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 always careful to mask her comings and goings from the Midnight House, even if she only went in daylight hours. She would spend time with a few of the girls, being a friend and giving them reliable potions so they didn't have to spend coin on those. With Ravin having disappeared, and she prayed to the goddess that he wasn't dead, she didn't exactly trust folks to not try to take advantage of the women so she did her best to help where she could and as discreetly as she could. Which, it was easy for now since she was still unmarried but eventually she would have to have a husband and that would require more planning than just slipping out while the family was busy.
Her basket was now empty of the potions and sweets she'd brought with her so she was planning on slipping out towards the market to pick up a few things before heading back to the Morrigan estate. However that didn't seem to be the plan because not long after stepping out if the doorway, she accidentally bumped into someone with her basket. Before she even saw who it was, she was turning to apologize for the inconvenience.
"I'm sorry, didn't mean to catch you with the basket."
With Ravin gone the Van Zants had stepped up to protect the woman of the Midnight house. They were quickly growing at the family to rely on for protection in their little area. Katerina was glad to help, especially if it meant threatening men who got too rough with the doves. They were an extension of her family in some ways, even if she would deny it or pretend otherwise.
On her way into work early as she had promised P'ol a lesson with her flaming knives, she was carrying her son on her hip. Odina's eight year old had a spit-fire personality she greatly enjoyed. Taking a step back as someone practically barreled out of the brothel she rolled her eyes as the basket bumped her chest. "Well then next time watch were you're going. What's the rush anyways?" Since she wasn't officially working she was wearing her engagement and wedding band from Fabian, and she was just glad the woman hadn't slammed the basket or door into her son.
Post by Rosamere Osxiano on Feb 9, 2022 13:01:16 GMT -5
"I was on business for a friend and have elsewhere to be soon, so as I said, my apologies." Rosamere turned more towards the other woman, enough to recognize who she was. "Lady Winters."
She didn't say the title with any bitterness or accusations, just stated it as an acknowledgement of who she was. while she might have been angry at Fabian for the lies, which had simmered into an annoyance at best in the back of her mind, she didn't have ill-will towards the woman in front of her. Not then and not now.
Plus, Rosamere wasn't normally one for pointed comments or snapping at others. That wasn't to say that she didn't have uncharitable thoughts, just that she very rarely actually said them aloud. She hadn't been raised that way and personally preferred to not deal with conflicts but she knew that wasn't always possible, unfortunately.
Post by Katerina Winters on Feb 9, 2022 14:32:56 GMT -5
Katerina hadn't been paying much attention to the woman, more concerned with her son but then she somehow knew her name. She didn't even use the Winters name when she was at the Midnight House. So instantly she snapped to attention, eyes blazing.
The woman with the basket was familiar but it took a second for things to fully click into place. "Lady Morrigan, please just call me Kat." She wasn't sure how they hadn't run into each other more often if she was the one who was delivering the doves their potions. Maybe Mina or Odina had made sure of it, or maybe it was just happenstance. "Thank you for your kind charity, you must come in, have a drink on me."
After everything that had happened with the Lassiter girl she was actually a little interested in the Morrigan woman who had been slotted her for spot. She occasionally wondered what her life would have been life if that engagement wasn't broken, but having her son on her hip always dashed those thoughts.
Post by Rosamere Osxiano on Feb 9, 2022 15:58:25 GMT -5
Rosamere hadn't expected the blazing look in the other woman's eyes, and if it had been years earlier, then she might've stepped back. Instead, she stayed where she was, even though she'd bitten the inside of her cheek. The invitation for a drink was certainly unexpected, though she wasn't quite sure what she would have been expecting anyway.
"Then you can call me Rosamere, its only fair." She herself was curious as to what Lady Wint- Kat was doing but she had no room to speak of either. Rosamere gave her a slight smile. "I suppose I have the time for a little drink. How is your little one doing?"
Post by Katerina Winters on Feb 9, 2022 16:41:02 GMT -5
Katerina shrugged her shoulders but nodded. Rosamere it was then, and she led her back into the Midnight House. It was a lot different during the day, and she was glad to see that P'ol was waiting for her. Waving at the girl she signaled that she would be a couple minutes and set Dane down, letting him toddle however he wanted. "He's great, strong and smart, sometimes too much for his own good. Has his father's eyes." It was an after thought, forgetting for a moment who she was talking to.
Pulling a bottle of wine from the bar she poured herself and her guest one. "Well how are things for you then?" Taking a sip she looked over the rim of the cup, still a little unsure why she'd invited Rosamere back in.
Post by Rosamere Osxiano on Feb 9, 2022 19:47:44 GMT -5
Rosamere gave P'ol a little smile and finger wave, full well knowing she'd be seeing the little one soon enough. Which, she hadn't expected the relationship with Odina and it was something they'd kept between them. As Kat spoke, she pulled her thoughts back to present and couldn't deny that yes, the little one certainly did have Fabian's eyes.
She took the offered glass and took a sip. "I've been doing well. Currently, though all of my siblings are married, they haven't put any pressure on me yet."
Post by Katerina Winters on Feb 9, 2022 19:58:39 GMT -5
"Well that's good then? Freedom and all?" That had been her plan for a long time but clearly she had taken a different path. Katerina raised an eyebrow in surprise when the Morrigan lady said that all her siblings had married. "Didn't one of your brother's strangle someone?" She didn't know the woman or the reason for anything but everyone had heard about it in some way or another. Still she realized after the words left her mouth that it wasn't exactly something she should have asked. Too late!
Post by Rosamere Osxiano on Feb 9, 2022 20:26:18 GMT -5
Rosamere closed her eyes as she took a deep breath, tension pulling just a little in her shoulders. She might be the youngest but she was protective of her siblings in her own way. When she opened them back there was a defensive look in her eyes and a little tiredness, tired of hearing the gossip and whispers about her brother who knew nothing.
"He'd been under stress and snapped because the person in question triggered him in regards to our cousin that had passed not long before." More or less, it was the truth even though there was more to it than what the courts decided.
She paused and took a sip of her wine, trying to relax the line of her shoulders. "But yes, it is a little bit of freedom though there is a bit of pressure from some families who want to be attached to my last name of only as in-laws. Which, they are annyoing but this time around, Father is letting it be my choice now."
Post by Katerina Winters on Feb 9, 2022 20:42:26 GMT -5
There had been plenty of rumors but it was interesting to hear the words of the guys younger sister. It was probably a little skewed, like how she often thought Kasper or Mina could do little to no wrong. But it was still interesting to hear. "Well then that's unfortunate for them both I suppose. I didn't know you all were so close." Her husband had made plenty of mistakes and yet she was married to him all the same so who was she to judge.
It was always odd for her to think about the lords and ladies not usually choosing their partners in life. It must have taken some balls to decide to break the engagement. "Well that's good, hopefully you'll have better luck this time around then." She took a sip of her wine, not feeling an ounce of regret about the whole thing. But there were some things that still itched at the back of her mind. "How did you find out by the way?" Kat assumed it was obvious what she was talking about, not really caring it might be a sensitive subject.
Post by Rosamere Osxiano on Mar 14, 2022 15:03:02 GMT -5
Rosamere knew that it didn't always look like her family was that close, and not all of them were close, but that didn't mean that they didn't care for each other. However that wasn't what she said in response to Kat. "Even if we don't always get on in public, we all do care deeply for each other. We were all raised together after my aunts and uncles had passed so my cousins might as well be my siblings."
She hummed noncommittally over the rim of her cup, choosing to not comment on that statement because she didn't know how to respond. Rosamere hoped it would go well but that wasn't to say that it would end up well. Not to mention whi she might have an interest in, though it likely would go nowhere with her luck.
The question after, though, had Rosamere setting her cup down on the table. "Someone overheard you and Fabian so I asked him myself. Eventually, he told me everything." She bit the inside of her lip. "I will admit, I wasn't expecting it to be a love marriage but I did expect honesty. If he had told me outright instead of hiding it, well, maybe we would have a completely different arrangement with you, I don't know."
Post by Katerina Winters on Mar 14, 2022 15:04:34 GMT -5
Looking at Rosamere she could certainly understand what she meant about siblings. Instead of being raised by her parents though, her and kasper had done most of the raising. "Family is certainly important, good luck with all of that." She had never wished the Morrigan family any ill will, and if anything she should be thanking them she supposed. Certainly Rosamere, but she wasn't in the habit of doing such things.
Tucking away the girls reaction to her well wishes, she let her move along. Something to come back to later. "A different arrangement?" Pushing for more detail she wasn't sure how the youngest Morrigan could be so forgiving of the situation. Certainly she wouldn't have been.
Post by Rosamere Osxiano on Mar 14, 2022 15:05:46 GMT -5
It'd been several years since she'd actually put thought into it butbit was still there, to be pulled out on the chance that a similar situation would happen again whether she wanted it or not. It wasn't being forgiving so much as being practical.
"For a bit of context, I agreed to Lord Winters' offer because it meant that it would give a little more leeway for my older brother to marry his choce of bride, at least that had been the idea at the time." She knew now, though, that it hadn't completely worked out that way. "So if Fabian had said something, maybe you would have been hired to help with the children as a reason for you to be in the home consistently without anyone passing judgment on you for it."
Post by Katerina Winters on Mar 14, 2022 15:06:59 GMT -5
Katerina listened to the woman's thoughts. She could understand sacrificing things for her siblings happiness. There was a reason she had left the military, and it certainly wasn't because she hated the job. "You were going to get married to a stranger because it would help your older brother? Isn't it supposed to be the other way around, elder siblings protecting the younger ones?" It came out slightly judgemental but it was just the truth she grew up with. Sacrifice for her younger siblings, kill for them even.
"Well that certainly wouldn't have worked. Kind of you though, but considering my interest in knives probably not the best to keep around children." Laughing she took a sip of her wine, keeping her eyes on the young woman. She was interesting, and she could see why Fabian had originally chosen her. Clearly would be a much better mother, and was a kinder lady than she could ever be.
Post by Rosamere Osxiano on Mar 14, 2022 15:07:59 GMT -5
Rosamere gave Kat just a bit of smile as she took another sip. "Who says my older brother ever knew, or any of my siblings and cousins, for that matter?" There was a slight bit of devious amusement in her tone, not the least bit bothered by the little bit of judgement she heard in the other woman's voice.
She chuckled with Kat, not having known about the knife interest but not exactly surprised. "But that at least means they'd be protected and you could always teach them to be careful first. We all have to learn knife safety for potions anyway."