Cormac "Cor" Halcyon

Age: 46

Origin: Moscow

Occupation: Moscow Fire Chief

Pyschological Description:  Having spent most of his life training for emergency situations, Cor works well under pressure. Seeing a lot of people in trauma situations has led him to have a dark sense of humor.

Physical Description:  He is 5’9” tall with blonde hair.  One eye is blue and the other green (Heterochromia).

Biography:

For as long as he could remember, Cor had been interested in fire.  He spent a good deal of his youth going to fire stations and talking to the fire fighters there.  They taught him and he was a natural.  His family members would soon find him pointing out potential fire hazards in the house, and they never had to worry about changing the batteries in their detectors.  He always did it for them.

Naturally, when he became of age, the fire department recruited him as a cadet. Cor studied hard learning not only fire suppression and rescue tactics, but emergency medical training as well.  As soon as he was eighteen, he was signed up as a paid on-call firefighter, entered the fire academy and began EMT training. By twenty-one, he was hired as a full-time firefighter/paramedic at the Moscow Fire Department. He served eventually reaching the rank of Captain.

In October of 2046, the current Chief decided to retire, and at the encouragement of his fire brothers, Cor applied for the position.  In November of 2046, he was offered and accepted the position of Moscow Fire Department Chief.

Cor is married to Anya Halcyon and they have two children: a daughter named Kimberly (18) and a son named Jack (15)

*****

“I will never allow personal feelings, nor danger to self, deter me from my responsibilities as Fire Chief; I will at all times respect the property and rights of all men and women, the laws of my country, and the members I serve with; I recognize the badge of my office as a symbol of public faith and trust, and I accept so long as I am true to the ethics of the fire service; I do solemnly swear that I have all of the qualifications required of my position and I accept this self-imposed and self-enforced obligation as my responsibility and make these promises so solemnly, freely, and upon my honor.”

Cor finished his oath of office, accepting the badge to applause. He was directed to the podium where the applause died down and he began to speak.

“I’m not one for speech making, so I will keep this brief.  I’m honored to be here in front of you all today.  It has been a pleasure to serve the community of Moscow and to do what I can to prevent bad situations from happening and when that was not possible, to prevent them from becoming worse. I will be honest and say that when I began my career as a firefighter, I never expected this day.  But to have my colleagues encourage me in this and to have the support of the community and the Government of Moscow means a lot to me.
Moscow Fire Department has a long standing tradition of excellence in the community, and my promise to you is that this will not change under my leadership.  As a department, we will continue to train, innovate, and work hand in hand with other branches of emergency services.  Thank you for this honor, and thank you for your time.”

[[related to House Party and Keys to the Kingdom]]

In the days following the house party at Nox's place, an image crops up in various places on the dark web: it is the neon outline of winking Hello Kitty, with a devil’s tail and pitchfork.

A rumour quickly surfaces that the Emissary of the m’Antinomian has suffered a theft. Those who successfully follow the trail discover an auction of the stolen piece. The accompanying text says only:

Elyse smiled as she walked through the market. It was a chilly day - to her Danish blood at least. Many would find the winter in Moscow cold, but the cold never bothered her. Still she was dressed in a heavy coat, a knit hat and gloves. Today she wore her eye contacts. Her wolf eyes were reserved for work. Today she didn’t have to work though. She had a day off. 

Elyse was happy. Truly happy for the first time since she found out what she was. It hadn’t been an expected journey from traditional Atharim family to burlesque dancer in a relationship with a polyamorous woman. Elyse could only imagine how much her parents would have flipped out about that. They would have likely been okay with her dating a woman. It was 2046 after all, but would have still been disappointed she hadn’t found a man to make them a grandchild with. It was the polyamory that would have gotten them. 

Elyse was with Mae - and at this point only Mae. Elyse wasn’t quite sure she was ready for more, but the more she thought about it, the more she was okay with trying that. Mae was with her other partners today and Elyse felt no jealously at this. She had thought a little about the difference between how she had reacted with Nox and Mae. But when it came down to it - Mae wasn’t cheating. Elyse had known about them from the beginning and had accepted it. Being new to this whole idea, Elyse had clarified with Mae - she was allowed to pursue others without guilt.

But Elyse was happy now and decided to spend her day shopping. She had nothing she wanted to buy, but perhaps she would find something here.

I've been deleting new users once or twice a day which means they are getting past our security question and captcha.  So I just added a bunch more book related security questions.  If you don't know the answer go ahead and ping me or if there might be a typo in my spelling of the answer that's catching you.

If anyone has any favorite WoT trivia I'm happy to add more.  The more we can make them have to cycle through the less we'll have with stupid bots trying to get in to spam us.

Nox smirked at Oriena's words, being tossed back at him with such venom. It wasn't a yes, but it wasn't a no. And in the long run, he knew Oriena would do what must be done. He'd forgive her for the deed before she even did it. And while he didn't pray, he would do his damnedest to not put her in the same position he'd been having to kill Aria. "Thank you. I don't know how much good this will do me, but it's a thought experiment at least."

His stomach rumbled on the edge of his awareness and he looked at the network of lines in front of him and swiped it away for later. "I'm sure there is enough food if you can deal with the craziness of my house." He wasn't exactly sure what he was going to find once he opened the door. The mess he wasn't prepared to find, the amount of people who might still be out there with no real supervision. His house could be a disaster. And he was pretty sure no one cleaned it up. And that's not to mention the people who he'd said could stay. And there were many most of them children who had no where else left to go. Not exactly Oriena's cup of tea. But if they were lucky everyone would still be in bed. Or at least past out on the floor.

Hey all! Specifically you chat folks. I wanted to reach out to you guys because you’re all pretty amazing people and since I’m at work I can’t really be in chat long, but can use my real to type this message. You guys know the past few days have been rough for me. It still kind of is - don’t really know what’s going on in my head right now, but due to some encouragement, I’m reaching out to counseling to try to figure that out. I just wanted to say thanks for putting up with the mood shifts I’ve had and for being supportive. Most of you will probably say you didn’t really do anything, but you were there and listened. And that means a lot to me. I always feel welcomed here. I’m so glad to be back.

Father: Kincaid Reece, Sr.
Mother: Harmony Reece (who later changes her name to Cleo Durante)
Step Mother: Kathy Greenwood-Reece
Siblings:

• Blake Greenwood-Reece (m, 29)
  
• Sarah Greenwood-Reece (f, 27)
  
• Adrianne Reece (f, 25)
  
• Michael Reece (m, 22)
  

Age: 22

Origin: Chicago, IL, United States

Occupation: Master's Degree Student

Psychological Description:  Much like her older sister, Emily, Rachel is kind hearted and smiles often. Rachel cares and wants to see others happy has well.  She is easy to talk to, empathetic, and ambitious.  She is, however, quick to make decisions, often without thinking.

Physical Description:  Rachel stands at 5'10" tall (1.77 meters) tall.  She has blonde hair, slightly longer than shoulder length, with hazel eyes. She has an athletic build.

Characters Powers and Supernatural Powers: The ability to learn how to channel.

Current OP Strength: 0

Potential OP Strength: 20

Biography: Rachel was born to Martin and Victoria Shale in 2024.  The second of three daughters, she was often in competition with her younger sister, Mara. She was always close to her older sister, Emily, however.  Emily’s personality did make sibling rivalry easy, and the eldest often intervened to keep the younger two sisters from killing each other.  As they grew older, all three sisters grew closer.

As the daughter of wealthy parents, Rachel never wanted for anything.  Kind-hearted, she made friends easily in school and was involved in sports, music, and drama. Her friends soon found she was easy to talk to, and would often come to her to vent or even seek advice.  Rachel’s teachers encouraged this and some even advised her to consider going into psychology.  She did so, beginning a college degree at Northern Illinois University.

In 2045, life for the Shale girls changed forever.  Their parents died in a tragic plane crash while heading to Moscow for a business meeting.  Rachel took this hard, retreating into herself.  Her older sister Emily took over their company, and began planning a move to Moscow.

Rachel’s friends came to bat for her.  The girl that had been there during their troubled times came to her aid, encouraging her in her grief.  Despite all of this, she still felt uneasy in Illinois.  When the opportunity presented itself to move to Moscow with her sisters, she put in for a transfer to the University of Moscow where she earned her Bachelors in Pyschology.  She continued into their Master’s Program and hopes to one day be a licensed therapist.

On campus, she met Cruz Vega.  They quickly bonded and started dating.  Things are looking up for her and for the first time since her parents death, Rachel is starting to feel normal again.  Despite this, her grief lingers in the background.  In this time she has watched Emily grow from self-conscious and fearful to a confident and inspiring leader.  Rachel only hopes she can reach her potential as her sister has.

Early Life

Callista grew up in Moscow, being a baby when her parents first relocated to the city. She has fond early memories of an aunt with a lilting, musical voice, who used to talk to her about the strangest of fancies as though they were real, and who lit in Cali a great wonderment for the realm of mystery. Unbeknownst to her father, Aunt Oleander left Cali a secret trove of books when she fled, which she treasured above all else in the years before she joined the Brotherhood. Cali has never understood the reasons for her aunt’s departure, or why her father refuses to even acknowledge her name. But the fascination always stuck. She has always felt a deep connection to spirituality.

The Haarts lived a life of privilege. As a very small girl, Cali’s cherubic face was splashed across fashion magazines and ad campaigns modelling her mother’s infant clothing line, and she was often cooed over as a beautiful child for her fair colouring and her father’s curls. But by the time younger brother Liam was born and her father’s company was becoming a success, the family became more private about their affairs, and both children were sheltered from the world around them.

Where Liam was a little bit of well-meaning chaos, Cali was always an easy child and later an easy student, floating through life without much disturbing anything around her, for she was nearly always looking inward and contemplating the longing sense inside her. She sang in the school choir, and took dance lessons, finding some comfort in physical expression. Even from a young age she explored the notion of religion, drawn to the idea of ritual. Her father came from Irish Catholic roots, but had never practised. Neither did he ever indulge her curiosity, having little time for either of his children. They have never been close.

Enlightenment

Cali wasn’t introverted, but she certainly lived in her own little world. She had no interest in either of her parents’ vocations, and instead attended Moscow University to study theology. It was while on campus that another student gave her a copy of the Celestial Codex. She devoured it hungrily, and found herself ignited by an essence of that same feeling she had first felt tucked at her aunt’s side – as though there was a real truth to be found here. Afterwards she discovered Quillon was not a student at all, but a member of the Brotherhood. Between lectures Cali began to attend the sermons, and was soon enthralled by the world she discovered. It called to her like nothing she had before encountered.

When she later shared her intention to drop out of university, her father was furious and forbade it, much to Cali’s surprise at the time. He had never shown interest, or indeed any real reaction to much of anything she had done in the past. When Cali decided to go anyway, she was disowned, and arrived at the Sanctuary with nothing but the clothes on her back, and the box with her aunt’s things under her arm. It was for this reason she took on a new name as a Novam: Calliope.

The Brotherhood of the Ascendancy

Cali took to the life with fervour and devotion. Though Quillon won the prestige for bringing her in, it was soon towards the only female Veilwarden that Cali gravitated, a woman called Seraphis Arden, whom Cali continues to quietly admire. Upon her induction, she spent many months in study, meditation, and ritual purification, learning the Codex until she could recite it from memory. There are marked similarities between the texts her aunt left, and the prophetic figure of The Conduit the book speaks of. The ideas of sacrifice and protection call to Cali, and she truly believes the Ascendancy is the embodiment of their saviour. Who can deny the miracle of healing? Her heart tells her she is in the right place.

No one she discretely approached within the Sanctuary recognised the name Oleander, so while she was initially hopeful, she soon realised her aunt was not a member of the Brotherhood. But upon recognising that the legacy left in her care might be of value, Cali took her aunt’s texts to Quillon so that they might be presented to the Luminar. She knows all the words by memory already, and while it was still difficult to give that part of her up, she did it selflessly.

Cali can often be found in the Celestial Gardens, drawn most by ceremonies performed in natural settings. She has always felt a connection to earthly things, a link she cannot quite put into words, but only deepens her belief in the Ascendancy’s protection, especially after he averted nuclear disaster. Her blessings almost always involve natural things. She believes that through her devotion, the earth will flourish in its bounty. Recently, she has attained the title of Aethermancer. Privately she prays that she might be granted Ascendant gifts, so that she may serve the Brotherhood fully.

About

She has her father’s angelic looks, with big eyes, blonde hair, and a button nose, but where his charisma is a clever and convincing artifice, hers is full of warmth and naive enthusiasm. Cali is ardently devotional and as obsessive as all the members of her family tend to be. She is keenly spiritual, finds it easy to bestow trust, and is always curious to learn or try new things on her journey. She has a pleasant singing voice and is often involved in chant ceremonies. When she speaks it is the voracity of her belief that makes others listen, and rituals are always completed with such fervour and sanctity it is difficult to look away from. She holds the Brotherhood’s tenets dear; the perfect poster child.

Cali is twenty-years old and has the capacity to channel, but not the natural spark. Her Singer ability is minor, and something she has only become more aware of since devoting herself to the Brotherhood. She believes it is a divine gift, and that it signifies the world will flourish and return to its wilder roots; a utopia ushered in by the Ascendancy.

The journal entry had been enlightening. But Mia wasn't sure what she should look for.  She didn't quite understand what was going on.  The penmanship was not in her hand, but she clearly had written it only moments before she'd swiped the blue ink across the page.  The pen was still in her left hand.  Though she herself was a right hand.  It was all very confusing.

Mia jotted down the date, and her own entry.

Quote:Dear Journal,  I guess.  I don't know what's going on.  Or what I'm watching for or what you mean as strange.  Unless you mean things like I think I saw on the television.  The ascendancy of the CCD doing something, though I don't recall him doing more than giving a speech and then I woke up here.  What the fuck?

~Mia