((Continued from here))

Cadence was covered as much as she could be. That was the nice thing about winter was that it was easy to hide your appearance.  It wasn't that Cadence didn't like her fans seeing her.  The issue was she was close to having anxiety and panic attacks that the attention might trigger it.  It was a miracle she had left the house in general.  She wore a thick coat and a scarf covered the lower part of her face and nose.  She wore a hat as well.  She found herself at the GUM, and was going to spend the day looking at stores, not really planning to buy anything at all.

She found herself in a bookstore and began to peruse the stacks.  Perhaps she would buy a book after all.  She was in the sci/fi-fantasy section, and saw lots of familiar titles.  Tolkien had never lost it's luster - even after nearly a century.  She saw the Ender books by Orson Scott Card as well.  Star Wars books were still a thing.  Cadence smiled beneath her scarf, feeling better as she thought of how these books told of a magic and wonders.  She knew that magic existed.  Some of the technology in the sci-fi stuff existed, but still - not as much as they thought. 

It was strange what brought people out of their funks.  For Cadence, merely looking at books had made her feel good.  She took her scarf down, feeling hot, and willing to engage with fans if she saw them, but she continued to look through the books, wondering what book she could start.

Hey all! Work is entering peak season and we don’t have enough carriers to fill all the routes. Basically I’ll be busy busy busy. I’ll be around, but might be slow to reply to threads, and if I’m short or anything in PMs or chat - in just super tired and I apologize in advance. I love you all!

Theron Finnegan was born in 2015 in Belfast, Northern Ireland, into an influential Irish Catholic family. The Finnegan family was also deeply embedded within the ancient network of the Di Inferi that traced its origins to the Age of Enlightenment. For centuries, the Di Inferi had pursued knowledge not just to preserve life, but to transcend it. They believed death could be overcome, and they would use any means necessary—whether scientific, magical, or mystical—to achieve that goal. For centuries, the Finnegans were outwardly loyal to the Catholic Church, with various sons joining the clergy over the years, and one elder member of the family is a current Archbishop. 

Theron was born an identical twin, alongside his brother, Leon, both of whom exhibited the rare ability to channel in their early 20s, a gift that allowed them to tap into the mysterious aether that the Di Inferi coveted so strongly. Their family considered this a sign that the twins were destined for greatness in the Di Inferi’s ultimate quest. From a young age, Theron and Leon were educated in both the traditions of the Di Inferi and the more public life of aristocratic privilege, mastering the secrets of the organization while keeping up appearances in polite society.

Despite their privileged upbringing, there was always a tension underlying their relationship. Leon, more introspective and gentle by nature, became increasingly withdrawn after being diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) at the age of 15, and his body slowly weakened over the following years.

The family arranged for the oldest brother, Cillian to marry Helena Asquith, in tradition of Di Inferi families carefully interbreeding in hopes of producing the immortality they believed was locked in humanity’s genetic code. When Cillian died under mysterious and sudden causes, Helena was already with child, one that she intentionally lost, and with it, the promise of a potential immortal. Furious, the Finnegans and Asquiths disowned Helena, and the Finnegans turned to the next in line.

The Finnegans, now not only desperate to preserve Leon’s life, discovered a latent channeling ability of his own, arranged for Leon to be sent to the Von Metternich family, another Di Inferi bloodline known for their radical experiments in Austria, and accomplish what the oldest brother could not through union with a Von Metternich child. The Von Metternichs specialized in the study of prolonging life, and conducted numerous experiments to find the secret of immortality within the guise of a Sanatorium for the old and infirm. To the Finnegans, this was a last hope for a cure for their son and an offspring, but to Leon, it became a nightmare.

Leon’s condition worsened dramatically during his time with the Von Metternichs, though the full extent of what was done to him remains shrouded in mystery. When Leon died, the exact cause was unclear. The official explanation was that his body had been consumed by the strain of both the ALS and the inherent dangers of channeling. The Finnegan family accepted this version of events, believing Leon’s death was the result of natural causes compounded by his overuse of the aether.

For Theron, however, this explanation never sat well. Leon’s death left a void in his life and raised questions that no one in the family seemed willing to ask. In the months after Leon’s passing, Theron visited the Von Metternich’s sanatorium in the Alps, hoping to learn more about what had really happened. However, he found the once-grand Von Metternich Sanatorium shuttered and abandoned. The Von Metternichs had disappeared without a trace, leaving behind only rumors in the nearby village—whispers that the Von Metternich daughters had vanished, and that something had gone terribly wrong. There were no answers, only more mysteries.

Leon’s death became a defining moment in Theron’s life. Directed by his family, who still believed in the Di Inferi’s grand quest for the source of immortality, Theron was pushed toward a new path; he was the last son remaining.

They saw another opportunity in Moscow itself, following the footsteps of a collaborator and fellow Di Inferi conspirator, Ephraim Haart, and the budding religion growing in the city’s center.

Under the directive of his family, Theron was dispatched to Moscow to infiltrate the growing religious movement known as the Brotherhood of Ascension, which worshipped the Ascendancy as a divine figure.

Theron quickly integrated himself into the Brotherhood, his calm demeanor, sharp intellect, and profound knowledge of both esoteric practices and spiritual doctrine allowing him to rise to prominence. It was under his leadership that the Brotherhood transformed from a loose grassroots movement into a full organized religion. By the time a leaked video revealed the Ascendancy’s miraculous recovery from near-death and saving the city from nuclear warfare, the Brotherhood had grown in stature and power.

As the Brotherhood’s first Luminar, Theron was invited to the Kremlin, where he met the Ascendancy and his closest advisors. He demonstrated his ability to channel, and earned the Ascendancy’s blessing to lead the Brotherhood. From this position, he would now have direct access to the Ascendancy and control over the spiritual direction of the entire movement. It is unclear how often these meetings actually occur.

Despite his public devotion to the Ascendancy, Theron remains loyal to the Di Inferi and their mission. His true purpose within the Brotherhood is to uncover the secret behind the Ascendancy’s powers—particularly his immortality—and report back to the Di Inferi so they may be tapped by anyone. He is a man driven by both personal and familial ambition: the desire to avenge the reasons for his brother’s death, and the larger goal of achieving immortality for himself and the Di Inferi. Only time will reveal what he uncovers.

Theron views the Brotherhood as a means to an end. While he publicly preaches sacrifice, devotion, and ascension to the masses with all the fervor of his Catholic upbringing, he privately sees the organization as a tool to further his own quest for power and knowledge. He plays the role of the devoted spiritual leader flawlessly, never allowing any hint of his true intentions to slip. To the Brotherhood’s followers, he is the embodiment wisdom, the one who interprets the divine will of the Ascendancy. But in his heart, Theron remains a calculating and patient figure, waiting for the right moment to claim what he believes is his birthright.

Past lives:

Born in the late 4th Age and lived into the 5th Age as the emperor-god known in the middle world as El, Anu, Ra, and Ahura Mazda. His story is the inspiration for the warning imparted by the fairy tale of Rumplestiltskin.

Cadence’s house was nice. It wasn’t nearly as big as the other’s in the area. Likely it had belonged to a head waiter or house steward for one of the mansion owners nearby. It was only a two bedroom, which gave Cadence plenty of room for herself. Still it was a nice area of the city. She was pretty sure that one of the mansions nearby was the Shale Estate, but she didn’t know for sure. 

Today wasn’t a good day, however. Cadence had bad days still - days where she felt the weight of the world deeply. Nothing in particular seemed to trigger it, it just happened. Logically she knew this was because of her trauma experiences, but at times like these, logic never worked. 

Of course, Marlise had insisted she needed today off - as did the others working on her “Embrace You” album. Days off were hard for her. She knew she needed the rest, but the work kept her distracted. On top of all of this was guilt. Guilt that she had things better than so many people. There was no reason for her to be upset. 

Cadence’s wallet buzzed and it brought a brief smile to her face. It was Stephanie. Cadence was going to call her later, but hadn’t gotten to the point where she could yet. 

”Hi, mom,” she said, sounding tired. 

”Hey Cade - how are you doing?” Stephanie’s voice seemed as chipper as always. 

”Not so good,” Cadence might pretend things were okay with other people, but she never lied to her moms. 

”What’s wrong, honey?”

A sniffle. ”I don’t know.”

”Deep breath - what do you need - you want to talk or do you need space.” the dance was familiar and Stephanie was good at it. They had worked on this with her therapist in high school to help Cadence recognize what she needed in these moments. 

”Talk,” Cadence said, keeping the tears in for now. 

”Do you have something you want to talk about, or do you want me to lead?” when Cadence asked her to lead, Stephanie continued. ”Okay, you’re not recording today?”

Cadence shook her head. ”Not today or tomorrow. Mars says I need to rest. I’m burning the candle at both ends.”

”Is she right?”

There was a moment of silence before Cadence answered. ”Yes, probably why I’m down today.”

”You always struggled on your days off - especially the first one after a busy week. Have you left the house today?”

”No,” she said, sounded dejected. ”Not sure I can today.”

”Maybe you should try - but if you can’t do that today - you know that’s okay too right?” Stephanie waited for the acknowledgement. ”is there anything else bothering you.”

Cadence waited a moment. ”Feeling a little alone today. It’s so hard I hate that I’m like this… she felt the panic building up. 

”Cadence Marie…” her mother said, tone filled with compassion. It was another tool for her. For most, the use of a middle name meant someone was in trouble. In Cadence’s case, it was used as a focus. It brought her focus back to her mother. ”Deep breath. In and out. she allowed her daughter to follow her instructions and calm down. ”I know you struggle with finding friends. Remember your feelings are valid. You’ve made a lot of progress. I know they’re your coworkers - but how about you band members. Would they spend some time with you outside of recording. They know about your anxiety right?”

”Yeah and they’re really nice about it.  Maybe I’ll try. I don’t know…”

”it’s up to you honey - whatever you feel comfortable with. Anything else going on?”

It was a gift. And it made the older woman a fantastic mother. Cadence was feeling better, maybe even better enough to leave. Stephanie had a way of getting through to cadenc. So did Renae, but Stephanie was better at it. Cadence smiled. ”Working on a new tour, and it’s going to be spectacular. I’m really excited about it.”

”I saw! ‘Embrace You’ - the title even makes me happy. Make sure to tell us when tickets go on sale.”

”I will! But you don’t need to buy tickets you know.”

”I know - but we can afford them. Give the freebies to someone who can’t.”

Cadence smiled. Her moms were good people. ”Okay. I’m gonna try to go somewhere today. See what i can handle. Tell mom I love her from me?”

”Of course. We’re both very proud of you and love you so much!”


”Love you both too! Bye mom!”

They hung up and Cadence sighed, moving to get her cold weather gear on. If she was going to try going out she needed to do it sooner rather than later. Otherwise she would lose the motivation. She was trying so hard to overcome her struggles and had no idea if it would happen or not.

By the time they landed Nox had one too many drinks which was just the singular tiny bottle of vodka. Not so much that he couldn't walk, but enough he sat in the terminal for thirty minutes while Sage dealt with the car and the luggage. He was spent. Totally and truly spent. He needed a moment. The anxiety was just too much. 

Sage drove them to a nice hotel. They had a suite though it only had two rooms. Nox pointed at one. "Sage and I'll take this one, the other is yours. We can talk plans after a nap, dinner and a shower, but probably not in that order."

Though Nox probably had a run and some yoga in that mix specially since there wouldn't be any trolling for sex for a bit. And he wasn't about to ask the two he was with to help with that.  Specially not Sage, Sage would agree, but Nox wouldn't do that to Aiden.  They already pushed the boundaries of friends sometimes, that was one line Nox wasn't going to cross.

But right now. He needed food.  "I'm ordering anyone else want anything?"

After he ordered his phone rang. A strange call to get but he went into the other room to take it. Not that he cared if Ryder listened, but he wasn't sure if Connor wanted anyone else to know -- though sage had already been on it.

When he was done the food had arrived and he was starving.

Pop Singer Cadence has announced that she will be embarking on her Third Tour, with the first concert premiering in Moscow in March/April of 2047.   Official dates will be decided at a later time.

"Cadence is currently recording her fourth studio album, also entitled "Embrace You," we will have a better idea of the time line after we finish recording the album," Marlise Taylor, Cadence's agent informed us. 

Cadence, who got her start as a YouTube sensation in her college years, has recorded three studio albums and has gone on two tours.

Age: 24

Origin: Illinois, Currently: Moscow

Occupation: Pop Star

Psychological Description: Most people who have met Cadence in person have commented that she seems unusually shy based on her performance persona which is very outgoing and robust. In reality, Cadence experiences a significant amount of social anxiety that she tempers through fidgeting with the rings on her fingers and sometimes just through will.  She has experienced trauma that sometimes impacts her relationships with others and has made it difficult for her to make friends.

Physical Description: Cadence stands at 5’10” tall.  She has brown hair that extends just past her shoulders and hazel eyes.  She has a dancers build.

Supernatural Abilities: Channeler

Current strength: 15
Potential strength: 25

Experience Level: Adept

Reborn God: Euterpe (Muse)

Biography:

*Trigger Warning: Cadence’s life story includes references to child abuse, neglect, abandonment, and mental health disorders*

Early Life:

Cadence was born in 2022.  Her mother died in childbirth.  Her father, Desmond, blamed the child for her mother’s death.  As a result, she was often not taken care of and later in life was physically abused. Cadence spent much of her life in fear, keeping hidden in her room and not speaking much, scared that saying the wrong thing would anger her father.

As she reached school age, Cadence was sent to school. Desmond, seeing this as a way to at least get rid of his child for a while, sent her with gladness.  It wasn’t long before her teacher was reporting abuse and neglect to Child Protective Services. An investigation was eventually conducted, but the system, still needing to be fixed, didn’t work in Cadence’s favor.  Her father had talked his way out of it, mostly to avoid charges for himself.

That night, her father decided drunkenly that it wasn’t worth the effort to keep his daughter, picked her up as she slept, drove her to the nearby city of Naperville, dropped her off at a fire department, and left.  He would later die of a drug overdose.

The fire fighters took her in reporting the abandoned child to the police. A female EMT named Ally, stayed with the young girl in case she awoke.  When she did that morning, it was a struggle.  The girl, confused, screamed, prompting the fire fighters to come.  Ally shooed them out, realizing that they were scaring the girl more.  A social worker was called, but Ally was eventually able to calm the girl down. Ally was able to figure out the girl's name - Cadence - and got her some food.  She also found out the girl was six years old.

Foster Care and School

Cadence would eventually be put into the foster care system.  It was yet another system that failed her.  Throughout the next seven years, she would cycle through nine homes, and it wasn’t that the parents weren’t qualified.  Cadence was a girl with such severe trauma, that they found themselves ill-equipped to take care of her drastic needs.  Cadence was verbal, but had no trust for anyone.  She was scared of most adults, especially men.

Despite these struggles, she excelled in school.  She didn’t speak much and had a general mistrust of people.  Because of this, she focused a lot on her studies, making good grades.  The only negatives her fosters ever received was her social interaction, which was very little.  She never did group work, choosing to work by herself, and being forced into it caused her anxiety and panic attacks.

The only teachers who never reported these things were her music teachers.  One of them even commented that “if she didn’t have an IEP, I wouldn’t have realized she was anything but a normal, healthy girl.” Music teachers were the only ones blessed enough to see Cadence smile and participate fully in class, and she had a natural gift for it.  She could hear a melody or rhythm once and repeat it back perfectly.

In the background, Cadence’s case worker, Erin,  was fighting for her.  Her bosses were continually telling her to get placed as quickly as possible, and she was constantly screaming back that she didn’t need a placement, she needed the right home and the right foster parents.  Erin had trouble sleeping and prayed daily for Cadence to find the right place.  Finally, when Cadence was thirteen, the perfect file came to her desk.

The Mathis Family, Channeling and Breakthrough

Erin opened the file, seeing the names Stephanie and Renae Mathis, a lesbian couple with experience with special needs fosters. Erin called them in for an interview.  She spared no details, telling the two women everything.  At the end, Erin begged the two to not take her if they didn’t think they could handle this.  She wasn’t sure how long Cadence would survive the system if she kept getting sent back.  They agreed and at thirteen, Cadence was taken in by the Mathis couple.

As Erin had told them, Cadence was not an easy child to raise.  It was not because of behavior.  In fact she was extremely well behaved, she just kept to herself, spending most of her time in her room, leaving only to go to school. There was always a deep sadness and fear around the child.  Stephanie and Renae had decided to meet her where she was.  They brought her food to her room, asked her if she needed anything, and always made sure to speak with her in a positive manner at all times.  Every day, Cadence was greeted, wished good morning and good night, and most importantly was told she was loved.

Shortly after taking Cadence in, she turned 14, and the couple saw little progress.  Months went by with no visible change. Discouraged and stressed, Stephanie eventually got sick.  It wasn’t anything serious, but it was noticeable.  The couple didn’t realize, however, that they were getting through to Cadence.  Their constant positive affirmations had broken through some of her defenses, and Cadence was beginning to feel safe.  Cadence had seen Stepanie and thought she looked sick and had also heard her throwing up.  Cadence left her room to go to her parents and check on Stephanie, as she got closer, she heard their voices.

“I know it’s hard, but we can’t give up on her,” Stephanie said, sounding weak. “She’s had such a hard life for one so young, she just needs to know we love her so much.”

Renae sighed, “I know, and we won’t give up on her. It’s just discouraging and stressful sometimes.”

Cadence began to breathe heavier, trying to keep herself quiet.  One time her father had caught her eavesdropping and had beat her, and she didn’t think she could handle Stephanie or Renae doing that.  They were so nice to her.  But as her thoughts continued, Cadence put it together.  Stephanie was sick because she was stressed, and she was stressed because of Cadence. The tears began to fall down her face as guilt rushed up within her.  The door opened and Renae stood there, Stephanie looking sick behind her.

“What’s wrong, Cadence?” Stephanie asked, looking concerned. “Do you need something?”

Cadence felt a light within her.  She didn’t know what else to call it, but somehow she knew it was good.  She reached for it, and it made her feel warm inside.  She thought of Stephanie, how she didn’t want her to be sick anymore.  Stephanie shouldn’t be sick because of her.  Before they could hurt her, Cadence ran back to her room.

A few moments later, the door opened. “Is everything okay, Cadence?” It was Stephanie’s voice.  Cadence was in her bed and covered herself with the blanket to hide. “If you need to talk, I’ll be right over here.”

That night, Stephanie slept in Cadence’s room, and never touched her.  The next morning Stephanie was fine, but Cadence was very ill.  Concerned they took her to the hospital. It was the sickness that had been mysteriously showing up.  There wasn’t a cure and the women were afraid their foster wouldn’t make it.  Luckily she pulled through.

After going back to school, Renae and Stephanie became worried when she didn’t come home after school.  They went to call the school and received a phone call from her choir teacher, saying Cadence had come into a practice room and lost track of time.  Relieved, the teacher continued to tell them how excellent Cadence was as a student, that in the practice room, she had begun playing through a piano book and had no training.  She was a prodigy.  Along with that - she always sang in class and would often volunteer to solo.  She had a beautiful voice and she thought music might be good therapy for Cadence.

Stephanie and Renae found a piano and bought it, thinking to encourage her musical ability.  Upon showing her the piano, Cadence’s eyes widened, and she began to play.  After a few minutes, Cadence spoke her first words to her foster parents. “Thank you.”  That night, Cadence ate dinner with them in the dining room for the first time as well.

Continued Growth

As time went on, Cadence realized anytime she felt guilty, she could find that light inside of her, and she took every chance to grab it.  She began to learn that she could do amazing things when she was enveloped by the light.  She could make things come to her from across the room.  She could put water in a glass and make it cold.  She smiled, having discovered she  was some sort of wizard or something.  It was further cause for frustration that she couldn’t use magic when she didn’t feel guilty.

Cadence made a lot of growth in that she was more often outside of her room, mostly playing the piano.  Her skills improved greatly, and she began to sing as well.  Hearing her voice was a common occurrence in the house and her foster parents would often listen as she played or sang.  Cadence began to trust them more.

On her fifteenth birthday, her foster parents offered her a gift.  They offered to officially adopt her. This was too much for Cadence. They had been so nice, and she had been nothing more than a problem for them.  Cadence broke down in tears saying she didn’t deserve this.  Guilt arose and as always, her light was there and she grabbed it.  Fifteen years of pain began to pour out of her and she told her foster parents everything; her earliest memories of a father who told her she was why her mother had died, his abuse, and abandonment of her. She described to them the feeling of abandonment everytime a family decided they couldn’t take care of her, and she told them how guilty she felt anytime they treated her nicely and all she did was take and ignore them.

Immediately the women hugged her, assuring her that she wasn’t at fault for anything.  She had done nothing wrong and had nothing to be ashamed of.  The warmth of their love mixed with the warmth from her light, and as the guilt washed away, her light remained.  From that moment on, she could find her light anytime and had begun to access her magic frequently when she was by herself.

After that, she was adopted officially and began to take therapy and counseling seriously.  Recognizing she needed help, she made large strides.  She even began to feel less scared around people, and even went on a few dates, although entering into actual relationships was hard. At eighteen she accepted an offer at Millikin University in Decatur for their vocal performance program, earning scholarships on piano and voice.

College Years and Rise to Stardom

As a music student she excelled, continuing to go to therapy for her emotional trauma.  Her biggest concern was to learn how to cope with her limited social skills.  Telling her therapist that the only time she didn’t feel social anxiety was when she performed, her therapist encouraged her to maybe do some open mic nights or other public performances.  That weekend she went to a bar with an open mic night and sang accompanying herself on the keyboard.

The bar was silent for a moment before breaking into applause.  They immediately demanded an encore.  She wanted to leave the stage saying it was someone else’s turn, but the next person told her to go, giving her his slot.  She decided to stay. She had only prepared one song, so quickly she took the first song that came into her mind and thanked god for her perfect pitch.

She played an acoustic version of the song “Bad Romance” by Lady Gaga.  Someone in the audience decided to record a video and later that night a video appeared on YouTube entitled “Amazing Singer Slays at Jazzy Version of Bad Romance.” The video went viral, gaining close to 20,000 views within 24 hours. 

Cadence continued going to open mic nights.  More people recorded videos and she was becoming a face that people began to recognize.  The first one reached over a million views quickly enough, that Lady Gaga even watched it and responded that this girl was going to make it.

Eventually, Marlise Taylor, an agent, went to one of these impromptu performances, and offered her representation, and the potential for a tour.  Nervous not only about the social situation, but about possibly being hoodwinked, Cadence told her she was going to finish her degree.  Understanding, Marlise gave Cadence her card, encouraged her to keep performing, and said when she was ready to call.

Cadence looked her up later, and saw that Marlise was the real deal, and upon graduating college with a BM in Vocal Performance, she called and began her career as a pop star in 2044. She was an immediate hit with three main factors attributing to her instant success.  Her delay at becoming a professional musician while people continued to post videos of her increased anticipation of her musical career.  Secondly her live performances were just that - live. Lastly, no one could watch her perform and say she wasn’t having fun.  Joy radiated from her at every performance.

As of 2046, Cadence has now gone on two tours.  The first “Bad Romance,” capitalized on the fame of her Bad Romance performance - although she performed it more like the original instead of the one in the viral video.  She has released three studio albums and is currently working on the fourth as well as planning her third tour.  She would move to Moscow after her first tour as it gave her access to more performance venues globally.

Past Lives
3rd Age: Kira Valyrios, Aes Sedai of the Yellow Ajah
5th Age:  Euterpe, Muse of Music and Lyric Poetry

It looks like the chat network we are using is slowly becoming defunct.

I can no longer log in, the website for the network no longer exists. (Meaning I no longer have control of ops or ownership of our channel)

So before we completely lose access I'd like to move. We can go to another irc network or we can move to discord which we already have set up.