Welcome to Hickstead, home to both Seven Oak Stables, and Blue Acre - two rival stables. Both offer opportunities for their clients to reach the highest level of excellence. Each stable differs from the other, so choose wisely and never forget, loyalty is everything... Meanwhile as the stables battle it out, there's trouble brewing at the university. Be careful, if you don't pick a side you may get caught in the cross-fire...
This is an chilled out rpg with a super friendly and relaxed atmosphere! Remember to sign up with your characters full name in all caps and don't forget to do your claims! Thank you and Welcome, we've been established since 10th March 2009 but unfortunately have had to close guest view of our boards due to multiple sites ripping off our hard work, such a shame! Come chat to us in Discord before joining if you like!.
Aria Beck Martin couldn't believe that she had let the men at her work place talk her into this. The crowd had a few friendly faces - namely Elodie Whitlock and Paige August. The sun beat down on her, the cool wind picking up on the sea air as waves gently rocked her boat. But as chocolate brown eyes stared off on the horizon and down towards the finish line in the distance, she oddly felt at peace. She walked along the boat again, readying herself by the ropes to undock as she closed her eyes, breathing in and out, listening. Then, the gun went off.
The young woman went to work, muscles rippling along her body as she set herself loose from the dock and freed the sails. Then, she hustled to the wheel. The white sails fluttered before catching the wind, the boat surged forward with sudden gusto, nearly causing Aria to pitch off the boat. No. No. She couldn't embarrass herself now - she had some old men to beat. Her boat shoes found their grip, and she found her sea legs as Aria made it to the steering wheel now and set sail.
She passed Perry Whitlock now, her coworker, and sailed on by. Unfortunately though, she could tell Cal was several knots away. There would be no beating him. A sigh escaped her, that competitive spirit a bit disappointed. But with the wind in her hair, and the sun kissing her face, Aria didn't entirely care as she crossed the finish line to cheers.
i'll sleep when i'm dead ☠︎︎ ☠︎︎ ☠︎︎
thanks aofie!
Nineteen . Student - Technology & Design . Confused (LGBTQ+) . Single Former Minion & Current Social Outcast
Aria Beck Martin didn't know what had come over her when she invited Perry Whitlock to attend a fucking Shiloh Evans party with her. The scrawny girl had been feeling bold after a winning football season, she felt like she had clawed her way to the top in her own way - as a certified jock, even if she was still as awkward as ever. Yet, once Aria had arrived at the boozy fest, she suddenly felt like this had been a mistake. Revenge was something she did best on the field. Revenge was something she did best by computer. Revenge amongst witnesses and party goers? Well, suddenly, she felt like a chicken shit - and it wasn't just because the place was crawling with god knows what.
Yet, she and Perry were running off - away from the party and to the parking lot - with the keys to Shiloh's red mini cooper of all things. Her jaw had hit the floor when he produced them for her back at the party - the boy had been a ninja because she hadn't even realized he had left her side until he was dragging her back outside. As he hollared at her, calling her slow poke, Aria couldn't help but to scowl, "I'm not a slow poke!" She angrily yelled back, but that was besides the point, as she skidded to a stop by the car and just stared as Perry revved the engine as he sat in the driver's seat, "Perry - what are we doing?" Was she getting cold feet all of the sudden? After nine months of humiliation on Shiloh's part and then ugly heart break on Lyssa's part - no matter what, she had been used by the inner circle, and tossed aside like cheap fast fashion without a care in the world, yet here she was, balking.
Brown eyes looked to Perry, if she had been straight, maybe she would have swooned, "Tell me I should do this." She demanded now, yeah, even bad ass Aria Martin apparently needed a hype man.
i'll sleep when i'm dead ☠︎︎ ☠︎︎ ☠︎︎
thanks aofie!
Nineteen . Student - Technology & Design . Confused (LGBTQ+) . Single Former Minion & Current Social Outcast
Was it just her or did Paige actually seem a bit nervous? Aria wasn't sure as to why, until she noticed how the other girl was stealing some looks at the others as well as Aria's outfit. Ah. Now it made sense, Paige had worried about overdressing. The young woman couldn't help but to find that a funny thing to worry over, but reminded herself that Page had been living a different life since she finished her secondary school. Her attention snapped to the now though, as the willowy girl stopped in front of her now, ready to talk.
Laughter escaped Aria, beaming a smile, feeling rather relaxed compared to her usual uptight self, "Yeah. Nice pun by the way." Somehow, she doubted that Paige meant to pull that one off, but one could never be to sure. She watched as the other young woman waved her off her last comment, almost regally, yet unlike with Lyssa or any of the Clique, it didn't quite give Aria a foreboding feeling like her world was about to end. Instead, everything felt just...well, fine, "Ah. No. Not with my family. Mostly hung out with my friends though and...I don't know. Relaxing. Rediscovering myself? Last year at Uni was kina...eh, crazy for me. Some soul searching helped."
Aria wasn't entirely sure if she exactly discovered everything about herself, she was still moody, still ocd and prickly, just...a little less so, and more open to real and authentic friendships compared ot the shit she had last year. She listened to Pagie's tales about where she had flown too, and brown eyes widen at all the name drops, "Oh wow. Tell me your favorite then. Anywhere you'd want to go back to?" She barely knew the girl, and yet Aria couldn't help but to feel a pang that Paige could just whisk off at any time. She burried that thought though, it did her no good. She nodded, "Yeah. Excited for classes and soccer. People...not so much. But...someone who was giving me issues moved away and switched schools, so I'm feeling pretty good about my social standings. And you? Just more flying to look forward to or do you have other things coming up in your social schedule?"
i'll sleep when i'm dead ☠︎︎ ☠︎︎ ☠︎︎
thanks aofie!
Nineteen . Student - Technology & Design . Confused (LGBTQ+) . Single Former Minion & Current Social Outcast
Aria couldn't help but to frown at the large man's words: "It’s not a race. We should get this done right the first time.” The teenager wasn't sure if she entirely agreed with that statement. Brown eyes glanced at Christian curiously now, her lips twisted in thought, "I get it's not a race, but...surely, we can't be insanely slow either. What if we have multiple boats in a day?" Aria realized there might be more to it, that he was probably pumping the breaks since this was a test that she needed to pass and, well, it was a yacht that she could only touch because she was a mechanic in training. If she fucked it up, she'd be out of a job, and Aria supposed whoever owned that yacht would make sure she'd never work again.
A loud whistle escaped her when her big brown eyes laid rest on the Lurssen Ace, "Oh. To be rich." She muttered now, to no one in particular. As Cal prattled on about it, Aria was beginning to wonder if she made a mistake by picking the marina over the garage - cars and motorcycles were easy, boats...well, maybe not so much. But Aria, classic Aria, didn't believe that she could be outsmarted by the mechanics of a fancy yacht, nor would she allow such a situation cow her brain, "I feel like bottom - that's where the engine is," she said confidently, before looking at Christian, "Yeah?"
i'll sleep when i'm dead ☠︎︎ ☠︎︎ ☠︎︎
thanks aofie!
Nineteen . Student - Technology & Design . Confused (LGBTQ+) . Single Former Minion & Current Social Outcast
Brown eyes watched as Paige caught sight of her - she looked cute, and stood out against her teammates with their sportier fair, but it wouldn't be long before other invitees would show up and Paige wouldn't quite stick out. Aria decided it was best to not make any comment, although she did wonder if the other girl would get cold. While she herself probably couldn't talk, she was wearing shorts after all, her double jacket ensemble was a different matter compared to Paige's air-y shirt. Well, if Paige got cold today, they'd cross that line when they had to.
She grinned, "I know! Been three months, yeah?" Maybe even a bit longer than that, but neither of them were really counting, "London was good though. Nice to be back with my family, get a break from here and the people." It suddenly dawned on Aria how awkward that sounded, "Like, not you or any of the girls here on the team." The popular people who made her life hell. But after a summer away, the young woman knew she wasn't going to stand for that shit anymore, "What about you? Did you go galivanting off to any exciting places?"
i'll sleep when i'm dead ☠︎︎ ☠︎︎ ☠︎︎
thanks aofie!
Nineteen . Student - Technology & Design . Confused (LGBTQ+) . Single Former Minion & Current Social Outcast
When Cal said that the yacht was privately owned, the teenager just stared at him before looking back at it and letting out a whistle, "Rich people," she muttered under her breath. Watch it belong to somebody's 'daddy' from the University. Ughs, the thought made her want to gag. The annoyance probably played across her face - but thankfully, Christian St. Croix arrived just in time to distract her, at least mentally.
Brown eyes looked over the hulking man, tanned with a scar and completed with a man bun. She should find him hot, she should want to jump his bones and yet...nothing, "Hey Christian," Aria greeted causally with a smile before turning her attention back to Cal with his fancy ass clip board and he soon dropped a bomb on her, "Me?" she gawked at him, well, at least she had Christian, and there wasn't much arguing that she could do. Cal and Christian had been willing to take her on since she refused to work at the mechanic shop after she discovered Dei worked there.
"Right..." she said, looking at the other man now, "Well, I'm ready when you are." Aria could already feel herself puffing up, to make herself look big and strong rather the wirey twig she came off as. She could take on some stupid yacht with Captain Beefcake here, "I'm sure we can be done in five. Perry said that Elodie might stop by with cookies." Oh yeah. Aria Beck was feeling confident and ready to take on the world.
i'll sleep when i'm dead ☠︎︎ ☠︎︎ ☠︎︎
thanks aofie!
Nineteen . Student - Technology & Design . Confused (LGBTQ+) . Single Former Minion & Current Social Outcast
Okay, so Aria Martin had not been the greatest about hanging out with Paige August since meeting her. The world seemed to be working against them, either between exam and schooling or the other girl's flight schedule, something had always come up. There had been the few odds and ends meet ups, just to say hello, but once summer had come, it had signaled the end. Aria had gone back to London, making it impossible to meet up with the other girl. But now she was back, the school year was starting, and the women's football team was throwing a beach bon fire party at dusk to commemorate it all.
Normally, parties were not her thing any more, or at least, Aria had grown to be rather selective with parties. But her football team was different, she was respected here. Within this team, Aria was a star in her own right and her prickly attitude endured. The young woman was separated from her time with the clique, and she truly felt like her own person. Maybe that's why she had dared to send a text, inviting Paige August to join her at dusk on the beach with the rest of the girls and their friends and dates, oh, and the boy's football team as well. But who cared about them?
Summer had lead to a lot of soul searching for Aria Martin. She finally felt completely over Lyssa Marshall, and Aria had to simply accepted the short lived secret relationship for what it was - exactly that. Lyssa may have been what felt like her first love, even if it had been forbidden, but even Aria had to come to terms with moving on. She had tried, during the summer, she hung out with boys, she kissed, she tried everything. But it never felt, well, right. It just seemed off, none of them felt like her time with Lyssa. None of their touches sparked her. Deep down, there was probably more to it. Like how a pretty girl on the streets of London distracted her.
But all of those thoughts were tossed to the side for now when she saw Paige arrive, and possibly overdressed. Aria simply smiled though, and waved wildly, "Paige! Over here!"
i'll sleep when i'm dead ☠︎︎ ☠︎︎ ☠︎︎
thanks aofie!
Nineteen . Student - Technology & Design . Confused (LGBTQ+) . Single Former Minion & Current Social Outcast
Aria watched as the Professor zeroed in on her with his hard gaze now. Her fellow students also watched her, with a mix of awe, fear, and annoyance. If she had a smidgen of fear in her, she would have felt like prey caught by a predator. But the teenager didn't feel that way, and simply returned her own unimpressed gaze to him: "Yes," he replied, his tone still very abrupt and final, "Respect him as if he were a teacher. Now, everyone pay attention and keep up - I do not like to repeat myself." As soon as Professor Gentry looked away from her, Aria simply rolled her brown eyes, "Aye aye, Captain," she muttered under her breath as she fished out her surface pro.
She set it up as he was already yammering away on vocabulary and definitions and how this would make up a huge chunk of their grade due to a case file. The fact that this was all verbal was even more annoying, whatever. Aria supposed that whatever she missed, she'd just get from Ivey after class. Speaking of the blonde, she was asking a question now about the class. There was something else that was nagging at Aria though as she typed away at these stupid definitions, "So is our grade for this semester made up on the case file, the final, and attendance?" Aria followed up with now, not bothering to raise her hand. If that was the case for the syllabus, that didn't exactly leave a lot of wiggle room for a class that was suppose to be 'fun'.
i'll sleep when i'm dead ☠︎︎ ☠︎︎ ☠︎︎
thanks aofie!
Nineteen . Student - Technology & Design . Confused (LGBTQ+) . Single Former Minion & Current Social Outcast
The new semester had brought a bunch of changes for Aria Martin, but none had been quite as unique as scoring the apprenticeship at the Marina. Boats were defilingly different from motorcycles and cars, but she didn't mind. She liked to learn new things, she liked a challenge, and most importantly, nobody from the stupid clique roamed the Marina. Every once in a while, someone would appear, like Bambi Pelner did earlier in the year to rent herself a yacht, but that had been a front office thing, but an Aria thing - so it worked out for her just fine.
The guys had been nice - Caleb, Christian, heck, even Perry. They treated her fair, and put up with all of her curious questions. Ivey worked there too, and she was pretty nice. It was shocking to think that she had arrived at Hickstead with Bambi in tow, but that was a subject that Aria respectfully tried to not pry into. The only annoying part about the Marina, well other that smell of the bait shop, was that the young woman was convinced she was surrounded by classically attractive men and yet...she felt nothing. There was nothing there in her mind, no day dreams, no sighing when a guy in a thin white work shirt got wet, even the muscles did nothing for her.
No, Aria was more distracted when Perry's sister visited to talk to him, or sometimes even Ivey, and this simply annoyed her. This wasn't right, correct? Isn't that why Lyssa Marshall broke up with her? They had to keep it secret? To any one else who might have known her situation, they probably would have pointed out to the Aria that the popular girl simply did not want to be seen dating a simple minion, it was a status and class thing. Love did not conquer all. Sighing, Aria pulled up to the dock now, and killed the motor to her Suzuki GSX, and removed her helmet, shaking her hair out. This is dumb, Aria. At least she was working with Caleb and Christian today, the two 'hottest' men. She'd study them again, just like she studied everything that they threw at her boat related.
Kicking the stand out, she got off and headed down the steps and into the sanctuary of the Marina. The only other peaceful place on this earth. Near the end, she saw a big ass yacht, as well as Caleb Dorsey standing near it and studying his phone. There was no way the young woman was late, Aria made sure of that, "I'm here on time, Old Man. You can put your phone away," she said jokingly now, as she sidled up next to him, chocolate brown eyes staring wide eyed at the sheer size of the thing, "You, me, and Christian are tackling this today? Don't tell me it was recently used for a rental party..."
i'll sleep when i'm dead ☠︎︎ ☠︎︎ ☠︎︎
thanks aofie!
Nineteen . Student - Technology & Design . Confused (LGBTQ+) . Single Former Minion & Current Social Outcast
She had really hated that her class advisor had suggested that she take a social science. Well, it was required to take one social science just to say that you did it, make you 'well rounded' or something, but Aria Martin wasn't feeling it. Why should she have to sit in a class that wasn't going to benefit her in life? Social Science and Criminal Studies had utterly nothing to do with her major in technology and design. Maybe cyber security, but the young woman still felt like that was a stretch. Unfortunately, there was utterly nothing that she could but go to class. So away she went.
Aria dragged herself in a huff from the dorm and cut across campus the fastest way she could think of in order to get the social science sections. Peering in, the professor hadn't arrived yet. Dark brown eyes took in some familiar faces and not so familiar faces, but most importantly, Lyssa wasn't there, which made her breathe a sigh of relief. Her eyes fell in on an empty desk next two two blonde girls. One she didn't recognize, but the other she did. Ivey Kinsley. Until a few days ago, Aria had known nothing about her other than what she heard Bambi Pelner said, but now she knew a lot about her.
She wouldn't consider Ivey a friend per say, but after crying with her in the library - while over different people and topics, Aria could not help but to feel a slight kinship towards the girl. Heading over, she slid right into the seat next to the blonde, giving a nod to her and the other girl next to her. She apparently did so right in time too, because just then, a man came gliding in and around her - Aria could hear some of the heavy set, deep sighs over his looks. The sounds made her crunch her face, was he cute? Her eyes narrowed as she cocked her head to stare the professor but try as she might - she couldn't see it. There was also something far more distracting in the room.
A dog.
Her gaze fell on it. Some sheep dog of some sorts, but it wasn't the walking rug type. The sound of the cane cracked across the classroom, gathering their attention and Aria could already feel her mood start to sour: "Welcome everyone to your first introductory lesson in Social Science and Criminal Studies. You may call me Sir or Mr Gentry, nothing else. Yes, he will be here every class, he is here to help me throughout the year when I cannot manage certain elements. His name is Luka. No, you cannot call him to sit with you, you cannot feed him, and you will respect him as if he is a teacher." This was utterly stupid. A sigh escaped her, although it wasn't the mooning sigh like the other girls and boys, "Are we suppose to call him Sir or Mr. Luka also?"
i'll sleep when i'm dead ☠︎︎ ☠︎︎ ☠︎︎
thanks aofie!
Nineteen . Student - Technology & Design . Confused (LGBTQ+) . Single Former Minion & Current Social Outcast
full name • Aria Beck Martin nicknames • N/A - Although she likes going by Aria Beck verses just Aria. It sounds more posh that way. age • Nineteen birthday • 17 September occupation • Student - Design & Technology; Former Inner Circle Minion and Now Social Outcast gender • Female sexuality • Confused - Gay
the appearance
face claim• Ella Purnell
identifying features• Aria stands at roughly 5 foot 5 inches without heels, and she will go and wear them to attempt to appear taller. She lacks the muscle growth no matter how much she works out and eats - failing to achieve any muscle much to her annoyance. She has a squarish face with a strong jaw line and a pointy chin. Her dark brown eyes are a little on the bigger side - some would describe them as doe-like or dinner plates. Aria's hair has gone through a multitude of changes since arriving at Hickstead University but she tends to always be sporting some form of bangs with her wavy brunette hair - the shade changes depending on her dye desires.
the personality
likes• Code, Taking Electronics Apart and Putting Them Back Together, Figuring Out How Things Work, Football (English), Motorcycles, Energy Drinks, Crushing People - Sports, Races, Life, Cleaning & Keeping Things Spotless, The Taste of Popularity dislikes • The Inner & Outer Circles, Hickstead University Public Enemy Number One: Shiloh Jensen, Hard Partying - just not for her, Any Substance other than Caffeine, Losing, Technology she doesn't understand, Being Humiliated in front of People, Non STEM related classes, Rules - They were made to be broken, Being Taken Advantage Of strengths • Engineer Inclined Thinking, Athletics weaknesses • OCD - Literally Cannot Have Anything Out of Place, Germs kinda weird her out also, Always Angry over the Shiloh & Co dreams • Exacting Revenge on the Inner Circle and Inciting Chaos [picture the elmo fire gif]; Design a New Super Computer fears • Not Achieving Greatness overall personality • If people were to describe Aria Beck, they would most likely consider her related to a Prickly Pear Cactus, sweet like watermellon if you're able to get to know her, but otherwise she's protected by a thick skin and a tough prickly attitude. She is not the easiest to get along with, which is probably why she never made it beyond being a minion when she hung out with Hickstead University's Royalty. Since becoming one of their latest outcasts and no longer being a minion, people might actually say that Aria's mood has soured even more. She suffers from OCD unfortunately - everything has to be clean and kept in place - along with some other control like issues particularly over her own image - nothing is never good enough, although her fellow students would just classify her as a neat freak and controlling since she refuses to acknowledge her OCD - the doctors are wrong and she's perfectly fine. They know nothing after all. As an athlete, Aria is incredibly straight laced, if it weren't for her desires for caffeine, she would be considered straight edge and only believes in natural or homeopathic remedies for curing herself during sickness, much to her coaches annoyances. Aria is incredibly meticulous, which makes her good at figuring out how things work - particularly motor cycles, engines, and computers and always wants to know how to make them preform better. She often strives for greatness, at her own expense or at others, and still has a lot to learn about being a team player. Aria can be seen with a stressball when studying or working at a desk - since she gets in her head a lot and is prone to stressing herself out - especially when something isn't going her way or how she imagined something would go.
the history
father • Terrance Martin, 51, Computer Coder mother • Bethany Martin, 49, Engineer siblings • ----- Martin, 17, Student important people • one cousin - local hometown • White Chapel, London, UK overall history • Aria was born to two loving parents in the STEM industry, Terrance and Bethany Martin. By the age of four, Aria was attempting to take the screen door off of the hinges just because she was curious in how it worked. Thankfully, Bethany came upon the little girl with the screw driver in her hands before any serious damage was done. After that incident, the Martins made sure to keep their daughter preoccupied with just about any puzzle they could think of for her young mind and they encouraged her curiosity in STEM culture. They also started putting her in sports as just another option to keep her busy. In a few years, Aria would move on from being curious about doors to computers, much to the delight of Terrance.
While her parents always provided a loving environment, they sought hard to keep everything organized in their house - especially the home workshops. It was likely here that Aria started to develop her OCD an d desires for always having a neat house, since she and her sibling got in trouble a lot for never putting things back away or leaving a mess - particularly when it came to legos and they would hear their parents cussing up a storm after stepping on one. The legos or leaving computer parts unattended and unorganized would leave to some strict scolding and being sent to their rooms to think about what they did.
As she grew older, Aria never lost her desires for computers and football. She became an aggressive striker - loving the calculations that went on in her head while she played and the quick thinking that went behind placing the perfect, loaded kick to beat the goalie at their own games. While she didn't move on from computers and how they work, she hit a rebellious streak when she became fifteen and got into motorcycles - much to her parents annoyance. They were dangerous and not fit for a young lady with a prominent future ahead of herself in science, which is precisely why Aria loved them.
Both her brain and her stardom in high school was what got her recruited by Hickstead University via an enticing sports scholarship despite the family being well off. While the school was uncertain if Aria was team captain material, they knew she would be winning material. So Aria accepted the offer. Upon her arrival at University, it was a little overwhelming to have all of that freedom out from under her parents eyes. She could do what she wanted, hang out with who she wanted -regardless of the dangers that anything may pose. She found herself fawning over the Hickstead University Royalty and found herself taken in. She thought they were friends, but the reality of the matter was that she was just being used to do their bidding and her feelings were being manipulated.
She would do anything for a crumb of recognition from them, especially the girls and she didn't know why, just like how she felt on the soccer field or in the locker room. But Aria was good at ignoring those feelings - she just wanted to be noticed, right? It had nothing to do with desires for dating and love. Aria did their dirty work for nearly a year and a half - before she was caught doing something by Hickstead Staff and put on probation, nearly costing her everything in the academic sense - to include her spot on the football team was jeopardized. Her parents ripped into her, the school ripped into her, but what hurt hte most was getting cast out by the Royalty. Unwanted and unassociated with, now just target practice for their fodder.
It was then Aria realized that she was never loved, she was never wanted, and she certainly was never going to get to hang out with the likes of Shiloh Jensen, Theia Redfern, Alisha Donovon, or Lyssa Marshall. Heck, even Bambi Pelner and Flora Stone wouldn't bat her an eye either. So Aria Beck secluded back into that prickly pear cactus armor - angry at the world and knowing full well that one day - she was going to get even and ruin their lives just like they ruined hers.
the role player
alias • forever age • n/a other characters • the herd
