hand, the green-troll was conniving and inventive enough to find a way around this little problem, and wished to test his theory, by trekking there himself. Upon reaching the Pride Lands, he morphed into a creature indigenuous to the territory, that being a Giant Nile Softshell. He didn't know in advance what he'd become, but he anticipated it would've been some manner of turtle, being that kappa were already so close in physiology to the aforementioned creature. Here was the catch-- if he hadn't had his prosthetic appendages, he'd've been relatively helpless, terrestrially, in lieu of the fact that the Softshell had flippers instead of digits that allowed for manipulation of objects. Now, iron didn't automatically change into mud when one traversed into the Pride Lands, so the metallic limbs that were surgically grafted to his body managed to stay attached, albeit with less functionality because of the moderate shift in skeletal framework that differentiated a kappa from a fully fledged turtle.... the scapulas and the clavicles were /definitely/ different, which means Que's arms and leg didn't fit quite right. He was the same size, being of the largest breeds of turtles, but the neuro-transmitters didn't carry the signals from the brain and back with perfect efficiency. This meant that he had to move a muscle in a certain direction, only to have the twitch react in a different way than expected. This was troublesome, especially since he'd come across a hungry croc in the oasis, who tried to make a meal out of him! Normally, a kappa with magic, a large dagger, and a partially bionic body would outmatch an organically grown reptilian without problem, since the predatory lizard trying to devour him was a crocodilian weighing upwards of only about eight hundred pounds. In this instance, he'd scarcely made it out intact, and this could be easily attested to by the fact that he had a number of wounds that had recently been barely stabilized, by way of self-applied first-aid, accompanied by a few 'drain' spells of Que's. All in all, though, that didn't mean he was back to being in prime condition; on the contrary, Queegmaa was lying next to a riverbank nursing his smaller injuries that hadn't needed immediate medical attention, and were too small for stitching, which instead, mandated the presence of simple bandages. He was going to have some problems though, because he had some scratches on his hindquarters, and it would take him a lot longer to manipulate his robotic arms to bend in such a way that he could really fix up a spot that he could barely see. This was more of a disgrace than a detriment, since his gluteus had enough 'padding' that it probably would've sealed up on its own, with minimal blood-loss; his principal goal was to speed up the process with bandages.

:'''[[Echo]] has posed:''' Flapping down to the riverbank, was an enormous white furred... bat. There was no humanoid frame however, or dress, or any of those things, just a huge white animal bat, with accompanying fluffy fur ruff just under the neck, of course. The bat alights softly on the ground of the riverbank, having to use it's wings for balance on the ground, almost looking like it's 'walking' with the aid of them. "Hey there, looks like you could need some help," came a feminine tone, apparently this was a femme bat, indeed it was Echo herself. "Did you get in a scrap with something?" she teeter totters a bit closer, walking on those wings again, though moreso looks like she's crawling a bit now. "Ugh, this place turns everyone into animals, how annoying~"

:'''[[Queegmaa]] has posed:''' Que hears the bat long before he sees her, but as a 'true' bat, perchance it was that Echo's auditory abilities now rivaled the kappa's.... On the other hand, maybe her ocular prowess left something to be desired, if she'd taken on the qualities of her morphological cousin. Watching her 'waddle' towards him after landing, he scoffed, amusedly, "Heh.... Ya plan ta help me when yant much more den a gimp s'well?" He shrugs, "If ya ken acksheeally git over here, then ya can put some patches on me.... But I dink ya'd tip o'er da sec datcha git close nuff ta me to duh sumdin yusful." He turns his backside so that it faces the bat, and cants his head towards a dead crocodile, with its head twisted around at a one-hundred-eighty degree angle, with a thin stream of blood traveling down the side of its neck, where the skin had actually been broken. Evidently, Que's prosthetic limbs had given him enough might to snap the beast's neck, but not before the ex-kappa had been battered a smidgen. One had to wonder how strong his flesh was, though, for the steel segments of his being only accounted for what could move, whereas the organic portions were the anchoring for half of the bionics.... this implied that even had he not these editions to his natural self, he might've been able to tackle a monster weighing in at near half of a ton! There's a lot more about Queegmaa than meets the eye, and certainly the eyes of a bat! "Always bein' sent tuh dese stuhp't places cuz 'she' ain't wont to do't 'erself! Jus' as well, as I get 'sperience in da field, I's learnin' more dan she's. Now... dat dun explain why da hell you come ta dis Poltergeist-Forsaken place!" Always paranoid, he turns his head to look over his shoulder at her some, with slightly narrowed eyes, obviously thinking it suspect that Echo arrived just as he was in a state of semi-vulnerability "Care ta enlighten inquirin' minds?"

:'''[[Echo]] has posed:''' Echo pulled herself around and looked at what he'd already done to patch himself, and tried to use her teeth to tug on the bandages that was already there to tighten them a bit. "Mmff, sorry, I only know magic to make things perish, not to fix things up," Echo huffed a little, her mouth temporarily full of bandage for a moment there, before pulling back. Her eyesight seemed to be decent as a bat, it would appear, though she had a lot of skin and fur around said eyes. "Looks like you didn't have much trouble giving that poor guy a bad day, his last it looks like," Echo snickered a little, peering over him. "You've got your metal bits like this as well. So, what brings you here? were you in need of my assistance?" she asked, canting her bat head to the side.

:'''[[Queegmaa]] has posed:''' Que scratched his head, and remarks, "Well... I din sum'n ya dis time... so I dunno why you think I's needin' yer help, but I's fixin' tuh send a messenger to git 'holda ya.... Cuz I do need ta see if yer intristed in a job I got." He winces as she pulls the bandages taut, which in turn causes more contraction in his skin for better healing, but when jostled, opened flesh hurts, no matter how you slice it. The turtle waves a hand, "Kinda a nice coinseedence, ta've ya here at dis second. Maybe yuh got psychic powers yant 'ware of." He points, "Still wanna know why ya came ta dis place.... I mean, sure, people do happen ta cross padds in this weird amalagimateen of a cesspool, but even dough you din knowed I was here, ya'h tuh've come fer some reason, 'less ya were f'lawing me." He closes an eye, squinting at the woman, "Dunno if ya been gittin' sloppy, er what... but I run inta Morrighan da udder day, 'n she says ta me dat she got ahold of yer name, and is plannin' ta undermine muh oprition. Hope you ain't spillin' as much as ya like ta leech, cuz da folks above me is less merceeiful dan I am....." He points a finger accusingly at her, "Shaduh loyeerds cud wipe duh floor widd yar sorry self!"

:'''[[Echo]] has posed:''' "Guess my ears are better than I thought then," Echo smirked a little, as much as a bat can smirk with her muzzle and all that, and gently preened back the fluff of dark hair she still retained in her full-bat form here. She didn't recoil back at the bandage being pulled and his reaction to it necessarily, she knew it'd hurt a little. "Was just on my way through and happen to come across you, is that bad?" she rolled her head about, as if rolling her eyes at him along with it. "Oh, so she knows who I am now? well she can try and find me, if she wants, I suppose," she shrugged, more of a shrug of her shoulders and wings. "Silly, I AM a shadow lord now, so I know all about that," she grinned at him, an especially fangy one. "I guess no one told you, oh well," she clucked her tongue.

:'''[[Queegmaa]] has posed:''' Que snorted a little bit, with indignation and suspicion, "Hmmph.... I bet what you dun do, is ya smell da blood while ya happen ta be here, 'n then comes swoopin' down fer a free meal.... Well... Ya wan' it, ya kin have't." H says, as he grabs the fresh crocodile corpse by stretching out his elongated arm, and heaves it over towards Echo single-handedly-- for a non-shadow lord, he had some impressive tricks up his sleeve.... maybe it was his lack of belief in himself that helped Rakassa keep him down for so long. Evidently, he wasn't scared of the bat, even as she admitted she had recently been inducted into the ranks of the Shadow Lords, who were clearly higher up the totem pole of combative-prowess than the kappa. He did raise a brow dubiously, clearing his throat, "Guess dere standards is lowerin', now dat dem loyeerds is losin' customers...." he probably was referring to some of their past defectors. "How'ver.... doubt ya knowed why's we been collectin' blood 'n udder sh*t, so whatever ya hears on da grapevine, ya way less informed dan ya think, says I!" He smirks, confidently, before folding his arms, "Fer a Shaduh Loyeerd, ya's awfully jenrus. I'd think yuh'd be wantin' ta off me suh you could gain favor widd Olivia, form an alliance. Mercy in sumdin dat them folks from da Bastion lihck ta practice, 'n I'm tryin' ta figar why I'm bein' helped." Que grins, "I'm da middle-man, 'n if you was hired direc'ly un'er Olivia tuh do dese jobs, yuh'd be paid a lot better!" Which he was sure Echo already knew, despite the fact that there was a small chance tht Queegmaa could've been misguided in that belief. On the other hand, he suspected that Echo didn't yet know that Rakassa was Olivia's alter-ego, so he purposely didn't give out information pertaining to the Shadow Lord's rank within the Vectorite Navy. Whatever the case, he finally bobs his head back and forth, as he makes one modest remark as a concession, "Well.... Nobody dun tol' me, 'n sometimes I gets news a lil later dan e'ryone else, cuz I ain't oaffishlee part 'o Shaduh Loyrades.... So yeah, 'less yer lyin', den I'm gettin' da memo right now....."

:'''[[Echo]] has posed:''' "Well, there WAS that when I was over here," Echo peered at the softshell a little neutrally, licking her lips a bit and smacking them, still able to scent the blood in the air it would appear. Jumping up out of the way of the heaved carcass, Echo blinked and tug her teeth into it, tearing a bit away but suddenly becoming turned off by the leathery, flakey skin of the croc. "Blah, too tough," she cleaned her lips with her long, narrow pink tongue, before getting back to business as usual with the turtle. Err, Kappa. "The elf knows nothing, you can use that material for whatever you want," Echo spat a little, a fleck of scaly skin having been dangling from her lower lip. "And perhaps, they have been a bit short-staffed as of late, apparently, your mistress is one of the main ones operating at the moment," she shrugged. "It's nothing to be worried about, I get around fast and all that. So, did you need me for something?"

:'''[[Queegmaa]] has posed:''' Que looks at the crocodilian, and cackles proudly, grasping the carcass firmly, and throwing it into the waters behind him, announcing, "I 'spose it'll do da fish sum gud. Dey eats that ding, and then multiples, den dere's more fish fer me.... I dun like da taste of croc, even dough it in nuh land-creature...." since Kappa preferred fish more than anything, being river-folk. "Short-staffed.... Yeah, da'd explain't. Only udder possibil'ty's datcha let one o' 'em guys f*ck ya raw." He winks at her, playfully. "I 'spect dat fer peoples intristed in fur't demi-hyoomeens, yuh'd prolly gi'em a good one, cuz what I sees is dat you got a lotta fire in ya!" Queegmaa finally relaxes a hair, deciding that there was a greater chance Echo wouldn't attack him than otherwise-- after all, if she did, she might have to answer to Rakassa, who didn't like her 'property' being damaged. One of his hands had been holding his foot/flipper almost the whole time, and this might not have seemed like a big deal until he finally pulled it away, so he could get a glimpse of it. The flipper was missing some of the phalanges, which existed even in flippers, having evolved from toes in the days gone by; mayhap this was the reason why Que had strained himself to lift the gator corpse with one hand, instead of doing it much more easily with two, the weight of a one-handed throw had almost unbalanced him to the point that he might've fallen back into the river if he hadn't calibrated weight-distribution accurately! Evidently, Que's encounter with his assailant had now cost him a few toes, permanently, and was going to need yet /more/ machinery annexed to his body. Nonchalantly, he doesn't bother to dramatize the ordeal, and proceeds with business, "I want yuh to go fight sum 'arpies.... Greek monsters.... kill sum, capture sum, 'n jus' plain follow sum aroun' ta study 'em. Dat's what I want outta ya." He nods then rolls his eyes, "Oh... Morrayigan dinks she knowed something... She acts rayle rude ta me, see.... so I start droppin' bread crumbs dat she kin du nuddin' widd, cuz she got nuh proof. I do't ta get un'er her skin, see, cuz she dar go'n deserve no less than dat!" He smiles boastfully, "See.... I says to her, when I leave her place, dat I see her soon, maybe on da 'marrow', and sudd'ly she gets mad 'n pulls a gun on me. She den tells me she knowed you, and dat she's already on ar trail.... I antagonize her 'n she den tells me what she knows, 'n what she's up tuh." He folds his arms across his chest, no longer nursing his swollen flipper with the missing 'toes', as he elaborates further, "I beated da grass ta startle da snecks.... I kent know what she knowed les' I drow out a leetle bait." The kappa-turtle snickers, "Da whole time, I play dumb, while she loses 'er temper." From here, his lips turn from open-mouthed to a more tame grin, "She in smart lihck me, dough.... Cuz she dinks she gets rid o' me af'er dat. Well, I got somethin' up muh shell dat I kin do ta her tuh make sure she's outta my hair.... 'n hopefully outta yer's, too. So da way I see it...." he lowers his eyelids lazily, boredly, as if trying to insinuate that his upcoming opinion somehow transcended whatever beliefs she held, regarding financial arrangements, "....If ya dun do dis fer free.... den I shud least git a rebett, see?"

:'''[[Echo]] has posed:''' "Hardly, I'm an upstanding murderess, I assure you," Echo scoffed that she'd kissed up so to speak to get her position. Turns out the admission process was surprisingly friendly. "Fire in me? I got a lot of fire outside of me too, I tend to cause it," she nodded a little, ambling a little closer with her bat wing arms and feet, still cleaning her lips from the croc bits, she regretted taking a chunk out of it now, for sure. "Huh, that thing took a chunk out of you it looks like too," she regarded the missing digits on Que's flipper queasily, then raised a furred brow. "Oh, the bone marrow, well apparently she figured out what it was I took," she shrugged. "She's got more brains than you thought," putting her wing arms down, she listened further. "We'll see, I'll see about your harpies, I don't do community service often, but," she shrugged with her wings, then flapped them, beating up dust and raising her into the sky. "Keep an eye on your pet elf, will you?" she called as she flapped pell mell away, as bats do.

:'''[[Queegmaa]] has posed:''' Queegmaa grumbles, "She prolly got more brains dan you, too, since she was able tuh figar it out, n' I was da one who hadda clue 'er in to da fact dat I was possibly part o' da whole eskpayde. I ain't gonna ask ya whatcha done wrong tuh make it so, but if she was conscious durin' da whole affair, den you got a lot ta learn 'bout 'stractin' things from yer victims and den knowin' ta dumpin' em in da middle of nowheres, so dey knows nuthin'." He says, as she takes off. He doesn't know if she'll reply to it, or rightly care if she says anything in response, but he's skeptical that she is /quite/ as professional as she made herself out to be, being that the bat had probably toyed with Morrighan deliberately, for her own sense of personal entertainment. She was still one of the best the kappa could hire, all in all, because few would do such jobs to begin with, and have the skill to capture a former Shadow Lord, while on the other hand, she could still use room for improvement, in Que's mind.

Queegmaa

2013-12-10T21:07:57Z

BlondeFox: /* Relationships */ Added Morrighan

{{Character Infobox
|firstname=Queegmaa
|middlename=Ratho
|lastname=Piir
|age=????
|image=queegmaasoftlines.jpg
|caption=Que, if he didn't have a head-plate
|species=Kappa
|sex=Male
|height=5'6
|weight=279 Lbs (Shell + Addons, now including a leg made of metal!)
|series=Final Fantasy 6
|styles=Saboteur, Warrior
|hometown=Southern Continent
|alignment=Forces of Ruin
|group=Gestahlian Empire
|occupation=Toady / Chief Engineer
|themesong="Obsession" - Seiken Densetsu III OST
|quote=If ya got aximimoms, den you got kints in yer mentil armor, n' dat means I cud moldja like clay if I wan'ed!
|footer=Orchestrating Kidnappings for Rakassa
}}

=Appearance=

(In short, picture a short, skinny Blanka from Street Fighter II, but with crazy blonde, not red hair, and a slightly upturned nose, as well as a shell, and prothesis)

Having the typical 'mop-top' of other kappa from The World Of Balance, Queegmaa has light-blonde hair, and large eyes, as do many fish, reptiles, and lizards, or other aquatic creatures. His lips protrude forward boldly, almost like a 'beak' that turtles often have, except not to the same, exaggerated degree. A prominent feature of Que's would be his crooked nose, which was broken and never set properly when it healed, so that it bends slightly to one side. He has an quadrilateral shape for a face, in that it juts downward in an elongated fashion, as well as sideways, but between these cardinal points, the ordinal regions are more concave, giving him a facial shape looking something like a plus sign, hailing from the world of arithmetic. Sharp fangs hide under his wide lips, and his upper brow extends almost across his entire forehead, wrapping around the sides.

Normally, where kappa have a depression inside their tall, coney heads, Que has had a strange helmet permanently grafted to his skull, which is encircled by his long hair, yet, the headgear itself is a cap designed to prevent damage to his soft, sensitive inner cranium, since kappa are traditionally known for their upper 'pocket' being tender, with a thin membrane containing thick fluid that gives them their strange, inhuman strength, in the cases of those water-imps who possess this power. Queegmaa has bionic arms, and parts of his chest, especially the clavicle areas are reinforced to help stabilize the cumbersome weight of these prosthesis; additionally, it stretches around the backside and inserts into his shell, for added support, since kappa tend to be fairly lanky in physique. The mechanical arms of this water-imp, as well as the other portions of machinery to be found on his person look to be in the style of steam-punk, which is typical of industrial design from his world, which were less concerned with ergonomics, and more with practicality, due to the low-level of scientific knowledge they had, necessitating bulk in order to enable power. His skin is a sickly greyish-green, and his eyes are violet. Que's feet are mildly webbed, being remarkably common for kappa, which end in long talons that are perfect for gripping things, akin to a second pair of hands.

Que's hair is a disaster, though, given that frizz and moisture are abundant in the areas from which he often hails, thus, it looks like something out of a rock-band from an 80's glam group, despite still having that moppish flair. He usually carries a staff with him that possesses mana, which aids him in those few instances where he casts spells, beyond serving as a cattle-prod, since he doesn't have any lightning 'spells', in light of the fact that his 'natural' cantrips are pretty much all water, or nature-based. His dilapidated, intricate prosthesis have numerous compartments and sockets in the event that he wishes to add adaptors or new drivers down the road to grant him extra features to his array of gimmicks. Queegmaa does carry a tanto as well, which is often hidden, but all in all, his focus leans towards 'artificial' magic, so it's more likely he'll launch bullets, hooked-wires, slippery grease, or other articles from his stockpile of weaponry, if he's not using flame-throwers to obliterate his foes.

=History=

Queegmaa was a kappa who'd existed in his respective lake for as long as the lake itself had been, being one of the original progenitors of his tribe, which ultimately amounted to a community of dozens. Long-lived creatures, they were never reproduced in droves, so it wasn't difficult for Admiral Rakassa of the empire to trick Que into undermining his own people, while disguising her motives as mutually beneficial. Quick to ascend to greatness, he sold his people down the river unwittingly, while ignoring his better judgement to decline the general's offer, and then ended up with more guilt than he could handle.

Revealing herself to be a Shadow Lord, she exposed the sole survivor of the clan, Que, to a terrible truth that resonated with such seemingly overwhelming truth, that in the face of its admission, the kappa couldn't deny what she'd proclaimed. Seeing no other path available that made any sense, Queegmaa took her up on her offer.

=Personality=

Selfish, paranoid, cowardly, sycophantic, greedy, munny-grubbing, power-hungry, and would just as soon butcher his neighbor out of convenience just as he does the language of the common-tongue; Queegmaa serves Rakassa because she bribes him, but she only keeps him nourished just enough to sustain him, so that he'll be useful to her without getting any ideas of ascension to power. Being the quintessential boot-licker, Que doesn't actually enjoy his downtrodden status, but hasn't the gall to defy her, especially when he foresees the day that he'll inevitably uncover enough skeletons in her closet to provide him with the leverage he needs to oust Rakassa from power, in spite of her oppression, so as to take it for himself. Overall, Queegmaa holds the view that life is a punishment, because of his lack of control over his own fate, and the natural entropy that's part of his default existence, so as a means of exacting revenge against the powers that be, he chooses to try and sabotage everything that the forces at work seemingly aspire to create; this means he resents everything in the universe, including himself; as Rakassa is Vector's manifestation of the one of the seven deadly sins known as 'Lust', Queegmaa is wrath incarnate.

[[File:Queegmaa-FK-Profile.gif]]

=Abilities=

General Stuff- Quegmaa is very elongated in limb, and oblong in body, despite being short-statured, which means his ability to hit targets physically is above average- but ironically enough, because of his affinity for magic, his truest boon rears its ugly head when he flings around spell-craft and elemental forces, or if he makes use of the machinery that comprises a high fraction of his being. For ranged fighting, he carries bolts that've been installed inside his forelimbs, which can be replenished by accretion of dust particles, which become compressed, enabling combustion upon impact with targets, much akin to a gun's bullet- barring that, he's just as accurate with a tanto(short-sword) always on his person, making him fairly well-rounded, if slanted in the direction of divination a touch.

Toxinator- Having been subjected to the vibes of a highly poisonous esper's magicite for years on end, Quegmaa has taken on some of the attributes of said creature; he is highly resistant to acidic, or else noxious substances, which would normally sicken or erode the hardiest of individuals. If that in itself would seem something that couldn't be topped, Queg has another advantage that lies in his ability to occasionally envenomate his victims with physical touch alone.

Aquabotic- He breathes underwater, he's resistant to water-based attacks, and he's a cyborg. Designed for sub-hydrant environments, he has sonar which gives him the ability to visualize his environments by sending wavelengths from himself which give him a sense of topography, or the objects therein; he also carries potions in some otherwise vacant compartments in his arms. He's not an outright grandmaster in magic, or mechanics alike, so he fancies himself a 'technomage', or, an ideal union between mysticism and science- though he prides himself on his unlocking of the 'Exploder' spell, even though it was thought that he'd never master any true fire 'spells'. Being aqua-based, and having a share of metal on his person at all times makes him weak when barraged by lightning, on the other hand....

Sink Syncing- Quegmaa can harmonize with technologies from his world, especially things that relate to aquatics, such as boats, submarines, or possibly even kitchen sinks, which means either attaching to them, controlling them, or at the very least, understanding them. Given time, he can most likely disassemble the structure of alien units that are water-oriented, but it would require at least a day's time to analyze the components involved, even if memorization comes easier; this ability to assimilate/use outlandish devices doesn't apply to any non-hydration type instruments.

Sinewy Sighted- Facial recognition is the name of the game; having dealt with the likes of Rakassa for years at a time, unless someone has a flawless poker-face(listed in their official application or powers or upgrades), and they do not have a mask on, Quegmaa can discern if the person speaking to him speaks with anxiety, or confidence, by way of watching the twitching of optics, and facial muscles, or bodily movements.

=Relationships=
'''Disclaimer: Anyone who interacts with Queegmaa will /not/ be likely to receive forgiving reviews-- RP with him at your own discretion'''

[[Avira]]: If y'only knowed da truth....

[[Echo]]: Yuh jus' stay right where y'ar, 'n dere wun be nuh trouble.

[[Faruja Senra]]: Ya oughta stay outta da way o' that cardnel, if you ever plan tuh get tuh high places, 'n dat means stayin' outta my way, tuh!

[[Hades]] : I dink I's gotta talk to you, soon.... maybe?

[[Maira]]: Yull never save me....never! Even if ya knock down one'a my masters, I still got anudder who kent be cast off.... 'n ya don' know't, but yuh gots da same one!

[[Morrighan Alazne]]: Yer right 'bout one ding.... Ya dun belong 'mongst nuh wild beasts; yer vuligritee puts ya /WAY/ b'low em all!

[[Nagetta]]: Shud be a crime ta be dat good-looking'. All dese fleshy folk an't got nothin' next ta scaly chicks. Ya seem kinda apprehensive, though.... Uneasy. Trust issues come from bein' victimized, 'n I'd love ta pound da ones who mistreated you!

[[Ophelia]]: A self-important snob like you ain't gonna get too far in life; ya kick-down like any other honcho, butcha also kick-up, which dar gon getcha kick'd right beck down ta da bottom!

[[Rakassa]]: Sometimes da pawn is controllin' da queen, and da queen dun know't cuz she's too busy sittin' back while 'er minion is out dere figarin' out stuff in da real world.

[[Rosemarie]]: I herja sprung da coop rayle quick-lik cuz o' dat indayalent Nez'mi. Once a predter picks a target, dey ignore e'rybody else, 'n yant got 'way jus' yet, case yer rejoicin'.

[[Shadow]]: Ya waltz inta the Holluh Basteen even dough ya got no garntays they'd letcha leave. 'Spose it ain't no difurnt from any udder Shaduh Loryed, cuz dey's always stabbin' 'chother in da back, nohow!

=Trivia=

Voice Actor: Matthew Wood (General Grievous)

Name: His name, if correctly pronounced, sounds akin to 'Keg - Maw', as opposed to how it's spelled, which may have most thinking it sounds more like 'Kweeg - mah'.

True Age: Lakes generally last from a few thousand, to dozens of millions of years old at most, and thus it could statistically be inferred that Queegmaa may have seniority over some espers from his world, since kappa have lifespans that typically equal that of the basins they inhabit.

Misogyny: Having masculinity issues, Queegmaa ins unable to find himself attracted to women who dwarf him in girth or height.

Cosmetics: Being on dry land is a real drag, so he does what many drag-queens do, by employing moisturizers constantly, in order to maintain hydrated skin, yet, since this is related to his 'medicinal needs', unlike in the perceptions of humankind, he doesn't see many cosmetics as a 'feminine' thing.

Pets: If Que were to adopt a pet, it would be a dog of some sort, since they are pack-animals which are inclined towards obedience, and asserting dominion over another creature would be the kappa's best way of reclaiming some self-respect, being that he's essentially Rakassa's whipping-boy.

Subjugation: Queegmaa's prosthesis has a greater sensitivity to touch, but this comes with a price; normally, stabbing a prosthetic limb would yield no pain, but Rakassa has wired Que's robotics in such a way that the electro-transmitters send signals to the kappa's brain to induce, or replicate anguish, which means that she can effectively create suffering where there would ordinarily be none possible.

Phobia: Kappa are known to be as strong as ten adult men, allegedly, by way of canon sources; crocodiles can reach up to approximately four-thousand plus pounds, which would technically make them as strong as much more than that. Pound for pound, kappa are stronger, but when crocs grow large enough, they eventually eclipse most kappa, so many water-imps have a (healthy)fear of crocodiles, as a general rule.

= Logs =
{{Character Logs}}
= Cutscenes =
{{Character Logs|Cutscenes}}

Mullonde's Most Unwanted Kappa-Troll

2013-12-10T20:58:04Z

BlondeFox: edit

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2013/12/10
|Location=Mullonde
|Synopsis=After trolling Morrighan to coerce an invitation out of her, Queegmaa becomes one of the woman's most despicable house-guests ever, and his innuendos become boastful, besides semi-incriminating, up to the point that the drow loses her patience. She's provoked so much that she decides to 'flick him out', by raising her wrist thereby sending a gust of wind to hurl him into the streets, where the rest of the dregs are located. Queegmaa vows to get revenge, somehow!
|Cast of Characters=Morrighan Alazne, Queegmaa
|pretty=yes
}}
:'''[[Morrighan Alazne]] has posed:''' Mullonde. Morrighan hadn't been back here since she left with Avira about a week or so back. But with those shenanigans behind her(but certainly not forgotten), Morrighan had returned to her place of residence. She didn't come strolling into Mullonde on foot though. No, instead, a dark portal opened in her living room and the dark elf simply stepped through. Narrowing her eyes, she let out a faint sigh and immediately took a seat on her couch. Having lost her most recent dress in whatever nefarious plot saw fit to have her beaten, kidnapped, tortured, and then have her genetic material taken(for the second time even!), Morrighan was currently wearing her 'Kara' outfit. Or rather, the clothes she was given back when her memory was missing. Consisting of a short blue dress, stockings, and a white jacket; it wasn't her style really, but it would do. "Home at last." She mumbled to herself, closing her eyes and waving a hand lazily. A wisp of magical light emitted from her extended fingertip and the sound of silverware clinking together and water flowing could soon be heard after. Wow, she was too lazy to even make her own tea by hand. And of course, having returned home unannounced to anyone, the elven woman expected no guests. Nor did she particularly want any. Now was thinking time. Yes, thinking time.

:'''[[Queegmaa]] has posed:''' Morrighan was not going to have her thinking time denied any time soon, however, the topic of what she was thinking upon was likely about to change from focusing on relaxing sentiments to more hostile ones, since she was about to receive an interruption.... it was liable to be an unwelcome one, too! Whatever the case may have been, not two minutes after she sat was there a knock on the door, despite the fact that she hadn't been at her residence in awhile. If she happened to peer outside her windows, or through her peep-hole of her door(Mullonde was generous enough to provide her with all the best amenities, courtesy of Valos' influence back when he still prospered), she would see a troll-looking creature that had a mostly human face, and a shell. Not dissimilar to other persons within the World of Ruin, he'd lost some of his body-parts over time, and had to have them replaced with machinery of various manner, which didn't detract from his alien-esque aesthetic, in the least! Surprisingly, his face was charismatic for human standards, even though he was a kappa by default, which probably meant that within his own clan, he was a bit of an ugly-duckling, being reptilian in nature. His very aura gave off a radiance which signified that he had some affinity to the element of nature, more specifically... its darker components-- poison. From his own world, Queegmaa's elemental alignment had its own subdivision, for the World of Balance did possess the elemental defined as 'venomous', but a lot of subsets had been melded together in the nexus of worlds that fused just as many realms together as it did those places' elements! Maybe she could get away with pretending she wasn't at home, and the weird creature would leave.....

:'''[[Morrighan Alazne]] has posed:''' And indeed, not even two minutes after having herself a seat, Morrighan was jolted out of her impending thinking trance by a very unwelcome knock on her front door. "Who in their right mind would even...?" She grumbled lowly, looking off in that general direction. She pondered the possibility of not even bothering to answer. After all, this was too great an interruption! She barely had time to settle in! But alas, curiosity pushed the woman to stand. With a wave of her hand, the clinking and clattering of utensils, cups, and teapot in the kitchen settled down as she crept over to the front door. Looking through the peep-hole, what greeted her was....who in the world was that? She'd never met anyone like this creature before. Her eyes casually scanned the reptilian's form some more, taking in his 'aura' as well. She didn't like it. "....." With a sigh, Morrighan reached for the door handle and opened it, bringing the door ajar enough for her to look out, but not enough to invite entry or get a good look inside. "...Yes?" She asked, sounding a fair bit irritated and impatient. This had better not be some new age Jenova's Witness or something. She'd slam the door and go back to her 'me time' so fast if that was the case.

:'''[[Queegmaa]] has posed:''' The chances were, Queegmaa wasn't a Jenova's Witness, since competition by way of opposing religious propaganda would soon be discovered by The High Confessor, and then expelled, or executed for heresy. His tidings might not have born much comfort even if they weren't that, though, because no matter how one sliced it, he was disrupting Morri's train of thought. Que's vibes were filled with an unnatural quality that could sicken most, yet, given how the drow had been familiarized with darkness so thoroughly in the past, and Shadow Lords, she was probably stern enough to stomach the 'stench' which emanated from the goblin before her. With the door ajar, and behaving in a particularly non-inviting fashion, Queegmaa mumbled something inaudible under his breath, expressing his displeasure at being treated like some kind of unwanted riffraff, but couldn't object too visibly, since this /was/ Morri's own home! Getting ready to throw his pitch at her, Queegmaa clicked his tongue a few times that might've been reminiscent of other sound-oriented folk with whom Morri might've been acquainted with, some time ago, as a means of gathering data on his prospective customer, who was almost invisible, behind the door from whence she utilized to hide! Finally, he started to talk in a brash voice that totally defied whatever decent-to-good-looks he might've had, weird amphibious bodily features aside, "Alright.... Well lemme say dis, first. I knowed this is yer house, 'n I knowed you got da right tuh slam't in my face if you don't like my song 'n dance.... but I dun gone'n gots dee 'okay' from Bishop Em'reld, 'n she says tuh me dat I ken put up a podium to preach Glabadosian doctrine rayle loud, anywhere I want, see?" He grins a wide smile that displays his razor-sharp teeth, designed not to simply cut through mammalian flesh, but that of scaled, or leather-skinned aquatic animals, pausing to let the first morsel of information get digested by the dark elf who might've already felt like she was being unfairly 'threatened' by Que's proclamation. "Now, see... I kint go'n yer house and start shoutin' sh*t all day long, but I ken make a lotta noise all day 'n all night out here if I want, wi'out any trouble from da audoridies." He nods, and raises a finger, as if bringing the whole thing to a finalized point, "What I'm say'n is.... Ya ken gimme five minats in yer home so weh can chat privately about muh offer to pay you some munny fer studyin' wild monsters.... or I ken rant out here all day 'n night fer hours on end, not ten steps from your door. Which da ya perfree?"

:'''[[Morrighan Alazne]] has posed:''' "........." Morrighan's eyes narrowed the moment Queegmaa opened his mouth and started talking. His brash, slang ridden manner of speech already grated upon her nerves. But she was not stupid. You don't live as long as she had without picking up all sorts of different styles of speech, even if she refused to abide by them herself. Thus, the goblin's 'threat' was quite well understood. Looking away for a moment, the dark elf let out a long suffering sigh. Seriously, what was that bishop thinking? Was this some kind of joke? Because it was hardly humorous! Leaving the thought aside, she turned her gaze back to the space between the door to listen further. "Excuse me?" Morrighan spoke incredulously, arching a brow in a manner that suggested that she was hardly buying this. "You want /me/ to study wild monsters? To step out into the unkempt wilderness and follow some foolish creatures around?" Letting go of the door at that point(but keeping it ajar), Morrighan crossed her arms in suspicion. "That sounds like a job for a scientist. Perhaps you took a wrong turn and meant to go to Goug to bother Shinra, hm?" Nevermind the threat, that was given no answer currently. She was too busy being skeptical of the general task being offered.

:'''[[Queegmaa]] has posed:''' The bishop had her own motives, most likely, for having agreed to the arrangement Rakassa had made for Queegmaa to be sanctioned to pull the stunt he was pulling, or else Queegmaa was making the whole thing up entirely. He was one of the best liars Zozo could've ever produced, but the fact of the matter was,.... /this/ time, he was actually telling the truth, which meant that whatever went on in the bishop's mind must have involved method to what would otherwise seem as pure madness. Queegmaa gently pulled out an Ajoran bible, tucking it under his armpit, just as good measure to assure her that he meant business, even so-- he didn't begin to recite a single verse, in favor of focusing on his preference towards inducing the dark elf to go along with his little scheme. One thing was clear, his little precautionary measure to create a cacophonic ruckuss 'not ten steps from her door' was so diabolically petty that Queegmaa was either extremely intelligent, or absurdly stupid, which his backwater dialect might've implied.... but were things always as they seemed? Nevertheless, Que could see she still wasn't welcoming him inside, but on account of believing that the kappa had made a tactical error in selecting her over a scientist. The imp shook his head and snorted, "Nah. I din make nuh mistake here. I come cuz duh monsters I'm intristed in is magical ones, and dem gals is mean! Gorgons.... But I ain't gon' say why I comes tuh you 'stead o' goin' tuh Shirnrar." He nods, assuredly, as if he knew exactly what he was saying, "But as I say.... all I wants's five min'ts of privacy.... 'n.... honestly....." He leans in to whisper in a /VERY/ low voice, "I 'spect ya dun be doin' biz in da Hollow Bastion no more, like yuh used ta, huh? So maybe here's be a better place fer chattin'?"

:'''[[Morrighan Alazne]] has posed:''' Sigh. Great. Someone who knew of /that/ stuff. It always seem to come back to find her somehow. Morrighan only grumbled in continued irritation and finally opened the door fully. "Fine. Come in then." She conceded, stepping aside to give Queegmaa room to come inside. The sooner this was gotten over with, the better. She could just say no after and go on with her peace and quiet after. Gorgons though. How fun. She admittedly was curious as to what exacly he needed /her/ to do specifically. Perhaps this would be a good chance to at least find that out. Once he entered, Morrighan would close the door and lock it, leading the kappa over to the living room where she retook her previous seat. There were a few easy chairs laid out across from the couch as well if he saw fit to have a seat himself. "This has better be good."

:'''[[Queegmaa]] has posed:''' As obtuse as he seemed, Que had a few resources at his disposal, but the truth was, without his benefactor, he would've been beyond adrift in the craziness that was the World of Ruin. However, within the Hollow Bastion, word got around about the various Shadow Lords and at least a few of their dealings, plus, Que must've been desperate if he was pulling out that bit of knowledge to use as leverage to get what he wanted. The fact that she sighed and relented without hurling barbs at him was a mild shock, since the dark elf's haughty patronization of others was practically legend, and she'd managed to be 'tolerable', thus far, in the kappa's eyes.... and more importantly, his ears. It was true that she could turn him down, but he truly hoped she'd take up the offer, else he'd have to find another resort-- heck, maybe he'd take her advice and seek out a professional from ShinRa to do the trick! All that aside, he hobbled inside, making certain not to accidentally scrape the fine wooden door-frame in the slightest by way of snagging it with his steel appendages, for that would surely upset the drow whose high standards were only surpassed by her unrealistic view that said standards could actually ever be met! Once the door was locked, and she guided him to the living room as the floor creaked beneath his feet, Que cackled at her remark, "Gud? Hah... If I's gotta pay somebody fer dis, dun ya dink they'd be willin' ta do't fer free?" Finding every opportunity to nitpick at the slightest misconception, he was as witty and argumentative; minus his uncultured speech, he must've been reminding Morrighan of somebody else. Never minding that, he proceeded with the meat of the matter, "Now as I says a sec'n ago.... I'm searchin' fer gorgons. Dey got sneck-hair 'n all that sh*t." He folded his arms over his chest, putting his bible away, deciding that the riposte would /not/ be needed. Rotating his head around a few times, scanning the room, he scoffed, "Well.... gonna hafta be fergiv'n me fer not sittin', cuz I doubt yer chairs wud be doin' much s'portin..... if ya get what I'm sayin'?" He sighs, knowing full well that unless Morri's furnishings were mystically endowed, they'd collapse under his monstrous weight. At least he had some consideration for the woman, if he wasn't inclined to even /test/ to see if the objects in the room were sturdy enough to support him.... But, presumably, that tiny display of compassion was not going to win the day by itself, besides the chances that any further kindnesses would've most assuredly been few and far between. "Dem f*ckers turn folks intuh stun. We wantcha ta eeder nab one fer us, or ya can do us 'n even better favor, and help us out by capturin' one.... 'n doin' the studyin' yerself, den handin' 'er over so we can do furder examianationans." Que winked, "I's pretty sure ya ken handle one gorgon.... 'les people been over-estimatin' yer skill. Maybe yer so spoiled frum dinkin' dat yer some gift ta drow-kind dat ya dink yer above rayle work, dough.... 'n I en gon' stop ya from dinkin' that. But jus' keep in mind, miss priss, that while yuh go struttin' around like ya is sumthin else, e'rybody else thinks yer just an empress wearin' no clodes." And what a coincidence that he should mention the lack of clothing, since she had recently been humbled via having been forcibly put in outfits worn by..... dancers.

:'''[[Morrighan Alazne]] has posed:''' Morrighan took no offence to Queegmaa's choice to stand. It was his to make. And she would have gotten annoyed if he had broken anything. She had no idea just how much she actually weighed in the end. Shaking her head, she rest an elbow in her lap and her chin in her palm, listening rather boredly to the kappa explain his deal. "Hmn. I see. So you want me capture and study a gorgon for you." There was a pause before Morrighan went on. "I suppose that you're just the middleman as well, nor will you tell me who exactly has sent you." Not relevant to the deal after all. Plus, she wasn't that interested. With a shrug of the shoulders, the dark elf sighed and leaned back against the couch, considering the proposal. "Well, capturing a gorgon sounds simple enough. But unfortunately for you, I have no time to engage in the study of it's biology. Not to any deep extent." There was also the fact that she wasn't exactly in need of money either. She wasn't filthy rich, but she'd amassed plenty of funds in her years, though not all of it existed in a tangible 'money' form. "At the very least, I can run some preliminary examinations and leave the rest for you people to fill in the holes." But there was a catch to all of this, on her end anyway. "...That is, if I were willing to do such." Were she the Morrighan of a few months ago, she likely would have already sent Queegmaa sailing through a wall by way of magic before demanding the hapless carpenters of Mullonde to set about fixing the damage she herself caused. ...But now, the jabs just caused the elf to roll her eyes and chuckle. She'd come too far to be riled up by some stranger in an obvious ploy to get his way. "As it stands, there is nothing in this for myself that garners interest. I have no need of your money, nor do I particularly harbor any desire to study a gorgon." Not to mention she'd recently been captured and studied herself. So she may have felt a bit bad for going to do the same thing to someone or something else. ...Maybe.

:'''[[Queegmaa]] has posed:''' Astonishingly, Morrighan didn't lose her temper and begin to sling mud back at Queegmaa, which was a real test that she'd reached some of the heights to which she might've aspired since her adoption of a new philosophy on life.... That was something Queegmaa did /not/ know of, because Captain Egress had been witness to her mild scoldings during the visit to the Farplane. On the other hand, what Vohstras had claimed, versus what Queegmaa had heard from others didn't match very well, since the stories that had gone around had essentially depicted Morrighan as a demon from hell whose tongue could've put a serpent's to shame. Beyond that, she wasn't acting as high and mighty as he'd expected, although she did insinuate that she was above running around catching animals-- even that was only a mild boast in pride. All that appeared to be left of the original iceberg was the tip, and the green vermin was not certain what to think about his sources' credibility. They'd told him lots, but either Morrighan had truly reformed, or she was restraining her temper with a force unheard of; Queegmaa couldn't be sure which it was. Maybe some rumors were true, and some were true, but only so in the past, not the present. "Guess ya sudlee decided on gettin' yerself a conscience. Maybe.... cuz if you was to be goin' round capturin' dings.... den ya'd be a hippiocret.... Aye? Dun wanna /strip/ ya of yer aspirations tuh greatness." He winked, mischieviously. Now, that had tove been a little conspicuous. Two consecutive remarks that implied something bad had happened to her, that might have pertained to both captivity, and having clothing removed unwillingly. Then again, it is possible the first was just by chance, and the second was a reference to her having been caught by Garland.... even if he did emphasize the word 'strip', and bring up loss of a wardrobe. The kappa then snapped his fingers, "Fair 'nuff. Ya dar convinced me dat ya'nt da one fer da job. I dink I'll just be goin' now, den.... so why dontcha unlock da door fer me? Seems I ougha be gittin o'er ta Goug, 'n I dun like muh time wasted....."

:'''[[Morrighan Alazne]] has posed:''' "Uh-huh. You do that then." Morrighan retained her bored, observing posture. Only lifting a hand slightly to work a little magic to cause the front door to unlock and open by itself. "No worries. I'm already seeing you out." By way of certain floating orb bits. One was patrolling the house and had now stopped at the front foyer, 'eye' on Queegmaa's figure from above. She was more worried about the reptilian's cryptic parting words if anything. It almost sounded as if he knew something about what happened to her. ".....Hmn." She narrowed her eyes, but let Queegmaa go. Now wasn't the time to strike. She'd need to...ask around and see what she could come up with first. That thought in mind, Morrighan simply put on a pleasant smile and waved her goodbye.

:'''[[Queegmaa]] has posed:''' Queegmaa bowed to Morrighan as he began to walk towards the door, smiling pleasantly, "Well.... I hafta say, was rayle nice meetin' ya, Miss 'Lazanay. I often come ta Mullonde, y'see, so we may see 'chother 'gin. In fact.... I wuden be su'prised if we happened ta see each udder on da marrow...." He grins widely, then feigns surprise, as though having an epiphany, "Ah... speakin' of aspirations.... as ya kin see,.... my language ain't too good, 'n I'm tryin' ta improve't a bit.... I keep forgettin'.... is it 'marrow', or is it 'morrow'? I 'sure ya, dat'll be my last query for da day...." He winks again, "I'd be REALLY grateful if ya cud tell me if it's marrow or not....."

:'''[[Morrighan Alazne]] has posed:''' Okay, not he was just being far too obvious. Continuing to smile, Morrighan's waving hand suddenly flashed before a gun was pointed straight at him. "Are you sure, you should be asking me such a question? I already have the names of Echo, and how I can add your face to the list." Her smile remained as she spoke, gun pointed and finger resting on the trigger. "You don't seem very common either. I imagine I could find out who you are easily enough." A magical buildup began to grow along the firing barrel, creating an orb of magical energy ready to be fired as a bullet at even the slightest wrong move. "And from there, I would work my way up and find the one pulling your strings. And then the whole thing comes toppling down." There was a pause to let it sink in. "So, do be a dear and think about it." And even still, her pleasant smile remained. "You look like an uncouth barbarian, but I imagine you actually have a brain in there, hm? Why not use it?"

:'''[[Queegmaa]] has posed:''' Queegmaa adorned an expression of shock, while at the doorway, when she pointed the gun at him. He blinked at her perplexedly, raising his hands as though frightened out of his wits, and totally innocent of anything having to do with whatever it was that Morrighan was going on about, "WHOA.... Yer gettin' a lil 'fensive 'bout a simple question from a simple country bumpkin like me.... In it obvious dat I'm jus' some backwater folk? I tell ya, Miss! I dun want no trouble...." He backs away slowly, out of her house, step by step, but only a foot or two, so as not to startle Morrighan, and cause an accidental discharge. He might be strong enough, or fast enough to avoid a deathblow from the gun, but the kappa knows that with the gun already in her hand and aimed at him, he's liable to leave the house making an escape with at least some kind of grievous injury. On the one hand, he can only taunt her so much, and on the other, he's scared enough that she's not bluffing, to believe that he shouldn't push his luck too far. Queegmaa, as if /trying/ to seem compliant, spouts off, "If ya wanna know my name.... dat's easy.... I give it ta ya, and yuh let me leave wi'out any problems... aye?" The troll nods, "Name is Queegmaa!... Lotsa folks already knowed it. It in nuh sehkret....." With that, he continues to back out, assuming that his willingness to cooperate will assuage her somewhat. Que may live on the edge, but in the end.... he's still a coward, and with Morrighan wielding a gun, right /now/, she had the upper hand. "Maybe we shud just 'gree ta dis'gree on who is playin' what kinda games with one 'nudder, and... put da weapons away....." Of course, he turns his body sideways with the door wide open, such that a couple bystanders happen to see across Que, where Morrighan had the gun trained on him. For all they knew, it was some kind of joke, or silly antic between friends, so for the time being, it doesn't attract too much attention.

:'''[[Queegmaa]] has posed:''' The reality was.... his 'act' was that he was frightened out of his wits.... but in actuality, this wasn't even completely untrue.... He was nervous, at the very least.....

:'''[[Morrighan Alazne]] has posed:''' "Is that so?" Morrighan could hardly believe this 'country bumpkin' at this point. Her mind was working in overdrive and multiple conclusions were drawn as possibilities. Her crimson gaze rested on Queegmaa as he slowly backed away from the sights of the weapon pointed at him. "Well, you must forgive me for being wholly unable to believe you." Yet, she hadn't pulled the trigger. Despite her irritation and anger, Morrighan wanted trouble just about as much as Queegmaa did, which was not at all. But that hadn't mean that she'd lay down and let him say whatever he wanted. "...Queegmaa. I see." Nodding slowly, Morrighan lowered the aim of her gun just slightly enough to put him at ease. "Well then, have a nice day." THe elf spoke in parting, waving with her free hand before suddenly thrusting it forward. What followed was a concentrated gust of wind, enough to push the imp out of her doorway if he hadn't braced himself, but in the end, not harmnful. If that had succeeded, then the door would shut itself and lock again without Morrighan having moved from her spot.

:'''[[Queegmaa]] has posed:''' Although he sounded like a 'good-old boy', Queegmaa was just the opposite, and Morrighan's intuition had served her well for thinking otherwise. When she asked him to forgive her for having her doubts about believing his yarn, he nodded his head anxiously, though without any sign of perspiration(beyond sea-turtles, which shed tears to eject excess salt, aquatic animals neither sweated, nor cried), the kappa continued to back-peddle steadily, hoping to create some distance between himself and the crazed elf, "Hey ma'am.... you da boss. Dis is yer house, 'n I jus' wanna git from here. In gon' disturb ya no more.... 'n if we dun meet 'gin, den I dink I'll be fixin' on havin' m'self a nice day...." Before he could voluntarily abandon the woman, she caused a gale to barrage him, which had enough force to hurl him a few good meters from her doorstep. To have actually budged the green goblin at all, the pressure involved would've had to've incorporated at least three to four hundred pounds of force, which meant that by the time it did gather enough strength to move him.... it practically threw him, causing him to go sprawling across the street as the door closed behind him. Growling, he shouted back, "YA UNCULTYEERED SAVYIDGE! Attack me, will ya?! I dun bleeve dat sh*t abet ya wishin' me a nice day fer all da tea in da Chinese Countryside! Yuh callin' me a liar, 'n yant no better!" Getting up and dusting himself off, he reached under his armpit and hit a switch which he'd flicked when he'd pressed the bible under his arm. No.... he didn't have a built-in video on his prosthesis, but he did have a rudimentary audio, and he would eventually go to one of the bishops to see if he could qualify to sue Morrighan for a few munny-bucks, or something of the sort; given how much money she had, considering that she declined his offer, he probably couldn't damage her bank-account much, but maybe he could at least make a statement! One could hope, anyway.....

Mullonde's Most Unwanted Kappa-Troll

2013-12-10T20:55:30Z

BlondeFox: Morrighan and Queegmaa have an exchange: Log

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2013/12/10
|Location=Mullonde
|Synopsis=After trolling Morrighan to coerce an invitation out of her, Queegmaa becomes one of the woman's most despicable house-guests ever, and his innuendos become boastful, besides semi-incriminating, up to the point that the drow loses her patience. She's provoked so much that she decides to 'flick him out', by raising her wrist thereby sending a gust of wind to hurl him into the streets, where the rest of the dregs are located. Queegmaa vows to get revenge, somehow!
|Cast of Characters=Morrighan Alazne, Queegmaa
|pretty=yes
}}
:'''[[Morrighan Alazne]] has posed:''' Mullonde. Morrighan hadn't been back here since she left with Avira about a week or so back. But with those shenanigans behind her(but certainly not forgotten), Morrighan had returned to her place of residence. She didn't come strolling into Mullonde on foot though. No, instead, a dark portal opened in her living room and the dark elf simply stepped through. Narrowing her eyes, she let out a faint sigh and immediately took a seat on her couch. Having lost her most recent dress in whatever nefarious plot saw fit to have her beaten, kidnapped, tortured, and then have her genetic material taken(for the second time even!), Morrighan was currently wearing her 'Kara' outfit. Or rather, the clothes she was given back when her memory was missing. Consisting of a short blue dress, stockings, and a white jacket; it wasn't her style really, but it would do. "Home at last." She mumbled to herself, closing her eyes and waving a hand lazily. A wisp of magical light emitted from her extended fingertip and the sound of silverware clinking together and water flowing could soon be heard after. Wow, she was too lazy to even make her own tea by hand. And of course, having returned home unannounced to anyone, the elven woman expected no guests. Nor did she particularly want any. Now was thinking time. Yes, thinking time.

:'''[[Queegmaa]] has posed:''' Morrighan was not going to have her thinking time denied any time soon, however, the topic of what she was thinking upon was likely about to change from focusing on relaxing sentiments to more hostile ones, since she was about to receive an interruption.... it was liable to be an unwelcome one, too! Whatever the case may have been, not two minutes after she sat was there a knock on the door, despite the fact that she hadn't been at her residence in awhile. If she happened to peer outside her windows, or through her peep-hole of her door(Mullonde was generous enough to provide her with all the best amenities, courtesy of Valos' influence back when he still prospered), she would see a troll-looking creature that had a mostly human face, and a shell. Not dissimilar to other persons within the World of Ruin, he'd lost some of his body-parts over time, and had to have them replaced with machinery of various manner, which didn't detract from his alien-esque aesthetic, in the least! Surprisingly, his face was charismatic for human standards, even though he was a kappa by default, which probably meant that within his own clan, he was a bit of an ugly-duckling, being reptilian in nature. His very aura gave off a radiance which signified that he had some affinity to the element of nature, more specifically... its darker components-- poison. From his own world, Queegmaa's elemental alignment had its own subdivision, for the World of Balance did possess the elemental defined as 'venomous', but a lot of subsets had been melded together in the nexus of worlds that fused just as many realms together as it did those places' elements! Maybe she could get away with pretending she wasn't at home, and the weird creature would leave.....

:'''[[Morrighan Alazne]] has posed:''' And indeed, not even two minutes after having herself a seat, Morrighan was jolted out of her impending thinking trance by a very unwelcome knock on her front door. "Who in their right mind would even...?" She grumbled lowly, looking off in that general direction. She pondered the possibility of not even bothering to answer. After all, this was too great an interruption! She barely had time to settle in! But alas, curiosity pushed the woman to stand. With a wave of her hand, the clinking and clattering of utensils, cups, and teapot in the kitchen settled down as she crept over to the front door. Looking through the peep-hole, what greeted her was....who in the world was that? She'd never met anyone like this creature before. Her eyes casually scanned the reptilian's form some more, taking in his 'aura' as well. She didn't like it. "....." With a sigh, Morrighan reached for the door handle and opened it, bringing the door ajar enough for her to look out, but not enough to invite entry or get a good look inside. "...Yes?" She asked, sounding a fair bit irritated and impatient. This had better not be some new age Jenova's Witness or something. She'd slam the door and go back to her 'me time' so fast if that was the case.

:'''[[Queegmaa]] has posed:''' The chances were, Queegmaa wasn't a Jenova's Witness, since competition by way of opposing religious propaganda would soon be discovered by The High Confessor, and then expelled, or executed for heresy. His tidings might not have born much comfort even if they weren't that, though, because no matter how one sliced it, he was disrupting Morri's train of thought. Que's vibes were filled with an unnatural quality that could sicken most, yet, given how the drow had been familiarized with darkness so thoroughly in the past, and Shadow Lords, she was probably stern enough to stomach the 'stench' which emanated from the goblin before her. With the door ajar, and behaving in a particularly non-inviting fashion, Queegmaa mumbled something inaudible under his breath, expressing his displeasure at being treated like some kind of unwanted riffraff, but couldn't object too visibly, since this /was/ Morri's own home! Getting ready to throw his pitch at her, Queegmaa clicked his tongue a few times that might've been reminiscent of other sound-oriented folk with whom Morri might've been acquainted with, some time ago, as a means of gathering data on his prospective customer, who was almost invisible, behind the door from whence she utilized to hide! Finally, he started to talk in a brash voice that totally defied whatever decent-to-good-looks he might've had, weird amphibious bodily features aside, "Alright.... Well lemme say dis, first. I knowed this is yer house, 'n I knowed you got da right tuh slam't in my face if you don't like my song 'n dance.... but I dun gone'n gots dee 'okay' from Bishop Em'reld, 'n she says tuh me dat I ken put up a podium to preach Glabadosian doctrine rayle loud, anywhere I want, see?" He grins a wide smile that displays his razor-sharp teeth, designed not to simply cut through mammalian flesh, but that of scaled, or leather-skinned aquatic animals, pausing to let the first morsel of information get digested by the dark elf who might've already felt like she was being unfairly 'threatened' by Que's proclamation. "Now, see... I kint go'n yer house and start shoutin' sh*t all day long, but I ken make a lotta noise all day 'n all night out here if I want, wi'out any trouble from da audoridies." He nods, and raises a finger, as if bringing the whole thing to a finalized point, "What I'm say'n is.... Ya ken gimme five minats in yer home so weh can chat privately about muh offer to pay you some munny fer studyin' wild monsters.... or I ken rant out here all day 'n night fer hours on end, not ten steps from your door. Which da ya perfree?"

:'''[[Morrighan Alazne]] has posed:''' "........." Morrighan's eyes narrowed the moment Queegmaa opened his mouth and started talking. His brash, slang ridden manner of speech already grated upon her nerves. But she was not stupid. You don't live as long as she had without picking up all sorts of different styles of speech, even if she refused to abide by them herself. Thus, the goblin's 'threat' was quite well understood. Looking away for a moment, the dark elf let out a long suffering sigh. Seriously, what was that bishop thinking? Was this some kind of joke? Because it was hardly humorous! Leaving the thought aside, she turned her gaze back to the space between the door to listen further. "Excuse me?" Morrighan spoke incredulously, arching a brow in a manner that suggested that she was hardly buying this. "You want /me/ to study wild monsters? To step out into the unkempt wilderness and follow some foolish creatures around?" Letting go of the door at that point(but keeping it ajar), Morrighan crossed her arms in suspicion. "That sounds like a job for a scientist. Perhaps you took a wrong turn and meant to go to Goug to bother Shinra, hm?" Nevermind the threat, that was given no answer currently. She was too busy being skeptical of the general task being offered.

:'''[[Queegmaa]] has posed:''' The bishop had her own motives, most likely, for having agreed to the arrangement Rakassa had made for Queegmaa to be sanctioned to pull the stunt he was pulling, or else Queegmaa was making the whole thing up entirely. He was one of the best liars Zozo could've ever produced, but the fact of the matter was,.... /this/ time, he was actually telling the truth, which meant that whatever went on in the bishop's mind must have involved method to what would otherwise seem as pure madness. Queegmaa gently pulled out an Ajoran bible, tucking it under his armpit, just as good measure to assure her that he meant business, even so-- he didn't begin to recite a single verse, in favor of focusing on his preference towards inducing the dark elf to go along with his little scheme. One thing was clear, his little precautionary measure to create a cacophonic ruckuss 'not ten steps from her door' was so diabolically petty that Queegmaa was either extremely intelligent, or absurdly stupid, which his backwater dialect might've implied.... but were things always as they seemed? Nevertheless, Que could see she still wasn't welcoming him inside, but on account of believing that the kappa had made a tactical error in selecting her over a scientist. The imp shook his head and snorted, "Nah. I din make nuh mistake here. I come cuz duh monsters I'm intristed in is magical ones, and dem gals is mean! Gorgons.... But I ain't gon' say why I comes tuh you 'stead o' goin' tuh Shirnrar." He nods, assuredly, as if he knew exactly what he was saying, "But as I say.... all I wants's five min'ts of privacy.... 'n.... honestly....." He leans in to whisper in a /VERY/ low voice, "I 'spect ya dun be doin' biz in da Hollow Bastion no more, like yuh used ta, huh? So maybe here's be a better place fer chattin'?"

:'''[[Morrighan Alazne]] has posed:''' Sigh. Great. Someone who knew of /that/ stuff. It always seem to come back to find her somehow. Morrighan only grumbled in continued irritation and finally opened the door fully. "Fine. Come in then." She conceded, stepping aside to give Queegmaa room to come inside. The sooner this was gotten over with, the better. She could just say no after and go on with her peace and quiet after. Gorgons though. How fun. She admittedly was curious as to what exacly he needed /her/ to do specifically. Perhaps this would be a good chance to at least find that out. Once he entered, Morrighan would close the door and lock it, leading the kappa over to the living room where she retook her previous seat. There were a few easy chairs laid out across from the couch as well if he saw fit to have a seat himself. "This has better be good."

:'''[[Queegmaa]] has posed:''' As obtuse as he seemed, Que had a few resources at his disposal, but the truth was, without his benefactor, he would've been beyond adrift in the craziness that was the World of Ruin. However, within the Hollow Bastion, word got around about the various Shadow Lords and at least a few of their dealings, plus, Que must've been desperate if he was pulling out that bit of knowledge to use as leverage to get what he wanted. The fact that she sighed and relented without hurling barbs at him was a mild shock, since the dark elf's haughty patronization of others was practically legend, and she'd managed to be 'tolerable', thus far, in the kappa's eyes.... and more importantly, his ears. It was true that she could turn him down, but he truly hoped she'd take up the offer, else he'd have to find another resort-- heck, maybe he'd take her advice and seek out a professional from ShinRa to do the trick! All that aside, he hobbled inside, making certain not to accidentally scrape the fine wooden door-frame in the slightest by way of snagging it with his steel appendages, for that would surely upset the drow whose high standards were only surpassed by her unrealistic view that said standards could actually ever be met! Once the door was locked, and she guided him to the living room as the floor creaked beneath his feet, Que cackled at her remark, "Gud? Hah... If I's gotta pay somebody fer dis, dun ya dink they'd be willin' ta do't fer free?" Finding every opportunity to nitpick at the slightest misconception, he was as witty and argumentative; minus his uncultured speech, he must've been reminding Morrighan of somebody else. Never minding that, he proceeded with the meat of the matter, "Now as I says a sec'n ago.... I'm searchin' fer gorgons. Dey got sneck-hair 'n all that sh*t." He folded his arms over his chest, putting his bible away, deciding that the riposte would /not/ be needed. Rotating his head around a few times, scanning the room, he scoffed, "Well.... gonna hafta be fergiv'n me fer not sittin', cuz I doubt yer chairs wud be doin' much s'portin..... if ya get what I'm sayin'?" He sighs, knowing full well that unless Morri's furnishings were mystically endowed, they'd collapse under his monstrous weight. At least he had some consideration for the woman, if he wasn't inclined to even /test/ to see if the objects in the room were sturdy enough to support him.... But, presumably, that tiny display of compassion was not going to win the day by itself, besides the chances that any further kindnesses would've most assuredly been few and far between. "Dem f*ckers turn folks intuh stun. We wantcha ta eeder nab one fer us, or ya can do us 'n even better favor, and help us out by capturin' one.... 'n doin' the studyin' yerself, den handin' 'er over so we can do furder examianationans." Que winked, "I's pretty sure ya ken handle one gorgon.... 'les people been over-estimatin' yer skill. Maybe yer so spoiled frum dinkin' dat yer some gift ta drow-kind dat ya dink yer above rayle work, dough.... 'n I en gon' stop ya from dinkin' that. But jus' keep in mind, miss priss, that while yuh go struttin' around like ya is sumthin else, e'rybody else thinks yer just an empress wearin' no clodes." And what a coincidence that he should mention the lack of clothing, since she had recently been humbled via having been forcibly put in outfits worn by..... dancers.

:'''[[Morrighan Alazne]] has posed:''' Morrighan took no offence to Queegmaa's choice to stand. It was his to make. And she would have gotten annoyed if he had broken anything. She had no idea just how much she actually weighed in the end. Shaking her head, she rest an elbow in her lap and her chin in her palm, listening rather boredly to the kappa explain his deal. "Hmn. I see. So you want me capture and study a gorgon for you." There was a pause before Morrighan went on. "I suppose that you're just the middleman as well, nor will you tell me who exactly has sent you." Not relevant to the deal after all. Plus, she wasn't that interested. With a shrug of the shoulders, the dark elf sighed and leaned back against the couch, considering the proposal. "Well, capturing a gorgon sounds simple enough. But unfortunately for you, I have no time to engage in the study of it's biology. Not to any deep extent." There was also the fact that she wasn't exactly in need of money either. She wasn't filthy rich, but she'd amassed plenty of funds in her years, though not all of it existed in a tangible 'money' form. "At the very least, I can run some preliminary examinations and leave the rest for you people to fill in the holes." But there was a catch to all of this, on her end anyway. "...That is, if I were willing to do such." Were she the Morrighan of a few months ago, she likely would have already sent Queegmaa sailing through a wall by way of magic before demanding the hapless carpenters of Mullonde to set about fixing the damage she herself caused. ...But now, the jabs just caused the elf to roll her eyes and chuckle. She'd come too far to be riled up by some stranger in an obvious ploy to get his way. "As it stands, there is nothing in this for myself that garners interest. I have no need of your money, nor do I particularly harbor any desire to study a gorgon." Not to mention she'd recently been captured and studied herself. So she may have felt a bit bad for going to do the same thing to someone or something else. ...Maybe.

:'''[[Queegmaa]] has posed:''' Astonishingly, Morrighan didn't lose her temper and begin to sling mud back at Queegmaa, which was a real test that she'd reached some of the heights to which she might've aspired since her adoption of a new philosophy on life.... That was something Queegmaa did /not/ know of, because Captain Egress had been witness to her mild scoldings during the visit to the Farplane. On the other hand, what Vohstras had claimed, versus what Queegmaa had heard from others didn't match very well, since the stories that had gone around had essentially depicted Morrighan as a demon from hell whose tongue could've put a serpent's to shame. Beyond that, she wasn't acting as high and mighty as he'd expected, although she did insinuate that she was above running around catching animals-- even that was only a mild boast in pride. All that appeared to be left of the original iceberg was the tip, and the green vermin was not certain what to think about his sources' credibility. They'd told him lots, but either Morrighan had truly reformed, or she was restraining her temper with a force unheard of; Queegmaa couldn't be sure which it was. Maybe some rumors were true, and some were true, but only so in the past, not the present. "Guess ya sudlee decided on gettin' yerself a conscience. Maybe.... cuz if you was to be goin' round capturin' dings.... den ya'd be a hippiocret.... Aye? Dun wanna /strip/ ya of yer aspirations tuh greatness." He winked, mischieviously. Now, that had tove been a little conspicuous. Two consecutive remarks that implied something bad had happened to her, that might have pertained to both captivity, and having clothing removed unwillingly. Then again, it is possible the first was just by chance, and the second was a reference to her having been caught by Garland.... even if he did emphasize the word 'strip', and bring up loss of a wardrobe. The kappa then snapped his fingers, "Fair 'nuff. Ya dar convinced me dat ya'nt da one fer da job. I dink I'll just be goin' now, den.... so why dontcha unlock da door fer me? Seems I ougha be gittin o'er ta Goug, 'n I dun like muh time wasted....."

:'''[[Morrighan Alazne]] has posed:''' "Uh-huh. You do that then." Morrighan retained her bored, observing posture. Only lifting a hand slightly to work a little magic to cause the front door to unlock and open by itself. "No worries. I'm already seeing you out." By way of certain floating orb bits. One was patrolling the house and had now stopped at the front foyer, 'eye' on Queegmaa's figure from above. She was more worried about the reptilian's cryptic parting words if anything. It almost sounded as if he knew something about what happened to her. ".....Hmn." She narrowed her eyes, but let Queegmaa go. Now wasn't the time to strike. She'd need to...ask around and see what she could come up with first. That thought in mind, Morrighan simply put on a pleasant smile and waved her goodbye.

:'''[[Queegmaa]] has posed:''' Queegmaa bowed to Morrighan as he began to walk towards the door, smiling pleasantly, "Well.... I hafta say, was rayle nice meetin' ya, Miss 'Lazanay. I often come ta Mullonde, y'see, so we may see 'chother 'gin. In fact.... I wuden be su'prised if we happened ta see each udder on da marrow...." He grins widely, then feigns surprise, as though having an epiphany, "Ah... speakin' of aspirations.... as ya kin see,.... my language ain't too good, 'n I'm tryin' ta improve't a bit.... I keep forgettin'.... is it 'marrow', or is it 'morrow'? I 'sure ya, dat'll be my last query for da day...." He winks again, "I'd be REALLY grateful if ya cud tell me if it's marrow or not....."

:'''[[Morrighan Alazne]] has posed:''' Okay, not he was just being far too obvious. Continuing to smile, Morrighan's waving hand suddenly flashed before a gun was pointed straight at him. "Are you sure, you should be asking me such a question? I already have the names of Echo, and how I can add your face to the list." Her smile remained as she spoke, gun pointed and finger resting on the trigger. "You don't seem very common either. I imagine I could find out who you are easily enough." A magical buildup began to grow along the firing barrel, creating an orb of magical energy ready to be fired as a bullet at even the slightest wrong move. "And from there, I would work my way up and find the one pulling your strings. And then the whole thing comes toppling down." There was a pause to let it sink in. "So, do be a dear and think about it." And even still, her pleasant smile remained. "You look like an uncouth barbarian, but I imagine you actually have a brain in there, hm? Why not use it?"

:'''[[Queegmaa]] has posed:''' Queegmaa adorned an expression of shock, while at the doorway, when she pointed the gun at him. He blinked at her perplexedly, raising his hands as though frightened out of his wits, and totally innocent of anything having to do with whatever it was that Morrighan was going on about, "WHOA.... Yer gettin' a lil 'fensive 'bout a simple question from a simple country bumpkin like me.... In it obvious dat I'm jus' some backwater folk? I tell ya, Miss! I dun want no trouble...." He backs away slowly, out of her house, step by step, but only a foot or two, so as not to startle Morrighan, and cause an accidental discharge. He might be strong enough, or fast enough to avoid a deathblow from the gun, but the kappa knows that with the gun already in her hand and aimed at him, he's liable to leave the house making an escape with at least some kind of grievous injury. On the one hand, he can only taunt her so much, and on the other, he's scared enough that she's not bluffing, to believe that he shouldn't push his luck too far. Queegmaa, as if /trying/ to seem compliant, spouts off, "If ya wanna know my name.... dat's easy.... I give it ta ya, and yuh let me leave wi'out any problems... aye?" The troll nods, "Name is Queegmaa!... Lotsa folks already knowed it. It in nuh sehkret....." With that, he continues to back out, assuming that his willingness to cooperate will assuage her somewhat. Que may live on the edge, but in the end.... he's still a coward, and with Morrighan wielding a gun, right /now/, she had the upper hand. "Maybe we shud just 'gree ta dis'gree on who is playin' what kinda games with one 'nudder, and... put da weapons away....." Of course, he turns his body sideways with the door wide open, such that a couple bystanders happen to see across Que, where Morrighan had the gun trained on him. For all they knew, it was some kind of joke, or silly antic between friends, so for the time being, it doesn't attract too much attention.

:'''[[Queegmaa]] has posed:''' The reality was.... his 'act' was that he was frightened out of his wits.... but in actuality, this wasn't even completely untrue.... He was nervous, at the very least.....

:'''[[Morrighan Alazne]] has posed:''' "Is that so?" Morrighan could hardly believe this 'country bumpkin' at this point. Her mind was working in overdrive and multiple conclusions were drawn as possibilities. Her crimson gaze rested on Queegmaa as he slowly backed away from the sights of the weapon pointed at him. "Well, you must forgive me for being wholly unable to believe you." Yet, she hadn't pulled the trigger. Despite her irritation and anger, Morrighan wanted trouble just about as much as Queegmaa did, which was not at all. But that hadn't mean that she'd lay down and let him say whatever he wanted. "...Queegmaa. I see." Nodding slowly, Morrighan lowered the aim of her gun just slightly enough to put him at ease. "Well then, have a nice day." THe elf spoke in parting, waving with her free hand before suddenly thrusting it forward. What followed was a concentrated gust of wind, enough to push the imp out of her doorway if he hadn't braced himself, but in the end, not harmnful. If that had succeeded, then the door would shut itself and lock again without Morrighan having moved from her spot.

:'''[[Queegmaa]] has posed:''' Although he sounded like a 'good-old boy', Queegmaa was just the opposite, and Morrighan's intuition had served her well for thinking otherwise. When she asked him to forgive her for having her doubts about believing his yarn, he nodded his head anxiously, though without any sign of perspiration(beyond sea-turtles, which shed tears to eject excess salt, aquatic animals neither sweated, nor cried), the kappa continued to back-peddle steadily, hoping to create some distance between himself and the crazed elf, "Hey ma'am.... you da boss. Dis is yer house, 'n I jus' wanna git from here. In gon' disturb ya no more.... 'n if we dun meet 'gin, den I dink I'll be fixin' on havin' m'self a nice day...." Before he could voluntarily abandon the woman, she caused a gale to barrage him, which had enough force to hurl him a few good meters from her doorstep. To have actually budged the green goblin at all, the pressure involved would've had to've incorporated at least three to four hundred pounds of force, which meant that by the time it did gather enough strength to move him.... it practically threw him, causing him to go sprawling across the street as the door closed behind him. Growling, he shouted back, "YA UNCULTYEERED BARBERYUN! Attack me, will ya?! I dun bleeve dat sh*t abet ya wishin' me a nice day fer all da tea in da Chinese Countryside! Yuh callin' me a liar, 'n yant no better!" Getting up and dusting himself off, he reached under his armpit and hit a switch which he'd flicked when he'd pressed the bible under his arm. No.... he didn't have a built-in video on his prosthesis, but he did have a rudimentary audio, and he would eventually go to one of the bishops to see if he could qualify to sue Morrighan for a few munny-bucks, or something of the sort; given how much money she had, considering that she declined his offer, he probably couldn't damage her bank-account much, but maybe he could at least make a statement! One could hope, anyway.....

Queegmaa

2013-12-10T05:17:01Z

BlondeFox: /* Trivia */ Weakness/Phobia

{{Character Infobox
|firstname=Queegmaa
|middlename=Ratho
|lastname=Piir
|age=????
|image=queegmaasoftlines.jpg
|caption=Que, if he didn't have a head-plate
|species=Kappa
|sex=Male
|height=5'6
|weight=279 Lbs (Shell + Addons, now including a leg made of metal!)
|series=Final Fantasy 6
|styles=Saboteur, Warrior
|hometown=Southern Continent
|alignment=Forces of Ruin
|group=Gestahlian Empire
|occupation=Toady / Chief Engineer
|themesong="Obsession" - Seiken Densetsu III OST
|quote=If ya got aximimoms, den you got kints in yer mentil armor, n' dat means I cud moldja like clay if I wan'ed!
|footer=Orchestrating Kidnappings for Rakassa
}}

=Appearance=

(In short, picture a short, skinny Blanka from Street Fighter II, but with crazy blonde, not red hair, and a slightly upturned nose, as well as a shell, and prothesis)

Having the typical 'mop-top' of other kappa from The World Of Balance, Queegmaa has light-blonde hair, and large eyes, as do many fish, reptiles, and lizards, or other aquatic creatures. His lips protrude forward boldly, almost like a 'beak' that turtles often have, except not to the same, exaggerated degree. A prominent feature of Que's would be his crooked nose, which was broken and never set properly when it healed, so that it bends slightly to one side. He has an quadrilateral shape for a face, in that it juts downward in an elongated fashion, as well as sideways, but between these cardinal points, the ordinal regions are more concave, giving him a facial shape looking something like a plus sign, hailing from the world of arithmetic. Sharp fangs hide under his wide lips, and his upper brow extends almost across his entire forehead, wrapping around the sides.

Normally, where kappa have a depression inside their tall, coney heads, Que has had a strange helmet permanently grafted to his skull, which is encircled by his long hair, yet, the headgear itself is a cap designed to prevent damage to his soft, sensitive inner cranium, since kappa are traditionally known for their upper 'pocket' being tender, with a thin membrane containing thick fluid that gives them their strange, inhuman strength, in the cases of those water-imps who possess this power. Queegmaa has bionic arms, and parts of his chest, especially the clavicle areas are reinforced to help stabilize the cumbersome weight of these prosthesis; additionally, it stretches around the backside and inserts into his shell, for added support, since kappa tend to be fairly lanky in physique. The mechanical arms of this water-imp, as well as the other portions of machinery to be found on his person look to be in the style of steam-punk, which is typical of industrial design from his world, which were less concerned with ergonomics, and more with practicality, due to the low-level of scientific knowledge they had, necessitating bulk in order to enable power. His skin is a sickly greyish-green, and his eyes are violet. Que's feet are mildly webbed, being remarkably common for kappa, which end in long talons that are perfect for gripping things, akin to a second pair of hands.

Que's hair is a disaster, though, given that frizz and moisture are abundant in the areas from which he often hails, thus, it looks like something out of a rock-band from an 80's glam group, despite still having that moppish flair. He usually carries a staff with him that possesses mana, which aids him in those few instances where he casts spells, beyond serving as a cattle-prod, since he doesn't have any lightning 'spells', in light of the fact that his 'natural' cantrips are pretty much all water, or nature-based. His dilapidated, intricate prosthesis have numerous compartments and sockets in the event that he wishes to add adaptors or new drivers down the road to grant him extra features to his array of gimmicks. Queegmaa does carry a tanto as well, which is often hidden, but all in all, his focus leans towards 'artificial' magic, so it's more likely he'll launch bullets, hooked-wires, slippery grease, or other articles from his stockpile of weaponry, if he's not using flame-throwers to obliterate his foes.

=History=

Queegmaa was a kappa who'd existed in his respective lake for as long as the lake itself had been, being one of the original progenitors of his tribe, which ultimately amounted to a community of dozens. Long-lived creatures, they were never reproduced in droves, so it wasn't difficult for Admiral Rakassa of the empire to trick Que into undermining his own people, while disguising her motives as mutually beneficial. Quick to ascend to greatness, he sold his people down the river unwittingly, while ignoring his better judgement to decline the general's offer, and then ended up with more guilt than he could handle.

Revealing herself to be a Shadow Lord, she exposed the sole survivor of the clan, Que, to a terrible truth that resonated with such seemingly overwhelming truth, that in the face of its admission, the kappa couldn't deny what she'd proclaimed. Seeing no other path available that made any sense, Queegmaa took her up on her offer.

=Personality=

Selfish, paranoid, cowardly, sycophantic, greedy, munny-grubbing, power-hungry, and would just as soon butcher his neighbor out of convenience just as he does the language of the common-tongue; Queegmaa serves Rakassa because she bribes him, but she only keeps him nourished just enough to sustain him, so that he'll be useful to her without getting any ideas of ascension to power. Being the quintessential boot-licker, Que doesn't actually enjoy his downtrodden status, but hasn't the gall to defy her, especially when he foresees the day that he'll inevitably uncover enough skeletons in her closet to provide him with the leverage he needs to oust Rakassa from power, in spite of her oppression, so as to take it for himself. Overall, Queegmaa holds the view that life is a punishment, because of his lack of control over his own fate, and the natural entropy that's part of his default existence, so as a means of exacting revenge against the powers that be, he chooses to try and sabotage everything that the forces at work seemingly aspire to create; this means he resents everything in the universe, including himself; as Rakassa is Vector's manifestation of the one of the seven deadly sins known as 'Lust', Queegmaa is wrath incarnate.

[[File:Queegmaa-FK-Profile.gif]]

=Abilities=

General Stuff- Quegmaa is very elongated in limb, and oblong in body, despite being short-statured, which means his ability to hit targets physically is above average- but ironically enough, because of his affinity for magic, his truest boon rears its ugly head when he flings around spell-craft and elemental forces, or if he makes use of the machinery that comprises a high fraction of his being. For ranged fighting, he carries bolts that've been installed inside his forelimbs, which can be replenished by accretion of dust particles, which become compressed, enabling combustion upon impact with targets, much akin to a gun's bullet- barring that, he's just as accurate with a tanto(short-sword) always on his person, making him fairly well-rounded, if slanted in the direction of divination a touch.

Toxinator- Having been subjected to the vibes of a highly poisonous esper's magicite for years on end, Quegmaa has taken on some of the attributes of said creature; he is highly resistant to acidic, or else noxious substances, which would normally sicken or erode the hardiest of individuals. If that in itself would seem something that couldn't be topped, Queg has another advantage that lies in his ability to occasionally envenomate his victims with physical touch alone.

Aquabotic- He breathes underwater, he's resistant to water-based attacks, and he's a cyborg. Designed for sub-hydrant environments, he has sonar which gives him the ability to visualize his environments by sending wavelengths from himself which give him a sense of topography, or the objects therein; he also carries potions in some otherwise vacant compartments in his arms. He's not an outright grandmaster in magic, or mechanics alike, so he fancies himself a 'technomage', or, an ideal union between mysticism and science- though he prides himself on his unlocking of the 'Exploder' spell, even though it was thought that he'd never master any true fire 'spells'. Being aqua-based, and having a share of metal on his person at all times makes him weak when barraged by lightning, on the other hand....

Sink Syncing- Quegmaa can harmonize with technologies from his world, especially things that relate to aquatics, such as boats, submarines, or possibly even kitchen sinks, which means either attaching to them, controlling them, or at the very least, understanding them. Given time, he can most likely disassemble the structure of alien units that are water-oriented, but it would require at least a day's time to analyze the components involved, even if memorization comes easier; this ability to assimilate/use outlandish devices doesn't apply to any non-hydration type instruments.

Sinewy Sighted- Facial recognition is the name of the game; having dealt with the likes of Rakassa for years at a time, unless someone has a flawless poker-face(listed in their official application or powers or upgrades), and they do not have a mask on, Quegmaa can discern if the person speaking to him speaks with anxiety, or confidence, by way of watching the twitching of optics, and facial muscles, or bodily movements.

=Relationships=
'''Disclaimer: Anyone who interacts with Queegmaa will /not/ be likely to receive forgiving reviews-- RP with him at your own discretion'''

[[Avira]]: If y'only knowed da truth....

[[Echo]]: Yuh jus' stay right where y'ar, 'n dere wun be nuh trouble.

[[Faruja Senra]]: Ya oughta stay outta da way o' that cardnel, if you ever plan tuh get tuh high places, 'n dat means stayin' outta my way, tuh!

[[Hades]] : I dink I's gotta talk to you, soon.... maybe?

[[Maira]]: Yull never save me....never! Even if ya knock down one'a my masters, I still got anudder who kent be cast off.... 'n ya don' know't, but yuh gots da same one!

[[Nagetta]]: Shud be a crime ta be dat good-looking'. All dese fleshy folk an't got nothin' next ta scaly chicks. Ya seem kinda apprehensive, though.... Uneasy. Trust issues come from vein' victimized, 'n I'd love ta pound da ones who mistreated you!

[[Ophelia]]: A self-important snob like you ain't gonna get too far in life; ya kick-down like any other honcho, butcha also kick-up, which dar gon getcha kick'd right beck down ta da bottom!

[[Rakassa]]: Sometimes da pawn is controllin' da queen, and da queen dun know't cuz she's too busy sittin' back while 'er minion is out dere figarin' out stuff in da real world.

[[Rosemarie]]: I herja sprung da coop rayle quick-lik cuz o' dat indayalent Nez'mi. Once a predter picks a target, dey ignore e'rybody else, 'n yant got 'way jus' yet, case yer rejoicin'.

[[Shadow]]: Ya waltz inta the Holluh Basteen even dough ya got no garntays they'd letcha leave. 'Spose it ain't no difurnt from any udder Shaduh Loryed, cuz dey's always stabbin' 'chother in da back, nohow!

=Trivia=

Voice Actor: Matthew Wood (General Grievous)

Name: His name, if correctly pronounced, sounds akin to 'Keg - Maw', as opposed to how it's spelled, which may have most thinking it sounds more like 'Kweeg - mah'.

True Age: Lakes generally last from a few thousand, to dozens of millions of years old at most, and thus it could statistically be inferred that Queegmaa may have seniority over some espers from his world, since kappa have lifespans that typically equal that of the basins they inhabit.

Misogyny: Having masculinity issues, Queegmaa ins unable to find himself attracted to women who dwarf him in girth or height.

Cosmetics: Being on dry land is a real drag, so he does what many drag-queens do, by employing moisturizers constantly, in order to maintain hydrated skin, yet, since this is related to his 'medicinal needs', unlike in the perceptions of humankind, he doesn't see many cosmetics as a 'feminine' thing.

Pets: If Que were to adopt a pet, it would be a dog of some sort, since they are pack-animals which are inclined towards obedience, and asserting dominion over another creature would be the kappa's best way of reclaiming some self-respect, being that he's essentially Rakassa's whipping-boy.

Subjugation: Queegmaa's prosthesis has a greater sensitivity to touch, but this comes with a price; normally, stabbing a prosthetic limb would yield no pain, but Rakassa has wired Que's robotics in such a way that the electro-transmitters send signals to the kappa's brain to induce, or replicate anguish, which means that she can effectively create suffering where there would ordinarily be none possible.

Phobia: Kappa are known to be as strong as ten adult men, allegedly, by way of canon sources; crocodiles can reach up to approximately four-thousand plus pounds, which would technically make them as strong as much more than that. Pound for pound, kappa are stronger, but when crocs grow large enough, they eventually eclipse most kappa, so many water-imps have a (healthy)fear of crocodiles, as a general rule.

= Logs =
{{Character Logs}}
= Cutscenes =
{{Character Logs|Cutscenes}}

Queegmaa

2013-12-10T05:09:27Z

BlondeFox: Relationships: Added Hades and changed most of the others.

{{Character Infobox
|firstname=Queegmaa
|middlename=Ratho
|lastname=Piir
|age=????
|image=queegmaasoftlines.jpg
|caption=Que, if he didn't have a head-plate
|species=Kappa
|sex=Male
|height=5'6
|weight=279 Lbs (Shell + Addons, now including a leg made of metal!)
|series=Final Fantasy 6
|styles=Saboteur, Warrior
|hometown=Southern Continent
|alignment=Forces of Ruin
|group=Gestahlian Empire
|occupation=Toady / Chief Engineer
|themesong="Obsession" - Seiken Densetsu III OST
|quote=If ya got aximimoms, den you got kints in yer mentil armor, n' dat means I cud moldja like clay if I wan'ed!
|footer=Orchestrating Kidnappings for Rakassa
}}

=Appearance=

(In short, picture a short, skinny Blanka from Street Fighter II, but with crazy blonde, not red hair, and a slightly upturned nose, as well as a shell, and prothesis)

Having the typical 'mop-top' of other kappa from The World Of Balance, Queegmaa has light-blonde hair, and large eyes, as do many fish, reptiles, and lizards, or other aquatic creatures. His lips protrude forward boldly, almost like a 'beak' that turtles often have, except not to the same, exaggerated degree. A prominent feature of Que's would be his crooked nose, which was broken and never set properly when it healed, so that it bends slightly to one side. He has an quadrilateral shape for a face, in that it juts downward in an elongated fashion, as well as sideways, but between these cardinal points, the ordinal regions are more concave, giving him a facial shape looking something like a plus sign, hailing from the world of arithmetic. Sharp fangs hide under his wide lips, and his upper brow extends almost across his entire forehead, wrapping around the sides.

Normally, where kappa have a depression inside their tall, coney heads, Que has had a strange helmet permanently grafted to his skull, which is encircled by his long hair, yet, the headgear itself is a cap designed to prevent damage to his soft, sensitive inner cranium, since kappa are traditionally known for their upper 'pocket' being tender, with a thin membrane containing thick fluid that gives them their strange, inhuman strength, in the cases of those water-imps who possess this power. Queegmaa has bionic arms, and parts of his chest, especially the clavicle areas are reinforced to help stabilize the cumbersome weight of these prosthesis; additionally, it stretches around the backside and inserts into his shell, for added support, since kappa tend to be fairly lanky in physique. The mechanical arms of this water-imp, as well as the other portions of machinery to be found on his person look to be in the style of steam-punk, which is typical of industrial design from his world, which were less concerned with ergonomics, and more with practicality, due to the low-level of scientific knowledge they had, necessitating bulk in order to enable power. His skin is a sickly greyish-green, and his eyes are violet. Que's feet are mildly webbed, being remarkably common for kappa, which end in long talons that are perfect for gripping things, akin to a second pair of hands.

Que's hair is a disaster, though, given that frizz and moisture are abundant in the areas from which he often hails, thus, it looks like something out of a rock-band from an 80's glam group, despite still having that moppish flair. He usually carries a staff with him that possesses mana, which aids him in those few instances where he casts spells, beyond serving as a cattle-prod, since he doesn't have any lightning 'spells', in light of the fact that his 'natural' cantrips are pretty much all water, or nature-based. His dilapidated, intricate prosthesis have numerous compartments and sockets in the event that he wishes to add adaptors or new drivers down the road to grant him extra features to his array of gimmicks. Queegmaa does carry a tanto as well, which is often hidden, but all in all, his focus leans towards 'artificial' magic, so it's more likely he'll launch bullets, hooked-wires, slippery grease, or other articles from his stockpile of weaponry, if he's not using flame-throwers to obliterate his foes.

=History=

Queegmaa was a kappa who'd existed in his respective lake for as long as the lake itself had been, being one of the original progenitors of his tribe, which ultimately amounted to a community of dozens. Long-lived creatures, they were never reproduced in droves, so it wasn't difficult for Admiral Rakassa of the empire to trick Que into undermining his own people, while disguising her motives as mutually beneficial. Quick to ascend to greatness, he sold his people down the river unwittingly, while ignoring his better judgement to decline the general's offer, and then ended up with more guilt than he could handle.

Revealing herself to be a Shadow Lord, she exposed the sole survivor of the clan, Que, to a terrible truth that resonated with such seemingly overwhelming truth, that in the face of its admission, the kappa couldn't deny what she'd proclaimed. Seeing no other path available that made any sense, Queegmaa took her up on her offer.

=Personality=

Selfish, paranoid, cowardly, sycophantic, greedy, munny-grubbing, power-hungry, and would just as soon butcher his neighbor out of convenience just as he does the language of the common-tongue; Queegmaa serves Rakassa because she bribes him, but she only keeps him nourished just enough to sustain him, so that he'll be useful to her without getting any ideas of ascension to power. Being the quintessential boot-licker, Que doesn't actually enjoy his downtrodden status, but hasn't the gall to defy her, especially when he foresees the day that he'll inevitably uncover enough skeletons in her closet to provide him with the leverage he needs to oust Rakassa from power, in spite of her oppression, so as to take it for himself. Overall, Queegmaa holds the view that life is a punishment, because of his lack of control over his own fate, and the natural entropy that's part of his default existence, so as a means of exacting revenge against the powers that be, he chooses to try and sabotage everything that the forces at work seemingly aspire to create; this means he resents everything in the universe, including himself; as Rakassa is Vector's manifestation of the one of the seven deadly sins known as 'Lust', Queegmaa is wrath incarnate.

[[File:Queegmaa-FK-Profile.gif]]

=Abilities=

General Stuff- Quegmaa is very elongated in limb, and oblong in body, despite being short-statured, which means his ability to hit targets physically is above average- but ironically enough, because of his affinity for magic, his truest boon rears its ugly head when he flings around spell-craft and elemental forces, or if he makes use of the machinery that comprises a high fraction of his being. For ranged fighting, he carries bolts that've been installed inside his forelimbs, which can be replenished by accretion of dust particles, which become compressed, enabling combustion upon impact with targets, much akin to a gun's bullet- barring that, he's just as accurate with a tanto(short-sword) always on his person, making him fairly well-rounded, if slanted in the direction of divination a touch.

Toxinator- Having been subjected to the vibes of a highly poisonous esper's magicite for years on end, Quegmaa has taken on some of the attributes of said creature; he is highly resistant to acidic, or else noxious substances, which would normally sicken or erode the hardiest of individuals. If that in itself would seem something that couldn't be topped, Queg has another advantage that lies in his ability to occasionally envenomate his victims with physical touch alone.

Aquabotic- He breathes underwater, he's resistant to water-based attacks, and he's a cyborg. Designed for sub-hydrant environments, he has sonar which gives him the ability to visualize his environments by sending wavelengths from himself which give him a sense of topography, or the objects therein; he also carries potions in some otherwise vacant compartments in his arms. He's not an outright grandmaster in magic, or mechanics alike, so he fancies himself a 'technomage', or, an ideal union between mysticism and science- though he prides himself on his unlocking of the 'Exploder' spell, even though it was thought that he'd never master any true fire 'spells'. Being aqua-based, and having a share of metal on his person at all times makes him weak when barraged by lightning, on the other hand....

Sink Syncing- Quegmaa can harmonize with technologies from his world, especially things that relate to aquatics, such as boats, submarines, or possibly even kitchen sinks, which means either attaching to them, controlling them, or at the very least, understanding them. Given time, he can most likely disassemble the structure of alien units that are water-oriented, but it would require at least a day's time to analyze the components involved, even if memorization comes easier; this ability to assimilate/use outlandish devices doesn't apply to any non-hydration type instruments.

Sinewy Sighted- Facial recognition is the name of the game; having dealt with the likes of Rakassa for years at a time, unless someone has a flawless poker-face(listed in their official application or powers or upgrades), and they do not have a mask on, Quegmaa can discern if the person speaking to him speaks with anxiety, or confidence, by way of watching the twitching of optics, and facial muscles, or bodily movements.

=Relationships=
'''Disclaimer: Anyone who interacts with Queegmaa will /not/ be likely to receive forgiving reviews-- RP with him at your own discretion'''

[[Avira]]: If y'only knowed da truth....

[[Echo]]: Yuh jus' stay right where y'ar, 'n dere wun be nuh trouble.

[[Faruja Senra]]: Ya oughta stay outta da way o' that cardnel, if you ever plan tuh get tuh high places, 'n dat means stayin' outta my way, tuh!

[[Hades]] : I dink I's gotta talk to you, soon.... maybe?

[[Maira]]: Yull never save me....never! Even if ya knock down one'a my masters, I still got anudder who kent be cast off.... 'n ya don' know't, but yuh gots da same one!

[[Nagetta]]: Shud be a crime ta be dat good-looking'. All dese fleshy folk an't got nothin' next ta scaly chicks. Ya seem kinda apprehensive, though.... Uneasy. Trust issues come from vein' victimized, 'n I'd love ta pound da ones who mistreated you!

[[Ophelia]]: A self-important snob like you ain't gonna get too far in life; ya kick-down like any other honcho, butcha also kick-up, which dar gon getcha kick'd right beck down ta da bottom!

[[Rakassa]]: Sometimes da pawn is controllin' da queen, and da queen dun know't cuz she's too busy sittin' back while 'er minion is out dere figarin' out stuff in da real world.

[[Rosemarie]]: I herja sprung da coop rayle quick-lik cuz o' dat indayalent Nez'mi. Once a predter picks a target, dey ignore e'rybody else, 'n yant got 'way jus' yet, case yer rejoicin'.

[[Shadow]]: Ya waltz inta the Holluh Basteen even dough ya got no garntays they'd letcha leave. 'Spose it ain't no difurnt from any udder Shaduh Loryed, cuz dey's always stabbin' 'chother in da back, nohow!

=Trivia=

Voice Actor: Matthew Wood (General Grievous)

Name: His name, if correctly pronounced, sounds akin to 'Keg - Maw', as opposed to how it's spelled, which may have most thinking it sounds more like 'Kweeg - mah'.

True Age: Lakes generally last from a few thousand, to dozens of millions of years old at most, and thus it could statistically be inferred that Queegmaa may have seniority over some espers from his world, since kappa have lifespans that typically equal that of the basins they inhabit.

Misogyny: Having masculinity issues, Queegmaa ins unable to find himself attracted to women who dwarf him in girth or height.

Cosmetics: Being on dry land is a real drag, so he does what many drag-queens do, by employing moisturizers constantly, in order to maintain hydrated skin, yet, since this is related to his 'medicinal needs', unlike in the perceptions of humankind, he doesn't see many cosmetics as a 'feminine' thing.

Pets: If Que were to adopt a pet, it would be a dog of some sort, since they are pack-animals which are inclined towards obedience, and asserting dominion over another creature would be the kappa's best way of reclaiming some self-respect, being that he's essentially Rakassa's whipping-boy.

Subjugation: Queegmaa's prosthesis has a greater sensitivity to touch, but this comes with a price; normally, stabbing a prosthetic limb would yield no pain, but Rakassa has wired Que's robotics in such a way that the electro-transmitters send signals to the kappa's brain to induce, or replicate anguish, which means that she can effectively create suffering where there would ordinarily be none possible.

= Logs =
{{Character Logs}}
= Cutscenes =
{{Character Logs|Cutscenes}}

A Hollering B@stard In The Hollow Bastion

2013-12-10T02:13:57Z

BlondeFox: error needed fixing

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2013/11/29
|Location=Hollow Bastion
|Synopsis=Echo delivers 'the goods' to Rakassa under the guise of her Shadow Lord alter ego, which has her so delighted that she begins to show more favoritism towards the bat than Queegmaa. Certain cyborg-kappa feel they've been pushed a little too far, and let off a little steam, and not just through their steam-punk-technology exhaust pipes.
|Cast of Characters=Queegmaa, Rakassa, Echo
|pretty=yes
}}
:'''[[Queegmaa]] has posed:''' Despite being the allies with, and the servant of the Shadow Lords, The Hollow Bastion always made Queegmaa feel a little uncomfortable because he felt like he was in the company of folks who were a cut above him, in terms of their personal power. No, the Shadow Lords were not invincible, for he'd seen them fall in combat at the hands of heroes and their fellow ilk when they happened to prey on each other, yet this fact in itself alerted him to the fact that he was even lower on the food-chain than those who his masters would betray on the turn of a munny-dime. He had to watch himself around Rakassa when he was in the empire, but in this place, he was surrounded by fish who were significantly larger than himself, and he felt quite humbled, or else dwarfed by those who could smite him at a whim. Ironically, this would only happen if they went through Rakassa herself, since, as one of her most prized minions, while she held little compassion for the troll, the fact was.... on principle, Lady Rakassa could not simply allow her colleagues to damage her 'property' as though she were some pushover of a Shadow Lord.... and the bottom line was, Queegmaa qualified. So, strangely enough, he was under her 'protection' in this place, even though he was also under her thumb-- and Rakassa wouldn't allow some upstart to undermine her authority by disrespecting what was rightfully her's to do with as /SHE/ pleased. He was seated at a round table inside a gloomy chamber that looks like something out of Magus' Castle from Chrono Trigger, although.... this had just been one of the buildings on the outskirts, which surrounded the castle, erected upon the large mass of stone that encompassed the foundation of the entire Hollow Bastion world.... and he was.... quiet... Rakassa hadn't arrived, and neither had Echo, but allegedly, Echo had been granted admission into the dark realm, as per Rakassa's order, and so... this was their rendezvous point.

:'''[[Echo]] has posed:''' Heading into the place was not too much of a stretch for Echo, as she had not exactly minded going into dark, scary places exactly--she grew up in one. And when you have an upbringing Wednesday Addams, well these things you get used to. However, the place was definitely the sort of place a magician could feel the power eminating from, which was cause to give it due respect. Fell energies surrounded this place, to be sure. She approached the table after being admitted, carrying in her hand what looked like a small cooler, the refridgerative plastic kind, packed with ice and plastered with yellow biohazard stickers. Likely something she'd picked up with her other materials in Manhattan. "I've followed the medical manuals to the letter and this material should undoubtably be useable even now... though I imagine you don't need it for any mundane use, do you?" she asked, her sandals slapping beneath her as she stepped up and sat the cooler on her side of the table.

:'''[[Rakassa]] has posed:''' A dark portal appears, and one Shadow Lord Rakassa, a.k.a. 'Mistress Olivia' as her codename to Echo would be, flashes into existance. Sitting down, she peers at the package before her. A wide smile grows upon her coweled features, a human-like jaw with far too many teeth moving as she does so. They all look distinctly like daggers. Black robes flow outward, into a massive bulk now hidden beneath the table. It seems to constantly shift and wiggle. Picking up the package, she peers at it for a moment. "...Well done. But what I'm going to do with it isn't any of your business." Pausing, she tilts her head. "It'll be entertaining, I promse that much. Anyway! On to the matter of your payment." She turns to Que, nodding.

:'''[[Queegmaa]] has posed:''' As Echo emerged, Queegmaa's eyes lit up every so slightly, indicating that he was glad to see her, even if he didn't actually yet vocalize his delight in seeing the bat-girl again. For one thing, the fact that she succeeded meant that Queegmaa himself would be rewarded for having intelligently selected 'the right myotis for the job', but there was also the fact that he hadn't gotten out of his head how intriguing she was, her playfulness and obscurity gave her a bit of mystique that Rakassa had long since lost, once the kappa knew exactly what sort of horrible person she was, and what motivated her..... whereas Echo was the enigmatic one in this scenario, whose machinations Que had yet to come to comprehend. It was entirely possible that the bat intended to keep it that way, by being secretive about herself, however.... the fact that she was so capable had impressed the imp, since she had conquered a Shadow Lord in her own right-- or a former one, at least, rumor had it that Morrighan was starting to side with the white-knights. So many in the order of the Shadow Lords had lost members to the light, Angantyr, Katyna, and perhaps a few others, so this meant that Que was going to try to recruit this woman to the side of sin, if he could.... with Rakassa's help, of course! That was what this was about, besides just securing the samples.... Echo had proven herself, and though she wouldn't be inducted into the ranks of Shadow Lords for just one victory, she was definitely on the right track of moving upwards in the world of the wrong track, "If't is useful, den...... I reckon we'll be sittin' pretty soon 'nough. You seem ta be doing plen'y of that on yer own, thuh....." He makes a flattering joke about the fact that Echo was pretty, and seated at their table. This might've, regrettably, made Rakassa the slightest bit jealous, even if just enough to warrant a very subtle sign or word to downplay it, to balance out the fact that Echo had received praise on her beauty, and Que had never said one lustful thing about Rakassa, even if she wasn't interested in him. The truth was, it wasn't about getting what was wanted, for the sinister sorcerer...... it was about /being/ desired! At the bare minimum, it wouldn't outweigh how well Que had done, universally, so he felt like he could afford to give someone attention other than his matron. "Doubt she cud be a Shaduh Loyerd, but she shoor got da makin's 'o greatness, if she ken take down Morri."

:'''[[Echo]] has posed:''' The dagger-like teeth did not dissuade Echo from doing business with these individuals, indeed her own choppers were somewhat scary at times. "Understandable," it wasn't like Echo really wanted to know what was going to be done with the hideous hemoglobin she'd had to gather from her special guest the other evening. She looked over to the imp. She had been the right chiropteran for the job it had turned out, indeed. "I do try to keep monthly visits to the funeral salon, yes," the bat nodded matter of factly at Que's flirtatious comment, smiling lightly. "The Elf had assistance, and she has many friends, you didn't tell me about them--but I took care of them."

:'''[[Rakassa]] has posed:''' A clawed hand, looking somewhat fuzzy, scratches the odd Shadow Lord's chin. "Ehhh...well, you're not bad. More importantly, you did the job. Well. No screw ups, no loose ends that weren't already anticipated..." She takes a while, pondering. Soon enough, a long appendage slithers its way out from her bulk, depositing a rather large bag of munny. "Take it. Payment well earned. So. You do contracts? Could use someone like you on retainer. What about it? Exciting work, good pay, and all the blood those little tiny toothpicks of yours can suck out."

:'''[[Queegmaa]] has posed:''' Queegmaa shrugs when Echo makes mention of the elf having had assistance, "Din' tell ya cuz I din' know.... but who in dis world dun have no buds? I'm sure somebody has at least a lil fondness fer you, 'n if they saw ya being 'tacked, dem pals o' yer's would jump in rale quick-like, I do fig'r" He counters her argument, giving no quarter as far as her self-promoting boast of overcoming odds that were supposedly stacked against her. He did have to /try/ to seem merciless, especially when his master was present, and since he was the brains of the outfit, that meant his charge was to disallow Rakassa from being charged extra simply because one told a heart-felt tale of woe. He peers over at the shadow lord, and rubs his eyes a little bit, "Now we're all competin' over who got da biggest choppers aye?... Ya do know dat yuh land-dwellers ain't got nuddin next'a us water-folk. Crocs 'n sharks got bigger mouths dan any wolf er lion. We also gotta pierce food wi' real tough hides, cuz dun nuddin in da water not have ledder or scales.... But go on'n duke it out." He did have an absurdly powerful bite, which was evidenced in the fact that he was able to catch, as well as hold Ophelia's demonic sword in his jaws when he'd sought her out-- though, he could easily be reminded that a fierce set of sharp teeth weren't the only thing that made the man. This was deliberate, he purposely set himself up as grandiose so that Rakassa would have the opportunity to humble him, by having a justified reason to brag about some of her others qualities, if she decided to take the bait. Then again, it wasn't a trap, he was doing this so that Rakassa's ego could be stroked, unbeknownst to her, because he calculated that she'd have a hard time resisting the chance at gloating, assuming she even had the inclination to deny it, which wasn't characteristic of hedonists.

:'''[[Echo]] has posed:''' "Well, I did have some fabulous help, I think I like the rat I was afforded to work wtih," Echo confided, nodding a bit with a fond smile. "I did let him have fun with the elf before we turned her loose to some nightclub or the like nearby," she looked over at the bag of cash that had been laid out for her. "I've been attacked by a rogue program before, though I was able to deal with it, I do appreciate the help however," she seemed pleased with Phrego, after all. "A retainer, hmm? I think I'd like that... always good to have work around," Echo nodded and even bowed her head a bit in reverence for the job offer she was being offered, there. She didn't seem to be turning it down at all, as dubious as it may be. "I am honored you would have me work with your organization."

:'''[[Rakassa]] has posed:''' The magess laughs, shaking her head. "Forget the teeth! I'll stick with magic. Such a /barbaric/ way of eating." Then, calming, she listens to the batess fully. Considering, she tilts her head, then shrugs. "Right then. Guess we can wring the little rodent's neck a bit to keep him on. Good team." Slowly, she grins once more. "Ahh, someone with /class/! Excellent. YOu'll do nicely. Consider yourself hired." Smirk! Turning to Que, she gives a smalls quint. "Better watch out. This one might take over /your/ spot if she's good enough~" What's a little competition amongst minions?

:'''[[Queegmaa]] has posed:''' The lizard-like manifestation of wrath that kept his rage inhibited nearly at all times, was actually in somewhat of a favorable mood, since he'd now managed to bring someone into the inner circle who'd impressed Rakassa. It was a fact that Que didn't do the deed himself, but that's why he was the brains-- he reveled in the realm of analysis, and handed down the logistical summary to his matron, who would approve his schemes, at which point Queegmaa would carry out his vile plans.... through others. When Echo denotes that she liked the rat with whom she worked, a speck of envy rose up in the kappa, who had hoped Echo would say something favorable about himself, although, if she was under the scrutiny of Rakassa, then Que couldn't really expect the bat to give him more admiration that what she was to bequeath Rakassa, lest she disenchant herself, and lose a shot at being recruited by some of the orchestrators of the chaos that was swarming all across the World of Ruin. Narrowing his eyes at Rakassa, a fire ignited that she might have been unaccustomed to in the foot-stool of a reptile who usually submitted to her every impulse, and then, feeling like she'd crossed a line even /she/ shouldn't have crossed, he prepared to unleash some of that fury that throbbed in his loathsome heart, although he managed once again to keep a 'cap' on what he wanted to truly do, he did have standards that even he would see honored, and it was already bad enough that Vohstra was placed above him, but now.... some upstart might be given authority over him? His skin adorned a mild greyish tint as red blood flowed violently through his body, as would someone ready to project an infernal tirade, which oft made humans red to the face-- but green and crimson were chromatically diametric, so the conflict created a greyish tone, instead; apparently, he didn't find Rakassa's joke comical. He gets to stammering, which is a good implication that he's having a hard time controlling himself, and is truly at the murderous, boiling point, which could theoretically be detrimental to Rakassa, if she decided to push her luck a little more, "....P...Perhaps.... yuh... shud DO'T RIGHT NOW.... if ya dink s-she ken do better'n me! Go on! Give'r my job! See what happens den!" Not that anyone would ever serve Rakassa as studiously as Queegmaa, and he knew it, but to have his proficiency thrown into doubt, when he slogged through chores nobody would've ever done at her behest? That was a degree of disrespect that was far too unreasonable to be accepted by the kappa!

:'''[[Echo]] has posed:''' "Oh I don't intend to try and take anyone's position, exactly," Echo peered over at the now suddenly turning gray Kappa (which made sense perhaps, since he was already green) and seemed to enunciate 'positions' with a little bit of notice there, putting on a bit of a mischievous smile with one of those big pink-ribbed ears twitching. "I shall be available next time you're in need of my... special skills," she bowed her head and would make her way out then, taking the bag of munny with hre of course, because why not? A bat's gotta eat, yo.

:'''[[Rakassa]] has posed:''' The monster-mage's gaze turns upon the Kappa as he rages at her. She goes silent. Is she stunned? Angered at this outburst? After a moment, a beautiful laugh escapes her, a hand going to her chest. "/PERFECT/! Oh, I /KNEW/ you had it in you, Que! All of that abuse, that toil, that drudgery...and not even a peep? There's a difference between servitude and meek little weaklings that deserve to be crushed and tossed away. I need some backbone even out of you. I'm impressed, Que, Echo. With both of you." Her voice is soft, despite so may teeth, promising reward if they keep their employer happy! That grin turns to a smirk. "Excellent. Oh, don't worry. We'll get to know each other very well. 'Till then, ta ta~"

:'''[[Queegmaa]] has posed:''' Queegmaa grunts a little bit, the swelling diminishing as Rakassa seems to demonstrate that she might be implying a retraction of her earlier claim, still feeling sour over the whole affair, albeit, not berserk, like he had been just about likely to become a moment prior. At any rate, Que did have /one/ trump card up his sleeve that he could use to ruin Rakassa, but then.... the cost would probably be his life, as she'd hunt him down to the ends of the World of Ruin to assure that he shared in the world's fate.... utter ruination; he knew that Rakassa and Olivia were the same person-- plus, he knew of her sacrilegious quest to procure all the pieces of the Oni-Yoroi. This would decimate her, since she'd lose her most promising student, Vohstra, if he caught wind of the fact that he was being exploited, and that she was trying to convert him into one of the Shadow Lords, who he had been, at present, oppositional to, because he personally believed that their order was the short-cut to achieving power.... Simply kissing up to Malificent and being granted extraneous powers was not the honorable way to ascend, but rather, hard work and discipline was his preferred method of attaining enlightenment, and perfect. The Shadow Lords were all disloyal, power-mongers who would backstab at the first moment of opportunity, while a genuine retainer would die at their master's whim, even if their master had shown them contempt and disrespect most of their entire life. "Dun like bein' tested." is all Que mumbles, turning his head away, having resumed his submissive role as could've been expected; he doesn't challenge Rakassa directly, by looking into her eyes when this is announced, which proves that he still knows his place, even if he had a momentary boon of courage, and unwavering vigor rising up within him.

:'''[[Echo]] has posed:''' Echo had met the one known as Maleficent at least once or twice before, each time she had felt the enormous magical power surrounding her, like one beholds the great heat from a furnace. It was like looking into a bonfire, and imagining oneself just inches from it. You could feel her a good distance away. It seemed to resonate and call out to one, going 'look at me, puny one, look upon Maleficent, who has passed centuries waiting to strike like you wait moments for a trolley. Behold me, and dispair. Echo could definitely say there was something so inspiring about it, that ever since she had felt it, she had felt like she wanted to aspire to be it. "Well then, Sir Queegmaa, Mistress Olivia, I will be going now, if you have no further need of me for now," she had already left her parting flirtatious comments with the imp, so hopefully he would try and contact her again for more work. It wasn't that she necessarily needed all this money, but it would be helpful, and maybe even lead to some amusement.

A Hollering B@stard In The Hollow Bastion

2013-12-09T20:27:54Z

BlondeFox: Whatever happened to Morrighan's Bone Marrow that was extracted????

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2013/11/29
|Location=Hollow Bastion
|Synopsis=Echo delivers 'the goods' to Rakassa under the guise of her Shadow Lord alter ego, which has her so delighted that she begins to show more favoritism towards the bat than Queegmaa. Certain cyborg-kappa feel they've been pushed a little too far, and let off a little steam, and not just through their steam-punk-technology exhaust pipes.
|Cast of Characters=Queegmaa, Rakassa, Echo
|pretty=yes
}}
:'''[[Queegmaa]] has posed:''' Despite being the allies with, and the servant of the Shadow Lords, The Hollow Bastion always made Queegmaa feel a little uncomfortable because he felt like he was in the company of folks who were a cut above him, in terms of their personal power. No, the Shadow Lords were not invincible, for he'd seen them fall in combat at the hands of heroes and their fellow ilk when they happened to prey on each other, yet this fact in itself alerted him to the fact that he was even lower on the food-chain than those who his masters would betray on the turn of a munny-dime. He had to watch himself around Rakassa when he was in the empire, but in this place, he was surrounded by fish who were significantly larger than himself, and he felt quite humbled, or else dwarfed by those who could smite him at a whim. Ironically, this would only happen if they went through Rakassa herself, since, as one of her most prized minions, while she held little compassion for the troll, the fact was.... on principle, Lady Rakassa could not simply allow her colleagues to damage her 'property' as though she were some pushover of a Shadow Lord.... and the bottom line was, Queegmaa qualified. So, strangely enough, he was under her 'protection' in this place, even though he was also under her thumb-- and Rakassa wouldn't allow some upstart to undermine her authority by disrespecting what was rightfully her's to do with as /SHE/ pleased. He was seated at a round table inside a gloomy chamber that looks like something out of Magus' Castle from Chrono Trigger, although.... this had just been one of the buildings on the outskirts, which surrounded the castle, erected upon the large mass of stone that encompassed the foundation of the entire Hollow Bastion world.... and he was.... quiet... Rakassa hadn't arrived, and neither had Echo, but allegedly, Echo had been granted admission into the dark realm, as per Rakassa's order, and so... this was their rendezvous point.

:'''[[Echo]] has posed:''' Heading into the place was not too much of a stretch for Echo, as she had not exactly minded going into dark, scary places exactly--she grew up in one. And when you have an upbringing Wednesday Addams, well these things you get used to. However, the place was definitely the sort of place a magician could feel the power eminating from, which was cause to give it due respect. Fell energies surrounded this place, to be sure. She approached the table after being admitted, carrying in her hand what looked like a small cooler, the refridgerative plastic kind, packed with ice and plastered with yellow biohazard stickers. Likely something she'd picked up with her other materials in Manhattan. "I've followed the medical manuals to the letter and this material should undoubtably be useable even now... though I imagine you don't need it for any mundane use, do you?" she asked, her sandals slapping beneath her as she stepped up and sat the cooler on her side of the table.

:'''[[Rakassa]] has posed:''' A dark portal appears, and one Shadow Lord Rakassa, a.k.a. 'Mistress Olivia' as her codename to Echo would be, flashes into existance. Sitting down, she peers at the package before her. A wide smile grows upon her coweled features, a human-like jaw with far too many teeth moving as she does so. They all look distinctly like daggers. Black robes flow outward, into a massive bulk now hidden beneath the table. It seems to constantly shift and wiggle. Picking up the package, she peers at it for a moment. "...Well done. But what I'm going to do with it isn't any of your business." Pausing, she tilts her head. "It'll be entertaining, I promse that much. Anyway! On to the matter of your payment." She turns to Que, nodding.

:'''[[Queegmaa]] has posed:''' As Echo emerged, Queegmaa's eyes lit up every so slightly, indicating that he was glad to see her, even if he didn't actually yet vocalize his delight in seeing the bat-girl again. For one thing, the fact that she succeeded meant that Queegmaa himself would be rewarded for having intelligently selected 'the right myotis for the job', but there was also the fact that he hadn't gotten out of his head how intriguing she was, her playfulness and obscurity gave her a bit of mystique that Rakassa had long since lost, once the kappa knew exactly what sort of horrible person she was, and what motivated her..... whereas Echo was the enigmatic one in this scenario, whose machinations Que had yet to come to comprehend. It was entirely possible that the bat intended to keep it that way, by being secretive about herself, however.... the fact that she was so capable had impressed the imp, since she had conquered a Shadow Lord in her own right-- or a former one, at least, rumor had it that Morrighan was starting to side with the white-knights. So many in the order of the Shadow Lords had lost members to the light, Angantyr, Katyna, and perhaps a few others, so this meant that Que was going to try to recruit this woman to the side of sin, if he could.... with Rakassa's help, of course! That was what this was about, besides just securing the samples.... Echo had proven herself, and though she wouldn't be inducted into the ranks of Shadow Lords for just one victory, she was definitely on the right track of moving upwards in the world of the wrong track, "If't is useful, den...... I reckon we'll be sittin' pretty soon 'nough. You seem ta be doing plen'y of that on yer own, thuh....." He makes a flattering joke about the fact that Echo was pretty, and seated at their table. This might've, regrettably, made Rakassa the slightest bit jealous, even if just enough to warrant a very subtle sign or word to downplay it, to balance out the fact that Echo had received praise on her beauty, and Que had never said one lustful thing about Rakassa, even if she wasn't interested in him. The truth was, it wasn't about getting what was wanted, for the sinister sorcerer...... it was about /being/ desired! At the bare minimum, it wouldn't outweigh how well Que had done, universally, so he felt like he could afford to give someone attention other than his matron. "Doubt she cud be a Shaduh Loyerd, but she shoor got da makin's 'o greatness, if she ken take down Morri."

:'''[[Echo]] has posed:''' The dagger-like teeth did not dissuade Echo from doing business with these individuals, indeed her own choppers were somewhat scary at times. "Understandable," it wasn't like Echo really wanted to know what was going to be done with the hideous hemoglobin she'd had to gather from her special guest the other evening. She looked over to the imp. She had been the right chiropteran for the job it had turned out, indeed. "I do try to keep monthly visits to the funeral salon, yes," the bat nodded matter of factly at Que's flirtatious comment, smiling lightly. "The Elf had assistance, and she has many friends, you didn't tell me about them--but I took care of them."

:'''[[Rakassa]] has posed:''' A clawed hand, looking somewhat fuzzy, scratches the odd Shadow Lord's chin. "Ehhh...well, you're not bad. More importantly, you did the job. Well. No screw ups, no loose ends that weren't already anticipated..." She takes a while, pondering. Soon enough, a long appendage slithers its way out from her bulk, depositing a rather large bag of munny. "Take it. Payment well earned. So. You do contracts? Could use someone like you on retainer. What about it? Exciting work, good pay, and all the blood those little tiny toothpicks of yours can suck out."

:'''[[Queegmaa]] has posed:''' Queegmaa shrugs when Echo makes mention of the elf having had assistance, "Din' tell ya cuz I din' know.... but who in dis world dun have no buds? I'm sure somebody has at least a lil fondness fer you, 'n if they saw ya being 'tacked, dem pals o' yer's would jump in rale quick-like, I do fig'r" He counters her argument, giving no quarter as far as her self-promoting boast of overcoming odds that were supposedly stacked against her. He did have to /try/ to seem merciless, especially when his master was present, and since he was the brains of the outfit, that meant his charge was to disallow Rakassa from being charged extra simply because one told a heart-felt tale of woe. He peers over at the shadow lord, and rubs his eyes a little bit, "Now we're all competin' over who got da biggest choppers aye?... Ya do know dat yuh land-dwellers ain't got nuddin next'a us water-folk. Crocs 'n sharks got bigger mouths dan any wolf er lion. We also gotta pierce food wi' real tough hides, cuz dun nuddin in da water not have ledder or scales.... But go on'n duke it out." He did have an absurdly powerful bite, which was evidenced in the fact that he was able to catch, as well as hold Ophelia's demonic sword in his jaws when he'd sought her out-- though, he could easily be reminded that a fierce set of sharp teeth weren't the only thing that made the man. This was deliberate, he purposely set himself up as grandiose so that Rakassa would have the opportunity to humble him, by having a justified reason to brag about some of her others qualities, if she decided to take the bait. Then again, it wasn't a trap, he was doing this so that Rakassa's ego could be stroked, unbeknownst to her, because he calculated that she'd have a hard time resisting the chance at gloating, assuming she even had the inclination to deny it, which wasn't characteristic of hedonists.

:'''[[Echo]] has posed:''' "Well, I did have some fabulous help, I think I like the rat I was afforded to work wtih," Echo confided, nodding a bit with a fond smile. "I did let him have fun with the elf before we turned her loose to some nightclub or the like nearby," she looked over at the bag of cash that had been laid out for her. "I've been attacked by a rogue program before, though I was able to deal with it, I do appreciate the help however," she seemed pleased with Phrego, after all. "A retainer, hmm? I think I'd like that... always good to have work around," Echo nodded and even bowed her head a bit in reverence for the job offer she was being offered, there. She didn't seem to be turning it down at all, as dubious as it may be. "I am honored you would have me work with your organization."

:'''[[Rakassa]] has posed:''' The magess laughs, shaking her head. "Forget the teeth! I'll stick with magic. Such a /barbaric/ way of eating." Then, calming, she listens to the batess fully. Considering, she tilts her head, then shrugs. "Right then. Guess we can wring the little rodent's neck a bit to keep him on. Good team." Slowly, she grins once more. "Ahh, someone with /class/! Excellent. YOu'll do nicely. Consider yourself hired." Smirk! Turning to Que, she gives a smalls quint. "Better watch out. This one might take over /your/ spot if she's good enough~" What's a little competition amongst minions?

:'''[[Queegmaa]] has posed:''' The lizard-like manifestation of wrath that kept his rage inhibited nearly at all times, was actually in somewhat of a favorable mood, since he'd now managed to bring someone into the inner circle who'd impressed Rakassa. It was a fact that Que didn't do the deed himself, but that's why he was the brains-- he reveled in the realm of analysis, and handed down the logistical summary to his matron, who would approve his schemes, at which point Queegmaa would carry out his vile plans.... through others. When Echo denotes that she liked the rat with whom she worked, a speck of envy rose up in the kappa, who had hoped Echo would say something favorable about himself, although, if she was under the scrutiny of Rakassa, then Que couldn't really expect the bat to give him more admiration that what she was to bequeath Rakassa, lest she disenchant herself, and lose a shot at being recruited by some of the orchestrators of the chaos that was swarming all across the World of Ruin. Narrowing his eyes at Rakassa, a fire ignited that she might have been unaccustomed to in the foot-stool of a reptile who usually submitted to her every impulse, and then, feeling like she'd crossed a line even /she/ shouldn't have crossed, he prepared to unleash some of that fury that throbbed in his loathsome heart, although he managed once again to keep a 'cap' on what he wanted to truly do, he did have standards that even he would see honored, and it was already bad enough that Vohstra was placed above him, but now.... some upstart might be given authority over him? His skin adorned a mild greyish tint as red blood flowed violently through his body, as would someone ready to project an infernal tirade, which oft made humans red to the face-- but green and crimson were chromatically diametric, so the conflict created a greyish tone, instead; apparently, he didn't find Rakassa's joke comical. He gets to stammering, which is a good implication that he's having a hard time controlling himself, and is truly at the murderous, boiling point, which could theoretically be detrimental to Rakassa, if she decided to push her luck a little more, "....P...Perhaps.... yuh... shud DO'T right now.... if ya dink s-she ken do better'n me! Go on! Give'r my job! See what happens den!" Not that anyone would ever serve Rakassa as studiously as Queegmaa, and he knew it, but to have his proficiency thrown into doubt, when he slogged through chores nobody would've ever done at her behest? That was a degree of disrespect that was far too unreasonable to be accepted by the kappa!

:'''[[Echo]] has posed:''' "Oh I don't intend to try and take anyone's position, exactly," Echo peered over at the now suddenly turning gray Kappa (which made sense perhaps, since he was already green) and seemed to enunciate 'positions' with a little bit of notice there, putting on a bit of a mischievous smile with one of those big pink-ribbed ears twitching. "I shall be available next time you're in need of my... special skills," she bowed her head and would make her way out then, taking the bag of munny with hre of course, because why not? A bat's gotta eat, yo.

:'''[[Rakassa]] has posed:''' The monster-mage's gaze turns upon the Kappa as he rages at her. She goes silent. Is she stunned? Angered at this outburst? After a moment, a beautiful laugh escapes her, a hand going to her chest. "/PERFECT/! Oh, I /KNEW/ you had it in you, Que! All of that abuse, that toil, that drudgery...and not even a peep? There's a difference between servitude and meek little weaklings that deserve to be crushed and tossed away. I need some backbone even out of you. I'm impressed, Que, Echo. With both of you." Her voice is soft, despite so may teeth, promising reward if they keep their employer happy! That grin turns to a smirk. "Excellent. Oh, don't worry. We'll get to know each other very well. 'Till then, ta ta~"

:'''[[Queegmaa]] has posed:''' Queegmaa grunts a little bit, the swelling diminishing as Rakassa seems to demonstrate that she might be implying a retraction of her earlier claim, still feeling sour over the whole affair, albeit, not berserk, like he had been just about likely to become a moment prior. At any rate, Que did have /one/ trump card up his sleeve that he could use to ruin Rakassa, but then.... the cost would probably be his life, as she'd hunt him down to the ends of the World of Ruin to assure that he shared in the world's fate.... utter ruination; he knew that Rakassa and Olivia were the same person-- plus, he knew of her sacrilegious quest to procure all the pieces of the Oni-Yoroi. This would decimate her, since she'd lose her most promising student, Vohstra, if he caught wind of the fact that he was being exploited, and that she was trying to convert him into one of the Shadow Lords, who he had been, at present, oppositional to, because he personally believed that their order was the short-cut to achieving power.... Simply kissing up to Malificent and being granted extraneous powers was not the honorable way to ascend, but rather, hard work and discipline was his preferred method of attaining enlightenment, and perfect. The Shadow Lords were all disloyal, power-mongers who would backstab at the first moment of opportunity, while a genuine retainer would die at their master's whim, even if their master had shown them contempt and disrespect most of their entire life. "Dun like bein' tested." is all Que mumbles, turning his head away, having resumed his submissive role as could've been expected; he doesn't challenge Rakassa directly, by looking into her eyes when this is announced, which proves that he still knows his place, even if he had a momentary boon of courage, and unwavering vigor rising up within him.

:'''[[Echo]] has posed:''' Echo had met the one known as Maleficent at least once or twice before, each time she had felt the enormous magical power surrounding her, like one beholds the great heat from a furnace. It was like looking into a bonfire, and imagining oneself just inches from it. You could feel her a good distance away. It seemed to resonate and call out to one, going 'look at me, puny one, look upon Maleficent, who has passed centuries waiting to strike like you wait moments for a trolley. Behold me, and dispair. Echo could definitely say there was something so inspiring about it, that ever since she had felt it, she had felt like she wanted to aspire to be it. "Well then, Sir Queegmaa, Mistress Olivia, I will be going now, if you have no further need of me for now," she had already left her parting flirtatious comments with the imp, so hopefully he would try and contact her again for more work. It wasn't that she necessarily needed all this money, but it would be helpful, and maybe even lead to some amusement.

Queegmaa's African Magnum Opals

2013-12-07T20:05:29Z

BlondeFox: log

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2013/12/05
|Location=Vector - Palace
|Synopsis=Queegmaa plants seeds of conspiracy in Rakassa's mind, and she takes the bait, hook, line, and sinker; plans are set in motion to purge The Pride Lands of their precious gems.
|Cast of Characters=Queegmaa, Rakassa
|pretty=yes
}}
:'''[[Rakassa]] has posed:''' Rakassa is never a woman to wait on others, if she can help it. You'd have to be the Emperor, for that...and even then, begrudgingly. But when the Emp's away, the snake will most certainly play. Calling her little minion, upon hearing that he's been scheming something, she leans back in her plush seat, feet up on her hardwood desk. She sips away at a wine glass. "Where /is/ that little cretin? Ahh, well. May as well call /him/ in too." So too does Vohstra get a summons. Time to see what the kappa has in that head of his.

:'''[[Queegmaa]] has posed:''' The true puppet-master of Vector was an engineer.... when he wasn't concocting some kind of new machine, he was taking various pieces of information and reassembling them until they fit together. Research was his weapon of choice, and gathering intelligence, because while Queegmaa wasn't a warmaster like Celes and General Leo, there was one thing he bided his time with while he sat on the sidelines keeping score, instead of playing the game; think. Always cowering in the shadows, he cultivated a mind that was fraught with the understanding of machinations with which few else could compete, for the recesses of his cranial chambers were alight with the kind of notions that could bring about yet more darkness, and suffering. He'd heard first-hand from Vohstras what they were up against-- during the assault on their Mtek Lab, two prominent members of the entourage had made spectacles of themselves, who went by the names of 'Angantyr' and 'Avira'. Judging from what was witnessed at the fiasco, Angantyr reminded Vohstras of a bull in a China shop, whose only talent was his neanderthal-approach to dealing with his adversaries.... 'bash with big club', or the equivalent thereof. However, Avira seemed to be more organized in wittiness than that, and had a caluclating, shrewd mind, even if it had been applied to altruistic enterprises in the World of Ruin. Queegmaa had seen it for himself when he visited the short-statured woman's camp; she had foresight, and she had strategy on her side, especially when she had a verbal joust with him pertaining to the nature of The Spine's origins... she corrected the kappa on a minor detail that may have made all the difference in the world, which spoke volumes for her acuity of her maturity. She was not an angry child wielding her father's gun that she'd found lying around. .....And speaking of Vohstras, he had been summoned to the meeting as well, since he apparently was said to have some information that would've been useful to the discussion, as asserted by Queegmaa. The conniving troll entered Rakassa's chamber right on time, knowing what he'd incur if he'd made her linger even a solitary minute due to his antics, regardless of what they might've been, legitimate or otherwise! Upon entering the room, Queegmaa grunted, and said, "Adamirial Rak'sa" Half the time, he didn't even get her name right, but at least all his other 't's were crossed properly. "Cap'in Vohstras...." He narrowed his eyes, envious of the fact that the samurai was still Rakassa's favorite-- probably because he was more charismatic in aesthetic, besides being a bold-spirited warrior who wasn't afraid of his enemies.... an ideology Vector's militaristic nation favored over the armchair generals who cringed behind while the roughnecks charged forward. Queegmaa preferred to look before leaping, which was seen as hesitation and skittishness, whereas leaping before looking was seen as fearlessness, and valued highly by the empire; this was probably how it needed to work, to have a functional community.... A couple chiefs and a lot of braves, for too many ideas and not enough workers to implement those ideas would mean stagnation, and perhaps civil war. The water-imp knew there was no other way for that to happen but to instill in the people a sense of necessity towards stalwart folks who were strong of body, athletes.... a blue-collar, middle-class. If too much emphasis was put on the significance of the think-tanks, then the proletariat would rebel! "Alrighty, den... Ya both knowed dat I's be the forem'st guy here on Eard's history, 'n all that jazz." He smirked, building himself up temporarily, since he knew that if they denounced him in that regard, that he could, and /would/ prove them wrong for denying it-- this was one of those few chances he had to brag. "I been studyin' da corpertions in Manhattan, 'n 'sposedly, Europe had a rayle impack on da wurl', before dey became parta dis place...." He nodded, and continued his thought, "Ev'dentilly, they gotta head start from Eurapoe, which traded wi' da udder places tuh help 'em get deir technology up ta speed, see." Right now he was laying the groundwork for what he'd introduce as his plot, but first, he had to get Rakassa intrigued enough to tempt her into supplying him with a good half hour, since she was just as liable to call off the meeting if the proposition didn't sound appetizing.....

:'''[[Rakassa]] has posed:''' To even get in the door was proof that Rakassa was interested...at least for the moment. Mercuriality is certainly a trait many perscribe to her. As unreliable as it may come across, it at least means that only ideas of real merit get past her. It's part of why she's so high ranked; Rakassa isn't given to military actions without a good cause. The woman uncrosses and re-crosses her legs. She holds her chin up with a fist, elbow on the arm of her chair. The other hand drums her fingernails on the desk. Her eye narrows just slightly, and she yawns dramatically. "Go on." She says in an utterly unimpressed tone. Seems the woman's looking for a little taste before she chows down.

:'''[[Queegmaa]] has posed:''' As disinterested as she 'appeared' to be, which was something she put on for the sake of keeping up appearances of her own righteousness and importance, the fact that she gave Que leave to proceed was enough to verify her intrigue.... Not only that, but because of Queegmaa's uncanny penchant for seeing the most subtle of shifts in one's face, he had spies located where others would not suspect, and the most faint of twitches informed him that she was much more excited than she let on-- it was time to build a little more suspense, just to give Rakassa the kind of joyride that made Queegmaa such a thrill.... at least, he was a favorite source of entertainment for her when he was onto something. Right now, though, he exhibited a confidence that conveyed a vastness of truth backing up whatever hypothesis his whole speech would culminate into; but it was not yet time to go for the kill. Just a little longer.... that was all Que wanted.... he knew emotion -did- influence the admiral, and if her curiosity got the better of her, that alone would lighten up her mood and get her really prone to investing in the hateful one's blueprint. "Well... Vohstras dere's been snoopin' round da Pride Lan's recently, which he chose as his partic'lar route las' time he went tuh China. We all knowed dat he's inta dat eastern phil'sfee sh*t, so les not get into a big hoo-hah over me givin' out personal details on people's lives. None of us here's a dunce." If he was cutting corners and breaching protocol, for the sake of cutting to the chase, Rakassa must have been dying of curiosity, and would've made it all the tougher for her to hide it.... certainly, she would've started to tremble a little with anticipation-- her lustful nature couldn't be contained fully, and Que would administer the medicine right before she'd be about to burst. "So... ta get ta da point here... or, at least one point. When he was in Afurka, 'n he changed inta some kinna monkey--" Queegmaa was promptly cut off by Vohstras as he sent a telepathic message to both the imp and Rakassa, to correct him on a technicality, which caused the kappa to grumble, "S'I was sayin'....." Queegmaa nodded, "One'a his attendants happ'd ta find a diamond." The admiral must have been dying from desire to know what he was getting at, but he would let her wonder just a moment longer before giving the punchline. That was his way. Most likely, she was already beginning to figure out where Queegmaa was going with this, to some degree, but not in totality, whereas Vohstras was most likely clueless, or else completely apathetic, since his expression didn't change one bit.

:'''[[Rakassa]] has posed:''' For once, the woman actually shows irritation on the correction. Rakassa doesn't /care/ about the difference. Luckily, she keeps Vohstra around less for entertainment, and more for skill. He can afford to irritate her with little things like that. It's a luxury given to very few. Booted feet hit the ground as she sits up. Leaning forward, Rakassa peers into the Kappa's eyes. "So. We have a diamond. Not that I don't /like/ diamonds, but what's the point?" Pause. Slowly, she smirks. "...We going to soon be sitting atop a diamond mine?"

:'''[[Queegmaa]] has posed:''' Que chuckles darkly, wagging his finger, "Close... bu' no...." He smirks at Vohstras, "Banana." At this, Vohstras clears his throat, showing some annoyance at the jibe, but most likely, since it was a disparagement at someone's expense, Rakassa would have found it amusing, especially in light of the fact that Vohstras had just invoked the irritable side of the woman. Queegmaa holds out his hand, and remarks, "What I mean's dat it ain't gon' be too soon... see... here's da ding...." He sighs, "Most of da folk who go ta da pride-lands is turnin' inta lions, hinas, elfanants, jirfs, and nonsense like that. Now... some turn intuh primates, wi' oppos'ble thumbs, as ya knowed. But dem boys is mostly gon' be useless when we git'em over dere." As if to bring the whole shibang to a conclusion, he holds up a finger, "In Afurka, they was the leadin' producer o' diamonds fer decades, by exploitin' kids, which everyone knows wud bring Vector bad publicity, which we can't 'ford, if we wanna fly un'er the radar.... 'n as I said..." He pauses to let Rakassa process the first mass of information, "Erybody turns into animals when dey go there, nohows. In China, dey was king o' da hill in producin' iron ore." He holds up a second finger, "We got da technology to be producin' androids like Number Zero-Twenty-Four, and Number One-Twenty-Eight.... right?" He smirks. Now Rakassa must have been about ready to come apart at the seams. Que held up another finger, "I hear dat recently some Shaduh Lord undead weirdo attacked China, and made a mess, which means dey's ripe for sending in ar folks to negotiate trade for their d'posits of iron, cuz I knowed dem boys is des'prit." He holds up one more finger, "While we's tradin' for iron o'er in China at wholesale prices, we ken compile lists of da fellas who turn into apes 'n all dat.... so dey can be overseers when we colonize, 'n strip Afurka of its diamonds. 'N I'll let you take a wild guess who, er what da work-force is gon' be composed of...." He smiles proudly, decidedly letting Rakassa deliver the coup de grace, so she can savor the delectable succulence of getting to close up the deal, so she can feel almost like it was partially her own idea.

:'''[[Rakassa]] has posed:''' It takes all of Rakassa's willpower not to get up, wrap her hands around the little kappa's neck, and shake him until he comes out with it. Indeed, there's opportunity at the tip of her nose. She /hates/ waiting. The little jerk is drawing it out, she knows it! Just to get under her skin. She smiles. It's an angry smile. He finally leaves it up to her. "...Heh. My, my, how /horrible/ you little, black-hearted wretch. I /knew/ I kept you around for some reason. Going to use our little mechanical friends to do all the work, without any of the pr disasters that might come with abusing the locals. Mmm. Not as entertaining as watching the little wretches squirm, buuut I suppose we can just slowly mutilate and tear away every piece of value we can from it. There will be time for fun later." A swift nod. "Right, then, you two. Lists in order, and I will make the right calls to have the appropriate robots made for the task. But we will not suffice off of one site. Scout more. And try not to piss off the savages too much. We don't need a war. Just profit."

:'''[[Queegmaa]] has posed:''' Que knows this is a game that he /can/ play with Rakassa, because she -needs- him for these kinds of things, since nobody else can perform the mental work he does. Conspiring is his favorite game, and though he doesn't actually 'play the game', he's the best scorekeeper that the game has ever known, which gives him his few days in the sun; this in spite of the fact that intense sunlight will dry him out, if he's exposed to it directly. When she compliments him, the goblin folds his arms across his chest fearlessly, taking in the flattery, since it'll be all he'll be allowed to subsist upon until his next big breakthrough of an idea. Now, once he comes up with the ideas, it's no longer /his/ fault if it doesn't work, because he's Mister Theory-- the grunts who actually perspire will be the ones to take the blame if it goes awry, since.... who can prove it was a bad idea, if it /can/ be proven that the peasantry didn't do their jobs correctly? Queegmaa never misses a beat, and keeps excellent records, so if there's one thing he'll do during the entire operation, is to document productivity, so that he can identify a few scapegoats if the whole thing buckles. To Rakassa's presumption that the workers will be robots, Que holds up a finger and winks, charmingly, "Ah.... but dere's some icing on dis cake.... see...." Now Rakassa must be feeling especially delighted, because this kappa is pampering her beyond all reason, "Ya /WILL/ get ta see a lot o' sniveling mongrels suffer....." He flashes a toothy grin, and places his bets on Rakassa's enthusiasm experiencing a revival, as he prepares to explain the rest. "Af'er the diamonds is mined, we're gon' recalibrate da machines inta 'war' machines. Fact is... you said we dun need a war-- but.... what we dun need none of, is a war /right now/." He starts to pace, "What happens if we got dis giant workforce dat's outta work, sittin' in ar fac'tries, gettin' all rusty? We lose munny." The turtle comes to a halt, then turns his head towards Rakassa, with his body facing perpendicular to her own, as Vohstras simple absorbs it all, "Remember our buddies o'ver at Glabados? Dey's always startin' trouble, wagin' wars with other countries ta try ta convert 'em." Que scoffs disapproingly, "Dat stupid rat of their's has a war-record like nobody else in dis world.... Jaren dun tol' me about it, when I reported him, and slandered him, cuz dey had ta pretend to be proud of their personell, or seem word'd get around dat they was faithless. Jayrn needed a 'cuse tuh deny F*ckruja a raise, 'n I gave it ta him, but it dun change da fact that the church is always sending fools here 'n dere to try and capture those Heretics.... Meanwhile, we ain't had no probs with the Returners, which means our bots ain't gon be doin' much 'round here....." He shifts his body to face Rakassa's, once more, "Glabados buys ar services, 'n our robots, 'n we get on better terms wi' dem. Plus.... they'll be field-testin' the droids /for/ us, so dat our technology will increase at deir expense...." Que gave the widest smile he'd born the whole day, "....Now ya kint tell me dat this int duh best plan we ever hatched!"

:'''[[Rakassa]] has posed:''' Rakassa quite simply leans back. She grins, once again kicking her feet up as she sips on her wine. Even as the alcohol runs through her sister, Vector's maiden of lust listens to Que's.../THEIR/ plan unfold. "Perfect. Money, data, and plenty of wretches squirming for our pleasure. Just /perfect/!" She looks happy enough to dance. Instead, she polishes off the rest of her glass. Soon enough, she's chugging down the bottle. For her to do that in front of Vohstra, means she's /very/ pleased with things. "Mmm. Que? Get this set up, and you can go on a vacation. One week. Wherever you want to go. Of course, if this goes south...guess who gets to be my new guinea pig for a few war beasts~" Best to intersperse threats with reward. Keeps her minions in line.

:'''[[Queegmaa]] has posed:''' Queegmaa watches her guzzle straight from the bottle, inwardly knowing that by the time the whole thing went south, they'd still be so far ahead from possessing new robots, even if the diamond venture wasn't lucrative, that she'd be more forgiving, pointedly remindng himself that he wouldn't be the guinea-pig, because he could weasel some way out of it, with a well-worded explanation on why it'd be in her best interest to keep him intact. On the other hand, he couldn't actually vocalize this, or she'd be forewarned of his plans, and have all the more reason to hold him accountable for cataclysm. Rubbing his temples, feigning worry over the threat, he then had a random thought that he found amusing, "It's too bad dat we can't stick some'a dem slave-crowns on da Nezumi o'er in Burmecia, 'n such. I hear tell dat rats is good diggers, and having ourselves some mice-slaves who you could mistreat might make the deal jus' a lil bit sweeter for ya." He shrugs his shoulders, and then snaps his fingers, "Ah... speakin' of diggin'.... We ain't gon git tuh far if we're hamren 'way at rocks all day with pick-axes." With that, he bows a little, "Admril, why don'tcha lemme go ta Montressor Spaceport so I can see about snaggin' some of dat laser science they got over dere? Outfit our bots wi' lasers an' we can maximize our output, plus, if any of da local predatory wildlife tries sumfin like ta eat us, den we can evasreeate 'em rayle quick-like. I hear dat Mufasa's a smart cookie..... We shud consider makin' allies with his enemies, cuz he ain't corrupt 'nuff ta be bribed ta let us start pollutin' the Pride Lands, ya?" This was the final variable in Queegmaa's equation that he felt was worthy of mention; he didn't know anything about the Elephants' Graveyard, and the hyena alliance, but surely.... /somebody/ was interested in negotiating terms for keeping Mufasa off of the Vectorites' backs.....

:'''[[Rakassa]] has posed:''' The Admiral lets out a genuine laugh, looking utterly amused. "Oh, to see a bunch of rats scurrying about so~. Interesting, but who wants a bunch of disgusting little rodents around? And besides, slave crowns are boring. Those hollow, lifeless eyes...no pain, no suffering, no loathing.../boring/. Useful, but boring. A last resort." Rakassa isn't like Kefka. She has class and style! She waves her hand dismissively. "Do it. We'll need to get a better view of the political landscape. Difficult, no doubt, since it's just a bunch of animals. No cities, no borders...still. Sharp eyes, gentlemen. Animals, as a whole, are less stupid than one might think."

Queegmaa

2013-12-05T23:01:25Z

BlondeFox: Fixed some typos, elaborated on his personality.

{{Character Infobox
|firstname=Queegmaa
|middlename=Ratho
|lastname=Piir
|age=????
|image=queegmaasoftlines.jpg
|caption=Que, if he didn't have a head-plate
|species=Kappa
|sex=Male
|height=5'6
|weight=279 Lbs (Shell + Addons, now including a leg made of metal!)
|series=Final Fantasy 6
|styles=Saboteur, Warrior
|hometown=Southern Continent
|alignment=Forces of Ruin
|group=Gestahlian Empire
|occupation=Toady / Chief Engineer
|themesong="Obsession" - Seiken Densetsu III OST
|quote=If ya got aximimoms, den you got kints in yer mentil armor, n' dat means I cud moldja like clay if I wan'ed!
|footer=Orchestrating Kidnappings for Rakassa
}}

=Appearance=

(In short, picture a short, skinny Blanka from Street Fighter II, but with crazy blonde, not red hair, and a slightly upturned nose, as well as a shell, and prothesis)

Having the typical 'mop-top' of other kappa from The World Of Balance, Queegmaa has light-blonde hair, and large eyes, as do many fish, reptiles, and lizards, or other aquatic creatures. His lips protrude forward boldly, almost like a 'beak' that turtles often have, except not to the same, exaggerated degree. A prominent feature of Que's would be his crooked nose, which was broken and never set properly when it healed, so that it bends slightly to one side. He has an quadrilateral shape for a face, in that it juts downward in an elongated fashion, as well as sideways, but between these cardinal points, the ordinal regions are more concave, giving him a facial shape looking something like a plus sign, hailing from the world of arithmetic. Sharp fangs hide under his wide lips, and his upper brow extends almost across his entire forehead, wrapping around the sides.

Normally, where kappa have a depression inside their tall, coney heads, Que has had a strange helmet permanently grafted to his skull, which is encircled by his long hair, yet, the headgear itself is a cap designed to prevent damage to his soft, sensitive inner cranium, since kappa are traditionally known for their upper 'pocket' being tender, with a thin membrane containing thick fluid that gives them their strange, inhuman strength, in the cases of those water-imps who possess this power. Queegmaa has bionic arms, and parts of his chest, especially the clavicle areas are reinforced to help stabilize the cumbersome weight of these prosthesis; additionally, it stretches around the backside and inserts into his shell, for added support, since kappa tend to be fairly lanky in physique. The mechanical arms of this water-imp, as well as the other portions of machinery to be found on his person look to be in the style of steam-punk, which is typical of industrial design from his world, which were less concerned with ergonomics, and more with practicality, due to the low-level of scientific knowledge they had, necessitating bulk in order to enable power. His skin is a sickly greyish-green, and his eyes are violet. Que's feet are mildly webbed, being remarkably common for kappa, which end in long talons that are perfect for gripping things, akin to a second pair of hands.

Que's hair is a disaster, though, given that frizz and moisture are abundant in the areas from which he often hails, thus, it looks like something out of a rock-band from an 80's glam group, despite still having that moppish flair. He usually carries a staff with him that possesses mana, which aids him in those few instances where he casts spells, beyond serving as a cattle-prod, since he doesn't have any lightning 'spells', in light of the fact that his 'natural' cantrips are pretty much all water, or nature-based. His dilapidated, intricate prosthesis have numerous compartments and sockets in the event that he wishes to add adaptors or new drivers down the road to grant him extra features to his array of gimmicks. Queegmaa does carry a tanto as well, which is often hidden, but all in all, his focus leans towards 'artificial' magic, so it's more likely he'll launch bullets, hooked-wires, slippery grease, or other articles from his stockpile of weaponry, if he's not using flame-throwers to obliterate his foes.

=History=

Queegmaa was a kappa who'd existed in his respective lake for as long as the lake itself had been, being one of the original progenitors of his tribe, which ultimately amounted to a community of dozens. Long-lived creatures, they were never reproduced in droves, so it wasn't difficult for Admiral Rakassa of the empire to trick Que into undermining his own people, while disguising her motives as mutually beneficial. Quick to ascend to greatness, he sold his people down the river unwittingly, while ignoring his better judgement to decline the general's offer, and then ended up with more guilt than he could handle.

Revealing herself to be a Shadow Lord, she exposed the sole survivor of the clan, Que, to a terrible truth that resonated with such seemingly overwhelming truth, that in the face of its admission, the kappa couldn't deny what she'd proclaimed. Seeing no other path available that made any sense, Queegmaa took her up on her offer.

=Personality=

Selfish, paranoid, cowardly, sycophantic, greedy, munny-grubbing, power-hungry, and would just as soon butcher his neighbor out of convenience just as he does the language of the common-tongue; Queegmaa serves Rakassa because she bribes him, but she only keeps him nourished just enough to sustain him, so that he'll be useful to her without getting any ideas of ascension to power. Being the quintessential boot-licker, Que doesn't actually enjoy his downtrodden status, but hasn't the gall to defy her, especially when he foresees the day that he'll inevitably uncover enough skeletons in her closet to provide him with the leverage he needs to oust Rakassa from power, in spite of her oppression, so as to take it for himself. Overall, Queegmaa holds the view that life is a punishment, because of his lack of control over his own fate, and the natural entropy that's part of his default existence, so as a means of exacting revenge against the powers that be, he chooses to try and sabotage everything that the forces at work seemingly aspire to create; this means he resents everything in the universe, including himself; as Rakassa is Vector's manifestation of the one of the seven deadly sins known as 'Lust', Queegmaa is wrath incarnate.

[[File:Queegmaa-FK-Profile.gif]]

=Abilities=

General Stuff- Quegmaa is very elongated in limb, and oblong in body, despite being short-statured, which means his ability to hit targets physically is above average- but ironically enough, because of his affinity for magic, his truest boon rears its ugly head when he flings around spell-craft and elemental forces, or if he makes use of the machinery that comprises a high fraction of his being. For ranged fighting, he carries bolts that've been installed inside his forelimbs, which can be replenished by accretion of dust particles, which become compressed, enabling combustion upon impact with targets, much akin to a gun's bullet- barring that, he's just as accurate with a tanto(short-sword) always on his person, making him fairly well-rounded, if slanted in the direction of divination a touch.

Toxinator- Having been subjected to the vibes of a highly poisonous esper's magicite for years on end, Quegmaa has taken on some of the attributes of said creature; he is highly resistant to acidic, or else noxious substances, which would normally sicken or erode the hardiest of individuals. If that in itself would seem something that couldn't be topped, Queg has another advantage that lies in his ability to occasionally envenomate his victims with physical touch alone.

Aquabotic- He breathes underwater, he's resistant to water-based attacks, and he's a cyborg. Designed for sub-hydrant environments, he has sonar which gives him the ability to visualize his environments by sending wavelengths from himself which give him a sense of topography, or the objects therein; he also carries potions in some otherwise vacant compartments in his arms. He's not an outright grandmaster in magic, or mechanics alike, so he fancies himself a 'technomage', or, an ideal union between mysticism and science- though he prides himself on his unlocking of the 'Exploder' spell, even though it was thought that he'd never master any true fire 'spells'. Being aqua-based, and having a share of metal on his person at all times makes him weak when barraged by lightning, on the other hand....

Sink Syncing- Quegmaa can harmonize with technologies from his world, especially things that relate to aquatics, such as boats, submarines, or possibly even kitchen sinks, which means either attaching to them, controlling them, or at the very least, understanding them. Given time, he can most likely disassemble the structure of alien units that are water-oriented, but it would require at least a day's time to analyze the components involved, even if memorization comes easier; this ability to assimilate/use outlandish devices doesn't apply to any non-hydration type instruments.

Sinewy Sighted- Facial recognition is the name of the game; having dealt with the likes of Rakassa for years at a time, unless someone has a flawless poker-face(listed in their official application or powers or upgrades), and they do not have a mask on, Quegmaa can discern if the person speaking to him speaks with anxiety, or confidence, by way of watching the twitching of optics, and facial muscles, or bodily movements.

=Relationships=
'''Disclaimer: Anyone who interacts with Queegmaa will /not/ be likely to receive forgiving reviews-- RP with him at your own discretion'''

[[Avira]]: Ya'd hate da true me.... Just s'well, so do I. But ya got nuh chance of reformin' me, so come the day we meet, yu'd better try'n butcher me; yer sword luks like it prolly done plen'y of dat befur.

[[Echo]]: Do you take anyding ser'yusly?

[[Faruja Senra]]: Ya talk like y'were ejucated at sum finishin' school, but ya got the fac'ty of da kinda patsy I pretend ta be!

[[Maira]]: Dun do ye no sort o' good ta be askin' strangers fer deir help; ya mus' got a spiled natur' if ya be dinkin' thatcher folks gon be more li'ble to be inherntely good dan not!

[[Nagetta]]: Shud be a crime ta be dat good-looking'. All dese fleshy folk an't got nothin' next ta scaly chicks. Ya seem kinda apprehensive, though.... Uneasy. Trust issues come from vein' victimized, 'n I'd love ta pound da ones who mistreated you!

[[Ophelia]]: A self-important snob like you ain't gonna get too far in life; ya kick-down like any other honcho, butcha also kick-up, which dar gon getcha kick'd right beck down ta da bottom!

[[Rakassa]]: Mebbe you got a thousan' more fools in yer palm dan me, but I got a thousan' more brain cells than you, cuz I've oodles o' eons un'er my belt..... Go on'n keep thinkin' dat yer cushy position's safe.... Dun matter to me which fool's misleadin' the rest of deir kind.

[[Rosemarie]]: Ya spat when ya shudda swalled-- Now I'mma have my legions swalla' you, and nothin' gonna be left when they're done.

[[Shadow]]: Ya'lready sold yer soul; I knowed that much. All de admiral's gotta do is find yer debtor and buy yuh, den you'll be workin' fer us!

=Trivia=

Voice Actor: Matthew Wood (General Grievous)

Name: His name, if correctly pronounced, sounds akin to 'Keg - Maw', as opposed to how it's spelled, which may have most thinking it sounds more like 'Kweeg - mah'.

True Age: Lakes generally last from a few thousand, to dozens of millions of years old at most, and thus it could statistically be inferred that Queegmaa may have seniority over some espers from his world, since kappa have lifespans that typically equal that of the basins they inhabit.

Misogyny: Having masculinity issues, Queegmaa ins unable to find himself attracted to women who dwarf him in girth or height.

Cosmetics: Being on dry land is a real drag, so he does what many drag-queens do, by employing moisturizers constantly, in order to maintain hydrated skin, yet, since this is related to his 'medicinal needs', unlike in the perceptions of humankind, he doesn't see many cosmetics as a 'feminine' thing.

Pets: If Que were to adopt a pet, it would be a dog of some sort, since they are pack-animals which are inclined towards obedience, and asserting dominion over another creature would be the kappa's best way of reclaiming some self-respect, being that he's essentially Rakassa's whipping-boy.

Subjugation: Queegmaa's prosthesis has a greater sensitivity to touch, but this comes with a price; normally, stabbing a prosthetic limb would yield no pain, but Rakassa has wired Que's robotics in such a way that the electro-transmitters send signals to the kappa's brain to induce, or replicate anguish, which means that she can effectively create suffering where there would ordinarily be none possible.

= Logs =
{{Character Logs}}
= Cutscenes =
{{Character Logs|Cutscenes}}

Queegmaa

2013-11-21T05:22:08Z

BlondeFox: /* Relationships */ Added Echo

{{Character Infobox
|firstname=Queegmaa
|middlename=Ratho
|lastname=Piir
|age=????
|image=queegmaasoftlines.jpg
|caption=Que, if he didn't have a head-plate
|species=Kappa
|sex=Male
|height=5'6
|weight=279 Lbs (Shell + Addons, now including a leg made of metal!)
|series=Final Fantasy 6
|styles=Saboteur, Warrior
|hometown=Southern Continent
|alignment=Forces of Ruin
|group=Gestahlian Empire
|occupation=Toady
|themesong="Obsession" - Seiken Densetsu III OST
|quote=If ya got aximimoms, den you got kints in yer mentil armor, n' dat means I cud moldja like clay if I wan'ed!
|footer=Doing chores for evil w*ores.
}}

=Appearance=

(In short, picture a short, skinny Blanka from Street Fighter II, but with crazy blonde, not red hair, and a slightly upturned nose, as well as a shell, and prothesis)

Having the typical 'mop-top' of other kappa from The World Of Balance, Queegmaa has light-blonde hair, and large eyes, as do many fish, reptiles, and lizards, or other aquatic creatures. His lips protrude forward boldly, almost like a 'beak' that turtles often have, except not to the same, exaggerated degree. A prominent feature of Que's would be his crooked nose, which was broken and never set properly when it healed, so that it bends slightly to one side. He has an quadrilateral shape for a face, in that it juts downward in an elongated fashion, as well as sideways, but between these cardinal points, the ordinal regions are more concave, giving him a facial shape looking something like a plus sign, hailing from the world of arithmetic. Sharp fangs hide under his wide lips, and his upper brow extends almost across his entire forehead, wrapping around the sides.

Normally, where kappa have a depression inside their tall, coney heads, Que has had a strange helmet permanently grafted to his skull, which is encircled by his long hair, yet, the headgear itself is a cap designed to prevent damage to his soft, sensitive inner cranium, since kappa are traditionally known for their upper 'pocket' being tender, with a thin membrane containing thick fluid that gives them their strange, inhuman strength, in the cases of those water-imps who possess this power. Queegmaa has bionic arms, and parts of his chest, especially the clavicle areas are reinforced to help stabilize the cumbersome weight of these prosthesis; additionally, it stretches around the backside and inserts into his shell, for added support, since kappa tend to be fairly lanky in physique. The mechanical arms of this water-imp, as well as the other portions of machinery to be found on his person look to be in the style of steam-punk, which is typical of industrial design from his world, which were less concerned with ergonomics, and more with practicality, due to the low-level of scientific knowledge they had, necessitating bulk in order to enable power. His skin is a sickly greyish-green, and his eyes are violet. Que's feet are mildly webbed, being remarkably common for kappa, which end in long talons that are perfect for gripping things, akin to a second pair of hands.

Que's hair is a disaster, though, given that frizz and moisture are abundant in the areas from which he often hails, thus, it looks like something out of a rock-band from an 80's glam group, despite still having that moppish flair. He usually carries a staff with him that possesses mana, which aids him in those few instances where he casts spells, beyond serving as a cattle-prod, since he doesn't have any lightning 'spells', in light of the fact that his 'natural' cantrips are pretty much all water, or nature-based. His dilapidated, intricate prosthesis have numerous compartments and sockets in the event that he wishes to add adaptors or new drivers down the road to grant him extra features to his array of gimmicks. Queegmaa does carry a tanto as well, which is often hidden, but all in all, his focus leans towards 'artificial' magic, so it's more likely he'll launch bullets, hooked-wires, slippery grease, or other articles from his stockpile of weaponry, if he's not using flame-throwers to obliterate his foes.

=History=

Queegmaa was a kappa who'd existed in his respective lake for as long as the lake itself had been, being one of the original progenitors of his tribe, which ultimately amounted to a community of dozens. Long-lived creatures, they were never reproduced in droves, so it wasn't difficult for Admiral Rakassa of the empire to trick Que into undermining his own people, while disguising her motives as mutually beneficial. Quick to ascend to greatness, he sold his people down the river unwittingly, while ignoring his better judgement to decline the general's offer, and then ended up with more guilt than he could handle.

Revealing herself to be a Shadow Lord, she exposed the sole survivor of the clan, Que, to a terrible truth that resonated with such seemingly overwhelming truth, that in the face of its admission, the kappa couldn't deny what she'd proclaimed. Seeing no other path available that made any sense, Queegmaa took her up on her offer.

=Personality=

Selfish, paranoid, cowardly, sycophantic, greedy, munny-grubbing, power-hungry, and would just as soon butcher his neighbor out of convenience just as he does the language of the common-tongue; Queegmaa serves Rakassa because she bribes him, but she only keeps him nourished just enough to sustain him, so that he'll be useful to her without getting any ideas of ascension to power. Being the quintessential boot-licker, Que doesn't actually enjoy his downtrodden status, but hasn't the gall to defy her, especially when he foresees the day that he'll inevitably uncover enough skeletons in her closet to provide him with the leverage he needs to oust Rakassa from power, in spite of her oppression, so as to take it for himself.

[[File:Queegmaa-FK-Profile.gif]]

=Abilities=

General Stuff- Quegmaa is very elongated in limb, and oblong in body, despite being short-statured, which means his ability to hit targets physically is above average- but ironically enough, because of his affinity for magic, his truest boon rears its ugly head when he flings around spell-craft and elemental forces, or if he makes use of the machinery that comprises a high fraction of his being. For ranged fighting, he carries bolts that've been installed inside his forelimbs, which can be replenished by accretion of dust particles, which become compressed, enabling combustion upon impact with targets, much akin to a gun's bullet- barring that, he's just as accurate with a tanto(short-sword) always on his person, making him fairly well-rounded, if slanted in the direction of divination a touch.

Toxinator- Having been subjected to the vibes of a highly poisonous esper's magicite for years on end, Quegmaa has taken on some of the attributes of said creature; he is highly resistant to acidic, or else noxious substances, which would normally sicken or erode the hardiest of individuals. If that in itself would seem something that couldn't be topped, Queg has another advantage that lies in his ability to occasionally envenomate his victims with physical touch alone.

Aquabotic- He breathes underwater, he's resistant to water-based attacks, and he's a cyborg. Designed for sub-hydrant environments, he has sonar which gives him the ability to visualize his environments by sending wavelengths from himself which give him a sense of topography, or the objects therein; he also carries potions in some otherwise vacant compartments in his arms. He's not an outright grandmaster in magic, or mechanics alike, so he fancies himself a 'technomage', or, an ideal union between mysticism and science- though he prides himself on his unlocking of the 'Exploder' spell, even though it was thought that he'd never master any true fire 'spells'. Being aqua-based, and having a share of metal on his person at all times makes him weak when barraged by lightning, on the other hand....

Sink Syncing- Quegmaa can harmonize with technologies from his world, especially things that relate to aquatics, such as boats, submarines, or possibly even kitchen sinks, which means either attaching to them, controlling them, or at the very least, understanding them. Given time, he can most likely disassemble the structure of alien units that are water-oriented, but it would require at least a day's time to analyze the components involved, even if memorization comes easier; this ability to assimilate/use outlandish devices doesn't apply to any non-hydration type instruments.

Sinewy Sighted- Facial recognition is the name of the game; having dealt with the likes of Rakassa for years at a time, unless someone has a flawless poker-face(listed in their official application or powers or upgrades), and they do not have a mask on, Quegmaa can discern if the person speaking to him speaks with anxiety, or confidence, by way of watching the twitching of optics, and facial muscles, or bodily movements.

=Relationships=
'''Disclaimer: Anyone who interacts with Queegmaa will /not/ be likely to receive forgiving reviews-- RP with him at your own discretion'''

[[Avira]]: Ya'd hate da true me.... Just s'well, so do I. But ya got nuh chance of reformin' me, so come the day we meet, yu'd better try'n butcher me; yer sword luks like it prolly done plen'y of dat befur.

[[Echo]]: Do you take anyding ser'yusly?

[[Faruja Senra]]: Ya talk like y'were ejucated at sum finishin' school, but ya got the fac'ty of da kinda patsy I pretend ta be!

[[Maira]]: Dun do ye no sort o' good ta be askin' strangers fer deir help; ya mus' got a spiled natur' if ya be dinkin' thatcher folks gon be more li'ble to be inherntely good dan not!

[[Nagetta]]: Shud be a crime ta be dat good-looking'. All dese fleshy folk an't got nothin' next ta scaly chicks. Ya seem kinda apprehensive, though.... Uneasy. Trust issues come from vein' victimized, 'n I'd love ta pound da ones who mistreated you!

[[Ophelia]]: A self-important snob like you ain't gonna get too far in life; ya kick-down like any other honcho, butcha also kick-up, which dar gon getcha kick'd right beck down ta da bottom!

[[Rakassa]]: Mebbe you got a thousan' more fools in yer palm dan me, but I got a thousan' more brain cells than you, cuz I've oodles o' eons un'er my belt..... Go on'n keep thinkin' dat yer cushy position's safe.... Dun matter to me which fool's misleadin' the rest of deir kind.

[[Rosemarie]]: Ya spat when ya shudda swalled-- Now I'mma have my legions swalla' you, and nothin' gonna be left when they're done.

[[Shadow]]: Ya'lready sold yer soul; I knowed that much. All de admiral's gotta do is find yer debtor and buy yuh, den you'll be workin' fer us!

=Trivia=

Voice Actor: Matthew Wood (General Grievous)

Name: His name, if correctly pronounced, sounds akin to 'Keg - Maw', as opposed to how it's spelled, which may have most thinking it sounds more like 'Kweeg - mah'.

True Age: Lakes generally last from a few thousand, to dozens of millions of years old at most, and thus it could statistically be inferred that Queegmaa may have seniority over some espers from his world, since kappa, whose lifespans often equal that of the basins they inhabit.

Misogyny: Having masculinity issues, Queegmaa ins unable to find himself attracted to women who dwarf him in girth or height.

Cosmetics: Being on dry land is a real drag, so he does what many drag-queens do, by employing moisturizers constantly, in order to maintain hydrated skin, yet, since this is related to his 'medicinal needs', unlike in the perceptions of humankind, he doesn't see many cosmetics as a 'feminine' thing.

Pets: If Que were to adopt a pet, it would be a dog of some sort, since they are pack-animals which are inclined towards obedience, and asserting dominion over another creature would be the kappa's best way of reclaiming some self-respect, being that he's essentially Rakassa's whipping-boy.

Subjugation: Queegmaa's prosthesis has a greater sensitivity to touch, but this comes with a price; normally, stabbing a prosthetic limb would yield no pain, but Rakassa has wired Que's robotics in such a way that the electro-transmitters send signals to the kappa's brain to induce, or replicate anguish, which means that she can effectively create suffering where there would ordinarily be none possible.

= Logs =
{{Character Logs}}
= Cutscenes =
{{Character Logs|Cutscenes}}

Queegmaa

2013-11-21T05:16:42Z

BlondeFox: A note about how Queegmaa feels pain

{{Character Infobox
|firstname=Queegmaa
|middlename=Ratho
|lastname=Piir
|age=????
|image=queegmaasoftlines.jpg
|caption=Que, if he didn't have a head-plate
|species=Kappa
|sex=Male
|height=5'6
|weight=279 Lbs (Shell + Addons, now including a leg made of metal!)
|series=Final Fantasy 6
|styles=Saboteur, Warrior
|hometown=Southern Continent
|alignment=Forces of Ruin
|group=Gestahlian Empire
|occupation=Toady
|themesong="Obsession" - Seiken Densetsu III OST
|quote=If ya got aximimoms, den you got kints in yer mentil armor, n' dat means I cud moldja like clay if I wan'ed!
|footer=Doing chores for evil w*ores.
}}

=Appearance=

(In short, picture a short, skinny Blanka from Street Fighter II, but with crazy blonde, not red hair, and a slightly upturned nose, as well as a shell, and prothesis)

Having the typical 'mop-top' of other kappa from The World Of Balance, Queegmaa has light-blonde hair, and large eyes, as do many fish, reptiles, and lizards, or other aquatic creatures. His lips protrude forward boldly, almost like a 'beak' that turtles often have, except not to the same, exaggerated degree. A prominent feature of Que's would be his crooked nose, which was broken and never set properly when it healed, so that it bends slightly to one side. He has an quadrilateral shape for a face, in that it juts downward in an elongated fashion, as well as sideways, but between these cardinal points, the ordinal regions are more concave, giving him a facial shape looking something like a plus sign, hailing from the world of arithmetic. Sharp fangs hide under his wide lips, and his upper brow extends almost across his entire forehead, wrapping around the sides.

Normally, where kappa have a depression inside their tall, coney heads, Que has had a strange helmet permanently grafted to his skull, which is encircled by his long hair, yet, the headgear itself is a cap designed to prevent damage to his soft, sensitive inner cranium, since kappa are traditionally known for their upper 'pocket' being tender, with a thin membrane containing thick fluid that gives them their strange, inhuman strength, in the cases of those water-imps who possess this power. Queegmaa has bionic arms, and parts of his chest, especially the clavicle areas are reinforced to help stabilize the cumbersome weight of these prosthesis; additionally, it stretches around the backside and inserts into his shell, for added support, since kappa tend to be fairly lanky in physique. The mechanical arms of this water-imp, as well as the other portions of machinery to be found on his person look to be in the style of steam-punk, which is typical of industrial design from his world, which were less concerned with ergonomics, and more with practicality, due to the low-level of scientific knowledge they had, necessitating bulk in order to enable power. His skin is a sickly greyish-green, and his eyes are violet. Que's feet are mildly webbed, being remarkably common for kappa, which end in long talons that are perfect for gripping things, akin to a second pair of hands.

Que's hair is a disaster, though, given that frizz and moisture are abundant in the areas from which he often hails, thus, it looks like something out of a rock-band from an 80's glam group, despite still having that moppish flair. He usually carries a staff with him that possesses mana, which aids him in those few instances where he casts spells, beyond serving as a cattle-prod, since he doesn't have any lightning 'spells', in light of the fact that his 'natural' cantrips are pretty much all water, or nature-based. His dilapidated, intricate prosthesis have numerous compartments and sockets in the event that he wishes to add adaptors or new drivers down the road to grant him extra features to his array of gimmicks. Queegmaa does carry a tanto as well, which is often hidden, but all in all, his focus leans towards 'artificial' magic, so it's more likely he'll launch bullets, hooked-wires, slippery grease, or other articles from his stockpile of weaponry, if he's not using flame-throwers to obliterate his foes.

=History=

Queegmaa was a kappa who'd existed in his respective lake for as long as the lake itself had been, being one of the original progenitors of his tribe, which ultimately amounted to a community of dozens. Long-lived creatures, they were never reproduced in droves, so it wasn't difficult for Admiral Rakassa of the empire to trick Que into undermining his own people, while disguising her motives as mutually beneficial. Quick to ascend to greatness, he sold his people down the river unwittingly, while ignoring his better judgement to decline the general's offer, and then ended up with more guilt than he could handle.

Revealing herself to be a Shadow Lord, she exposed the sole survivor of the clan, Que, to a terrible truth that resonated with such seemingly overwhelming truth, that in the face of its admission, the kappa couldn't deny what she'd proclaimed. Seeing no other path available that made any sense, Queegmaa took her up on her offer.

=Personality=

Selfish, paranoid, cowardly, sycophantic, greedy, munny-grubbing, power-hungry, and would just as soon butcher his neighbor out of convenience just as he does the language of the common-tongue; Queegmaa serves Rakassa because she bribes him, but she only keeps him nourished just enough to sustain him, so that he'll be useful to her without getting any ideas of ascension to power. Being the quintessential boot-licker, Que doesn't actually enjoy his downtrodden status, but hasn't the gall to defy her, especially when he foresees the day that he'll inevitably uncover enough skeletons in her closet to provide him with the leverage he needs to oust Rakassa from power, in spite of her oppression, so as to take it for himself.

[[File:Queegmaa-FK-Profile.gif]]

=Abilities=

General Stuff- Quegmaa is very elongated in limb, and oblong in body, despite being short-statured, which means his ability to hit targets physically is above average- but ironically enough, because of his affinity for magic, his truest boon rears its ugly head when he flings around spell-craft and elemental forces, or if he makes use of the machinery that comprises a high fraction of his being. For ranged fighting, he carries bolts that've been installed inside his forelimbs, which can be replenished by accretion of dust particles, which become compressed, enabling combustion upon impact with targets, much akin to a gun's bullet- barring that, he's just as accurate with a tanto(short-sword) always on his person, making him fairly well-rounded, if slanted in the direction of divination a touch.

Toxinator- Having been subjected to the vibes of a highly poisonous esper's magicite for years on end, Quegmaa has taken on some of the attributes of said creature; he is highly resistant to acidic, or else noxious substances, which would normally sicken or erode the hardiest of individuals. If that in itself would seem something that couldn't be topped, Queg has another advantage that lies in his ability to occasionally envenomate his victims with physical touch alone.

Aquabotic- He breathes underwater, he's resistant to water-based attacks, and he's a cyborg. Designed for sub-hydrant environments, he has sonar which gives him the ability to visualize his environments by sending wavelengths from himself which give him a sense of topography, or the objects therein; he also carries potions in some otherwise vacant compartments in his arms. He's not an outright grandmaster in magic, or mechanics alike, so he fancies himself a 'technomage', or, an ideal union between mysticism and science- though he prides himself on his unlocking of the 'Exploder' spell, even though it was thought that he'd never master any true fire 'spells'. Being aqua-based, and having a share of metal on his person at all times makes him weak when barraged by lightning, on the other hand....

Sink Syncing- Quegmaa can harmonize with technologies from his world, especially things that relate to aquatics, such as boats, submarines, or possibly even kitchen sinks, which means either attaching to them, controlling them, or at the very least, understanding them. Given time, he can most likely disassemble the structure of alien units that are water-oriented, but it would require at least a day's time to analyze the components involved, even if memorization comes easier; this ability to assimilate/use outlandish devices doesn't apply to any non-hydration type instruments.

Sinewy Sighted- Facial recognition is the name of the game; having dealt with the likes of Rakassa for years at a time, unless someone has a flawless poker-face(listed in their official application or powers or upgrades), and they do not have a mask on, Quegmaa can discern if the person speaking to him speaks with anxiety, or confidence, by way of watching the twitching of optics, and facial muscles, or bodily movements.

=Relationships=
'''Disclaimer: Anyone who interacts with Queegmaa will /not/ be likely to receive forgiving reviews-- RP with him at your own discretion'''

[[Avira]]: Ya'd hate da true me.... Just s'well, so do I. But ya got nuh chance of reformin' me, so come the day we meet, yu'd better try'n butcher me; yer sword luks like it prolly done plen'y of dat befur.

[[Faruja Senra]]: Ya talk like y'were ejucated at sum finishin' school, but ya got the fac'ty of da kinda patsy I pretend ta be!

[[Maira]]: Dun do ye no sort o' good ta be askin' strangers fer deir help; ya mus' got a spiled natur' if ya be dinkin' thatcher folks gon be more li'ble to be inherntely good dan not!

[[Nagetta]]: Shud be a crime ta be dat good-looking'. All dese fleshy folk an't got nothin' next ta scaly chicks. Ya seem kinda apprehensive, though.... Uneasy. Trust issues come from vein' victimized, 'n I'd love ta pound da ones who mistreated you!

[[Ophelia]]: A self-important snob like you ain't gonna get too far in life; ya kick-down like any other honcho, butcha also kick-up, which dar gon getcha kick'd right beck down ta da bottom!

[[Rakassa]]: Mebbe you got a thousan' more fools in yer palm dan me, but I got a thousan' more brain cells than you, cuz I've oodles o' eons un'er my belt..... Go on'n keep thinkin' dat yer cushy position's safe.... Dun matter to me which fool's misleadin' the rest of deir kind.

[[Rosemarie]]: Ya spat when ya shudda swalled-- Now I'mma have my legions swalla' you, and nothin' gonna be left when they're done.

[[Shadow]]: Ya'lready sold yer soul; I knowed that much. All de admiral's gotta do is find yer debtor and buy yuh, den you'll be workin' fer us!

=Trivia=

Voice Actor: Matthew Wood (General Grievous)

Name: His name, if correctly pronounced, sounds akin to 'Keg - Maw', as opposed to how it's spelled, which may have most thinking it sounds more like 'Kweeg - mah'.

True Age: Lakes generally last from a few thousand, to dozens of millions of years old at most, and thus it could statistically be inferred that Queegmaa may have seniority over some espers from his world, since kappa, whose lifespans often equal that of the basins they inhabit.

Misogyny: Having masculinity issues, Queegmaa ins unable to find himself attracted to women who dwarf him in girth or height.

Cosmetics: Being on dry land is a real drag, so he does what many drag-queens do, by employing moisturizers constantly, in order to maintain hydrated skin, yet, since this is related to his 'medicinal needs', unlike in the perceptions of humankind, he doesn't see many cosmetics as a 'feminine' thing.

Pets: If Que were to adopt a pet, it would be a dog of some sort, since they are pack-animals which are inclined towards obedience, and asserting dominion over another creature would be the kappa's best way of reclaiming some self-respect, being that he's essentially Rakassa's whipping-boy.

Subjugation: Queegmaa's prosthesis has a greater sensitivity to touch, but this comes with a price; normally, stabbing a prosthetic limb would yield no pain, but Rakassa has wired Que's robotics in such a way that the electro-transmitters send signals to the kappa's brain to induce, or replicate anguish, which means that she can effectively create suffering where there would ordinarily be none possible.

= Logs =
{{Character Logs}}
= Cutscenes =
{{Character Logs|Cutscenes}}

Echo Goes To Bat For Queegmaa

2013-11-20T22:15:16Z

BlondeFox: log

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2013/11/20
|Location=Serendipity - Temptation Plaza
|Synopsis=As part of his long-term plan to concoct a serum comprised of extract from magically-inclined individuals, Queegmaa hires Echo to do a dirty deed for him, since he doesn't like to get involved in unnecessary roughness. After a bit of negotiation, Echo agrees to his terms, but, perhaps not without the intent to take some liberties of her own?
|Cast of Characters=Queegmaa, Echo
|pretty=yes
}}

:'''[[Echo]] has posed:''' It would be something of an early evening here in the plaza. A certain white bat had been sighted here sometime in the past few days, the last place had been Port Royal. So if one wanted to find some sort of batgirl, this was apparently the best place. Of course, Echo would just be relaxing out here in the plaza, likely having a bit of tea even though it's getting on into the afternoon. Who knows, maybe it's morning for them and they'll be awake most of the night? Possibly. Either way, she's just sort of hanging around...

:'''[[Queegmaa]] has posed:''' Too much decadence and gift-wrap; that's what this place was, in Que's eyes. It was a lot of presentation, and probably not much substance, but then, his view was that most people weren't even aware of what was going underneath the surface of their own take on the world, what with their disinclination to do much introspection. The kappa was one who spent many hours studying his own reasons for simply being, and needless to say, it wasn't to fritter his hours in a gaudy, souped-up zoo like Serendipity-- he did have a reason for coming to this gimmicky place. The grim reptile trudged every step of the way as he winced at the loud noises bombarding him; he was a practitioner of the technique of flash-sonar, and had quite the adept pair of auditory nerves, so all the sounds echoing through the area was just shy of a total overload for him, even if he was also perfectly capable of seeing. Regrettably, he couldn't stuff his ears with plugs to blot out the sound, or marginalize it, because he needed all his senses to locate this 'bat-woman' whom he sought so eagerly, plus.... he had to hear her to negotiate. Finally, he circles around a bend, and takes sight of the one he wanted to speak to, which was arguably one of the grandest alleviations he's had in some time. The sinewy lizard's machinery pulses with intensity as the blood in his veins pumps harder with this new enthusiasm, which effects every electroreceptor in the core of his collective prosthesis, and out of the exhaust pipes spew heavier plumes of steam as his machinery sputters, and his pace hastens. Quickly heading on course to intercept Echo, Queegmaa waves a hand, "Howdy dere.... I'm agin' botherin' folks when deys in da midst of a lil' break, but if ya gotta moment, I wanna chit wicha. Ya don like what I gets ta sayin', den you ken gimme the boot after jus' thirty seconds, 'kay?"

:'''[[Echo]] has posed:''' Echo yawned a little as she let the tea sit on the edge of the table, back arching and knuckles and toes curling and popping as her legs stretched out along with her. Looking back, or rather behind her as her head tilted that far, perhaps realizing that someone was coming to give her a little visit, whether it was by sight or sound. At first it seemed like she might be on guard, but upon hearing the kappa's voice she seemed to relax a little. "Oh yeah? If it's something weird you either are going to need a lot of money, or I'm just not doing it. I start doing lingerie ads and suddenly everyone's trying to flag me down or call me up over the link pearls and what have you..." she probably trailed off after seeing hsi expression which might have meant more business than she assumed.

:'''[[Queegmaa]] has posed:''' Seeing her comfortable positioning in the chair, Que would try not to disrupt her groove, but he could never be certain if his propositions would be found to be tasteful or not, being that some people weren't into dastardly deeds. On the other hand.... if she had been willing to do underwear advertisements, then mayhap she'd be willing to stoop a little bit lower than that-- usually everyone could be brought to doing the most horrific of things if they were just baited into it little by little; unfortunately, Queegmaa didn't have time for such a lengthy transition.... he'd have to try to make the kill here and now, or never. Decidedly seating himself at the same table as this woman, perhaps a bit audaciously, the kappa wasn't as much a stickler for procedure as Rakassa's pet samurai, Vohstra, whose gentlemanly manner was only surpassed by his skill in the sword, whereas Que was neither combat-competent, or terribly diplomatic, unless he /reaaaaallly/ strove for the effect. But in the case of Echo, judging from her appearance, he didn't want to come off sounding and acting like some kind of a snob, thus putting her on edge, instead, he'd be plainspoken, which would match his mode of physical antic. "Well.... Dat sounds like a 'scuse ta charge me more right up front. Y'see, if yer startin' off by tellin' me weird sh*t costs major moolah, den yuh ken go claimin' that what I's got in mind happens ta qualayafies, see?" he snickers lightly, and then pulls a business card out, handing it to her immediately. Promptly, he follows up, "Lookin' fer someb'dy tuh.... persuade a woman ta cough up some blood samples and dat jazz. Might need to be a lil' bit on da 'ssertive side, ya might say. She might not coop'rate with ya right off da.... bat."

:'''[[Echo]] has posed:''' "Oh, is this about... oh," Echo muttered as she took the business card, peering at it and holding it close to her face with a bit of scrutiny, before lowering it. She would be silent as he spoke, tilting her head idly here and there as she got the facts down. "Ah, I see what your problem what, if you want to extract blood from someone you have to find a way to pin them down or keep them from moving, that kinda thing--you don't want them squirming around too much else you have a mess on your hands, you know?" she nodded with matter of fact, business-like manner. Almost clinical. "So who do I have to kill--I mean, extract fluids from?" she peered at the kappa a bit more seriously now, though with a hint of added excitement. This wasn't like what she was used to, or maybe it was and it was just in a refreshing and attractive manner.

:'''[[Queegmaa]] has posed:''' Queegmaa wasn't the ugliest fellow out there, and by human standards, if not for the weird helmet he wore, and the amphibious green skin, he might've looked halfway decent, but when he flashed a razor-toothed grin, he might've had just enough of a charismatic way that he could've given Echo an intermission from the eyesore that was his usual countenance; a grouchy, crotchety frown that embodied his nigh-eternal moodiness, brought on by the abuse he always took at the hands of his Shadow Lord matron, Rakassa. Being a lackey paid well, but had its costs, however, as the aquatic hellion sees thrill bleed into Echo's attitude, it resonates with himself, since he can already sense that he's that much closer to selling her on the deal, which would mean he wouldn't get kicked around by the master-- irony, that, in light of the fact that Queegmaa was physically, at least, tenfold stronger than the one who assailed him for his failures, if verbal chiding was deemed insufficient. Echo's description of the necessities at hand help Que retain that (remotely)charming smile, which he elects to use as an opportunity to reaffirm her suspicions, "I 'spose yuh cud say we're speckin' da same layngawidge, now, aye?" He nods his head, then squints as she mentions something about murder, "Dint say nuddin 'bout killing. Ya do dat, ya do't un yer own time, 'n I an't pay'n extra fer it." He folds his arms across his chest, "Yuh just git me wutever fluuds ya ken. Dun care if'ts blood, puss, vagyinial fluuds, or s'liva. Gimme whatever ya ken.... 'n I want some tissuh, ' bone-marruh, tuh. Dun gotta be much, just a leetle bit." He rests his metallic elbows on the table, which make a mild clanking sound, insinuating that they are far heavier than even what they appear to be-- such an ungodly poundage attached to his body must've meant he possessed far more vigor than his body might've presented to the optics, initially; he says nothing about his own qualities, on the other hand, this trip wasn't for the express purpose of bragging on what monstrous powers were at his disposal, it was to make arrangements with somebody equally skilled as himself, if not in the department of the mystic. Finally, a name emerges from his mouth, as he takes careful precautions to speak it properly, so that no mistakes are made, "Morr-i-ghan Al-az-ne is yer target. Git 'er, do whatcha need ta do wi'out contaminatin' da samples, den go on with your life lik' ya never seen me. And dun be mentionin' nuddin about who mighta been respons'ble for her capyature, s'far as who was frontin' da bills ta you and yer partner.... Yah gun be workin' with someone else ta take 'er down, ta begin with. After yuh git 'er.... yer accomplice got no furder role in da matter.... yull be doin' all the lab work."

:'''[[Echo]] has posed:''' "So not just blood, you need the marrow from their bones?" Echo said in a somewhat incredulous tone. Her teacup might have rattled when the imp put his elbows down, due to their weight, and all. "And just how am I supposed to do that, without getting the rest of her all over?" the bat lady asked with some suspicion there, rather a mix of that and confusion. "I'm a magician, not a scientist, just because I look like a vampire doesn't mean I'm suddenly a blood donations specialist," she tapped a foot, sandal rapping against the paved plaza ground. "Partner? are they going to be helping with this? and who says I need help?" Echo leaned in a bit, grinning. "Think just because I'm a woman I need assistance to handle some poor girl?" she put the back of her hand to her forehead as if to illustrate a damsel in distress in a mocking bit of pantomime.

:'''[[Queegmaa]] has posed:''' Queegmaa rubbed his chin a little bit, and then pulled out a syringe in a capsule that looked like the needle was a gauge of approximately twenty-two, or thereabouts, which also has a screw-top that resembles a drill-bit. He lifts it up in the air and remarks, "Dis ding cud pierce a shark's skin. Yuh git her good 'n stiff, so she kin move none, den ya stick't right intuh 'er femur.... dat's a real big bone ya wun be able ta miss. If that dun work, then jus' ferget da marruh. But at least give't a try, yeah?" He sets the capsule on the table and points at Echo accusingly, having little patience for her charade, and comments, "I dun care if ya dink ya dun need nuh help 'r not.... 'n dun gimme no croc tears over 't." Leaning back, he regains his usual disposition of a disgruntled lackey who feels he's being pushed, even if Echo is just trying to be playful, "Why duh yuh care what I's thinkin'? You policin' people's minds? I ain't payin ya fer dat....." When she starts to over-emphasize the pity she feels entitled to for his 'insulting' implications, he begins to understand that she's being facetious, and lightens up, his features softening a smidgen, but Que is definitely not into wasting time on games and melodrama, so despite Echo's attempt at being pleasant, the kappa mentally envisions her as skating on thin ice.... and cold-blooded creatures /hate/ ice; they simply can't function when their bodies slow, due to lack of caloric conversion. "Yuh remind me of dem hoity-toities on da commercial about some uncultyaviated riff-raff who calls da 'Polaner All-Fruit' jelluh, and den the old women whose got a diamon' necklace faints from shock. I see ya got a flair fer theatrics. Hope ya work s'well's ya play."

:'''[[Echo]] has posed:''' "Hmm, then just the blood minimum?" Echo peered at the syringe, looking at it like a coal engineer might a nuclear fuel rod. There was a base understanding of it's purpose but the eccentricities and complexness was still sort of held with a modest sort of distrust or suspicion. She blinked back at him a little slowly as he pointed to her, her yellow eyes focused on him. "I suppose you could say that I sound like I'm from a rich family," she grinned a bit like a shark, those ivory fangs showing. "If you need someone to make sure I do this, then alright. Where is our poor miss Alazne then? And what do they do they look like? or am I to find this out later?" she leaned over the table, getting a bit more graver and serious.

:'''[[Queegmaa]] has posed:''' The lizardy cyborg scratched his head a little bit when listening to her ask about just the blood minimum, and shrugged, "Get wutcha ken. Blood's duh minimum, but da pay fer that'll be low, cuz we got unspecayahlized folk who can do dat in our own organ'zation wi'out havin' ta hire outside da comp'ny." He nodded his head, "That needle'll puncture her bone, I'm certain, 'n if ya can get the other stuff from 'er, den do it. Duh more elbrate yer job, da more elbrate duh pay." Queegmaa's eyes rolled upwards a little bit, inquiring, "Whadda'I look like? A spy? Da other guy will find 'er. Yuh folluh him 'n he'll leadja to'er. Den you both whoop some *ss, 'e'll take off, after 'e helps ya take Morri tuh yer lab, or where'ver yuh do yer dirty work.... Mages all got alcoves where dey do their fancy shenanigans, right?" When she flashed a toothy grin, it's then that he noticed at least some of her fangs, if not all, looked every bit as acute as his own.... The wings had made it obvious, as well as the ears, but the less human she is, the more trusting he feels about this woman, inwardly, for, it was, after all, a human that had befouled his very existence. "I'm not gun haggle 'bout prices, doh, yull be doin' dat with the people you contact, I'm not here ta do nothin' but go over the basics of dis job, 'n bein' here ain't fun fer me." He finally admits why he's been partly grouchy the whole time, as he cleans out his ear with a finger, then divulges what, to him, may seem like a very insignificant piece of information, however, to some others, it might've been quite rewarding to have revealed to them, "I ken see plain as day with my ears 'lone, y'see. But dat means /EVERYDING/ is loud as f*ck, 'specially in a place like dis, so I jus' wanna git dis done 'n git outta here, kay?"

:'''[[Echo]] has posed:''' "And that needle is supposed to go through bone without breaking? Usually you just need something like that to pierce the skin, and maybe an artery or two," she laughed a little at that, giving a nod of her head. "Lab, huh? I guess I'll have to get some place... arranged for that, then. do I need to keep her long?" the bat asked mildly curious, peering over at the kappa, idly toying with the bits of fur on her cheeks with her slender digits. "Right, so I'll need to get her someplace... private quickly yes? mm, I see, I understand," she nodded a little, thinking it over. "Well, I accept, so I'll meet my assistant so to speak, and we go to work shortly," she nodded with a tap of her sandaled foot to the pavement, moving to finish her tea and get up.

:'''[[Queegmaa]] has posed:''' Queegmaa nods to her dilatorily, and begins to stand in unison with her, as he remarks, "Git us dem samples as soon as possible. You do dat, 'n dat's all we care about." He shrugs, "Keep 'er longer, let 'er go, rape 'er, kill er', play chess with 'er, I dun care.... dat ain't my biz. I jus' want da samples, got it?" He narrows his eyes intently, trying to impress upon her the seriousness of the issue, and that he wants the job done to the letter. "Any extreenayneous stuff ya do's worth zero tuh me." With all the malapropisms, it was a miracle that Echo got the details down, but then, Que did repeat himself a number of times, and she was a bat.... so she probably had sensitive enough hearing that she could hear all the spoken words, as well as the emotion laced in his words that insinuated negative or positive when the kappa spoke, which in a sense, was helpful in determining certain meanings of some words. "Got any udder questions fer me? If not, I'm outta here."

:'''[[Echo]] has posed:''' "Oh my, we are going to have a night, aren't we? ha, hahaha... hahahaha!" Echo broke out into peals of laughter, high and cackling and almost sounding mad, swiping up the syringe and holding it close to her face as she studied it closely. "Oh yes, now for some lab treatment, very special," she seemed to take a moment to compose herself, before looking up at the kappa again. "I should be fine I think, though how am I finding this... co-worker of mine?" she asked the kappa again, her wings rustling a bit as she looked like she was prepared to use them.

:'''[[Queegmaa]] has posed:''' Queegmaa was dying to scram, but Echo had yet one more question up her sleeve, so he felt obligated to answer..... after all, how was she to perform her mission if she didn't know the details of the rendezvous with her partner? The kappa already had his back to her, and was walking away, having had assumed she wouldn't need to make further inquiries, but since it was asked of him, he realized that it could help matters, rather than leave it to her would-be partner to have to explain, "....He'll find you. And.... you'll know who he is, without any doubt." After this comment, he proceeds to drag himself down the street, presumably, to go about his business, unless the bat-girl stops him for something else, or decides to accompany him a little while longer on her own accord. Que isn't especially resentful towards the woman, but he undeniably wanted to leave the premises urgently; his ears needed respite!

Queegmaa

2013-11-20T20:26:42Z

BlondeFox: /* Trivia */ Proper Name Pronunciation

{{Character Infobox
|firstname=Queegmaa
|middlename=Ratho
|lastname=Piir
|age=????
|image=queegmaasoftlines.jpg
|caption=Que, if he didn't have a head-plate
|species=Kappa
|sex=Male
|height=5'6
|weight=279 Lbs (Shell + Addons, now including a leg made of metal!)
|series=Final Fantasy 6
|styles=Saboteur, Warrior
|hometown=Southern Continent
|alignment=Forces of Ruin
|group=Gestahlian Empire
|occupation=Toady
|themesong="Obsession" - Seiken Densetsu III OST
|quote=If ya got aximimoms, den you got kints in yer mentil armor, n' dat means I cud moldja like clay if I wan'ed!
|footer=Doing chores for evil w*ores.
}}

=Appearance=

(In short, picture a short, skinny Blanka from Street Fighter II, but with crazy blonde, not red hair, and a slightly upturned nose, as well as a shell, and prothesis)

Having the typical 'mop-top' of other kappa from The World Of Balance, Queegmaa has light-blonde hair, and large eyes, as do many fish, reptiles, and lizards, or other aquatic creatures. His lips protrude forward boldly, almost like a 'beak' that turtles often have, except not to the same, exaggerated degree. A prominent feature of Que's would be his crooked nose, which was broken and never set properly when it healed, so that it bends slightly to one side. He has an quadrilateral shape for a face, in that it juts downward in an elongated fashion, as well as sideways, but between these cardinal points, the ordinal regions are more concave, giving him a facial shape looking something like a plus sign, hailing from the world of arithmetic. Sharp fangs hide under his wide lips, and his upper brow extends almost across his entire forehead, wrapping around the sides.

Normally, where kappa have a depression inside their tall, coney heads, Que has had a strange helmet permanently grafted to his skull, which is encircled by his long hair, yet, the headgear itself is a cap designed to prevent damage to his soft, sensitive inner cranium, since kappa are traditionally known for their upper 'pocket' being tender, with a thin membrane containing thick fluid that gives them their strange, inhuman strength, in the cases of those water-imps who possess this power. Queegmaa has bionic arms, and parts of his chest, especially the clavicle areas are reinforced to help stabilize the cumbersome weight of these prosthesis; additionally, it stretches around the backside and inserts into his shell, for added support, since kappa tend to be fairly lanky in physique. The mechanical arms of this water-imp, as well as the other portions of machinery to be found on his person look to be in the style of steam-punk, which is typical of industrial design from his world, which were less concerned with ergonomics, and more with practicality, due to the low-level of scientific knowledge they had, necessitating bulk in order to enable power. His skin is a sickly greyish-green, and his eyes are violet. Que's feet are mildly webbed, being remarkably common for kappa, which end in long talons that are perfect for gripping things, akin to a second pair of hands.

Que's hair is a disaster, though, given that frizz and moisture are abundant in the areas from which he often hails, thus, it looks like something out of a rock-band from an 80's glam group, despite still having that moppish flair. He usually carries a staff with him that possesses mana, which aids him in those few instances where he casts spells, beyond serving as a cattle-prod, since he doesn't have any lightning 'spells', in light of the fact that his 'natural' cantrips are pretty much all water, or nature-based. His dilapidated, intricate prosthesis have numerous compartments and sockets in the event that he wishes to add adaptors or new drivers down the road to grant him extra features to his array of gimmicks. Queegmaa does carry a tanto as well, which is often hidden, but all in all, his focus leans towards 'artificial' magic, so it's more likely he'll launch bullets, hooked-wires, slippery grease, or other articles from his stockpile of weaponry, if he's not using flame-throwers to obliterate his foes.

=History=

Queegmaa was a kappa who'd existed in his respective lake for as long as the lake itself had been, being one of the original progenitors of his tribe, which ultimately amounted to a community of dozens. Long-lived creatures, they were never reproduced in droves, so it wasn't difficult for Admiral Rakassa of the empire to trick Que into undermining his own people, while disguising her motives as mutually beneficial. Quick to ascend to greatness, he sold his people down the river unwittingly, while ignoring his better judgement to decline the general's offer, and then ended up with more guilt than he could handle.

Revealing herself to be a Shadow Lord, she exposed the sole survivor of the clan, Que, to a terrible truth that resonated with such seemingly overwhelming truth, that in the face of its admission, the kappa couldn't deny what she'd proclaimed. Seeing no other path available that made any sense, Queegmaa took her up on her offer.

=Personality=

Selfish, paranoid, cowardly, sycophantic, greedy, munny-grubbing, power-hungry, and would just as soon butcher his neighbor out of convenience just as he does the language of the common-tongue; Queegmaa serves Rakassa because she bribes him, but she only keeps him nourished just enough to sustain him, so that he'll be useful to her without getting any ideas of ascension to power. Being the quintessential boot-licker, Que doesn't actually enjoy his downtrodden status, but hasn't the gall to defy her, especially when he foresees the day that he'll inevitably uncover enough skeletons in her closet to provide him with the leverage he needs to oust Rakassa from power, in spite of her oppression, so as to take it for himself.

[[File:Queegmaa-FK-Profile.gif]]

=Abilities=

General Stuff- Quegmaa is very elongated in limb, and oblong in body, despite being short-statured, which means his ability to hit targets physically is above average- but ironically enough, because of his affinity for magic, his truest boon rears its ugly head when he flings around spell-craft and elemental forces, or if he makes use of the machinery that comprises a high fraction of his being. For ranged fighting, he carries bolts that've been installed inside his forelimbs, which can be replenished by accretion of dust particles, which become compressed, enabling combustion upon impact with targets, much akin to a gun's bullet- barring that, he's just as accurate with a tanto(short-sword) always on his person, making him fairly well-rounded, if slanted in the direction of divination a touch.

Toxinator- Having been subjected to the vibes of a highly poisonous esper's magicite for years on end, Quegmaa has taken on some of the attributes of said creature; he is highly resistant to acidic, or else noxious substances, which would normally sicken or erode the hardiest of individuals. If that in itself would seem something that couldn't be topped, Queg has another advantage that lies in his ability to occasionally envenomate his victims with physical touch alone.

Aquabotic- He breathes underwater, he's resistant to water-based attacks, and he's a cyborg. Designed for sub-hydrant environments, he has sonar which gives him the ability to visualize his environments by sending wavelengths from himself which give him a sense of topography, or the objects therein; he also carries potions in some otherwise vacant compartments in his arms. He's not an outright grandmaster in magic, or mechanics alike, so he fancies himself a 'technomage', or, an ideal union between mysticism and science- though he prides himself on his unlocking of the 'Exploder' spell, even though it was thought that he'd never master any true fire 'spells'. Being aqua-based, and having a share of metal on his person at all times makes him weak when barraged by lightning, on the other hand....

Sink Syncing- Quegmaa can harmonize with technologies from his world, especially things that relate to aquatics, such as boats, submarines, or possibly even kitchen sinks, which means either attaching to them, controlling them, or at the very least, understanding them. Given time, he can most likely disassemble the structure of alien units that are water-oriented, but it would require at least a day's time to analyze the components involved, even if memorization comes easier; this ability to assimilate/use outlandish devices doesn't apply to any non-hydration type instruments.

Sinewy Sighted- Facial recognition is the name of the game; having dealt with the likes of Rakassa for years at a time, unless someone has a flawless poker-face(listed in their official application or powers or upgrades), and they do not have a mask on, Quegmaa can discern if the person speaking to him speaks with anxiety, or confidence, by way of watching the twitching of optics, and facial muscles, or bodily movements.

=Relationships=
'''Disclaimer: Anyone who interacts with Queegmaa will /not/ be likely to receive forgiving reviews-- RP with him at your own discretion'''

[[Avira]]: Ya'd hate da true me.... Just s'well, so do I. But ya got nuh chance of reformin' me, so come the day we meet, yu'd better try'n butcher me; yer sword luks like it prolly done plen'y of dat befur.

[[Faruja Senra]]: Ya talk like y'were ejucated at sum finishin' school, but ya got the fac'ty of da kinda patsy I pretend ta be!

[[Maira]]: Dun do ye no sort o' good ta be askin' strangers fer deir help; ya mus' got a spiled natur' if ya be dinkin' thatcher folks gon be more li'ble to be inherntely good dan not!

[[Nagetta]]: Shud be a crime ta be dat good-looking'. All dese fleshy folk an't got nothin' next ta scaly chicks. Ya seem kinda apprehensive, though.... Uneasy. Trust issues come from vein' victimized, 'n I'd love ta pound da ones who mistreated you!

[[Ophelia]]: A self-important snob like you ain't gonna get too far in life; ya kick-down like any other honcho, butcha also kick-up, which dar gon getcha kick'd right beck down ta da bottom!

[[Rakassa]]: Mebbe you got a thousan' more fools in yer palm dan me, but I got a thousan' more brain cells than you, cuz I've oodles o' eons un'er my belt..... Go on'n keep thinkin' dat yer cushy position's safe.... Dun matter to me which fool's misleadin' the rest of deir kind.

[[Rosemarie]]: Ya spat when ya shudda swalled-- Now I'mma have my legions swalla' you, and nothin' gonna be left when they're done.

[[Shadow]]: Ya'lready sold yer soul; I knowed that much. All de admiral's gotta do is find yer debtor and buy yuh, den you'll be workin' fer us!

=Trivia=

Voice Actor: Matthew Wood (General Grievous)

Name: His name, if correctly pronounced, sounds akin to 'Keg - Maw', as opposed to how it's spelled, which may have most thinking it sounds more like 'Kweeg - mah'.

True Age: Lakes generally last from a few thousand, to dozens of millions of years old at most, and thus it could statistically be inferred that Queegmaa may have seniority over some espers from his world, since kappa, whose lifespans often equal that of the basins they inhabit.

Misogyny: Having masculinity issues, Queegmaa ins unable to find himself attracted to women who dwarf him in girth or height.

Cosmetics: Being on dry land is a real drag, so he does what many drag-queens do, by employing moisturizers constantly, in order to maintain hydrated skin, yet, since this is related to his 'medicinal needs', unlike in the perceptions of humankind, he doesn't see many cosmetics as a 'feminine' thing.

Pets: If Que were to adopt a pet, it would be a dog of some sort, since they are pack-animals which are inclined towards obedience, and asserting dominion over another creature would be the kappa's best way of reclaiming some self-respect, being that he's essentially Rakassa's whipping-boy.

= Logs =
{{Character Logs}}
= Cutscenes =
{{Character Logs|Cutscenes}}

Assuming About The Opposition

2013-11-15T02:55:02Z

BlondeFox: log

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2013/10/25
|Location=Traverse Town
|Synopsis=As Rosemarie wanders to the outskirts of the city, she's beset by Faruja and Queegmaa, who accuse her of having heretical ties with Blivon, who is wanted by Glabados, aside from performing some witch-craft of her own brand. As she gets into position to be arrested, Queegmaa catches a look on her face suggesting realities about her subordinates that he would've otherwise known nothing about, and he rants about Rosie's sub-par assistants; all assumptions, of course!
|Cast of Characters=Faruja Senra, Rosemarie, Queegmaa
|pretty=yes
}}
:'''[[Faruja Senra]] has posed:''' It wasn't hard to find Rosemarie, as open as she was in her advertisements. Templar Faruja Senra, fresh off of his horrid illness, is looking distinctly unhappy. Not due to his assignment; though now distrustful of his superiors, he can't fault bringing in a known associate of a horrible Heretic, nevermind one who was accused of so many things. No, Faruja's problem is one of his partners: Queegma, a Kappa that has never fully sat well with him, now assiging what is by all rights a matter for the Office of Holy Inquisition, of which the rat is representing. The holy knight turns to the human of the party; a young looking man in the garb of a Church squire, dark skinned and having a distinctly Caribbean accent. The young man looks nervous, fingering the hilt of his sword. "Deep breaths, Squire Sebastian. The Lord shall see us through." Comforts the Burmecian, the young man giving several quick nods. The trio are searching the ouskirts of Traverse Town, in hopefully what can be considered lands not wholly claimed by the Town itself. While the Holy Office hardly cares for petty things like mortal laws at times, it at least tries to not get the rest of the organization in hot water. Faruja keeps a sharp nose and set of ears out, even as Sebastian keeps his far better vision turned to the horizon. "Ser Queegma. Have thee any additional information about Lady Rosemarie, or the Heretic she is rumored to safekeep?" Questions the rat idly, at least until they spot their prey!

:'''[[Queegmaa]] has posed:''' Rosemarie's shop was open to all, unless the door was otherwise locked, during business hours, would be the general assumption held by the populace. However.... a person couldn't just go into her store with the hope of laying siege to her abode without consequences, given the security system Traverse Town had in place, which is why a spy had been needed to monitor, and track some of Rosie's movements. If they could calculate at least a single pattern in the routine that encompassed her life, there was a chance she could be subdued, and then.... well, on this day, to show the 'good faith' of the empire, who was trying to butter-up the self-images of Glabados, Que was sent to help find Rosie. Besides the fact that he was experienced in dealing with the woman personally, which gave him the knowledge it took to help bring her down, he had the drive, as well, for she'd swallowed him whole and digested a good portion of his body-- revenge was something Faruja himself had indulged in, ergo, with a much weaker moral compass than the Nezumi, it was far from Queegmaa to be above a little payback, but in -this- case, it was under the pretext of 'divine retribution', as ordained by the church! If Faru had any misgivings about working with the kappa, he'd have to keep his lips sealed tight, because in a sense, the water-devil was temporarily given a charge, a mission that was on the same importance of a holy knight.... to bring to justice a foul corrupter who'd wronged countless innocents, by way of sponsoring Blivon's rehab clinic, where the derelict shaman had unquestionably indoctrinated several upstanding folk who wouldn't've been blinded by his hellish preachings! No.... Rosemarie didn't actually fork over much money, but she did help with the starting costs, and since Blivon had recently gone on a 'retreat' to purify his spirit, by engaging in a self-imposed exile, that, in the church's mind, looked suspiciously coincidental, since Faruja had just been deflected only a month ago after offering the heretic a chance to surrender himself. Que, peering over at the demi-human, scoffed, "I given ya'all plen'y of info that'll take us tuh her. Yuh'll see rayle soon.... She dun got nowhere ta hide! But you 'n yer inquiseadors will hafta beat it outta her, I 'spect, 'fore ya find out where she's hidin' that scoundrel....." No, Queegmaa doesn't know a thing about Blivon, but he's trying to rally all Faruja's power by bolstering the significance of the piety in their mission at hand!

:'''[[Rosemarie]] has posed:''' Rosemarie, like any entrepreneur, has plenty of responsibilities to ensure that her day to day business goes smoothly. She has a shop to manage and spends most of her time there, but there's always other things that need to be done. Many of these are handled by by Rosemarie's "employees" Dameon and Annalee, but there are some matters which Rosemarie feels she must handle personally. Which is what brings Rosemarie to the outskirts of town today, unaware of what trap waits for her there. Of course, Rosemarie is alone--someone has to watch the shop, and she's more than capable of taking care of herself, presumedly. Today, she's dressed in traveling clothes instead of her usual formal wear. She has on a frilled blouse and a pair of traveling pants, with her hair done in a much simpler style than usual.

:'''[[Faruja Senra]] has posed:''' "'Tis hardly my place, as an Executor of the Divine Inquisition and Shield of the Faith to question, or inquire into the methods used by Inquisitors to seek the truth." Is Faruja's simple retort, leaning heavily on Church doctrine here. Hardly something someone can fault. Sebastian crosses his chest as Faruja speaks, clearly hero-worshipping the shorter member of the Church. The Dark Elf in question would be difficult to miss, given she's not particularly hiding. An ear perks, Sebastian taps the rat on his shoulder, and points. "To business, Sers." As is often the case with the Inquisition, the intrusion upon Rosemarie isn't subtle. A sneak attack would be cowardly. "Lady Rosemarie of Traverse Town, I presume?" Comes Faruja's strong, clear, and commanding voice. It's barely a question. "By order of High Inquisitor Gustave, you are wanted for questioning in the matter of harboring Heretic Blivon, and accusations of Witchcraft, abhorrant in the sight of the Lord. What say ye, M'Lady? Come with us quietly, if you please." Despite the charges, the rat is at least polite about it. It's always good to ride in on your high chocobo when arresting a (presumed!) heathen. There's no weapons drawn yet, but both knight and would-be knight look ready to use them. Sebastian especially seems jumpy.

:'''[[Queegmaa]] has posed:''' Queegmaa scowls, when Faruja begins to list the charges-- he's not exactly a subordinate of the Nezumi, even if he is 'along for the ride', but as a member of Vector's militia, or at least their favorite mercenary guild(he often left people to wonder with whom he was affiliated, to protect Vector's interests), he wasn't required to keep his mouth totally clamped down. Some professionalism was mandatory, since he couldn't stand there and compromise the integrity of the Inquisition by making bold claims as to their mysterious methods, but he could say a few things about Rosie herself, "Accusations 'a witch-craft?.... What're yuh talkin' about?! She went 'n gobbled me up, b'fore I managed ta git from her gullet." he barks. "We gots da proof back at Vector's labs, where some'a her savilia's been stuck in a tube.... Ya think her slime get on me cuz we been fonrycrating?" Malapropisms notwithstanding, his introduction of a potentially vulgar topic might cause the demi-rodent to wince, but maybe Faruja had a stomach for such kind of talk, if he's been weaned off of his haughtiness, after his vast experience spent in the World of Ruin. The marine menace points a finger accusingly at Rosemarie, "She dun ate meh, 'n she dun used her derk magic ta do't!" Snarling at the drow who was less lavishly-decorated than usual, Que began to finger his tanto lightly, but since he didn't yet have leave to officially draw his blade, seeing that Faru was giving her a chance to willingly comply with their orders, that was the extent of his intimidating behavior, in a physical sense!

:'''[[Rosemarie]] has posed:''' Rosemarie recognizes that voice and, appropriately, keeps a positive expression and pleasant tone when she starts speaking with Faruja. "Ser Senra," Rosemarie says, "it's a pleasure to hear from you again, though I reckon that the circumstances could certainly be better." Rosemarie's expression slowly curls into a frown. "I was unaware that the noble Church of Glabados acted outside of the local authorities without at least consulting with them. Surely something more peaceable could be arranged with a the city guard to extradite Blivon. Had I known, I would have been glad to negotiate myself." Rosemarie crosses her arms. "As for the accusations of witchcraft," Rosemarie looks pointedly at Queegmaa. "I suspect they did not include a defense for his vandalism of my store or assault on my person without warrant," Rosemarie says. She looks back at Faruja.

:'''[[Faruja Senra]] has posed:''' "Indeed, 'tis always unfortunate, that one must come beneath the Church's eye in ire!" Responds the rat, deferring to doctrine rather than pleasantries. The last thing he needs is to be less than professional with someone watching! This, of course, becomes all the more difficult when there's a weapon being brandished already! The Templar's jaw tightens. One might notice a bit of shaking in the rat's tail, barely contained wrath at such a horrible breach of protocol! Sebastian isn't quite so composed. "M'Lord, why is this heath..." "SEBASTIAN!" Th Squire shuts up, backing off. Faruja clears his voice. "Truth or nay, M'Lady, to thy words, nevertheless; my orders are absolute. Mind ye, 'tis merely questioning. /Certainly/ such a fine, upstanding woman as thyself would be willing to answer what questions the Inquisition has, hmm? The innocent have no reason to fear." At Rose's accusation, however, the rat's head turns. Wince. Images flow through his head. Faruja actually looks green, his flow interrupted. A horrible gagging sound briefly exits his muzzle, before he's forced to turn and try to not vomit! Some things the mind isn't capable of handling. "No. Unfortunately, any such matters are indeed not within my jurisdiction. Now, please, M'Lady. Come with us peaceably. There is no need for any 'assaults' as ye say, if you merely comply." Seems the rat's trying to be diplomatic with a woman who, if it weren't for the dark magic, he'd quite like!

:'''[[Queegmaa]] has posed:''' Que doesn't know much about Blivon, or the heresy in which he was supposedly involved, but the chances were, it was probably something that resonated closely with the same kind of validity that was being used to justify the infringements on Rosie's person.... but then, Faruja probably already knows that Glabados is so muddy that Rosemarie's attempt to distance herself from Blivon so that she could be alleviated from the 'charges' wouldn't've made any difference, in the long run. People in high positions wanted the dark elf in their custody, and weren't content to respect the jurisdiction of other authorities, if they had the means of forcibly wresting the drow from Traverse Town, if it was necessary. In earnest, Que didn't care if they found Blivon five seconds later, and then executed him on the spot, but 'guilt by association' was definitely customary in the policies of the Church of Ivalice, and if need be, the imp would remind Faruja not to waver in his duties to try and collect Rosemarie at all costs-- surely, the truth could be sorted out after the dust cleared, but the rat was not authorized to contradict the orders of his superiors!.... So, hopefully, Que wouldn't have to bring this to his attention. Other than that, when Rosie gave her rebuttal, Queegmaa cackled, "HA! Da necromancer thinks dat she ken twis' her story 'er own way tuh maintain sum leg'macy to her coun'er-claims 'n pin dis on me, 'n slidder troo dis like da snek tha'char!" He stretches an arm out, deciding that Rosie wasn't going to come quickly, and taking some initiative, initializing an operation mimicking spell-craft to endow him and his ally with some empowerment. "My ink-shooter bus'd and ya got all mad cuz when I tried ta pay ya back, ya din agree tuh my price, ya greedy infidel.... 'Fore I cud even discuss da matter, you fixed on swall'un me.... so dun gimme dat cr*p 'bout me vandlizin' yer store, cuz it was an accyiden', 'n ya didn't even gimme no chance ta repay ya proper.... you impatient idoaleeter!" The kappa shakes his head, "Agin' receiving dar justice, I reckon.... if ya'were so confident you weren't guil'y.... yuh'd come along all quiet-lik' and face da jury ta be proved in'cent!"

:'''[[Rosemarie]] has posed:''' Rosemarie frowns, tapping a long, clawed finger against her cheek. It is, of course, gloved, but even then there's a sinister sinister quality to the length of Rosemarie's nails. She looks at Sebastian, at Faruja, then at Queegmaa. The end of her glance is noticeably disdainful. "With respect, Ser Senra," Rosemarie says. "I would feel much more at ease about a peaceful bout of questioning if your association would put away his sword." Rosemarie smiles disarmingly at Sebastian. "And if a certain vandal would stop preparing spells before he even knows whether or not I am going to surrender peaceably." Rosemarie takes a half step back, assuming a position more adequate for defending herself--but just that, self-defense rather than aggression. She won't take the first blow, even if blows seem increasingly likely.

:'''[[Faruja Senra]] has posed:''' As if keeping a squire under control isn't enough, he has to deal with an annoying git of a tagalong. He shakes his head towards Rosemarie. "Protocol, Lady Rosemarie. So long as there is no violence, it shan't be used upon thee. A Squire of the Holy Church is not so foolish." Then Que's going off on the elf. While he can appreciate a good rant, it's really getting annoying. Not enough religious pandering. Disgraceful, really. Even the rat looks close to drawing his weapon, knowing breaking down negotiations when he sees them. "Ignore him. Or curse him if you like. The point being, you are wanted by the Inquisition, and they are highly impatient. Make thy decision. Shall ye resist? Or come quietly?"

:'''[[Queegmaa]] has posed:''' Queegmaa scowled a little as Faruja casually disqualified his rants as unimportant, to the effect that Rosie was being welcomed to either ignore him or demean him in whatever fashion she desired, even so, he couldn't countermand Faru's words, only bring them into doubt if he believed they could use refinement. At the moment, the kappa thirsted to see the drow suffer, but he knew that if a fight broke out when it wasn't necessary, he might be held accountable for 'excessive force', and potentially ruining what would otherwise be a pacificatory arrest, so he had to bite his tongue and bear the words.... but he didn't have to like it! Then again, if combat did ensue... there was a chance /he/ could get hurt, and being the cur that he was, avoiding the sullying of his own hands, even if it meant not seeing his enemy suffer, was a better alternative. "Well.... Ya gotta understand dat I don trust this witch.... so I was 'specting some kinda stunt." He nods to her, and lowers his hand, though.... the empowering spell is still in effect, "All she does is whine, ya see.... She calls me da impatient one, 'n she goes accusin' poor ol' Que of preparing spells that're perfectly peaceable in nature. You an't suf'rin any from my 'chantyament.... all I did was tuh give m'self a boost, see? You some kinda mind reader? I din' even draw m' weapon like Sebiaschyun dere!" Though he was gently strumming it with his fingers, which could've been construed as a mild form of intimidation.

:'''[[Rosemarie]] has posed:''' Rosemarie keeps her composure for the time being. "Ah, protocol. Of course. Traditions must be upheld, especially in an institution as old as the noble Church of Glabados." Rosemarie says this carefully so as to avoid making it making sarcastic in any way. She is still less than pleased with Queegmaa. She may be plotting something nefarious when she has the opportunity, but for now, she keeps quiet. "I will go peaceably, provided I am treated with proper dignity, though I have one request before we depart." "I do ask that you allow me to send a message to my charges, so that I might allow them to make arrangements for how to operate the store in my absence. I would dread if Annalee or Dameon were left wandering where their dear caretaker had disappeared to. I, of course, understand if you would like to proofread the message so as to prevent me from possibly sending a message to the accused heretic, Blivon."

:'''[[Faruja Senra]] has posed:''' Faruja actually smiles at Que's words, just slightly, the corners of his muzzle turning up. "Paranoia. Excellent. A tip on these assignments, should ye find thyself at the behest of the Holy Office; trust no one, lest they are a fellow agent of the Inquisition. But let us naught botch this, merely for vengeance, hmm?" A very polite way to tell the upset kappa to take a chill pill. Back to Rose. His eye narrows slightly, suspiciously searching the woman's voice for sarcasm. He quickly gives up. She's either honest, or /good/. A hand waves away the sword of Sebastian's, and instead he's going for manacles. Seems the pair of Templar and Squire are convinced this may have gone /right/ for once. Some part of Faruja's brain is still waiting for this to all go wrong, however. The ratling clears his throat, hiding a chuckle of amusement. He's almost convinced Rose has more guile than she's letting on now. "Ahem, yes, but I am afraid 'tis impossible. Proofread or nay, hardly am I a master of...oh, what do the humans call it? Cryptography? Hidden messages galore, mayhaps. Enough to locate us, and have thee stolen away from the Holy Office! Blatant paranoia, or nay, but the mere chance dissallows such." A firm shake of the head. Nope, not chancing it. With a motion of his hand, he continues. "However, hardly am I so heartless. One of my own shall inform thy servants, and should ye be found innocent, standard compensation shall be given for any lost time, or business. Now hold still, no sudden movements, hmm? Squire Sebastion, if you would?" Faruja walks forward, even as Sebastion gets ready to tie up Rose's limbs; arms behind the back first, if she doesn't resist.

:'''[[Queegmaa]] has posed:''' Grinning at Faruja, Queegmaa remarks, confidently, with condescension, "What?.... Why deny her da chance tuh notify her underlins dat she gon be put 'way fer sum time? Ledder write 'er letter, and den we can give it to Bishop Emerald.... she's a smarty if dere eva was one. She ken decide if it's tain'ed with hidden messjes er not." He cackles, knowing full well that the bishop would use any snag possible to exploit in order to further incriminate Rosie, not that the dark elf knows anything about that particular zealot..... though, Que is nescient to the fact that Faru probably distrusts Emerald, and will prefer to decline Rosemarie's request even at Que's behest, for -her own- sake, because many in the church would seize an opportunity to darken her name moreso than it already would've been, without a letter written from her very hand. There was rationale behind enabling 'the right to remain silent', in the case where one wasn't made to confess-- that would come in due time, anyhow, on account of the Inquisitors being as ambitious in their line of work as they were. Enthusiasm was a must for folks like Ophelia Lovett, but the drow might've been lucky enough to get someone beneath her, instead of the head honcho herself. When they get out a pair of shackles, Que coughs a little bit, "I hope dem's magic-neuterealizin' dingies.... She got some bad tricks up 'er sleeves! But dun worry, if they ain't.... I got a lil trinket dat'll do da job good." Suddenly, the studiously vengeful kappa drew out a strange looking contraption that appeared to be something of a muzzle with an opening in front, to allow air, but with bars, as though a modified gas-mask that could've come from something out of a book about Hannibal Lecter. If Rosie doesn't cooperate with the initial preliminaries, Que is sure that after apprehension, it'll become a mandatory part of the prisoner-transport inhibitors, and he's hoping that just flashing this creepy thing before her will spook her enough to incite aggression on her part so that everything will go awry, giving an excuse to employ it, since the Nezumi templar might not be obligated to use it if she cooperates fully. One can always hope!

:'''[[Rosemarie]] has posed:''' Rosemarie is nothing if not patient. She has quite some time to spend waiting for the right opportunity to act. This is not that time, and thus Rose keeps quiet and offers her hands for the cuffs. She looks a the muzzle disdainfully, but refrains from comment. "I don't think that will be necessary. Have I been anything but compliant, Ser Senra?" Rosemarie smiles at the inquisitor. "I look forward to sorting out this business in short order, so that my innocence can be proven, and I can return to my work. I hope that you get to the bottom of this mess swiftly. It's dreadful to think some criminal in the eyes of the Church could still be at large somewhere." Rosemarie's acting is practiced to the point of perfection. She certainly sounds like she means it. She could probably be covering for Blivon and still make it convincing that she was nothing but innocent. "It's unfortunate that I can't send my letter, but I suppose they'll have to manage. Annalee is a smart girl, I'm certain she'll figure something out." And it was this statement that was undoubtedly the least honest one of the evening. Even Rosemarie had trouble making that one believable.

:'''[[Faruja Senra]] has posed:''' Faruja nods just slightly to Rosemarie. "Most assuredly so, and mayhaps it speaks well of thee. Continue, and truly, the truth of this matter shall be reached in due time." Agrees the rat, encouraging her to be peaceful. Then, he turns to Que. "Yet...i must agree, that all precautions must be made. If 'tis to bind her magic..." Motioning to the dark elf, the rat lets Que get to it. "Well, one cannot take chances." He may not like the way it would fit, but she /is/ a suspected heretic sympathizer. Sebastion begins to bind her ankles, as well. Faruja whistles, and wings flap. The massive form of the wyvern Arista lands, roaring as she peers at Rosemarie and Queegma with a hungry look in her eyes. "Only eat her if she becomes...fatally resistant, Arista. And leave the kappa alone." Arista huffs, kneeling on her haunches. Que's other suggestion meets a scandalized gaze from the rat-knight. "And waste a /Bishop/'s time with such trivial matters? I should not think to perform such a breach of protocol! We shall do this by the book; the usual round of couriers." He does frown, however. What if Rose /is/ innocent?

:'''[[Queegmaa]] has posed:''' Queegmaa was patient, when the conditions were optimal, on the other hand, he was always being stepped-on by Rakassa, which had helped him build a tolerance for stress, to the extent that he, in his own way, presumably had as much patience as Rosie, or that of an oyster itself! But just like any other creature with feelings, as soon as he had an opportunity to do some venting with minimal liability attached, he was nothing if not explosive in his outbursts, which was why he'd chosen to pick on Rosemarie when the odds were stacked in the kappa's favor, what-with Faruja and Sebastian on his side, not counting the fact that now the dark elf's arms were bound behind her, beyond her legs being shackled together. /THIS/ was the ideal chance for him to let out some of that bottled up rage, and to succumb to the pomposity that normally lay dormant so as not to contest his master's own egocentrism, "HAAHAHAHA!!!!! Annalee? The mute?! Dat's rich if I eva heard it. YA DINK YA KEN PULL THAT TRIPE ON ME, YA STUPID WENCH!!!!" He bellows fearlessly, now with the object of his resentment in an utter state of helplessness, or close to it. But as if to amplify his advantages, the maritime fiend shuffled around behind Rosemarie, outfitting the gag-device around her head to prevent her from being able to 'Kirby' him again, which he remembered with quiet disgust, since the last time he was inhaled, one of his legs was digested in her belly. After the the mouthpiece is on Rosie, she can still speak, doubtlessly, but she won't be able to bite anyone, and like Hannibal, even with her arms and feet incapacitated, she was still ridiculously dangerous, which was why Que took great delight in the fact that Faruja allowed him to muzzle the woman. "Dat f*cking tart of yer's is da stupidest piece of sh*t I ever dar saw!" He laughs again, defiantly, arrogantly. The truth is, he never met Annalee personally, but as an gatherer of intelligence, he'd been able to collect one or two tidbits about the girl in regards to her absolute silence, which he then paired up with a total presumption: that Rosie was trying to pull a fast one on him! No.... She couldn't have any way of knowing that Queegmaa was an expert at detecting, and telling lies, because she most certainly knew little of his training back in Zozo, courtesy of Rakassa's generous funding. This might've left Rosie wondering a number of things-- was Queegmaa so informed that he had been watching Rosie's every move up until the point that he caught her, with Faruja's help? Was he simply bluffing? Was he a mind-reader? Was he just that extremely intuitive that he could extrapolate truths from small morsels of data that he could've scavenged sporadically? Was he a chess-master who'd such brilliance that he'd truly outflanked the drow in spite of her astute resourcefulness? Or maybe.... he just has such a low opinion of everybody, that even if Annalee was only remotely indolent, that his 'interpretation' of her was not a charitable one. Snarling at Faruja, Queegmaa, in his moment of triumph, remarked, "Why don'tcha let da bish'p decide if she dun fix ta think that Rosie's mail is a waste'a time er not, ya presumptuous possum!" To a water-dweller like Que, all those rodents looked alike, so mistaking him for one furry mammal didn't matter.... they were all interchangeable! That must've spoken volumes for how little respect he actually had for Faruja's kind.... but then, the Nezumi could probably already discern that Que housed nothing but contempt for others..... But, the root of all his hatred originated from the fact that he actually disliked himself, thus, by contrast, it was easy to see his worst traits reflected in others!

:'''[[Rosemarie]] has posed:''' Rosemarie remains quiet and controlled, though the expression of her eyes does indicate a bit of surprise--or at least disgust--at Queegmaa's assessment of Annalee. She listens to Queegmaa rant about Annalee's stupidity, listening carefully to see if any other mentions are made. When they are not, Rosemarie huffs slightly under her mask, but otherwise remains docile. The trip back will be equally uneventful, with Rosemarie playing the role of the defeated prisoner, compliant but defiant. After all, she seems convinced of her own innocence and certain that the Glabadosian will find her so, in due time. And Rosemarie has nothing if not time.