tacitanis

[tacitanis]

“You.”

Kamui’s eyes narrowed into an uncharacteristic glare, pale brows furrowing. What was Iago doing here?! He knew full well what he saw. His own divine blade tore through him, and Leo’s magic pierced his body, for sure killing him. Yet here the foul mage stood once more, the man who had made it his mission to make Kamui and his siblings’ lives a living hell.

“Was piercing your body with my blade once not enough? I won’t hesitate to cut you down a second time, should it come to that.” Kamui was by nature, a pacifist. Yet men like Iago or Hans deserved none of his mercy, not anymore. People who trample over the lives of others, without a shred of compassion or even guilt. They were monsters that did not deserve to live. “Have you come to destroy these people’s joy too?”

This event was supposed to be a night of wonder, Kamui would do what was needed to protect that.

iago has been tapdancing around inquiries regarding his death since he arrived. he has no interest in answering. for better or for worse, he is what he is. of course, at times it is thrilling, the art of remaining one step ahead, but—that is not what this is.

it is merely survival. should he be commended for survival? surely it is a valuable skill in nohr.

still, he does not answer right away, he merely smiles. the expression is somehow sticky, and his lips distend a little, revealing its insincerity ( not that lord kamui would ever mistake anything of iago's for sincerity ).

"i assure you, young lord, it will come to no such thing. i am a changed man, i assure you."

[tacitanis]

he laughs, the sound light and airy and ( if you did not know any better ) completely devoid of ill intent. iago places his hand ( the one not currently holding the champagne flute ) on his heart and dips into a low bow, down on one knee in a gesture of subservience.

he is not surprised that xander refused the drink, but that does not make it less amusing.

"i shall keep it for myself, then," he says, taking a sip from the glass, still on one knee before him, before he finally rises and sets the glass aside.

"tell me, are you at least enjoying the... i hesitate to call these 'festivities,' but you know." a hand waves dismissively, and his lips curl up in another smile. not every land can have the blood-hunger, eager culture of nohr. perhaps this is for the best.

"your family has been very rude to me. i would expect them to have the maturity to keep to themselves, but they have been hovering around me like flies all evening."

gaze of stone

@chevaleri ; cont. from here

[tacitanis]

[ Water ] - The liquid of life, the quencher of thirst. Served in crystalline glasses. And what’s more dramatic than throwing water at someone’s face!

Elise glares slightly behind her mask as she approaches one of her (apparently) professors, feeling slightly more confident in said approaching with her new mask. Sure it doesn’t have the same effect as it does in the zone the masks are actually for, but whatever. It still makes her feel safer.

She rushes forward, glass in hand as she tilts it forward as if to splash him, swiftly picking up her dress to turn and run. “HAH! THATS WHAT YOU GET!”

She sticks her tongue out with a small ‘bleh’ as she scurries away, despite how childish it may be. And despite the fact the glass was actually empty so nothing happened. She was making a STATEMENT, not a safety hazard. She would’ve felt bad if she made a mess.

my, but the nohrian royal family is acting out at this party. can not one of this set of siblings demonstrate appropriate behavior for a social setting? perhaps it has something to do with the subpar parenting they all received...

hm, such a shame.

young elise is the one he finds most amusing, though. in fact, she comes the closest to getting a desired reaction out of him, for when she tilts the glass in his direction, he even flinches, mistaking it for full.

when it becomes clear it is not, he calls after her, "brava, young lady! you almost had me! but be careful, not everyone will take such an outburst as kindly as i."

[tacitanis]

[ Fake Mint Candy ] - For when you’d like for a certain someone’s breath to be less than fresh as newly-fallen snow, but would still like to plead innocent after the damage is done.

"Your breath smells like death." She wrinkles her nose as she passes him a "mint," it's unpleasant being so close to this sniveling worm of a man. But the chance to mess with him? It was petty sure, but she couldn't exactly kill him in the middle of the dance floor, as much as she desperately wanted to. She would just have to settle for the prank mints that would make his breath smell like fish.

The thought that anyone would be getting close enough to him to smell his breath made her want to gag.

iago accepts the mint, feigning the act of popping it into his mouth, even as he tucks it into his jacket pocket. truly, this is one of the oldest tricks in the book, and he does not trust lady camilla to any significant extent. still, he is nothing if not a the very picture of a mockery of politeness.

"why thank you, my lady. it's so good to see that your family still has such excellent manners, even after everything we have all been through."

his grin is sharp, but for once not especially mean.

[tacitanis]

[ Champagne ]

“ You, ” Valter begins, deftly maneuvering himself to this strange person’s side, “ carry the face of one who would, in most instances, generally be disliked. ”

Here, he proffers the other a champagne glass, and one could reasonably assume it not to be poisoned. Similarly, despite the Moonstone’s seemingly harsh words, there’s a distinct lack of dislike as he delivers his little introduction.

“ Of course, I’m not holding you to confirm or deny that little observation, but most people here lack that particular abnormality—it makes them boring, you see. ”

the words would ordinarily be something iago would take as an insult, but no so in this case. no, instead he sees someone who cuts to the heart of matters, so to speak.

one who sees through the world's illusions, perhaps.

he places a hand over his chest and gives the stranger a dramatic, sweeping bow before accepting the offered glass. he gives it a cursory sniff, if only to play at wariness, before taking a sip.

"abnormality? what a trait to have. i'm flattered that you presume to see it in me."

[tacitanis]

iago had been watching the crowd. observing patterns and behavior and who seemed to be allied with whom. the faculty proved the most interesting, and so there is mild surprise as a student approaches him. one of the deer, if he has his information correct. despite teaching for one house, he holds no negative feelings toward the others.

the compliment makes his eyebrows raise a bit. "why, thank you. i was careful in my selection of my outfit. your own is magnificent, though surely you don't need me to tell you that. eliwood of pherae, it's very good to meet you. i am iago, tactical advisor of nohr."

the fashionista of the ball

[ETHEREAL BALL 2024] - Eliwood and Iago

[tacitanis]

he can't help but smile as leo rights himself. as he sorts himself neatly into the image of the prince-in-control, iago watches and lets his smile widen. there's something ever so entertaining about this, but to name it would be to make it less effective. instead, he merely watches.

leo is usually in control, but iago has a unique way of pushing buttons, especially when it comes to people he knows.

"power... is certainly something that compels some people to act in certain ways," he allows. his tone is evasive, distant, oblique even. he has no plans to leave this family be, at least not for as long as he is in this place. there are too many benefits, and they all outweigh the costs.

"you have quite the theory. i wonder if his majesty would enjoy hearing that you think him so feeble-minded as to be manipulated like his late father was. perhaps i am attaching myself to his side due to his strength of will."

he watches leo carefully, never one to take his eyes off a threat. "you doubt that i am a changed man?"

continued from here, @tacitanis

It's the mocking bow that reminds Leo of where there are, the eyes and ears most certainly cataloguing every word and movement. With visible effort, the prince schools his features back to something approaching impassive. Hiding his utter disdain is a feat he can't quite manage.

"Feigning idiocy never suited you well," he sniffs, unable to stop his hands from curling into fists. Whatever theories he says, Iago will dismiss with that irritatingly silver tongue of his. Regardless, Leo can play the game again--he's won once before.

"You want to retain some semblance of power. That much is clear; no sense in denying the obvious. You clearly enjoy riling me and my family." His looks down his nose at fathe--Garon's--former retainer. A ghost now haunting Nohr's royal family.

There's something Leo hasn't considered, a method behind this utter madness. "You seek redemption, perhaps. By showing contrition--and poisoning the new king's mind--you will try to convince the people you're a changed man. Not to mention how gracious the royal family will appear by comparison! Welcoming you back into our halls, allowing you all the privilege of your previous position."

The sneer enters his voice without his consent. "Snakes shed their skin but never change their true color."

[tacitanis]

Leo blinks. Blinks again, as if the horrible image in front of him is merely a nightmare he can shake himself awake from.

He bides his time, waiting until the awful little snake is alone before approaching. "What," Leo seethes from behind clenched teeth, "exactly are you playing at?" Did Iago brainwash Xander? Cast a spell to enthrall him to the dark mage's will?

The other option--that Xander willingly chose to spend any amount of time around the excuse of a man--is too shocking to consider. Cold eyes flash. If Iago thinks he can simper his way back into Nohr's good graces, his sense of self-preservation is worse than Leo originally guessed.

"Whatever your reasons for this charade, trust me, I will discover the truth. You are a leech slowly bleeding my family dry. Your false contrition holds no sway over me, Iago. Or have you already forgotten just how much I learned under your tutelage?"

iago notices leo's reaction ( of course he does, how could he not? ) and allows a smirk to cross his face, sharp and mean. oh, the suspicion is obvious, and he doesn't blame leo one bit. leo is, honestly, too smart for his own good, isn't he?

he takes off his hat and places it across his chest as he bows deeply. "my lord leo, whatever do you mean?"

he knows precisely what leo means, and it is eliciting the reaction he had been hoping for. well, one of the reactions he'd been hoping for. in all honesty, agitating xander's family was only a secondary bonus. tertiary, even. that didn't make it any less satisfying, of course, but he had far grander plans.

"charade...?" iago asks, playing dumb. he stands back upright and clasps his hands behind his back. his smile does not fade, it does not even falter.

"i truly do not know what you mean. but you've always been a smart boy. i'm sure whatever theory you have is very clever. would you care to share it with me?"

[tacitanis]

Ethereal Ball 2024

iago has arrived perhaps a little late, trailing after the nohrian king. the brooch he has is nice enough, but he's been told he needs to collect the others as well.

he plans to enjoy the ball to its fullest. he shall see what mischief he can accomplish, while keeping near enough to his date.

brooch tracker

black feather: - white feather: - string of pearls: - small bell: - teardrop crystal: -

iago is in possession of the small bell brooch.

[tacitanis]

april activity check !

passed: activity point allocated to reason 5 (C) → 6 (C+)

threads i owe (if i owe you something and you don't see it here, please lmk because that means i've lost track of it!):

games in mirrors and illusions (w naesala) one promised starter (in progress)

[tacitanis]

✦ 𝐀𝐋𝐋𝐘 𝐍𝐎𝐓𝐄𝐁𝐎𝐎𝐊 𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐑𝐘: 𝐈𝐀𝐆𝐎.

—𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐩𝐚𝐠𝐞.

Initial Class: Sorcerer Birthday: September 13 Basic Info: Tactician working under King Garon of Nohr and the man considered Garon's shadow. He works tirelessly to stay in the crown's good favor, at any cost.

—𝐂 𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐤.

Likes: long walks, non-combat illusion magic, bourbon-scented cologne, expensive food, manipulations and schemes, high society, games of chance Dislikes: cold weather, the sea, not knowing exactly where he stands

—𝐁 𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐤.

Hobbies: crafting intricate disguises Talents: lying, battle plans Background: Born in the harsh, cold ways of Nohrian society, Iago learned to trick and influence others from an early age in order to survive. Manipulated his way into Garon's good graces and willing to do anything to stay there, no matter the cost.

—𝐀 𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐤.

Height: 178cm Ring Size: 8 | P Personality: Cold and harsh, but loyal as long as there exists a reason to be. Enjoys changing the way he presents himself based on who he's speaking to; treats it like a game. Has the most unconventional poker face out of any ally.

(resources used linked below the cut)

Ally Notebook entries for all playable Engage characters

Ring size chart

Font generator (Math Serif Bold)

Original meme

[tacitanis]

blood carries a weight to it, in nohr. a unique one, that cannot ever be overlooked. blood carried, blood spilt, blood offered, blood taken.

all of these are significant.

"any cruelties you might visit upon me will be deemed deserved by your allies. but i assure you that there is always more value to me alive than dead. your mercy is something i am grateful for, my lord. my king." unspoken: mine, mine, mine, the word echoing like the beat-beating of a traitor's heart. to continue to live is a gift, and he does not forget that. to be in the presence of his king is even more so.

why do men wish for vicious things? these wishes bend the statues of dead kings and gods.

living kings, though... those are not statue.

"if you say that nohr is not participating in war, then i shall honor that. do you think me bloodthirsty, king xander?"

he is.

but also: he is not.

he is a brutal necessity, a thing that thrives in wartime, a thing which had positioned itself up against garon's warmongering out of necessity. because if he is a perpetrator, he cannot become a victim.

is that not a mentality that makes some semblance of sense? nohr is something survived, not served. but he would not beg before a nation that would make him a snake and then hate him so readily for it.

is this what iago fought for?

he meets xander's eyes then. "what was going through my head? my lord, i will pledge to you my loyalty, for loyalty is all i know, but even my king does not have a right to my thoughts."

unblinking. unwavering. his lips curl up in a smile. he is not offended by xander's demands. no, in fact he finds them fascinating.

"my body, though? that is yours. my tactics, my magic. direct me, use me. but what i think of what i did under king garon, what i vow to do under you... that is my own business."

not funny. did NOT laugh. got a little stressed actually........

[tacitanis]

iago can tell that naesala is lying.

he does not enjoy this level of noticing things about others. he prefers when his observations are neutral, a list of things he can poke and prod at.

iago sees in this woman a practiced liar, and that brings his defenses up immediately. still, they are in the thick of things now. too late to back down from the performance they had agreed to do. certainly there’s a lot to poke at there, but…

well, no matter. iago nods like he believes the bird fully.

“of course, of course. how shameful of me to have brought up such an unpleasant topic! it shan’t happen again. in that case, i need you to go stand over there. my magic will do the work.”

𝘨𝘢𝘮𝘦𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘮𝘪𝘳𝘳𝘰𝘳𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘶𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴

[RECOVERY] - Reason +1 :: Iago & Naesala

[tacitanis]

“indeed. let us get started, then.”

there was always something to be said for an opening move. the first card played by an opponent surely determines the shape of an entire game, and this one seems—well the art on it was certainly somewhat intimidating, was it not? 

iago responded by playing a facedown card defensively as well as two traps from his hand. that would at least give the impression of someone who has things under control, but a strong opening move was only the first step. his hand was filled with trap cards. perhaps too many trap cards? could one have too many traps in one’s hand?

it wasn’t as though he was an expert at this game, after all. he’d just spent a lot of time reading the tiny text that covered each card.

"there. now attack at your own peril."

𝙮𝙤𝙪'𝙧𝙚 𝙖 (𝙘𝙝𝙚𝙘𝙠𝙨 𝙣𝙤𝙩𝙚𝙨) 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙧𝙙-𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙚 𝙙𝙪𝙚𝙡𝙞𝙨𝙩 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙖 𝙛𝙤𝙪𝙧𝙩𝙝-𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙚 𝙙𝙚𝙘𝙠

recovery | authority.

[tacitanis]

“AH WHY ARE YOU ALIVE AND ALSO A TEACHER AND ALSO IN MY CLASSROOM AND—“

Wait, is asking that rude? It sounds rude. But she can be rude to him! He’s a big meanie! One of the biggest meanies! He shouldn’t be here!

….Is that unfair, though? Would they have hired him if he was still the worst? Maybe he’s better now?? …She should ask first.

“…Are you here to be all evil and stuff or are you nice now? And don’t lie to me! I’ll know if you do!” She would not know.

oh! the youngest princess is in the class he'd agreed to teach?

well, that was an unexpected surprise. he'd known she was here, of course. he had kept tabs on all of them, after all, and it was not lost on him that all four of the siblings wandered the halls of this place, but...

well, nothing could be done about it. elise was smarter than many gave her credit for, but there was a naiveté that could be exploited.

"i'm here for nothing of the sort, lady elise," he lies, placing a hand over his heart as he sweeps into a low, dramatic bow. "i'll be on my best behavior. so long as you turn in your homework on time."

[tacitanis]

"rehabilitation?" he asks, and his head tilts slightly to the side. "i said i was seeking my liege, not that i sought to redeem myself. the actions i committed were for the good of nohr, and for the previous king. perhaps i seek to offer my services to you."

there is an emphasis he places on that adverb. per-haps, two distinct syllables. he is perhaps physically hungry. iago, who has lived the nine lives of pathological compulsion. he has sworn oaths against everything from the hoshidan army to its calendar, and its derivative timemarkers. his word means less than nothing, surely.

still, xander asks for it.

"don't look so concerned. do you not think me loyal still?"

his question is sarcastic. it is bitter, honestly. a lie can be worse than a murder, can it not? but iago knows that xander knows that iago is safest where he can be seen. it disgusts him, the idea of being visible, but if that is what it takes to gain xander's trust...

a lie can be worse than a murder, but iago has never truly died. to feign death at that pivotal moment, well...

iago has walked twice widdershins toward his new king. bitten his own thumb until it bled. spilled three drops of blood and brought forth his own facsimile of shame. called to his king with longing, dreaded his name.

he looks at him again.

"but still, i swear to you, my king, that i am at your command. if you choose to use that command to guide me to my redemption you are welcome to the attempt."

picture: the way one must slaughter those before them to truly escape them. xander will not do this, iago is certain. still, he feels strung up in a strong light and singled out. the next step is to be picked clean.

in dark places, some creatures create their own light, they must be their own illumination. often they feud, often they fuse, like fungi. blood to blood. desire to desire. nohr is a dark, dark place. still: iago exists. he exists! this is his life! here, nohr, the bottom of the earth. but this is not beneath anything. and it is not nohr.

if xander trusts iago too much, xander is surely doomed. but if he does not trust him enough, there is a doom of its own in that, too.

"i swear that i am ever yours. command me like your father did, if you can manage it."

not funny. did NOT laugh. got a little stressed actually........

[tacitanis]

xander is right, of course. iago does not say it, but xander is right. iago belongs, in whole or in part, to the wearer of nohr's crown. he is, to put it more plainly, xander's responsibility. he shakes his head. "you are correct, my king. i am not a citizen of this land, merely a visitor. and you are still my liege."

still, he will take advantage of what safety being elsewhere provides. in nohr, he could be killed at xander's leisure. here, though? it would be a far more complex task, at least.

he watches as xander sits and approaches him. his motions are slow and languid, and he gets down on one knee, head bowed. like a knight, awaiting a reward. like a knight, swearing fealty. iago is neither, of course, he is mocking the idea, of course. but perhaps, then, he is kneeling with his head bowed like a man awaiting a swing of a headsman's axe.

but as we have established: that is not to come.

"you heard me, my liege. yes, there's no need to repeat yourself, i said mine. you cannot get rid of me with any sort of ease."

this sickly deference is the sort of thing that can only be associated with nohr. with rotting fruit and the pungent-sweet scent of it. his deference has a texture, a weight. the smarmy smile of his weighs heavily on his face like a physical thing as he chances a glance up at xander. to keep his head bowed until ordered otherwise was a gesture he reserved for garon alone. garon's son... is a different matter entirely. a different man, who needs to be handled more carefully.

no, he does not know when the gloves can come off.

so to speak.

iago's eyes meet xander's. snake in the grass. he laughs, low and amused.

"you want me to explain my presence...? and here i was worried i was being too obvious in my intentions. i came here seeking you."

not funny. did NOT laugh. got a little stressed actually........