#featuring: aurora myranda.

[ofherbalisms]

closed starter to @mommabcar location: the greenhouse

   𝑻𝑯𝑬 𝑫𝑨𝒀 𝑰𝑺 𝑬𝑿𝑷𝑰𝑹𝑰𝑵𝑮 and all of the aches and pains that revisit nightly have begun to reign again, slowly leeching their way down into the man's form. It had been a long few weeks since the mission was carried out, and Reuven wasn't sure what else to do but try to return back to business as usual, even if it all held a different tone to it now. Even if he felt like a stranger in this agrestal scene; as if his hands, calloused as his soul felt, had the right to treat a bundle of basil with more respect than another human life. The same fingertips that prodded at a rosemary plant's mound of soil to check its water levels... just a few weeks ago, they had been so drenched in blood it was streaming down—onto his boots, down to his elbow, depending on the movement.

   There was no explaining it—why he could not bring himself to look at Aurora's boy anymore. Some sick, horrid shame had snaked its way down into his heart and was eating him from the inside out. Perhaps it was not the same as when he had been out there, living amongst the dead, but on that day they rescued the scout, he had been an echo of that man he once was. That same man he could not recognize as himself. In some strange way, he felt now like he should shield Hasen from himself. As if he had become the monster in this story. Because he could remember, some decade ago, when his own little girl had looked up at him, terrified and uncomprehending, not recognizing him because he was covered in blood. That moment often came to him in his own nightmares. Since the mission, it had been a reoccurring daytime vision. He would be working on the farm, and then suddenly it would play out before his eyes like some horrible, unwanted clipshow, and when he'd come back to reality he would be lost as to what he was doing.

   The day was expiring and he hadn't managed to do much at all, and yet he couldn't bring himself to move. Hasen had been trying to get his attention all day, and he was trying—by god he was trying, but Reuven couldn't muster any more fatherliness than a smile here and there; a "that's great, buddy" or a "you're getting real good at that, keep it up". He ached down to his bones, and he wished he could disappear into thin air. Gaze had been unfocused and unseeing, staring at the oregano for an uncanny amount of time, when the boy's mother arrived to bring life back into the space—to be something for him to anchor to. As Hasen went running up to her, Reuven looked up, and took a moment, staring and then blinked, and reoriented into the present. "Aurora. Hey," he started, and then drew a deep inhale, one that prompted a coughing fit against a pain he refused to get checked out. A grunt brought him to his full height and he slipped hands into pockets: an unconscious gesture of his bashfulness. "He was great—on his way to becoming a little farmer. How was your day...?" Small talk wasn't exactly his idea of substantial and satiating, but he was starting to grow starved of interaction, with how much time he'd been reclusing. '

[lady-aurora40k]

Rules and Dramatis Persona

Rules:

This is a fairly casual 40k rp blog. I like to keep things informal.

However I do appreciate it when my rp partner puts some love and effort into their posts. You get back what you put in.

Also please bear with me. My response times vary from immediate to a week or two. Feel free to message me to check in, but I'm probably just busy dealing with the far less interesting real world.

Dramatis Persona:

Lady Aurora: Lady Aurora Sabina Katerine Sanguine is the current leader of House Sanguine, a venerable and ancient Rogue Trader dynasty who can trace their lineage back to the explorator fleets of the Great Crusade. Aurora is a dignified, classy woman of wit and wile, who can be a cold and calculating enemy, or a surprisingly altruistic ally. House Sanguine always pays its debts.

Ruxandra: Ruxandra is Aurora's iron fisted Master at Arms, she oversees the training of House Sanguine's voidsmen, and is responsible for all aspects of the House's security. She is a no nonsense woman whose blood is a mix of ice and war, and little else.

Inquisitor Kassandra: Kassandra of the Ordo Xenos has had a long standing relationship with house Sanguine, and has often booked passage upon the Voluptas, and some of their other vessels plying the frontiers of the Imperium. She is a puritan, a pragmatic one at that.

And in recent years has formed an alliance of convenience with another of her kind, an Ordo Malleus Inquisitor who shares her concerns regarding the Frontier.

Lady Myranda 'Fellfair' of Dusk's Teeth: A freeblade pilot sworn to house Sanguine's service. Lady Myranda pilots Dusk's Teeth, a Knight Gallant of notorious fame. Myranda has a larger than life personality, an avid reveler, teller of tales, and lover of drunken brawls. Things are never quiet around her. Until you bring up her past...

Floraine: Floraine is a Wayseer, wanderer and former Corsair turned outcast who originally hailed from Craftworld Iybraesil, who now finds herself tied to Aurora and her vessel by a contract she cannot escape from. However she has grown fond of her 'savage' and 'barbaric' crewmates over time. Floraine is also notably the finest navigator the Voluptas has ever seen.

Enginseeress Selene: The Voluptas resident Enginseer and Tech-Adept. Selene hails from the Forge World of Delphi and amongst her impressive resume, Selene is an Enginseer as well as adept of the Logi temple, as well as a fair hand at chemistry (even to the point of being able to make and administer rejuvenat treatments). Selene is largely unaugumented for a woman of her status. With her outward augmentations largely consisting of subtle bionic eyes, the occasional data port and a series of articulated tendrils sprouting from her back. Although on the inside she has reinforced or replaced her bones with flexible and incredibly strong alloys of metal, making this otherwise fleshy tech priestess remarkably strong and hardy. Selene and the sisterhood of Delphi are also unusual in that they often do not hide their features when outside a workshop, allowing everyone to see her tanned skin and short blonde hair.

[lady-aurora40k]

A large contingent of House Sanguine Voidsmen, in their baroque void armour stood at attention inside the hangar bay to greet the Corvus Blackstar. They were heavily armed, but a keen observer would note that not a single man or woman present had their weapons loaded, a sign of strength and an offering of peace all in one gesture. A senior looking voidsman held the banner of House Sanguine High, an ancient device covered in symbols that dated back to the early years of the great crusade.

And before him stood Aurora and her inner circle. Aurora herself wore her almost a naval uniform outfit, complete with medals and regalia. While beside her stood a tall, broad shouldered woman with dark hair, in a suit of light power armour, and a bastard power sword at her waist. She was very clearly Aurora’s bodyguard. And a formidable one at that.

There was also a woman in fine robes, reminiscent of a Navigators, yet... stranger, with a hood pulled up to conceal all her features save her angular jaw. She had an aura of mystique and beauty about her, despite the unadorned nature of her robes.

Next was a bombastic looking woman who clearly hailed from a Knight World, she too had a sword, and was impatiently marching back and forth across the deck, eagerness written plainly on her face.

Last but not least was Aurora’s Enginseeress Selene, a largely unaugumented woman, at least from what you could see beyond her voluminous robes. Aside from the network of articulated metal tendrils that emerged from beneath her robes, they pooled around her feet, but it was clear they were more than capable of lifting her entire body into the air if need be. Perhaps the most surprising thing about Selene is she left her face visible, and despite having cybernetic implants instead of eyes (which looked just like normal eyes save for the colour at a distance), she looked otherwise unchanged. She was unusually beautiful for an adept of the mechanicus to boot. Aurora clearly liked to surround herself with beautiful people, as well as beautiful things.

There were also two servants standing just behind them, one a somewhat portly woman with short black hair and green eyes, who seemed quite awkward in her ill fitting garb. And another tall woman, who if not clad in servants robes would have looked like Aurora’s bodyguards favourite sparring partner.

As Taliya and her retinue descended from the Corvus Blackstar, Aurora made a grand flourish and grinned eagerly at her guests.

‘Welcome honoured guests! To the Voluptas. The pride and joy of the Sanguine Fleet! Come aboard! Come aboard! I’m sure we have much to discuss over dinner! It... is dinner according to your clocks yes? Warp travel can be funny, but according to my crono, you’re right in time for dinner.’ She laughed happily as she strode forward confidently to greet them, flanked by her bodyguard.

‘This is my Lifeward Ruxandra,’ She said, offhandedly introducing her bodyguard, ‘And behind me is my inner circle, my navigator Floraine, Lady Myranda, pilot of the Knight Gallant Dusk’s Teeth and my Enginseeress Selene, of Forge World Delphi.’ She said proudly.

@inquisitor-maelorn

'My lady, Floraine reports we are nearing Proculus. She found a path through the warp storms after all!' A bridge officer called from the communications station.

Lady Aurora Sabina Katerine Sanguine, Rogue Trader reclined in her command throne and gestured for her personal servant to crack open a bottle of bubbly Amasec. 'Best investment I ever made.' She commented wryly. 'Take us in. Proculus has been all but impossible to reach. If there are still Imperial Forces there we'll make a killing trading them goods.' Aurora smiled to herself as she ran her fingers through her long red hair.

'And if there isn't?' Ruxandra, her Master at arms, a tall and imposing woman clad in light power armour asked jadedly.

'Then...' Aurora idly played with an ancient talisman she wore around her neck. 'We have salvage rights! And artefacts to find.' She mused.

'And if an enemy army lays claim to the worlds?'

'We have an army of our own do we not? Did you not train our Void Hoplites yourself Ruxandra?'

Ruxandra did not rise to the bait. 'My lady, an enemy army will likely outmatch us in armoured vehicles.'

'Which is why we have Myranda aboard.' Aurora replied jovially as the Voluptas dropped out of the warp. 'Ah! Start and Auspex scan! And if there is anyone friendly about call out to them. We don't want any friendly fire incidents here like in Tycho Secundus.'