The peace that formerly reigned in Terra Nova has eroded, now little more than a memory. War ravages the continent. Disputes divide kingdoms; ideals divide families. The quest for power consumes absolutely and indiscriminately. None are immune to its allure.
Who will rise and who will fall? Only time—and ambition—will tell.
UPDATES
05.12.2023
Established the "Tag Staff" discord channel for helping update the site.
05.26.2023
2 month character creation hold for all existing members begins 6/5/2023.
This fall and winter was a period of low activity for the site, but even so, the Dresmond board has continued to simmer with excitement. This kingdom has moved from distant side dish to a dramatic main course in the world of Terra Nova. A big shout out to members Heather, Nix, and Darkest whose high activity has helped lead it through a renaissance into a new era!
Rosamere was waiting in her cottage, pulling out several well-worn books, her first potions guides where she'd written some of her own notes in the margins, either questions and then their answers or observations on something related to the topic at hand. She also had pulled out a book each on Nevermeran botany and herbology, not quite sure on what, if any, differences there were between the plant life in Cambria versus Nevermere.
She'd told Odina she'd be able to start working on teaching her potions today, though she'd left it up to the other woman if she wanted to bring her daughters or not. This would be her first time teaching anyone about potions, though she supposed it would be good practice for if she had any daughters of her own once she was married.
The door was open so whenever Odina arrived, all she would have to do is walk in.
Post by Odina Ellis on Dec 21, 2021 12:35:04 GMT -5
Odina was very excited to learn more about the craft she had been born to do but for so long kept it hidden. No longer though, Rosamere and Nadia had so graciously took to training her. Nadia even more eager as of late to have such a 'productive student'. Today was potions with Rosamere who had also gave Odina the permission to bring her girls, to which Lyra eagerly accepted and Vekka reluctantly accepted only because she felt it made sense to know about plants and such. She was a fighter not a caster.
All three of them entered the small cottage Odina and Lyra with soft gentle smiles, Vekka the Scowl of Scowling looked indifferent as she stood in front of her mother and sister protectively. Lyra looked beyond amazed with child like wonder in her eyes as she scanned the cottage, "This is amazing!"
"Roots and twigs and berries? Totally amazing," Vekka added, Odina placed a firm hand on her daughters shoulder telling her discreetly to be nice.
"Hi Rosa, we are here for our first lessons, this is Lyra my oldest and Vekka my second child. They want to learn."
Post by Rosamere Osxiano on Jan 4, 2022 1:33:48 GMT -5
Rosamere gave Odina and her girls a smile when they entered, not at all bothered by Vekka's drier statement compared to her sister's. "Pleased to meet you, Lyra and Vekka." She looked both of them in the eyes as she addressed them, not treating them like children as she began to explain the foundations of potions. How botany and herbology factored into potioneering. The various factors like phases of the moon or how many stirring motions or how an ingredient was prepared could affect the potency or even the outcome of the potions.
Any questions they had, she answered without talking down to them or treating them as if they were stupid. Rosamere would not do them the disservice of treating them in such a way. She showed them how to prepare herbs and plants, used some of her own stores to show the drying process and why, and pointed them towards the books she had if they asked.
With Odina, she treated her the same. Some, regardless of the fact that she hadn't grown up in Nevermere, might have given the woman a hard time about not knowing something so intrinsically part if Nevermere but Rosamere didn't. Just like her daughters, Rosamere didn't belittle or talk down to her but talked to her like an equal and explained things as such. She didn't consider any questions to be stupid and answered every one to the best of her ability.
Post by Odina Ellis on Jan 5, 2022 19:38:48 GMT -5
First and foremost Odina highly admired Rosa for her treatment towards her children, it was equal and fair. She educated and corrected them all during the potions lessons with poise and rationality. Lyra took up with potions quickly as she liked the organization of it and the processes, especially learning the phases of the moons and their effects on things. She was also more than once distracted by the smells and colors of certain things. Vekka only enjoyed one thing about it all, crushing things with the mortar and pestle, "FLOWER BLOOD FOR THE BLOOD GODS!" she had adopted the motto and repeated it every time Lyra asked her to crush this. When Vekka wasn't crushing things she stood over the three of them like a Royal Guard and poking fun at Lyra for her admiration of all the "pretty things". Gross she thought.
As for Odina she was split on the enjoyment and frustration of potions. The enjoyment came from learning more about her heritage and a branch of magic she never truly know about and the respect of equality she felt radiating from Rosamere Osxiano she was a by far a better and understanding teacher than Nadia started off as. The frustrating parts were measurements, all the steps, and she wasn't a fan of most of the smells. It didn't help her mind kept getting distracted, she couldn't help but read through the books looking for something to help potentially locate their missing siblings.
"Can we make a love potion?" Lyra asked blushing, "Hella gross Ly, boys suck," Vekka snapped throwing a mulberry at Lyra.
"Girls," Odina reigned them in and then asked, "Or maybe we find that potion or something to help us locate the rest of my family? Our little family project?"
Post by Rosamere Osxiano on Jan 7, 2022 20:12:48 GMT -5
The two girls were absolutely adorable and more than once, she had to bite back a snicker at Vekka's new motto though she did her best to keep it to twitching lips only as much as possible. She noticed Odina reading ahead, and while she wouldn't recommend it, she didn't blame the woman either. Not when her only family had been missing for so many years at this point. She did, though, shut down the talk of love potions as gently as she could when Lyra brought them up.
"Love potions aren't exactly accepted because it takes away the other person's freewill and consent to make their own choices. That doesn't mean that they aren't out there, just that quite a few witches don't brew them because of how it takes control of the other person's mind." She wasn't trying to be mean but that was one thing that was explained to her in no uncertain terms as a child. Love potions were frowned upon for good reasons.
Her attention turned back to Odina and she thought for a moment before walking over to her shelf and pulling out an older book that she'd thumbed through earlier in case Odina had asked. She flipped open to the first of the marked pages. "So there's not a potion that both shows the location of living family and who said family is. Not yet at least. However, there is a potion for showing the location of a specific family member using their blood to essentially make a blood-locked scrying potion, which is on this page. The other potion I have marked shows currently alive blood family but not location." She flipped to the second potion as she described it. "So, tentatively, the plan is to use the second potion and then tweak the first one to work in conjunction with the second. Ideally, you having the same father will be close enough for us to find Urion II without further tweaking."
Post by Odina Ellis on Jan 14, 2022 12:44:22 GMT -5
Odina was fascinated by Rosamere's explanation of the two potions and what her plan was to help by combining the two. She pulled the book closer to her and began to skim over thinking when she turned her eyes back to Rosa and locked with hers, "Do you believe me? Do you think your family will when we make this and find my other siblings? Because I'm ready to prove myself," Vekka interjected to add, "Let's make this together now," and Lyra would attempt to hug Rosa around her waist, "Please let us help! A family project!"
All the eyes were on Rosamere Osxiano. They all seemed eager to do this, even Vekka who stood with arms crossed.
Post by Rosamere Osxiano on Jan 18, 2022 14:54:53 GMT -5
Being the center of their focus, here in her cabin, was not nearly as anxiety-inducing as it would be in a more publix setting. In fact, since it involved potions, it had the opposite effect. It was more grounding as she teturned little Lyra's hug even as she met Odina's blue eyes.
"You haven't given me any reason to doubt you, and neither has Ravin." Which was true, and she trusted both of them. "It's going to take time and work, and a lot of trial and error. Might have to revise the plan as we go to find out what works."
She gave the girls and Odina a smile. "Family project it is. We'll have to start with a little bit of research before we start working with any ingredients first, though."
Post by Odina Ellis on Jan 25, 2022 2:22:20 GMT -5
Tara Ellis the banished witch Princess felt a strong tug of respect and admiration for Rosamere Osxiano in that moment, Odina the blacksmith of Cambria was washed over with honor. And both of them felt another response of feeling that she hadn't expected, love. How? This was all new. However she had a counter for that negative thinking, Rosamere was giving her purpose and focus, helping breathe life into what was right. Including her girls. Only two others she had known or met that gave her these butterflies: Sparrow and Ravin.
Instincly through touch as she was accustomed to she reached out to take the girls hand if she didn't pull away or anything, a smile, a Princesses smile finally tugging at the corners of her mouth. She'd without know because her eyes were locked with Rosa's stroked the soft skin of the back of her hand, "thank you.. for all of this Rosamere....for including them. Believing in me.."
Post by Rosamere Osxiano on Jan 27, 2022 9:22:36 GMT -5
Rosamere definitely realized that Odina was an attractive person, having been working with her in close proximity had made her aware of that. But she'd been able to focus on teaching all of them the basics of potions and answering their questions so she didn't have to acknowledge that in her mind immediately. She'd like to think she'd been doing a decent job of not actually giving that thought process any brain space at the moment until Odina actually smiled at her.
Between the smile and the touch, a light blush dusted her cheeks as she gave Odina a small smile in return. There went not acknowledging that thought until she was alone in her room. "I- You're welcome." She glanced down, more sudden onset of nerves than anything else but she still didn't full her hand away or pull back from Odina.
Post by Odina Ellis on Jan 27, 2022 13:05:01 GMT -5
Odina had lost herself in the young woman's face and how she hadn't pulled away, she even reached up to push a lock of hair behind Rosa's ear before Vekka cleared her throat, "Mom ... can we start on this?"
Odina very reluctantly pulled her hand away from Rosa's, the warmth of it lingered on until much later at the Midnight House, but she smiled at Vekka and Lyra (who was very smitten with a smile, she saw her Mother smiling and getting happier), "Yes let's do this my little family," and they all pulled together to learn. Together Odina...Tara Ellis...felt they could burn the world down.