UnderBough
Raiser of Eyebrows
- One on One
- Group
Casting Out My Net
Hello all! I've been roleplaying since early middle school (so over a decade) and enjoy roleplaying in original fantasy/speculative settings, historical settings, and fandom settings, but I am open to other things. Just ask!
Please PM me if you're interested in roleplaying rather than posting down here in the thread; I'm gonna try and reserve that area for bumps and I like to keep things tidy! It's not a big deal if you forget, and I do actually encourage questions on clarifying language to be put in the thread where others can see. Thanks for reading!
Style
---> I usually write in 3rd person past tense and while I do try to write at least two paragraphs, I may go shorter or longer depending on the day and my energy level. In general, I will try to match my partner's post length, but please no one-liners! Give me something to work with. I love descriptive prose--tell me about what your character notices about the setting, describe their inner thoughts, etc.
--> I'll play canon or oc, depending on my partner's preference and what the story calls for.
I do not roleplay romances between player characters.
Please be queer friendly; I write multiple genders and sexualities from cis to nonbinary and from straight to ace. That said, my characters are not usually defined exclusively by their gender/sexuality and their identity tends to take a backseat in terms of plot relevance (unless their plotline involves explicit exploration of that subject).
Ghosting
I am ghost-friendly within reason. If you can't get to the RP for a week and don't leave me a message, that's perfectly okay! Life happens, and sometimes you just don't feel inspired to write yet. That said, after a week or more without hearing from you I'll probably send out a check-in message to make sure you're still interested.
Regarding Fantasy:
I love in-depth worldbuilding that focuses on politics and culture. I've got a massive world I've been for close to a decade and have been trying to write a novel in it, but I'm continuously bogged down with details. Plenty of ocs in there, though! Hundreds, maybe. More like dozens. My particular interests lie in the fae (the crusty kind like in Brian Froud's art and Scandinavian/Irish mythology), trolls, old gods, witches (also crusty or at the very least cabin-in-the-woods type), and humans.
You can expect me to have a vested interest in language, art, diplomacy, and religion in any original fantasy roleplays we do! This will mostly show up in my setting descriptions but could possibly come into play as plot points depending on what we do.
Fandoms
My fandoms are as follows in order of current interest. Let me know if any of these spark your interest, and ask me if I'm part of any other fandoms because there's no way I could list all of them.
- Maltese Falcon (1941). I can play Joel Cairo, Kasper Gutman, Brigid O'Shaughnessey, Sam Spade, and/or an OC.
- Arsenic and Lace [Kesselring play or 1944 film adaptation]. I'll play anyone except Mortimer or Teddy. Nothing against them at all, but I don't think I'd be able to give them as solid a portrayal as I could the other characters.
- My Favorite Brunette [with a focus on Kismet and/or Willie pre or post canon]
- Star Wars [any era except Old Republic and New Republic/First Order. Galactic Republic and Empire-era roleplays are preferred.]
- The Maltese Falcon (1941)
- Black Angel (1946)
- The Dark Crystal
- Redwall
- You'll Find Out (1940)
- The Man Who Knew Too Much (1934)
- The Boogie Man Will Get You (1942)
- Hammer Frankenstein
- The Venture Bros
Plot Ideas:
This will grow and change as I think of new things and lose interest in others.
1: Arsenic and Old Lace. You don't necessarily have to know the fandom; I can give you a rundown or you can watch the movie for free on the Internet Archive! I'd like someone to play a canon character or an oc opposite my Jonathan Brewster and Einstein. The fellas would be trying to get a plastic surgery business started in the old Brewster House or somewhere nearby. You as a player would have the opportunity to try and find out what's going on, then help or hinder their work as they attempt to entice mafia members to employ their services. That's just the rough idea.
2: Arsenic and Old Lace: An Abby and Martha-centric story detailing their lives prior to the events of the movie, preferably in their youth (teen years to late thirties when they were probably raising the boys). I want to know what they got up to, what their relationship with their parents and their brother was like, whether Officer Brophy had a crush on one of them when they were all kids. Basically I'm looking for a Bildungsroman-type story.
3. A Star Wars roleplay taking place between 19 BBY and 5 ABY with a focus on organized crime, politics, and conflicts between the Outer Rim and Core Worlds. I've got a couple characters the could work, some canon, some original: A few humans [clones included], a Nautolan, a morally neutral Hutt, a Phindian, and an oc from a homebrew race called Morellians.
4. The Maltese Falcon: I'm kinda craving a continuation of the plot that follows the trio after their incarceration and subsequent release/escape. I'd play any of them, and I'd be looking for someone who could play Spade, an OC, or another one of the trio. I can and will double!
5. The Boogie Man Will Get You: One doesn't have to know the plot of this movie at all for this particular roleplay. I'm looking to explore the life of Nathaniel Billings before the events of the film--it's implied that he comes from an affluential family but seems to be something of a black sheep (his housekeeper states that she dropped him on his head as a baby). I want to explore his youth and whether he had siblings, what his relationship to his parents was like, and how he came to own the tavern that's been in the family since 1764. Potential characters for a partner would be a sibling, a parent, a close friend/classmate, or anyone else you want to throw in there! I'm open to suggestions.
6. A roleplay taking place in the 1920s-50s with a focus on crime, private eyes, noir tropes in general. I'd also be interested in a speculative fiction roleplay with similar tropes (so a near-earth setting). I would be open to playing any archetype from that genre; I love it to death as you can probably see from my fandom list. Expect a Peter Lorre oc to make it in there at some point if we do an original plotline.
1: Arsenic and Old Lace. You don't necessarily have to know the fandom; I can give you a rundown or you can watch the movie for free on the Internet Archive! I'd like someone to play a canon character or an oc opposite my Jonathan Brewster and Einstein. The fellas would be trying to get a plastic surgery business started in the old Brewster House or somewhere nearby. You as a player would have the opportunity to try and find out what's going on, then help or hinder their work as they attempt to entice mafia members to employ their services. That's just the rough idea.
2: Arsenic and Old Lace: An Abby and Martha-centric story detailing their lives prior to the events of the movie, preferably in their youth (teen years to late thirties when they were probably raising the boys). I want to know what they got up to, what their relationship with their parents and their brother was like, whether Officer Brophy had a crush on one of them when they were all kids. Basically I'm looking for a Bildungsroman-type story.
3. A Star Wars roleplay taking place between 19 BBY and 5 ABY with a focus on organized crime, politics, and conflicts between the Outer Rim and Core Worlds. I've got a couple characters the could work, some canon, some original: A few humans [clones included], a Nautolan, a morally neutral Hutt, a Phindian, and an oc from a homebrew race called Morellians.
4. The Maltese Falcon: I'm kinda craving a continuation of the plot that follows the trio after their incarceration and subsequent release/escape. I'd play any of them, and I'd be looking for someone who could play Spade, an OC, or another one of the trio. I can and will double!
5. The Boogie Man Will Get You: One doesn't have to know the plot of this movie at all for this particular roleplay. I'm looking to explore the life of Nathaniel Billings before the events of the film--it's implied that he comes from an affluential family but seems to be something of a black sheep (his housekeeper states that she dropped him on his head as a baby). I want to explore his youth and whether he had siblings, what his relationship to his parents was like, and how he came to own the tavern that's been in the family since 1764. Potential characters for a partner would be a sibling, a parent, a close friend/classmate, or anyone else you want to throw in there! I'm open to suggestions.
6. A roleplay taking place in the 1920s-50s with a focus on crime, private eyes, noir tropes in general. I'd also be interested in a speculative fiction roleplay with similar tropes (so a near-earth setting). I would be open to playing any archetype from that genre; I love it to death as you can probably see from my fandom list. Expect a Peter Lorre oc to make it in there at some point if we do an original plotline.
Writing Samples
This is from a Star Wars roleplay off-site; the post picks up from a brief time skip.
The home of Mon Mothma stood out in sharp contrast to the dark and gilded walls of the Tarkin-Motti domain. It was both extravagant and spare, a vast expanse of ivory and brass replete with expansive chandeliers that arched down from reinforced hanging structures and cast fractals of light across the ribbed walls. One was made to feel small the moment one entered, swallowed by the entryway and its nonagonal doorways. Potted trees bloomed in every corner--the genuine article, no less--coiling gracefully from their pebbly soil.
The woman herself seemed a part of the building when she stepped out to greet her guests, wrapped in an off-white ensemble that echoed the shapes of the apartment's vaulted alcoves. Her jewelry was minimal; she sported only a pair of silver earrings and a Chandrilan pendant across her chest. She was not young, nor was she old, and the grace with which she comported herself spoke of experience beyond her years. Her face was angular and kind, her expression carefully polite and her blue eyes deceptively vacant--they landed nowhere for long but gave the illusion of extended eye contact. At first the senator seemed little more than a wisp of a woman compared to broad and sturdy Thalassa draped in heavy gray silk and sapphires, but something in the way she carried herself grounded her on this plane--spoke of something much deeper going on under the vapid smile. It was almost as if she wanted people to look away from her, for their gazes to sweep past and dismiss her as inconsequential.
"Lady Tarkin," the Senator greeted the older woman with a small bob of the knees and then grasped her hand with both of hers. She had a deep voice, regal and ponderous. Thalassa had heard it ring out in the Senate Chambers on more than one occasion, preaching reason and moderation with a gravity that was difficult to ignore. "Welcome to my home. I'm pleased to finally have the opportunity to speak with you one-on-one."
"It does seem we keep missing each other at the galas," Thalassa said with a gracious nod, accepting the handshake.
Senator Mothma smiled at her, but her expression faltered into one of confusion and curiosity for the briefest second as he gaze shifted to Sirejj.
"A precaution." Thalassa seemed to have read her mind. "My husband has attracted unwanted attention of late; I thought it best to have extra security while I'm on Coruscant."
"Of course." The senator's gaze slid away after taking in Sirejj's tattoos and his garb. She seemed wary of him, but had opted to move on to other things for the moment. "If you'll follow me to the dining room, I already have luncheon prepared."
Her mind, if Sirejj cared to look, was a tightly-closed fist. Anxiety bubbled underneath the surface, tamped down and kept at bay by deep-seated determination and righteous anger. Above it all was revulsion--being in the presence of Thalassa Motti was anything but a pleasure to this woman. Needs must, though--Mon Mothma was nothing if not persistent, and she was an inquiring person to boot. Why would the Grand Moff's wife want to meet with her, of all people? Was she under suspicion, or was there something the old woman wanted from her that required discretion?
The home of Mon Mothma stood out in sharp contrast to the dark and gilded walls of the Tarkin-Motti domain. It was both extravagant and spare, a vast expanse of ivory and brass replete with expansive chandeliers that arched down from reinforced hanging structures and cast fractals of light across the ribbed walls. One was made to feel small the moment one entered, swallowed by the entryway and its nonagonal doorways. Potted trees bloomed in every corner--the genuine article, no less--coiling gracefully from their pebbly soil.
The woman herself seemed a part of the building when she stepped out to greet her guests, wrapped in an off-white ensemble that echoed the shapes of the apartment's vaulted alcoves. Her jewelry was minimal; she sported only a pair of silver earrings and a Chandrilan pendant across her chest. She was not young, nor was she old, and the grace with which she comported herself spoke of experience beyond her years. Her face was angular and kind, her expression carefully polite and her blue eyes deceptively vacant--they landed nowhere for long but gave the illusion of extended eye contact. At first the senator seemed little more than a wisp of a woman compared to broad and sturdy Thalassa draped in heavy gray silk and sapphires, but something in the way she carried herself grounded her on this plane--spoke of something much deeper going on under the vapid smile. It was almost as if she wanted people to look away from her, for their gazes to sweep past and dismiss her as inconsequential.
"Lady Tarkin," the Senator greeted the older woman with a small bob of the knees and then grasped her hand with both of hers. She had a deep voice, regal and ponderous. Thalassa had heard it ring out in the Senate Chambers on more than one occasion, preaching reason and moderation with a gravity that was difficult to ignore. "Welcome to my home. I'm pleased to finally have the opportunity to speak with you one-on-one."
"It does seem we keep missing each other at the galas," Thalassa said with a gracious nod, accepting the handshake.
Senator Mothma smiled at her, but her expression faltered into one of confusion and curiosity for the briefest second as he gaze shifted to Sirejj.
"A precaution." Thalassa seemed to have read her mind. "My husband has attracted unwanted attention of late; I thought it best to have extra security while I'm on Coruscant."
"Of course." The senator's gaze slid away after taking in Sirejj's tattoos and his garb. She seemed wary of him, but had opted to move on to other things for the moment. "If you'll follow me to the dining room, I already have luncheon prepared."
Her mind, if Sirejj cared to look, was a tightly-closed fist. Anxiety bubbled underneath the surface, tamped down and kept at bay by deep-seated determination and righteous anger. Above it all was revulsion--being in the presence of Thalassa Motti was anything but a pleasure to this woman. Needs must, though--Mon Mothma was nothing if not persistent, and she was an inquiring person to boot. Why would the Grand Moff's wife want to meet with her, of all people? Was she under suspicion, or was there something the old woman wanted from her that required discretion?
This is from a different roleplay with the same characters and a similar premise:
Thalassa looked over the rim of her cup at him, saying nothing for a moment. She studied his face with a small frown, gaze sweeping over his weathered features.
Careful, Zee thought; saying too much could be dangerous. Neither of them were sure what Toll might do with the information he was given. Then again, he was a Separatist. Why should he want to help the Empire in even the slightest way?
"I think it's unwise to look a gift horse in the mouth, as the saying goes," Thalassa said at length, and took another sip of caff. "You're being offered an astronomical sum of money to do this job. Why question it?" She tilted her head. "Then again, I'd do the same. It's too good to be true, right? There has to be a catch." She caught Zee's eye, and something unspoken passed between them. Zee gave her a shrug; it was her decision. It was both their necks on the line, but this was Thalassa's bridge to burn, not hers. Thalassa dipped her head and turned back to Toll.
"What I am asking you to do, Mister Toll, may eventually lead to treason. You're enabling me to make that call by finding out certain things. Most of that would fall back on me, but I am aware the blame could very well spill over onto you. If you're caught poking around and my suspicions are correct, the Empire may very well apprehend you and try to pull out information. The money you'd be paid for this job encompasses all of that risk and more."
Zee let out a small breath.
Thalassa looked over the rim of her cup at him, saying nothing for a moment. She studied his face with a small frown, gaze sweeping over his weathered features.
Careful, Zee thought; saying too much could be dangerous. Neither of them were sure what Toll might do with the information he was given. Then again, he was a Separatist. Why should he want to help the Empire in even the slightest way?
"I think it's unwise to look a gift horse in the mouth, as the saying goes," Thalassa said at length, and took another sip of caff. "You're being offered an astronomical sum of money to do this job. Why question it?" She tilted her head. "Then again, I'd do the same. It's too good to be true, right? There has to be a catch." She caught Zee's eye, and something unspoken passed between them. Zee gave her a shrug; it was her decision. It was both their necks on the line, but this was Thalassa's bridge to burn, not hers. Thalassa dipped her head and turned back to Toll.
"What I am asking you to do, Mister Toll, may eventually lead to treason. You're enabling me to make that call by finding out certain things. Most of that would fall back on me, but I am aware the blame could very well spill over onto you. If you're caught poking around and my suspicions are correct, the Empire may very well apprehend you and try to pull out information. The money you'd be paid for this job encompasses all of that risk and more."
Zee let out a small breath.
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