The Archive

023 | the perfect tourguide

2009-01-20T19:24:51Z

While I remain unaffected today, I do not object to sharing general and easily obtainable information about my world of origin.

However, I cannot release specific or potentially dangerous information.

(ooc; ... It was this or a complete rundown of her world's entire history... She knows too much.)

022 | memories of my mother

2009-01-12T11:28:32Z

My mother could not deal with with who-- what she was. She was seventeen, in love and pregnant with me when she inherited the Archive. She despised me for having a lifetime of freedom ahead of me.

She killed herself shortly after my birth.

021 | giving thanks

2008-11-27T15:18:20Z

Kincaid. Harry. Anita, Murphy, everyone.

Thank you. I made you cookies.

(ooc; Image by Sarooonah. If it's too big, please let me know and I'll place it behind a cut!

The cookies might look nice, but beware. For some reason, they'll taste absolutely horrible!)

020 | accidental voice post

2008-11-14T11:40:30Z

Nonono, I won't! It's wrong and I can't and-- no.

At least Nicodemus isn't here, I'm certain he would have enjoyed abusing these circumstances. I will not let my shadow tell me that I should get involved, I can't, I can't, I can't-- I will not play God, there's a reason I was created neutral, just- just shut up.

Kincaid, do you by any chance have weapons that I am not aware of which will be effective against shadows?

(ooc; I wanted to get this up, b-buuut I don't know how much I'll be around before Sunday, if at all. Promise to pick up tags when I'm back, though! ._.)

019 | all hallow's eve

2008-10-30T23:29:04Z

Hal·low·een or Hallowe'en Hal′·low·e'en′, pronounced hal′ə wēn′ (noun):

the day or, especially, the evening of Oct. 31, now generally celebrated by masquerading, trick-or-treating, displaying jack-o'-lanterns, etc.

[filtered away from Harry]
While I strongly believe in an early bedtime for children my age, I will attempt to be present at the birthday party planned for Harry. Do you require my help for anything?
[/filtered]

Kincaid, I believe you were planning to take me trick-or-treating?

018 | could have danced all night → video post

2008-10-26T10:15:27Z

[The Archive steps on stage, wearing a red dress with frills and having her hair braided in two French braids. She starts dancing.]

[Throughout the entire dance, the Archive's face remains serious, almost expressionless, but the steps are perfectly executed and timed. Once she is done, she does a curtsy and leaves. The announcer calls out:]

Thank you, Archive! Nooooow, her opponent: Sam Winchester!

[ooc; Tap dancing against Sam Winchester and winning. Di, I hope this is okay for you? ♥]

017 | wash this blood off my hand

2008-09-24T12:40:07Z

Lady does not like the smell of blood ~~and neither do I~~. I am leaving her in my room until midnight so she will not have to bear it.

... I believe this curse includes indirect responsibility as well as directly killing another person when it comes to determining the amount of blood we are cursed with.

016 | sayin' things the sea dog's way

2008-09-19T14:48:48Z

[A young voice with a British accent, even and calm to the point of sounding emotionless.]

I be arr wanniond today an' I be havin' t' say, I find this highly irritatin'. Language be a necessary an' integral part o' communication. I do nay enjoy havin' me ability t'express myself tampered wi'.

Kincaid, I liked visitin' th' zoo. Be ye affected today?

(ooc; All replies will be voice ♥)

015 | found a father figure

2008-09-16T21:28:56Z

Kincaid is here! ~~I'm glad.~~ ~~I'm not supposed to be glad, but I'm glad anyway.~~ ~~I missed him while he wasn't here.~~

Mr Winchester. I apologise for the inconvenience, but due to Kincaid's arrival, your contract will be terminated. I will still pay you until the end of the month.

.014 // missing a babysitter here

2008-08-25T07:25:56Z

Auron has left the City. I have not decided yet how to go from here. There are several options, but I'm not certain staying in this apartment on my own is one of them.

At least my kitty is still here. ~~I wish Kincaid were, too.~~

.012 // pictures of what I'll become

2008-08-20T06:57:37Z

[ Private | Unhackable ]
Cursed. So for twenty-four hours, I will be dealing with hormones. I do not think I am looking forward to aging, even though it will make certain things easier. My feet should reach the pedals of a car now.

I will have to give birth. This body makes that all the more apparent. And, hopefully, with a man willing to look after the child. I am not supposed to get attached. But it would be so cruel not to.

It seems there are issues even the Archive has no answer to. My situation is unlike any that has ever been there before. Great.
[ / private ]

An ageing curse. I cannot say my current appearance comes as much of a surprise.

Auron, would you mind lending me a pair of trousers?

.012 // the ice cream personality test

2008-08-14T06:35:45Z

Your Ice Cream Personality:

You are an incredibly modest person. You don't feel comfortable bragging about yourself... or even receiving complements.

You are a pretty cautious person. You look before you leap, and you don't leap often. There's a bit of a wild child within you, but it doesn't get out often.

You are a fairly open minded person with a wide range of tastes. You are quite accepting of unusual ideas and people.

You are a natural multitasker. You feel alive when you're doing more than one thing at a time.

You are a serious and contemplative person. You definitely do your own thing in life.

The Ice Cream Personality Test

I seem to be cursed today.

[ filtered away from Nicodemus and allies | unhackable ]
Harry, ~~I'm worried that~~ ~~I think Nicodemus~~ ~~I'm not sure there's anything I can do, but~~ please be careful.

[ ooc; Referring to this. ]

.010 // perfect memory

2008-08-07T20:59:18Z

There are a lot of memories on the network today ~~and I'm not going to forget a single one of them ever again~~.

For those that inquired: The duel was terminated when Nicodemus chose to cheat.

.009 // counting down the hours now

2008-08-06T08:43:25Z

The duel will take place on the 6th at dusk. The location will be this clearing in the woods.

A final count of who will join us at the site of the duel to observe, please. How many of you will require transportation?

[ Filtered To Harry, Nicodemus & their respective seconds | unhackable ]
Are you prepared?
[ / filtered ]

[ Filtered To Dawn Summers | unhackable ]
Should he lose this duel or come to cheat, Nicodemus will lose all memories of you and it will be impossible for him to regain them. I regret not being able to give you a choice in this.
[ / filtered ]

Auron. There are things requiring our attention before the duel.

[ ooc; Log here for anyone who's interested. ]

.008 // duty-bound

2008-07-30T20:38:42Z

As requested, I will act as judge and witness in the duel between Nicodemus and Harry Dresden.

Harry, you will choose a weapon of the old ways: Will, skill, energy or flesh. I hope you remember what these entail.

The duel won't be to the death, as the challenger, Nicodemus, has pointed out that death does not hold the same value in this place as it does in our world. Instead, memories will act as forfeit. I will take the memories of one person in this City from the one who loses. The same applies to cheating.

I ask the opponents to choose the respective person they wish the other one to forget now and I ask the ones acting as seconds in this duel to idenfity themselves now.

Are you all aware of these rules and do you understand them?

Citizens of the City, I ask of you not to intervene in any way. If this duel interfers with local jurisdiction, it will be held outside the City borders.

Auron, a word.

.007 // never see the light of day

2008-07-22T09:59:58Z

Top Five Things I'd Do If I Were A Normal Child
1. Play with other children.
2. Go to school.
3. Move back in with Harry and Ananova.
4. Never talk to Nicodemus again.
5. Get attached.

Top Five Memories I Wish I Didn't Have
1. My mother's hatred of me.
2. Anton Wahrmann's letters to his mum and dad during the Holocaust.
3. Chu Mina's diary entries about how she was raped by Japanese soldiers.
4. All the love letters that got a rejection in reply.
5. The memories that make me valuable to Nicodemus.

... I appear to be cursed today.

.006 // who will watch the watchmen?

2008-07-15T17:31:41Z

I am a neutral entity bound by the Unseelie Accords. As such, I offer to function as a judge, in general and in particular today, seeing how a great many citizens seem to be on trial today, justly or unjustly.

Auron, are you affected by this curse?

( ooc; asksjdfhjdakl! I AM STILL ON SEMI-HIATUS! Damn you, City, damn you, these curses are just too tempting. I'll be around to tag, I just don't know at what point and for how long and I might disappear at random intervals ;.; )

.005 // formal introductions

2008-07-07T11:13:15Z

~~Harry said I shouldn't do this, but--~~

For those who do not know it, a formal introduction:

I'm the Archive, the living memory of mankind. I am the sum of human knowledge. That is my purpose, to preserve and procure knowledge. I was created to be a neutral force and I am bound by the Unseelie Accord as such.

Auron, I drew up your contract. Please sign it at the earliest opportunity possible.
I want to go out for breakfast now, if you don't mind accompanying me.

[ ooc; Auron-mun, feel free to have him notice that the contract is written in crayon ♥ ]

.004 // no one can replace kincaid

2008-07-03T13:28:26Z

Now that the curse is over and everyone is their respective age again, I have an inquiry to make. I'm looking for someone to hire.

I require a bodyguard/babysitter.

The person should be trustworthy and be strong enough to withstand both physical and magical attacks. They will need to move in with me in one of the empty apartments. And they should like kitties!

[ Private To Harry and Ananova | Unhackable ]

I enjoyed staying with you and you have been very kind to me, but once I have found someone to replace Kincaid, I will have to move out.

Thank you for everything you've done for me and I'm sorry if I have caused you any inconvenience.

[ / private ]

.003 // analysing what I know

2008-06-30T19:37:07Z

The current curse seems to give the affected people the characteristics of their name. I have no means to determine whether I am affected or not. I don't think nicknames count, though. There is no Ivy to be found anywhere around me.

Harry, can we go to the zoo tomorrow? When you're not a ruler anymore?

I named my kitty Lady.

.002 // almost like a childhood

2008-06-23T22:41:20Z

I think I could come to like this place. I had chocolate chip pancakes for breakfast today and Miss Ananova took me to get a kitty!

My kitty is a Van Kedisi and she's very pretty and intelligent and friendly. I'm still trying to think of a good name.

Van Kedisi cats are a certain breed of cats originating from the Lake Van area in Turkey. They're one of my favourite breeds and I'm very glad that I found one here. I will take good care of her.

I must thank everyone who welcomed me when I arrived here, especially Harry and Ananova for taking me in.

This city contains very interesting people.

.001 // a strange and unknown place

2008-06-22T18:24:49Z

Interesting. So this place is called the City? I didn't have any information about the existence of it available before today. This is troublesome. And I believe it is past my bedtime.

Kincaid? Where are you? I paid until August.

I-i'm scared.

.000 // ooc

2008-06-22T14:46:13Z

abilities

The Archive is a repository of knowledge. The living memory of humankind. It knows and understands every single thing that has ever been written down, all human wisdom in its world and everything that happened to all hosts before the current, including feelings and thoughts. It knows about culture, science, philosophy, lore and tradition. It accumulates what is written and spoken. It studies and learns. Its purpose is to procure and preserve knowledge.

The Archive is as strong as the strongest wizard, having vast amounts of magical power at its disposal and the knowledge to wield it with finesse. However, it only makes use of this power when there is no other choice, such as when its host is attacked by eight Denarians at the same time.

All the same, one has to keep in mind that currently, the Archive is an eleven-year old girl and the physical limitations of that apply.

personality

The Archive is a neutral entity of knowledge and as such, doesn't take sides. In history, the huge amount of knowledge combined with the memory of all personal emotion of the former hosts has been known to drive the hosts mad. In order to avoid this, the Archive keeps its hosts emotionally remote.

Thus, the Archive in its current form appears to be distant, aloof, earnest and quite formal.

At the same time, the current host (from now on called Ivy), is a little girl who came to inherit the power of the Archive at an unusually young age. Ivy shows childlike character traits such as liking and being drawn to cute animals and drawing up formal documents in crayon.

She's a child. She is eleven years old and she's mostly alone. She might be very mature for her age, but she's nevertheless a child.

Harry Dresden is the only one who has treated her like a child as opposed to a "human databank", giving her the nickname Ivy (Archive, Archive-y, Ivy) and letting her pet his cat, Mister. She's rather attached to him.

The other person she shows an emotional attachement to is Kincaid, her bodyguard/babysitter/driver. She puts herself in harm's way rather than seeing him hurt. He seems to be some sort of a paternal figure for her, though she doesn't forget that he is a mercenary and hired to work for her.

Ivy's case is different from that of the other hosts before her. Since she hasn't learnt how to deal with the emotional aspects of day-to-day life before inheriting the Archive, people are worried that she might lose the Archive's neutrality and let her human feelings take over. This hasn't happened (yet?).

Due to the unusual circumstances of her inheriting the Archive, her young age and the recent trauma of being kidnapped by Nicodemus, Ivy is somewhat emotionally fragile. In addition to that, she remembers everything her mother ever felt about her - and her mother hated her, hated the very idea of her.

Ivy's been through a lot of pain in her young life. She's learnt to compartmentalise and to differentiate between her official position as the Archive and her actual human life. Yet, she never had a real childhood and never will.

Her duties as the Archive include being the referee at supernatural duels and as such, she's seen death and ordered Kincaid to kill as well. She can be cold-blooded when her duties demand it, but underneath it all, she's just a little child. She gets scared and she's afraid. She knows she'll never live a normal life.

info-modding

The Archive's one of those characters that have the possibility to info-mod to the point of no return. Fourth wall, whut? I'm going to keep the info-modding as close to non-existent as I possibly can.

In canon, she knows everything that is ever written down. For poly's sake, I'll pretend that private, unhackable entries are excluded from this. If you do want Ivy to know about your character's private entries, drop me a note.

I'll consider filtered posts fair game. Since Ivy is a neutral entity, she's not going to actually do anything with the knowledge she collects. If you don't want her to have access to certain filters, I'm sure we'll be able to work something out.

The Archive knows everything - I don't. If I as a player make a mistake, please point it out to me. Likewise, feel free to hit me with critique, plotting possibilities, praise or complaints, either as a comment in this post, over AIM (sn: chatonai) or per e-mail (chatonai @ gmail.com) ♥