Quid Pro Quo

"Just because something isn't a lie does not mean that it isn't deceptive. A liar knows that he is a liar, but one who speaks mere portions of truth in order to deceive is a craftsman of destruction."

[clarissaxromanoff]

Proust Questionnaire

1. What is your idea of perfect happiness?

Exploring dark magic with an endless supply of opium to keep me happy, in home in Rome by the ocean.

2. What is your greatest fear?

Sentiment. Particularly falling in love, it turns people into idiots.

3. What is the trait you most deplore in yourself?

In myself? Perhaps vanity, I would get more done but then again, I’d rather be dead than plain.

4. What is the trait you most deplore in others?

Judgement. People are so quick to say what is wrong without looking at their own wrongs.

5. Which living person do you most admire?

I would have previously said that it was the Seelie Queen but she’s dead now, so I couldn’t really say. 

6. What is your greatest extravagance?

My greatest extravagance? I could write a list. Probably my supply of opium, it truly is a chore to get good quality opium these days.

7. What is your current state of mind?

I’m in a curious state of mind, I want to know how this is all going to work out. Soon enough though, I will be bored.

8. What do you consider the most overrated virtue?

Piety. As someone to was a priestess, I know first hand that piety only matters to people when they want something whether it’s wealth or redemption.    

9. On what occasion do you lie?

I lie whenever it suits me. If I need to lie or twist the truth I will.

10. What do you most dislike about your appearance?

I have an unsightly scar on my left shoulder blade in the form of a Christian cross, burnt in there by Christian seeking to convert pagans as I moved from Rome to Gaul. Very few people have seen it.

11. Which living person do you most despise?

I don’t care enough about people to despise anyone wholeheartedly, it takes too much energy.

12. What is the quality you most like in a man?

Confidence, a little cockiness – not too argumentative but certainly not a pushover. A little charm also goes a long way.

13. What is the quality you most like in a woman?

Intelligence, ambition, someone who clearly shouldn’t be underestimated, feistiness.

14. Which words or phrases do you most overuse?

Sarcasm and cynicism is what I overuse.

15. What or who is the greatest love of your life?

What? It would have to be my carefully collected library that I have cultivated for myself over the years.

16. When and where were you happiest?

As a child working in the temple, it was when I was able to exercise my powers as freely as I wished.

17. Which talent would you most like to have?

Musical ability, it’s something I’ve never had the patience to learn. At least, I can appreciate it.

18. If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?

Nothing, I am perfectly contently as I am.

19. What do you consider your greatest achievement?

Surviving the mass conversion to Christianity. That was a task, especially given that I worked in a temple to Neptune at the time.

20. If you were to die and come back as a person or a thing, what would it be?

I would like to come back as an osprey, I would see these bird flying from a villa I have in Sicily.

21. Where would you most like to live?

Paris. Athens. Rome. Barcelona.

22. What is your most treasured possession?

I carry with me an amulet of Athena that was given to me by one of the priests at the temple when I became a ‘woman’.

23. What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery?

Self-loathing. I went through I period of it when I was younger, since then I have learnt my lesson.

24. What is your favourite occupation?

I haven’t had many occupations over the past millennia unless you count being a black widow as an occupation.

25. What is your most marked characteristic?

My natural eyes, my green-blue snake eyes. Otherwise, I know some people would say that I am manipulative, I prefer persuasive.

26. What do you most value in your friends?

Information or potential information.

27. Who are your favourite writers?

Homer and Virgil, although it’s upsetting that the no ones know Ancient Greek and Latin proficiently enough to recite it properly.

28. Who is your hero of fiction?

Morgan Le Fay and Medusa. There’s always something about their portrayal that I love. Also, Lady Macbeth … if it weren’t for the madness.

29. Which historical figure do you most identify with?

Artemisia and Olympias, they are two women from antiquity that I admire and think I relate to, even though I don’t rule over any land. 

30. Who are your heroes in real life?

I have no real life heroes, except for myself.

31. What are your favourite names?

I like names like Amelia, Cassandra, Juliana and Livia.

32. What is it that you most dislike?

I like anyone who has the gall to presume to tell me what I can and can’t do, what I have to do.

33. What is your greatest regret?

Regrets? Actually having met my father. Did nothing to change me, only made me realise that he’s as vile as I imagined.

34. How would you like to die?

I have come close to death many time, not experiences that I care too much about. If I were allowed to choose I would have to say something clean and quick, throat slit perhaps?

35. What is your motto?

“Quid pro quo”, it’s something that I live by. Everyone wants something and everyone has a price that they are willing to pay for it.

[clarissaxromanoff]

alice-whelan:

Suddenly it clicked what she’d been talking about and Alice nodded in understanding. ‘’I see, I get it now, it must be really easy to read people after living that long. Doesn’t it get too predictable though after a while?’’ Alice asked her, seriously curious as to what her answer would be. ‘’I guess I will. With having thousands of years of experience, do you ever stop learning and training when it comes to magic?’’

Tilting her head gratefully once she caught on to what she was saying, the warlock decided to take a seat by one of the counters. “Not always, some people and situations can still surprise you … although I try to make a point that I am not surprised by anything. I personally don’t like to be blindsided.” Clarissa took another bite from the apple and looked back at the mundane with narrowed eyes, brushing her hair away from her face. “No, there’s always something new to learn. New techniques, methods, fine-tuning to be done.”

[dailywomen]

I will have to do more normal roles because I don’t want to be put in a box marked ‘weird witch’. People around me say: You must stop doing dark roles. But there’s something fascinating in darkness. You learn about yourself as well by going to these extremes as an actor. Perhaps, I should see a shrink.

[clarissaxromanoff]

alice-whelan:

Keeping an eye on her, Alice couldn’t help but scoff at her words, offended yet amused, raising an eyebrow at Clarissa. ‘’What makes you think I’m not a credible threat?’’ It wasn’t as if she’d fought against magic before, but really, how hard could it be? Alice chuckled lightly, ‘’So there are a lot of those here, are there? Thanks, but I have to admit that yours might be a bit faster than mine.’’ 

The warlock took another bite of the apple in her hand before crossing her arms, calmly over her chest. “I’m not saying that you aren’t, I’m saying that I’ve been around long enough to know the difference between a credible threatening situation and a simple reflex reaction,” Clarissa said with a slight shrug of her shoulders, “You’ll soon find out yourself. Again, no need to thank me, it’s just thousand of years of experience that I have working for me.”

[clarissaxromanoff]

carolinexday:

“Well, thank you. I do have to ask, though — why tell me anything, when you think of it like that?”

“Well, I have to give you some sort of a step up … otherwise, it’s not exactly a fair playing field, is it? Everyone deserves a chance, at least.”

[clarissaxromanoff]

alice-whelan:

‘‘R-Right…of course you can.’‘ Alice scoffed in amusement, a bit unsure still, but not taking her eyes off of her, it probably wasn’t a threat but it sure sounded like a warning, and she didn’t like that one bit. Then again, just seconds again she’d been the one pointing a knife at her, so fair was fair. ‘‘Good, I’m sorry again, It was only meant as self-defense. I know, and I will, I can handle hotheads. Yes, I did, just over a week ago…still adjusting, but I’m getting there. I’m Alice, what about you?’’ 

Clarissa wasn't bothered in the slightest by the way that the blonde was watching her with suspicion. It was something that she was more than used to. Taking a bite from the apple, she leaned against one of the kitchen counters and smirked to herself. “No need to explain yourself to me, if I had truly thought that you were a credible threat I would have done something a little more drastic. Then you should have no trouble fitting in, you’ll do just fine. Besides that was a very good reaction time, that will come in handy.” 

[clarissaxromanoff]

kendallowens:

“They don’t bother me. They’re a part of me.” After being forced to hide them for so long Kendall took pride in being able to have her marks proudly on display. “Those are pretty cool, you should show them off more often. When you feel comfortable.” Kendall was the last person to dictate what a person do with their appearance. “To do that you have to know what the fuck you’re doing. I can’t even consistently make sparks. I wasn’t trying anything aside from summoning my magic.”

“Neither do mine, but I like to live in this world and the mundane world and these eyes don’t quite fit in. Habit makes me put a glamour up, I’ve lived too long for it not to be a habit.” Clarissa didn’t particularly care if people did or didn’t see her warlock mark, it was something that over the years she had been cherished or punished for, having a glamour was a survival instinct. Shaking her head at the young girl, she had to bite back her laughter at the snap. “You are trying too hard, it should feel natural. Like it’s a part of you, keep for focus on one specific thing.”

[clarissaxromanoff]

alice-whelan:

Alice recovered from the magic she’d just witnessed, wiping her hands on her pants as she started to feel a bit guilty, not only for pulling the knife but she probably should have learned about the other species in more detail by now. It was sloppy, and she didn’t do sloppy. ‘‘Right..I didn’t mean to threaten you..I know about magic now, but to be honest seeing it in real life is a different thing altogether.’‘ Despite her not coming across as a threat at the moment, she instinctively followed her movements as she walked up and took an apple. ‘‘Thanks. I was distracted and zoned out for a minute, but I’ll make sure to remember.’‘

Clarissa flexed her hands slowly, smiling to herself now that nearly everything had been organized. “Sweetheart, I could have done a lot more than just sent that knife into the wall. That’s really the tip of  the iceberg.” Lifting her eyes to look at the mundane, she tilted her head as she noted that the woman was watching her rather closely. Her thumb moved over the green skin of the apple before she finally took a bite of it. “No harm done but just be mindful, there are some hotheads in this building and that is an understatement. Given your reaction, I would hazard a guess that you only recently discovered everything.”

[clarissaxromanoff]

kendallowens:

Kendall couldn’t help but bristle a little when the other warlock walked into the room, still in a bit of a mood from their disagreement the other day. “What, did you think I was exaggerating or something? That I walk around like this for shits and giggles?” Truthfully even if Kendall had mastered glamours she would still go around with her horns and scales proudly on display, but she hated being looked down on.

A small smile graced her lips and she simply shrugged her shoulders, her hands smoothing the front of her clothes delicately. “There are some warlocks who really aren’t too bothered by their marks, you could have easily been one of them. I do mine out of habit more than anything, history hasn’t been kind to witches.” Closing her eyes with a small sigh, she dropped her glamour and opened her eyes revealing her natural blue-green snake eyes to the girl with a smile. “I would suggest on starting smaller, you’ll invoke fewer accidents – focus on one thing at a time, glamours are a good place to start.”

[clarissaxromanoff]

carolinexday:

“Well, I have plenty of his stuff. Where he was last seen would take a bit more work, but it still wouldn’t be difficult.”

“Well, then there you go … not so difficult then. Just a matter of technicalities and finding yourself a warlock to help you because I have already given you than enough gratuitous advice for today.”

[faery-lia-blog]

Liatris sighs and shakes her head in mild disappointment. “Why one would refrain from fully using their power is beyond me. If the goal in a fight is to win, why refuse to go all out to ensure that victory? If they are worried about killing, they could simply leave them marginally alive without looking weaker than they are.”

[clarissaxromanoff]

“Going out all from the beginning is a waste of energy, best reserve it for a crucial blow. Killing each other isn’t the aim here, as much as they would like to. Seriously maiming on the other hands …” Clarissa mused. Her finger moved over the edge of her glass of rum before taking a long sip as she watched, her eyes fixed on the fight. “All they have to do is choose the right moment.”

[clarissaxromanoff]

valberg-theon:

“Very true, there was a time I worried about classical music it seemed no one was interested. Now it seems to be coming back into fashion, as things tend to do.” Theon wondered for a second if he had given too much of himself away then, if he seemed older then his appearance suggested but either way it was too late now. He only hoped the warlock didn’t think his words strange.  “I’m a mundane with knowledge of the Shadow world when I heard wind of the situation I thought I would come and check it out and yourself?”

Clarissa noted his choice of phrasing and simply arched a brow but chose not to say anything, normally if were any older person it wouldn’t have caught her attention. Those words coming from a mundane, however, were curious. “I’ve been around long enough to know when something interesting was about to happen and curiosity got the better of me. It was either this or spend some time delving into some of my darker books in more depth than I have already. This, at the time, seemed a little more worthwhile.”

[clarissaxromanoff]

carolinexday:

“A few months ago, here in New York City.”

“Well, that narrows options down. Tracking spells are best performed with a personal item of the person you’re looking for or where they were last seen. Their energy provides a better connection, most of the times.”

[clarissaxromanoff]

PERSONALITY MOODBOARD

“ I learnt that I’ll never win. Not that way. That’s their game, their rules. I’m not going to fight them, I’m going to fuck them. That’s what I know, that’s what I am, and only by admitting what we are can we get what we want. ”

[kendallowens]

Kendall was in one of the training rooms, working on her magic. She still had the shakiest control at best, and knew that she needed to work on it. She had already accidentally broken enough dishes, she was getting tired of it. Before she even attempted any kind of spell work, she just wanted to try to get in tune with her magic. Be able to summon it at will. She’d had varying amounts of success at that. Usually she was only able to summon her magics to her fingers in the form of a few sparks before it fizzled out. But this time, she had been successful, managing to summon a whole ball of sparks to her hands. Of course, as soon as she had realized what she had done and the elation filled her body, the ball of magic got out of control, whizzing out of her hand and towards the open door. 

“Watch out!” She called out, holding her hand out in an attempt to try to stop the wayward magic.

[clarissaxromanoff]

The warlock was just intending on passing through the training room, out of all the rooms in the damned building it was the one that she avoided at all costs. Opening the door, Clarissa did not need to look up or listen to the shouted warning to know what was coming towards her. She could feel it in the room, crackle of energy that was completely recognizable to her by this point. Her hand stretched out and stopped the ball of energy dead in its tracks before finally snapping her fingers to make the ball fizzle out before her. Her now unglamoured snake eyes, moved to look at the young girl stood across from her.

“You know, if it weren’t for your lack of control I would truly be praising your raw talent. You are really more green than I thought you were, you truly know nothing about your powers.” 

[clarissaxromanoff]

alice-whelan:

Alice jumped when the knife flew from her hands, looking at the woman as if she’d just seen a ghost. Of course, the fact that she probably just did that shouldn’t surprise her all that much, if demons existed, then why not vampires, werewolves, and warlocks too? ‘’Did you just…?’’ Alice stuttered, clearly confused as her brain was trying to catch up. ‘’I guess I owe you an apology, I don’t have to think about it, better to be ready than being unprepared. My hearing isn’t as good as others here, so the same could be said about people sneaking around to be honest. I’m Alice by the way.’’

Clarissa simply looking back at her with an arch of her brow and scoffed out a laugh, brushing away a loose strand of her away from her face. “Yes, I did. And for your information, my hearing isn’t heightened, so I truly do not appreciate being threatened in the slightest.” Walking past the blonde, she made her way to the counter and grabbed an apple from the fruit bowl, taking a bite of it. She looked back at the mundane and quickly scrunched her face, shaking her head back at him. “Normally, I would commend you for good reflexes. I simply don’t appreciate being pointed at with a knife even if it was easy to snatch it from your hand. I’m Clarissa and I wasn’t sneaking around either, I just have a light step.” 

[faery-lia-blog]

“Alright. A favor is the stakes for this bet.” Liatris agrees and accepts her freshly poured tequila without looking at the bartender. Most are normally reluctant to make any sort of deals with a known faery, but since this warlock offered, she’s intrigued by the outcome. “I’m betting against the Nephilim.”

[clarissaxromanoff]

“Then the bet has been settled.” Clarissa watched the fight with interest, tilting her head curiously as she watched and simply shrugged her shoulders. “I’m wouldn’t be so sure. The Nephilim is holding back, although I don’t think that we’ll have to wait that long before we have to do something.”