I added "The Story So Far" To the menu on thefirstage.org website.

So I created a "Our Game Story" menu item and under it is the story so far, and the character links with their stories.

We are currently getting a lot of spam from the Application form.

*edit removed password*

This is interesting

Ever since she had been found at Kallisti her parents had tethered her to her room.  She was grounded, her wallet gone, her access to the internet vanished. She had nothing but school.  Risha was mad at her for leaving her out of it. Sterling couldn't even apologize in school.  So there it stayed with her best friend.

There was no escaping the chains her parents had placed on her.  Except...

Her parents had gone to work.  They expected her to go to class on her own, and she did.  She walked out the door with every intention of going to school.  But she walked and then missed her turn. It was on accident, at least that's what she told herself.

Sterling had never skipped classes before.  It left a tight knot in her stomach but Sterling kept walking.

Sterling walked until she saw the river.  And then she walked along the river and wondered what else she might do with the power.  Julianna hadn't given her much instruction, and she had left before she could learn more.  She could go to Kallisti again, but maybe she could learn on her own.

Sterling stuck her legs over a pier on the river and swung her legs.  She closed her eyes and let the sunshine upon her -- figuratively and physically.  She felt warmth envelop her and she looked out over the river and saw the world a little crisper.  The air smelled a little fouler and the breeze upon her skin was soft like a feather. It was wonderful...

Summer had been fun after graduating from Julliard.  Really anything was fun after Julliard.  It wasn't that Anna hadn't learned anything or had any fun at all, but everyone there was so uptight and needed to learn how to relax and just have a good time.  Anna had built up a decent amount of money working at the Pink Rose, and with that, she had left the States for Moscow.  Everybody who was anybody seemed to levitate towards the city.  Truth be told, it was now the center of the world. 

Anna had found herself an apartment and mostly had gotten her life in order, but work was still something she needed.  She could probably live for awhile off of her savings, but in order to live her best life, she would need a fresh influx of cash occasionally.  So she began searching for jobs in the city.  With a degree from Julliard as well as recommendation letters from professors, it was likely she would find something, however, a job posting caught her eye.  Kallisti House of Burlesque was hiring dancers.  Anna did her research and Kallisti appeared to be a pretty upscale place.  It wasn't the Pink Rose for sure - burlesque dancing and stripping were two different things although they both intrigued the viewer with forbidden fruit.  

Anna found herself smiling.  It would likely be a fun job and a well paying one.  Anna continued her deep dive on the establishment and there were rumors of the talent using some sort of power to enhance their show.  Anna flinched a little at that.  She was still scared of the power she held inside.  If that was happening, she'd likely have to face it sometime.

Anna made a call to the Pink Rose, asking a request for a letter of recommendation from her former manager.  She did include that in most of the more classical job applications.  Most of them still frowned on exotic dancing, but she felt this would be a good addition to her resume at Kallisti.
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She received a call a few days after applying and scheduled an interview.  Anna spent that time practicing and putting together an outfit should they ask her to dance.  It wouldn't be out of place to do so.  Anna dressed professionally, putting on a white blouse and black skit and black tights. Anna finished a cup of coffee and grabbed a bottle of water to get on the bus to the club.  ON the way there, she mentally prepared herself for the interview.  Anna felt confident, but still the nerves of being judged always came.  It was only natural.  As her nerves rose, she could sense the power hiding - a glowing light that beckoned.  Anna ignored it as much as possible.

She paid the driver and sighed in relief as she arrived at the club.  It was during the day, so the club wasn't really running.  The doors were opened, however.  Staff would be prepping for the shift and the dancer's would be rehearsing.  A woman approached her shortly after entering, a slight look of confusion on her face.  Based on her physique, Anna would have guessed she was also a dancer, but she really didn't know.

"Hello, we're closed right now.  We open in a few hours if you want to see a show,"

The woman was at least polite and offered a smile.  This probably happened occasionally.

"Hi," Anna responded, offering her own smile. "Actually, I'm here because I have an interview with Carmen today."

The woman's eyes brightened in realization. "Ah! I see. Follow me!"

Anna nodded and the woman led her to a room with some chairs and a table. "Please take a seat.  I'll let Carmen know you are here!"

Anna listened and thanked the woman.  She set her bag with some costumes beside her chair and waited for Carmen to arrive.

Anna Rodriguez


Age: 22


Origin: Chicago, IL - Currently Moscow


Psychological Description: Anna is confident in herself and her abilities, with the exception of channeling.  Anna can be impulsive and has issues with authority figures unless they are an employer.  She isn't easily frustrated and is a very hard worker, especially when she sees enjoyment or profit in what she is doing.  Generally she is in a good mood, and she is slow to anger.


Physical Description: Anna has the athletic build of a dancer.  She stands at 5'10" with long black hair and brown eyes.  


Channeler

Current Stength: 10

Potential Strength: 28

Reborn Goddess: Xochiquetzal


Biography:


Anna was born on July 5, 2024 in Chicago, IL.  Early on, her parents noticed an aptitude and love for dance and encouraged this in their daughter.  She started learning gymnastics and ballet at a young age and flourished in these athletic activities.  As she grew, Anna continued to learn and be involved in dance groups both in and outside of school.


Anna attracted the attention of talent scouts as she neared her senior year in high school. Universities offered her an abundance of scholarships to join their dance programs, but Anna decided she wanted and deserved the best.  At eighteen years, she did her formal audition into the program  at the Julliard School.  Despite her talent, she was naturally nervous at the audition.  Her prepared dance had a move in which she would constantly lose her balance.  As she danced she found she moved easily through the steps and completed her audition.  She was accepted with a full scholarship to the Julliard School.


Just as the new school year at University started, Anna fell ill.  She was worried that this would affect her school year, but she recovered in time to go to school.  The same illness came as she continued to go through the year, often after a brutal rehearsal or a performance.  Eventually another dancer and her roommate, Julie Smith, would tell her what she was experiencing.  


Julie, like Anna, could channel.  Julie had recognized the symptoms of the illness and was able to sense Anna’s power.  Julie offered to teach Anna how to use her power, but Anna refused.   She was frightened of the power and what she could do with it.


Anna continued through school despite the fact that she didn’t really feel she fit into the high brow nature at Julliard.  Anna was a student of all types of dance, but they really only focused on the more “high class” dancing.  Anna took a slight to this, so when she began searching for jobs to make money while in school she went the completely opposite direction.  She found a club called the Pink Rose and applied. The Pink Rose was a strip club outside of the city and she found that not only did she enjoy her work there, she was good at it. Having a full ride, all the money she made was pocketed and she left school with a decent amount of wealth.


After graduating, Anna decided to expand her horizons.  Russia seemed the place to be at this point, so she got her personal effects together and moved to Moscow.  The only thing on her mind was to enjoy her life.

[[ continued from This is Me ]]

Raffe still wasn't comfortable talking about his gift.  Nox wanted to help. He felt lost and confused with his feelings about it. He didn't want Raffe to die.  He didn't want Raffe to do anything that he didn't want to either.  And once they were outside Nox took Raffe's hand and gave him a happy smile. Raffe always seemed to bring that smile out. "If you don't feel it then you don't have to come back. I just don't..."  Nox didn't finish the words, Raffe knew what would happen. "Maybe you can figure it out like the rest of us did.  Problem though with that is you end up doing something that makes you have to do that. I knew one guy who had to be afraid to use the power.  My sister and I had to hold hands before we could even touch the power inside."  Nox shrugged. "I'll try to drop it, let you figure out what you want, but I care and it's hard, and I can't fix it. I want to fix it."

Nox hadn't forgotten the actual question he'd asked him,but it was hardly as important.  But he wasn't ignoring Raffe either. Nox hated feeling like he was bad at something.  "The arm is lighter."  Nox shrugged the new limb. "But I think I won't get eaten alive because I can't move with it now. I'll keep practicing though." Nox chuckled. "Though I hate taking this piece of equipment into a fight. I mean, what if I break it." Which was a real fear. Nox hadn't broken the landwarriors Sage had given him, or the ones Aria had either.  He could take care of things, but this was an arm, what if he got bit again or there was no other choice... So many things...