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
05.26.2023
2 month character creation hold for all existing members begins 6/5/2023. Ended 8/5/2023.
10.29.2023
Change in how times flows. Was 4 IC seasons, now only 2 IC seasons per 1 OOC year.
5 whole years of Heir Apparent goodness! When I started the site, I knew I was hunkering down for the long haul, but I never could have predicted the numerous twists and turns this roleplay site has seen. Hundreds of plots, characters, and members have come and gone, all leaving marks on the site. I am so very thankful for those who have invested. Because you keep coming back, keep getting on, and keep writing, Heir Apparent has the legacy it does today. Three cheers to us!
Post by Aldrich Abbott on Apr 21, 2023 14:05:34 GMT -5
[ASSESSMENT THREAD]
@warren and himself had spread the news that a date had been set for the assessment. They would judge the soldier's skills and decide who was still worthy of being on regular duty and who would be put on staff duty for a while. All the soldiers were obligated to come down to the training. Aldrich and the Captain had divided the soldiers into pairs, and in turn all the soldiers would demonstrate their skills in a short sparring setting with their partner.
At noon, everyone was supposed to be present in the training courtyard. Anyone who wasn't there would be put on staff duty, for their lack of discipline and respect of authority would be showing. They were not about to play around. The Lieutenant and Captain would be making difficult decisions.
So Aldrich stood in the courtyard, hands on his hips and a cigarette between his lips, with @warren next to him. They would wait a bit until all the soldiers were gathered before Aldrich would address them.
- THIS THREAD IS MANDATORY FOR YOUR CHARACTER. This thread is part of Hadrian Usher 's new marching orders. If you're not present, you're considered to be voluntarily absent and it will have consequences for your character. The characters that are supposed to be here: @berengar , @elletta , Elodie Atwood , Octavius Wulfbrand , @torsten , Zarha Sliva (Vesper Delvaux ) - POSTING ORDER: there will be a posting order to maintain structure. I will provide a posting with every Aldrich post. For this round: @warren , then every soldier one time before my next Aldrich post
We won't call it quits. We'll call it the start.
Last Edit: Apr 22, 2023 12:55:07 GMT -5 by Aldrich Abbott
It wasn't often that Warren was anxious, but he found himself to be today. He knew the soldiers were capable, but it didn't matter. Some were always going to be better than others, and if you had to rank them, there would always be people at the bottom. Even if they were good, many would be forced out. More soldiers gone. Soldiers that he felt they needed.
But there was nothing to be done about it. Warren showed up early, keeping an eye on those who filed in first and looked prepared versus those who looked anxious or nervous. His assistant, Jasper, stood just behind to his right, parchment and quill in his hands, ready to take whatever notes Warren might dictate to him. He'd been leaving most of the ground work in the hands of Lieutenant Abbott, and he would be watching the Lieutenant just as much as he studied the soldiers. Everyone was expected to improve themselves, leadership included.
Hands behind his back, Warren stood and awaited Abbott's announcement.
Post by Zarha Sliva on Apr 22, 2023 17:09:54 GMT -5
Was Zarha nervous about the assesment, she been training really hard. She know that both Abbott and Warren been wanting to improve in other areas that wasn't just training 24/7. To become more humans to make more friends. However, today wasn't about that it was an assessment to see if she got what it takes to be a soldier. She needs this she need to pass this, she can't go to staff duty, she can't lose this job. @warren is the only one who knows why at the moment she can't lose this, well ever. She have 4 younger siblings who needs her to have a job to look after them.
However she walks out trying to show no fear as she went to where the assessment going to be. standing to attention.
Much had changed in the weeks since the ball. Whatever pride had spread through the ranks as a result of the parade and the tournament had fizzled out like a flame in the face of a windstorm after the events of the ball and the captain commander’s new status quo. All that remained was work and an almost desperate determination to not get left behind - or maybe Ber was simply projecting.
Regardless, when the time of the assessment came, Ber lined up with the rest of them. Not the first to arrive, but also not last. Somewhere in the middle. He would do his best - anything less would be foolish - to complete whatever task they set, but he hardly needed or expected to excel. He just needed to not be counted among the worst.
Post by Vesper Delvaux on Apr 23, 2023 15:54:08 GMT -5
An assessment. It was a clear need and one that Vesper fully intended to see how it turned out. Her dark curls brushed over her cheeks as she walked, dressed in dark colors that was in contrast to her fair skin. A sound that would become more and more familiar to others was the step, thud, step, thud, step, thud of her gait.
Her grey eyes scanned the soldiers in attendance as she stood off to the side in a place where she could observe how the assessment would go. She would not be participating.
Last Edit: Apr 23, 2023 15:54:37 GMT -5 by Vesper Delvaux
Post by Octavius Wulfbrand on Apr 23, 2023 16:10:04 GMT -5
Octavius was the kind of soldier who stayed in line. When told to sit, he sat. When told to draw arms, he drew his weapon. When told to show up for an assessment, he showed up, his clothing straight, his posture stiff—a soldier, and a good one.
He took his place in the lineup, squaring his shoulders, feet together, gaze set ahead. He tried not to think about what he had done. What he’d been made to do. What others might be thinking of him. He was here to obey orders.
Post by Aldrich Abbott on Apr 24, 2023 5:23:50 GMT -5
It was, in all honesty, rather disappointing to see that not all the soldiers that were expected to be here had shown up. Aldrich looked at @warren for a moment with an expression that made it obvious that this wasn't a good thing. They needed more discipline and they needed to re-evaluate the soldiers skills, yet some didn't even bother to come to a mandatory training. He then returned his gaze to the group of soldiers. Some of the soldiers that weren't here were @torsten , Elodie Atwood and @elletta . He didn't know Elodie enough to jump to conclusions, but he hadn't expected Mosse and Haider to be absent. Some other soldiers were also absent, but these ones stood out to him.
Aldrich then spoke. "Today we're going to be assess your skills. You'll be paired with another soldier, and you will spar with each other while Captain Woodwick and I watch over the fight. Those of you who were at the non-obligated preparation training are familiar with this concept already, except this time you won't all be sparring at once. It's not necessary to try to win the spar, we will be judging your form, methods and skills mostly, so just spar." The man had made a list of who he would pair with who, but now that some soldiers were missing, he had to improvise.
"The first group that will be sparring is @berengar and Julius Fletcher. The second group will be Zarha Sliva and Octavius Wulfbrand ." He looked around and continued pairing the other soldiers until everyone had been assigned a sparring partner.
"While a pair is sparring, the others stand aside and watch. Each will get their turn, but in the meanwhile you can sit around, in silence, please."
He had also noticed that Vesper Delvaux was here again but didn't mention it. Then he called forth Ber and Julius. "Okay, you men will be starting us off." The rack with swords was ready for use.
- POSTING ORDER: @elletta / Elodie Atwood (Rigby and Mersea have reached out to me), Aldrich Abbott , @warren , then @berengar and Julius (Aenwyn). The sparring will go as follows: each character gets 3 posts, so soldier A, soldier B, soldier A, soldier B, soldier A, soldier B, then Aldrich again and then Warren. Just spar with your partner during these posts. Other people are not supposed to post until they have to spar.
We won't call it quits. We'll call it the start.
Last Edit: Apr 24, 2023 7:06:26 GMT -5 by Aldrich Abbott
Post by Elodie Atwood on Apr 24, 2023 7:02:30 GMT -5
It was anxiety that had turned Elodie’s shoes to lead. It had slowed her enough that by the time she was pulling herself out of the barracks, the assessment was starting to get underway. She didn’t realize just how late she was until she looked around and saw few—if any—soldiers milling about outside. With sinking horror, Elodie started to run.
She’d skid to a stop on the edge. No doubt her late arrival would be noticed and not serve her well in the assessment to come. Elodie wanted to fall through a hole in the ground and be swallowed up forever, but that wasn’t an option. So, Elodie did the only thing she could do: put her chin up, aim it forward, and hope for the best.
Elletta hissed under her breath, knowing she was late. Barely but it counted. She had told her trainer that she had an assessment today, multiple times, but the old woman hadn't cared. At least she'd had the foresight to be dressed for the assessment when she had left for her medic training this morning.
Quietly, after she set down everything because she did not have time to drop off texts, she went straight to Aldrich Abbott. "Sorry for my lateness, Lieutenant Abbott. Trainer Riesen just dismissed us from medical."
She wasn't going to offer excuses but later, she would probably request a meeting to make sure that this didn't happen again. Elletta hated mot being on time.
Post by Aldrich Abbott on Apr 24, 2023 8:29:54 GMT -5
While, or right before, @berengar and Julius were getting ready to spar, Aldrich saw two women enter the training courtyard. They didn't come together, but they arrived at about the same time. The Lieutenant's mouth was a thin stripe. He wasn't too annoyed, but he definitely wasn't happy about this either, and wouldn't just let it slide. Before he could say something, @elletta told him why she was late, and he nodded. Okay, it was a valid excuse, and he would simply have to talk to Riesen later to discuss this. It wasn't Elletta's fault. "Copy that", he responded. He looked around until he saw Elodie Atwood , and spoke up so all soldiers could hear him again. "@elletta and Elodie Atwood will form another pair then. Like I just told the others, step aside and wait your turn." He would wait for everyone to continue moving to the side of the courtyard, so Berengar and Julius had room. He himself walked over to @warren , so they could watch the soldiers while they were sparring. He would discuss Elodie's tardiness with Warren later.
- POSTING ORDER: we're going to continue where we left off so first @warren , then @berengar , then Julius and so on like explained in Aldrich's previous post!
We won't call it quits. We'll call it the start.
Last Edit: Apr 24, 2023 8:33:09 GMT -5 by Aldrich Abbott
Quickly he searched the area for Lassiter, checking that her swift wrath wouldn't come charging in at him. But there was no guarantee that she wouldn't arrive later at some point. Mosse walked toward the ring with a closed expression, not even trying to use words at his late arrival. His own stupid insubordination permanently gave a life long black mark on his record that would never be expunged. There was no acceptable excuse for him to be late here, so he remained silent as he cautiously stepped forward.
He would charge through fire and back on the Captain's merest hint, but the crux of his disinclination lay solely on the other one in authority. For the briefest of moments, his brown-eyed gaze travelled to Captain Woodwick and Elodie and then away again. He'd made an oath to the Nevermere army and he kept his word, however reluctantly.
Last Edit: Apr 24, 2023 12:59:42 GMT -5 by Deleted
Genuine surprised, followed by disappointment, lined Warren's face as multiple soldiers filed in to the assessment late. If he were further away, he might have audibly sighed. Instead, his teeth clenching tightened the line of his jaw. He had to place the brunt of the duty and leadership on Lieutenant Abbott's shoulders. He would be leaving for Zulu Carr and had to make sure everyone was capable of working without him - he couldn't do that if he was micromanaging. So he remained where he was, though he his arms moved to fold over his chest.
Glancing back at his assistant, the young noble nodded and wrote down the names and how late they were. He was ready to get this over and done with so if Abbott turned to look at him at all, he would simply nod. Otherwise, his eyes remained, floating from soldier to soldier.
Julius Fletcher. The name meant nothing to Ber. Neither did the face, when everyone broke ranks to clear an area for the spar. Hand falling to the hilt of his sword, he sized up the other man, briefly trying to judge his opponent’s confidence as the soldier fell into his own focused mindset for the assessment ahead. According to Abbott, technique was more important than victory, but Ber was accustomed to fighting to win. After all, this spar was the latest in a lifelong series of fights where the consequences of failure were often steep. But if winning was less important…
He took a breath. No, if he focused too much on trying to get everything right, he would get self-conscious and trip himself up. Though the circumstances of this spar were new, a fight was still a fight. He knew his own strengths and weaknesses, and upon discovering Fletcher’s as they fought, he would adapt accordingly. Just like he always did.
Anticipation gave way to adrenaline as the street rat, never one to back down from a challenge, raised its head, and the soldier raised his sword. He would wait for a signal to begin from Abbott or Woodwick. Once it came, he would test the waters with a swing, not overly aggressive but not weak either, at Fletcher. Something that would allow him to get a sense of what he was dealing with.
Julius was quite nervous for this spar. He didn't know @berengar either, but once he saw the young man, he noticed that they were about the same height and had approximately the same build. The young soldier nodded at Ber to greet him. But once Aldrich gave the sign, Berengar moved in for a swing. It was a regular swing, nothing special or fancy, and Julius blocked it easily. He then took a step back and thought quickly. Berengar's move didn't give much away about his technique, so he needed to test the waters as well. So the soldier stepped forward again, trying to swing at Berengar's shoulder.
In contrast to Fletcher’s visible nerves, Ber was cool and steady. He defended himself against the return swing at his shoulder with similar ease, and as he fell into a rhythm of attacks, blocks, and parries sustained both by muscle memory and quick reflexes, the match began in earnest. Although they weren’t fighting to win, the soldier pressed his advantage when he could and fell back on a reliable defense when he couldn’t. He wasn’t about to roll over and let Fletcher walk all over him simply because victory wasn’t the end goal.
The two men might have been of similar builds, but they weren’t necessarily evenly matched. Ber was an intuitive fighter armed with the confidence of experience. Instincts developed on the streets and honed by his years of service in the military served him well. Even with a sword in hand rather than fingers curled into fists, his fighting style was a blend of the army’s refined techniques that dominated the military wing and the less predictable, scrappy brawling that ruled the streets. To the discerning eye, the creativity probably showed. A street rat turned soldier, he would never be a textbook fighter, but he was an effective one all the same.