Post originally by Character_Brier Briallen

Fascinating. It was the only word that came close to describing how she felt about the new world she now lived in. It had been a terrifying prospect; being jettisoned from the world she knew to a world that was completely removed from her own in every way. Terrifying yes but the alternative was to die in the same manner as her father so considering the circumstances; she felt she’d made the right choice.

She missed her mother though, as well as the man who had adopted her and claimed her as his own, the Lady who’d acted as sort of an adopted Aunt. They’d all looked after her and made sure she knew she was loved. It was strange not having them nearby but it was what had to be done to save her life and she would not diminish all they had done to protect her by whining about things.

Though not as technologically advanced as some of the worlds the denizens of Aleris hailed from it was far more advanced than her own, the idea of running water and steam engines so foreign to her that it had seemed like some kind of sorcery when she first encountered it and, of course, nothing would do but that she find out how all of it worked. Everything was different here, though, including the social classes and the stations one was born too. If one did not like their circumstances, they changed it! No one to tell them they couldn’t or hold them down because of the incorrect parentage; if they wanted it they worked for it and got it.

There was much freedom in this world that her native land was many several centuries away from but it wasn’t just freedom from class designation but she was also free to be who she was. There were so many different races here, demons, angels, faeries, shape shifters of all kinds; it was overwhelming at times just to consider all that was out there. There were even other dragons, from what she’d heard. She was still shy, though, and meeting new people was slow going as she was far more used to spending her time amongst books as opposed to in the company of other people let alone other people who were as mystical and strange as herself.

Residing in a rented townhouse in Grand City she quickly developed the habit of sitting on the balcony that overlooked one of the bustling squares and just watching the people who passed by and interacted below. She learned far more than she expected and probably quite a bit more than those passing by below had wished her to learn. Juicy tidbits and scandalous secrets were exchanged and easily disclosed far beneath her balcony, those beneath her completely unaware that they were being listened in on. It was how she came to learn of the local newspaper called the Chronicle. Once she’d researched what a newspaper was and the purpose it served and just what they needed she quickly decided it was the perfect job for her.

She had no concerns about funds for now, her mother and guardians had ensured she would be well cared for for quite some time, but she would be in this land for the foreseeable future and would need to become self sufficient. The prospect of writing for the newspaper seemed perfect! It combined her two greatest loves; the written word and people watching!

The very next day she dressed carefully and embarked on a journey to the Palace that sat in the center of Grand City where King Alerion resided. In the absence of an Editor in Chief it was he who appointed all positions within the Chronicle and so it was that she requested, and was eventually granted, an audience with the King. She’d intended only to apply to be a reporter but after speaking with the eloquent woman he offered her the position of Editor in Chief. Shocked but flattered she accepted without hesitation and shortly thereafter she was departing the palace with the Chronicle office keys in hand.

Nearing the building it had the air of desertion but only recently so. Letting herself inside she wandered through the empty hallways and inspected the vacated offices and was struck with the sense that the previous occupants had left in quite the hurry. She’d been told very little about the previous Editor and host of reporters, only that they had needed to leave Aleris post haste and that was reflected in the haphazard way the building had been left. It wasn’t a disaster by any means, but half closed drawers, the occasional stray paper, the dust outlines on the walls, desks, and shelves making the absence of personal effects obvious.

What had happened, she wondered, to make them leave so hastily and abandon all they’d worked for? It was an answer she would not be getting any time soon and resigning herself to that she set about righting the offices, straightening furniture, picking up papers, and overall cleaning and returning the offices to their former refined state. Help Wanted ads for the still existing positions had already been posted, she’d been informed, and soon the word would spread that another Editor in Chief had been chosen. The newspaper had had a rocky path, losing Editors and staff as quickly as they were hired, but Galiene was determined to change all that. She had the chance to carve out her own existence, to be recognized for her skills and talents, things that had nothing to do with her social class or race and she was determined not to fail.

It took several days to finish all of the upkeep within the building and the printing press crew had been notified that they would be recalled to work soon and were on standby. Choosing the largest office in the building on the third floor as her own (the first floor housed the reception area and waiting room as well as the printing presses in the back, the second floor offices and meeting rooms, the third her office and two other, slightly smaller, offices) she began settling in as the new Editor.

As the Editor she would be responsible for the editorial, naturally, and had decided she would also write the Rumor Has It article. It wasn’t her usual type of thing but that was what appealed to her so. It was so different from the years of studying, research, and learning that she’d done this would afford her a chance to really look at the social interactions between people and, in a totally uncharacteristic manner for her, she would have the chance to gossip about all she heard and saw. In short; it sounded like Fun.

That still left her with a few positions to fill, though, and the hunt was on for a Reporter to write The Spotlight Column and an office assistant to man the reception desk and act as clerical assistance to the Reporters. Perhaps in time she would have the need for an additional staff member, she had the budget for it, but for now this would do. She still had to find them before she could think about anyone else but whether it was a full crew, or just her, the Chronicle was back in business.

Post originally by Character_Gideon Blackmoore

An oak in a flower pot, that's what it felt like. To know you could expand and to have the drive to do so, but the world around you limited your growth. His mind was in a constant state of activity, ideas flowing like a flash flood that never relented. Often he felt as though he'd been born in the wrong era. Technological limitations, closed minded buffoons, there were barriers everywhere and that just wasn't something he was willing to endure -- not anymore. What was the point of having wealth and a home if you lacked the identity to have earned it. His father was a well known and respected scientist as well as a skilled engineer. People all across the world knew his fathers name. And his mother was one of the leading psychologists in England. She was the woman other psychologists came to when they themselves were unable to assist a patient.She too was known the world over. To be the only member of his family without a purpose wasn't something he could live with. Unfortunately the world he came from lacked the resources and capabilities necessary for the purpose he deemed worth his time. In short he needed new ground take root and grow. Only when he'd achieved greatness could he return home with his head held high.

In stories and books it was always so easy to travel between worlds. Sometimes through a mirror, others through a cave, but the fact of the matter was it took quite a bit of time and even more money to find the people and places that would allow such journeys to be possible. The occult wasn't something he took much stock in, but the idea of parallel worlds and neighboring dimensions wasn't beyond reason. And if it was at all possible he had to know. So after months and months of searching as well as many thousands of dollars worth of travel and labor he located several 'underground' sources that agreed to help him. They asked what realm he wished to travel to. It was a question he'd never considered until that moment. When he answered it was as simple as it was true. He asked to travel to a place with greater people. After that there was quite a bit of chanting and hocus pocus, things any rational man would roll his eyes at. But to his surprise a gateway 'did' appear -- and where as many would be cautious upon entering, he almost sprinted through. Had he remained one moment longer those who opened the gate would have told him that while they were able to send him through, they had no way of bringing him back.

At first when he appeared in the so called 'new realm' he thought he'd been swindled. There was a town that resembled one of the larger cities in England, and he was standing at what looked to be a railway station. A series of muttered curses began pouring from his lips -- that is until a man and woman passed him. Such a thing wasn't usually a cause for sudden attention, but the fact they had red eyes and fangs made him pause for a moment. His left hand rubbed at his eyes while he thought that maybe he'd been drugged or his mind was playing tricks on him. When he looked once more the couple was still there. Their eyes still red, their fangs still pointed. He'd only ever heard of such things in tales of terror spoken to children and around campfires. Naturally he approached them (ever the curious one) and he paused before them with a look of wonder upon his face.

"Um...good day to you. My name is Gideon. I seem to be a bit lost. Could you fine people perhaps inform me as to where I am?"

The woman smiled to him and the man nodded softly before responding.

"Of course. You are at the Grand City rail station. Where are you heading? Maybe we can help you get there."

Gideon thought a moment before laughing. He knew he was going to sound so ignorant, but it was the only way to learn what he needed to know.

"Honestly..I have no idea where I'm heading. You see, I just came here from England...uhhh..on Earth."

The woman's eyes widened a moment as if in realization, then she smiled and nodded in turn.

"Oh, Earth. We've heard of it. There are actually quite a few travelers in this realm from there. But if you have no specific destination I would suggest exploring Grand City. It has food, shelter, entertainment, as well as resources to help get you on your way to wherever you want to be. The rails circle the entire continent so if you ever need to travel anywhere it's faster to use them."

Just then the whistle of an approaching train was heard in the distance and the man looked towards it before gesturing that it was their train. The woman nodded before looking back towards Gideon.

"I'm sorry we couldn't be more help to you, but I do hope you find what it is you're looking for. And if you'd like some advice..be wary at night. Being human in this place can be difficult. Good luck to you."

He smiled to them and nodded softly in thanks as the couple turned and moved to the train. They waved and he waved back as they stepped on and were soon chugging along the rails. So, Grand City. It seemed as good a place as any to start. Reaching into his left pocket he removed something, something small enough to be concealed in his palm. Bringing it up to his neck he pushed it against his skin and his eyes closed for a moment. When they opened he exhaled a sigh that resonated with contentment before putting the object back in his coat pocket. Once that was taken care of he began the short journey into Grand City, thinking to himself what should be his first course of action.

With the morphine in his system he had no appetite for the time being so food wasn't necessary at the moment. However he would need nourishment at some point, as well as lodgings, and that could only be done with money. Back in England he was wealthy but here he was not only poor, but homeless as well. First things first -- he needed employment. Lady Luck seemed to be on his side because no sooner did he realize he needed work than did he see a paper tacked to wall lining one of the streets. It said the local newspaper was in need of a columnist. Good pay, flexible hours, and travel, all of which offered benefits. He brought the paper down and read the address before moving on. Finally he had a destination.

Roughly 15 minutes later he came upon a rather large building. It was the proper address and the outside bared the name 'The Chronicle' so as he opened the door to step inside he gave himself a once over. After all nobody was going to hire a man who looked as if he'd been through the ringer. There was nobody to be found but there was a directory on the wall that said the main office was on the 3rd floor. If they were looking for help than there had to be someone there, so with a bit of optimism he jogged up the stairs until reaching the 3rd floor. Again there didn't seem to be anyone around, until he saw a woman straightening out chairs and desks. For a moment he forgot why he'd come. She was lovely in every sense of the word and he caught himself admiring her before regaining his wits and clearing his throat. As she looked in his direction he smiled and stepped towards her while holding up the flyer.

"Hello, ma'am. My name is Gideon Blackmoore. I saw that you're in need of a columnist. I was hoping the position was still open."