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<|description|>Giselle de Farry 'Sella' ♀ --- Abilities Personality Biography</s> <|message|>Aleksiya Ravennart, also known as Ice Princess Aleksiya, or the Rime-Winged Vermilion Angel Aleksiya was left to reflect on the words of Ichor. Seven more. There was no doubt in her mind that these seven were the Lords who were not present here. Of their number, there were those whom she would welcome the sight of openheartedly, and those whom she never wanted to see again. Chief among them was the vile Blight Lord, a horrific monster she held nothing but scorn towards. But it was Ichor's word. She would not go against it. Out of the ones who were present, however, Aleksiya could not say she was unhappy to see any of them. Even Akyasha, as frustrating as she was, was not truly a negative presence. She was at times quite unhelpful, but Aleksiya did not want to see her clutched by death once again. Perhaps put through discomfort, but nod dead. Of the others, she found them at least not directly offensive, and at best quite helpful and valuable as comrades. Needless to say, she was pleased to see them returned. Or perhaps it was the fact that they had been presented with proper blood, even if it was just a small vial, that made her feelings especially charitable. Needless to say, she was swift to take one, removing the lid and relishing in the taste of actual human blood. Of course, it was only a small amount. But compared to the foul flavor of the rat's blood, it was utterly delicious. She could feel the deep hunger abating, the strength returning to her in some small amount. Hardly the true measure of her abilities, but definitely better then she had been on her awakening. Aleksiya sighed. "Ah, what a fine taste," she declared, placing the now-empty vial aside, "Did that familiar bring them? When she awakes, I should like to show my approval." She paused a moment to listen to Akyasha's story. She still thought her an idiot, but at least it was some kind of explanation for her actions and her behavior. Not one she would have liked, but at least she understood the transactional nature of her coverage for that woman. Understanding simply did not mean approval. "... Well, I suppose that explains some of your behavior, if nothing else," she replied with a dismissive wave of her small hand, "In any case, it is as Lady Giselle says. A monster bars our path. However, I have nothing but confidence in our ability to destroy it, now that we have at least some blood in our bodies." @ERode@Asuras@Psyker Landshark@Click This@Pyromania99</s> <|message|>The Queen Location: Alavaris Cathedral Landshark@Asuras@Erode@VitaVitaAR@Click This@Pyromania99 --- The thrall, did not initially respond as Luna's lips met hers. Sanguineous blood blessed by Ichor flowed from Luna's tears into the Thrall's mouth. After a few seconds, the thrall's body convulsed, shuddering involuntarily as new power life, and more importantly…a new mistress flowed through her veins. As Luna left to heed Ichors words, the Thrall managed to barely lift herself from the ground, seeming both still exhausted and in somewhat of a daze. As the others would converse among themselves after Akyasha explained themselves, the Vampiric Cleric would move away slightly. Performing a summoning was a simple task, depending on if one wanted it to be permanent or a temporary service, such as in the midst of combat. All one needed in such a case, was typically, a sacrifice of the vampires own blood and a brief chant to call forth the creature one wanted in question. As it stood, Akyasha would have little trouble summoning something as simple as a Blood Elemental or Gorebat, two of the lowest beings in Ichors servants. As Akyasha cut herself for her own blood to be offered, she'd chant something simple as the blood fell to the floor, and from it, however briefly, a rift between Ichor and Alavaris formed. And from that rift…the smell of copper and purest blood as from it, the blood formed into what was ostensibly something uncharacteristically 'cute' for the creatures of Ichor's realm. It was something like a tiny, humanoid, bat. They were not physically strong, nor were they extremely effective in combat, but their diminutive size, swift speed, and the fact a single one could drain a human male ntirety of blood in thirty seconds along with being able to use low tier support magics such as minor healing and if needed, could be used as a quick and dirty source of blood themselves both for feeding and blood magic made them invaluable tools. Swarms of these thing in the past, were quite a dangerous thing, but Akyasha for now, managed to summon two which would hopefully be more than enough. The small bat creatures would light on either of Akyasha's shoulders, awaiting for her to give them a command. The one on her right seemingly affectionately nuzzled the cleric. No doubt they were hungry, but alas, she had no blood to give them right now. "Nngh…" By now, the Thrall had managed to lift herself to her feet, weekly holding onto the Altar to support herself. "M-my lords…your…mercy knows no bounds…" She'd weakly squeak out. "There is a dangerous skeletal beast…I think…its one of the old paladins. It possesses a blade made of silver…its old and corroded but it still will be dangerous. Please, if you go that way, be careful…" Ominous. The Thrall managed to get to her feet properly, though she seemed exhausted it was nothing a bit of rest and food likely could not fix. "I am sorry I can not be of more help in my state…but if it pleases you, Lady Luna, I will give my body to ensure your safety if I must." Well, hopefully that wouldn't be needed. Whenever the six decided to leave the Cathedral and head back out into the city, they would be met with the same silence as they moved from the Cathedral yard towards the gate that had barred Aleksiya's and companies path earlier. The wailing of that large undead creature could be heard further down, but it was distant. The shuffling of the undead on the other side of the gate, though, could be seen and heard clearly by the vampires. --- Location: Alavaris Squalid Ruins, the old Orphanage --- The familiar crept along the ground, having avoided most of the putrid, beastly threats that called the place home. Perhaps, if it were able to independently think, it'd think that cleaning this place up would need to be a high priority if the vampires wished to clean Alavaris from the filth that currently infested it. But alas, it was incapable of such thoughts. It skittered along the muddy ground, through the halls of the old orphanage, down an old, creaky set of stairs leading into the earth until two voices reached its ears. "Where have you been?" "Chasing Vermin, what else?" "A fools errand after it fled…is what I'd normally say, but that look of yours says you found something." "Maybe, maybe not. Did you find our secondary objective?" "Unfortunately, yes…" The creature skittered after the voices, moving within the shadows of the ruin, behind old walls, out of sight, for it did not wish to be seen. The voices became muffled for a few moments as it struggled to keep up. Did they move faster? Or had they some other method of movement? The hall lit up, revealing the body of some large, serpentine creature. "...I see what you mean." It could not see what they saw beyond the corpse, for fear of exposing itself but it could still listen. "This does not bode well indeed with what I encountered. Whoever did this…is quite the vicious beast themselves." "Spit it out, Rikard. We don't have time for your games." "Hmm…" The one apparently named Rikard seemed to move towards the other one. "First, Rhea, I believe we should get rid of our eavesdropper." Immediately, the familiar pankicked. It moved but it was too late. Sun and fire seared its flesh, turning its weak body to nothing but ash. "Damn it. Was that what I think it was?" "We'll head back to Society for now. We must inform them of events here." With its dying breath, all it could manage to send to its mistress was the names of the two voices, and something about a 'Society' before its life failed it completely.</s> <|message|>Ilena @Psyker Landshark@Pyromania99@Click This@VitaVitaAR@Rune_Alchemist A mistress of rats? An 'Est', who warned of… Ilena blinked, a sensation, a thought, re-entering her body. Even with the physicality destroyed, a morsel of her own essence returned to her in that moment, shooting into her shadows, deciphered by the demons that safeguarded her mind. Ah. It connected, like objects of differing polarities snapping into place. "Rikard…and Rhea. Belonging to the Society. Returning to the Society, to report. A piece of me died at the orphanage, where they last were." Ilena settled her gaze on Akyasha briefly, before turning to Luna and Dragan. "The gunfire was likely involved with their hunting of Est. Though whether they are enemies or merely cautious…" From within the cathedral now, the sound of buzzing Skeeters echoed, the gargantuan insectoids flying over to Ilena before touching down, their abdomens swollen once more with the results of their hunt. She didn't bother with excising the blood carefully now, and instead, her shadows swallowed the enthralled insects whole, assimilating their disparate parts into her own body. "...it matters not. Nor does the gargantuan beast that we encountered on our path here, if it seeks not to disrupt our departure. Let us slay what remains of that Paladin and leave for more plentiful fields."</s> <|message|>Dragan Meszaros Dragan Meszaros "A skeletal paladin, still bearing a silver blade?" Dragan turned to the thrall, an eyebrow raised underneath his helmet. "How my former brothers have fallen. Fortunately, the blade will be all we have to fear. As for this Society," He nodded in response to Ilena's words. "We've no reason to seek them out for now. No need to start unnecessary fights." Foreknowledge of the enemy would be invaluable. As he was now, Dragan had no doubt that most lesser undead would fall under his sway once more. This skeletal paladin sounded to still be beyond his grasp, however. Precautions would need to be taken. The Death Knight glanced back towards the rest of his companions, turning to venture deeper into the cathedral. "I imagine some among us have preparations to make before we set out, myself included. When I'm finished, I will meet you near the west gate, past the yard." Centuries-old memories led Dragan to the armories he knew the cathedral possessed. A quick search of said quarters revealed a collection of weapons, many still more or less usable. None were of the highest craftsmanship, but experience and knowledge of steel told the vampiric knight which were servicable and would hold up in a fight. He hefted a two-handed warhammer into his hands and took a practice swing, nodding in satisfaction. This would serve, for now. A blunt smashing weapon would be the most effective against the skeleton that barred their way. It wasn't his old mace, but it would be more efficient on his blood reserves than conjuring one up. Once he returned outside and regrouped with the others in the courtyard, Dragan stepped forward towards the gate. The sound of shuffling undead had him extending a hand out, the other clutching his warhammer. "Serve." He commanded, exerting his will to take command over as many lesser undead as he could in the immediate area of the gate without taxing his blood reserves too much.</s>

<|message|>Giselle de Farry Giselle de FarryUndead Princess, de Farry --- The ashen-skinned vampire couldn't help but to raise an eyebrow at Akyasha. "I was not aware your ability to sense social cues had degraded to such an extent during your slumber. Had you successfully played along and fed that human some nonsense information, he might have given the three of us one of those vials of high-quality blood that were displayed very prominently on his coat." She made her criticism of her response far more obvious here, but that was just about all that she had left to be said about the matter, leaving the red-haired vampire to continue her tale. Further reinvigorated by the one vial that she did receive, she gave a nod of acknowledgement to Aleksiya before her attention was taken by Illena's report. She was one of the stranger ones of the vampire lords assembled here, but that was no issue. "Rikard… that was the human that we encountered on the walls," she acknowledged. "It would seem we have a name for his partner and his employer, then. If there is a 'society' of any sort, then perhaps society as a whole may not have degenerated quite as badly as I'd initially thought." Turning towards Dragan, she too gave him a nod. "Quite. If I have your measure correctly, then we'll be heading to the same place, so please allow me to accompany you." She made her way to the armory otherwise silently, where she gave her own critical eye over what remained in the centuries-old vault. A good number of the weapons there were still serviceable, although not to the point where she would replace her newly refurbished scythe as her primary arm. To her mild surprise, there were some firearms in reasonable condition among the cold-steel weapons. She would not trust the rifles or their high-power ammunition, not without spending more effort than she wished at the moment to give them a once-over, but she picked out a revolver, and after creating a cloth and leather holster for it around her thigh, took it with her and strapped it in. Without anything else that she needed, she soon returned outside, ready to make their push west.</s>

<|description|>Giselle de Farry 'Sella' ♀ --- Abilities Personality Biography</s> <|message|>Giselle de Farry Giselle de FarryUndead Princess, de Farry --- The flurry of activity within the cathedral was an interesting feeling. Even before their great slumber, it had been many hundreds of years since she'd banded together with others in something that actually felt like it had… potential. It would have been a heady feeling, had the circumstances the surrounded it all not been so dire. Giselle hadn't paid attention to the thrall that Luna had picked up until now, having had other things to do, but she spared her a nod of acknowledgement when the woman voiced her agreement of her observation. "If there is something to be salvaged, I would like to have a hand in rebuilding what was lost." The attack of the paladins upon what once had been sanctuary ground remained her greatest and most severe failure, even if it had been inevitable. Being given the chance to rebuild it all once more, in a time that needed it more than ever more than fueled her desire to see the directives from her goddess through. It would certainly be interesting to see her queen once more, at least. For now, though, there were more undead and a certain paladin to enact some revenge upon. Going about it was something else, though, especially when the beast seemed to have taken notice of her groups' activities. She gave her own input on the matter. "Perhaps, perhaps not. One or the other may be harder than one might think, but its sword would certainly make a lovely trophy for one of our number. That said, let it drive itself and its hordes against the gates of the cathedral. Best not squander the advantage we have been given." She briefly glanced over at the red-haired priestess, idly wondering for a moment if the zealot would raise an objection in the grounds of desecrating the monument. It seemed Illena agreed with her position, as a moment later, the brim-hatted witch ferried her up on top of the gatehouse alongside Aleksiya. It wasn't as optimal as it could be, but it still worked. If she'd known, she would have spent more effort on restoring a rifle, though… But in times like these, beggars could not be choosers. Drawing her new revolver, she made sure the weapon was loaded before she leveled the weapon at the undead below. Were she a lesser being, it would have been impossible to land a shot with such a weapon from such a distance. But she was not, and each of the six shots of her opening salvo found their mark.</s> <|message|>Dragan Meszaros Dragan Meszaros Being in the immediate vicinity of the turned undead, Dragan was far quicker on the mark than their foe, and his own undead began to rip into their former fellows faster than their slow reactions could respond to. As his minions began to viciously assault the undead around them, Dragan leapt up to the gatehouse and entered, watching over the battle from above. For now, he made no move to actually open the gate. At his mental command, one of the two spectral shades hovered in front of him, brandishing its dagger. "Go. Find the one with the silver sword, assault him but once, and lure him back towards the gate." He commanded, sending the spectre flying off while the unarmed one remained by his side for the moment. From his vantage point, Dragan oversaw the conflict below, directing his enthralled skeletons to assault weak points in the opposing horde and be far more effective than they would be otherwise. Any skeletal warrior that fell would soon be replaced in Dragan's forces by another one of their number ripped from the enemy's control. "Would that my former brother could emerge already, so we can end this farce sooner..." He murmured under his breath, his warhammer planted into the floor as he placed both hands upon it.</s> <|message|>The Queen Location: Alavaris Cathedral Landshark@Asuras@Erode@VitaVitaAR@Click This@Pyromania99 --- As commanded, the spectral shades would leap from the wall, heading out into the darkness, swiftly flying past the skeletal undead that were engaged in a seemingly unceasing melee with each other as steel severed bone, only for the bone to reform and assault its attacker to repeat the process. Dragan's small horde could react faster…but they still lacked numbers as occasionally one would fall in the melee, bones crushed into the earth in their battle. Giselle's marksmanship proved somewhat effective. Normal bullets could only do so much to an undead. Even were its skull cracked it wouldn't immediately die, but they did at least, offer some manner of deterrent and aid, allowing the horde of Dragan's undead to have a much easier time, taking advantage of openings she created. They would not have to wait long, for this supposed skeletal beast would soon show itself. Some distance away, looming over the city, towering above the remaining houses stood a massive skeletal creature. The very same Akyasha saw earlier, though now they could get a much better look at it. Ancient, tarnished armor rested on its chest, its heavy footfalls leading it ever closer, slowly towards the gatehouse and the vampires. But no silver blade. No, its hands were empty, but then, where was it? It would not take long for the massive skeletal creature to reach the gate, and the vampires watching could see beneath its feet now, what seemed to be a humanoid dressed in armor that seemed quite similar to the giant skeleton advancing towards them in time with it. The horde of undead below were growing numerous, too, and thicker as some would break off from the group and start looking for other ways up to the vampires on the gate. Akyasha would be pleased to see both her bats return swiftly. A chittering reply from both in an ancient, ethereal tongue that only clerics could understand. "Two. Humans. Leaving. Small caverns in the slums lead outside." "Armored creature. Silver sword. Possessed. Coming this way." They'd both light on her shoulder, chittering in a mildly annoyed seeming fashion. "Hungry." "Feed." Seemed like they wanted some food.</s> <|message|>Akyasha "Hmmm, Humans leaving and Armored creature, silver sword, possessed, coming this way." The Cleric had to ponder for a small time. She quickly made her way closer to her companions. "Fellows, I bring word from the skies above the city." Akyasha then delivered the message verbatim, though as well as one could do such a thing with a translated sentence. "Two. Humans. Leaving. Small caverns in the slums lead outside." "Armored creature. Silver sword. Possessed. Coming this way." Smiling after delivering the statement, the Cleric pet her adorable little Gorebats. They would definitely need to be fed here soon. "I ponder then, perhaps, where might the silver sword be? This behemoth hiding it? Another one approaching? Or is it perhaps our human friends have stolen it and made escape through caverns in the slums?" Akyasha couldn't help a small, giddy laugh. "I relish the the truth of the matter." She added, smiling. Her next words were quite obviously directed towards Giselle and her slightly ponderous look in the Clerics direction. "Had we more strength, we'd not need let them come in force against these gates. Alas, I've yet the ability to bring forth the Matriarchs again. A pity, but we must make due with what we have. So long as we drive them back, I'm quite sure the Goddess blesses our actions. Though, I'd prefer not to have anything damaged in the first place if possible." A small plea, if anything, carried in her voice.</s> <|message|>Dragan Meszaros Dragan Meszaros "No, that isn't it..." Dragan spied the approaching armored skeleton, dismissing it the moment he noted the lack of silver sword in its hands. He had other concerns to deal with at the moment, namely micromanaging his small number of stolen undead to decimate a much larger force. A mental command sent the two spirit wraiths he'd ensorcelled to harry and harass those of the horde that split off to try to circumvent the gate while Dragan listened to Ayakasha's message with one ear. Now this was curious. Was there simply a second skeleton commander, and the first merely lacked a sword? Or was this the actual skeletal paladin and the two humans mentioned somehow managed to steal the blade for themselves? The latter would be something of a problem. A silver blade in the hands of someone who knew how to use it would be a great threat, as every single one of his companions knew. Their relative lack of strength at the moment only compounded said threat. In truth, Dragan was hoping that the humans could be reasoned with. But if they insisted on hostilities, they'd have to be chastised first. "I am trying." He ground out in response to Ayakasha's plea to avoid damage to the cathedral. "However, that is what the gate's purpose is. So long as we stop the horde here, the actual cathedral itself can be preserved."</s> <|message|>Full Luna Emeraltide There was, perhaps, a pang of disappointment in Luna's expression when Fra detailed her lack of expertise in 'anything but being unseen'. It was not for a lack of usefulness -being able to skulk was surely a skill- but for her unsurety at Fra's sincerity. Just how much the thrall was being inconsolably humble, and how much was true... Luna would find out eventually. Her thoughts and feelings remained secreted from Fra, and Luna instead nodded with a hum. "Then keep within the cathedral," she paused, stepping outside and for the gatehouse, "I would ask that you not throw yourself into danger, as sacrifice or otherwise. Harrowing as things may yet turn, we would all appreciate if confidence were forefront on your mind, and not worry for our safety," she smiled. Luna left Fra within the sanctity of the cathedral before exiting to join her comrades. With no battle experience and a yet-exhausted spirit, the thrall would be more a burden than an asset. Though she drew her saber, Luna intended to remain at the rear of the formation. Newly rejuvenated, a burning in her chest begged to be let free into cold air. A welling song focused her senses, and she stepped to the edge of the gatehouse, and pressed her hands to her chest. The music started softly at first; a gentle hum in her throat as memory returned, and muse chimed. "♫ Clouds and stars, steeds and coin... ♫" Luna was no necromancer -she could not raise the dead from coffins and graves like Dragan could. But her charms cared naught for origin, and an essence of necromancy was the captivation of something. And for that, she too could wrest control. Luna's song grew louder and louder, carrying itself across the developing battlefield. She made no attempt to take control from Dragan, or even from the necromancer that controlled the rest, but rather sought to weaken the hold that unseen enemy had on their own forces. For the Death Knight, the effort he would need to exert was lessened. More and more shambling undead would feel that much simpler to steal. And for those that he did not turn his hand upon, confusion and miscommunication would set in. "♫ All turn in turn, in the dust of Dawn and Dusk ♫"</s>

<|message|>Giselle de Farry Giselle de FarryUndead Princess, de Farry --- Considering her experience with her previous encounters with the mindless undead of Alavaris, Giselle was not too surprised to see that despite hitting her marks, they were not as fatally debilitating as she wished the projectiles to be. In the past, she would pour more energy into the bullets if she so wished for a far more devastating effect, but that was then and not now. Still, it was enough to make a difference for the others to finish them off, even if she wasn't the one to personally deal the blow herself. It seemed the fracas had done what was expected and drew the skeletal monster back out into the open. Giselle hasn't seen the creature previously, but from its size, appearance, and armor she had no issue believing that was their mark… until she and the others realized the distinctive lack of silver sword. She frowned from her vantage point. Had the cleric been wrong again? It would not be the first time. Additional intelligence from the mad cleric gave her some more pause. The two 'Society' humans were still in the vicinity, together with what sounded like a second creature, and with the sword to boot? Giselle's encounter with Rikard didn't give her the impression that he was a necromancer aside from his vials of blood, or that he was manipulating the skeleton beasts, but the presence was a concern. Perhaps they would take the sword for themselves? She supposed it would be a valuable relic in this lost age. The sword itself mattered little to her. Unlike others who took unsilvered weapons for granted, she was a vampire that preferred to treat any weapon as potentially lethal out of an abundance of caution. Not that she ever had to be concerned of being attacked overmuch until the end days. "Let us deal with this swiftly, then. Damaging the structure would be unfortunate, but even a relic such as it is less important than our lives at this juncture." They were, after all, resurrected by Ichor for this mission. A mere building paled in the face of that. She reloaded her weapon, taking a few moments to place each bullet into the cylinder of her new revolver one-by-one. As Luna worked her song, Giselle held her fire, waiting to see what control the songstress could wrest. She would save her shot for when the skeletal creatures would come into range. Once it did, she would fire at its head and gauge a reaction— or otherwise find its weakness. She sorely wanted to engage it more meaningfully rather than plinking away with a sidearm, but she knew better.</s>

<|description|>Giselle de Farry 'Sella' ♀ --- Abilities Personality Biography</s> <|message|>Ilena @Psyker Landshark@Pyromania99@Click This@VitaVitaAR@Rune_Alchemist No silver sword in sight, only a necromancer wearing the armor of the Silverlight God. "This isn't the paladin." A simple, cutting phrase. It was a decoy. If death alone was enough to cause a paladin of that abominable order to abandon their blade, then those zealots would have been so much easier to deal with. Ilena turned her gaze to the others. Dragan, instrumental for preventing them from being overwhelmed, and Luna, who assisted him with her emotive manipulations. Giselle and the Rime-Winged Vermillion Angel maintained the high-ground advantage, raining projectiles down below. And Akyasha herself, in this instance, looked to be most suitable for the task of tracking down that silvered blade. Fine. She wasn't hungry, and this was not a hunt worth expending any energy on, but Ilena would do it regardless. She sighted her target, gathered her might, and...pounced. A black wolf bearing two sets of buzzing wings, dove downwards from the top of the gate, its form as fluid as ink, as mud. But its fangs and claws were very real, and the shadowmeld weapons scattered the undead beneath the beast, before the beast itself sank into their shadows. Snaking through the chaos of the disorderly horde, it circled around the armored lich as nothing more distinct than a puddle of mud, before bursting out once more to strike at it from behind, jaws opened to take its head clean of its shoulders.</s> <|message|>Dragan Meszaros Dragan Meszaros By now, Dragan's suspicions were confirmed. This absolutely wasn't the paladin they'd been warned about. In that case...this was a waste of time. "Enough of this." Dragan said, hefting his looted warhammer up as he stepped out onto the edge of his perch. "Either the battle ends here, or our actions prove drastic enough to lure the other one out. Regardless, I've had quite enough of sitting back and merely directing matters." If a lord did not sally forth into battle himself, how would he ever inspire his people? With that in mind, Dragan channeled blood magic through his legs and leapt, his hammer gripped in both hands as he descended upon the large skeleton at the same moment that Ilena sicced her shadow wolf on it. The Death Knight's leap had him on a direct trajectory with the skeleton's raised arm, and Dragan swung as he came into range, his warhammer aiming to utterly crush the bone arm that was raised to assail Giselle.</s> <|message|>Giselle de Farry Giselle de FarryUndead Princess, de Farry --- A skeletal horde, a skeletal beast, and an undead being that appeared to be a paladin, but on closer inspection, lacked its signature sword. Curiouser and curiouser, but it mattered not. Even if it as a diversion, what mattered at the end of the day was that it was all still in between them and their goal. Giselle hadn't expected much of the small caliber, pedestrian weapon, but it had its intended effect. In this case, it appeared –whichever was the one that was controlling the other—didn't like being shot at. The white-haired vampire was prepared for the retaliation, however, and she holstered her pistol as she leapt away from the path of the beast's bone arm. Seeing Dragan move to her support, she gave him a nod as he took advantage of the opening. Even if the smaller paladin –or paladin lookalike—was controlling the larger skeleton, it was hard to stop that amount of inertia. Indeed, the time for gauging the battle behind the safety of the ramparts was over. She made her landing in a sea of lesser undead, which she reaped with a whirl of her enhanced scythe, batting aside the rest as she turned her attention back to the paladin. Starting towards it, she called out to two of her companions. "Dragan, Aleksiya, with me. Let us see if we can end this by striking at the supposed source." In another motion, she sliced out with her polearm at the armored figure, engaging it in melee combat.</s> <|message|>Aleksiya Ravennart, also known as Ice Princess Aleksiya, or the Rime-Winged Vermilion Angel It was only obvious that the monstrous, gigantic skeleton was effectively an extension of the smaller figure. And thus their target became more obvious. Exactly where the sword was located wasn't immediately clear, which was all the more concerning, but Aleksiya was hardly about to allow herself to be shaken by something like that. No matter what, this monster would be destroyed. The moisture in the air condensed, the crystal form of another spear of ice materializing over the diminutive vampire's right shoulder. Then another, over her left, and a third above her head. "Hmph, I don't need an order to know that's the best idea," she said with a dismissive huff, even though she immediately moved in compliance with Giselle, targeting the smaller figure as she swiftly advanced. Certainly, she disliked the feeling of being commanded by someone who by all rights as her equal at most, but at the same time willfully ignoring a solid piece of strategy wasn't a show of her pride. It was a show of stupidity. Eliminating the smaller figure that seemed to puppet the skeleton was, as of their current information, the most solid choice they had. Her first ice spear hadn't managed to penetrate its armor. So, at closer range, from a better angle... Sprinting around to the figure's right, her ice spears tilted towards it and launched all at once while Giselle attacked. @ERode@Asuras@Psyker Landshark@Click This@Pyromania99</s> <|message|>Akyasha Akyasha stood as her allies charged the smaller undead in full armor. "Hmm, I wonder if that's not. Much has changed since our death, has it not? Take caution, or don't. I suppose." The Cleric said, wondering if they could even hear her. As she looked out, she hadn't noticed anything more coming toward them, so if what her bats had said were true, and why would it not be, the sword was very likely here. Then, she turned her attention to the skeletons that had managed their way up to the top of the gate where she was. Well, not everyone needed to fight the big one. Someone needed to handle these smaller ones. Using blood magic, she formed two rather heavy looking maces in her hands. "Alright little ones. Go find a small meal of some wild ghouls or something while we clean up here." She said to her Gorebats before waving them off. She just needed to clean up some skeletons. It shouldn't be a problem. They were only shambling toward them, not charging, but she didn't want them getting into the Cathedral proper at this moment. "I won't have you go much further than this." The Cleric hummed a small bit before leaping forward and bringing one mace down on a skeleton, bashing it to pieces, before bringing her other arm around to cleanly smashing the skull off of another then keeping up her assault on them since it needed to be taken care of anyway. It just meant her allies could focus on the bigger one if she focused down these smaller ones. Twelve shouldn't be much a problem for her, even in this weakened state. After all, she took care of much more when she didn't have as much blood as she did now.</s> <|message|>The Queen Location: Alavaris Cathedral Landshark@Asuras@Erode@VitaVitaAR@Click This@Pyromania99 --- Illena acted swiftly. Shadows melded, moved, slithered between the undead horde that was oblivious to her assault. The armored paladin seemed unresponsive as she'd rush it, shadows bursting from the ground in the shape of a hound, fangs of shadow aiming for the armored undeads head. It would be a surprise at least, that it would move so swiftly. Just before the fangs would meet its head, the armored humanoid jerked its entire body around, an armored hand grasping at the shadows and with a mighty swing, slammed the shadowy wolf back into the old stone below, its hands lighting up with faint remnants of holy power, completely dissipating the shadows. This did not stop Aleksiya's spears, though, as they'd slam into the armor of the paladin. The undead hissed, groaning as one spear pierced its armor and quickly, jerkingly turn towards Aleksiya just in time to see Giselle lashing out with her weapon. With a growl, it'd raise its hands and with fading holy power it'd deflect the blade with its hands, leaving the bloody weapon lightly corroded and the paladins own hands with a deep cut. This was followed by it lunging forwards, attempting to grapple Giselle as it'd reach for her weapon. Above, Dragan launched himself towards the skeletal giants arm. Warhammer met bone, the force of the impact enough to cause some of the ancient bones to crack, but not enough to completely break the force completely as Dragan would be finding himself being slammed back into the ground, engaged in a small contest of strength as the skeletons' weight bore down on him. Unless he did something, he'd likely be crushed as it'd raise its arm for a second smackdown. Akyasha's gorebats nodded, swiftly flying away from the battle. No doubt they would return soon enough, gorged and full of blood and ready for their duty of being either used as sacrificial pawns or aiding the others with small boons of blood. For now though, she'd engage those that had made it to atop the wall. Bloody maces smashing and crushing their bones. With dragan's wraiths still supporting her, this should quickly make short work of the undead.</s> <|message|>Ilena @Psyker Landshark@Pyromania99@Click This@VitaVitaAR@Rune_Alchemist Dissipation? No. To grab at shadows was to grab at air: one could close their hands over a form that looks so real, only to pass through nothing. Ilena writhed beneath the undead paladin's grasp, splattering like paint against the ground before the burst of holy light chased those congealed shadows away. To presume that darkness could be slain by light was foolish. They moved at equal speeds, forever chasing after one another, and though her form was broken, to return once more was as simple as molding mud back together. As the paladin turned, lunging towards Giselle, the black mud rose out of his own shadows. Limbs, too long to be of humanoid nature, wrapped around his, wrenching joints backwards to expose the paladin's head and chest. If he wished for Giselle's blade so dearly, then let him have it. Amethyst eyes emerged within the nightmarish silhouette and narrowed in their assent.</s> <|message|>Full Luna Emeraltide With her woven disorder spread across the battlefield, Luna turned then to more directed and immediate defensive measures. Her comrades locked in combat needed more specific aid, and in the moments that the skeletal beast began lifting its massive hand to crush Dragan, she saw opportunity for exactly that. Where song wove broadly, her eyes focused upon singular targets. Luna's gaze became as piercing spears, and with it ethereal chains pulled by the inertia of weighted points. Manifesting above the skeleton's arm, several chains descended and weaved through ulna and radius. Clamoring and clanking beset the air as the magical metal swung wide and circular, wrapping and coiling the forearm. By her will, Luna sought to bind the slamming arm, and stop it short of collapsing upon Dragan. Not content with staying there upon the walls in this hectic moment, Luna dropped down to the others, and put in her comparatively meager strength to dispatch the rank and file of the battle. Her silver sabre drawn, she took to striking gracefully, fluidly, at the skeletal and zombified minions. Though pitiful, any amount of breathing room for the others who were engaged with far more important targets, could go a long way.</s>

<|message|>Giselle de Farry Giselle de FarryUndead Princess, de Farry --- Giselle hadn't counted on the paladin seizing the blade of her scythe entirely, nor did she expect the metallic construction of her weapon to corrode. She allowed herself a small grimace before she reacted. If her constructs, even once converted from blood could still be tainted by holy light, then she was weak indeed. Even if so, that didn't matter now, when her compatriots helped her take the paladin to task around her. She took care to pull back, ripping the blade of her scythe from its hands with a twist, doing nasty things to the paladin's hands with its cutting edge, as Aleksiya's spears and Dragan's war hammer did equally devastating damage to the undead beings. Yet they still lived. The white-haired vampire reengaged the paladin as he lunged towards her, just as Illena's nightmarish shadows began to wrap around him, restraining him and giving Giselle the perfect opening to deal a crippling blow to the undead paladin. She would thank her later. For now, she would simply crash down upon its exposed head and chest with a downwards slash of her scythe. If she were given the opportunity, she would twist the weapon immediately upwards for a combo, before kicking herself away to reassess the situation. Giselle had noted Dragan's temporary distress, but she knew enough of the vampire lord to be confident in his recovery.</s>

<|description|>Giselle de Farry 'Sella' ♀ --- Abilities Personality Biography</s> <|message|>Dragan Meszaros Dragan Meszaros From Dragan's perspective, this was the second time in two days that he'd been struck by silver. Fortunately, there was far less of it this time. And of much reduced quality. The blessed metal still burned, of course. But its corroded state meant that the bulk of his strength remained intact. The Death Knight hissed in pain as he was cut and knocked back, his hammer still in his grasp. He wasn't given much time to collect himself, as the paladin was on him, blade raised up and drawn back for a vertical cleave. Dragan only narrowly evaded the blow, sidestepping the swing. Given how much the skeletal knight had committed to that blow, Dragan was out of immediate danger as it tried to recover. The only issue was that they were both too close in for him to effectively get a swing in with a two-handed hammer. Instead, the vampire lord lashed out with his free hand, a plated fist crashing into the skeletal paladin's skull to attempt to knock him back before Dragan took up his hammer with both hands and swung for the open wound that he'd already made with his first blow.</s> <|message|>Akyasha Akyasha smiled as the Gorebats returned. "Go support the ones fighting that monster." The Cleric said, tilting her head. "I have quite the rude one to deal with here." She said hefting her axe onto her shoulder. She looked over this... Creature. It paid no due respect to Ichor by assisting in defending the Cathedral. Well, if it was to get in her way, then so be it. She gripped her axe with both hands. "Surrender to the Goddess, is what I would say but really, you'll just be yet another that doesn't care for my words today." With that, Akyasha launched herself at the monster. She just needed to distract it at the least until they had finished the other monster. Starting with dismemberment was good. After all, if it couldn't move because it's legs were gone, that made it easier on her. Her axe swung from her shoulders, hands guiding it to strike at one of the thing's "legs" if they could be called that. Meaning to cleave through leg and crush bone to prevent it from possibly reforming.</s> <|message|>Ilena @Psyker Landshark@Pyromania99@Click This@VitaVitaAR@Rune_Alchemist That was a neat trick, wasn't it? Shadows retreated in the presence of purifying light, and this time, Ilena fled with it, dissolving into an amorphous blob of darkness as she slid between the legs and limbs of those that still fought, narrowly dodging through the gaps of the giant's furious strikes. So long as the paladin continued to expel its light so greedily, the shadow-witch had no reason to approach. Her eyes caught a glimpse of the Gorebats, so plump with blood that it was a shame to waste it on mere servants when the lords starved, but she stifled her hunger and instead turned her thoughts within. Within the black abyss that she had kept her two Exsanguinating Skeeters, Ilena began her profane surgery, stripping away carapaces, refolding wings, weaving together flesh and nerves, and instilling it all with shadow and bone. Flesh was but a weapon. And no matter how bright a light was, without heat it could not sear away a monster. From the puddle of darkness extended a slim hand, pointing towards the paladin's back as Dragan closed in from the front. "Dragonfly." And with the buzzing of six wings designed only to propel one forwards, a spear made of insect flesh bloomed outwards from that extended arm, ready to smash through ancient armor with nothing more than physical force.</s> <|message|>Giselle de Farry Giselle de FarryUndead Princess, de Farry --- That little set of actions could have gone better, but Giselle didn't complain. This creature, as pitiable as it was, had still been a paladin. Even if he had never commanded respect for his political or religious views, his skills in combat commanded its own degree of respect, even now. And Giselle was an administrator and a creator, not a true frontline combatant, even if she had picked up some formidable skills over a millennia prior. She followed her momentum as her last strike was deflected up and away, shifting on her feet just in time to witness Dragan crater in its torso with his Warhammer. She had hoped for a victory then and there, but experience told her that it would not be so simple. Indeed, the skeletal beast reacted… poorly. Yet, they finally knew where the silver sword was, a fact that Giselle was not particularly appreciating as it was cast down at her, forcing her to rapidly and somewhat inelegantly scramble away from the threat. Nearby, the paladin itself had seemingly conjured up its own silver blade. The fight, it seemed, would only escalate from here. It took a split-second decision for her to decide to reinforce the male vampire lord. Injured by the silver weapon, she quickly moved to intervene, even as Dragan recovered. From the other side, Giselle double-teamed the paladin. Using the full reach of her scythe to stay out of reach of its blade, she swung out for his head as he was knocked back, intending to loop off his head entirely—or, at least, bring him off his feet, so that he could be smashed into the ground with a follow-up.</s> <|message|>Aleksiya Ravennart, also known as Ice Princess Aleksiya, or the Rime-Winged Vermilion Angel Aleksiya danced backwards, the barrier of ice she had thrown up in a bid to deflect a direct attack dissipating simply due to the fact that it would never reach her. This undead paladin, and the great skeleton it was somehow associated with, were proving to be a greater foe then the prior enemies that they had been set against. But ultimately, that didn't matter. They would destroy it all the same. With the smaller undead preoccupied, the diminutive vampire's attention shifted now to the great skeleton, which was not being hindered in any direct way at the moment. Both of these bodies were their enemy, regardless of whatever it was that was the nature of their connection. Thus, both of them were to be taken into consideration. Taking aim at the monstrous skeleton's head, crystal ice spears formed once again as she sent them hurtling for the empty eyesockets.</s> <|message|>The Queen Location: Alavaris Cathedral Landshark@Asuras@Erode@VitaVitaAR@Click This@Pyromania99 --- The clang of steel as the paladins helmet rang out against Dragan's fist, the armored undead taking a few steps backwards but not entirely dazed. His own blade would be brought to parry the hammer, the holy light radiating from the tarnished silver. A stalemate of strength. Still…if he were still among the living, he might have no problem handling two undead assailints. As it stood, however…Illena lunged forward, a spear made of living insects and flesh lunged towards the knight. She could feel her magic weakening, though from exhaustion and usage more than anything. Perhaps wrapping this battle up soon should be a priority. Locked in combat, the undead could do nothing to defend. A spear of living flesh struck forth, piercing the old armor and staking the undead right through its chest. A horrible scream as it wailed, almost sounding as though it was making words with its old, now useless jaw. For a moment it looked as though Giselle's scythe would indeed, take its head… But then, truly, it was not a one versus three fight, was it? The giant skeletal creatures blade struck the sides of nearby buildings, nearly cleaving them off entirely just in time for Giselle to aim for the paladins neck. Instead, it would meet ancient bone as the skeletal creature slammed its arm onto the ground by the paladin, the weapon cutting into its flesh but not thick enough to cut it in its entirely as it deflected the blow from Giselle. It immediately followed by making a grab for Dragan, but the skeletal creatures fingers never reached their target. A spear of ice, a shriek as the icy weapon impaled itself right through the skeletal giants head, burying itself in its lifeless eyesockets. Immediately it turned its attention to Aleksiya, violently hissing and lashing out, slamming its blade wantonly about, angrily smashing everything in the vicinity and carving up the ground next to Dragan and Illena, throwing up chunks of rocks and dirt and putting a pit in the ground between the two undead soldiers. This, gave the Paladin enough leverage to wrench itself free from Illena's spear, the weapon of flesh having the advantages and disadvantage of such a fleshy weapon as the Paladin would abruptly turn to face the shadow witch, the weapon still impaled in its flesh, lunging forward, attempting to impale her as she had impaled it. This, left Akyasha to deal with the undead horde left on her own. By now though, they had thankfully thinned out, most having fallen under the large skeletal creatures own frenzied strikes or being mostly taken care of by Dragan's horde. This left just the multi-legged abomination in front of her. The gorebats would nod, though they did not seem too terribly happy about being told to support someone as they'd flit off to aid the others. One, would flit over to Dragan while a second made their way towards Illena, as it stood, they were likely free to use the gorebats as they deemed necessary. The spider creature hissed, seeing Akyasha's attack. Faster than she would be, it jumped to the side before quickly making an attempt to charge and run over the cleric with its many legs and larger size.</s> <|message|>Dragan Meszaros Dragan Meszaros Dragan been prepared to abandon his attack on the skeletal paladin when the giant reached for him, but fortunately, it appeared that he didn't have to. Aleksiya's assault upon the giant distracted it enough that Dragan could continue his offense without reserve. A quick scan of the battlefield revealed that most of the enemy undead had been taken care of, leaving only the abomination remaining. Dragan mentally commanded his horde to continue slaughtering the stragglers before moving on to the larger targets, freeing Aleksiya to deal with the more threatening elements without distraction. As the paladin turned to face Illena, Dragan raised his hammer once more, preparing to strike it from the back. The gorebat sent to support him was immediately commanded to distract the paladin from above, and Dragan hefted his warhammer. "Goodbye, brother. Rest now." He murmured quietly before dashing forward and swinging with all his might, aiming to pulverize the undead paladin's helmet and skull in a single stroke while it was distracted.</s> <|message|>Akyasha It was speedy, that was for sure, but it was just a pile of bones. If it wanted to charge at her, she'd let it. The Cleric spun her weapon above her head, and as the bone spider was about to reach her the cleric, she struck with it. The spinning's momentum transformed into a horizontal strike that would cleave through leg and smash the "creature" across its "face". Continuing through with the movement, she spun with the swing, hefting it up above her mid-spin and then swiftly swinging it down on the hopefully staggered spider. She probably didn't need too many hits on the thing to dispose of it, if the vampire had to make a guess about it at all.</s>

<|message|>Giselle de Farry Giselle de FarryUndead Princess, de Farry --- So close. In a vacuum, Giselle would have ended the fight right there, but large skeleton destabilized the ground briefly enough that her blow didn't strike true. It did damage, clearly, but the majority of it had been deflected… but it was clear that the undead paladin was not going to weather the fight. The three of them had done far too much damage to it, and if it wasn't Giselle, then it would be another that would deal the 'mortal' blow. Indeed, it didn't take long for the paladin to become distracted once again, and Giselle saw Dragan move in for the final blow. It was just a bit poetic, and she decided to stand aside to allow him to deal with his brother, moving her attention to the larger skeleton in the event that removing the paladin from the board would simply allow it to free-roam instead. Keeping her weapon at the ready to strike at it in case it didn't collapse, she placed herself in between it and Dragan.</s>

<|description|>Giselle de Farry 'Sella' ♀ --- Abilities Personality Biography</s> <|message|>Dragan Meszaros Dragan Meszaros They'd lost one of their number already, before even leaving the city. Dragan was no master of Ilena's own brand of magic, but he could tell that even if she by some miracle hadn't faced the final death for a second time, she was at least in no state to continue on with them. Damnably unfortunate. The skeletal giant was another issue. He could feel that its reanimation still held, merely in suspension without a necromancer to command it. And Dragan knew he didn't have the strength to wrest control over it yet. Even if he had, the logistics of traveling across the land with such a beast would be...difficult. With that in mind, he cut the link between himself and the remainder of the undead horde he controlled, allowing their reanimation to fade and for the shambling bones to crumble back to the dirt. "This...was not part of the plan." He gestured towards the spot where Ilena had fallen. "Though we must move on." The Death Knight glanced to Luna. "In lack of a better guide, your subordinate's suggestion seems our best course of action for the moment. Thoughts, anyone? Objections?"</s> <|message|>Full Luna Emeraltide The wince that Luna bore upon Ilena's grave wound was short lived, for even as the vampiress was alight in silvered flame, Luna held out hope that the girl would return. Or perhaps, it was mere denial -denial that so quickly they'd lose one of their own. If their numbers were to drop so quickly and easily, their prospects in the coming journey seemed grim. Such thoughts stayed deep in the back of Luna's mind. Were her body still capable of physical exhaustion, Luna might have sighed then. Dragan and Akyasha finished the battle, and Luna remained standing beside the site of Ilena's fall; waiting, praying that her enshadowed form would coalesce once again, injured or not. When she did not, Luna fell to her knees in prayer, and drew within her thoughts even as Fra offered advice. Luna stood and hummed, taking a moment to recollect what her thrall had said. "I am to assume that this village dismisses these madmen and beasts with pitchforks and cutlery, and not with words and gestures -so what are their defenses like?" she asked Fra before tilting her head, "And am I to assume you wish to stay here? What business do you still have?" Luna leaned down to take the serpent's heart Ilena left behind. She had no baggage, and no ethereal form with which to hide the heart within, and so for the time being kept it gripped in hand.</s> <|message|>Aleksiya Ravennart, also known as Ice Princess Aleksiya, or the Rime-Winged Vermilion Angel Of all of the lords that Aleksiya would have been perfectly comfortable with losing, Illena was not among them. The sight of her seemingly dead, body entirely vanished, was hardly a welcome one. The small vampire lowered her arms. The ice spears she had embedded in the monstrous skeleton's eye-sockets, as if as a final(albeit ultimately pointless) revenge for what had just occurred, explosively shattered, bone splintering from the force and leaving a far larger hole punched in the collapsing figure's head. The only consolation was that her death was perhaps not as permanent as it might have seemed. Not only because of her bizarre nature, but also due to the fact that they had been reborn once before. Perhaps such a thing was not off the table again. Perhaps. Wordlessly, she listened to the voices of her compatriots. Normally she would be far more intent on offering her opinion, but at the moment she didn't particularly feel like speaking. Besides, this village seemed like their best option, even if they had lost someone already. Her small fists reflexively tightened. @Asuras</s> <|message|>Akyasha After Akyasha had ended the spider-like bone abberation, she at first felt a small bit of relief... That is, until she had noticed that one of their number were missing. As it would seem, she had been pierced by the silver sword and... The cleric looked down as she dismissed her weapon and walked to where the woman had once stood. Without a word, she gave a small prayer for her. It was a somber moment but... They must be on the move though she stopped to listen to what Fra had to say about defenses. There was a lot they didn't know about this current world. How different was it? Akyasha shook her head and called her Gorebats to her. "Welcome back. Good work you guys." The Cleric said, petting the both of them. She wondered to herself if it was time to take the blood from these and summon more. Maybe in a bit.</s> <|message|>Giselle de Farry Giselle de FarryUndead Princess, de Farry --- Not in the plan, indeed. Giselle had lived for over a thousand years, and she had seen countless deaths, and prevented countless more. Even with the downfall of the very last days, there was little comparison to being struck down in victory, with Illena being felled by the undead creature's last unnatural gasp. It was an unnatural reminder to how vulnerable that she, along with her fellow vampire lords, had become to be struck down in such an unfitting way. With the battle finished, seeing her fellow lord fail to rise, she lowered her head in a moment of silence for her fallen comrade. Were circumstances more normal, she would have created a grand sepulcher for the fallen lady, but this was anything but. She had neither the time, luxury, nor power to create a fitting tomb or even a burial. In the future, perhaps, she could return in better times—or, given their current mission to resurrect the remainder of her fellow peers, she would help Illena to rise once more when the right time came. Seeing Luna take up the heart that their fallen peer had been safeguarding, she summoned up a portion of her remaining meagre blood. Swirling the small ball of ichor suspended above her open palm, she created a simple crimson box. With another touch of energy, she concentrated on the small container before the shade of metal washed over the object, the box turning from blood to thin tin. Stepping over to Luna, she wordlessly opened the box with an outstretched hand for the songstress and the serpent's heart. "Here. This simple box is hardly a fitting vessel for such a priceless artifact, but for now, it will have to do." With a shake of her head, she moved to the spot where Illena had fallen, together with the paladin. Briefly kneeling, she took custody of the silver sword in her hand. While she was still too weak to restore the holy weapon, it was still a potent weapon, even if it has been tainted with Illena's blood and that of potential countless others of her peers and friends. At the very least, someone had to take it lest it fall into improper hands. Approaching Aleksiya, she held out her scythe for the shorter lady, recalling her preference for the scythe. "I have no use for this now. If you would like it, it is yours." If she could still properly sigh, she would have then. "I suppose we've stayed here long enough, as somber as this victory is. Shall we?"</s> <|message|>The Queen Location: Alavaris Cathedral Landshark@Asuras@VitaVitaAR@Click This@Pyromania99 --- "O-oh uhm, well," Fra fidgeted with her dress. "Someone should look after the cathedral…it would be a shame for it to be empty, even for only a little while…" The thrall couldn't meet her mistress gaze as she'd reply. It was hard for Luna to get a read on her, but it didn't seem like she was being dishonest, just timid. "Uhm, as for defenses…its not a big place. I'd say roughly a few dozen people or so live there. An old stone wall runs along the south and eastern sides of the village, but the northern gate was destroyed at some point the west has a river next to it. They don't have many people capable of fighting…mostly, if something attacks they usually just try and hide, waiting it out…" She shook her head. "Uhm…there is this one woman though. I-I think she's a blacksmith or something? She tries to hunt things near the village where she can to help keep it safe. She's uhm…well she doesn't like me, aha…" Fra rubbed her arm nervously. "They usually light the village with silver lamps. I don't know how they work, but they seem to be able to keep most small creatures away from the village. I apologize I can't be of more help, Mistress…" Akyasha's gorebats alighted on her shoulder, chirping pleasantly, but seemingly restless. Might be best to keep them around for now, or send them out scouting ahead in case they ran into anything on their way to this supposed village. For now at least, it seemed as though nothing else needed to be done in the city. They could consider rebuilding and strengthening the city itself once they had the manpower, thralls, and other lords revived and willing to help. With the still oddly fresh and bloody heart safely secured, once everyone had made their preparations and were ready, Fra would point them in the proper direction. Out the nearby city gate, down the old, dusty path that once would have allowed traders and people through, around the old, gnarled forest, towards what would have at one point been a riverside town. From the way she described the journey, it would likely take a few hours and be an overnight trip or two…for an average mortal, at least. They didn't have as much need for rest, now did they? Regardless, Fra would not wish to come unless she'd be forced to by the lords. The trip would be blessedly uneventful, the darkness of the world around them hiding little from their vampiric sight. Where humans would hear noises and creatures scampering, howling in the distance, the vampires only saw ragged beasts, who in turn, saw them, and cautiously stalked their presumed prey for some time. Of course, they themselves soon became the prey. And soon, the village would finally come into view. Lamps lit two ruined pillars, giving off the only source of light for miles. A number of corpses of four legged creatures that looked like some amalgamation of deer and wolf, with antlers sprouting from their head but possessing a body structure more like a wolf with an elongated muzzle and far too long limbs littered the area near the pillar. Beyond the stone pillar, they could see a number of shoddily built and old dwellings. Some looked like they had existed since the Ophidiel Era with quick repairs and patchworks to keep them mostly livable, while others seemed completely hastily constructed. The tallest of the buildings they could see had a lamp atop it, illuminating someone standing up there. They could hear some people jovially talking not too far away, though they were just out of sight in a nearby building.</s> <|message|>Akyasha It was a somewhat long journey, though it was hard to tell sometimes. Perhaps it was the curiosity of the situation they were in that made her anticipate going and once they got there, she was slightly amused by the sight of the odd deer-wolf hybrids. "If most people here dont fight, then it must have been that blacksmith girl that slew these creatures, no?" The cleric mused, looking around. "She would make a fine addition to our depleted forces." Akyasha thought on the situation forbsome small seconds before turning to her bats. "Stay hidden but I want you two to find try and find the blacksmith or where that girl might be. Additionally, tell me the general layout of this place and any other bits of interest." There was quite a bit the Vampire wished to know, but it shouldnt be too difficult for her two Gorebats. She gave them both a small nuzzle nefore she sent them off.</s>

<|message|>Giselle de Farry Giselle de FarryUndead Princess, de Farry --- Perhaps the journey was long for a day trip, but Giselle spent most of the time keeping a keen eye on all that they passed. In the absence of major threats, with what existed merely acting as inferior food for the her and the other lords, she could spare the time to investigate the state of what the world had turned into. It was a luxury that she unfortunately didn't have to examine in detail in the city proper given the state of Alavaris. Sadly, the state of the world had become as drab as Giselle expected. In the absence of Light, most living beings of the good and proper variety had long died and withered to dust. The state of vegetation, sadly, was in a dire state, and it was a miracle in and of itself that humans and more wretched beasts managed to eke out an existence in this dead world. Even so, aside from speaking with the other lords on details and musings on things that had happened since their slumber, she occupied most of her time keeping a mental journal on all that she saw. Nonetheless, she was glad when the human settlement came into sight. She observed the architecture, noting its familiarity with buildings from her era, and then the ramshackle repairs and inferior new construction. More importantly, she kept in the mind what was likely a sentry of some type at the settlement's highest vantage point. If they hadn't already been observed, they would be seen soon—which meant the time to make a decision would be short. And short it would be indeed, given that they could already hear voices of the people inside the village. Perhaps surprisingly, they seemed rather happy. Giselle turned to her fellow lords as Akyasha sent off her gorebats. "I suppose it's time to see how the humans of this era will react." If there were no objections from her peers, she would approach the village entrance, a story already crafted in mind. With absence of any gate guards, she would speak to those speaking, but not without being cautious. She remained casual, but alert, and elected to make enough noise on her approach as to not startle before she appeared. "Greetings. Perhaps you might spare time for questions from some travelers?"</s>

<|description|>Giselle de Farry 'Sella' ♀ --- Abilities Personality Biography</s> <|message|>Dragan Meszaros Dragan Meszaros He knew the signs of poverty, both from his time as a paladin and as a prospective lord, making his way in the world. These villagers were in dire straits. Frankly, it was a small miracle that mankind had even survived however many decades or centuries it had been since the sun's light faded away. Even as Akyasha's gorebats returned to report in, Dragan frowned as he set his helmet down atop the haft of his buried hammer, his armored form stepping into the torchlight and into view of the villagers. The villagers would have to know of his presence sooner or later. Best to rip the bandage off before they could be accused of hiding the truth. "Peace, please." The Death Knight held his unarmed hands up in a conciliatory gesture. "We mean no harm and have no intention to stay. We are travelers, passing through. I realize that my...appearance may suggest otherwise, but I swear that I have no intention to prey on the weak and the desperate."</s> <|message|>Akyasha A woman near a river with some undead? Well, the only person from this village that would leave it to fight anything seemed to be that blacksmith girl. And beastmen coming this way? How delightful! Is what she would say, but with how fast her baby came back, they must have been really close. "Alright, you will lead the way towards the woman." Akyasha said to the one that mentioned the woman by the river, "And you stay near and come let me know if things get too terrible here. But first..." The Cleric approached Giselle and whispered in her ear. "It would seem there are beastmen approaching this location from the forest and I must leave it all to you all. I believe that blacksmith girl is fighting some undead nearby. I want to make sure she doesn't end up useless." Akyasha said with no small amount of curiosity coating her words. With that, she backed away from the talks letting Giselle do the rest. Back away from the villagers, she just nodded at the Gorebat that would lead her to the woman by the river. Hopefully, it was this blacksmith girl and if not, it would help ingratiated the village with them.</s> <|message|>Giselle de Farry Giselle de FarryUndead Princess, de Farry --- Giselle suppressed a frown when Aleksiya attached herself to her arm like a lost, frightened child. For one, she felt it was beneath her peer to act in such a way, even now, and more importantly, it meant that she had to quickly change the narrative of any explanation that she might have to give, or otherwise limit her options. It was too late, though. The white-haired vampire held up her free hand in both a wave and a placating gesture, before quickly affecting a slightly apologetic expression upon hearing one of the men's complaints. Privately, she questioned his awareness. She had, after all, made more than enough effort to make herself known to not startle any of these humans. "Hardly. My name is Giselle," she offered, deciding against giving Aleksiya a name for the moment. "And yes. My home was destroyed, as were my companions'. We've traveled a long way to find someplace safe." This was all true. In a manner of speaking… but still completely true. The undead princess would have continued the conversation along these lines when she caught Dragan and Akyasha approach from her periphery. That was not part of the plan, but she rolled with it. As Dragan engaged the men in conversation, she was approached by the cleric, with some… complications. She frowned, both at the news, and for the men as well. It would look bad if they had just arrived and brought trouble for these villagers if they were meant to get anything out of the interaction. "…Sorry, I've bad news. One of our other companions keeps overwatch on the road… they've spotted beastmen approaching and a girl fighting off undead... perhaps one of yours? We may have to prepare for a fight. If you have an alarum, I would raise it."</s> <|message|>The Queen Location: Human Village Landshark@Asuras@VitaVitaAR@Click This --- "...I don't trust them. What kinda people even travel these days? Maybe if there was another village close by, but we haven't heard anything from the other places in what feels like months." One of the men rebuffed the group, the appearance of Akyasha and Dragan making them feel just a bit uncomfortable from the looks of things. "Beastmen? Are you certain?" The one that seemed to be more receptive to them silenced the other man with a glare. "They've been attacking so frequently lately, barely five lantern-lightings ago did they attack last." "Do we sound the alarm?" "If we do and they aren't attacking anything nearby will definitely hear it." "We've no reason to trust you, but you've also no reason to lie." He'd say, shaking his head. "We live in strange times, since the last age and the sun fell. I won't question it. If you've got your reasons then we won't get in your way." He'd reach for the bell, pulling on it loudly and cleanly, a resonant, melodic clang echoing through the village. The other men quickly gathered their things, running deeper into the village. "You're welcome to stay at my place to wait them out." The man said, just as the sound of several more bells rang through the small village. The gorebat tha Akyasha had left behind, landed on Giselle's head, uncaring for the humans' rather startled reaction upon seeing it. It seemed to be trying to pull Giselle towards the direction of the forest. Location: Human Village --- Akyasha swiftly left the group, heading towards where her gorebat was leading her much to the startled humans who seemed to be growing more wary that this group of travelers were all both well dressed as well as somewhat large in number than what they were used to seeing. Still, she'd run down what served as the main street, running past some startled villagers who had as of yet been alerted to the newcomers as well as past the old buildings that served as the peoples homes. As Akyasha approached, she couldn't yet hear the sound of fighting, but she could see both the water as well as the human in question. A strong, somewhat severe looking woman was going around dressed in a thick dress, apron, and gauntlets with long, slightly messy blond hair and a well maintained chestplate. She was walking calmly not far from the river, a silver lantern hanging from her hip that seemed to cast light much further than one would think from the small amount of light it contained. Akyasha would find this light uncomfortable as she approached. Had her gorebats gotten things wrong? There was definitely a woman here, a ways off from the village near the water but there were no undead just yet. Thankfully, she had more than her eyes to see here. She was no necromancer, but as a cleric of Ichor she could definitely feel the familiar sense that every undead gave off for a vampire…and it was coming from the river. Beyond what the human could likely see immediately, Akyasha could see drowned corpses slowly climbing onto the shore, not quite having made it all the way out of the water yet. Location: Pirates End Paladin --- "Says the one who hardly paid her any mind during your first unlife." The maid replied curtly, the ship creaking as a rough sea breeze battered its frame. "But you're in luck. The Violet Witch has no desire to go against Ichor. If anything, you should be on your knees groveling your pathetic thank yous for her infinite mercy." Despite the maids harsh words, she'd pull a vial of sanguine colored fluid from her dress, tossing it in Argus' direction. A vial of blood. "A vial. My own, if you're curious. It should get you back on your feet, for now." The maid walked past, away from the desk and out towards the black skies, towards the battered coast below. "You can see for yourself, or are your eyes worse than mine? Everyone lost in that war. Vampires. The Paladins. The earth, gods, devils…all fell, and all we can do is just…survive." Her mouth curled into a frown, hands balling into a fist, speaking just low enough that Argus could not hear her entirely above the wind and creaking of the ship. She turned her gaze towards Argus. "What we want from you is simple. We would like you to…claim an artifact that has recently come into possession of your vampiric brethren and acquire it for us. I can not say much other than it is a blade of great power. Its blade mimics the waves of the oceans and if used correctly can be used to both take life from a divine being…and return it to one. It has lost most of its power, but it still has its uses. I could take it myself…but my lady has instructed discretion and hopes that we could have a…continued relationship, Captain Fellborn. Should you accept, we will support you in what ways that we can, and as a show of good faith I will assist you in escorting you to a village not terribly far from here where you will no doubt meet your brethren."</s> <|message|>Akyasha That silver light wad an annoyance, but that didnt matter too much to her. It was uncomfortable for the moment but no more than that. She approached, letting her voice be heard. "Fair Maiden, pardon my intrusion. Would you kinda step away from the water before some water geist or ghoul gobbles you up?" The Cleric mentioned as she walked in closer. "Shine your light at the water there if you don't believe me" Her approach went so far as the woman didnt take an immediate defensive againat her nor the light burned her. "The dead crawl ashore." She gave a small smile as she reached down and grabbed a rock almost hand sized and threw it at thr head ofone of the dead crawling up.</s> <|message|>Captain Argus Fellborn, the Red Tide Captain Argus Fellborn "The Violet Witch herself, you say? All the cutting words in all the languages of the world cannot sink the flattery, nay, the honor of being returned to undeath by her grace," he assessed, as he looked down upon the vial she had given him. The state of the world, as described by the maid, was a sad thing. This pitiful, broken world was not a place for a pirate. There would be no great trade and treasure fleets to plunder. There would be no infrastructure through which to carry myths of ghost ships far and wide. And even if there were, would such tales frighten someone who grew up in such a dark, broken world? And just how strong would they be? Had this dark new world made humans tougher and more resilient, or were they broken and struggling to survive on the scraps of the old world's rotting carcass? Whatever the state, the tenets of Ichor would guide him. Despite what this maid was suggesting, Captain Fellborn took Ichor's commandments quite seriously in his career as a pirate. "Aye, I accept your terms. Obtain the god-slaying blade, deliver it to you, and be discreet." Argus spoke, before taking the vial and imbibing the blood. He needed his strength back, and he needed his thirst slaked. "Lead the way, lass, but first...do you truly believe my brethren may get in the way?"</s> <|message|>Dragan Meszaros Dragan Meszaros Beastmen? The villagers were simply going to wait them out? Dragan supposed it made sense if the villagers were as defenseless as they seemed. But to simply cower in the face of annihilation and pray it passed them by was distasteful to him. But he wouldn't get these people killed just because he deemed it best. The world had passed him by for what seemed like centuries. He would have to learn much more of it before he could come to a final decision. The armored vampire reached to place his helmet back on and heft his hammer up, offering the villagers a brief nod. "Ordinarily, I would protest. I am not one to sit and wait for the enemy to approach first. But this is your village. If your ways have kept you all alive this long, I would be remiss to suggest otherwise and risk your lives without due cause. In any case, lead on, then. Should they attack, I will aid in your defense. I trust I'll receive no argument in that regard, yes?" Dragan glanced back towards his companions for a moment, taking special notice of the gorebat upon Giselle's head. He paused. It was acting rather strangely, wasn't it? "Is there an issue?" He asked Giselle, curious.</s>

<|message|>Giselle de Farry Giselle de FarryUndead Princess, de Farry --- Giselle simply let the men talk amongst themselves, only pausing to give a perfunctory nod when she was questioned for a confirmation. Some of the other humans in the group seemed fairly paranoid, but she was not going to judge. From what little she had seen of this era so far, paranoia was what kept you alive. Perhaps that meant something as the man she had been talking to was marginally more trusting, but that gave her and her peers an easier job re-integrating into this world. Regardless, it seemed the concern over her announcement had won out, as he rang the alarm. The white-haired vampire opened her mouth to respond to his rather generous offer when one of Akyasha's little gorebats alighted atop her head. She frowned for a moment, given the startled reactions the already paranoid humans gave, but she decided to affect an awkward, reassuring smile, as if this were a silly thing that happened often. At Dragan's prompting, she shook her head, before answering. "Your offer is appreciated, and I'm sure some of my friends will accept your generosity, but it seems one of our companions is still in need of assistance. I will return once I'm assured that everything is safe." Giving the former paladin a shrug, she stepped in the direction of the forest, waiting to see what the creature wanted. She was slightly apprehensive of being split from the group now, but she at least trusted the cleric and her familiars to not get her into too much trouble. "Alright, alright. Let's see what you want now, shall we?"</s>

<|description|>Giselle de Farry 'Sella' ♀ --- Abilities Personality Biography</s> <|message|>Captain Argus Fellborn, the Red Tide Captain Argus Fellborn "The Violet Witch herself, you say? All the cutting words in all the languages of the world cannot sink the flattery, nay, the honor of being returned to undeath by her grace," he assessed, as he looked down upon the vial she had given him. The state of the world, as described by the maid, was a sad thing. This pitiful, broken world was not a place for a pirate. There would be no great trade and treasure fleets to plunder. There would be no infrastructure through which to carry myths of ghost ships far and wide. And even if there were, would such tales frighten someone who grew up in such a dark, broken world? And just how strong would they be? Had this dark new world made humans tougher and more resilient, or were they broken and struggling to survive on the scraps of the old world's rotting carcass? Whatever the state, the tenets of Ichor would guide him. Despite what this maid was suggesting, Captain Fellborn took Ichor's commandments quite seriously in his career as a pirate. "Aye, I accept your terms. Obtain the god-slaying blade, deliver it to you, and be discreet." Argus spoke, before taking the vial and imbibing the blood. He needed his strength back, and he needed his thirst slaked. "Lead the way, lass, but first...do you truly believe my brethren may get in the way?"</s> <|message|>Dragan Meszaros Dragan Meszaros Beastmen? The villagers were simply going to wait them out? Dragan supposed it made sense if the villagers were as defenseless as they seemed. But to simply cower in the face of annihilation and pray it passed them by was distasteful to him. But he wouldn't get these people killed just because he deemed it best. The world had passed him by for what seemed like centuries. He would have to learn much more of it before he could come to a final decision. The armored vampire reached to place his helmet back on and heft his hammer up, offering the villagers a brief nod. "Ordinarily, I would protest. I am not one to sit and wait for the enemy to approach first. But this is your village. If your ways have kept you all alive this long, I would be remiss to suggest otherwise and risk your lives without due cause. In any case, lead on, then. Should they attack, I will aid in your defense. I trust I'll receive no argument in that regard, yes?" Dragan glanced back towards his companions for a moment, taking special notice of the gorebat upon Giselle's head. He paused. It was acting rather strangely, wasn't it? "Is there an issue?" He asked Giselle, curious.</s> <|message|>Giselle de Farry Giselle de FarryUndead Princess, de Farry --- Giselle simply let the men talk amongst themselves, only pausing to give a perfunctory nod when she was questioned for a confirmation. Some of the other humans in the group seemed fairly paranoid, but she was not going to judge. From what little she had seen of this era so far, paranoia was what kept you alive. Perhaps that meant something as the man she had been talking to was marginally more trusting, but that gave her and her peers an easier job re-integrating into this world. Regardless, it seemed the concern over her announcement had won out, as he rang the alarm. The white-haired vampire opened her mouth to respond to his rather generous offer when one of Akyasha's little gorebats alighted atop her head. She frowned for a moment, given the startled reactions the already paranoid humans gave, but she decided to affect an awkward, reassuring smile, as if this were a silly thing that happened often. At Dragan's prompting, she shook her head, before answering. "Your offer is appreciated, and I'm sure some of my friends will accept your generosity, but it seems one of our companions is still in need of assistance. I will return once I'm assured that everything is safe." Giving the former paladin a shrug, she stepped in the direction of the forest, waiting to see what the creature wanted. She was slightly apprehensive of being split from the group now, but she at least trusted the cleric and her familiars to not get her into too much trouble. "Alright, alright. Let's see what you want now, shall we?"</s> <|message|>The Queen Location: Human Village Landshark@Asuras@VitaVitaAR --- "I…wouldn't recommend it." The man replied dourly. "Julene might carry around that blade but she's still no match for the beastmen…" he frowned, shaking his head. "Alright, follow me." He'd glance a little worriedly towards Giselle but wouldn't press the issue as he'd lead Dragan, Luna, and Aleksiya back towards his home. Perhaps, thankfully to the vampire's sensibilities it was one of the well kept war era buildings that had maintained a good bit of its structure, even with the rough repairs made to it. A number of other people had also decided to use it as a shelter but upon entering he'd immediately move to barricade the door and any remaining windows that hadn't been yet. A number of other people would help, pushing heavy metal boxes into place near the doors and tying them securely to the wall near the door. While the windows were covered with metal grates. A number of other residents seemed startled at the sight of the three newcomers, but their pale faces didn't linger on them. They seemed human enough, so they had other worries to think about right now. "Alright…" The man sighed, turning to the newcomers. "Guess I should introduce myself properly, eh? Giles Fillaine At your service." A man with short blond hair, a somewhat dirty vest but clearly he at least tried to make himself look presentable. "I suppose you could call me a bit of the leader here." He'd turn to one of the people, ask briefly about how much food they had in the cellar before turning towards the Vampires. "Normally the beastmen will go away after awhile if they can't find any food." Location: Forest of Beasts This --- The Gorebat chittered, still lightly pulling on Giselle's head like it was pulling on a horse's bridle. She'd pass by a few ruined houses with people clamoring inside at the sounds of the bells, shutting the entrances tightly behind them and what could only be described as the sound of people frantically trying to cover and bar the doors. As she'd come to the treeline, curiously she'd notice the last 'row' of houses or so were completely unoccupied, but she could smell what was clearly something burned coming from within. In fact, a number of the unoccupied houses seemed charred and like they had gone through a terrible fire. A number of barrels were seemingly strategically placed near the doorways or in exposed areas in the houses. More interestingly though, was the beastmen in question. Unlike the sickly creatures of Alavaris, these weren't little more than shambling corpses. In the darkness she could see them approaching the village, some moving at a more relaxed, languid pace. Others, seemingly eager to have potential prey. Their appearance would immediately stand out to Giselle. They, for the most part looked some manner of human. Some had grown horns, elongated hands and claws. Some had grown leathery, wing like flaps on their arms and leathery skin. Some were crawling around on all fours, mouths contorted into a muzzle with antlers growing from atop their heads - were these the same creatures that had been slain near the pillar? Regardless, from what Giselle could tell there were at least a pack of twenty of these creatures…and it was increasingly clear, these weren't simple, mindless beastmen. Well, they were, but Giselle would know almost immediately from both their sight, and her experience with her vampiric brethren. These beasts were the result of vampiric magic twisting humans into beasts and beasts into more human like forms. A bit like when a vampire skilled in summoning took aspects of various animals in order to fight…which meant, there was a good chance something vampire related laid in the forest. The creatures hadn't seen her yet, so she could retreat or get the drop on the animals. Location: Human Village, River --- Before Akyasha could even approach, the woman had already unsheathed her blade and had almost taken off the vampires head in a swift, deadly strike. "...Woman. I don't know you. You're not from the village." The woman didn't lower her blade as Akyasha explained both herself and the undead that were crawling out of the river. "You don't think I don't know about them? Why do you think I'm standing here? Because I like long walks by a corpse covered river?" She'd grumble, the rock Akyasha picked up sailing through the air, hitting one of the waterlogged undead square in the head, knocking it clean off. "Damn it they're-" It was about this time the villages bells were rung. Several melodic, but quick rings. Only a few. Enough to alert the people in the village and hopefully no one else. "The beastmen too!? Guh, well fine. Woman, I don't know who you are but you best leave! I'll deal with you after!" She'd pull a mechanical contraption from her dress. A crossbow! With some sort of…sphere tied to the end of the bolt. She'd pull the trigger, the bolt, sailing through the air and slamming into one of the undead…and immediately exploding in what Akyasha could only figure was some sort of holy, explosive fury that put her on edge. Whatever caused that to explode would be dangerous for even the vampires. "Don't just stand there redhead, move outta the way!" She'd load another bolt into the weapon. "Or if you want to make yourself useful, there's barrels filled with oil placed near the treeline in the abandoned houses! The beastmen loathe fire! I can handle these shambling corpses!" Location: Pirates End Paladin --- "Truthfully, we do not know." The maid replied as Argus downed the blood. It tasted…odd. It was filling and certainly would return strength to him, but normally human blood would taste slightly sweet and a bit warm to a vampire and somewhat pungent. This maids though…cold, and slightly tangy. "But we do not care to find out, thus discretion is desired in this matter. It would not do to come into conflict with the Vampires, especially if one thinks this blade could be used to harm Ichor, for that is not our intent with it." The Maid gripped seemingly thin air, a spear of excellent quality popping into existence with a twirl. After giving it an experimental swing, she turned her head back towards Argus. "For the duration of our relationship," She'd say, nodding. "Cynthia. That is my name. Now, let us get to business Captain Fellborn." The path out of the creaking ship was simple enough. A small ledge that had gone mostly unnoticed on the right side of the ship. Cynthia led Argus down the winding, twisting, rocky path, the baleful wind and seawater battering the shore. It was a wonder with such a furious ocean roiling beneath them the graveyard of ships below had yet to sink. Yet, when they reached the bottom of the cliff Cynthia walked onto the rotten, waterlogged pieces of wood without a care. "We'll have to traverse this graveyard," Cynthia began. "Not for long, mind you, and don't wander off. The things that live further out into the ocean are beyond our current capabilities." It was the tail end of her words, Argus could feel it. There was something here familiar to him, but he couldn't quite place it. Out there, far in the ocean. Something would be calling to him. "And captain? Stay Alert. Your old crew has taken care of itself while you've slept. It seems they've come to greet us." Climbing out of the sea, onto the rotten planks of wood were skeletal remains, infested with seaweeds, debris and refuse from the wrecks around them, brandishing worn swords, axes, and even a few useless waterlogged pistols. Cynthia was quick into combat, running towards the first of the skeletal creatures.</s>

<|message|>Giselle de Farry Giselle de FarryUndead Princess, de Farry --- Despite the man's protestations, Giselle dismissed his concern with a word of appreciation before she followed the tugging gorebat, with some mild annoyance at the way it tugged upon her hair as if it were guiding her like mere cattle. Even if she was without her land and subjects now, she still had the pride of a sovereign princess that had ruled for a thousand years… and that was a treatment that was more than beneath her. She flicked at the small creature with her index finger. "Enough of that. Shoo. Lead me properly." Giselle waited for a few moments for the bat to make its moves before continuing on, examining the state of the village as she passed the houses on the street. Given the danger the era and the beasts clearly presented, it wasn't all too surprising that the rows of buildings and houses on the outskirts of the village bordering the forest were damaged or burned. More curious were the barrels placed in obvious chokepoints or strategic places. She wondered what was held within the barrels; were they just to act as barriers, they would have been augmented with other materials such as overturned tables , for example. Once past the village proper, she found the beastmen in question. And rather curious beastmen these were. They looked suspiciously like the dead creatures that her group had encountered not too much earlier. Upon further examination, it was clear the twenty of them were in fact creations of vampiric origin… which was a rather curious thing, when it came to what else resided in that blackened forest. Would she discover a friend or foe lurking within the dead woods? Whoever they were, Giselle did not have a high opinion of whoever created such monstrosities. In her lands, she would never have tolerated such grotesque twisting of the human form, nor such corruption of wildlife and fauna. Those that created such things outside of her territory she might not have touched, but it was an open secret that she looked down on those that preyed overmuch on humans or engaged in the more intolerable experiments into vampiric magic. Giselle did not have much trouble making the decision to exterminate this group herself. While she still remained quite weak from her recent reawakening, she still remained confident in being able to take this group. Unholstering her revolver, she unloaded six carefully aimed shots into the group. Even in this state, it was child's play to create the illusion that the shots had been fired from the window one of one of the houses in the village. Giving the creatures a moment to respond as such, she emerged from the trees behind them with her new silver sword to fall upon the stragglers before engaging the main body of beasts.</s>

<|description|>Giselle de Farry 'Sella' ♀ --- Abilities Personality Biography</s> <|message|>Captain Argus Fellborn, the Red Tide Captain Argus Fellborn Argus' failure to establish any control over his old crew was rather disheartening. For his magic to have diminished so far that he couldn't even control a single skeleton, it cut him deeper than the incoming sword could hope to. He could have parried or avoided the blow, but the shock of his powerlessness had blindsided him. It was thanks to Cynthia's intervention that prevented him from being wounded, her spear literally disarming the skeleton. Her elaboration of the situation came as a shock- these skeletons were now under someone else's control, someone that Argus couldn't hope to beat in his newly resurrected state. On the other hand, it was something of a relief to know that his magic wasn't entirely useless- just not effective enough to override this unknown adversary's own power. Furthermore, news of this foe gave Argus something else- a motivation. For his very brief existence from his resurrection until this point, he had been letting the current carry him, but now he had a reason to do it, to go along with the Violet Witch's machinations in hopes of the promised reward. However long it would take, he would aspire to regain his strength and rebuild his arsenal, until he had the power to challenge the skeletons' new master. "So they serve another now," he responded to Cynthia, picking up the sword. "Very well. I'll send them all back to the deep!" He thrust his sword into the skeleton's ribcage, and used it as leverage to throw the undead into one of its fellows. He then charged the nearest skeletons still standing, swinging his newly obtained sword with intent to dismember or decapitate. Perhaps he had some twinges of pointless sentiment, but he needed to put them down. Undead minions were all more or less the same, and he could always mend them later, if it was really that important to him.</s> <|message|>Giselle de Farry Giselle de FarryUndead Princess, de Farry --- Giselle internally chided herself the moment the humanoid creatures homed in on her, regardless of the illusion. Of course such creatures might react with different senses. In her haste and pragmatic sense to preserve most of her meagre vampiric energy, she had crafted merely a basic illusion. Had she taken the time to create something more comprehensive, then perhaps she would have remained undiscovered for longer… But that was all water under the bridge. Seeing the creatures quickly react, she immediately met them with her sword, helped on by the gorebat with the vampiric equivalent of a shot of adrenaline as the small creature injected the blood it had been carrying into her body. Invigorated by the boost of energy, she fell onto the humanoid abominations with the paladin's sword, slashing and dicing at them, as it once had against other undead in the hands of the fallen paladin eons prior. Despite its legacy, she had no qualms using such a weapon as a practical tool. In truth, had the paladins merely stuck with culling such creatures, abominations that made a bad name for the rest of the beings that shared a moniker of 'undeath,' she might even have tacitly approved of some of their actions. "I suppose it would seem fit to use such silver as it was truly intended," she mused to herself. With characteristic elegance and grace that had been her brand, the white-haired vampire leapt out of the way of the charging beast, before using the momentum to turn back in towards the creature and stab it in the back with the holy weapon. Pulling the weapon from its burning wounds, she met the next creature with a great slash, giving little quarter as she advanced on the rest while they were still stunned. If the situation didn't change, Giselle intended to destroy them all where they stood with the silver blade.</s> <|message|>Akyasha "My arms are probably weapon enough though?" Akyasha said before dashing towards a zombie, delivering a powerful kick towards it's midsection, launching it at at another nearby one causing them to crash together and crumple toward the ground. She gave a jump towards another, her forearm connecting with that zombie's head in a strong swing mid-air. She could probably manage to kill all these zombies in no time at all, however, she didn't want to startle this human with any of her blood magic. For now, she just needed to hold her strength back a bit and not obliterate the zombies in some simple blows. Still, the blacksmith girl shot another bolt, taunted the zombies and ran off. "If only she'd just give me her sword." Akyasha muttered to herself before shrugging. She turned to look towards the zombies. While not threatening really, she thought on it for a few seconds as one started to close in on her. She gave a sigh before noticing that there were two lined up behind it. One swift kick to the pelvis and the one closing on her would launch towards the two behind it, causing a broken pelvis and three piled up on each other. Then, she followed behind the blacksmith. Well, if there was an abandoned house, there was probably something that could be used as a weapon. A fire poker, ax or even a board from the house. "Does this house have any weapons, miss? If there is, I'm pretty sure the two of us could easily dispatch the lot of these." She asked, wondering if she should be putting on an entertained face or worried.</s> <|message|>Dragan Meszaros Dragan Meszaros Dragan shared a look with both Luna and Aleksiya at the headman's words. While he didn't know either on a personal level before the death of the gods, their reputations gave him enough of a profile for him to make an educated guess. Hopefully, he would be correct. But first, there were other considerations to be had. "I'm surprised you've all held out this long, then. Commendable." Dragan remarked as he shoved the last crate into place. "I suggest you gather up any able-bodied fellows you have, Master Gilles. In the meantime, I need to confer with my associates." Dragan retreated to an empty corner of the room, gesturing for Luna and Aleksiya to join him. When they did, he removed his helmet, speaking in low tones to the two other vampires so that the humans in the room with them wouldn't overhear. "Once we're finished here, I propose we set out into the forest. Both to recover our other companions, and to nip this beastman problem in the bud. Destroyed settlements pose something of a problem for us." He said wryly, choosing his words carefully on the off chance that they were overheard.</s> <|message|>The Queen Location: Human Village Landshark@Asuras@VitaVitaAR --- "...able bodied men?" Giles frowned at the words, taking a look around his living room. No one here was particularly able bodied. Sure, they were living and surviving but…the only truly able bodied one here, in his opinion, was Julene. No one else would dare to take a step outside and fight those creatures. He unconsciously grit his teeth as the three vampires convened, but his thoughts were soon interrupted by a scream. "Giles! Theres-monster-hah-beastmen in the basement tunnels!" A child had run up from the basement, clothes stained in blood, panting heavily. The entire room went silent. "Barricade it." "But-but dad-" "Barricade it. now." The other residents hesitated for only a moment as they'd start trying to find anything to barricade the door to the basement with…and though he had given the order, each vampire present would see Giles just briefly glancing towards the three of them. Location: Forest of Beasts This --- The leaping creature howled, missing Giselle by a hairs breadth, but before it could react again the tarnished silver of the holy blade impaled itself in its back sending the beast into a fit of pain as the wound burned as it was pulled from the wound, causing it to roll around on the ground in pain, howling all the while but it was not quite dead yet. The next creature that was engaging was the one that had retreated into the tree, leaping from it and gliding towards Giselle from above. The slash tore into its gnarled talons, but its momentum carried it forwards still as it made an effort to land on her, its wings trying to wrap around her head. The gorebat, understandably annoyed by this thing attacking her perch, leaped onto the things head, immediately sinking her own fangs into its neck. The thing shrieked, losing its grip as in mere seconds the thing had lost half of its blood. The gorebat saved her from that particular one, but three hounds, and one of the antlered wolf deer things had quickly made their way towards her, one of the hounds going for her ankles while the deer made to charge her, aiming to gore her with its horns. Location: Human Village, River --- Julene could only watch, in mild awe, as Akyasha merely started…brawling with the undead. The skeletal undead being quickly dispatched as any of her bolts would have. She furrowed her brow, watching the scene as the woman made a mess of her plan. The undead were now entirely focused on her. She needed them to - "Oi, what the hell are you?" She'd ask. "There ain't no weapons or anything here you dummy! This is a trap i had set up for those briny bastards." She'd respond with a disapproving grunt. "And no human can just punch something like that. You and I are gonna have questions after this, redhead, or your head is gonna come clean off your shoulders. For now, lass," She'd load up another bolt. "Get your ass outta here before I bow it up with the rest of those undead!" By the door, just inside of it, was a barrel leaking what was ostensibly oil. The rest of the interior of the house was completely empty, nothing but a charred husk as it were. The plan was rather obvious and simple really and anyone could probably put two and two together. Draw the undead and beasts here, then blow them up and watch them burn. Dispatch the rest once the majority had been dealt with. Location: Pirates End Paladin --- The skeletal creature hissed as its ribcage was shattered, being easily tossed into the crowd of quickly growing of those drowned and dead at sea. The others engaged may be undead, but they were still nothing more than skeletal minions. Against a human they may have proven dangerous, but their former captain? His blade easily severed skull from neck, but even so the sheer number that was starting to creep up from the sea was becoming concerning. "Glad to see your skills are still sharp." Likewise, Cynthia was having little trouble dispatching the skeletal creatures. Moving with what can only be supernatural grace she'd use her spear to elegantly dispatch the creatures as though she was merely dancing with them. A low spin, severing legs followed by quickly shoving her heel into one of the creatures jawbones with just as amazing flexibility, somehow, while not once getting a drop of water from the roiling sea below on her. "But I fear fighting all of these is beyond us currently." As if on cue, the water below them began churning more, rocking the platform they were on just as the sodden, rotten planks below them began to creak and grown, as something slammed into it below. "Make a path! Head towards the mast hanging from the far cliffside!" Cynthia shouted. It wouldn't be hard to spot. In the distance, a mast with a tattered sail hanging from it had somehow been impaled into a cliffside some distance to the north. The only path was through more water logged and rotten planks and skeletal creatures that were eagerly convening on the both of them. One, hefting an anchor swung it somewhat clumsily towards Argus, but it was soon followed by two more, one trying to charge with a cutlass to decapitate while the other approached from the side.</s>

<|message|>Giselle de Farry Giselle de FarryUndead Princess, de Farry --- Giselle mused to herself as she leaned to the side, giving just enough space to avoid contact with the creature before she sunk her blade into its flesh. It was quite cathartic, exciting, almost, to have a bit of action like this. Strange, perhaps, when she had preached neutrality from conflict for over a millennia, but those were more geopolitical goals than anything, and her doctrine of peace had always been the variety of being armed so much that sane people wouldn't want to annoy the peaceful peoples that also happened to be armed to the teeth. Not that the Paladins happened to be particularly sane or rational, as much as they or their followers might have preached. Their crusade had been the reason that she had personally picked up a weapon for the first time in an entire age, however. Despite her power then, there had been some growing pains after so much idleness, but she had learned from the experience, even if it had killed her in the end. She had also been reminded of the fact that beating things up was in fact, or had always been, quite enjoyable. Her maids had always said as much. She would have to figure a way to bring back Polina and her sister in the near future. And from her perspective, that experience was mere days ago. Her power might still be much reduced, but she improvised, that re-honed battle instinct making her move as a second beast descended from above. Recognizing danger of its forward momentum, she palmed the ancient ceremonial dagger that she had picked up with her free hand, even as she slashed upwards with her sword. Twisting as it entered past the blade's reach, she tore into its wings with the ceremonial blade, giving a glance of acknowledgement towards Akyasha's gorebat in appreciation for the help… even if it was obviously self-serving. After all, she had told it to get off her head in the first place. Returning the ceremonial weapon to its place, she took this very brief respite to craft ammunition in her revolver, just in time for the gaggle of beasts to reform around her. She immediately fired on the hound charging her, before shifting her body and unceremoniously sending it away with a low roundhouse kick to its side. Giselle used that momentum to spin away from the antlered creature, firing twice into its side once she stabilized.</s>

<|description|>Giselle de Farry 'Sella' ♀ --- Abilities Personality Biography</s> <|message|>Captain Argus Fellborn, the Red Tide Captain Argus Fellborn The day they almost caught Captain Argus Fellborn Cynthia was right, they needed to get out of there. They might be able to fight off the skeletons, but now some variant of sea creature had joined the fray, seemingly assailing the floatsam that they stood on. In his current, weakened state, with only a rusted sword for a weapon, he was not in any position to fight this beast. The skeletons were determined to prevent the duo from reaching safety, however. One of them swung an anchor at the vampire, and two more were coming. Argus didn't bother trying to parry the anchor- it'd just break his sword. Instead, he dodged the clumsy swing, then stepped up close and punched the skeleton in the jaw. When the next skeleton came up, swinging its cutlass at Argus' head, the pirate was ready for this. He shoved the anchor-wielding skeleton in the sword's path and simultanously ducked as to avoid being struck. While crouched down, he took the opportunity to wrest the anchor from the skeletal minion's hands and swing it right into the torsos of the two incoming foes before they could ready another blow. At this point, Argus momentarily considered his next step. He couldn't escape with the anchor, it was too heavy to take along the path of floatsam before him. Part of him wanted to drop the anchor on top of the sea monster currently menacing them, giving it a painful lump to remember him by. The rest of him, however, had a better, more prudent plan. Argus spun around to build up speed and threw the anchor like a hammer in the direction of their escape- if any skeletons were in the path of the nautical device, they wouldn't be there for long. "How's that for a path, Miss Cynthia? Let's go!" He took off in the direction of the mast, sword ready to knock aside any undead that hadn't gotten the message to get out of his way. As he escaped, if any undead in his path happened to possess a pistol, he'd attempt to swipe and holster it- even when running for his un-life, a pirate needed to be opportunistic.</s> <|message|>Akyasha Welp, Akyasha had tried to watch her strength a bit but, well, she was a bit more suspicious now than she was prior. She was becoming increasingly interested in this human blacksmith girl than she was and one might argue that she was betraying the tenets in a way, but these were desperate times. She hoped that she would be able to make this girl into a beloved servant. That said, perhaps she was showing off a small bit too much. The girl called her out a small bit but Akyasha tried to just move the comment aside. "Strong and devout?" She replied to the question of what she was. "I don't mind talking, but I think you're somewhat wrong. Anyone could punch one of these things but I wouldn't recommend it. They're filthy..." Akyasha mentioned as she made some distance after noticing the girl's plan. She would say it was a waste of oil but, well, she had no real way to get these undead creatures to leave easily. Well, she'd go away with this human's plan for now. "Fine, I'll do as you say, miss. Let me know if you need help~" Akyasha said, getting herself into a safe and comfortable place, ready to leap at something if her help was needed.</s> <|message|>Aleksiya Ravennart, also known as Ice Princess Aleksiya, or the Rime-Winged Vermilion Angel The tangy, alluring scent of blood. Unfortunately, it was staining the clothing of a child. He still seemed to be on his feet and breathing, so whatever injury may have been inflicted upon him was minor. Regardless, they was an opportunity for Aleksiya to demonstrate exactly why she was so confident in her capacity to slaughter the beasts that plagued the town. "That's not going to be necessary," she said as she stepped forward. There was truly no need to hold back at this point. It was time to permit these people see at least something of her splendor, "I believe it's time that someone started to put these beasts in their place, don't you?" As she spoke, the very temperature of the air around her dropped, moisture condensing over her shoulder, coalescing into the form of a lengthy spear of ice. Its shimmering form almost seemed to emit a glow all its own, vapor rising from its surface as it drifted just to her right. "A lesson in their place in this world, shall we say," she added with a smirk, as she stepped forward towards the basement. Certainly, she expected her companions to follow, but at the same time she hardly required them to do so. The diminutive vampire was perfectly happy to dole out a punishment on her own. @Psyker Landshark@Asuras</s> <|message|>Dragan Meszaros Dragan Meszaros A breach in the tunnels? Dragan furrowed his brow from beneath his helmet, considering the state of the room they were in. As it stood, the villagers had used too much of their available materials barricading the front already. Any patchwork blockade they'd try to block off the basement door was doomed to fail. "Enough of that." Dragan hefted his hammer up in his hands as he advanced on the entrance to the basement alongside Aleksiya. "Master Giles, we both know there isn't enough left here to secure the other door. We will secure the lower levels." He glanced back towards his two fellow vampires for a moment, considering. Any tunnels below would likely be narrow enough that all three proceeding down would be more of a hindrance than a help in close quarters, and there was still the concern of the front door's barricade breaking down. However, these were his peers, not his armies. They would do as they will, regardless of his wishes. "I will take the van. Do try to watch your range of casting." He said, throwing the door open and proceeding down into the basement. @VitaVitaAR @Asuras</s> <|message|>The Queen Location: Human Village Landshark@Asuras@VitaVitaAR --- "...I knew you three were…different, but this…" The moment Aleksiya formed a spear of ice in her hands, the room collectively grew quiet, aside from the distant sounds of someone fighting outside and the very near howls of beasts below. Some murmured to themselves. Demons. Witches. Monsters. Beasts. It seemed that such an action may have put the already distraught humans on edge a bit. Could they do anything about it? No, not really. "...If you go down there, I'm still barricading the door." Giles replied coolly. "Do what you want, but if so much as one slips up here…I refuse to let them reach us." The man said, stalwartly standing his ground in front of the others. Supposing they didn't say anything to the contrary, Giles would do exactly that, order the rest of the people to use what they could to strap down the door as the vampires who went, slowly descended into the houses' basement. The smell of blood quickly met the two's nose. The basement, while it was likely once a simple storage room or perhaps a small club or rec area in ages past, had been enlarged by what was likely years and years of work. Once wooden walls had been dismantled and the room expanded to allow for more people to comfortably be down here. Many boxes for storage could also be seen here, as could some of those silvery lamps that seemed to hold some sort of off-putting holy light. Many bedrolls and mats had been in the process of being laid out on the wooden floor and several tunnels had been carved, leading elsewhere under the village. Curiously, off to one side there was what was ostensibly some sort of farm growing scraggly, somewhat unappetizing but still edible vegetables in the ground. A large silver lamp had been hung over it like a chandelier. But of course, all of this was likely just background noise to what the vampires were witnessing currently. A large humanoid looking beast with fleshy, weak looking wings was currently feasting on the corpse of a human. Another one, looking some mix of wolf and deer was standing at the start of the soil field, hissing and growling at…a handful of people that were fear stricken, hugging the back wall tightly. The beast didn't seem like it wanted to go further into the field. They could hear more shouts coming down from the only tunnel that extended off, along with the roar of beasts. Location: Forest of Beasts This --- As the gorebat would drain the large creature, it was occupied for the next few seconds of Giselle's fight. It would likely not be getting up again - gorebats could drain a being of blood in mere seconds. The hound charging her would go down, howling in pain as the bullet would lodge itself in its head, though not out completely as it'd follow through, hoping to latch onto her leg but would, in a way that it hadn't quite intended. Giselle's foot slammed into its head, sending it flying away with a sickening crack, breaking whatever bones it had. Thankfully, it didn't after. The momentum would carry her to avoid the creatures main charge, one of her bullets finding its mark but merely seemed to agitate the creature as it'd dig its hooves into the ground, immediately pivoting, using its own momentum to turn itself immediately back around, continuing its charge towards Giselle. This was about the time the first creature had gotten back to its feet, burned, half dead, but still very much a danger. It shrieked, leaping to the side, trying to flan, swiping its claws in long, fast, sweeping motions in an attempt to grab her. The hounds remained an annoyance, aiming to pin her bite her ankles it seemed. Location: Human Village, River --- "There aint nothin' to be devout to!" Julene shouted back as Akyasha would leave through a back door. "Lights, that lady is more suspicious than them 'society' folks…" She'd grumble as she'd make sure a bolt was loaded inside her crossbow. Julene, indeed seem to have this. The shambling undead seemed more than eager to rush towards the singular living being they could see. They'd shuffle and shamble into the old, burned out house. Juele smirked as she'd climb up to a second floor, the old, creaky stairs barely holding her weight. "I almost wish ye freaks were edible." Julene laughed as she'd watch them make a beeline towards her. Instead of waiting around though, she'd leap off an old railing, grabbing a conveniently tied rope as she'd use it to slide to the ground floor once more…and as she did so, she'd fire another bolt at a barrel sitting on the second floor. Immediately, the entire upper floor of the building caught on fire as a holy explosion rocked its upper floor. It'd quickly spread to the bottom floor, too…there was just one problem Akyasha could see from outside, that Julene could not. A gargled, harrowing roar came from not far away. Akyasha could see it - it looked like some sort of large…amalgamation of seaweed, skeletons, and fish parts. One skeletal hand grafted onto a fleshy body covered in fish scales, hunched over and in one hand what appeared to be an old ship cannon while in its skeletal hand was grasped what could only be described as an old ship mast. Its face was smooshed, looking something like a mix between a humanoid and a fish. It made a beeline towards the now burning house just as Juelne was heading for the exit. Location: Pirates End Paladin --- The anchor was launched, hurtling through the air - and through the waterlogged undead. It careened towards the group, and one of the few available paths one could take. Unable to avoid it, the skeletons were crushed under its hefty weight, completely knocked their torsos from their legs as the makeshift weapon would ultimately end up crashing through a waterlogged ship hull before disappearing far beneath the roiling sea. If Cynthia was impressed or thought anything of Argus' show of throwing an anchor about, she didn't show it. It was good timing, if nothing else. The moment he'd clear a path, the creature below slammed into the wooden planks once more, throwing some skeletons off balance and into the briny depths below. Cynthia herself was right behind Argus, using her spear as a polevualt to launch herself over a group of skeletons, landing right next to him and without missing a beat, broke into a sprint. "Watch your step! That thing is getting closer!" She'd shout, cutting through a skeleton that useless tried to fire one of its waterlogged pistols - conveniently allowing Argus to swipe it as his own as the creature would fall, and true as Cynthia had said, another solid thump came from below - almost as if whatever it was under them was testing the waters, trying to keep track of them, perhaps? The thump was quickly followed by one of the platforms under argus and Cynthia being grabbed from below and pulled under water. "Keep moving!" She'd shout - they were about halfway now, towards that fallen mast. As Argus would keep moving, another platform directly under him would be yanked under the water, as more undead would be still chasing and congregating around them. One would attempt throwing a net over Argus, and more would go in with their swords to aim to both decapitate and maim. Cynthia would heft her spear, launching it towards a group - impaling several on it before the spear would impale itself and the skeletal creatures on a nearby mast that was sticking up out of the water. Argus could see just barely a hint of a somewhat smug smile on her lips as she'd run to retrieve it.</s>

<|message|>Giselle de Farry Giselle de FarryUndead Princess, de Farry --- "Persistent little monsters, aren't you?" Giselle declared to herself, even as she wrote off another hound as dead as it landed off to the wayside. The white-haired vampire had a little less luck with dispatching the antlered creature. The shots from her revolver hadn't done in the beast, although considering its size, it was not surprising that the weapon didn't have the stopping power to put it down for good. It was an annoyance, but not something that Giselle couldn't deal with as the creature wheeled itself back towards her. The head-on profile leant itself towards easy shooting, but she held her fire, instead taking advantage of its inability to quite turn on a dime to dodge the creature at the last moment. Deciding to be a little more proactive, she flipped herself upwards, landing and mounting the antlered beast as she took hold of one of its antlers. Coincidentally, it put herself out of harm's way of the apparently not dead enough clawed creature and the other meddlesome hounds… but just in the right position for Giselle to swing down at it once more with her silver blade to hack at. She quickly turned her attention back to the beast she was momentarily riding, though, as it would soon realize what she'd done. Changing her grip slightly, she moved to plunge the blade into the back of its skull to end its thrashing and charging for good.</s>

<|description|>Giselle de Farry 'Sella' ♀ --- Abilities Personality Biography</s> <|message|>Akyasha "There are plenty of things to be devout to, even in the darkest of days." Akyasha mentioned, though she didn't figure that the blacksmith girl had heard. She stood by and watched as the girl had ran into the house and had all of the undead follow her. Akyasha stood back and watched, curious when this entire incident would cease she stared on feeling almost tired. That is, until some creature caught her eye. A behemoth of a half-skeletal fish man of some sort. It looked almost like some weird flesh construct that amused the cleric a small bit. "Haa... And I was just starting to enjoy the thought of almost idle chit-chat me and this girl were going to have." It was heading toward the house that was set to go off in some short time. More specifically, it seemed intent on the blacksmith girl and Akyasha couldn't have that. Oh no. This blacksmith lady was hers. At her fingertip formed an axe from blood magic. "Fine, she didn't tell me to handle this one." With that, the vampire cleric dashed off towards the odd creature, slamming the sharp head of the axe into the thing's leg closest to her. She just needed to break the bone enough so the thing toppled in on itself and if need be, she'd pull the axe out and chop again. That would give her free reign to hack at it as she needed from that point, notably? Remove the cannon from it's hands.</s> <|message|>Captain Argus Fellborn, the Red Tide Captain Argus Fellborn It was clear that this sea monster wasn't fooling around, Argus observed as one of the pieces of floatsam was pulled beneath the waves. Argus pressed onward, wanting to stay ahead of the beast. As they got closer to the mast in the distance, another platform beneath him was pulled under. Fortunately, he still had both his reflexes and sea legs, and was able to avoid losing his balance and falling into the water. Unfortunately, there were more skeletons coming. One of them came at him with a fishing net, intent on immobilizing him. Argus would be impressed with the creativity of it if he weren't the target. He probably could cut his way through the net, but that'd still slow him down, and he couldn't afford even a momentary delay with that monster practically nipping at his heels. But just as a ship could sail against the wind, this could be used to his favor. "Thanks crewmate, I need this," he mockingly spoke as he caught the edge of the net and threw it into the water behind him, hoping it might be able to slow the beast down even for a moment. Just as he began to parry and cut his way through those in his way, Cynthia's spear came hurtling forward, impaling several skeletons as it hurtled into a mast. She's got a bit of a competitive streak, Argus noted as he took advantage of the strike to resume his flight forward. She'd make a poor candidate for a thrall- it'd be a great waste to suppress such a spirited, defiant personality with a surrender of one's will that accompanies enthrallment. Perhaps he was jumping the gun- they still needed to escape these skeletons and this sea monster before he could think about rebuilding his crew.</s> <|message|>The Queen Location: Human Village Landshark@Asuras@VitaVitaAR --- Whether Giles had much to comment on the vampires words, he didn't speak it. He'd merely order the rest of the villagers to do as previously ordered. Quickly they'd clamor to grab anything they could, barricading and sealing off the door to the basement as the vampires made their descent… Dragan was the first to engage, the beast hearing him approach as he'd rush towards it, hammer raised and poised to smash its face in. The creature, quickly turned its head towards the vampire knight in response and with little care for its own wellbeing met Dragan's charge with its own. Dragan's hammer met flesh, slamming the creature's face against his hammer with a sickening crack. Whether through its own momentum or power though, it didn't have the intended effect of smashing him through the ground. Instead, it would carry through, its antlers slamming against his armor as the beasts claws, in a frenzied, gluttonous rage tried to rip and tear at his armor, trying to find anyway to get to the fleshy bits within as it gnashed its teeth and howled. Luna's assault was as elegant as she was, it seemed. The beast, upon feeling the magical restraints on its flesh, chains attempting to bind it, shrieked, looking up from its meal just in time to see the vampire launch her assault upon it. Her sabre slashed its flesh, right near its neck, the blade cleanly cutting through it as blood oozed from its wounds. It struggled against its bonds, arms flailing and shrieking, wrapping its gnarled claws around one of the chains, pulling and wrenching the chain as another cut was delivered to its head, right through its eye. Finally, with a hiss and a loud shriek, it managed to break the chains, flapping its weak wings and leaping into the…well, it tried, only to bang its head against the ceiling, and then promptly fall upon Luna, still aiming to claw and otherwise injure her in a somewhat admittedly unconventional manner. From further down the hallway, the shouts of more humans, cut short. They likely weren't going to be able to save many unless they hurried. There didn't seem to be an obvious way that the beasts had gotten in down here. Location: Forest of Beasts This --- Landing on the beast, it struggled, throwing its head and bucking its body as it'd slow to a halt, trying to throw the vampire off as she'd plunge the silver blade into the creatures arm as it made an attempt to grab her, earning another pained shriek as it'd recoil, but still not down as it'd clutch the injured arm, giving her just enough time to plunge the blade into the skull of the antlered beast, having a near immediate effected as it bucked and tried to remove the pest from its back coming to a near complete halt and almost throwing her off - and it would have, had it not been for the first creature that had finally managed to grab her. She'd feel pain in her stomach, the beasts claws having impaled her as it'd pull her from the beast, slamming her into the ground where it'd pull its claw from her stomach, proceeding to try and maul her. Location: Human Village, Riverside --- Akyasha engaged the beast, bloody axe sinking into the creatures knee as it hadn't even seen or acknowledged her presence up until it was too late to avoid it. The beast howled, gurgling as it'd immediately tur blood oozing from the wound but the cut was far to shallow to reach bone, cutting through what seemed to be nothing but fat, making the beast more agitated then anything. Immediately, it'd turn, making a wide sweep with the ship mast in its arm in an attempt to slam it into the vampire nun. Inside, Julene made it back down to the first floor, the building quickly lighting up with fire, but the undead were not so easily deterred. Not caring for their own unlife, and still burning they'd leap from the upper floor, trying to accost and drag her down with them, while the ones on the stairs and lower floor still made their way towards her. "Tch, just die already." She'd growl, managing to block a strike from one of the undead creatures, shoving it back into a wall that was on fire. She had to get out of here before the other barrels ignited - but the things were being awfully persistent in slowing down her escape from this place. Location: Pirates End Paladin --- Perhaps, Argus better be glad even considering making a servant of the Violet Witch a thrall was not considered some form of treason. "Not far now captain!" Cynthia called back, retrieving her spear from the wood that it had found itself resting in as argus tossed the net into the water nearby…whether or not it had some effect for the moment. More skeletal undead would pull themselves from the water around them, earning an annoyed growl from Cynthia as she'd quickly engage, slicing through more and leaping through an open hole on the ships hull that she had pulled her spear from. "This way! Hurry! That thing-!" Too late. Whatever it was, slammed its bulk into the ship hull, cracking its weakened frame, splintering it and sending it sinking into the waves, Cynthia disappearing further within. In the same instance, the platform under Argus was slammed into with enough force to completely shatter his already unstable footing! He'd need to act fast unless he'd want to find himself swimming with the undead and whatever creature that was.</s> <|message|>Dragan Meszaros Dragan Meszaros The beast was more durable than he'd expected. Even factoring momentum into play, Dragan's strike should have done more damage to its cranium than this. Enough to disable or disorient it, at least. Or perhaps the beastman just wasn't cognizant of pain. Either way, he didn't have time to waste with this one any further. The sound of screams down the hall told him as much. As the beastman began to claw and tear at his armor, Dragan took one hand off the haft of his hammer and gripped the creature by the throat, bodily lifting it up with one hand. A sickly green glow started to emanate from his gauntlet, and the Death Knight's necrotic magics began to slough the beast's skin off its bones, rotting its flesh away. Moments later, the process was complete, and Dragan released his new skeleton minion down to the ground, where it obediently fell in line at his side. With that done, the armored vampire turned his helmet's gaze towards the cowering humans off to the side. "Flee upstairs! Your headman is ordering the door barricaded! Let him know of our progress, we will go to aid the rest." He commanded before tearing off at a sprint towards the other set of screams, his skeleton matching his pace.</s> <|message|>Captain Argus Fellborn, the Red Tide Captain Argus Fellborn "Cynthia!" Argus lost his footing as the unseen leviathan destroyed the wreck. He did not want to take his chances in the water with that monster swimming around- he needed to stay on the platforms. As he fell, he managed to guide his fall forward, and stabbed his sword into the nearest wooden wreckage. Using the sword as a handhold, he scurried up onto the floatsam, not wanting to present any part of him as a target for that monster. Judging by the way it was ramming the wreckage to try to force them into the water, Argus guessed it was either a whale or a shark. With how it was completely ignoring the skeletons in the water, it was probably under the control of their master. Most importantly, did it have blood? If it weren't for that monster lurking down there, Argus would use this debris as a makeshift raft. But with that thing actively hunting them, he didn't want to stay in one place too long. There wasn't much in terms of footing, but he might be able to move across the debris field if he moved quickly enough. The pirate attempted to make his way towards where he last saw Cynthia, jumping from platform to platform like a frog on lily pads. He'd strike at any skeletons that might be in his way, but he couldn't afford to fight them- he'd have to settle for unbalancing them or knocking them into the water. He was hopeful that Cynthia had survived that attack. After all, if something happened to her, he might not get paid.</s> <|message|>Akyasha That house was filled with barrels that were primed to explode any moment now right? Well, this fleshy mass was the most frustrating part of fighting this creature for the moment. It would be quite easy to break this creature apart once that fleshiness was gone. With this in mind, Akyasha jump up on the mast as the creature swung it at her. From there, she used it as a jumping point to slam her axe into the creature's face, bracing herself on it's shoulder and trying to force it back toward the building that was soon going to explode and seeing what damage she could do to it with one more heft back of her before slamming the sharp end back into its face. Looking over toward the blacksmith girl, Akyasha would notice she was having a bit of trouble with the local undead population despite saying she had things under control earlier. She gave out a whistle, calling out to the Gorebat that lead her here. It should have still been around as she didn't order it away. "Help the girl out and ensure you both get out of that explosion unscathed, try not to get noticed but so be if so." She ordered the creature. At this point, she had somewhat revealed her hand, or it was going to be revealed regardless. She planned to make this girl a thrall so goodwill never hurt to have.</s>

<|message|>Giselle de Farry Giselle de FarryUndead Princess, de Farry --- In hindsight, Giselle thought, perhaps she should have waited until her powers were significantly restored until she started trying out the high risk maneuvers. All in all, it was still a fairly good move as she'd put down the bucking antlered beast, but she'd been slightly remiss in managing it before it died, as she wasn't able to simultaneously finish off the creature from earlier… which came right back to bite her in the back, figuratively. She winced as the beast made contact with her, piercing into her pale flesh and tearing into her delicate black dress, revealing much of her stomach as she immediately pulled back to avoid a follow-up blow from the foul monster. With a grimace, she repositioned; the injury was very minor in the grand scheme of things, but beasts such as these tended to always smell blood in the water. As she did so, she fired twice more at it with her firearm before closing the distance again, this time on her terms as she thrust out her sword again to stab it, before moving to finish it off with another downwards blow. Unfortunate about the dress, but she could easily fix it after the little skirmish.</s>

<|description|>Giselle de Farry 'Sella' ♀ --- Abilities Personality Biography</s> <|message|>Aleksiya Ravennart, also known as Ice Princess Aleksiya, or the Rime-Winged Vermilion Angel The humans were frightened. Not just of the beasts, but of their saviors as well. Aleksiya sighed heavily, her small shoulders sagging. She supposed that she couldn't entirely blame them, given they'd likely never seen anything like this before. Still, she was far more suited to praise then fear, even if being feared as still entertaining. "If you make your way back up the tunnel, your people are waiting for you," she said, addressing the villagers for a moment, "Please do hurry, I'm sure there are many who would be glad to see you safe." She gave a smile to the youngest of them, though she was sure their eyes were hidden. She enjoyed holding sway over others, certainly, but the moment called for a gentler touch. With that, the diminutive vampire proceeded down the tunnel after her allies. Beasts. Gruesome, unpleasant, murderous beasts. Vile, stinking, uncouth monsters. From where did they come from? Ideally, they would discover that soon enough and be able to strike a far greater blow then this against the filthy creatures. For the moment... The sight of the dead villagers was dismaying, but at least Dragan offered them a chance at posthumous revenge. "There's far too much garbage here, isn't there?" she commented idly, as the temperature of the air around her dropped, a cold mist forming seemingly spontaneously as she directed her power. Several spheres of ice formed, their shapes perfectly circular, each as big as a grown man's fist. When they were finished, there were four in total. The beasts wouldn't be able to see this coming, not when they were so distracted. Smirking, her tongue protruding from her lips in a playful fashion, the small blonde girl pointed as the balls of ice suddenly began to spin rapidly in place, so swiftly that their surfaces became a blur of blue-white. Then they were unleashed, ripping through the air so swiftly they could barely be seen, targeting heads and torsos of the nearest of their abominable foes. @Psyker Landshark@Asuras</s> <|message|>Giselle de Farry Giselle de FarryUndead Princess, de Farry --- Thankfully, with some more application of violence, the injured beast stayed down. Still, whoever had created the abominable creatures had certainly known what they were doing, even after all this time. Once this entire episode was over, she would have to convene with the other vampire lords to deal with whoever or whatever was behind the creation of these beasts. Normally, she would have dealt with this herself –or via her subordinates—but clearly that would not be viable at this junction. With a brief gesture, she made to repair her ripped dress, the fabric quickly rebuilding itself with thin strings of her blood before reforming into proper thread, closing up the damaged garment as if it had never been ripped in the first place. She knelt down to examine the corpses in closer detail, but not without a tinge of annoyance as she directed another flick towards the gorebat that had now returned atop her head and was making a right mess of it. Well, it had helped her some in the battle, so she wouldn't do much more than flick at it. She would tolerate it… for now. Giselle's after-action inspection was interrupted, however, by an explosion in the direction of the river. Hadn't that been in the direction that Akyasha had headed when they split up? She certainly didn't remember pyrotechnics being in her skillset. Frowning, she stood up, and after a moment's thought, decided to render the cleric some aid. The scene that she came upon was no less chaotic that the sounds of explosion had implied. It reminded her of the all too vivid scenes of the end of the Era, with a building rapidly aflame, agents of terror and undead on the streets –although this time the undead were hardly on the side of the vampire cause. More importantly, there was some particularly monstrous undead creature locked in combat with the red-haired cleric… armed with a cannon. Giselle would normally have dismissed it as harmless, but she too could feel the magic potential of the weapon. Without hesitating, she broke out her firearm once more –now fully reloaded—and with six sharp reports, emptied the entirety of the revolver's chambers into the creature even as she closed the distance, switching the revolver for her silver sword as she watched Akyasha maneuver around it. She flicked the gorebat once more, nonverbally urging it to go help its mistress. Once the immediate danger was over, though, she turned to the cleric. "What's going on here? Anybody in the building?" Depending on her answer, she'd move next to enter the building, too.</s> <|message|>The Queen Location: Human Village Landshark@Asuras@VitaVitaAR --- "I-I uh…w-well yes okay…! T-thank you!" Being spoken to at least, seemed to help the villagers regain their senses if only a little. The child with them couldn't help but to look back at Aleksiya as she was swiftly pulled away by what was presumably her parents as the vampires disappeared further into the tunnels, the sounds of the vampires swift assault soon echoing through the cavern system… Dragan's hammer tore into the undead attempting to breach a barricaded house, smashing the skull of an antlered beast and sending it to the ground. Retaliation was slow, as it'd attempt scrambling back to its feet, only to them have the undead beast slam into the crowd from the side again, completely clearing them from the barricade and scattering them in the confusion. The undead beast tore into the other creatures, biting, clawing, ripping and tearing. A particularly large beast lunged towards Dragan, attempting to knock him over with its size. Aleksiya wasn't far behind. Dragan's magic worked to resurrect the fallen villagers as zombies, the beasts that had been feasting on them were in quite for the nasty surprise as the corpses began clawing and biting, ripping and tearing back. It was a gruesome, macabre sight as the beasts still in a feeding frenzy continued trying to eat and devour the corpses while the zombies themselves did much the same. It was perhaps, a fairly ingenious strategy. Though it'd take quite a lot of focus to raise so much, the beasts, if they did happen to kill one only lessened the burden after quite a fight leaving Dragan able to focus more on his own battle. The zombies, though, at least had Aleksiya's magic to hinder the beasts too. Unseen bullets of ice pierced numerous beasts hide and heads, if not killing them outright, making them easy pickings for the zombies. Now that they were in the area proper, they could see something perhaps a bit odd and out of place. One of the houses looked as though it had a wooden barricade or door or some such, ripped off from the inside. Location: Human Village, Riverside @Click This --- The creature's cannon did not need much charge time it seemed. Only a mere few seconds. As a small orb of light appeared at the end of the canon, Akyasha managed to move out of the way, quickly stepping…and having a bit of help from an unlikely ally. Six shots rang out, all slamming into the undead fishman, throwing its aim off balance. The canon fired in the same instance Akyasha's weapon met its face once more. It tried to grab her, but it was too late as it fell back to the ground. A blast of highly dense magical energy launched off into the air as it fell to the ground, it soon exploding into the sky somewhere above. The beast didn't move again. The gorebat atop Giselle's head chittered grumpily before flicking its ears towards the house and hissing… Inside the burning building, Julene deflected another blow, but the smoke was growing thicker and the flames had completely engulfed the building now. A swing of her blade, managing to crack open the skull of a nearby undead. And there was the sound of wings flapping, and a small chitter. "...A beast!" Julene quickly turned, brandishing her blade and aiming to attack whatever it was…only to have the Gorebat latch right onto her face and chitter a bit irritably. "What…the blazes are you!?" She'd shout, grabbing the thing and pulling it off her face before roughly throwing it to the ground. "Tch, some new beastie crawled out of the woodworks…didn't that weird lady…bah, whatever." The gorebat hissed in pain as it slammed into the floor. Oh it didn't like this human. It was going to complain to Akyasha about this. Julene made to leave, but something heavy fell to the ground outside, and the ensuing shockwave rattled the building, collapsing the front door of the building. "Geh, just my luck!" Location: Pirates End Paladin --- Cynthia hesitated for only a moment, briefly glancing back to the figure looming over the both of them. It truly was gargantuan in size, water draining from the shoreline as though an oncoming tsunami was rushing towards the land as it rose higher and higher into the darkened sky. Ancient shipwrecks clinging to the water as though it was using them for makeshift armor. She'd pry the wooden shrapnel from her shoulder, the wound miraculously closing in seconds as she'd use her free hand to grab hold of the bowspirit. "Captain Fellborn, on my mark, swing this bowspirit around and hurl it towards the beast and infuse as much of whatever spell you want into it as you can!" Cynthia shouted, deftly pulling herself up onto the bowspirit, running atop it as an expert tightrope walker may. From the depths of the watery visage, a single, vertical eye opened, dwarfing even a ship in size. A single melodic, sing-song voice was heard. What could only be another part of the beasts body began rising from the sea next to it. "Now Fellborn!"</s> <|message|>Dragan Meszaros Dragan Meszaros The presence of ice around the battlefield reassured Dragan that at least Aleksiya was still present. Raising so many zombies at once while he was still weak drained him significantly, but there was strength yet to match these beasts in combat. Dragan leapt out of the way of the beast lunging at him, drawing his hammer back as he did so. Upon touching back onto the ground, the Death Knight dashed forward, bringing his hammer down onto the large beastman's skull to crush it to pieces. Between Dragan's zombies and Aleksiya's ice, the battle in the outer chamber began to wind down. Dragan's skeleton was brought low by what remained of the horde, only for them all to be summarily crushed by the vampire lord shortly after. With the immediate threats taken care of, he spied the torn open door and hurried towards it. "Damnation." Dragan murmured before calling out to his companions. "With me! I fear this may not be over yet. What minions I've remaining will be enough to warn us should more appear out here."</s> <|message|>Akyasha As Akyasha miraculously dodged the cannon blast, she heard and saw the impact from gunnery. A feat that could only truly be achieved in this area by Giselle. The creature, from the last hit and the gunfire, did not attempt to stand from it's fall. Akyasha sighed lightly as she heard the inside of the shack start to crumble and some part collapsed. It was on fire and the crash left her feeling ill at ease. Giselle was around and in fact, she came up to her from somewhere. "Giselle. A human girl. Smart though..." The cleric went silent for some seconds before looking over the building before then nodding for Giselle to follow. She lead her vampire sister over to a small hole she spyed in the wall, peering inside. "Girl. Batty?" It was easy enough to notice them as she saw the two trying to check where the door had been! "Over here Girl, Batty!" The cleric said, swinging her blood-axe at the hole to make a bit more space so an adult could just run out. Not enough to make the structure unstable though. "Hurry up you two! We gotta get clear!" She was worried that beast was going to stand again, soon.</s>

<|message|>Giselle de Farry Giselle de FarryUndead Princess, de Farry --- Thankfully, her intervention was timely, even if the cleric might not have needed it. Giselle was satisfied with her handiwork regardless, though the question of what exactly had happened here remained. Ghouls, beasts, and other forest creatures, even of the undead variety didn't tend to cause what looked like gas explosions in buildings, after all. The vampire princess studied the building for a brief moment with a critical eye; she had been, after all, renowned for her architectural creations. It didn't take that much skill to assess that this particular building –or shack, really—wasn't going to last much longer… oh, there went part of the exterior façade. "Right." Giselle raised an eyebrow at Akyasha's response once she finally made her way to her. She was surprised the building was still inhabited, or that the human inside was still alive, but considering they were all here to make allies in one way or another, she didn't hesitate to follow. She peeked in too, confirming the presence of what looked like a blacksmith girl… and lots of flame. As Akyasha hacked at the building's wall, she took another critical eye at the building –including carefully fully peaking her head in through the hole for the briefest of moments-- before helping in her own way. Using her blood creation skills, she shored up the building's weakest point with a blood-crafted brace so that it might last perhaps a moment longer. Simultaneously, she conjured up a crowbar of the same –hacking at the wall with a silver sword would do no good, after all—aiding the cleric in opening up a proper path for the human still inside.</s>

<|description|>Giselle de Farry 'Sella' ♀ --- Abilities Personality Biography</s> <|message|>Dragan Meszaros Dragan Meszaros The presence of ice around the battlefield reassured Dragan that at least Aleksiya was still present. Raising so many zombies at once while he was still weak drained him significantly, but there was strength yet to match these beasts in combat. Dragan leapt out of the way of the beast lunging at him, drawing his hammer back as he did so. Upon touching back onto the ground, the Death Knight dashed forward, bringing his hammer down onto the large beastman's skull to crush it to pieces. Between Dragan's zombies and Aleksiya's ice, the battle in the outer chamber began to wind down. Dragan's skeleton was brought low by what remained of the horde, only for them all to be summarily crushed by the vampire lord shortly after. With the immediate threats taken care of, he spied the torn open door and hurried towards it. "Damnation." Dragan murmured before calling out to his companions. "With me! I fear this may not be over yet. What minions I've remaining will be enough to warn us should more appear out here."</s> <|message|>Akyasha As Akyasha miraculously dodged the cannon blast, she heard and saw the impact from gunnery. A feat that could only truly be achieved in this area by Giselle. The creature, from the last hit and the gunfire, did not attempt to stand from it's fall. Akyasha sighed lightly as she heard the inside of the shack start to crumble and some part collapsed. It was on fire and the crash left her feeling ill at ease. Giselle was around and in fact, she came up to her from somewhere. "Giselle. A human girl. Smart though..." The cleric went silent for some seconds before looking over the building before then nodding for Giselle to follow. She lead her vampire sister over to a small hole she spyed in the wall, peering inside. "Girl. Batty?" It was easy enough to notice them as she saw the two trying to check where the door had been! "Over here Girl, Batty!" The cleric said, swinging her blood-axe at the hole to make a bit more space so an adult could just run out. Not enough to make the structure unstable though. "Hurry up you two! We gotta get clear!" She was worried that beast was going to stand again, soon.</s> <|message|>Giselle de Farry Giselle de FarryUndead Princess, de Farry --- Thankfully, her intervention was timely, even if the cleric might not have needed it. Giselle was satisfied with her handiwork regardless, though the question of what exactly had happened here remained. Ghouls, beasts, and other forest creatures, even of the undead variety didn't tend to cause what looked like gas explosions in buildings, after all. The vampire princess studied the building for a brief moment with a critical eye; she had been, after all, renowned for her architectural creations. It didn't take that much skill to assess that this particular building –or shack, really—wasn't going to last much longer… oh, there went part of the exterior façade. "Right." Giselle raised an eyebrow at Akyasha's response once she finally made her way to her. She was surprised the building was still inhabited, or that the human inside was still alive, but considering they were all here to make allies in one way or another, she didn't hesitate to follow. She peeked in too, confirming the presence of what looked like a blacksmith girl… and lots of flame. As Akyasha hacked at the building's wall, she took another critical eye at the building –including carefully fully peaking her head in through the hole for the briefest of moments-- before helping in her own way. Using her blood creation skills, she shored up the building's weakest point with a blood-crafted brace so that it might last perhaps a moment longer. Simultaneously, she conjured up a crowbar of the same –hacking at the wall with a silver sword would do no good, after all—aiding the cleric in opening up a proper path for the human still inside.</s> <|message|>Captain Argus Fellborn, the Red Tide Captain Argus Fellborn This was not the first time that Argus battled a sea monster. But without a proper polearm, without cannons and a crew to man them, and without his full strength, this wouldn't be like before. He had only one ally, and his only tools were a rusty cutlass, a soaked pistol, a wooden spar, and his magic. Perhaps, however, that might be enough. Upon hearing Cynthia's plan, the vampire complied- he wasn't much for taking orders, but he had no hang-ups with going along with another's quick thinking when the situation got dire. In fact, the only proper answer to Cynthia's request was to give her some quick thinking of his own. Argus channeled his blood magic, causing a red trail of fluid to pour from within his sleeve, along his glove, onto his end of the spar, embedding itself into the wood. He had to be careful not to give up too much of the red substance, lest he find himself measurably weakened. With his other hand, he drew and fully cocked his pistol. The weapon was quite useless as a firearm in its current state, but all he needed was for the flint-and-steel mechanism to work. The monster was rising up, he needed to be ready... Argus moved his bloodied hand down the shaft, smearing a red trail. Then, without hesitation, he positioned the pistol to the trail, intending to ignite the magically altered blood with the sparks. Fire was the enemy of blood magic, weakening and destabilizing it. Unlike some vampires who might have seen this as a weakness, Argus exploited this property, imbuing it with energy to be released in a self-sustaining reaction when destabilized by fire. Whether or not the blood began to ignite and move its way towards the crimson tip, at the spearmaiden's command, Argus spun the spar around so that the bloodied end faced the monster and tossed it like a massive harpoon.</s> <|message|>Aleksiya Ravennart, also known as Ice Princess Aleksiya, or the Rime-Winged Vermilion Angel A final shower of needle-like ice materialized in the air before being scattered downwards. Any beasts that were still twitching were pierced dozens of times over by the shards, which promptly shattered on embedding themselves in their bodies. It was insurance, to guarantee the creatures were dead, and their vile feast ended. Humans were far more useful when kept alive, and blood far more flavorful when given willingly. ... Or perhaps when taken from one who was deservedly terrified. Regardless, monsters who devoured humans like this were wholly incompatible with the Rime-Winged Vermilion Angel, even before their beastly habits entered into it. A perfectly civilized creature that murdered and consumed uncontrollably would still remain her enemy. And filth like that didn't need to be getting up and walking around again. However that was far from the end of it, even if the beasts themselves were decidedly dead or incapable of moving. Wrinkling her nose at their unpleasant odor, Aleksiya approached the damaged door with a frown adorning her youthful features. The small vampire didn't much like what she saw. It wasn't just that the barricades had been torn away. That would have been dismaying, but not unsurprising. No, the fact that they had been torn away from the inside was the main point of concern. "... Strange, isn't it?" she commented, "That the damage to the barricades on this door came from inside the house." Whatever the implications may be were not completely clear to the diminutive lady, but she didn't like them regardless, a crystalline ice spear forming over her right shoulder, vapor pouring from its glasslike form as she approached the damaged doorway. Naturally, there was no choice but to peak inside. @Psyker Landshark@Asuras</s> <|message|>The Queen Location: Human Village Landshark@Asuras@VitaVitaAR --- Running into the building that had the door violently ripped open from the inside - it became clear this wasn't just your average building. Bookshelves lined the walls, and a number of instruments of alchemical and scientific nature had been scattered on the floor. Ripped pages from books. Medical diagrams that showed of all things, what seemed to be dissected beasts. Aleksiya, peeking inside and following just behind Dragan would notice a bit more than he would have. A few pages referencing the source of these creatures. Something about humans and beasts both being warped by something further in the forest - possibly a vampire being the cause of it. More, was research about various notable vampire lords, but the pages were ruined, caked with blood and torn in some areas. The only notable thing she could make out 'The forest is likely where one fell, but who, I can't say.' Dragan, rushing in and heading further back, would see a second room full of cages. All had been opened, some smashed open…but in some were carcasses of beasts from above, but he wouldn't be able to observe the room for much longer. In the room was a large, beastly looking creature pinned to the floor. Thick, heavy chains were keeping it locked down, stakes drove into its claws and arms in several places were keeping its arms locked to the ground, with similar treatment for its legs. Its head had a large, thick shackled collar around its neck. Part of its back had been surgically tore open, revealing its bone structure as well as its beating heart and other still functioning organs. A blindfold over its eyes, a nose that had been stitched shut, ears plugged with spikes, mouth muzzled and gagged. It hadn't noticed him yet, but no doubt it would notice him if he got closer. Behind it, off to the side seemed to be a small ladder leading upwards to the surface. A hole had been dug, quite recently. Well, they had found the source of the beasts. Location: Human Village, Riverside @Click This --- "Damn it, the only other door…" Well, she had boarded it up. Didn't want anyone else escaping. A perhaps reckless and short sighted decision in the end. Had she been over confident? Julene's expression softened only somewhat as the smoke became thicker, the crackling of fire filling her ears. Well…perhaps this was fitting in the end. "What's the matter, creature?" She'd say to the gorebat as it'd chitter in an annoyed fashion. "Shoo or you'll get burned, too-ah?" The bat forcefully grabbed her head, turning it in the direction that Akyasha and Giselle were attempting to pry open a hole in the weakened, thin walls of the building. "...tch, that lady is crazy." Still, if it was a way out of this alive, then she'd take it. Normally the bolt would probably be too weak to blow a hole in the wall, but if nothing else, it could help. Her head was starting to get dizzy from the smoke inhalation anyways. "Ack-ngh-cough-Move you-cough-!" She aimed the bolt, and loosed it towards the wall. Another explosion. The wall split open, with thankfully Giselles' reinforcement holding the rest of the wall and building around Julene up just enough for the blow not to bring down the rest of the building down around her. And a hole, just big enough for Julene to be pulled through. The human fell forwards, crawling on the ground as she'd move towards the hole, the gorebat tugging on her sleeve as she'd soon manage to get through the opening. "...you…are a crazy woman…but thanks…" Julene sputtered out, needing help standing currently. She was covered in mostly superficial wounds. A few light cuts and scrapes, a few burns and was singed in a few places but she was otherwise mostly fine. Location: Pirates End Paladin --- Ignition. Flame. It would leave the captain feeling a bit weakened, but it'd be enough. Fire alighted on the large, makeshift harpoon. It was incomparable in size to the creature that was gazing at them with a heavy, imperious gaze, but it was the only weapon they had for now. As it sailed through the air, Cynthia pulled herself up next to Fellborn. And slowly, she'd lower just one side of her blindfold, revealing beneath a single eye the color of clearest blue. It lacked any pupil, iris - it was just a completely, blue sphere in her eye socket - but it was only the briefest of glances for the captain, for just as quickly as she had revealed it, she'd recoil in pain, clutching the side of her head. Whatever she had done, if anything, was not something Argus could see. All he'd see was the result. As the titanic creature rose its tendril from the sea in order to crush them, the bowspirit slammed into the watery wall that served as its armor, but it did not stop. It pierced through the armor, and right through to what was presumably the beasts flesh. An explosion rocked the beast, sending it swaying to the side, and sending its tendril sinking back into the water as the beast itself closed its eye, a sing-song like voice shuddering with what seemed like pain and annoyance. "Nngh…I hate to ask this but…land…carry me…" He'd feel Cynthia's hand on his wrist. "While its stunned. Can't hurt us there…"</s>

<|message|>Giselle de Farry Giselle de FarryUndead Princess, de Farry --- As mundane as the combined rescue attempts of two vampire lords were, it was not a surprise that the human rescue attempt was a success, even if it was a very close thing. The moment Julene crossed the makeshift threshold, Giselle tossed her crowbar aside, dematerializing back into a mist of blood before she grabbed her outstretched arm and pulled her away from the burning building before it could collapse on top of them all. Once they'd cleared the danger zone and were out in a proper open space, she paused and reached out a hand to help the singed blacksmith girl stand. She looked superficially fine except for some scrapes, but she knew that any human that had breathed in that much smoke would likely be winded for days afterwards or internally injured. She wouldn't fault her if she couldn't stand, but if the village had a healer, she would recommend her to see them. Still, she had been impressed. Had she used explosives to help take down that wall? It explained the fire, but she was surprised that knowledge of the complex chemical formulae for such things persisted to this day. Even if it did, it would still be rare for somebody to grasp making such things well. She gave Julene a thoughtful expression for a moment before speaking. "You're very welcome," Giselle responded, despite the human having addressed those words to the cleric rather than herself. "If you can walk, we should head back towards the village proper. I believe we have taken care of all the creatures we've encountered thus far, so we should check in on the others."</s>

<|description|>Giselle de Farry 'Sella' ♀ --- Abilities Personality Biography</s> <|message|>Captain Argus Fellborn, the Red Tide Captain Argus Fellborn It worked. The pistol's firing mechanism, Argus' blood magic, and Cynthia's plan, all had managed to come through and temporarily stun that sea monster. And while Argus wasn't exactly sure what Cynthia did when she revealed her eye, he was pretty sure she did something. It was aimed at him- perhaps it was some sort of empowerment? Regardless, they had found success, and as long as they didn't push their luck, the duo should be able to make it to shore and out of that creature's reach. Cynthia wasn't doing too well, however. Whatever she did had weakened and pained her, and now she was asking the pirate captain to carry her to safety. "Very well, lass," Argus answered with a sigh, before picking up the girl. "You angled me out of the depths, after all. Besides, there's naught but dead men to tell this tale." With Cynthia in his arms, he ran across the wreckage and leapt towards the shore. What a sight- the dreaded Red Tide, risking his own escape to rescue someone else, then carrying them to safety. Even if there was a practical reason for ensuring Cynthia's survival, perhaps losing his thralls had stung the pirate even more deeply than he believed.</s> <|message|>Akyasha Akyasha stepped aside as Julene loosed her bolt at the wall, helping open up a hole big enough for the human get pulled through. Giselle made sure the human was going to make it out of the fire so Akyasha scooped up her Gorebat with one hand. A small bit of consideration of the situation and all the dangerous entities nearby, Akyasha decided it was best to keep her axe at the ready as they reeled back from the burning house. Once at a safe distance, Giselle examined the human's condition. She'd life fine enough. "If I'm a crazy woman, what's that say about the girl that did that?" The cleric teased, pointing at the house. After she relaxed her body a small bit, she remembered that she had just been beaten and bruised and all the aches hit her once more. Her axe dropped from her hand and disappeared into a mist before it even hit the ground. "Well, you're not the only one not feeling at peak performance, miss." Akyasha groaned as she thought about every little bit that was broken or something of the sort. "Speaking of, I am appreciative of your timely intervention, Giselle. I don't think I could have taken that blast directly." Akyasha mentioned with a smile, "But yes, let's head to the village." Akyasha would be able to set her broken bones and heal once they got a moment to rest.</s> <|message|>Aleksiya Ravennart, also known as Ice Princess Aleksiya, or the Rime-Winged Vermilion Angel So this was the source of the beasts. The location where they had found their entry. It certainly possessed a different feel then the rest of the human town, and the bloodstains indicated that the humans here had been torn apart quite swiftly. Or perhaps that there was more then mere notes being taken in this place. The scent of blood and beasts from deeper inside, towards the room Dragan had entered, perhaps implied the latter possibility. Given her fellow Lord had chosen to head deeper inside, Aleksiya took it upon herself to instead investigate the scattered notes. "Meddling in such things... no wonder they brought pain upon their people," she complained with a sigh, "Idiots." The other people in the village weren't to blame, of course, but whoever was in charge of this place certainly was. But they'd seemingly reaped their harvest already. Far more curious was the contents of the notes themselves. Humans and beasts alike, warped by something deeper in the forest? The fact that whoever had penned the notes concluded a vampire was responsible? The place where one fell... A smirk crossed the diminutive vampire's lips. "Ah, perfect timing," she declared when her fellow lord returned, "I'd gathered as much, to be honest. Whatever idiot was in charge here succeeded only in bringing about their own deaths, and the deaths of the underserving. Or rather..." Aleksiya raised one of the notes. "That's what I would say, if not for this. Perhaps we can root out the source of these beasts and discover the resting place of another one of our fellows, hmm?" Landshark@Rune_Alchemist</s> <|message|>Full Luna Emeraltide Returning from whence she'd disappeared off to for a brief time, Luna contemplated within the study after hearing from the others, pinching her chin between fingers. "Well, it should not be difficult to pin the source of this foul research from the townsfolk. We have all seen them- scrawny, scared little things. Strength is foreign to them, even moreso magic. There would be few among them who could even have the knowledge with which to carry out these studies. I surmise it would not be difficult for them to point a finger at the culprit among them," she said. "Were it not for the ignorance latent in these pages, I might have guessed another undead was hidden amongst them. Now... should we find this purported vampire lord in the forest- what is our course? Forgive me if I overstep, but I sense that..." Luna paused, and looked between Aleksiya and Dragan a few times each. "...That we are not as bloodthirsty as our unnamed potential brother or sister. Despite our power and providence, a human village remains standing, untouched, by our presence. Our steps have been light upon the mortal realm thus far- would we accept the behavior of a vampire lord that dispenses things as this?" she asked, gesturing to the general grounds around them.</s> <|message|>The Queen Location: Human Village Landshark@Asuras@VitaVitaAR --- As Dragan approached, the beast started growling, struggling against its chains snarling at the vampire as he approached, trying its best to claw and bite at the vampire, but its muzzle and bindings held fast. Whoever bound the creature up, certainly knew what they were doing in that regard it seemed, and so the blood spike formed…and was impaled right in the beasts still beating heart. The beast let out a gurgled, pained howl as it'd continue to weakly struggle as Dragan left. Soon though, as it'd raise a shackled claw towards the vampire, its body would fall completely limp, death claiming the beast. There was nothing really else of note in the room aside from what had already been gleaned. For now though, it seemed the small crisis was over with and they were safe enough to return to Giles and maybe see how Akyasha and Giselle fared above ground. Location: Human Village, Riverside @Click This --- "A girl that wanted to survive." Julene spat back towards Akyasha. "And…not sit on her arse while the others cower in fear." The blacksmith held onto Giselle, her legs weak and strength drained from the fighting and inhaling a bit too much smoke to stand easily. "Aye, we should-" A series of sputtering coughs followed. "-but before that," As weak as she was, she promptly pointed her blade towards Giselle and Akyasha both, glaring at the two of them. "I thank ye both for helping me and the village." The human suppressed a cough. "I want answers. What the bloody five hells are you and," A cough, but the grip on her blade held tightly. "I saw the way you fought, fake holy woman. No way you and this one are normal humans." Well, it wasn't like Julene could do anything to the two of them, even if she wasn't currently injured and winded but it was hard to tell if she was planning anything or had some other trick up her sleeves. "What are you…and what are you here for?" She'd narrow her eyes, messy hair swaying gently in a breeze, the blade shifting slightly in her hands to point tip pointed right at Akyasha's neck. "I ain't no fool so don't play me for one either." One of Akyasha's blood bats landed on her shoulder, hissing at Julene in an irritable manner. "Hurt me. Fun, but hurt. Smashed against wall. Can eat?" The other one that had become Giselle's friend took a position on her shoulder too this time instead of her head. Though, from the fact it was rubbing its head against her cheek now like some sort of impish feline it remained to be seen if this was an improvement. Location: Pirates End Paladin --- "You have my thanks." The maid replied with a tired nod of her head. Getting to shore was fairly easy. The undead seemed to settle down, vanishing back into their watery grave as the vampire carried his ward across the ships and towards the shoreline. Cynthia remained quiet as she was carried up until they had finally arrived at their destination, atop the sheer cliffs overlooking the now calm sea below. "Here, put me down." Cynthia would say, and whether he did or not she'd swiftly leap out of his grip either way, seemingly tired still, not no longer unsteady on her feet. "I must say, I'm quite impressed. Mhm, perhaps if I had my fellow Maids or a handful more vampire lords we could have given that thing a thorough walloping and send it back to its terrible sleep." She'd rub the eye she had used to gaze at the beast with, but otherwise made no mention of whatever it was she did. "...Your destination is that way." She'd point in a vaguely northerly direction. "A river that leads out into the ocean. Follow it to the east and you'll arrive at that village. You should be fine on your own, now and it's better if we split ways to avoid any suspicion." She'd pull a small charm from the pockets of her maid dress. "...normally I'd say I'll come find you, but here," The charm was in the shape of some sort of religious icon, though it afforded no discomfort to the vampire. A blooming violet, whose stem turned into a blade while the crossguard seemed to form scales upon which to weigh something. "If you need my assistance or wish to speak about our deal, I shall come as soon as I am able…or if it's particularly urgent I may ask a favor of my colleagues."</s> <|message|>Dragan Meszaros Dragan Meszaros As Luna caught up, Dragan considered their current course of action. Both she and Aleksiya did make a fair point that there was very likely another vampire lord somewhere within the woods. Of course, Giselle had presumably run off in that direction already, so continuing on in this vein was logical. Luna did raise an interesting point, but Dragan wasn't quite certain as to whether or not it had any merit in truth. "Frankly, I have my doubts as to whether this purported vampire lord within the forest has any conscious control over what is being created here. My hundred former brethern were rather thorough in their work, by all appearances. Regardless, I would not let speculation stop us from at least going to judge for ourselves first. Should they not prove tractable, there are enough of us to...rectify that error." Dragan turned to exit the building, his hammer resting on one shoulder. "I will catch up momentarily. There are words I would have with the village headman first. Moreover, Giselle and Akyasha must be informed of this development, if either of you two would care to seek them out."</s>

<|message|>Giselle de Farry Giselle de FarryUndead Princess, de Farry --- Giselle pushed away the gorebat that was using her cheek as a rubbing post, sending the human girl an unamused and equally unimpressed stare. "A very strange way of offering your thanks," she spoke evenly. "Are you even in any state to use that thing?" She was almost tempted to straight up confiscate the weapon from the injured girl before she ended up injuring herself in a misguided attempt to threaten her and Akyasha, but thought better of it. Even if she had something else up her sleeve, Giselle didn't feel overly threatened. What she did feel annoyed about was that she knew nearly nothing about this village or this girl, and couldn't plan accordingly. Giselle intended to straight up reveal her nature; it was not her style for subterfuge that was flat out lying, and that sort of frank admission always went a long way towards trust. But she didn't know how much farther the reputation of her kind had fallen in the millennia since, or what the village's views on the matters were. Considering that evidence was increasingly looking like another vampire was still existent in some form and terrorizing the human settlement, that decision was starting to look questionable. After sparing a glance towards the vampire cleric, she decided to take her reply in a slightly different direction. Despite the girl's… minor insolence, she was tempted to make her hers. She had the skill and the spunk that she favored in her former maid corps. She hoped the fanatic would not ruin it. "Very well," she announced, with all the confidence of her standing, and speaking as if what she was implicitly given by her title, "I am Giselle de Farry, sovereign princess of the Principality of Farry. A very long-lived princess that appears to have the misfortune to outlive it and its people after a rather prolonged and involuntary slumber." She affected a chagrined look at this. As far she knew, this was fact, and it continued to chasten her every waking moment that she had ultimately failed to protect those under her charge. "I cannot speak for the rest of my companions, but as for my personal intentions in these lands, it is my intention to investigate the state of civilization and then to properly to rebuild it." She flashed the blacksmith girl an almost cheeky grin, turning on a bit of charm but speaking earnestly. "If you think my cause a worthy one and can cast your suspicions aside, I would welcome more allies to the cause." A reward was implied, but left unsaid. What reward could be more fitting for a girl that wanted to survive than the ultimate gift a vampire lord could give?</s>

<|description|>Giselle de Farry 'Sella' ♀ --- Abilities Personality Biography</s> <|message|>Captain Argus Fellborn, the Red Tide Captain Argus Fellborn "Perhaps, Ichor willing, we'll rematch that monster with a proper crew someday," Argus replied, putting the maid down. "Nevertheless, I see no shame in a well-executed escape." Unlike the last time he cheated an almost certain death, he pulled it off deftly enough to not warrant sacrificing anyone, he contemplated as he felt a sense of satisfaction in his chest, no doubt from the sense of pride of having pulled it off without deigning to take the easy way. The pirate still wasn't sure what Cynthia had done with her eye, but she definitely cast the impression that it had taxed her. Cynthia was unwilling to continue onward, claiming it would be best if the split up, but she gave the vampire directions to the village that she had offered to lead him to. With any luck it shouldn't be too difficult of a walk, assuming there wasn't anything like that sea monster walking around up on land. "Aye, if I need you, I'll make use of it," he said, accepting the charm, and taking a moment to examine the pattern. "Farewell, lass." He tipped his hat to her and started on his way to the village where, according to Cynthia, other vampires awaited him. There was much to consider. There was the job to retrieve the blade, of course, but the pirate had other things on his mind. He needed to find corpses for a new crew. He needed to find a source of blood. Perhaps he also needed a ship, but with the collapse of civilization, there would be no wealthy merchant enterprises to plunder out on the seas. Besides, if there was a chance that the Silent Swordbill was still out there awaiting her captain's return, he did not wish to be unfaithful to her.</s> <|message|>Akyasha Akyasha spoke back to the gorebat that had asked if it could eat the human ignoring said human's blade with nary a care. "No." She commanded back before turning her attention back to the blacksmith girl and Giselle. After Giselle was done, Akyasha knew what she was implying. How frustrating, trying to encroach when Akyasha already had her sights set on her. "As for me, please call me Akyasha and I am no 'fake' holy woman. I am fully devoted to my Goddess, though perhaps she is one foreign to you. She is benevolent to her children." Well, no more was needed said than that. "As for what I am doing here... Supplies I suppose? And also to see if more would follow my faith, of course, though that is hard to ask in the best of times forget these current ones." To the both of them there, it was obvious which of the two reasons Akyasha really thought she was here for. Of course, to an outsider, Akyasha did sound like she belong to a religious cult... To her fellow vampires as well. "And can you put the blade down? If I wanted to harm you, I could have done it long ago." If Julene had seen her fight, it was quite obvious a blade as such meant nothing to the cleric. "Instead, how do you fair? Do you need me to carry you into town?" Akyasha asked, wanting to make sure the human girl were in great shape. "My Goddess has instilled within me great strength." Akyasha mentioned, a good portion of her issues healing up. If it were some broken portions of her body, she could fight through it.</s> <|message|>Full Luna Emeraltide The vampiress turned her gaze towards the hole leading out into cold air, and hummed after Dragan's theory. The drifting apathy in her smooth hum exposed her own doubts -she seemed inclined to believe the nameless lord had at least some hand in this violence. Luna moved to the ladder, and turned back to Aleksiya. "I would have us reach Giselle first, wherever she may be. She was last with us outside the gates. If she is yet in the forest, she may be in the most danger," Luna explained before climbing up the ladder. Her absurdly long hair hung below as she ascended, like the tail of a golden fox. A fox that, plainly visible to Dragan and Aleksiya, was in dire need of cleaning. Through their travels thus far, the floor-and-then-some-length hair had collected all manner of mud, twigs, and leaves at its splayed ends. The rungs of the ladder helped to sift out only a small amount of the debris. At the surface, Luna instinctively spread her arms wide and stretched, as if taking in the glow of a moon which was no longer there. She turned about then, gaining her bearings after being hidden underground in an unfamiliar place.</s> <|message|>The Queen Location: Human Village Landshark@VitaVitaAR --- Dragan would make his way back up, passing by a few people who somewhat timidly, expressed their thanks, as if expecting him to be angry for doing so. They were already starting to tend to the dead that had been left alone, burning the beasts and starting to remove them. As he'd find his way back up the stairs, it seemed Giles had kept his word and barricaded the room but after a bit of insistence the villagers would remove it and allow the vampires back into the abode. "Did you actually manage…to drive the beasts back?" Giles would ask, seeing Dragan return mostly unharmed. "...forgive my disbelief, I wasn't expecting you to return." The boy that had run up earlier was running down now, likely to look for and check for his parents that had been left behind. "I don't suppose you found where those creatures came from?" Location: Human Village --- Luna climbed the rather hastily made ladder. Whoever made it likely intended to use it as a secret entrance into the village below. Climbing up was easy enough, the old thing creaking under her weight as she'd pull herself out of the tunnels below and into the lightless world above. She was met with an unfamiliar sight. She was close to the river, not extremely deep into the forest but far enough away from the village most villagers likely wouldn't bother with it. The ladder itself came out into what was a pile of boulders that seemed to have been purposefully placed to hide it, causing her to have to step out of a little rocky passageway to be outside properly. If she hadn't come out of here or knew that it was here, there was a good chance it'd have gone unnoticed. In the distance, back towards the village she could see the burning smolders of a house. She could see the carcasses of a few dead beasts back that way, too. Giselle's work? The fire seemed contained at least. This far into the forest though, she could smell it. The stench of blood coming from across and further down the river. It was faint, likely being much further away but it was present, but the fact she could smell it so far away meant there could be no small quantity of it. Perhaps it'd be better to meet up with her fellows before pressing onwards. Location: Human Village, Riverside @Click This --- Julene was quiet as the two explained themselves, grip on her blade not faltering for a moment. "I can stand on my own, fake nun." She'd say after a few seconds, though it soon turned into a fit of coughing, as she'd point her blade to the ground, impaling it into the earth and using it to help her do it. "I don't buy a word of what ye said, but…well, I don't think you're here to harm us at least." She'd wheeze a bit, taking a few lungfuls of air. "Sorry about the poor welcome…urgh, but I can't be too careful about vagrants like you two." She'd, perhaps through sheer force of pride and her desire not to show weakness, managed to stand back up, face still covered in soot. "...I can let ya both stay at my place if you need a place to lay your head for a bit. Ain't big, but I got space for a few extras just in case." A frown, glancing towards Giselle. "I dunno what you're talking about. Ain't no civilization that can exist out here…all people here can do is survive. Ain't no gods either." She'd narrow her eyes at Akyasha. "Except beasts and evil things claiming to be one. We don't need either here." Location: Pirates End -> Forest of Beasts Paladin --- "Fair winds and safe travels, Captain. Remember - the Violet Witch rewards loyalty." With that, the Maid would fall silent, watchin Fellborn leave, heading north towards the river that she had indicated. As he left, she would soon as well, disappearing into the forests in the opposite direction. She had a report to make. Argus would make his way across the rocky shoreline, eventually finding his way to the aforementioned river not long after parting ways with Cynthia and a forest. Following it upstream was a trifling task, with the ability to see in this lightless world the beasts that would have beset most travelers were wary, scurrying around just in the shadows deeper in the forest. Aside from a few hounds and similar beasts and having to cross to the rivers opposite shoreline to get up a particularly large waterfall, it was an uneventful trip. This did however, put him on the opposite side of the village mentioned as well as in the middle of a forest. It had become much thicker now, with the few bits of foliage that remained on the trees obscuring the lightless sky and their twisted branches and roots making it not the easiest of places to traverse. It was curious then, that the Vampire would catch campfire light in the distance. While he could now see some ramshackle buildings across the river where the village would be, this person was both across the river and a fair distance away from it still. Creeping up to see who they were, would reveal a single human. It was difficult to tell much of their appearance beyond their short, brown hair, pale skin and somewhat long, thin fingers for it was obscured by a thick, heavy cloak around their shoulders. They were seemingly writing in a book of some sort, hunched over a small desk as a cauldron bubbled away over a campfire. Didn't smell like food. A number of glass vials and if he was a learned man he'd recognize other alchemical equipment sitting on it. Oddly though, there did not seem to be anything in the way of a shelter. Perhaps they didn't intend to stay long. They didn't seem to have noticed Argus…and perhaps it'd be best he didn't engage whoever this was. Something about this traveler would make him uneasy.</s> <|message|>Akyasha While the girl questioned them once more, Akyasha grabbed the bat that had been bothering Giselle and brought it to herself. Then she spoke to the one that had brought her to the human girl. Quietly. "Go find the others and report to me their whereabouts later. No snacks." Still such worries about beasts and evil things pretending to be gods. "My, you seem quite insistant on there being no gods or anything of the such, but I continue to draw strength from mine. For example." Akyasha tread forward and scooped the human girl into a princess carry. If she and Giselle waited on her to waddle all the way back home it would take ages. Sure, they would be fine, but she'd likely die of old age! Well, probaly not. "I have no problem carrying a young girl such as yourself. Please do not fret, however. I merely plan on carrying you until we reach your home. Do enlighten us on how to reach it."</s> <|message|>Captain Argus Fellborn, the Red Tide Captain Argus Fellborn It didn't take Argus long to determine what this woman most likely was. Judging by her her alchemical apparatus, her choice of clothing, her gaunt fingers, and the fact that she's out here in a forest full of beasts rather than within the safety of the village, she is probably a witch. Anyone able to survive out here alone was potentially quite dangerous, and even the vampiric pirate captain found himself a bit uneasy at the sight of this woman. The safest thing to do would be to avoid her and instead head straight to the village. However, Argus hadn't gotten where he was by taking the safest option available to him. Ever since he peeked into that suspicious crate, he had tempered his sense of discretion with an adventurous curiosity. Ships were meant to leave the safety of the harbor (although Argus had proven several times that not even a harbor is truly safe), and he would not have become a pirate if he had not been willing to take considerable risks. With that in mind, he slowly strode into the camp, making no effort to conceal himself. He was prepared for a fight- and for a bite- but his goal was not to make trouble. "Quite the surprise to find a learned woman like yourself out here away from the warmth of the village," he spoke, revealing his presence. "Forgive the incursion, I an Argus, a ship's captain driven to shore by a band of skeletal sea-dogs. Judging by your glassware, are you perhaps a traveling apothecary?" With his elaborate captain's garb, was no way that he could pass as a humble sailor, or a humble anything for that matter, so there was no point in lying.</s>

<|message|>Giselle de Farry Giselle de FarryUndead Princess, de Farry --- Giselle had been perfectly sincere, so she felt a flicker of irritation at being dismissed so. Instead, she retorted, "Rather bold of you to call someone that just introduced themselves as a princess a vagrant." Unlike the other comment, she didn't take offense at that and found it amusing. The white-haired vampire shrugged at her offer, but didn't decline. They had other things to do beforehand, anyway, such as check in on the others. "That's not true," she said, disagreeing with Julene's comment. "The existence of your village itself is proof of civilization, no matter how small. As long communities still exist, then the seeds of a new civilization exist. It just needs to be nurtured and allowed to thrive." It was obvious, though, that this land as it is lacked the luxury of being left alone. Not anymore, though. Was that not one of the reasons that Giselle and the other lords were brought back? She ignored Akyasha's conversation about gods with the blacksmith, until the cheeky maid suddenly scooped up the human woman into a bridal carry. She was also fairly sure that the girl, as the strong independent type was not going to appreciate that. Giselle gave the 'fake nun' an unamused look. "I'm sure she can stand on her own. If you're done playing games, we should check in on the village and the others first," she pointed out. "I doubt this attack is fully over. From my investigation of the beasts' corpses, it appears there is a…" she briefly glanced at Julene, "a greater, likely hostile foe in that forest that is sustaining them."</s>

<|description|>Giselle de Farry 'Sella' ♀ --- Abilities Personality Biography</s> <|message|>Aleksiya Ravennart, also known as Ice Princess Aleksiya, or the Rime-Winged Vermilion Angel "It was an atrocious scene, to be sure," commented Aleksiya, cocking her head back with a smirk on her lips, "Whoever was responsible surely seems to be a depraved sort. But you wouldn't have any idea, would you?" Of course, she didn't expect he was actually involved. But at the same time, it was hardly a poor idea to prod him towards divulging any guesses. He had the most experience with the people around here, so even if he didn't have any idea who did it specifically it was possible that he had a guess. Still, she had another goal in mind. Stepping away from her fellow lord, the diminutive vampire approached the nearest of the beast corpses. Perhaps, if there was traces of the force that caused this... Extending one small, pale hand, she reached into the creature's lost blood, splattered across the ground. It began to vibrate, the puddling ichor responding to her power. It was vile, distasteful, but even blood of such grotesque nature could offer information. She just had to see if it was there. Landshark@Rune_Alchemist</s> <|message|>The Queen Location: Human Village Landshark@VitaVitaAR --- "I beg your pardon, sir? Show me, immediately." Giles demanded, frowning deeply at the statements Dragan was making. How could…why would someone do such a thing? He couldn't fathom it, let alone someone among the villagers. Certainly some had thought that capturing and training or studying them was a good idea, but he had always refused. Too dangerous. Had someone gone against his orders? However, when he was taken to the scene, all he could do was sigh. "...So that's how it is." He'd grumble. "This building was unoccupied, until very recently you see." He'd hold a hand to his mouth, quietly stifling a gag as he'd observe the scene. "Quite a dreadful scene…ugh, anyways," He'd glance towards Dragan. "Three travelers arrived some time ago. Asked if they could stay. We had no reason to refuse. A man and two women. Two dressed like they had come right out of the old world, and the third claimed to be a traveling scholar and alchemist, though her manner of dress was much more…shall we say, old." He'd frown. "She made an effort to inform everyone she was just traveling with them for a mutual deal for now, but the other two claimed to be from something called the 'Ithica Society'. They left for that damned city some days ago now. The alchemist left a few days before them, into the forest." Aleksiya's own investigation however, would not go unfruitful. It was faint. Diluted. Horribly so. To call it the blood of a prestigious vampire lord was laughable…but she could feel it. Something familiar. Something ever so faintly familiar. A feeling of animalistic vigor…but also irritation and anger. An almost feral rage at…something. There was no mistaking it. Kordelia…but what was she so angry at, and was she doing this on purpose if she was still alive? Location: Human Village, Riverside @Click This@Asuras --- The gorebat chirped, a bit annoyed it couldn't eat the human and was forbidden from snacks, but it did as it was told, swooping off into the darkness. "Hmph, any gods that do exist aren't ones I'd want to-Weh!?" Julene shouted, not expecting the woman to just pick her up so easily. She'd struggle only briefly. "Y-you put me down! This instant you hear me!" But alas, her pleas fell on deaf ears as Akyasha would refuse to do so. "Tch, fine. Whatever you fake nun, fine! Thata way." Julene's directions would soon enough lead them towards a surprisingly well kept and reinforced home, from the looks of all the others. The walls had all been reinforced, remade, and several walls had obviously been replaced. The first floor had even been expanded quite a bit, to make room for an indoor forge as well as a general workshop it seemed. The second floor had well, been completely removed. One of the walls completely knocked out, a ladder leading up to the roof with several platforms along the way stocked with barrels and also what seemed to be toher supplies. Intentionally done, perhaps? "You can put me down now." She'd huff, and if Akyasha didn't drop her, she'd give the nun a whack on the top of her head until she did. "Here. Workshop takes up most of the place…ah? Another one?" This was about the time Luna would walk up on the trio, earning an exasperated sigh from the Blacksmith. "...I ain't even surprised anymore. Whatever." Location: Forest of Beasts Paladin --- The woman, did not respond. She'd keep writing into the small book she was writing in for a few long, awkward seconds after Argus responded. It was only after these few long seconds, that she'd turn around, and immediately set eyes on the pirate. "Moons tears!" She'd shout, jumping back a few feet and bumping into the table and causing the glassware to rattle. "Hasn't anyone ever told you not to sneak up on someone? They might turn you into a toad!" She'd close the journal she was carrying, stuffing it into her tattered robes. Now that he could get a good look at the woman in question, she was…well, she fit right in with these woods. Short, shoulder length messy brown hair with yellow eyes with more baggage than an emotional nobleman from the old world. The clothes under them seemed to almost be falling apart at the seams, with just a cloth covering her chest and a small skirt covering her lower body. The cloak though, was the most curious thing. Well taken care of…but it certainly wasn't something she could have made herself. It seemed older. Almost more regal. A bone ring adorned her finger, made out of some sort of small bird skull. "What do you want? I am a busy woman and have no time for idle chatter. If you're heading towards that village in the distance, there's a place you can cross the river not far down that way." She'd huff. "If you're looking for my services…I'm curious as to how you found me all the way out here, but stranger things happen. I don't come cheap as a healer or scholar."</s> <|message|>Dragan Meszaros Dragan Meszaros Giles's reaction told Dragan all he needed to. The man had no knowledge of what was going on down here. Good. Dragan at least somewhat approved of the man. He was simply trying to keep his own people alive, something that the Death Knight wasn't exactly unfamiliar with. A good man, thrust into a nearly impossible situation. Whatever suspicions the headman had towards him were more than warranted. And likely justified, considering some of the company he traveled in. What he said further was cause for much greater concern, though. The Society? Elena had spied something related to...whatever that organization was, back in the city. Before she'd most likely passed on. This was the second time they'd come across this group, now. Their status in relation to Ichor's brood was still unknown, but whatever they were, they were at least able to pass as human, if what Giles said was any indication. Dragan paused, trying to remember what exactly Elena had said about them, before the memory ran through his head. "These 'Society' people. What were their names? Was either a Rykard or Rhea? Of the three, how did they behave while they were within the village? Moreover, what does your village know of this city, exactly?" He added the last one on as an afterthought. It would be good to know exactly what was said of Alavaris in the centuries that had passed. Judging by what little Giles had said of it already, it would seem prudent to not mention they had come from there originally.</s> <|message|>Captain Argus Fellborn, the Red Tide Captain Argus Fellborn Argus had not lost his touch when it came to scaring people. Perhaps this woman might not have deserved to be frightened in this manner, but he preferred that the mortals whom he dealt with feel at least a twinge of fear or unease. Better for everyone that way, he felt. "I did not mean to startle you," he assured her. "I am clearly a bit rusty at making a proper entrance." The woman identified herself as a healer and scholar. Her knowledge might prove useful, Argus surmised. Assuming, of course, that he could pay her. Just what sort of currency would these broken people use, anyway? Surely the precious coins and metals valued in the previous age would not hold the same worth to such a broken civilization. "There is something of an arguably scholarly nature...that I would like to know," he proposed. "I have a specific interest in the the ship graveyard, and the malevolent force that commands the dead. Just what manner and form of payment might you request for such knowledge?"</s> <|message|>Akyasha Akyasha put the blacksmith down gently and took a step back to look at the place. She wasn't exactly surprised to see all the barrels. Or the forge. As she quietly observed, she heard another approaching and it was Luna. "Luna, how pleasant to see you again. No life threatening situations I hope." Akyasha asked, thinking back on the situation she and the blacksmith girl had just been through. Well, hopefully, they had some small minutes to catch their breath. "We ran into a situation just some minutes ago but it's all but taken care of by now. Luckily, Giselle showed up at just the right time." Luckily, the cleric's body was starting to fix itself full and she felt somewhat just fine. "This is... The Blacksmith Girl... I suppose." Akyasha mentioned. Come to think of it, the girl had yet to introduce herself. "Hmm. I think I mentioned mine before, but my name is Akyasha. What is yours, miss, if you don't mind me asking." The cleric asked, looking toward the girl hoping she would answer it. Akyasha had on her usual smile as she waiting to see if the girl replied.</s> <|message|>Full Luna Emeraltide Luna strode back into the village and took little time to sense her way towards Giselle and Akyasha. Julene's reaction earned a confused tilt of Luna's head. Whatever it was that had annoyed the blacksmith was unknown to the vampiress. She spared questioning the circumstance and approached her sisters, eyes briefly cast upon the reinforced building that had appeared to be approaching. "None," she replied to Akyasha's question, "...and I trust you two remain in good health as well," she began, folding her fingers together and offering a warm smile. "Oh my -carrying her like that without even knowing her name? I did not take you for one so bold and expedient, Akyasha," Luna said, seemingly mostly sincere. Brushing aside a lock of hair from her face, Luna wasted no more time in detailing their own findings beneath the town. "Dragan, Aleksiya and I have split up for different tasks. We ventured beneath to find tunnels rife with beasts as well as their apparent means into the town. It seems as though someone amongst the townsfolk's ranks was experimenting on them down there, though the human in question was nowhere to be found. What's more, this mad scientist also seemed to propose that the beasts were coming from none other than a..." Luna paused, and for a moment just barely seemed to glance towards Julene before continuing, "A vampire... Somewhere within the forest nearby. We were concerned that you, Giselle, might have found your way too deep into the forest. I am glad you're safe, however." Luna gave Julene another brief look over, followed by the workshop, and smiled again. "What have you two been up to?" she asked.</s>

<|message|>Giselle de Farry Giselle de FarryUndead Princess, de Farry --- Giselle decided to ignore Akyasha's shenanigans, even if she disapproved. She simply followed the cleric silently, but not before collecting Julene's sword. She gave the weapon an eye. She supposed it was a good weapon for this new age, but of course, the princess of creation could do better. The purity and composition of even base metal in this era left things to be desired. To Giselle, though, remedying deficiencies in something as mundane as the mix of iron and carbon and removing impurities even her state was child's play. With the time she had, she made sure to ask the girl a few questions about the village and surrounding region, even if speaking to her while she was in a princess carry was… awkward. By the time the trio arrived at the blacksmith girl's house, she had made some quality improvements to the blade, for only a modest expenditure of blood. While Giselle didn't quite whistle –that would be inappropriate of someone of her standing, even if she spent centuries cultivating a reputation of being the friendliest vampire lord—she was somewhat impressed by the home that the girl lived in, if only in relation to the rest of the homes she saw in the village and in this age. It had the marks of a girl who knew what she was doing with engineering, though it was obvious that she never been to a true school… then again, what sort of architectural or engineering institution would still be extant in this time? Despite that, it was clearly built with defense in mind. That was something that she could respect. "It's clear that you've put a lot of thought into home defense," she admired. "If we continue to work together, I wouldn't mind sharing some of my own ideas and techniques. It is something of a specialty of mine." Indeed, a few firing slits here and there, and perhaps installation of some shaped charges in strategically placed positions like doors and hallways would make it all but impenetrable to the threats that the three of them had faced earlier. If they were to ever make this village a temporary base of operations, then the village's defenses would need some proper refurbishment, too. When Akyasha put the girl down, Giselle handed her sword back. "It got a little dinged up during the battle, so I fixed it for you," she said modestly, before noticing Luna approach. "Ah, Luna. How fares it inside the village?" She frowned as the songstress relayed her information. The news of a breach and further mysteries was surprising and unfortunate news… but informative. "I see. I trust they have the situation in hand now. As for what's in the forest… I suspected something similar. I'm not foolhardy enough to investigate without sufficient force in hand. I would like to have a look sooner than later, however." She gave a look towards her fellow vampires.</s>

<|description|>Giselle de Farry 'Sella' ♀ --- Abilities Personality Biography</s> <|message|>Full Luna Emeraltide "Insofar as the present beasts have been vanquished, yes," Luna replied to Giselle, "But... what's this I hear about undead from the waterfront?" She tilted her head curiously and seemed unfettered. Truthfully, she felt a bit upset that the beasts weren't the extent of it, and not knowing whether or not they too were connected to the possible vampire frustrated her. One more problem to solve for the sorry villagefolk. She wished there that they could simply start the process of repairing everything, and take up stewardship of the village in peace. Just one small step towards sanctifying the darkened world. "I agree though, that we should investigate the forest as soon as we can. It does not seem to me a coincidence that all of these things are crawling up just as soon as we arrived, and I am worried that their frequency should remain if we idle," Luna nodded to Giselle, "Though we should all go together. We know not the extent of this source's power yet."</s> <|message|>Giselle de Farry Giselle de FarryUndead Princess, de Farry --- Giselle frowned at the news that the towns' defensive perimeter had been breached. How had these humans survived at all, even with what appeared to be a survival expert of sorts in the form of Julene? Unless events had been engineered for the arrival of the vampires. She couldn't discount that thought, especially with how little they still knew about this future that they had been thrust into. She acknowledged the blacksmith girl's words with a nod. "Perhaps I can help with that in the future," she replied, her offer still standing from earlier. Giselle was not lacking for skill in this discipline, even at the height of the Ophediel era, and a lack of materials would easily be remedied once she had a stable source of blood to draw from. "Vegetables? I suppose I don't mind salad from time to time, but perhaps later. I'm more interested in this undead problem, though. This is a separate issue from the beasts?" If they were from the river, it was unlikely to be directly from the city. Was the village being plagued by two separate threats? Once Akyasha leaned in with more information, she kept on a poker face, but she remained curious what the gorebat had found together with the other two vampire lords. The cleric had beaten her to the chase in asking questions, so she nodded at Luna before adding her own. "Indeed. I would like to deal with the threat in the forest sooner rather than later. Though, I am curious. Are there other settlements in the area, or is it just your village, Julene?"</s> <|message|>Aleksiya Ravennart, also known as Ice Princess Aleksiya, or the Rime-Winged Vermilion Angel "I believe it's for the best if everyone comes along," responded Aleksiya with a nod, "It's quite a bit wiser to attack in force then to leave anything to chance, is it not?" Aleksiya would have liked to say she could do it by herself. In fact, it was rather painful to admit she couldn't in her current state. But more than that, she decided it would be rater unwise to reveal what the target was until they were out of earshot of the villagers. Only an idiot would bear them ill intent at this time, and Aleksiya fully believed in the cause of removing the threat the beast posed. However, to reveal the source was one of their allies would immediately set the villagers' suspicions running high no matter what the situation may be. Thus, it was quite a bit wiser to wait until they could talk amongst themselves without such risks. With that being said... "Though... perhaps a volunteer could stay behind to help ensure the villagers' safety..." Landshark@Rune_Alchemist</s> <|message|>The Queen Location: Human Village Landshark@VitaVitaAR --- "...I will keep your words in mind, but if she continues to help with healing I may not be able to take that decision lightly." Giles replied with a frown. "But if you intend to head out, I'll have a room prepared for the three of you. If you're looking for your companions, I'd suggest Julene's. Her home is…well, it stands out. Close to the waterfront. Looks heavily fortified." Giles wouldn't stop the two of them from leaving, shaking his head with a bit of exasperation. An eventful day he'd need to mull over. For now, though, he'd see about preparing a room for the three of the guests. Julene's place wasn't terribly difficult to find. Near the waterfront, and heavily fortified. The stories that rose above the others were stacked with barrels and what obviously were sniper nests, and from within they could already and easily hear the voices of their companions… Location: Human Village, Riverside @Click This@Asuras@Psyker Landshark@VitaVitaAR --- "Make yourself at home. I already told ye ya could." Julene shrugged, taking her blade into her abode shortly following behind Akyasha. "Other settlements? Mhm, there's a few…though we're definitely the largest." She'd respond to Giselle as she'd lean her blade against the forge, motioning for the rest of them to come inside and finish talking. "Don't have a quick and easy way to contact them, though. We often use runners to run messages, lamp signals. light carries really well out here. Only for emergencies though, some beasts are…smart." The human leaned against the wall, folding her arms across her chest. "The beasts have been rearin' their ugly faces since before I was born, but the vampire is news to me. If it is the source of these beasts, well…guess there's nothing I can do. I'm good to fight if I hafta, but I'm not a reckless dumbass that's gonna jump against something that can kill me with a flick of their pinky." She'd grunt. "Undead are new though. In the past…mhm, thirty lamp lightnings. Dunno where they're comin' from, likely the ocean. Ain't too far, but that place ain't no place for people. Undead crawling all over it and there's something there that sleeps in the water." Julene shrugged. "Not much else to say. I doubt you wanna hear about the food problems…ah?" Julene turned her head towards the entryway. "...More of you? At this point I'm startin' to think people are just' dropping from the heavens." She'd sigh. "...or crawlin up outta the demon pits. Come in, make yourself at home. Those three already have. Julene." Location: Forest of Beasts Paladin --- "Eheheh, aren't you a most agreeable vampire. Excellent, excellent." The witch would produce an admittedly large flask and handing it to him. "Fill it in whatever way you want. Now lets see…" The witch would pull her journal from her pocket once more. Now that Argus could get a good look at it…it was far too ornately decorated and well made for someone like the witch to possess naturally. "Hmhm…what can you tell me about the ocean, little book…? Go on, wake up! I've not all of this long night, ehehe!" With a drop of the vampire's blood from her ring onto the pages, the book would slowly start turning its pages by itself, the seemingly blank pages filling with text. Briefly, he could see the words 'Good tidings, Lady Charlotte' at the top before she'd manually flip through some more. "'Thiefs End' or 'Graveyard of Refugees.' I've come to the conclusion that in the old days people tried to flee across the seas only to be destroyed by a demon…a god? Or something from beyond the stars. Apparently a vampire was put to rest there, too! Too long ago to say but they say the dead there were cursed with grudges and hate…hm, no no not that. Further on. What is the ship?" The book would flip through another few pages. "The ship…and the force that commands them. I can't say what beast lurks in the depths, but that ship is…mhm, it's been floating out there ever since the death of the world. I believe some creatures have taken up residence in it. They worship whatever that thing below the waters are." She'd conclude, swiping the now filled flask of blood before he could do anything else. "Can't say much more than that. Eheheeh, I hope you're not too disappointed?" The witch, apparently named Charlotte, turned to Argus with a smile. "That said…I've a particular interest in that ship as well. Specifically something those cultists have. Its the entire reason I'm out here, you see. Perhaps, if you intend to go at some point, Mr. Vampire…remember little old me out here. I could and would be more than happy to assist. In the meantime…I could perhaps try gathering more information about it if I get something in return for such work, too."</s> <|message|>Dragan Meszaros Dragan Meszaros It seemed Giselle and Akyasha had been busy. Evidently, they'd been ingratiating themselves with one local in particular. As the woman introduced herself, Dragan removed his helmet and simply nodded back politely. "Dragan." Was all he said in response, setting his hammer aside at the door as he entered the blacksmith's home. Evidently, Luna had found them beforehand. Good. It would save him time in explaining. "I take it Luna has apprised you of what we found beneath the village? In that case, allow me to add on with what we've heard since then. Our mad alchemist was traveling with two companions in particular when they arrived in this village. Two by the name of Rikard and Rhea." He paused, choosing his next words very carefully with one of the villagers listening in. "Indeed, the same two that Ilena spied in our last locale before her...passing. Given that we seem to have traveled in different directions since then, I don't foresee them becoming a problem in the near future, but it is something to look out for should we ever return by this way."</s> <|message|>Captain Argus Fellborn, the Red Tide Captain Argus Fellborn A ship floating since the death of the world...could it be the Swordbill? Argus' eyes went wide at the ship's mention. Unfortunately, if this witch's information was accurate, something unwelcome was squatting in it. Even more concerning was just how unsafe the seas had clearly become. Still, at least he had some understanding of what was going on, and some goals to reach them. It could take a while, but as long as he stayed fed and played it smart, he should have all the time in the world. "There are many things which I am presently disappointed with, miss, but your information is not one of them. This knowledge was worth the price paid," he spoke. Getting his ship back would be a lofty task, but he at least had somewhere to start. The witch expressed her own in the ship, particularly something that the filthy bilge-rats occupying it possessed. Judging by her choice of words, she had deduced his own interest in the ship. It was quite likely that she had deduced- or had been told by that grimoire of hers- that the vampire standing before her was this ship's former captain. Argus wasn't sure exactly what the witch wanted with the cultists, but if they had a common goal, she could be a useful ally for the present circumstances. "Aye, further information on this ship could prove useful," he replied to her offer to cooperate. "I have other business to attend to in the meantime, but depending on the work you need, I should be able to make time." As a vampire, Argus had all the time in the world to pursue his goals as long as he could find a steady supply of blood. He wasn't so sure about how much time the witch could afford, though.</s>

<|message|>Giselle de Farry Giselle de FarryUndead Princess, de Farry --- "I see," she said, following the human blacksmith inside her home. She would have to look into the others when she had the time. She frowned when she elaborated. Lamp signals and runners? She supposed technology had degraded quite a bit, but Giselle thought constructing a telegraph system wasn't that difficult, even with regressed technology. She supposed it was too dangerous to do line work, or she was just out of touch. Wouldn't that be a thought. Giselle idly asked a follow up question. "Fire lit lamps, or oil lamps with Fresnel lens?" Depending on the answer, she could more accurately gage the village's technology. "Hmm, so the vampire is new, as are the undead. The former we can likely deal with, but undead dragging themselves up from the oceans is curious, if a bit ominous." She recalled the skeletal beast they had recently encountered, and imagined a sea monster equivalent to it. That was the stuff of nightmares, even for vampire lords. As she settled in for a quick rest, she raised her eyebrows as Dragan and Aleksiya filed into Julene's house as well. "The immediate situation is dealt with, then?" she nodded to confirm Dragan's question, before letting him continue on, frowning as he went on. "Interesting. Good to know," she finally said, filing the information to review later. The two stopping by the largest settlement in the region on their way to Alavaris made sense, but knowing that they had a third that had been meddling with the beasts pushed her to be more wary of them. Giselle took a moment to relay the two newcomers of what they had found, before concluding with her suggestion. "If we are all sufficiently rested now, we must investigate this vampire of the forest."</s>

<|description|>Giselle de Farry 'Sella' ♀ --- Abilities Personality Biography</s> <|message|>Aleksiya Ravennart, also known as Ice Princess Aleksiya, or the Rime-Winged Vermilion Angel "My, an oversized chicken is our opponent, now?" If this was Kordelia's direct doing, it was almost hilarious. Almost. If not for the rest of the situation. The icy translucent barrier that Aleksiya had conjured served well to protect her from the winds, and any undignified results that might have come from such an impact. "How threatening. How utterly terrifying," idly commented the petite vampire, deconstructing her ice barrier into water and drawing it into her hand, where it froze solid once more, forming an icy spear of considerable length and thickness that drifted above her palm, "I'm shaking, truly." The fact that the beastly avian had chosen to drop and screech its presence as if there was any true gravitas to its entrance was, in all honesty, even more amusing to Aleksiya. The bird had a sense of self-importance, perhaps? It thought it had earned such a dramatic entrance? Or perhaps it was so mindless with rage and fury that it had to voice its anger? Or it was perhaps a display, in an attempt to threaten them? It truthfully didn't matter in the slightest. The outcome would be the same. It would always be the same. Her enemies would die. Sooner or later, all of them would. "But I've grown tired of loud noises, so would you kindly shut that beak of yours?" With that, the child-like vampire snapped her fingers, sending the thick ice spear hurtling directly towards the bird's face. @Click This</s> <|message|>Akyasha "I'll watch over the village with Julene in case something happens. Still feeling a small bit fatigued from that fight earlier. Take of my cuties with you. If something happens and you need help, send it back and I can come running." Akyasha mentioned, ordering one of the gorebats to follow the leaving group. It was hard to tell what would happen so it was best to be prepared. She was highly anticipating the time in the near future when she could finally bring forth a few more powerful creatures in the goddess' roster. Well, there was always time for that. After everyone that had planned on leaving left, Akyasha looked around Julene's house from where she sat. There didn't seem to be anyone else around the place. Rather, it looked like Julene lived by herself in this fairly tidy place. Akyasha couldn't help but want to ask a few question. "You live here on your lonesome? It looks like it at least." She was curious. Though perhaps it was not the wisest of question to ask one's personal situation but she was curious about the girl. She was clever. And clever was a good thing in someone that would help you. Akyasha had yet to give up on her thoughts of turning Julene into a thrall, after all and if she lacked real, concrete connections to this village, the easier it would be to convince her to join. "Do you have any family in town? Pardon if I'm too intrusive in my questions."</s> <|message|>Captain Argus Fellborn, the Red Tide Captain Argus Fellborn This twisted world would not allow Argus any rest, it would appear. A massive amalgamation of boar and bear had decided to interrupt his conversation with Charlotte, and it didn't look like it was going to back down. Unfortunately for the beast, Argus wasn't going to back down either. The vampiric pirate drew his cutlass as he turned to face the creature, with an intent to kill in his eyes. With the newly obtained knowledge regarding what was almost certainly his ship, Argus' motivation was at high tide, ready to cut down- and then raise up- anything that dared to stand directly in the way of his goals. Unfortunately, the witch had a caveat- she wanted the bear-boar's pelt intact to make a blanket. That would mean no explosive blood magic, and a rather narrow range of options of where it'd be acceptable to stab or lacerate it. Still, it appeared to be a mortal creature, and that meant there were many possible routes by which its life could be snuffed out. "I'll take care of this," Argus bluntly stated, staring the monster in the eyes and silently daring it to make the first move. If its animal mind perceived it as a challenge, all the better. He'd have some pertinent questions for Charlotte afterwards, because this monstrosity was clearly not natural.</s> <|message|>Full Luna Emeraltide Considering their destination, and the persistent chittering of wary beasts that lined the path up until then, Luna had her saber out and prepared long before the roc made its presence known. She dodged backwards as its beak plunged into the dark dirt, and shielded her face of the upended sod. She assessed the creature for a moment, and wondered how the village could have ever survived as it did with things like this about. Either it was conveniently terrified of the so-called Silverlight -moreso than the beasts- or it was only now active at the behest of something else. Something told her it was more likely the latter. If so, any illusion of a stealthy approach was shattered. Luna arced her saber over her head, and a hand slid along the flat of the blade, coating it in a gleaming, starry pattern that twinkled with each chanting word of her ritual. Enchanted with an aura of cursing stupefaction, she set to work cutting and binding at the bird, first lunging for the apex of its limbs where she could immobilize it.</s> <|message|>Giselle de Farry Giselle de FarryUndead Princess, de Farry --- Giselle briefly raised her eyebrows at the mention of divine servants, but didn't comment. "Fresnel. It's a type of carved lens that propagates light far greater than a normal lens does," she explained. "If these silver light lamps of yours don't have them, they would greatly increase their range. If you have a lensmaker or a carver, I can teach them the pattern they need to carve." She frowned when Akyasha decided to stay. Certainly, there was nothing wrong with that, but the white-haired vampire suspected the priestess still wanted the blacksmith for herself. Giselle would be very cross if she came back and found the priestess with a new thrall in tow, but dealing with what everybody suspected was Kordelia in the forest was paramount. That was how Giselle found herself back in the forest, this time with her peers… facing a giant chicken, as Aleksiya had so succinctly stated. "Threatening, no. But it's vile." The vampire princess went into action after the smaller vampire and the songstress made their moves against it. Staying out of the way of Aleksiya's firing arc, she paired up with Luna once she drew her sword, aiming straight for the throat of the creature even as the other moved to pin it down.</s> <|message|>The Queen Location: Julene's cabin --- "Eh? Family?" Julene cut up some beast meat, grabbing a few things and shoving them into a oven to warm them up. "Used to have a mum and dad, but…well, beasts got 'em when I was little. Gilles and I basically raised each other." A shrug as she'd walk out of a door in the back, taking a jug with her before quickly coming back with a full jug of water. "He's older than me if ye believe it. By nearly ten years." She'd set the water jug onto the desk, frowning lightly. "And what about you, miss redhead? You got family?" Forest of beasts --- This@Asuras@VitaVitaAR The razor wind rippled past, ripping at the ground and tearing chunks of earth out from around the vampire's frozen barrier. The retaliation was instant, the spear lashing out towards the things beak. A solid thunk, as the ice met the hardened maw of the beast. It recoiled backwards from the impact, its larger body staggering a few steps away from them as Luna lunged towards its limbs towards immobilization. The blade sunk into the nearest limb, earning a shriek from the enraged avian as mystical chains appeared in an attempt to bind it. Giselle was not close behind, her blade sinking into its neck, but the avian was quick to recover from the icy impact, bringing its beak down onto Giselle's head before attempting to flap its wings to put a bit of distance between it and the vampires, only to find its wing completely chained to the ground from Luna's spell. It likely had been a majestic creature once, but now where there was majesty there was only decay. The feathers on its head had completely fallen off, revealing an emaciated frame around its eyes, dull sockets having no eyes, only voids where they should have been. Its beak, as long as a tree trunk and just as thick had holes in it, but was just as sturdy as ever and still multi colored. Its wings, mottled with decay. It didn't seem too threatening, aside from getting the jump on the vampires as it'd get low to the ground, its bound wing straining against the bonds and likely to break free soon. Location: Forest of Beasts Paladin --- The beast stared for a few moments, before its massive frame would begin to rise off its two front claws, standing on its back hooves as it would pull itself up onto two of its legs, easily now dwarfing Argus in height…and coincidentally, rather oddly, Argus would notice a sort of…seam on the things chest, running down from the bottom of its muzzle to its abdomen, almost looking like a…zipper, almost. An interlocking series of small horns. A few moments to register this before the beast roared, dropping back down into all fours and charging Argus at surprising speed, its front claws swiping savagely at the vampire.</s> <|message|>Captain Argus Fellborn, the Red Tide Captain Argus Fellborn If there was any doubt in Argus' mind that this monster was an unnatural creation, the seam upon its chest dispelled it. Somebody clearly made this thing and sewed it shut. Those same stitches, however, would provide an ideal place to fatally disassemble this creature without compromising its pelt any more than it already was. Assuming, of course, that he could get close enough to cut them. That might be easier said than done, however, he concluded as the bear-boar began to charge, hurling its massive claws at the vampire. First, Argus used his blood magic to spray a stream of his own blood in the monster's eyes, as to impair its vision. Then as it drew close, the pirate slashed at the underside of the first paw to come towards him, seeking to both turn the blows aside and hopefully lacerate an artery. The next paw to come at him would receive the same attack. This would be much easier if he wasn't trying to leave a serviceable pelt, he thought.</s> <|message|>Aleksiya Ravennart, also known as Ice Princess Aleksiya, or the Rime-Winged Vermilion Angel With the creature thus restrained, and Aleksiya able to get a better look at it, she came to realize it was no oversized chicken at all. Even in a state of such decay, it was quite obvious she was looking at a rather more familiar animal then she had expected. A tropical and exotic bird that had no right to be here, except for the fact that the one at the source of all this was fond of them. Aleksiya sighed heavily. "Wonderful, I can't even make fun of you, now," she lamented as she raised her hand, slowly tracing her finger through the air. Along the same course her hand too, a crystalline line began to form, developing a sharpened edge, widening into a wedge shape as vapors poured off of its form, "I hope you're happy." All it did now was seem sad and pathetic, more than anything else. And what it foretold was nothing particularly good. Still, it was an obstacle. It had to be removed. The blade of ice was sent hurtling through the air, a whistling sound accompanying it as Aleksiya targeted the point where the straining, bound wing met the body. It would tear free soon, so grounding it and then finishing it off was their best option. @Rune_Alchemist@Asuras</s> <|message|>Akyasha Mom and Dad that were mauled by beasts in her early life? For a human that must be rough. Akyasha thought on that for a few short seconds until Julene brought up her sibling like relationship with a Gilles. "Hmm. I see." The vampire mentioned, trying to think of her past. She couldn't remember much of anything before she had become a vampire. Hell, she couldn't even remember how long ago that was. And then, Julene asked about her family. "That's a fair question to ask, especially when I brought it up first." She pondered the question for a few seconds before opening her lips again. "Truthfully, my memories are slightly vacant. I have no recollection of my childhood nor my actual age by number. If I were to assume, my parents were dead far before I had lost them or I would have found some clue. No other family by birth with that in mind. The only real family I have are those I travel with now." The redheaded vampire said with a small amount of somber tone to her voice. "Well, the past is the past. It's unchangeable by most accounts aside, perhaps, long dead gods." Akyasha went silent again as she didn't have much more to add to that topic. She thought about how this human had connections with one Gilles but didn't mention anyone else. It seemed her relationship with Gilles was more of one between brother and sister than anything else... Still, it didn't hurt to probe and see if she had any other close relationships. "Asides this Gilles, is there anyone else in town you're close with? Truthfully, I'm almost surprised no one came to check on you after what happened with that house. Then again, I guess there were some other troubles happening."</s>

<|message|>Giselle de Farry Giselle de FarryUndead Princess, de Farry --- With the giant bird immobilized, Giselle was also able to get a good look at the decayed abomination after dancing away from its fumbled attack. Like Aleksiya, she was finally able to recognize it as one of Kordelia's exotic pet birds, now long corrupted and twisted into a true abomination, yet apparently still loyal to the end. It was a little sobering, but it was obvious what needed to be done. Aleksiya had been closer to the princess of beasts than she ever had been, so she let the smaller girl take the lead against the vampire lord's fallen creature. In the end, if they did manage to bring back Kordelia, Giselle supposed it would be better to hear that Aleksiya had put down her oversize bird than Giselle. She had to wonder for a moment if she had been corrupted or twisted herself before finally being brought back. If she could, she would have shuddered at the thought of herself terrorizing the lands that she once tended and shepherded. All the more reason to end this. "Aleksiya, I'll leave the coup de grace to you," she offered, as she moved to further restrain the creature. As her counterpart tore into its wings, she sliced into its legs to leave it only able to thrash about on the forest ground before they finally ended it.</s>

<|description|>Giselle de Farry 'Sella' ♀ --- Abilities Personality Biography</s> <|message|>Captain Argus Fellborn, the Red Tide Captain Argus Fellborn If there was any doubt in Argus' mind that this monster was an unnatural creation, the seam upon its chest dispelled it. Somebody clearly made this thing and sewed it shut. Those same stitches, however, would provide an ideal place to fatally disassemble this creature without compromising its pelt any more than it already was. Assuming, of course, that he could get close enough to cut them. That might be easier said than done, however, he concluded as the bear-boar began to charge, hurling its massive claws at the vampire. First, Argus used his blood magic to spray a stream of his own blood in the monster's eyes, as to impair its vision. Then as it drew close, the pirate slashed at the underside of the first paw to come towards him, seeking to both turn the blows aside and hopefully lacerate an artery. The next paw to come at him would receive the same attack. This would be much easier if he wasn't trying to leave a serviceable pelt, he thought.</s> <|message|>Aleksiya Ravennart, also known as Ice Princess Aleksiya, or the Rime-Winged Vermilion Angel With the creature thus restrained, and Aleksiya able to get a better look at it, she came to realize it was no oversized chicken at all. Even in a state of such decay, it was quite obvious she was looking at a rather more familiar animal then she had expected. A tropical and exotic bird that had no right to be here, except for the fact that the one at the source of all this was fond of them. Aleksiya sighed heavily. "Wonderful, I can't even make fun of you, now," she lamented as she raised her hand, slowly tracing her finger through the air. Along the same course her hand too, a crystalline line began to form, developing a sharpened edge, widening into a wedge shape as vapors poured off of its form, "I hope you're happy." All it did now was seem sad and pathetic, more than anything else. And what it foretold was nothing particularly good. Still, it was an obstacle. It had to be removed. The blade of ice was sent hurtling through the air, a whistling sound accompanying it as Aleksiya targeted the point where the straining, bound wing met the body. It would tear free soon, so grounding it and then finishing it off was their best option. @Rune_Alchemist@Asuras</s> <|message|>Akyasha Mom and Dad that were mauled by beasts in her early life? For a human that must be rough. Akyasha thought on that for a few short seconds until Julene brought up her sibling like relationship with a Gilles. "Hmm. I see." The vampire mentioned, trying to think of her past. She couldn't remember much of anything before she had become a vampire. Hell, she couldn't even remember how long ago that was. And then, Julene asked about her family. "That's a fair question to ask, especially when I brought it up first." She pondered the question for a few seconds before opening her lips again. "Truthfully, my memories are slightly vacant. I have no recollection of my childhood nor my actual age by number. If I were to assume, my parents were dead far before I had lost them or I would have found some clue. No other family by birth with that in mind. The only real family I have are those I travel with now." The redheaded vampire said with a small amount of somber tone to her voice. "Well, the past is the past. It's unchangeable by most accounts aside, perhaps, long dead gods." Akyasha went silent again as she didn't have much more to add to that topic. She thought about how this human had connections with one Gilles but didn't mention anyone else. It seemed her relationship with Gilles was more of one between brother and sister than anything else... Still, it didn't hurt to probe and see if she had any other close relationships. "Asides this Gilles, is there anyone else in town you're close with? Truthfully, I'm almost surprised no one came to check on you after what happened with that house. Then again, I guess there were some other troubles happening."</s> <|message|>Giselle de Farry Giselle de FarryUndead Princess, de Farry --- With the giant bird immobilized, Giselle was also able to get a good look at the decayed abomination after dancing away from its fumbled attack. Like Aleksiya, she was finally able to recognize it as one of Kordelia's exotic pet birds, now long corrupted and twisted into a true abomination, yet apparently still loyal to the end. It was a little sobering, but it was obvious what needed to be done. Aleksiya had been closer to the princess of beasts than she ever had been, so she let the smaller girl take the lead against the vampire lord's fallen creature. In the end, if they did manage to bring back Kordelia, Giselle supposed it would be better to hear that Aleksiya had put down her oversize bird than Giselle. She had to wonder for a moment if she had been corrupted or twisted herself before finally being brought back. If she could, she would have shuddered at the thought of herself terrorizing the lands that she once tended and shepherded. All the more reason to end this. "Aleksiya, I'll leave the coup de grace to you," she offered, as she moved to further restrain the creature. As her counterpart tore into its wings, she sliced into its legs to leave it only able to thrash about on the forest ground before they finally ended it.</s> <|message|>The Queen Location: Julene's cabin --- "Awfully convenient." Julene replied with a dismissive grunt. "But no, not particularly. The folks here are friendly enough but, well…" Julene paused for a moment, pouring some water into some mugs as she'd turn back to the cooking meat and some water into a pot that she would add a few vegetables too. "I don't do well talking to them." She shrugged. "Can't say I blame 'em. I'm not the friendliest sort." There wasn't any malice in Julene's voice, at least, so it didn't seem like she thought less of the people and she was speaking more as a matter of fact it seemed. "Right about that though, can't change the past. Would be nice though, considering what those idiots in the previous era did to the world, hmph." She'd grumble, throwing a few more bits of wood onto the fire. Forest of beasts --- This@Asuras@VitaVitaAR The beast shrieked loudly, Luna's ethereal chains breaking the instant Aleksiya's spear of ice would rend its remaining flesh from its bone, ripping a hole straight through its shoulder. A horrid shriek followed as the beast brought its beak down, slamming into Giselle and knocking her clean across the clearing like a doll, but she had achieved her objective. Down a wing and now limping slightly, the undead avian shrieked again as it attempted to flap its wings, failing to find any air as its lame one uselessly laid now at its side. So it chose the only option it had left. It reared its head back a shrill cry as it inhaled…turned its beak towards Aleksiya and shrieked. Another stream of razor wind, more powerful this time ripped across the ground, shredding the ground and scraggly trees around it. It followed by frantically scrambling along the ground, what would have been a fearsome charge reduced to a pitiful looking, half crawl as it opened its maw and would attempt to slam its beak around the vampire. Location: Forest of Beasts Paladin --- The massive beast growled as blood obscured its vision. The vampries blade found its mark, slashing into the hide of the beast, turning aside one of its paws as he'd parry the blow. The second soon followed, the beasts momentum not allowing it to stop itself as the blade cut another long gash along its paw…but both were shallow, and barely any blood seeped from the wound. Its body twitched lightly in a mildly unnatural way. Ultimately, the beast charged past Argus a few feet, giving the vampire a few brief moments to think about his next move as the creature would turn to face the vampire once more, snorting aggressively as it seemed unfazed by the injuries on its paws. But it remained docile only briefly as it would rear up on its hind legs once more. Charlotte, the witch, seemed mostly entertained and was writing in her journal a mere few feet away from the fight.</s> <|message|>Aleksiya Ravennart, also known as Ice Princess Aleksiya, or the Rime-Winged Vermilion Angel This time, the barrier of ice shattered almost immediately. It was regrettable, knowing that she still wasn't back to the level of power she needed to pull off such a feat without effort. But it had done enough. The bird's beak yawning open, its body maimed, only barely recognizable as what it once was. Aleksiya sighed, the air around her arm suddenly growing frigid. Water collected, coalescing around her pale limb, as the diminutive vampire formed a spike of ice that entirely incased it. It glistened, gleaming, shining, its point like that of the finest blade. "Go to sleep. It's long overdo." Her arm blurred as she thrust it forward. The length of the spike she had conjured was plenty, she was certain, to pierce the roof of re ruined avian's mouth, through the bone, and up into its brain. To sever whatever remained of its life instantly, as it attempted to shut its beak around her. Typically, Aleksiya took pleasure in slaying her enemies. Joy in destroying those who set themselves against her, threatened her companions, those people beneath her. Those who would trample over others. But there was little joy to be had in this. @Click This@Asuras</s> <|message|>Captain Argus Fellborn, the Red Tide Captain Argus Fellborn The creature's thick hide made it difficult for the vampire to injure, and it didn't seem fazed by any injuries. Many aquatic creatures were the same way, their thick layers of skin and fat making it difficult to get to their blood and vitals. If he wanted to kill this thing, he'd need to either cut deeper, or take another approach. After all, as tough as this thing was, there were so many myriad ways to bring about the end of a mortal being's life. Fortunately, when the bear-boar reared up, it gave the vampire better shots at its vitals without damaging the pelt. In fact, it was precisely the underside where it'd need to be skinned from. Argus thrust his sword at the bottom of the creature's chest seam and thrust upward. Even if he didn't hit anything immediately vital in the process, this ought to make it easier to find and strike at something that would put it down, right? Let's see what you look like on the inside, monster.</s> <|message|>Akyasha "Well, I'm sure most of the people didn't intend for the current state of the world." Akyasha mentioned with a small smile. "Others perhaps. That aside, I find you quite friendly though perhaps not an upfront kind. After all, you let me in your home and let me rest." Her smile receded a small bit before she continued, "I would, however, prefer if you didn't call my situation 'convenient' I can assure you it's not. Though, it has led my existence since." The vampire's injuries had mostly recovered by now. Some small bits of pain and such but it wasn't half as bad as it had been. "Well, I suppose you could say I've gained some rather 'convenient' gifts in that path. Companions, faith, strength. Purpose." She went silent for some short seconds before speaking up again. "Now, it's not much, but allow me to present my own gift to you, Julene." Akyasha said as she walked up to Julene. "Allow me to touch your person once more for but a few seconds." The vampire would lean in closer and ran her fingernail gently along the side of the blacksmith's head and through her hair. She would feel a gentle scratching before the Vampire removed her hand. Soon, a small lily began to grow on the side of the blacksmith's head stopping at a small size big enough to be a pretty hair decoration. "A lily for you, my favorite flower. I hope you find them as beautiful as I do." With that done, Akyasha would step back giving the woman space.</s>

<|message|>Giselle de Farry Giselle de FarryUndead Princess, de Farry --- Giselle was not amused when she failed to properly dodge the unfortunate bird and was knocked aside like a ragdoll. Thankfully, she didn't land like one, bleeding the momentum and coming to rest with a graceful rolling stop before springing back up. She immediately took a guard position in the event that she had erred in her blow, but she had done the job. Reigning in the urge to retaliate for the injustice meted out on her, she watched silently as Aleksiya landed the killing blow on the suffering pet. The princess lowered her silver blade, but didn't sheath it as she briefly knelt to inspected the fallen bird. Satisfied that Aleksiya's spike of ice had truly ended the creature, she stood back up, taking the time to mend the minor battle damage to her dress as it stitched itself back together. "Unfortunate, but it had to be done," she consoled the smaller vampire, before pushing forwards into the forest towards where Kordelia surely was. "Time to convene with a peer."</s>

<|description|>Akyasha Gender: Female Appearance: Akyasha is much like the rest of her kin. Pale, pleasing to the eyes…. The most notable features are her bright red hair and the religious garb she wears at almost all times. Abilities: As a Vampire, of course Akyasha has access to Blood Magic and as a devout servant of Ichor, she also has access to Divine Magic that only Clerics of Ichor would have. The Divine Magics of Ichor are essentially Blood Magic without any weakness a Vampire might have as well as the ability to summon the otherworldly servants of Ichor. That said, she utilizes her Blood Magic in a special way. When she strikes an enemy with her Blood Magic, she attempts to put a "seed" on or in them. This "seed" starts to drain blood from it's target and will over time sprout as a Blood Magic mockery of a lily, something that Akyasha affectionately calls a "Blood Lily". After she collects the lily, she can utilize it in a couple of ways, but her favorite is in her summoning magic. The amount and quality of blood that she collected influences the creatures she would summon from using the Blood Lily. Personality: Some describe her as an eccentric. She's a devout servant and follower of Ichor. She follows the tenets as close as she can except for one thing. While she agrees that normally, humans cannot love them, she thinks that they can be made to love them. Though, this typically means that she likes to have plenty of human thralls. Specifically, Human Women that she can dress in her religious outfits and follow the Path of Ichor. Outside that, one could say that she is every so slightly obsessed with the Cult of Ichor and making it as perfect as she can as well as the betterment of her kin. She sees humans in three ways. The humans worth attempted to turn to the Cult of Ichor and those that are cattle meant for feeding. This does not mean the cattle are to be treated crudely as that would be against the tenets. Preferably, they are to be given their own rooms and things to do as well as well fed. That way, their blood tastes the best it could be. The third and final way she looks at humans…. Are those worthy of ignoring. As the tenets state not to act with cruelty and treat humans with care, Akyasha finds the best way to care is to ignore those that one does not need to interact with as interaction would bring "undue attention to the undead." Bio: Once upon a time, Akyasha was a blonde human girl with another name, turned by a Cleric of Ichor. Over the years, she dedicated her unlife to the following of Ichor and rose through the ranks. Unfortunately, during the final years she saw many of her fellow clerics felled by Paladins until finally, she was one of the last few Clerics. Of course, one of the last few didn't matter as she was impaled with a holy weapon and put into an eternal slumber. Only to eventually wake back up in an unforgiving world…. Anything else:</s> <|message|>Aleksiya Ravennart, also known as Ice Princess Aleksiya, or the Rime-Winged Vermilion Angel Moments before greeting Giselle in kind, Aleksiya was quite dismayed by the sudden embrace of a certain overly-zealous cleric. How irritating. Perhaps hate was far too strong a word, and Aleksiya did truly believe in Ichor, but the fanaticism displayed by Akyasha had always rubbed her the wrong way. That, and her lack of concern for personal boundaries. In spite of the situation, the diminutive vampire felt there was absolutely no reason to tolerate this invasion of her space. Small hands latching onto to Akyasha's arms, she irritably pushed them away and took a step back at the same time. "The fact we have returned to undeath is no reason to ignore personal boundaries," she complained with a huff, running fingers through her silvery hair, shimmering strands drifting into the air, "So refrain from invading mine, thank you very much." And that was that. Clearing her throat, a smirk crossing her lips as she had a moment to introduce herself, Aleksiya curtsied, bowing her head slightly. "As it has been far too long, allow me to reintroduce myself. I am Aleskiya Ravenn-" Her greeting was interrupted again, this time by the screech of some sort of terrible beast or undead. It was promptly followed by the cacophony of even more undead, screaming their withered lungs out into the night. "How dreadful," commented Aleksiya, crimson eyes narrowing, "I won't abide-" Pausing for a moment, the small girl placed her hand at her side. Nothing was there. For a brief moment, panic clutched at her heart like a fist(though she did her best not to show it), aand she immediately turned back towards the coffin she had departed from and quickly looked inside. Nothing. Aleksiya's small hands clutched, curling into fists, but she showed not a single sign of her frustration when she straightened. Instead, she chose to resume her reintroduction as if nothing had happened. "Now, where were we... Ah, yes, I am Aleksiya Revannart, the Ice Princess." She curtsied again. "I believe it's for the best if we depart, unless you want to languish in this dismal grave much longer rather then discovering what's going on," she added, her smirk having returned. Now she could leave, and find her precious belonging as soon as possible. Even if there were those mindless skeletons in the way. Aleksiya turned towards the gate and began to approach, with little care for the undead that lay ahead. They were no threat to the Rime-Winged Vermilion Angel. Even in her current state, her body feeling weakened, her hunger impossible to fully ignore, she had no doubts. The first of the skeletons turned to face her, jaw hanging open as it lurched towards her, one arm raised. "Out of my way." Her pale arm flashed, and she felt it briefly come into contact with something firm. At least, until the object broke apart, crumbling under the impact of the back of her hand. The skeleton flew apart as it was lifted into the air, Aleskiya's backhand having shattered the side of its skull. @Pyromania99@Click This</s> <|message|>Giselle de Farry Giselle de FarryUndead Princess, de Farry --- Sitting cross-legged atop her sarcophagus, Giselle's left eye imperceptibly twitched as she watched a nearby lid launch itself into space, before coming back down with an almighty crash. She frowned in displeasure at the interruption, lamenting once more the company that she was forced to keep on the day of her resurrection. It didn't quite help that she was still ambivalent about being brought back to unlife. Although in normal circumstances she was not too against receiving hugs and skinship from her trusted friends and certain acquaintances, in this moment of time, it took almost all her willpower to not scowl at the overenthusiastic vampire cleric as she was embraced. "Akyasha. Perhaps," she allowed, speaking curtly, before responding with more warmth to the younger looking of the two vampire lords that she had awoken with. Hopping up from her seat on her would-be sepulcher, she smoothed and fixed the hem of her black dress, teasing a thin strip of bare skin where her thigh highs met. "From my perspective, it has only been some weeks or months since we've last corresponded, no matter the real gulf in time, Aleksiya. Though, from princess to princess—" This time, she genuinely scowled, even as she spoke through the dreadful screeching that broke the dead peace of the garden. Giselle had wanted some more time to truly get her bearings, but it seemed even her fellow undead would not give her the proper peace and solitude for such a thing. "I believe we can save any formalities we wish to pursue for later. As much as I wish to wallow in despair of my own loss, perhaps I would also be better served doing so elsewhere," she dryly agreed, nodding at the smaller vampire. She was at least somewhat curious to see what awaited them at the cathedral, after all. Glancing towards the gate where hordes of mindless, feral undead creatures were beginning to gather, she probed herself, searching within her for her power reserves. With the hunger she felt, Giselle found herself wanting, very much so. Nonetheless, she reached out to the side as she materialized a blood-red lance to fall into her grip. Despite her unrivaled efficiency in blood magic, she felt the toll on her recently awakened body. Strained as is, she didn't dare attempt to transmutate the blood weapon into something less fleeting and more metallic, lest she needed the blood before she was able to feed on something in this cursed world. "Well, girls, let's clear the rabble, shall we?" Spinning her polearm in her hands, she stepped out to join her counterpart at the gate. This city had really gone to the dumps in the intervening centuries, if somebody was letting unshackled hordes of skeletons and goddess knows what else roaming about. Perhaps it needed some personal reorganizing. Advancing with a sweep of her lance, she smashed into a small group of shambling undead, the force of the blow tearing through their bodies and sending their bones clattering against the nearby stonework.</s> <|message|>Dragan Meszaros Dragan Meszaros A somewhat familiar sound clattered through Dragan's ears after he returned his fellows' greetings, with him taking but a moment to recognize what it was. Firearms. He wasn't exactly unfamiliar with them, but they'd not factored into his tactics much. The kingdom he'd conquered had made use of a few, but they hadn't been enough to turn the tide against his undead hordes. Still, that meant the city was populated. Not much of a safe haven as it once was, but it was something, at least. "I believe it would be best for us to recover our strength, even if we must resort to beasts over man for the moment. We can hardly serve the Goddess fresh out of torpor, weakened as we are." Dragan replied to Ilena, deciding on pragmatism over taste. He could already tell that his abilities were heavily diminished from what they were. In his current state, Dragan doubted he could raise more than a dozen undead in an instant, where once he'd be able to reanimate several times that number. Unfortunately, the being that appeared before them was hardly a viable candidate for being fed from, even with his lowered standards. For one, it was a fellow vampire. The smell of rotten blood at least meant that this wretch could be slain without issue, whether it be from degenerating into a lowly beast or having incurred the Goddess's disfavor. Or, quite possibly, both. "Pitiful. I'll dispose of this one, and we can be on our way." Dragan sniffed down at the undead, forming a crimson rapier with blood magic to clutch in his hand. Not his preferred choice of armament, but a smaller weapon meant less blood used, and he needed to save as much as he could at the moment. He lunged forward, intending on staking the lesser undead through the chest.</s>

<|message|>Akyasha Akyasha took a few steps back from the seemingly irritated Aleksiya and Giselle. "My, such thorny roses." She complained a small bit. Perhaps time had made her forget this rather thorny side of her fellow Children of Ichor. Then, there was that awful screaching. How vexing was that noise? Really now, whatever made that noise could be nothing good. The only good screech was from something she had summoned at one time. Still, she couldn't help but feel the other two vampires were looking down on her a small bit. Perhaps she was just a small bit irritable from just having woke up. Perhaps it from the hunger instead but the feeling irked on her a little. Really, such thoughts made her not feel quite like herself and she prayed in her heart to Ichor that this was just a temporary negativity inside her. Really, just because she was happy to see the both of them and gave them a hug it didn't mean that they had to be so negative about it. With a small sigh, she looked on to the horde of skeletons shambling at them. She really didn't feel like using Blood Magic to create a weapon since that would just make her hungry so she just looked around for an improvised weapon. As she turned around, she saw the perfect weapon. She smiled to herself and mouthed a word of thanks to Ichor. Behind her was the lid of the sarcophagus that had, at one point, imprisoned her. She dragged the heavy stone over her behind her, as one might expect from the woman that sent it sky-high in the first place. "My apologies, but I'll have to ask you all to go back to rest." The woman said to the group of skeletons as she made her way over towards the mob. When she got close, she took a swing at the closest few and bisected them fairly cleanly before the stone quickly dropped and smashed back into the ground. While this was fairly effective against these skeletons, she could tell it was going to tire her out quickly so she might as well use it to clear as much as she could. She swung it again and spun around once before releasing the slab and tossing it toward the horde of skeletons. Might as well take out as many as she could with that before she had to resort to slamming them all with her fists or something of the like. "Those stones can get really heavy when you're feeling under the weather." She commented, more to herself though loud enough for the others to hear.</s>

<|description|>Akyasha Gender: Female Appearance: Akyasha is much like the rest of her kin. Pale, pleasing to the eyes…. The most notable features are her bright red hair and the religious garb she wears at almost all times. Abilities: As a Vampire, of course Akyasha has access to Blood Magic and as a devout servant of Ichor, she also has access to Divine Magic that only Clerics of Ichor would have. The Divine Magics of Ichor are essentially Blood Magic without any weakness a Vampire might have as well as the ability to summon the otherworldly servants of Ichor. That said, she utilizes her Blood Magic in a special way. When she strikes an enemy with her Blood Magic, she attempts to put a "seed" on or in them. This "seed" starts to drain blood from it's target and will over time sprout as a Blood Magic mockery of a lily, something that Akyasha affectionately calls a "Blood Lily". After she collects the lily, she can utilize it in a couple of ways, but her favorite is in her summoning magic. The amount and quality of blood that she collected influences the creatures she would summon from using the Blood Lily. Personality: Some describe her as an eccentric. She's a devout servant and follower of Ichor. She follows the tenets as close as she can except for one thing. While she agrees that normally, humans cannot love them, she thinks that they can be made to love them. Though, this typically means that she likes to have plenty of human thralls. Specifically, Human Women that she can dress in her religious outfits and follow the Path of Ichor. Outside that, one could say that she is every so slightly obsessed with the Cult of Ichor and making it as perfect as she can as well as the betterment of her kin. She sees humans in three ways. The humans worth attempted to turn to the Cult of Ichor and those that are cattle meant for feeding. This does not mean the cattle are to be treated crudely as that would be against the tenets. Preferably, they are to be given their own rooms and things to do as well as well fed. That way, their blood tastes the best it could be. The third and final way she looks at humans…. Are those worthy of ignoring. As the tenets state not to act with cruelty and treat humans with care, Akyasha finds the best way to care is to ignore those that one does not need to interact with as interaction would bring "undue attention to the undead." Bio: Once upon a time, Akyasha was a blonde human girl with another name, turned by a Cleric of Ichor. Over the years, she dedicated her unlife to the following of Ichor and rose through the ranks. Unfortunately, during the final years she saw many of her fellow clerics felled by Paladins until finally, she was one of the last few Clerics. Of course, one of the last few didn't matter as she was impaled with a holy weapon and put into an eternal slumber. Only to eventually wake back up in an unforgiving world…. Anything else:</s> <|message|>Akyasha "Perhaps there is even a way to scale the wall in some shape or form." Akyasha mentioned, looking along the street and houses. "The wall may have crumbled in places in our many years of absence with places we might be able to climb over. That said, you two, please feel free to get checking on ahead. I'm going to find a place where I can hide behind a building and get a peak at what pursues us. In the worst case that we can't find a way forward, perhaps if it's something big enough we can trick it into opening the path for us... As much as it would dismay me to destroy things in the cathedral district... I would find it sad but necessary in the worst case... Damage to the Cathedral itself however is unforgiveable." The Vampire Cleric said her thoughts on that matter. Giselle was on the move already so Akyasha smiled at Aleksiya as she found a nearby building she could peak out towards the approaching monster from. "I'm going to watch from there." The woman said before making her way over. She should be able to get a peak out without grabbing it's attention if she was careful enough. If there was anything to find, she was sure her sisters would find them.</s> <|message|>The Queen Location: Alavaris Ancient Garden @VitaVitaAR@Click This --- Giselle and Aleksiya easily found their way down a small street near the wall. An alleyway wedged between it and a row of buildings. Even if they couldn't find a way through the closed gate, there was little room for whatever was following them to pursue them down this road. As luck would have it, however, they would find a side door that led into the walls interior. Slipping inside would show what was once likely a guard station. The room wasn't too big. Just enough room for a desk, a bookshelf, and a set of stairs on the opposite end of the room that led up and out of the room that seemed to lead up onto the wall. Weapons and armor laid old, rusted, forgotten inside their racks or armor stands. There was just one small, little problem. Between them and the stairs, was one of the undead that seemed to inhabit this place. It was hunched over, its body stiff and rigid as it struggled to move or stand. Decissicated flesh clung to its bones, giving it an old, leathery appearance. Its head twitched in an unsettling manner as it slowly turned to face the two that had entered the room. The moment that it laid eyes on the two vampires it responded with a high pitched, disorienting screech, loud enough to temporarily deafen the two vampires as it would slowly walk towards them. Akyasha would dash into a nearby building. Not perhaps, the smartest move all things considered. It offered shelter from whatever was hunting them, but she'd be lucky if the building was uninhabited entirely. At least, if nothing else an immediate scan of the surroundings seemed to reveal nothing aside from the fact that this seemed to have once been some sort of residential building. Outside, if she waited only a few moments she'd see the creature that had been slowly chasing them, or at least part of it. A skeletal hand wrapped itself around the front of the building, the tips of its bony fingers reaching in through the window and gripping the edges of the building as it seemed to drag itself along the ground towards the gate, stopping itself at the same house Akyasha had taken shelter in. Its ragged, ghostly breathing filled the streets as the skeletal creature's head swiveled from side to side, seemingly looking for something. Finding neither living nor the vampires, it shrieked and rose from the ground, using its hand to drag itself back down the street. She couldn't get a good look at it from here, but she at least could tell it was some sort of massive skeletal creature. Not that she'd get long to ponder it. The air around her noticeably chilled, a cold hand wrapping around her neck as a ghostly figure attempted to grab her from behind. Location: Alavaris Squalid Ruins Landshark@Asuras@Erode --- The skittering insects complied with the whims of the one they were enthralled by. Carrying the two women would prove a somewhat trivial task for the two insects. As Illena accepted Luna's hand to be ferried across the bridge, however, Dragan would become increasingly aware he was not alone. Perhaps he should have paid better attention to the corpses that laid by the skeletal creature that laid upon the road. Its bones shifted, the sound of earth and rock grinding against its body as it dragged itself to wakefulness while Illena and Luna attempted to cross the bridge. Its skeletal head passed right by Dragan as it lifted its long, serpentine body into the air. Scraggly, matted fur hung from its skull while its eyeless sockets and bestial skull stared down the vampire. It opened its jaws…and howled. Something was off about this skeletal creature, that much was certain as far as Dragan could tell. Even as weakened as he was, this creature in front of him was difficult to get a grasp on with his necromancy almost as if it wasn't quite dead. It would then attempt to slam its head right into Dragan.</s> <|message|>Aleksiya Ravennart, also known as Ice Princess Aleksiya, or the Rime-Winged Vermilion Angel To be honest, there were more then a few reasons why Aleksiya didn't want to try breaking the gate down herself. For one, it was a part of this city and a valuable barrier. For the other, she wouldn't be able to stand being unable to do it. She couldn't let anyone see her fail. It simply wasn't an option, and she unfortunately couldn't be sure about her own capabilities given how hungry she was. Thus, the petite vampire really had no choice but to follow Giselle's lead. Thankfully, it seemed this choice was a fruitful one. The small door led them into a fittingly unimpressive room, but at least it was shelter away from all those obnoxious skeletons and whatever irritant was pursuing them. She'd pay it back tenfold for forcing them to rush in such an unbecoming fashion. Unfortunately, this particular bit of shelter was not unoccupied. There was another tenant, and sadly it wasn't even an interesting one. A dried out, desiccated, leathery corpse that didn't even appear to have any blood left inside of it. Was that all they were going to encounter here? Aleksiya was so hungry, too! She was already preparing to cast a spell when it suddenly screamed, letting out an awful, deafening shriek that left her ears ringing. Putting one hand to her head, the small vampire winced as she took aim. So shortly after she awakened, and she's met with such an obnoxious sound!? "Shut up!" A ball of ice formed at the tip of her finger, surrounded by circles of light for a moment before being sent hurtling through the air, aimed squarely at the undead's head. @Click This</s> <|message|>Dragan Meszaros Dragan Meszaros Ah. It seemed he'd missed a spot leading up to the bridge. Dragan raised his rapier with a frown, instinctively leaping out of the way of the skeletal beast's head slam. Dragan could chalk that up to his post-torpor weakness, but that would be making excuses. No, he simply hadn't been paying enough attention, it seemed. Something to work on for later. In the meantime, there was still the immediate matter to deal with. Dragan took up a fencing stance, calling back across the bridge as he did so. "There is little need to concern yourselves overmuch!" He yelled in his companions' direction before lunging forward, juking one way and then the other before leaping up and plunging his rapier straight into one of the beast's eye sockets. He would have to determine if this thing was truly alive or not before committing more to the fight.</s> <|message|>Ilena @Psyker Landshark@Rune_Alchemist "If the rest of our Goddess's rightful domain is in such a state, that means our blightful foe has fallen destitute alongside our brethren," Ilena replied. But she was not sure whether to feel triumphant over that. To attain victory by outliving the natural lifespan of a human was the way of worms. And yet to become the rulers and rebuilders of a ruined world would be the surest way to stamp out the worshippers of lesser deities and extol the greatest of the Stained Queen. Complication unnecessary. Luna's second question was easier to answer. A short shake of Ilena's head, followed by a casual disregard for her jest. Dragan was armoured, but the Exsanguinating Skeeters have lifted knights in full plate and drained them dry before. An unfed paladin, no matter the renown, would not be so different. What would make things different, though, was the revival of that great skeleton, bones rattling against stone as it raised itself skywards, almost tall enough to reach the two flying vampires. Ilena fixed her gaze on Luna. "I suppose you could not command it to beg?" And she dropped, her right arm melting into shadow as outsized claws shunted out from where her fingers once more. They slammed into the skull of the skeletal creature, digging deep as it swung its head down towards Dragan, before the impact caused those self-same claws to rip deep grooves into ancient bone, Ilena sent flying by the impact. The giant mosquito caught her though, wings flaring with effort to stop her fall, and she landed gingerly beside Dragan. "Your verdict, Death Knight?" Amidst the buzzing of her thralls, Ilena's flesh began to tremble, muscles and organs changing from beneath the skin. "Will these bones be broken or merely displaced?"</s> <|message|>Giselle de Farry Giselle de FarryUndead Princess, de Farry --- Giselle had been right, as she had expected. Alavaris was too old, too lived in, and too storied to not have such little entrances, despite the decrepit state the city and the land was in now. In this case, it was the easiest of alternative entrances they found, a simple guard door. Time had ensured that whatever door or lock that might have gotten in their way was not an issue. Still, it seemed to have done its job enough that the contents of the guard room seemed relatively unscathed for their age. Perhaps, if she was so inclined, she could quickly restore one of those weapons herself and stow away her blood to conserve her energy. Before she could do that, though, they had to clear the room. There was a single undead beast here. Giselle had been about to smack the degenerated body aside when it stared at her and Aleksiya, and screamed. She winced, placing a hand to her ears even as she lashed out together with the smaller vampire lord to destroy the lesser being for its heinous offense. "Nasty little thing, aren't you?" She could barely even hear herself as aimed for center mass, intending on eviscerating its undead heart if Aleksiya's headshot wouldn't do the trick. Immediately after, she began to move towards the weapon racks, intending to inspect them for anything that she could restore and use on the spot once the trouble in the room was dealt with.</s>

<|message|>Akyasha Akyasha held her breath as the giant creeped around and soon enough groaned and disappeared back the way it came. She relaxed her shoulders a bit. She was positive that, at the moment, she could not fight that if it came to it. Not by herself at least. Then, she felt a cold grasp around her neck ever so slowly. A ghost? How crude. One would not find this Cleric of Ichor easy prey. She raised her hand and encased it with her blood magic to enable her manipulating this ghost. She moved her hand up and grabbed the hand surrounding her neck by the wrist and quickly pried it away. She twisted the ghostly wrist in such a way that it would have broke a human's wrist under the same circumstance. "How vexing to deal with a ghost at the moment." She'd continue supplying some of her available power to her hands to lessen the burden she would take in making a full blood weapon. She pull the ghost out of the wall and then gave it a good smack to get rid of it. These things were rather annoying at times. Well, at the least this problem was solved. So took a look outside the building, carefully peaking her head out to make sure the there were no giant skeletal monsters out here ready to devour her. It looked clear at least so she quietly made her way to where she had noticed her compatriots went.</s>

<|description|>Akyasha Gender: Female Appearance: Akyasha is much like the rest of her kin. Pale, pleasing to the eyes…. The most notable features are her bright red hair and the religious garb she wears at almost all times. Abilities: As a Vampire, of course Akyasha has access to Blood Magic and as a devout servant of Ichor, she also has access to Divine Magic that only Clerics of Ichor would have. The Divine Magics of Ichor are essentially Blood Magic without any weakness a Vampire might have as well as the ability to summon the otherworldly servants of Ichor. That said, she utilizes her Blood Magic in a special way. When she strikes an enemy with her Blood Magic, she attempts to put a "seed" on or in them. This "seed" starts to drain blood from it's target and will over time sprout as a Blood Magic mockery of a lily, something that Akyasha affectionately calls a "Blood Lily". After she collects the lily, she can utilize it in a couple of ways, but her favorite is in her summoning magic. The amount and quality of blood that she collected influences the creatures she would summon from using the Blood Lily. Personality: Some describe her as an eccentric. She's a devout servant and follower of Ichor. She follows the tenets as close as she can except for one thing. While she agrees that normally, humans cannot love them, she thinks that they can be made to love them. Though, this typically means that she likes to have plenty of human thralls. Specifically, Human Women that she can dress in her religious outfits and follow the Path of Ichor. Outside that, one could say that she is every so slightly obsessed with the Cult of Ichor and making it as perfect as she can as well as the betterment of her kin. She sees humans in three ways. The humans worth attempted to turn to the Cult of Ichor and those that are cattle meant for feeding. This does not mean the cattle are to be treated crudely as that would be against the tenets. Preferably, they are to be given their own rooms and things to do as well as well fed. That way, their blood tastes the best it could be. The third and final way she looks at humans…. Are those worthy of ignoring. As the tenets state not to act with cruelty and treat humans with care, Akyasha finds the best way to care is to ignore those that one does not need to interact with as interaction would bring "undue attention to the undead." Bio: Once upon a time, Akyasha was a blonde human girl with another name, turned by a Cleric of Ichor. Over the years, she dedicated her unlife to the following of Ichor and rose through the ranks. Unfortunately, during the final years she saw many of her fellow clerics felled by Paladins until finally, she was one of the last few Clerics. Of course, one of the last few didn't matter as she was impaled with a holy weapon and put into an eternal slumber. Only to eventually wake back up in an unforgiving world…. Anything else:</s> <|message|>Ilena @Psyker Landshark@Rune_Alchemist The heart of a great snake, and a ritual dagger that stank of something divine, something not of Ichor's domain. Her 'father' would no doubt be pleased with these gifts, but as for Ilena herself? The shadow witch toyed with the dagger briefly, allowing it to spin from one digit to another, before flipping it hilt-first towards the former paladin. "Take it," she rasped. She would let it drop even if he did not. The serpent's heart, she kept in her hand for a while longer. Plump still, fresh still, and reminiscent, in a manner, of that feline-serpent they had encountered on the way there. It could not have been that creature's heart though, not unless it possessed multiple. Too large to belong to giants, too small to belong to humans. Regardless, Ilena lifted her cloak to the side and slipped that heart into her fabricated form. "Your piety shall be rewarded," she spoke, setting aside for a moment the idea that other lords have survived, have revived. "Do you wish to join your master, Thrall? Or be reborn again, under the servitude of another?"</s> <|message|>Full Luna Emeraltide Luna allowed the dwindling thrall to touch her cheek, albeit briefly, before softly taking her hand and pulling it lightly away. The tenderness of the dying woman was a welcome feeling after eons of sleep, but at the same time the gesture was unsolicited, and by a servant no less. She nevertheless held the woman still, and followed her words towards the heart Ilena held up until it disappeared into blackness. "Other lords? Were they awoken here in Alavaris as well?" Luna hummed, then turning her eyes to the cathedral's entrance. "And you... where did you come from? How did you even survive?" The vampiress listened to Ilena, and promptly squeezed the thrall more tightly -possessively. She offered Ilena a wholly lighthearted glare -almost pouting- and retorted. "She will not die! Such a dedicated servant could never be discarded. Look at her," she continued, "She has surely gone through quite the ordeal just to rejuvenate us. And... all without drinking a single drop herself; otherwise she would not be in this state. To say nothing of completing it without a master. Tell me thrall, what is your name?" she asked.</s> <|message|>Dragan Meszaros Dragan Meszaros As his companions bickered over the fate of the thrall, Dragan murmured quietly in prayer. The familiar practice, in life and in death, centered him. Ichor saw fit to reverse his fate after what should have been his true death, and for that, he would be forever grateful. To say nothing of his centuries of service in her name already, of course. As the vampire lord finished his prayer, a sensation bid him to look up. A red light came from the doorway leading to the cathedral yard's balcony. A sign of the Goddess's favor, perhaps? Dragan stood, placing his helm back onto his head as he looked to Ilena and Luna. "Enough." His voice rumbled as he gestured up towards the balcony door. "I agree with Ilena. For leal service, we ought to reward the thrall with the fate she wishes for herself. Should she want to continue to serve, we will allow it. Should she desire the peace of the grave, we ought to allow her to make that choice." He stared Luna down unflinchingly. Of course the bloody siren would choose to be obstinate now and disregard a loyal servant's choices for her own wants. "In the meantime, it seems we are beckoned. Join me if you wish, or continue to debate over the thrall." With his piece said, Dragan leapt up toward the balcony, extending a hand to crack the door open and see what the source of the crimson glow was.</s> <|message|>Akyasha "Ah, Aleksiya. Giselle." Akyasha said as she made her way through the places of carnage the two had left behind to find them talking to... A human? Hmm. She had to wonder if he was the man Est referenced earlier. And what was that he mentioned? Vermin escaped? Ah, he seemed to want her to tell him about the rats location. Est probably would have been long gone by now right? Well, she wasn't exactly sure why this guy wanted to catch her... Friend? "I did chance an encounter with some rats." The Cleric said as she showed off her bounty. "And perhaps caught sight of some shadows, though there's a large skeletal giant of some sort that way, though assuming that you're here at all, perhaps it would be a fair match for you." Akyasha walked her way up to Giselle and Aleksiya and held the rats out to her comrades. "Anything else that went that way is probably long gone. Wish I could have caught more of these." Akyasha seemed fairly truthful about it. After all, Est was hopefully and likely long gone by now, right? "What has you chasing after vermin is a place like this?" She had to ask, curious about the situation.</s> <|message|>Giselle de Farry Giselle de FarryUndead Princess, de Farry --- Giselle couldn't help but to frown, a slight expression of annoyance momentarily flashing through her face as the human man began to respond in the negative. Alas, the more he spoke, the bigger the impression she got that this Rikard was not speaking of the giant skeletal beast. If it was shrieking and coming closer, how would hunters lose track of such a quarry? She was loathe to do nothing, but if that was his answer, then so be it. There were far too many unknowns to go about making enemies this early on in the game, and she wasn't in the habit of making enemies without good reason to begin with. That had been a great part in keeping her lands prosperous and untouched for centuries, until the death of the era brought an untimely end to even that. Thankfully, the two of them got their lucky break when a certain priestess unexpectedly showed up, seemingly no worse for the wear as she almost casually sauntered up to their conversation. Immediately catching the dead rats that she held by their tails, she arched her eyebrow at Akyasha, even as Rikard spoke again. Surely he wasn't looking after literal vermin? No, obviously not. Something larger, and associated with rats, then. Now, what sort of entity associated with that might still be alive? She pondered the question, even as she continued on. "Perhaps an exchange of information for the vials will be in order, then," she concluded diplomatically, shooting Akyasha a look that was intended to request her to acquiesce. "What did your encounter with these… rats look like?" Nonetheless, she took a rat for herself with a nod, though she refrained from partaking of it immediately.</s> <|message|>Aleksiya Ravennart, also known as Ice Princess Aleksiya, or the Rime-Winged Vermilion Angel When Akyasha finally showed up again, Aleksiya couldn't help but raise an eyebrow, arms folded across her chest. She spent all that time, wasted all that time, to find some rats? What drivel was this? What utter nonsense. She wasted their time for some rats? The small blonde girl huffed, but at least in this case the waste of time was potentially fortuitous. This hunter, Rikard, had deigned to be uncooperative, but just as he stated he was willing to potentially part with some of his blood vials for information on 'vermin'. And lo and behold, here arrived that obsessive priestess carrying vermin with her. If not for this stroke of luck, the diminutive vampire would have expressed her irritation with the priestess far more vocally. But, for the moment, she chose to hold her tongue. If only for now. "Indeed, I'm rather curious, myself," Aleksiya commented, cocking her head to one side as she fully turned to face the fanatic and her collected rats. This@Pyromania99@Rune_Alchemist</s>

<|message|>Akyasha Akyasha was slightly taken aback. She had just returned but instead of being glad of her return one questions her and the other disparages through looks and then questions her. No, perhaps she should have known better. "Well, if you don't want your meal, you don't need to have it." Still, their questions where hanging in the air. "I'm really not sure what you want me to tell you. I stayed behind to see what was chasing us in case it would be able to follow us further. On my way back to meet up with you two, I saw some rats. Interested, I followed. Caught some rats and might have seen some shadow out of the corner of my eye as I said prior." Might as well protect Est a small bit. She had no idea what was going on between the two. "If something was that way, it might be gone by now."</s>

<|description|>Akyasha Gender: Female Appearance: Akyasha is much like the rest of her kin. Pale, pleasing to the eyes…. The most notable features are her bright red hair and the religious garb she wears at almost all times. Abilities: As a Vampire, of course Akyasha has access to Blood Magic and as a devout servant of Ichor, she also has access to Divine Magic that only Clerics of Ichor would have. The Divine Magics of Ichor are essentially Blood Magic without any weakness a Vampire might have as well as the ability to summon the otherworldly servants of Ichor. That said, she utilizes her Blood Magic in a special way. When she strikes an enemy with her Blood Magic, she attempts to put a "seed" on or in them. This "seed" starts to drain blood from it's target and will over time sprout as a Blood Magic mockery of a lily, something that Akyasha affectionately calls a "Blood Lily". After she collects the lily, she can utilize it in a couple of ways, but her favorite is in her summoning magic. The amount and quality of blood that she collected influences the creatures she would summon from using the Blood Lily. Personality: Some describe her as an eccentric. She's a devout servant and follower of Ichor. She follows the tenets as close as she can except for one thing. While she agrees that normally, humans cannot love them, she thinks that they can be made to love them. Though, this typically means that she likes to have plenty of human thralls. Specifically, Human Women that she can dress in her religious outfits and follow the Path of Ichor. Outside that, one could say that she is every so slightly obsessed with the Cult of Ichor and making it as perfect as she can as well as the betterment of her kin. She sees humans in three ways. The humans worth attempted to turn to the Cult of Ichor and those that are cattle meant for feeding. This does not mean the cattle are to be treated crudely as that would be against the tenets. Preferably, they are to be given their own rooms and things to do as well as well fed. That way, their blood tastes the best it could be. The third and final way she looks at humans…. Are those worthy of ignoring. As the tenets state not to act with cruelty and treat humans with care, Akyasha finds the best way to care is to ignore those that one does not need to interact with as interaction would bring "undue attention to the undead." Bio: Once upon a time, Akyasha was a blonde human girl with another name, turned by a Cleric of Ichor. Over the years, she dedicated her unlife to the following of Ichor and rose through the ranks. Unfortunately, during the final years she saw many of her fellow clerics felled by Paladins until finally, she was one of the last few Clerics. Of course, one of the last few didn't matter as she was impaled with a holy weapon and put into an eternal slumber. Only to eventually wake back up in an unforgiving world…. Anything else:</s> <|message|>Ilena @Psyker Landshark@Pyromania99@Click This@VitaVitaAR@Rune_Alchemist It was not Ilena's duty to defend the desires of a thrall that had none. "Then do as you will." Though Dragan disdained such behavior, the shadow-witch could not care, in truth, for what perverse charities the former priestess held, not when the Crimson Star, the voice of Ichor, rang so clearly through the opened doors. The dark skies burned with sanguine light, shadows of greater demons swirling in the savage firmament. Behind her, others emerged, familiar, storied faces, but for now, they meant nothing. The Sovereign, the Progenitor, has made her request, and it was something to make even a god-disdainer feel pious. She joined Dragan's side, slipping into shadow to slink soundlessly up onto the balcony, before reconstituting her form from the fluid shadows once more. Even now, her loyalty remained, and the shadow-witch kneeled, eyes downcast. "Goddess, I am Ilena. Once more, my fangs are yours."</s> <|message|>Dragan Meszaros Dragan Meszaros Dragan frowned at the thrall's response, turning away to let Luna do as she would with her. If the poor woman truly had no desires of her own left, then she would continue to serve. As a bewitched minion of a siren, no doubt. But he could not defend the wishes of a thrall that had no such thing. Just as the door opened and Ichor's voice began to be heard, Dragan noted the arrival of yet three more vampires out of the corner of his eye. The newcomers were, at the very least, somewhat familiar to him. The ambassador, the ice princess, and the cleric of the blood lily. Over the course of his unlife, he'd either met or heard of each of them enough to recognize all three by sight. Each was at least respectable in some way, perhaps moreso than either of the other two vampires he'd been accompanying. By reputation, at least. In practice, things could be entirely different. Regardless, Dragan nodded towards the newcomers, removing his helm as he turned towards the door. "Welcome, compatriots. It seems you're just in time to hear what the Goddess wills for us. Shall we?" With little more said, he followed Ilena through the door and onto the balcony, kneeling before the light. "Command us, Goddess Ichor. We are your swords, to do with as you will."</s> <|message|>Giselle de Farry Giselle de FarryUndead Princess, de Farry --- "Next time, perhaps read the room," said Giselle, as soon as Rikard had left. Pinching her nose, she gave the woman an exasperated look. While she was glad that she hadn't fully burned the bridge with the strange human, especially so after the man's warning and manner of exit, she remained rather annoyed with the priestess. If she had just played along, then it was very likely they would have had a far superior replenishment of blood than that of a filthy rat. As it was now, though, it was all that she had. Rather than sinking her teeth directly into the dirty fur of the rat carcass, she opened her palm upwards, letting the rat float upwards for a couple inches before she began to extract its blood from its body in a long stream of ichor that she then civilly drank. It had a displeasing, pungent taste to it, even if it did provide a kick of fulfilling energy to her starved body. For this act, she couldn't be entirely displeased with Akyasha, even if had bungled the entire thing in the final stretch. At the very least, the path to the cathedral was no longer barred. Without any further interference, they entered the sacred building soon after, walking into three more of her fellows, and a most peculiar scene. The new company she recognized, even if only passingly so for two of them. The third vampire lord –the only man among them for now, it seemed—she was more familiar with. Together with herself and Aleksiya, he was a lord in the more traditional sense. It seemed, however, that reminiscing about the past could wait for another time. She acknowledged Dragan's words with a slight incline of her head. "Indeed." Without further words, she followed the others onto the balcony. Kneeling before her presence, her light, she relished in the familiar comfort of Ichor's embrace. Giselle had always been more secular among the lords, but her loyalty, especially in these times, was never in doubt. Faced with such a bleak future, who else was she to look to for guidance? "My Goddess, I am once more at your disposal. Guide us as you will."</s> <|message|>Aleksiya Ravennart, also known as Ice Princess Aleksiya, or the Rime-Winged Vermilion Angel "Tch. Idiot." Aleksiya's criticism of Akyasha's actions was far less gentle then Giselle's. Even as she snatched the rat, the scowl on her face made her feelings immediately obvious. They could have earned what was likely human blood by cooperating with that man, and yet they would be feeding on the blood of rats, and for what? The diminutive vampire hadn't the slightest idea as to why the priestess had chosen not to cooperate. For one who professed her love for her fellow vampires, it seemed that something else was more important to her at the moment. Still, she couldn't exactly ignore the prospect of a chance to feed, even if it was on some foul vermin. Her teeth were for the necks of humans, those who had earned the right to enjoy the privilege of her feeding, or her enemies who would be drained until nothing remained. A rat, by contrast, was vermin. She would not bite into the flesh of vermin. Digging her nails into its skin, she needed only a small injury to permit her desired manipulations. The rat's body spasmed as she began to move the blood inside of it, its flesh tearing as its blood began to freeze, tearing its way out of the rodent's flesh, a glistening crystal of blood steadily extracted from its body. It was that which she consumed. It tasted foul, but it was far more refined to feed like this then anything else. Tossing the bloodless body away, her attention refocused. The most important matter, indeed. Ichor's voice. Hearing it once more... The sight of the other long lost lords, especially the absence of certain ones among their number, was a pleasant one. "Indeed, we shall," she replied to Dragan's words, smiling as she approached the balcony. There was comfort in the Goddess's words. The framework through which this world would no longer be twisted, where monsters would be given their due punishment. It was a warmth that cut through the terrible condition of the world around them. Aleksiya curtsied. "My wings of frost shall always spread for you, goddess. Please, guide us." This@Rune_Alchemist@Pyromania99</s>

<|message|>Akyasha "How ungrateful the both of you! I get put in a dire position and this is the thanks I get?" Akyasha was justifiably angered. The Cleric pondered if she should help the either of them if they were in a bad situation again, considering how rude the two of the have been to her since they had woken up. She had made an oath to treat her sisters well but she felt, in the situation, that treatment didn't have to extend to the rudest of them. If their unlife were in danger, perhaps. Otherwise, they were on their own. This would not be a violation of the oath she had taken, surely. It took some small amount of time, but the troop walked into the Cathedral proper and, as Akyasha was taking in the beautiful sight of it all, she noticed some few others here as well. Ilena, Dragan, and Luna and a thrall of some sort? Curious. "More of our fellows! Perhaps you all will be less of the rude sort than my current company." Akyasha said before hearing the voice of the Goddess. "Ahh! Goddess! To the balcony?" The woman rushed to the top happily, "Goddess! I beseech thee, bless your unworthy children with thy words!" The cleric had said after practically sliding into a kneeling position at the top of the balcony. This was standard fare for the Cleric, of course.</s>

<|description|>Akyasha Gender: Female Appearance: Akyasha is much like the rest of her kin. Pale, pleasing to the eyes…. The most notable features are her bright red hair and the religious garb she wears at almost all times. Abilities: As a Vampire, of course Akyasha has access to Blood Magic and as a devout servant of Ichor, she also has access to Divine Magic that only Clerics of Ichor would have. The Divine Magics of Ichor are essentially Blood Magic without any weakness a Vampire might have as well as the ability to summon the otherworldly servants of Ichor. That said, she utilizes her Blood Magic in a special way. When she strikes an enemy with her Blood Magic, she attempts to put a "seed" on or in them. This "seed" starts to drain blood from it's target and will over time sprout as a Blood Magic mockery of a lily, something that Akyasha affectionately calls a "Blood Lily". After she collects the lily, she can utilize it in a couple of ways, but her favorite is in her summoning magic. The amount and quality of blood that she collected influences the creatures she would summon from using the Blood Lily. Personality: Some describe her as an eccentric. She's a devout servant and follower of Ichor. She follows the tenets as close as she can except for one thing. While she agrees that normally, humans cannot love them, she thinks that they can be made to love them. Though, this typically means that she likes to have plenty of human thralls. Specifically, Human Women that she can dress in her religious outfits and follow the Path of Ichor. Outside that, one could say that she is every so slightly obsessed with the Cult of Ichor and making it as perfect as she can as well as the betterment of her kin. She sees humans in three ways. The humans worth attempted to turn to the Cult of Ichor and those that are cattle meant for feeding. This does not mean the cattle are to be treated crudely as that would be against the tenets. Preferably, they are to be given their own rooms and things to do as well as well fed. That way, their blood tastes the best it could be. The third and final way she looks at humans…. Are those worthy of ignoring. As the tenets state not to act with cruelty and treat humans with care, Akyasha finds the best way to care is to ignore those that one does not need to interact with as interaction would bring "undue attention to the undead." Bio: Once upon a time, Akyasha was a blonde human girl with another name, turned by a Cleric of Ichor. Over the years, she dedicated her unlife to the following of Ichor and rose through the ranks. Unfortunately, during the final years she saw many of her fellow clerics felled by Paladins until finally, she was one of the last few Clerics. Of course, one of the last few didn't matter as she was impaled with a holy weapon and put into an eternal slumber. Only to eventually wake back up in an unforgiving world…. Anything else:</s> <|message|>Ilena @Psyker Landshark@Pyromania99@Click This@VitaVitaAR@Rune_Alchemist Westward, then, to claim blood more human, more satiating. And to seven more lords, resurrection to grant, the seven whose fall marked the vampires' end. The sanguine light faded, Ichor disappearing into the cosmos, and Ilena let out a breath, rising up from her position. Amethyst eyes flickered from one new arrival to another, faces indistinct but repute well-marked enough that unfamiliarity would still bring forth fragments of knowledge with regards to their pedigree. Two royals, and a true-blooded cleric of Ichor. Of the naturalborn aristocrats, Giselle de Farry was more tolerable of the two, an architect of crimson constructions compared to the more child-like pretensions of the Rime-Winged Vermillion Angel and her hedonistic pursuits. And as for that Blood-Lily Cleric... ...well, Luna may have found her a like-mind, but the two were incomparable in methodology and grace. "If the Goddess desires it, then westward we depart." This city and its mysteries could be left to be uncovered at another time, for vampires truly had but an excess in time. As for her familiar, for the Skeeters she's sent out to hunt? She can await their return on her own time.</s> <|message|>Full Luna Emeraltide Much as the thrall had her own ideas of servitude and punishment, Luna had her own -and who would have a better handle on what was best: herself, or a thrall? As the nameless woman slipped back into unconsciousness, Luna disregarded Dragan, and began the quick ritual to revive the woman as her new thrall. With shut eyes, she could hear Dragan's motion in the background. Quickly, blood dripped from her eyes as gentle tears, and ran down her cheeks. She cradled the thrall with one arm, and with her other hand reached up to pry a single droplet. She paused, her body freezing at the feeling of something washing over her. A warming voice, distant and pleasant, roused her ears and fluttered her unbeating heart. Ichor's voice rolled over the balcony and banisters, and its familiar, enlightening spirit drew greater power from Luna's eyes; her tears flowed more freely, more voluminous, and in turn poured greater power into the ritual. It was not her intention, but this thrall would given more strength than Luna had planned for. In her trance, it was difficult to care. Prying a single large droplet from her closed eyes, she fed the blood to the thrall through her lips, and offered a short prayer. "Beneath Ichor's gaze, this child, this master commands thee to rise anew. Born again as servant to Luna Emeraltide." Whether the thrall awoke or not, Luna stood, still carrying the woman, and hurried up the stairs to the second floor where the others had gathered to witness their Goddesses' light and hear her command. She set the thrall to the side -away from the gates which Dragan had opened- and joined the others. She practically fell to her knees, and clasped her hands in silent prayer as her ears caught the last vestiges of Ichor's mystic presence. Even as it left, she remained there in pious reflection for a moment more. Standing, Luna only then acknowledged the three additional faces. Little introduction was needed for so notable a crew. Though, truthfully, Luna had little inclination to give regards to one in particular. Their journey was just beginning, and there was little room for petty squabbling and rivalry Luna felt. It was time to behave and consolidate. "Have we any needed preparations before going?" she asked to the group at large, "Did you find anything of note yourselves?" she directed to Akyasha, Aleksiya, and Giselle.</s> <|message|>Dragan Meszaros Dragan Meszaros Dragan merely kept his head bowed as he received his orders, waiting for Ichor's light to disperse before he dared stand once more. As he did, the Death Knight contemplated the directives they'd all been given. Head west, and resurrect the seven vampire lords in the Queen's service before bringing back the Queen herself. Understandable goals. If the current group had all been brought back to life, it stood to reason the same could be done for the greatest among their number. Of course, there were some that Dragan would have preferred not be brought back, but a command from the Goddess was inviolatable. The Blight Lord and the Sanguine Regent were stains upon their shared race as a whole, but their abilities and knowledge were invaluable. No matter his opinion, though, what was left of the paladin inside of Dragan drove him to follow Ichor's decree. Even he could see the logic in bringing them back, and if what he assumed of the crusade had been true, vampires had been all but wiped out until their recent rise. "Westward, then." Dragan murmured as he placed his helm back atop his head, turning to exit the balcony. He turned back towards the others. "For those of you that just joined us, Lady Ilena is already bearing the heart that the Goddess mentioned. It ought to be safe in her care until the time comes for it to be used."</s> <|message|>Giselle de Farry Giselle de FarryUndead Princess, de Farry --- Great, it seemed like the priestess was as clueless as she was stupid. Not that Giselle was ever going to say that, either to her or in public. She was too much of a class act for that, even if she did like to show her disapproval of things at times. Rather than correct Akyasha's misconceptions, the white-haired vampire thought that she had better things to do, such as to pay proper attention to the words of her goddess. She hardly rushed to hear her words like a giddy child, instead affecting a solemn pace and posture as she received her words. Her words of guidance were more worldly than what might have expected out of a god, but given the circumstances, it was very understandable. To revive more of her fallen brethren, together with the queen of her kind was only logical. Giselle did have her doubts about 'the seven,' but there was little doubt as to who the seven were—the seven remaining vampire lords that had not been resurrected and were together in the cathedral with her. Some of those remaining seven, though… Well, for somebody who valued good governance, administration, and the love of her people, she had no love for them and thought they should continue to rest as they were. But who was she to question the will of a goddess? She did have to admit, in these times, a strong set of hands would be needed to guide things onto a better path, no matter how flawed the tools might be… Eyeing one of the leftover vials of blood, Giselle made to partake of it, even as she continued to mentally curse Akyasha for the loss of an extra good vial. "West we shall go, but a word of caution, friends," she said, once she was done. "The three of us recently came from that direction. With six of us, it might not be so problematic, but it is worth mentioning that a great skeleton beast lies in our path there. Perhaps one of you have also encountered it?" She glanced over at Luna, Dragan, and Illena, inclining her head towards the latter as Dragan mentioned her as the bearer of the heart. "There are also other humans in the city we have encountered. Other entities too, though it was not I who encountered them…" Trailing off, she glanced at Akyasha.</s>

<|message|>Akyasha Akyasha was happily smiling at the goddess' words and pondered them after. The woman had a good idea of what the goddess meant, though she wondered just how the landscape has changed since their time of passing. Perhaps even what was west at this point. It was a bit bothersome to remember. Though, she did remember the others in front of her. Lady Luna, Sir Dragan and Lady Ilena. She was quite happy to see the lot of them and had the urge to bring them all into a hug, perhaps a fragment of her prior days as a human that she had otherwise since long forgotten. Akyasha was, of course, not her name at the time. She had even forgotten that as well, but that aside, she took the moment to greet them. "It's great to see the three of you again. Among the goddess, no less. Hopefully, you've not forgotten me in the long age since we last met." The cleric said with a smile. "So it is to the west we go then? I'm curious to see how this world around us has changed. Though, perhaps not as much upon further consideration." The Cleric thought on how her beloved city had changed, using the dreamscape Est had shown her as reference. "As for anything to note, yes. As Miss Giselle mentioned, I had encountered an interesting creature that I was both cautious and curious of. In fact, I would have loved to have informed you both earlier," Akyasha had stated, "But for some reason the both of you have decided I am a fool and I had no chance to elaborate." "Now to start. As we made our way through town..." The Cleric had begun to regale the lot of other vampires of her discovery. Of the giant skeletal behemoth she witness, the ghost she had dispatched, the shadowy rats and of the corpse dressed as one of those doctors of a certain Vampire Lord. Then, finally, a brief version of her somewhat lengthy encounter with Est and what she assumed to be a dreamscape of Alavaris. "And of course, she gave me a warning about 'A man that looks like he's seen far too much and a young girl that swings around dangerous weaponry too much'. After that, I come to you with rats in hand. As cautious I was of Est, she most likely kidnapped me to entertain herself before seeing me off and gifting the three of us a meal." The Cleric thought on it a small bit more and remembered one thing. "Bring you thoughts back to the man and girl I was warned of. I assume the man was the one you two encountered and how glad I should think we are not to encounter the other. While I can't verify the rat's claims, she also mentioned, 'That girl swings around a sword that contains the power of the Old Light.' It's a curious thing but not one I'd like to examine first hand." Akyasha seemed finished with her tale at the time. "Forgive me should I have missed something. It's been such a short time since we have awaken and much has happened. With how confusing conversation had been with Est... Well, I'm still managing the thoughts in my head. Rest assured, should something come to mind I will bring it to your attention. Now, if you all would excuse me for some moments, with the blood I have I believe I can summon a cute little bat to help us scout our path forward." With that, Akaysha broke from the group for a short time to prepare for a summoning. While simple, she wasn't sure how tiring it would make her feel after so long. With their absence, she was not sure how difficult it would be to bring forth Ichor's chosen creatures.</s>

<|description|>Akyasha Gender: Female Appearance: Akyasha is much like the rest of her kin. Pale, pleasing to the eyes…. The most notable features are her bright red hair and the religious garb she wears at almost all times. Abilities: As a Vampire, of course Akyasha has access to Blood Magic and as a devout servant of Ichor, she also has access to Divine Magic that only Clerics of Ichor would have. The Divine Magics of Ichor are essentially Blood Magic without any weakness a Vampire might have as well as the ability to summon the otherworldly servants of Ichor. That said, she utilizes her Blood Magic in a special way. When she strikes an enemy with her Blood Magic, she attempts to put a "seed" on or in them. This "seed" starts to drain blood from it's target and will over time sprout as a Blood Magic mockery of a lily, something that Akyasha affectionately calls a "Blood Lily". After she collects the lily, she can utilize it in a couple of ways, but her favorite is in her summoning magic. The amount and quality of blood that she collected influences the creatures she would summon from using the Blood Lily. Personality: Some describe her as an eccentric. She's a devout servant and follower of Ichor. She follows the tenets as close as she can except for one thing. While she agrees that normally, humans cannot love them, she thinks that they can be made to love them. Though, this typically means that she likes to have plenty of human thralls. Specifically, Human Women that she can dress in her religious outfits and follow the Path of Ichor. Outside that, one could say that she is every so slightly obsessed with the Cult of Ichor and making it as perfect as she can as well as the betterment of her kin. She sees humans in three ways. The humans worth attempted to turn to the Cult of Ichor and those that are cattle meant for feeding. This does not mean the cattle are to be treated crudely as that would be against the tenets. Preferably, they are to be given their own rooms and things to do as well as well fed. That way, their blood tastes the best it could be. The third and final way she looks at humans…. Are those worthy of ignoring. As the tenets state not to act with cruelty and treat humans with care, Akyasha finds the best way to care is to ignore those that one does not need to interact with as interaction would bring "undue attention to the undead." Bio: Once upon a time, Akyasha was a blonde human girl with another name, turned by a Cleric of Ichor. Over the years, she dedicated her unlife to the following of Ichor and rose through the ranks. Unfortunately, during the final years she saw many of her fellow clerics felled by Paladins until finally, she was one of the last few Clerics. Of course, one of the last few didn't matter as she was impaled with a holy weapon and put into an eternal slumber. Only to eventually wake back up in an unforgiving world…. Anything else:</s> <|message|>Ilena @Psyker Landshark@Pyromania99@Click This@VitaVitaAR@Rune_Alchemist A mistress of rats? An 'Est', who warned of… Ilena blinked, a sensation, a thought, re-entering her body. Even with the physicality destroyed, a morsel of her own essence returned to her in that moment, shooting into her shadows, deciphered by the demons that safeguarded her mind. Ah. It connected, like objects of differing polarities snapping into place. "Rikard…and Rhea. Belonging to the Society. Returning to the Society, to report. A piece of me died at the orphanage, where they last were." Ilena settled her gaze on Akyasha briefly, before turning to Luna and Dragan. "The gunfire was likely involved with their hunting of Est. Though whether they are enemies or merely cautious…" From within the cathedral now, the sound of buzzing Skeeters echoed, the gargantuan insectoids flying over to Ilena before touching down, their abdomens swollen once more with the results of their hunt. She didn't bother with excising the blood carefully now, and instead, her shadows swallowed the enthralled insects whole, assimilating their disparate parts into her own body. "...it matters not. Nor does the gargantuan beast that we encountered on our path here, if it seeks not to disrupt our departure. Let us slay what remains of that Paladin and leave for more plentiful fields."</s> <|message|>Dragan Meszaros Dragan Meszaros "A skeletal paladin, still bearing a silver blade?" Dragan turned to the thrall, an eyebrow raised underneath his helmet. "How my former brothers have fallen. Fortunately, the blade will be all we have to fear. As for this Society," He nodded in response to Ilena's words. "We've no reason to seek them out for now. No need to start unnecessary fights." Foreknowledge of the enemy would be invaluable. As he was now, Dragan had no doubt that most lesser undead would fall under his sway once more. This skeletal paladin sounded to still be beyond his grasp, however. Precautions would need to be taken. The Death Knight glanced back towards the rest of his companions, turning to venture deeper into the cathedral. "I imagine some among us have preparations to make before we set out, myself included. When I'm finished, I will meet you near the west gate, past the yard." Centuries-old memories led Dragan to the armories he knew the cathedral possessed. A quick search of said quarters revealed a collection of weapons, many still more or less usable. None were of the highest craftsmanship, but experience and knowledge of steel told the vampiric knight which were servicable and would hold up in a fight. He hefted a two-handed warhammer into his hands and took a practice swing, nodding in satisfaction. This would serve, for now. A blunt smashing weapon would be the most effective against the skeleton that barred their way. It wasn't his old mace, but it would be more efficient on his blood reserves than conjuring one up. Once he returned outside and regrouped with the others in the courtyard, Dragan stepped forward towards the gate. The sound of shuffling undead had him extending a hand out, the other clutching his warhammer. "Serve." He commanded, exerting his will to take command over as many lesser undead as he could in the immediate area of the gate without taxing his blood reserves too much.</s> <|message|>Giselle de Farry Giselle de FarryUndead Princess, de Farry --- The ashen-skinned vampire couldn't help but to raise an eyebrow at Akyasha. "I was not aware your ability to sense social cues had degraded to such an extent during your slumber. Had you successfully played along and fed that human some nonsense information, he might have given the three of us one of those vials of high-quality blood that were displayed very prominently on his coat." She made her criticism of her response far more obvious here, but that was just about all that she had left to be said about the matter, leaving the red-haired vampire to continue her tale. Further reinvigorated by the one vial that she did receive, she gave a nod of acknowledgement to Aleksiya before her attention was taken by Illena's report. She was one of the stranger ones of the vampire lords assembled here, but that was no issue. "Rikard… that was the human that we encountered on the walls," she acknowledged. "It would seem we have a name for his partner and his employer, then. If there is a 'society' of any sort, then perhaps society as a whole may not have degenerated quite as badly as I'd initially thought." Turning towards Dragan, she too gave him a nod. "Quite. If I have your measure correctly, then we'll be heading to the same place, so please allow me to accompany you." She made her way to the armory otherwise silently, where she gave her own critical eye over what remained in the centuries-old vault. A good number of the weapons there were still serviceable, although not to the point where she would replace her newly refurbished scythe as her primary arm. To her mild surprise, there were some firearms in reasonable condition among the cold-steel weapons. She would not trust the rifles or their high-power ammunition, not without spending more effort than she wished at the moment to give them a once-over, but she picked out a revolver, and after creating a cloth and leather holster for it around her thigh, took it with her and strapped it in. Without anything else that she needed, she soon returned outside, ready to make their push west.</s>

<|message|>Akyasha "Hello there little cuties." Akyasha said, nuzzling back to the one that started it. These little creatures were both adorable and useful. Back a long time ago, Akyasha had an entire fleet of these adorable bundles of bloodsucking. She could gather information and blood from just about anywhere she needed. It was a small bit saddening that all of those had fallen when she did, but nonetheless she would desire to reconstitute her fleet. "Can I have you two scout around the city a small bit? Find where this giant skeletal paladin is particularly at the moment. Otherwise, take a look around and most importantly, stay safe." The most important thing right now was no having to replace the two Gorebats she had summoned. "Please keep me informed you two if there's anything interesting." With that, she sent the two off with a smile. She wasn't sure if they'd find anything else in this city. Hell, she half expected to find Est again though it'd probably be better if she didn't. And now, she was thirstier. Unsurprising of course, as she had used blood to summon those cuties. The Blood Lily Cleric stretched her arms a small bit before sniffing at the air. Perhaps that smell was what she thought it was? It carried her to the edge of the balcony where she looked down. She noticed a nice little something where Luna was with the Thrall earlier. The Cleric licked at her lips as she quickly made her way down and took up a vial of blood that she had not noticed earlier and quickly downed the substance. Now she was ready to explore the city and find the best path through it to the outside of it's walls. "Dragan mentioned the west gate? Not that I have much else to prepare for anyway." With that, the Cleric head in the direction, ready to head out again to heed the Goddess' words.</s>

<|description|>Akyasha Gender: Female Appearance: Akyasha is much like the rest of her kin. Pale, pleasing to the eyes…. The most notable features are her bright red hair and the religious garb she wears at almost all times. Abilities: As a Vampire, of course Akyasha has access to Blood Magic and as a devout servant of Ichor, she also has access to Divine Magic that only Clerics of Ichor would have. The Divine Magics of Ichor are essentially Blood Magic without any weakness a Vampire might have as well as the ability to summon the otherworldly servants of Ichor. That said, she utilizes her Blood Magic in a special way. When she strikes an enemy with her Blood Magic, she attempts to put a "seed" on or in them. This "seed" starts to drain blood from it's target and will over time sprout as a Blood Magic mockery of a lily, something that Akyasha affectionately calls a "Blood Lily". After she collects the lily, she can utilize it in a couple of ways, but her favorite is in her summoning magic. The amount and quality of blood that she collected influences the creatures she would summon from using the Blood Lily. Personality: Some describe her as an eccentric. She's a devout servant and follower of Ichor. She follows the tenets as close as she can except for one thing. While she agrees that normally, humans cannot love them, she thinks that they can be made to love them. Though, this typically means that she likes to have plenty of human thralls. Specifically, Human Women that she can dress in her religious outfits and follow the Path of Ichor. Outside that, one could say that she is every so slightly obsessed with the Cult of Ichor and making it as perfect as she can as well as the betterment of her kin. She sees humans in three ways. The humans worth attempted to turn to the Cult of Ichor and those that are cattle meant for feeding. This does not mean the cattle are to be treated crudely as that would be against the tenets. Preferably, they are to be given their own rooms and things to do as well as well fed. That way, their blood tastes the best it could be. The third and final way she looks at humans…. Are those worthy of ignoring. As the tenets state not to act with cruelty and treat humans with care, Akyasha finds the best way to care is to ignore those that one does not need to interact with as interaction would bring "undue attention to the undead." Bio: Once upon a time, Akyasha was a blonde human girl with another name, turned by a Cleric of Ichor. Over the years, she dedicated her unlife to the following of Ichor and rose through the ranks. Unfortunately, during the final years she saw many of her fellow clerics felled by Paladins until finally, she was one of the last few Clerics. Of course, one of the last few didn't matter as she was impaled with a holy weapon and put into an eternal slumber. Only to eventually wake back up in an unforgiving world…. Anything else:</s> <|message|>Aleksiya Ravennart, also known as Ice Princess Aleksiya, or the Rime-Winged Vermilion Angel It was only obvious that the monstrous, gigantic skeleton was effectively an extension of the smaller figure. And thus their target became more obvious. Exactly where the sword was located wasn't immediately clear, which was all the more concerning, but Aleksiya was hardly about to allow herself to be shaken by something like that. No matter what, this monster would be destroyed. The moisture in the air condensed, the crystal form of another spear of ice materializing over the diminutive vampire's right shoulder. Then another, over her left, and a third above her head. "Hmph, I don't need an order to know that's the best idea," she said with a dismissive huff, even though she immediately moved in compliance with Giselle, targeting the smaller figure as she swiftly advanced. Certainly, she disliked the feeling of being commanded by someone who by all rights as her equal at most, but at the same time willfully ignoring a solid piece of strategy wasn't a show of her pride. It was a show of stupidity. Eliminating the smaller figure that seemed to puppet the skeleton was, as of their current information, the most solid choice they had. Her first ice spear hadn't managed to penetrate its armor. So, at closer range, from a better angle... Sprinting around to the figure's right, her ice spears tilted towards it and launched all at once while Giselle attacked. @ERode@Asuras@Psyker Landshark@Click This@Pyromania99</s> <|message|>Akyasha Akyasha stood as her allies charged the smaller undead in full armor. "Hmm, I wonder if that's not. Much has changed since our death, has it not? Take caution, or don't. I suppose." The Cleric said, wondering if they could even hear her. As she looked out, she hadn't noticed anything more coming toward them, so if what her bats had said were true, and why would it not be, the sword was very likely here. Then, she turned her attention to the skeletons that had managed their way up to the top of the gate where she was. Well, not everyone needed to fight the big one. Someone needed to handle these smaller ones. Using blood magic, she formed two rather heavy looking maces in her hands. "Alright little ones. Go find a small meal of some wild ghouls or something while we clean up here." She said to her Gorebats before waving them off. She just needed to clean up some skeletons. It shouldn't be a problem. They were only shambling toward them, not charging, but she didn't want them getting into the Cathedral proper at this moment. "I won't have you go much further than this." The Cleric hummed a small bit before leaping forward and bringing one mace down on a skeleton, bashing it to pieces, before bringing her other arm around to cleanly smashing the skull off of another then keeping up her assault on them since it needed to be taken care of anyway. It just meant her allies could focus on the bigger one if she focused down these smaller ones. Twelve shouldn't be much a problem for her, even in this weakened state. After all, she took care of much more when she didn't have as much blood as she did now.</s> <|message|>The Queen Location: Alavaris Cathedral Landshark@Asuras@Erode@VitaVitaAR@Click This@Pyromania99 --- Illena acted swiftly. Shadows melded, moved, slithered between the undead horde that was oblivious to her assault. The armored paladin seemed unresponsive as she'd rush it, shadows bursting from the ground in the shape of a hound, fangs of shadow aiming for the armored undeads head. It would be a surprise at least, that it would move so swiftly. Just before the fangs would meet its head, the armored humanoid jerked its entire body around, an armored hand grasping at the shadows and with a mighty swing, slammed the shadowy wolf back into the old stone below, its hands lighting up with faint remnants of holy power, completely dissipating the shadows. This did not stop Aleksiya's spears, though, as they'd slam into the armor of the paladin. The undead hissed, groaning as one spear pierced its armor and quickly, jerkingly turn towards Aleksiya just in time to see Giselle lashing out with her weapon. With a growl, it'd raise its hands and with fading holy power it'd deflect the blade with its hands, leaving the bloody weapon lightly corroded and the paladins own hands with a deep cut. This was followed by it lunging forwards, attempting to grapple Giselle as it'd reach for her weapon. Above, Dragan launched himself towards the skeletal giants arm. Warhammer met bone, the force of the impact enough to cause some of the ancient bones to crack, but not enough to completely break the force completely as Dragan would be finding himself being slammed back into the ground, engaged in a small contest of strength as the skeletons' weight bore down on him. Unless he did something, he'd likely be crushed as it'd raise its arm for a second smackdown. Akyasha's gorebats nodded, swiftly flying away from the battle. No doubt they would return soon enough, gorged and full of blood and ready for their duty of being either used as sacrificial pawns or aiding the others with small boons of blood. For now though, she'd engage those that had made it to atop the wall. Bloody maces smashing and crushing their bones. With dragan's wraiths still supporting her, this should quickly make short work of the undead.</s> <|message|>Ilena @Psyker Landshark@Pyromania99@Click This@VitaVitaAR@Rune_Alchemist Dissipation? No. To grab at shadows was to grab at air: one could close their hands over a form that looks so real, only to pass through nothing. Ilena writhed beneath the undead paladin's grasp, splattering like paint against the ground before the burst of holy light chased those congealed shadows away. To presume that darkness could be slain by light was foolish. They moved at equal speeds, forever chasing after one another, and though her form was broken, to return once more was as simple as molding mud back together. As the paladin turned, lunging towards Giselle, the black mud rose out of his own shadows. Limbs, too long to be of humanoid nature, wrapped around his, wrenching joints backwards to expose the paladin's head and chest. If he wished for Giselle's blade so dearly, then let him have it. Amethyst eyes emerged within the nightmarish silhouette and narrowed in their assent.</s> <|message|>Full Luna Emeraltide With her woven disorder spread across the battlefield, Luna turned then to more directed and immediate defensive measures. Her comrades locked in combat needed more specific aid, and in the moments that the skeletal beast began lifting its massive hand to crush Dragan, she saw opportunity for exactly that. Where song wove broadly, her eyes focused upon singular targets. Luna's gaze became as piercing spears, and with it ethereal chains pulled by the inertia of weighted points. Manifesting above the skeleton's arm, several chains descended and weaved through ulna and radius. Clamoring and clanking beset the air as the magical metal swung wide and circular, wrapping and coiling the forearm. By her will, Luna sought to bind the slamming arm, and stop it short of collapsing upon Dragan. Not content with staying there upon the walls in this hectic moment, Luna dropped down to the others, and put in her comparatively meager strength to dispatch the rank and file of the battle. Her silver sabre drawn, she took to striking gracefully, fluidly, at the skeletal and zombified minions. Though pitiful, any amount of breathing room for the others who were engaged with far more important targets, could go a long way.</s> <|message|>Giselle de Farry Giselle de FarryUndead Princess, de Farry --- Giselle hadn't counted on the paladin seizing the blade of her scythe entirely, nor did she expect the metallic construction of her weapon to corrode. She allowed herself a small grimace before she reacted. If her constructs, even once converted from blood could still be tainted by holy light, then she was weak indeed. Even if so, that didn't matter now, when her compatriots helped her take the paladin to task around her. She took care to pull back, ripping the blade of her scythe from its hands with a twist, doing nasty things to the paladin's hands with its cutting edge, as Aleksiya's spears and Dragan's war hammer did equally devastating damage to the undead beings. Yet they still lived. The white-haired vampire reengaged the paladin as he lunged towards her, just as Illena's nightmarish shadows began to wrap around him, restraining him and giving Giselle the perfect opening to deal a crippling blow to the undead paladin. She would thank her later. For now, she would simply crash down upon its exposed head and chest with a downwards slash of her scythe. If she were given the opportunity, she would twist the weapon immediately upwards for a combo, before kicking herself away to reassess the situation. Giselle had noted Dragan's temporary distress, but she knew enough of the vampire lord to be confident in his recovery.</s> <|message|>Dragan Meszaros Dragan Meszaros Dragan's previous ingestion of blood hadn't restored as much strength as he'd thought it would. Otherwise, his strike would have utterly shattered the giant skeleton's arm. Instead, Dragan found himself straining against the bastard as said arm bore down on him. He could still get himself out of this predicament, but it would sap a good portion of his strength to muster up the magics required. Fortunately for Dragan and his blood pool, Luna's chains pulled the skeleton's arm off of him, and Dragan's helm tilted in her direction before dipping slightly as thanks. He picked himself back up and hefted his warhammer, taking a moment to send yet more mental commands to his undead even as he began to focus on the fight before him. It seemed Ilena and Giselle already had their assaults under way, and Dragan charged forward to join them, following up on their attacks. As Giselle kicked off of the undead paladin, Dragan leapt onto it, bringing his hammer down onto its exposed and weakened chest with as much force as he could muster. Hopefully this time, his target would shatter after having received blows beforehand.</s>

<|message|>Akyasha Akyasha had finished cleaning up the skeletons on the stairway up to where they were on the gate. Good. Still, there were plenty of the buggers left to clean up. The others seemed to have the big enemy under control. She couldn't expect Dragan to keep absolute authority on the battlefield with his command over the lesser undead, especially not whilst their powers were diminished and doubly so while fighting that monstrosity at the moment. Instead, she would just clear the field of hostiles. This was what she had always done, though she doesn't have her divine creatures of Ichor to assist at the moment. With the tight space behind her as she stepped down to the ground level, she changed the shape of her Blood Weapon from the two heavy maces into one great-axe as she charged into the fray where Dragan's forces were fighting. She made a powerful leap into the obvious group of enemies, landing the axehead down on some poor skeleton. After recovering from the recoil of slamming into the ground, she hefted the axe up above her before swiping it across a number of enemies to give herself some room. She hummed some prayer to herself as she swung left and right, having little problems taking care of skeletons, or, really fragile enemies in general. She had no problem keeping up her pace at the moment, she just hoped the others would be fine taking care of the Paladin.</s>

<|description|>Akyasha Gender: Female Appearance: Akyasha is much like the rest of her kin. Pale, pleasing to the eyes…. The most notable features are her bright red hair and the religious garb she wears at almost all times. Abilities: As a Vampire, of course Akyasha has access to Blood Magic and as a devout servant of Ichor, she also has access to Divine Magic that only Clerics of Ichor would have. The Divine Magics of Ichor are essentially Blood Magic without any weakness a Vampire might have as well as the ability to summon the otherworldly servants of Ichor. That said, she utilizes her Blood Magic in a special way. When she strikes an enemy with her Blood Magic, she attempts to put a "seed" on or in them. This "seed" starts to drain blood from it's target and will over time sprout as a Blood Magic mockery of a lily, something that Akyasha affectionately calls a "Blood Lily". After she collects the lily, she can utilize it in a couple of ways, but her favorite is in her summoning magic. The amount and quality of blood that she collected influences the creatures she would summon from using the Blood Lily. Personality: Some describe her as an eccentric. She's a devout servant and follower of Ichor. She follows the tenets as close as she can except for one thing. While she agrees that normally, humans cannot love them, she thinks that they can be made to love them. Though, this typically means that she likes to have plenty of human thralls. Specifically, Human Women that she can dress in her religious outfits and follow the Path of Ichor. Outside that, one could say that she is every so slightly obsessed with the Cult of Ichor and making it as perfect as she can as well as the betterment of her kin. She sees humans in three ways. The humans worth attempted to turn to the Cult of Ichor and those that are cattle meant for feeding. This does not mean the cattle are to be treated crudely as that would be against the tenets. Preferably, they are to be given their own rooms and things to do as well as well fed. That way, their blood tastes the best it could be. The third and final way she looks at humans…. Are those worthy of ignoring. As the tenets state not to act with cruelty and treat humans with care, Akyasha finds the best way to care is to ignore those that one does not need to interact with as interaction would bring "undue attention to the undead." Bio: Once upon a time, Akyasha was a blonde human girl with another name, turned by a Cleric of Ichor. Over the years, she dedicated her unlife to the following of Ichor and rose through the ranks. Unfortunately, during the final years she saw many of her fellow clerics felled by Paladins until finally, she was one of the last few Clerics. Of course, one of the last few didn't matter as she was impaled with a holy weapon and put into an eternal slumber. Only to eventually wake back up in an unforgiving world…. Anything else:</s> <|message|>Dragan Meszaros Dragan Meszaros From Dragan's perspective, this was the second time in two days that he'd been struck by silver. Fortunately, there was far less of it this time. And of much reduced quality. The blessed metal still burned, of course. But its corroded state meant that the bulk of his strength remained intact. The Death Knight hissed in pain as he was cut and knocked back, his hammer still in his grasp. He wasn't given much time to collect himself, as the paladin was on him, blade raised up and drawn back for a vertical cleave. Dragan only narrowly evaded the blow, sidestepping the swing. Given how much the skeletal knight had committed to that blow, Dragan was out of immediate danger as it tried to recover. The only issue was that they were both too close in for him to effectively get a swing in with a two-handed hammer. Instead, the vampire lord lashed out with his free hand, a plated fist crashing into the skeletal paladin's skull to attempt to knock him back before Dragan took up his hammer with both hands and swung for the open wound that he'd already made with his first blow.</s> <|message|>Akyasha Akyasha smiled as the Gorebats returned. "Go support the ones fighting that monster." The Cleric said, tilting her head. "I have quite the rude one to deal with here." She said hefting her axe onto her shoulder. She looked over this... Creature. It paid no due respect to Ichor by assisting in defending the Cathedral. Well, if it was to get in her way, then so be it. She gripped her axe with both hands. "Surrender to the Goddess, is what I would say but really, you'll just be yet another that doesn't care for my words today." With that, Akyasha launched herself at the monster. She just needed to distract it at the least until they had finished the other monster. Starting with dismemberment was good. After all, if it couldn't move because it's legs were gone, that made it easier on her. Her axe swung from her shoulders, hands guiding it to strike at one of the thing's "legs" if they could be called that. Meaning to cleave through leg and crush bone to prevent it from possibly reforming.</s> <|message|>Ilena @Psyker Landshark@Pyromania99@Click This@VitaVitaAR@Rune_Alchemist That was a neat trick, wasn't it? Shadows retreated in the presence of purifying light, and this time, Ilena fled with it, dissolving into an amorphous blob of darkness as she slid between the legs and limbs of those that still fought, narrowly dodging through the gaps of the giant's furious strikes. So long as the paladin continued to expel its light so greedily, the shadow-witch had no reason to approach. Her eyes caught a glimpse of the Gorebats, so plump with blood that it was a shame to waste it on mere servants when the lords starved, but she stifled her hunger and instead turned her thoughts within. Within the black abyss that she had kept her two Exsanguinating Skeeters, Ilena began her profane surgery, stripping away carapaces, refolding wings, weaving together flesh and nerves, and instilling it all with shadow and bone. Flesh was but a weapon. And no matter how bright a light was, without heat it could not sear away a monster. From the puddle of darkness extended a slim hand, pointing towards the paladin's back as Dragan closed in from the front. "Dragonfly." And with the buzzing of six wings designed only to propel one forwards, a spear made of insect flesh bloomed outwards from that extended arm, ready to smash through ancient armor with nothing more than physical force.</s> <|message|>Giselle de Farry Giselle de FarryUndead Princess, de Farry --- That little set of actions could have gone better, but Giselle didn't complain. This creature, as pitiable as it was, had still been a paladin. Even if he had never commanded respect for his political or religious views, his skills in combat commanded its own degree of respect, even now. And Giselle was an administrator and a creator, not a true frontline combatant, even if she had picked up some formidable skills over a millennia prior. She followed her momentum as her last strike was deflected up and away, shifting on her feet just in time to witness Dragan crater in its torso with his Warhammer. She had hoped for a victory then and there, but experience told her that it would not be so simple. Indeed, the skeletal beast reacted… poorly. Yet, they finally knew where the silver sword was, a fact that Giselle was not particularly appreciating as it was cast down at her, forcing her to rapidly and somewhat inelegantly scramble away from the threat. Nearby, the paladin itself had seemingly conjured up its own silver blade. The fight, it seemed, would only escalate from here. It took a split-second decision for her to decide to reinforce the male vampire lord. Injured by the silver weapon, she quickly moved to intervene, even as Dragan recovered. From the other side, Giselle double-teamed the paladin. Using the full reach of her scythe to stay out of reach of its blade, she swung out for his head as he was knocked back, intending to loop off his head entirely—or, at least, bring him off his feet, so that he could be smashed into the ground with a follow-up.</s> <|message|>Aleksiya Ravennart, also known as Ice Princess Aleksiya, or the Rime-Winged Vermilion Angel Aleksiya danced backwards, the barrier of ice she had thrown up in a bid to deflect a direct attack dissipating simply due to the fact that it would never reach her. This undead paladin, and the great skeleton it was somehow associated with, were proving to be a greater foe then the prior enemies that they had been set against. But ultimately, that didn't matter. They would destroy it all the same. With the smaller undead preoccupied, the diminutive vampire's attention shifted now to the great skeleton, which was not being hindered in any direct way at the moment. Both of these bodies were their enemy, regardless of whatever it was that was the nature of their connection. Thus, both of them were to be taken into consideration. Taking aim at the monstrous skeleton's head, crystal ice spears formed once again as she sent them hurtling for the empty eyesockets.</s> <|message|>The Queen Location: Alavaris Cathedral Landshark@Asuras@Erode@VitaVitaAR@Click This@Pyromania99 --- The clang of steel as the paladins helmet rang out against Dragan's fist, the armored undead taking a few steps backwards but not entirely dazed. His own blade would be brought to parry the hammer, the holy light radiating from the tarnished silver. A stalemate of strength. Still…if he were still among the living, he might have no problem handling two undead assailints. As it stood, however…Illena lunged forward, a spear made of living insects and flesh lunged towards the knight. She could feel her magic weakening, though from exhaustion and usage more than anything. Perhaps wrapping this battle up soon should be a priority. Locked in combat, the undead could do nothing to defend. A spear of living flesh struck forth, piercing the old armor and staking the undead right through its chest. A horrible scream as it wailed, almost sounding as though it was making words with its old, now useless jaw. For a moment it looked as though Giselle's scythe would indeed, take its head… But then, truly, it was not a one versus three fight, was it? The giant skeletal creatures blade struck the sides of nearby buildings, nearly cleaving them off entirely just in time for Giselle to aim for the paladins neck. Instead, it would meet ancient bone as the skeletal creature slammed its arm onto the ground by the paladin, the weapon cutting into its flesh but not thick enough to cut it in its entirely as it deflected the blow from Giselle. It immediately followed by making a grab for Dragan, but the skeletal creatures fingers never reached their target. A spear of ice, a shriek as the icy weapon impaled itself right through the skeletal giants head, burying itself in its lifeless eyesockets. Immediately it turned its attention to Aleksiya, violently hissing and lashing out, slamming its blade wantonly about, angrily smashing everything in the vicinity and carving up the ground next to Dragan and Illena, throwing up chunks of rocks and dirt and putting a pit in the ground between the two undead soldiers. This, gave the Paladin enough leverage to wrench itself free from Illena's spear, the weapon of flesh having the advantages and disadvantage of such a fleshy weapon as the Paladin would abruptly turn to face the shadow witch, the weapon still impaled in its flesh, lunging forward, attempting to impale her as she had impaled it. This, left Akyasha to deal with the undead horde left on her own. By now though, they had thankfully thinned out, most having fallen under the large skeletal creatures own frenzied strikes or being mostly taken care of by Dragan's horde. This left just the multi-legged abomination in front of her. The gorebats would nod, though they did not seem too terribly happy about being told to support someone as they'd flit off to aid the others. One, would flit over to Dragan while a second made their way towards Illena, as it stood, they were likely free to use the gorebats as they deemed necessary. The spider creature hissed, seeing Akyasha's attack. Faster than she would be, it jumped to the side before quickly making an attempt to charge and run over the cleric with its many legs and larger size.</s> <|message|>Dragan Meszaros Dragan Meszaros Dragan been prepared to abandon his attack on the skeletal paladin when the giant reached for him, but fortunately, it appeared that he didn't have to. Aleksiya's assault upon the giant distracted it enough that Dragan could continue his offense without reserve. A quick scan of the battlefield revealed that most of the enemy undead had been taken care of, leaving only the abomination remaining. Dragan mentally commanded his horde to continue slaughtering the stragglers before moving on to the larger targets, freeing Aleksiya to deal with the more threatening elements without distraction. As the paladin turned to face Illena, Dragan raised his hammer once more, preparing to strike it from the back. The gorebat sent to support him was immediately commanded to distract the paladin from above, and Dragan hefted his warhammer. "Goodbye, brother. Rest now." He murmured quietly before dashing forward and swinging with all his might, aiming to pulverize the undead paladin's helmet and skull in a single stroke while it was distracted.</s>

<|message|>Akyasha It was speedy, that was for sure, but it was just a pile of bones. If it wanted to charge at her, she'd let it. The Cleric spun her weapon above her head, and as the bone spider was about to reach her the cleric, she struck with it. The spinning's momentum transformed into a horizontal strike that would cleave through leg and smash the "creature" across its "face". Continuing through with the movement, she spun with the swing, hefting it up above her mid-spin and then swiftly swinging it down on the hopefully staggered spider. She probably didn't need too many hits on the thing to dispose of it, if the vampire had to make a guess about it at all.</s>

<|description|>Akyasha Gender: Female Appearance: Akyasha is much like the rest of her kin. Pale, pleasing to the eyes…. The most notable features are her bright red hair and the religious garb she wears at almost all times. Abilities: As a Vampire, of course Akyasha has access to Blood Magic and as a devout servant of Ichor, she also has access to Divine Magic that only Clerics of Ichor would have. The Divine Magics of Ichor are essentially Blood Magic without any weakness a Vampire might have as well as the ability to summon the otherworldly servants of Ichor. That said, she utilizes her Blood Magic in a special way. When she strikes an enemy with her Blood Magic, she attempts to put a "seed" on or in them. This "seed" starts to drain blood from it's target and will over time sprout as a Blood Magic mockery of a lily, something that Akyasha affectionately calls a "Blood Lily". After she collects the lily, she can utilize it in a couple of ways, but her favorite is in her summoning magic. The amount and quality of blood that she collected influences the creatures she would summon from using the Blood Lily. Personality: Some describe her as an eccentric. She's a devout servant and follower of Ichor. She follows the tenets as close as she can except for one thing. While she agrees that normally, humans cannot love them, she thinks that they can be made to love them. Though, this typically means that she likes to have plenty of human thralls. Specifically, Human Women that she can dress in her religious outfits and follow the Path of Ichor. Outside that, one could say that she is every so slightly obsessed with the Cult of Ichor and making it as perfect as she can as well as the betterment of her kin. She sees humans in three ways. The humans worth attempted to turn to the Cult of Ichor and those that are cattle meant for feeding. This does not mean the cattle are to be treated crudely as that would be against the tenets. Preferably, they are to be given their own rooms and things to do as well as well fed. That way, their blood tastes the best it could be. The third and final way she looks at humans…. Are those worthy of ignoring. As the tenets state not to act with cruelty and treat humans with care, Akyasha finds the best way to care is to ignore those that one does not need to interact with as interaction would bring "undue attention to the undead." Bio: Once upon a time, Akyasha was a blonde human girl with another name, turned by a Cleric of Ichor. Over the years, she dedicated her unlife to the following of Ichor and rose through the ranks. Unfortunately, during the final years she saw many of her fellow clerics felled by Paladins until finally, she was one of the last few Clerics. Of course, one of the last few didn't matter as she was impaled with a holy weapon and put into an eternal slumber. Only to eventually wake back up in an unforgiving world…. Anything else:</s> <|message|>Dragan Meszaros Dragan Meszaros They'd lost one of their number already, before even leaving the city. Dragan was no master of Ilena's own brand of magic, but he could tell that even if she by some miracle hadn't faced the final death for a second time, she was at least in no state to continue on with them. Damnably unfortunate. The skeletal giant was another issue. He could feel that its reanimation still held, merely in suspension without a necromancer to command it. And Dragan knew he didn't have the strength to wrest control over it yet. Even if he had, the logistics of traveling across the land with such a beast would be...difficult. With that in mind, he cut the link between himself and the remainder of the undead horde he controlled, allowing their reanimation to fade and for the shambling bones to crumble back to the dirt. "This...was not part of the plan." He gestured towards the spot where Ilena had fallen. "Though we must move on." The Death Knight glanced to Luna. "In lack of a better guide, your subordinate's suggestion seems our best course of action for the moment. Thoughts, anyone? Objections?"</s> <|message|>Full Luna Emeraltide The wince that Luna bore upon Ilena's grave wound was short lived, for even as the vampiress was alight in silvered flame, Luna held out hope that the girl would return. Or perhaps, it was mere denial -denial that so quickly they'd lose one of their own. If their numbers were to drop so quickly and easily, their prospects in the coming journey seemed grim. Such thoughts stayed deep in the back of Luna's mind. Were her body still capable of physical exhaustion, Luna might have sighed then. Dragan and Akyasha finished the battle, and Luna remained standing beside the site of Ilena's fall; waiting, praying that her enshadowed form would coalesce once again, injured or not. When she did not, Luna fell to her knees in prayer, and drew within her thoughts even as Fra offered advice. Luna stood and hummed, taking a moment to recollect what her thrall had said. "I am to assume that this village dismisses these madmen and beasts with pitchforks and cutlery, and not with words and gestures -so what are their defenses like?" she asked Fra before tilting her head, "And am I to assume you wish to stay here? What business do you still have?" Luna leaned down to take the serpent's heart Ilena left behind. She had no baggage, and no ethereal form with which to hide the heart within, and so for the time being kept it gripped in hand.</s> <|message|>Aleksiya Ravennart, also known as Ice Princess Aleksiya, or the Rime-Winged Vermilion Angel Of all of the lords that Aleksiya would have been perfectly comfortable with losing, Illena was not among them. The sight of her seemingly dead, body entirely vanished, was hardly a welcome one. The small vampire lowered her arms. The ice spears she had embedded in the monstrous skeleton's eye-sockets, as if as a final(albeit ultimately pointless) revenge for what had just occurred, explosively shattered, bone splintering from the force and leaving a far larger hole punched in the collapsing figure's head. The only consolation was that her death was perhaps not as permanent as it might have seemed. Not only because of her bizarre nature, but also due to the fact that they had been reborn once before. Perhaps such a thing was not off the table again. Perhaps. Wordlessly, she listened to the voices of her compatriots. Normally she would be far more intent on offering her opinion, but at the moment she didn't particularly feel like speaking. Besides, this village seemed like their best option, even if they had lost someone already. Her small fists reflexively tightened. @Asuras</s> <|message|>Akyasha After Akyasha had ended the spider-like bone abberation, she at first felt a small bit of relief... That is, until she had noticed that one of their number were missing. As it would seem, she had been pierced by the silver sword and... The cleric looked down as she dismissed her weapon and walked to where the woman had once stood. Without a word, she gave a small prayer for her. It was a somber moment but... They must be on the move though she stopped to listen to what Fra had to say about defenses. There was a lot they didn't know about this current world. How different was it? Akyasha shook her head and called her Gorebats to her. "Welcome back. Good work you guys." The Cleric said, petting the both of them. She wondered to herself if it was time to take the blood from these and summon more. Maybe in a bit.</s> <|message|>Giselle de Farry Giselle de FarryUndead Princess, de Farry --- Not in the plan, indeed. Giselle had lived for over a thousand years, and she had seen countless deaths, and prevented countless more. Even with the downfall of the very last days, there was little comparison to being struck down in victory, with Illena being felled by the undead creature's last unnatural gasp. It was an unnatural reminder to how vulnerable that she, along with her fellow vampire lords, had become to be struck down in such an unfitting way. With the battle finished, seeing her fellow lord fail to rise, she lowered her head in a moment of silence for her fallen comrade. Were circumstances more normal, she would have created a grand sepulcher for the fallen lady, but this was anything but. She had neither the time, luxury, nor power to create a fitting tomb or even a burial. In the future, perhaps, she could return in better times—or, given their current mission to resurrect the remainder of her fellow peers, she would help Illena to rise once more when the right time came. Seeing Luna take up the heart that their fallen peer had been safeguarding, she summoned up a portion of her remaining meagre blood. Swirling the small ball of ichor suspended above her open palm, she created a simple crimson box. With another touch of energy, she concentrated on the small container before the shade of metal washed over the object, the box turning from blood to thin tin. Stepping over to Luna, she wordlessly opened the box with an outstretched hand for the songstress and the serpent's heart. "Here. This simple box is hardly a fitting vessel for such a priceless artifact, but for now, it will have to do." With a shake of her head, she moved to the spot where Illena had fallen, together with the paladin. Briefly kneeling, she took custody of the silver sword in her hand. While she was still too weak to restore the holy weapon, it was still a potent weapon, even if it has been tainted with Illena's blood and that of potential countless others of her peers and friends. At the very least, someone had to take it lest it fall into improper hands. Approaching Aleksiya, she held out her scythe for the shorter lady, recalling her preference for the scythe. "I have no use for this now. If you would like it, it is yours." If she could still properly sigh, she would have then. "I suppose we've stayed here long enough, as somber as this victory is. Shall we?"</s> <|message|>The Queen Location: Alavaris Cathedral Landshark@Asuras@VitaVitaAR@Click This@Pyromania99 --- "O-oh uhm, well," Fra fidgeted with her dress. "Someone should look after the cathedral…it would be a shame for it to be empty, even for only a little while…" The thrall couldn't meet her mistress gaze as she'd reply. It was hard for Luna to get a read on her, but it didn't seem like she was being dishonest, just timid. "Uhm, as for defenses…its not a big place. I'd say roughly a few dozen people or so live there. An old stone wall runs along the south and eastern sides of the village, but the northern gate was destroyed at some point the west has a river next to it. They don't have many people capable of fighting…mostly, if something attacks they usually just try and hide, waiting it out…" She shook her head. "Uhm…there is this one woman though. I-I think she's a blacksmith or something? She tries to hunt things near the village where she can to help keep it safe. She's uhm…well she doesn't like me, aha…" Fra rubbed her arm nervously. "They usually light the village with silver lamps. I don't know how they work, but they seem to be able to keep most small creatures away from the village. I apologize I can't be of more help, Mistress…" Akyasha's gorebats alighted on her shoulder, chirping pleasantly, but seemingly restless. Might be best to keep them around for now, or send them out scouting ahead in case they ran into anything on their way to this supposed village. For now at least, it seemed as though nothing else needed to be done in the city. They could consider rebuilding and strengthening the city itself once they had the manpower, thralls, and other lords revived and willing to help. With the still oddly fresh and bloody heart safely secured, once everyone had made their preparations and were ready, Fra would point them in the proper direction. Out the nearby city gate, down the old, dusty path that once would have allowed traders and people through, around the old, gnarled forest, towards what would have at one point been a riverside town. From the way she described the journey, it would likely take a few hours and be an overnight trip or two…for an average mortal, at least. They didn't have as much need for rest, now did they? Regardless, Fra would not wish to come unless she'd be forced to by the lords. The trip would be blessedly uneventful, the darkness of the world around them hiding little from their vampiric sight. Where humans would hear noises and creatures scampering, howling in the distance, the vampires only saw ragged beasts, who in turn, saw them, and cautiously stalked their presumed prey for some time. Of course, they themselves soon became the prey. And soon, the village would finally come into view. Lamps lit two ruined pillars, giving off the only source of light for miles. A number of corpses of four legged creatures that looked like some amalgamation of deer and wolf, with antlers sprouting from their head but possessing a body structure more like a wolf with an elongated muzzle and far too long limbs littered the area near the pillar. Beyond the stone pillar, they could see a number of shoddily built and old dwellings. Some looked like they had existed since the Ophidiel Era with quick repairs and patchworks to keep them mostly livable, while others seemed completely hastily constructed. The tallest of the buildings they could see had a lamp atop it, illuminating someone standing up there. They could hear some people jovially talking not too far away, though they were just out of sight in a nearby building.</s>

<|message|>Akyasha It was a somewhat long journey, though it was hard to tell sometimes. Perhaps it was the curiosity of the situation they were in that made her anticipate going and once they got there, she was slightly amused by the sight of the odd deer-wolf hybrids. "If most people here dont fight, then it must have been that blacksmith girl that slew these creatures, no?" The cleric mused, looking around. "She would make a fine addition to our depleted forces." Akyasha thought on the situation forbsome small seconds before turning to her bats. "Stay hidden but I want you two to find try and find the blacksmith or where that girl might be. Additionally, tell me the general layout of this place and any other bits of interest." There was quite a bit the Vampire wished to know, but it shouldnt be too difficult for her two Gorebats. She gave them both a small nuzzle nefore she sent them off.</s>

<|description|>Akyasha Gender: Female Appearance: Akyasha is much like the rest of her kin. Pale, pleasing to the eyes…. The most notable features are her bright red hair and the religious garb she wears at almost all times. Abilities: As a Vampire, of course Akyasha has access to Blood Magic and as a devout servant of Ichor, she also has access to Divine Magic that only Clerics of Ichor would have. The Divine Magics of Ichor are essentially Blood Magic without any weakness a Vampire might have as well as the ability to summon the otherworldly servants of Ichor. That said, she utilizes her Blood Magic in a special way. When she strikes an enemy with her Blood Magic, she attempts to put a "seed" on or in them. This "seed" starts to drain blood from it's target and will over time sprout as a Blood Magic mockery of a lily, something that Akyasha affectionately calls a "Blood Lily". After she collects the lily, she can utilize it in a couple of ways, but her favorite is in her summoning magic. The amount and quality of blood that she collected influences the creatures she would summon from using the Blood Lily. Personality: Some describe her as an eccentric. She's a devout servant and follower of Ichor. She follows the tenets as close as she can except for one thing. While she agrees that normally, humans cannot love them, she thinks that they can be made to love them. Though, this typically means that she likes to have plenty of human thralls. Specifically, Human Women that she can dress in her religious outfits and follow the Path of Ichor. Outside that, one could say that she is every so slightly obsessed with the Cult of Ichor and making it as perfect as she can as well as the betterment of her kin. She sees humans in three ways. The humans worth attempted to turn to the Cult of Ichor and those that are cattle meant for feeding. This does not mean the cattle are to be treated crudely as that would be against the tenets. Preferably, they are to be given their own rooms and things to do as well as well fed. That way, their blood tastes the best it could be. The third and final way she looks at humans…. Are those worthy of ignoring. As the tenets state not to act with cruelty and treat humans with care, Akyasha finds the best way to care is to ignore those that one does not need to interact with as interaction would bring "undue attention to the undead." Bio: Once upon a time, Akyasha was a blonde human girl with another name, turned by a Cleric of Ichor. Over the years, she dedicated her unlife to the following of Ichor and rose through the ranks. Unfortunately, during the final years she saw many of her fellow clerics felled by Paladins until finally, she was one of the last few Clerics. Of course, one of the last few didn't matter as she was impaled with a holy weapon and put into an eternal slumber. Only to eventually wake back up in an unforgiving world…. Anything else:</s> <|message|>Dragan Meszaros Dragan Meszaros He knew the signs of poverty, both from his time as a paladin and as a prospective lord, making his way in the world. These villagers were in dire straits. Frankly, it was a small miracle that mankind had even survived however many decades or centuries it had been since the sun's light faded away. Even as Akyasha's gorebats returned to report in, Dragan frowned as he set his helmet down atop the haft of his buried hammer, his armored form stepping into the torchlight and into view of the villagers. The villagers would have to know of his presence sooner or later. Best to rip the bandage off before they could be accused of hiding the truth. "Peace, please." The Death Knight held his unarmed hands up in a conciliatory gesture. "We mean no harm and have no intention to stay. We are travelers, passing through. I realize that my...appearance may suggest otherwise, but I swear that I have no intention to prey on the weak and the desperate."</s> <|message|>Akyasha A woman near a river with some undead? Well, the only person from this village that would leave it to fight anything seemed to be that blacksmith girl. And beastmen coming this way? How delightful! Is what she would say, but with how fast her baby came back, they must have been really close. "Alright, you will lead the way towards the woman." Akyasha said to the one that mentioned the woman by the river, "And you stay near and come let me know if things get too terrible here. But first..." The Cleric approached Giselle and whispered in her ear. "It would seem there are beastmen approaching this location from the forest and I must leave it all to you all. I believe that blacksmith girl is fighting some undead nearby. I want to make sure she doesn't end up useless." Akyasha said with no small amount of curiosity coating her words. With that, she backed away from the talks letting Giselle do the rest. Back away from the villagers, she just nodded at the Gorebat that would lead her to the woman by the river. Hopefully, it was this blacksmith girl and if not, it would help ingratiated the village with them.</s> <|message|>Giselle de Farry Giselle de FarryUndead Princess, de Farry --- Giselle suppressed a frown when Aleksiya attached herself to her arm like a lost, frightened child. For one, she felt it was beneath her peer to act in such a way, even now, and more importantly, it meant that she had to quickly change the narrative of any explanation that she might have to give, or otherwise limit her options. It was too late, though. The white-haired vampire held up her free hand in both a wave and a placating gesture, before quickly affecting a slightly apologetic expression upon hearing one of the men's complaints. Privately, she questioned his awareness. She had, after all, made more than enough effort to make herself known to not startle any of these humans. "Hardly. My name is Giselle," she offered, deciding against giving Aleksiya a name for the moment. "And yes. My home was destroyed, as were my companions'. We've traveled a long way to find someplace safe." This was all true. In a manner of speaking… but still completely true. The undead princess would have continued the conversation along these lines when she caught Dragan and Akyasha approach from her periphery. That was not part of the plan, but she rolled with it. As Dragan engaged the men in conversation, she was approached by the cleric, with some… complications. She frowned, both at the news, and for the men as well. It would look bad if they had just arrived and brought trouble for these villagers if they were meant to get anything out of the interaction. "…Sorry, I've bad news. One of our other companions keeps overwatch on the road… they've spotted beastmen approaching and a girl fighting off undead... perhaps one of yours? We may have to prepare for a fight. If you have an alarum, I would raise it."</s> <|message|>The Queen Location: Human Village Landshark@Asuras@VitaVitaAR@Click This --- "...I don't trust them. What kinda people even travel these days? Maybe if there was another village close by, but we haven't heard anything from the other places in what feels like months." One of the men rebuffed the group, the appearance of Akyasha and Dragan making them feel just a bit uncomfortable from the looks of things. "Beastmen? Are you certain?" The one that seemed to be more receptive to them silenced the other man with a glare. "They've been attacking so frequently lately, barely five lantern-lightings ago did they attack last." "Do we sound the alarm?" "If we do and they aren't attacking anything nearby will definitely hear it." "We've no reason to trust you, but you've also no reason to lie." He'd say, shaking his head. "We live in strange times, since the last age and the sun fell. I won't question it. If you've got your reasons then we won't get in your way." He'd reach for the bell, pulling on it loudly and cleanly, a resonant, melodic clang echoing through the village. The other men quickly gathered their things, running deeper into the village. "You're welcome to stay at my place to wait them out." The man said, just as the sound of several more bells rang through the small village. The gorebat tha Akyasha had left behind, landed on Giselle's head, uncaring for the humans' rather startled reaction upon seeing it. It seemed to be trying to pull Giselle towards the direction of the forest. Location: Human Village --- Akyasha swiftly left the group, heading towards where her gorebat was leading her much to the startled humans who seemed to be growing more wary that this group of travelers were all both well dressed as well as somewhat large in number than what they were used to seeing. Still, she'd run down what served as the main street, running past some startled villagers who had as of yet been alerted to the newcomers as well as past the old buildings that served as the peoples homes. As Akyasha approached, she couldn't yet hear the sound of fighting, but she could see both the water as well as the human in question. A strong, somewhat severe looking woman was going around dressed in a thick dress, apron, and gauntlets with long, slightly messy blond hair and a well maintained chestplate. She was walking calmly not far from the river, a silver lantern hanging from her hip that seemed to cast light much further than one would think from the small amount of light it contained. Akyasha would find this light uncomfortable as she approached. Had her gorebats gotten things wrong? There was definitely a woman here, a ways off from the village near the water but there were no undead just yet. Thankfully, she had more than her eyes to see here. She was no necromancer, but as a cleric of Ichor she could definitely feel the familiar sense that every undead gave off for a vampire…and it was coming from the river. Beyond what the human could likely see immediately, Akyasha could see drowned corpses slowly climbing onto the shore, not quite having made it all the way out of the water yet. Location: Pirates End Paladin --- "Says the one who hardly paid her any mind during your first unlife." The maid replied curtly, the ship creaking as a rough sea breeze battered its frame. "But you're in luck. The Violet Witch has no desire to go against Ichor. If anything, you should be on your knees groveling your pathetic thank yous for her infinite mercy." Despite the maids harsh words, she'd pull a vial of sanguine colored fluid from her dress, tossing it in Argus' direction. A vial of blood. "A vial. My own, if you're curious. It should get you back on your feet, for now." The maid walked past, away from the desk and out towards the black skies, towards the battered coast below. "You can see for yourself, or are your eyes worse than mine? Everyone lost in that war. Vampires. The Paladins. The earth, gods, devils…all fell, and all we can do is just…survive." Her mouth curled into a frown, hands balling into a fist, speaking just low enough that Argus could not hear her entirely above the wind and creaking of the ship. She turned her gaze towards Argus. "What we want from you is simple. We would like you to…claim an artifact that has recently come into possession of your vampiric brethren and acquire it for us. I can not say much other than it is a blade of great power. Its blade mimics the waves of the oceans and if used correctly can be used to both take life from a divine being…and return it to one. It has lost most of its power, but it still has its uses. I could take it myself…but my lady has instructed discretion and hopes that we could have a…continued relationship, Captain Fellborn. Should you accept, we will support you in what ways that we can, and as a show of good faith I will assist you in escorting you to a village not terribly far from here where you will no doubt meet your brethren."</s>

<|message|>Akyasha That silver light wad an annoyance, but that didnt matter too much to her. It was uncomfortable for the moment but no more than that. She approached, letting her voice be heard. "Fair Maiden, pardon my intrusion. Would you kinda step away from the water before some water geist or ghoul gobbles you up?" The Cleric mentioned as she walked in closer. "Shine your light at the water there if you don't believe me" Her approach went so far as the woman didnt take an immediate defensive againat her nor the light burned her. "The dead crawl ashore." She gave a small smile as she reached down and grabbed a rock almost hand sized and threw it at thr head ofone of the dead crawling up.</s>

<|description|>Akyasha Gender: Female Appearance: Akyasha is much like the rest of her kin. Pale, pleasing to the eyes…. The most notable features are her bright red hair and the religious garb she wears at almost all times. Abilities: As a Vampire, of course Akyasha has access to Blood Magic and as a devout servant of Ichor, she also has access to Divine Magic that only Clerics of Ichor would have. The Divine Magics of Ichor are essentially Blood Magic without any weakness a Vampire might have as well as the ability to summon the otherworldly servants of Ichor. That said, she utilizes her Blood Magic in a special way. When she strikes an enemy with her Blood Magic, she attempts to put a "seed" on or in them. This "seed" starts to drain blood from it's target and will over time sprout as a Blood Magic mockery of a lily, something that Akyasha affectionately calls a "Blood Lily". After she collects the lily, she can utilize it in a couple of ways, but her favorite is in her summoning magic. The amount and quality of blood that she collected influences the creatures she would summon from using the Blood Lily. Personality: Some describe her as an eccentric. She's a devout servant and follower of Ichor. She follows the tenets as close as she can except for one thing. While she agrees that normally, humans cannot love them, she thinks that they can be made to love them. Though, this typically means that she likes to have plenty of human thralls. Specifically, Human Women that she can dress in her religious outfits and follow the Path of Ichor. Outside that, one could say that she is every so slightly obsessed with the Cult of Ichor and making it as perfect as she can as well as the betterment of her kin. She sees humans in three ways. The humans worth attempted to turn to the Cult of Ichor and those that are cattle meant for feeding. This does not mean the cattle are to be treated crudely as that would be against the tenets. Preferably, they are to be given their own rooms and things to do as well as well fed. That way, their blood tastes the best it could be. The third and final way she looks at humans…. Are those worthy of ignoring. As the tenets state not to act with cruelty and treat humans with care, Akyasha finds the best way to care is to ignore those that one does not need to interact with as interaction would bring "undue attention to the undead." Bio: Once upon a time, Akyasha was a blonde human girl with another name, turned by a Cleric of Ichor. Over the years, she dedicated her unlife to the following of Ichor and rose through the ranks. Unfortunately, during the final years she saw many of her fellow clerics felled by Paladins until finally, she was one of the last few Clerics. Of course, one of the last few didn't matter as she was impaled with a holy weapon and put into an eternal slumber. Only to eventually wake back up in an unforgiving world…. Anything else:</s> <|message|>Giselle de Farry Giselle de FarryUndead Princess, de Farry --- Despite the man's protestations, Giselle dismissed his concern with a word of appreciation before she followed the tugging gorebat, with some mild annoyance at the way it tugged upon her hair as if it were guiding her like mere cattle. Even if she was without her land and subjects now, she still had the pride of a sovereign princess that had ruled for a thousand years… and that was a treatment that was more than beneath her. She flicked at the small creature with her index finger. "Enough of that. Shoo. Lead me properly." Giselle waited for a few moments for the bat to make its moves before continuing on, examining the state of the village as she passed the houses on the street. Given the danger the era and the beasts clearly presented, it wasn't all too surprising that the rows of buildings and houses on the outskirts of the village bordering the forest were damaged or burned. More curious were the barrels placed in obvious chokepoints or strategic places. She wondered what was held within the barrels; were they just to act as barriers, they would have been augmented with other materials such as overturned tables , for example. Once past the village proper, she found the beastmen in question. And rather curious beastmen these were. They looked suspiciously like the dead creatures that her group had encountered not too much earlier. Upon further examination, it was clear the twenty of them were in fact creations of vampiric origin… which was a rather curious thing, when it came to what else resided in that blackened forest. Would she discover a friend or foe lurking within the dead woods? Whoever they were, Giselle did not have a high opinion of whoever created such monstrosities. In her lands, she would never have tolerated such grotesque twisting of the human form, nor such corruption of wildlife and fauna. Those that created such things outside of her territory she might not have touched, but it was an open secret that she looked down on those that preyed overmuch on humans or engaged in the more intolerable experiments into vampiric magic. Giselle did not have much trouble making the decision to exterminate this group herself. While she still remained quite weak from her recent reawakening, she still remained confident in being able to take this group. Unholstering her revolver, she unloaded six carefully aimed shots into the group. Even in this state, it was child's play to create the illusion that the shots had been fired from the window one of one of the houses in the village. Giving the creatures a moment to respond as such, she emerged from the trees behind them with her new silver sword to fall upon the stragglers before engaging the main body of beasts.</s> <|message|>Dragan Meszaros Dragan Meszaros "Well met, then." The armored vampire nodded politely to Giles. "I am Dragan. My companions can choose whether or not to introduce themselves at their discretion." He set his hammer down on the floor and began moving to help the villagers shove the metal boxes into place. Next to a rabble of malnourished humans, the strength of a slightly-less malnourished vampire would prove to be a boon, as Dragan's strength easily helped set several more crates. As he worked, Dragan called over towards the apparent village headman. "Master Giles," He grunted as another barricade went up into place. "I don't suppose you'd care to enlighten us as to how many beastmen tend to arrive in these raiding parties? Should we drive these off, will they return in force, or be sufficiently dissuaded from further assaults?"</s> <|message|>Captain Argus Fellborn, the Red Tide Captain Argus Fellborn Under normal circumstances, Argus would be pleased to see what little remained of his crew. However, it was clear by their menacing advance that they were not here to return to his command. Nay, these mindless corpses were looking for a fight. No doubt his death had caused his hold over them to slip away. Argus would need to rectify that. "Mutiny, is it?" he shouted to the drenched skeletons. "You lot have forgotten your place- allow me to correct that! And Miss Cynthia- be careful to not damage them too gravely!" Drawing upon the strength that had been returned to him upon drinking the vial of blood, Captain Fellborn channeled his powers of necromancy, attempting to reassert his control over the skeletons. He might not be able to control all of them in his current state, but just a few would be enough to turn the tide- and secure him a weapon without a fight. "Strike your colors and submit, you rotted sea-dogs!" He focused on one skeleton in particular, brandishing a rusty sword. "You! Your captain has need of your weapon. Hand it over!"</s>

<|message|>Akyasha Akyasha hadn't even flinched when threatened with a beheading, rather, she took an interest in the crossbow the woman had. "What an interesting weapon you have there." Akyasha mentioned before looking properly at the woman. "It should be fine. I have allies I'm traveling with, if they can't handle these beastmen then, well, I probably wouldn't be traveling with them." Akyasha looked back towards the undead crawling out of the river, picking up another rock, taking another head off with it. "And you can just call me, Akyasha." There should be no need to hide her name as of now. "Let me assist in this little Undead problem of yours, Miss...?" The Vampire dragged out, asking the woman's name.</s>

<|description|>Akyasha Gender: Female Appearance: Akyasha is much like the rest of her kin. Pale, pleasing to the eyes…. The most notable features are her bright red hair and the religious garb she wears at almost all times. Abilities: As a Vampire, of course Akyasha has access to Blood Magic and as a devout servant of Ichor, she also has access to Divine Magic that only Clerics of Ichor would have. The Divine Magics of Ichor are essentially Blood Magic without any weakness a Vampire might have as well as the ability to summon the otherworldly servants of Ichor. That said, she utilizes her Blood Magic in a special way. When she strikes an enemy with her Blood Magic, she attempts to put a "seed" on or in them. This "seed" starts to drain blood from it's target and will over time sprout as a Blood Magic mockery of a lily, something that Akyasha affectionately calls a "Blood Lily". After she collects the lily, she can utilize it in a couple of ways, but her favorite is in her summoning magic. The amount and quality of blood that she collected influences the creatures she would summon from using the Blood Lily. Personality: Some describe her as an eccentric. She's a devout servant and follower of Ichor. She follows the tenets as close as she can except for one thing. While she agrees that normally, humans cannot love them, she thinks that they can be made to love them. Though, this typically means that she likes to have plenty of human thralls. Specifically, Human Women that she can dress in her religious outfits and follow the Path of Ichor. Outside that, one could say that she is every so slightly obsessed with the Cult of Ichor and making it as perfect as she can as well as the betterment of her kin. She sees humans in three ways. The humans worth attempted to turn to the Cult of Ichor and those that are cattle meant for feeding. This does not mean the cattle are to be treated crudely as that would be against the tenets. Preferably, they are to be given their own rooms and things to do as well as well fed. That way, their blood tastes the best it could be. The third and final way she looks at humans…. Are those worthy of ignoring. As the tenets state not to act with cruelty and treat humans with care, Akyasha finds the best way to care is to ignore those that one does not need to interact with as interaction would bring "undue attention to the undead." Bio: Once upon a time, Akyasha was a blonde human girl with another name, turned by a Cleric of Ichor. Over the years, she dedicated her unlife to the following of Ichor and rose through the ranks. Unfortunately, during the final years she saw many of her fellow clerics felled by Paladins until finally, she was one of the last few Clerics. Of course, one of the last few didn't matter as she was impaled with a holy weapon and put into an eternal slumber. Only to eventually wake back up in an unforgiving world…. Anything else:</s> <|message|>Dragan Meszaros Dragan Meszaros Dragan shared a look with both Luna and Aleksiya at the headman's words. While he didn't know either on a personal level before the death of the gods, their reputations gave him enough of a profile for him to make an educated guess. Hopefully, he would be correct. But first, there were other considerations to be had. "I'm surprised you've all held out this long, then. Commendable." Dragan remarked as he shoved the last crate into place. "I suggest you gather up any able-bodied fellows you have, Master Gilles. In the meantime, I need to confer with my associates." Dragan retreated to an empty corner of the room, gesturing for Luna and Aleksiya to join him. When they did, he removed his helmet, speaking in low tones to the two other vampires so that the humans in the room with them wouldn't overhear. "Once we're finished here, I propose we set out into the forest. Both to recover our other companions, and to nip this beastman problem in the bud. Destroyed settlements pose something of a problem for us." He said wryly, choosing his words carefully on the off chance that they were overheard.</s> <|message|>The Queen Location: Human Village Landshark@Asuras@VitaVitaAR --- "...able bodied men?" Giles frowned at the words, taking a look around his living room. No one here was particularly able bodied. Sure, they were living and surviving but…the only truly able bodied one here, in his opinion, was Julene. No one else would dare to take a step outside and fight those creatures. He unconsciously grit his teeth as the three vampires convened, but his thoughts were soon interrupted by a scream. "Giles! Theres-monster-hah-beastmen in the basement tunnels!" A child had run up from the basement, clothes stained in blood, panting heavily. The entire room went silent. "Barricade it." "But-but dad-" "Barricade it. now." The other residents hesitated for only a moment as they'd start trying to find anything to barricade the door to the basement with…and though he had given the order, each vampire present would see Giles just briefly glancing towards the three of them. Location: Forest of Beasts This --- The leaping creature howled, missing Giselle by a hairs breadth, but before it could react again the tarnished silver of the holy blade impaled itself in its back sending the beast into a fit of pain as the wound burned as it was pulled from the wound, causing it to roll around on the ground in pain, howling all the while but it was not quite dead yet. The next creature that was engaging was the one that had retreated into the tree, leaping from it and gliding towards Giselle from above. The slash tore into its gnarled talons, but its momentum carried it forwards still as it made an effort to land on her, its wings trying to wrap around her head. The gorebat, understandably annoyed by this thing attacking her perch, leaped onto the things head, immediately sinking her own fangs into its neck. The thing shrieked, losing its grip as in mere seconds the thing had lost half of its blood. The gorebat saved her from that particular one, but three hounds, and one of the antlered wolf deer things had quickly made their way towards her, one of the hounds going for her ankles while the deer made to charge her, aiming to gore her with its horns. Location: Human Village, River --- Julene could only watch, in mild awe, as Akyasha merely started…brawling with the undead. The skeletal undead being quickly dispatched as any of her bolts would have. She furrowed her brow, watching the scene as the woman made a mess of her plan. The undead were now entirely focused on her. She needed them to - "Oi, what the hell are you?" She'd ask. "There ain't no weapons or anything here you dummy! This is a trap i had set up for those briny bastards." She'd respond with a disapproving grunt. "And no human can just punch something like that. You and I are gonna have questions after this, redhead, or your head is gonna come clean off your shoulders. For now, lass," She'd load up another bolt. "Get your ass outta here before I bow it up with the rest of those undead!" By the door, just inside of it, was a barrel leaking what was ostensibly oil. The rest of the interior of the house was completely empty, nothing but a charred husk as it were. The plan was rather obvious and simple really and anyone could probably put two and two together. Draw the undead and beasts here, then blow them up and watch them burn. Dispatch the rest once the majority had been dealt with. Location: Pirates End Paladin --- The skeletal creature hissed as its ribcage was shattered, being easily tossed into the crowd of quickly growing of those drowned and dead at sea. The others engaged may be undead, but they were still nothing more than skeletal minions. Against a human they may have proven dangerous, but their former captain? His blade easily severed skull from neck, but even so the sheer number that was starting to creep up from the sea was becoming concerning. "Glad to see your skills are still sharp." Likewise, Cynthia was having little trouble dispatching the skeletal creatures. Moving with what can only be supernatural grace she'd use her spear to elegantly dispatch the creatures as though she was merely dancing with them. A low spin, severing legs followed by quickly shoving her heel into one of the creatures jawbones with just as amazing flexibility, somehow, while not once getting a drop of water from the roiling sea below on her. "But I fear fighting all of these is beyond us currently." As if on cue, the water below them began churning more, rocking the platform they were on just as the sodden, rotten planks below them began to creak and grown, as something slammed into it below. "Make a path! Head towards the mast hanging from the far cliffside!" Cynthia shouted. It wouldn't be hard to spot. In the distance, a mast with a tattered sail hanging from it had somehow been impaled into a cliffside some distance to the north. The only path was through more water logged and rotten planks and skeletal creatures that were eagerly convening on the both of them. One, hefting an anchor swung it somewhat clumsily towards Argus, but it was soon followed by two more, one trying to charge with a cutlass to decapitate while the other approached from the side.</s> <|message|>Giselle de Farry Giselle de FarryUndead Princess, de Farry --- Giselle mused to herself as she leaned to the side, giving just enough space to avoid contact with the creature before she sunk her blade into its flesh. It was quite cathartic, exciting, almost, to have a bit of action like this. Strange, perhaps, when she had preached neutrality from conflict for over a millennia, but those were more geopolitical goals than anything, and her doctrine of peace had always been the variety of being armed so much that sane people wouldn't want to annoy the peaceful peoples that also happened to be armed to the teeth. Not that the Paladins happened to be particularly sane or rational, as much as they or their followers might have preached. Their crusade had been the reason that she had personally picked up a weapon for the first time in an entire age, however. Despite her power then, there had been some growing pains after so much idleness, but she had learned from the experience, even if it had killed her in the end. She had also been reminded of the fact that beating things up was in fact, or had always been, quite enjoyable. Her maids had always said as much. She would have to figure a way to bring back Polina and her sister in the near future. And from her perspective, that experience was mere days ago. Her power might still be much reduced, but she improvised, that re-honed battle instinct making her move as a second beast descended from above. Recognizing danger of its forward momentum, she palmed the ancient ceremonial dagger that she had picked up with her free hand, even as she slashed upwards with her sword. Twisting as it entered past the blade's reach, she tore into its wings with the ceremonial blade, giving a glance of acknowledgement towards Akyasha's gorebat in appreciation for the help… even if it was obviously self-serving. After all, she had told it to get off her head in the first place. Returning the ceremonial weapon to its place, she took this very brief respite to craft ammunition in her revolver, just in time for the gaggle of beasts to reform around her. She immediately fired on the hound charging her, before shifting her body and unceremoniously sending it away with a low roundhouse kick to its side. Giselle used that momentum to spin away from the antlered creature, firing twice into its side once she stabilized.</s> <|message|>Captain Argus Fellborn, the Red Tide Captain Argus Fellborn The day they almost caught Captain Argus Fellborn Cynthia was right, they needed to get out of there. They might be able to fight off the skeletons, but now some variant of sea creature had joined the fray, seemingly assailing the floatsam that they stood on. In his current, weakened state, with only a rusted sword for a weapon, he was not in any position to fight this beast. The skeletons were determined to prevent the duo from reaching safety, however. One of them swung an anchor at the vampire, and two more were coming. Argus didn't bother trying to parry the anchor- it'd just break his sword. Instead, he dodged the clumsy swing, then stepped up close and punched the skeleton in the jaw. When the next skeleton came up, swinging its cutlass at Argus' head, the pirate was ready for this. He shoved the anchor-wielding skeleton in the sword's path and simultanously ducked as to avoid being struck. While crouched down, he took the opportunity to wrest the anchor from the skeletal minion's hands and swing it right into the torsos of the two incoming foes before they could ready another blow. At this point, Argus momentarily considered his next step. He couldn't escape with the anchor, it was too heavy to take along the path of floatsam before him. Part of him wanted to drop the anchor on top of the sea monster currently menacing them, giving it a painful lump to remember him by. The rest of him, however, had a better, more prudent plan. Argus spun around to build up speed and threw the anchor like a hammer in the direction of their escape- if any skeletons were in the path of the nautical device, they wouldn't be there for long. "How's that for a path, Miss Cynthia? Let's go!" He took off in the direction of the mast, sword ready to knock aside any undead that hadn't gotten the message to get out of his way. As he escaped, if any undead in his path happened to possess a pistol, he'd attempt to swipe and holster it- even when running for his un-life, a pirate needed to be opportunistic.</s>

<|message|>Akyasha Welp, Akyasha had tried to watch her strength a bit but, well, she was a bit more suspicious now than she was prior. She was becoming increasingly interested in this human blacksmith girl than she was and one might argue that she was betraying the tenets in a way, but these were desperate times. She hoped that she would be able to make this girl into a beloved servant. That said, perhaps she was showing off a small bit too much. The girl called her out a small bit but Akyasha tried to just move the comment aside. "Strong and devout?" She replied to the question of what she was. "I don't mind talking, but I think you're somewhat wrong. Anyone could punch one of these things but I wouldn't recommend it. They're filthy..." Akyasha mentioned as she made some distance after noticing the girl's plan. She would say it was a waste of oil but, well, she had no real way to get these undead creatures to leave easily. Well, she'd go away with this human's plan for now. "Fine, I'll do as you say, miss. Let me know if you need help~" Akyasha said, getting herself into a safe and comfortable place, ready to leap at something if her help was needed.</s>

<|description|>Akyasha Gender: Female Appearance: Akyasha is much like the rest of her kin. Pale, pleasing to the eyes…. The most notable features are her bright red hair and the religious garb she wears at almost all times. Abilities: As a Vampire, of course Akyasha has access to Blood Magic and as a devout servant of Ichor, she also has access to Divine Magic that only Clerics of Ichor would have. The Divine Magics of Ichor are essentially Blood Magic without any weakness a Vampire might have as well as the ability to summon the otherworldly servants of Ichor. That said, she utilizes her Blood Magic in a special way. When she strikes an enemy with her Blood Magic, she attempts to put a "seed" on or in them. This "seed" starts to drain blood from it's target and will over time sprout as a Blood Magic mockery of a lily, something that Akyasha affectionately calls a "Blood Lily". After she collects the lily, she can utilize it in a couple of ways, but her favorite is in her summoning magic. The amount and quality of blood that she collected influences the creatures she would summon from using the Blood Lily. Personality: Some describe her as an eccentric. She's a devout servant and follower of Ichor. She follows the tenets as close as she can except for one thing. While she agrees that normally, humans cannot love them, she thinks that they can be made to love them. Though, this typically means that she likes to have plenty of human thralls. Specifically, Human Women that she can dress in her religious outfits and follow the Path of Ichor. Outside that, one could say that she is every so slightly obsessed with the Cult of Ichor and making it as perfect as she can as well as the betterment of her kin. She sees humans in three ways. The humans worth attempted to turn to the Cult of Ichor and those that are cattle meant for feeding. This does not mean the cattle are to be treated crudely as that would be against the tenets. Preferably, they are to be given their own rooms and things to do as well as well fed. That way, their blood tastes the best it could be. The third and final way she looks at humans…. Are those worthy of ignoring. As the tenets state not to act with cruelty and treat humans with care, Akyasha finds the best way to care is to ignore those that one does not need to interact with as interaction would bring "undue attention to the undead." Bio: Once upon a time, Akyasha was a blonde human girl with another name, turned by a Cleric of Ichor. Over the years, she dedicated her unlife to the following of Ichor and rose through the ranks. Unfortunately, during the final years she saw many of her fellow clerics felled by Paladins until finally, she was one of the last few Clerics. Of course, one of the last few didn't matter as she was impaled with a holy weapon and put into an eternal slumber. Only to eventually wake back up in an unforgiving world…. Anything else:</s> <|message|>Captain Argus Fellborn, the Red Tide Captain Argus Fellborn It was clear that this sea monster wasn't fooling around, Argus observed as one of the pieces of floatsam was pulled beneath the waves. Argus pressed onward, wanting to stay ahead of the beast. As they got closer to the mast in the distance, another platform beneath him was pulled under. Fortunately, he still had both his reflexes and sea legs, and was able to avoid losing his balance and falling into the water. Unfortunately, there were more skeletons coming. One of them came at him with a fishing net, intent on immobilizing him. Argus would be impressed with the creativity of it if he weren't the target. He probably could cut his way through the net, but that'd still slow him down, and he couldn't afford even a momentary delay with that monster practically nipping at his heels. But just as a ship could sail against the wind, this could be used to his favor. "Thanks crewmate, I need this," he mockingly spoke as he caught the edge of the net and threw it into the water behind him, hoping it might be able to slow the beast down even for a moment. Just as he began to parry and cut his way through those in his way, Cynthia's spear came hurtling forward, impaling several skeletons as it hurtled into a mast. She's got a bit of a competitive streak, Argus noted as he took advantage of the strike to resume his flight forward. She'd make a poor candidate for a thrall- it'd be a great waste to suppress such a spirited, defiant personality with a surrender of one's will that accompanies enthrallment. Perhaps he was jumping the gun- they still needed to escape these skeletons and this sea monster before he could think about rebuilding his crew.</s> <|message|>The Queen Location: Human Village Landshark@Asuras@VitaVitaAR --- Whether Giles had much to comment on the vampires words, he didn't speak it. He'd merely order the rest of the villagers to do as previously ordered. Quickly they'd clamor to grab anything they could, barricading and sealing off the door to the basement as the vampires made their descent… Dragan was the first to engage, the beast hearing him approach as he'd rush towards it, hammer raised and poised to smash its face in. The creature, quickly turned its head towards the vampire knight in response and with little care for its own wellbeing met Dragan's charge with its own. Dragan's hammer met flesh, slamming the creature's face against his hammer with a sickening crack. Whether through its own momentum or power though, it didn't have the intended effect of smashing him through the ground. Instead, it would carry through, its antlers slamming against his armor as the beasts claws, in a frenzied, gluttonous rage tried to rip and tear at his armor, trying to find anyway to get to the fleshy bits within as it gnashed its teeth and howled. Luna's assault was as elegant as she was, it seemed. The beast, upon feeling the magical restraints on its flesh, chains attempting to bind it, shrieked, looking up from its meal just in time to see the vampire launch her assault upon it. Her sabre slashed its flesh, right near its neck, the blade cleanly cutting through it as blood oozed from its wounds. It struggled against its bonds, arms flailing and shrieking, wrapping its gnarled claws around one of the chains, pulling and wrenching the chain as another cut was delivered to its head, right through its eye. Finally, with a hiss and a loud shriek, it managed to break the chains, flapping its weak wings and leaping into the…well, it tried, only to bang its head against the ceiling, and then promptly fall upon Luna, still aiming to claw and otherwise injure her in a somewhat admittedly unconventional manner. From further down the hallway, the shouts of more humans, cut short. They likely weren't going to be able to save many unless they hurried. There didn't seem to be an obvious way that the beasts had gotten in down here. Location: Forest of Beasts This --- Landing on the beast, it struggled, throwing its head and bucking its body as it'd slow to a halt, trying to throw the vampire off as she'd plunge the silver blade into the creatures arm as it made an attempt to grab her, earning another pained shriek as it'd recoil, but still not down as it'd clutch the injured arm, giving her just enough time to plunge the blade into the skull of the antlered beast, having a near immediate effected as it bucked and tried to remove the pest from its back coming to a near complete halt and almost throwing her off - and it would have, had it not been for the first creature that had finally managed to grab her. She'd feel pain in her stomach, the beasts claws having impaled her as it'd pull her from the beast, slamming her into the ground where it'd pull its claw from her stomach, proceeding to try and maul her. Location: Human Village, Riverside --- Akyasha engaged the beast, bloody axe sinking into the creatures knee as it hadn't even seen or acknowledged her presence up until it was too late to avoid it. The beast howled, gurgling as it'd immediately tur blood oozing from the wound but the cut was far to shallow to reach bone, cutting through what seemed to be nothing but fat, making the beast more agitated then anything. Immediately, it'd turn, making a wide sweep with the ship mast in its arm in an attempt to slam it into the vampire nun. Inside, Julene made it back down to the first floor, the building quickly lighting up with fire, but the undead were not so easily deterred. Not caring for their own unlife, and still burning they'd leap from the upper floor, trying to accost and drag her down with them, while the ones on the stairs and lower floor still made their way towards her. "Tch, just die already." She'd growl, managing to block a strike from one of the undead creatures, shoving it back into a wall that was on fire. She had to get out of here before the other barrels ignited - but the things were being awfully persistent in slowing down her escape from this place. Location: Pirates End Paladin --- Perhaps, Argus better be glad even considering making a servant of the Violet Witch a thrall was not considered some form of treason. "Not far now captain!" Cynthia called back, retrieving her spear from the wood that it had found itself resting in as argus tossed the net into the water nearby…whether or not it had some effect for the moment. More skeletal undead would pull themselves from the water around them, earning an annoyed growl from Cynthia as she'd quickly engage, slicing through more and leaping through an open hole on the ships hull that she had pulled her spear from. "This way! Hurry! That thing-!" Too late. Whatever it was, slammed its bulk into the ship hull, cracking its weakened frame, splintering it and sending it sinking into the waves, Cynthia disappearing further within. In the same instance, the platform under Argus was slammed into with enough force to completely shatter his already unstable footing! He'd need to act fast unless he'd want to find himself swimming with the undead and whatever creature that was.</s> <|message|>Dragan Meszaros Dragan Meszaros The beast was more durable than he'd expected. Even factoring momentum into play, Dragan's strike should have done more damage to its cranium than this. Enough to disable or disorient it, at least. Or perhaps the beastman just wasn't cognizant of pain. Either way, he didn't have time to waste with this one any further. The sound of screams down the hall told him as much. As the beastman began to claw and tear at his armor, Dragan took one hand off the haft of his hammer and gripped the creature by the throat, bodily lifting it up with one hand. A sickly green glow started to emanate from his gauntlet, and the Death Knight's necrotic magics began to slough the beast's skin off its bones, rotting its flesh away. Moments later, the process was complete, and Dragan released his new skeleton minion down to the ground, where it obediently fell in line at his side. With that done, the armored vampire turned his helmet's gaze towards the cowering humans off to the side. "Flee upstairs! Your headman is ordering the door barricaded! Let him know of our progress, we will go to aid the rest." He commanded before tearing off at a sprint towards the other set of screams, his skeleton matching his pace.</s> <|message|>Captain Argus Fellborn, the Red Tide Captain Argus Fellborn "Cynthia!" Argus lost his footing as the unseen leviathan destroyed the wreck. He did not want to take his chances in the water with that monster swimming around- he needed to stay on the platforms. As he fell, he managed to guide his fall forward, and stabbed his sword into the nearest wooden wreckage. Using the sword as a handhold, he scurried up onto the floatsam, not wanting to present any part of him as a target for that monster. Judging by the way it was ramming the wreckage to try to force them into the water, Argus guessed it was either a whale or a shark. With how it was completely ignoring the skeletons in the water, it was probably under the control of their master. Most importantly, did it have blood? If it weren't for that monster lurking down there, Argus would use this debris as a makeshift raft. But with that thing actively hunting them, he didn't want to stay in one place too long. There wasn't much in terms of footing, but he might be able to move across the debris field if he moved quickly enough. The pirate attempted to make his way towards where he last saw Cynthia, jumping from platform to platform like a frog on lily pads. He'd strike at any skeletons that might be in his way, but he couldn't afford to fight them- he'd have to settle for unbalancing them or knocking them into the water. He was hopeful that Cynthia had survived that attack. After all, if something happened to her, he might not get paid.</s>

<|message|>Akyasha That house was filled with barrels that were primed to explode any moment now right? Well, this fleshy mass was the most frustrating part of fighting this creature for the moment. It would be quite easy to break this creature apart once that fleshiness was gone. With this in mind, Akyasha jump up on the mast as the creature swung it at her. From there, she used it as a jumping point to slam her axe into the creature's face, bracing herself on it's shoulder and trying to force it back toward the building that was soon going to explode and seeing what damage she could do to it with one more heft back of her before slamming the sharp end back into its face. Looking over toward the blacksmith girl, Akyasha would notice she was having a bit of trouble with the local undead population despite saying she had things under control earlier. She gave out a whistle, calling out to the Gorebat that lead her here. It should have still been around as she didn't order it away. "Help the girl out and ensure you both get out of that explosion unscathed, try not to get noticed but so be if so." She ordered the creature. At this point, she had somewhat revealed her hand, or it was going to be revealed regardless. She planned to make this girl a thrall so goodwill never hurt to have.</s>

<|description|>Akyasha Gender: Female Appearance: Akyasha is much like the rest of her kin. Pale, pleasing to the eyes…. The most notable features are her bright red hair and the religious garb she wears at almost all times. Abilities: As a Vampire, of course Akyasha has access to Blood Magic and as a devout servant of Ichor, she also has access to Divine Magic that only Clerics of Ichor would have. The Divine Magics of Ichor are essentially Blood Magic without any weakness a Vampire might have as well as the ability to summon the otherworldly servants of Ichor. That said, she utilizes her Blood Magic in a special way. When she strikes an enemy with her Blood Magic, she attempts to put a "seed" on or in them. This "seed" starts to drain blood from it's target and will over time sprout as a Blood Magic mockery of a lily, something that Akyasha affectionately calls a "Blood Lily". After she collects the lily, she can utilize it in a couple of ways, but her favorite is in her summoning magic. The amount and quality of blood that she collected influences the creatures she would summon from using the Blood Lily. Personality: Some describe her as an eccentric. She's a devout servant and follower of Ichor. She follows the tenets as close as she can except for one thing. While she agrees that normally, humans cannot love them, she thinks that they can be made to love them. Though, this typically means that she likes to have plenty of human thralls. Specifically, Human Women that she can dress in her religious outfits and follow the Path of Ichor. Outside that, one could say that she is every so slightly obsessed with the Cult of Ichor and making it as perfect as she can as well as the betterment of her kin. She sees humans in three ways. The humans worth attempted to turn to the Cult of Ichor and those that are cattle meant for feeding. This does not mean the cattle are to be treated crudely as that would be against the tenets. Preferably, they are to be given their own rooms and things to do as well as well fed. That way, their blood tastes the best it could be. The third and final way she looks at humans…. Are those worthy of ignoring. As the tenets state not to act with cruelty and treat humans with care, Akyasha finds the best way to care is to ignore those that one does not need to interact with as interaction would bring "undue attention to the undead." Bio: Once upon a time, Akyasha was a blonde human girl with another name, turned by a Cleric of Ichor. Over the years, she dedicated her unlife to the following of Ichor and rose through the ranks. Unfortunately, during the final years she saw many of her fellow clerics felled by Paladins until finally, she was one of the last few Clerics. Of course, one of the last few didn't matter as she was impaled with a holy weapon and put into an eternal slumber. Only to eventually wake back up in an unforgiving world…. Anything else:</s> <|message|>The Queen Location: Human Village Landshark@Asuras@VitaVitaAR --- Running into the building that had the door violently ripped open from the inside - it became clear this wasn't just your average building. Bookshelves lined the walls, and a number of instruments of alchemical and scientific nature had been scattered on the floor. Ripped pages from books. Medical diagrams that showed of all things, what seemed to be dissected beasts. Aleksiya, peeking inside and following just behind Dragan would notice a bit more than he would have. A few pages referencing the source of these creatures. Something about humans and beasts both being warped by something further in the forest - possibly a vampire being the cause of it. More, was research about various notable vampire lords, but the pages were ruined, caked with blood and torn in some areas. The only notable thing she could make out 'The forest is likely where one fell, but who, I can't say.' Dragan, rushing in and heading further back, would see a second room full of cages. All had been opened, some smashed open…but in some were carcasses of beasts from above, but he wouldn't be able to observe the room for much longer. In the room was a large, beastly looking creature pinned to the floor. Thick, heavy chains were keeping it locked down, stakes drove into its claws and arms in several places were keeping its arms locked to the ground, with similar treatment for its legs. Its head had a large, thick shackled collar around its neck. Part of its back had been surgically tore open, revealing its bone structure as well as its beating heart and other still functioning organs. A blindfold over its eyes, a nose that had been stitched shut, ears plugged with spikes, mouth muzzled and gagged. It hadn't noticed him yet, but no doubt it would notice him if he got closer. Behind it, off to the side seemed to be a small ladder leading upwards to the surface. A hole had been dug, quite recently. Well, they had found the source of the beasts. Location: Human Village, Riverside @Click This --- "Damn it, the only other door…" Well, she had boarded it up. Didn't want anyone else escaping. A perhaps reckless and short sighted decision in the end. Had she been over confident? Julene's expression softened only somewhat as the smoke became thicker, the crackling of fire filling her ears. Well…perhaps this was fitting in the end. "What's the matter, creature?" She'd say to the gorebat as it'd chitter in an annoyed fashion. "Shoo or you'll get burned, too-ah?" The bat forcefully grabbed her head, turning it in the direction that Akyasha and Giselle were attempting to pry open a hole in the weakened, thin walls of the building. "...tch, that lady is crazy." Still, if it was a way out of this alive, then she'd take it. Normally the bolt would probably be too weak to blow a hole in the wall, but if nothing else, it could help. Her head was starting to get dizzy from the smoke inhalation anyways. "Ack-ngh-cough-Move you-cough-!" She aimed the bolt, and loosed it towards the wall. Another explosion. The wall split open, with thankfully Giselles' reinforcement holding the rest of the wall and building around Julene up just enough for the blow not to bring down the rest of the building down around her. And a hole, just big enough for Julene to be pulled through. The human fell forwards, crawling on the ground as she'd move towards the hole, the gorebat tugging on her sleeve as she'd soon manage to get through the opening. "...you…are a crazy woman…but thanks…" Julene sputtered out, needing help standing currently. She was covered in mostly superficial wounds. A few light cuts and scrapes, a few burns and was singed in a few places but she was otherwise mostly fine. Location: Pirates End Paladin --- Ignition. Flame. It would leave the captain feeling a bit weakened, but it'd be enough. Fire alighted on the large, makeshift harpoon. It was incomparable in size to the creature that was gazing at them with a heavy, imperious gaze, but it was the only weapon they had for now. As it sailed through the air, Cynthia pulled herself up next to Fellborn. And slowly, she'd lower just one side of her blindfold, revealing beneath a single eye the color of clearest blue. It lacked any pupil, iris - it was just a completely, blue sphere in her eye socket - but it was only the briefest of glances for the captain, for just as quickly as she had revealed it, she'd recoil in pain, clutching the side of her head. Whatever she had done, if anything, was not something Argus could see. All he'd see was the result. As the titanic creature rose its tendril from the sea in order to crush them, the bowspirit slammed into the watery wall that served as its armor, but it did not stop. It pierced through the armor, and right through to what was presumably the beasts flesh. An explosion rocked the beast, sending it swaying to the side, and sending its tendril sinking back into the water as the beast itself closed its eye, a sing-song like voice shuddering with what seemed like pain and annoyance. "Nngh…I hate to ask this but…land…carry me…" He'd feel Cynthia's hand on his wrist. "While its stunned. Can't hurt us there…"</s> <|message|>Giselle de Farry Giselle de FarryUndead Princess, de Farry --- As mundane as the combined rescue attempts of two vampire lords were, it was not a surprise that the human rescue attempt was a success, even if it was a very close thing. The moment Julene crossed the makeshift threshold, Giselle tossed her crowbar aside, dematerializing back into a mist of blood before she grabbed her outstretched arm and pulled her away from the burning building before it could collapse on top of them all. Once they'd cleared the danger zone and were out in a proper open space, she paused and reached out a hand to help the singed blacksmith girl stand. She looked superficially fine except for some scrapes, but she knew that any human that had breathed in that much smoke would likely be winded for days afterwards or internally injured. She wouldn't fault her if she couldn't stand, but if the village had a healer, she would recommend her to see them. Still, she had been impressed. Had she used explosives to help take down that wall? It explained the fire, but she was surprised that knowledge of the complex chemical formulae for such things persisted to this day. Even if it did, it would still be rare for somebody to grasp making such things well. She gave Julene a thoughtful expression for a moment before speaking. "You're very welcome," Giselle responded, despite the human having addressed those words to the cleric rather than herself. "If you can walk, we should head back towards the village proper. I believe we have taken care of all the creatures we've encountered thus far, so we should check in on the others."</s> <|message|>Dragan Meszaros Dragan Meszaros Dragan had been expecting many things when he'd entered the building: more beastmen, mortals being terrified by them if he were lucky, and more corpses if fortune decided to not favor him on this day. A mangled, imprisoned beastman kept seemingly as a test subject was not on his list of expectations. A deep frown marred the vampire lord's face beneath his helmet as he took the scene in, starting to piece together what had happened here. Whatever experimentation had been done here clearly attracted the attention of the beastmen. The little fool who'd worked here hadn't fortified well enough, providing a breaching point for the beasts. One man's negligence was responsible for who knew how many deaths today. Further proof that mortals brought ruin upon themselves when left to their own devices. As for the test subject itself...Dragan stood where he was, considering it for a moment. The measures taken to shackle it damaged the body too much for his liking to use efficiently. He only had so much power to use right now, and this would be a waste. Best to put it out of its misery, then. His course set, Dragan extended his free hand, a small spike of blood forming before it launched straight towards the beastman's exposed heart. With that taken care of, Dragan returned to the previous chamber, noticing the notes Aleksiya was reading. "Aught there anything of use to us?" He inquired. "Whoever was making use of this building was imprisoning beastmen in the back chamber and experimenting upon them. The breach from outside was also present there."</s> <|message|>Captain Argus Fellborn, the Red Tide Captain Argus Fellborn It worked. The pistol's firing mechanism, Argus' blood magic, and Cynthia's plan, all had managed to come through and temporarily stun that sea monster. And while Argus wasn't exactly sure what Cynthia did when she revealed her eye, he was pretty sure she did something. It was aimed at him- perhaps it was some sort of empowerment? Regardless, they had found success, and as long as they didn't push their luck, the duo should be able to make it to shore and out of that creature's reach. Cynthia wasn't doing too well, however. Whatever she did had weakened and pained her, and now she was asking the pirate captain to carry her to safety. "Very well, lass," Argus answered with a sigh, before picking up the girl. "You angled me out of the depths, after all. Besides, there's naught but dead men to tell this tale." With Cynthia in his arms, he ran across the wreckage and leapt towards the shore. What a sight- the dreaded Red Tide, risking his own escape to rescue someone else, then carrying them to safety. Even if there was a practical reason for ensuring Cynthia's survival, perhaps losing his thralls had stung the pirate even more deeply than he believed.</s>

<|message|>Akyasha Akyasha stepped aside as Julene loosed her bolt at the wall, helping open up a hole big enough for the human get pulled through. Giselle made sure the human was going to make it out of the fire so Akyasha scooped up her Gorebat with one hand. A small bit of consideration of the situation and all the dangerous entities nearby, Akyasha decided it was best to keep her axe at the ready as they reeled back from the burning house. Once at a safe distance, Giselle examined the human's condition. She'd life fine enough. "If I'm a crazy woman, what's that say about the girl that did that?" The cleric teased, pointing at the house. After she relaxed her body a small bit, she remembered that she had just been beaten and bruised and all the aches hit her once more. Her axe dropped from her hand and disappeared into a mist before it even hit the ground. "Well, you're not the only one not feeling at peak performance, miss." Akyasha groaned as she thought about every little bit that was broken or something of the sort. "Speaking of, I am appreciative of your timely intervention, Giselle. I don't think I could have taken that blast directly." Akyasha mentioned with a smile, "But yes, let's head to the village." Akyasha would be able to set her broken bones and heal once they got a moment to rest.</s>

<|description|>Akyasha Gender: Female Appearance: Akyasha is much like the rest of her kin. Pale, pleasing to the eyes…. The most notable features are her bright red hair and the religious garb she wears at almost all times. Abilities: As a Vampire, of course Akyasha has access to Blood Magic and as a devout servant of Ichor, she also has access to Divine Magic that only Clerics of Ichor would have. The Divine Magics of Ichor are essentially Blood Magic without any weakness a Vampire might have as well as the ability to summon the otherworldly servants of Ichor. That said, she utilizes her Blood Magic in a special way. When she strikes an enemy with her Blood Magic, she attempts to put a "seed" on or in them. This "seed" starts to drain blood from it's target and will over time sprout as a Blood Magic mockery of a lily, something that Akyasha affectionately calls a "Blood Lily". After she collects the lily, she can utilize it in a couple of ways, but her favorite is in her summoning magic. The amount and quality of blood that she collected influences the creatures she would summon from using the Blood Lily. Personality: Some describe her as an eccentric. She's a devout servant and follower of Ichor. She follows the tenets as close as she can except for one thing. While she agrees that normally, humans cannot love them, she thinks that they can be made to love them. Though, this typically means that she likes to have plenty of human thralls. Specifically, Human Women that she can dress in her religious outfits and follow the Path of Ichor. Outside that, one could say that she is every so slightly obsessed with the Cult of Ichor and making it as perfect as she can as well as the betterment of her kin. She sees humans in three ways. The humans worth attempted to turn to the Cult of Ichor and those that are cattle meant for feeding. This does not mean the cattle are to be treated crudely as that would be against the tenets. Preferably, they are to be given their own rooms and things to do as well as well fed. That way, their blood tastes the best it could be. The third and final way she looks at humans…. Are those worthy of ignoring. As the tenets state not to act with cruelty and treat humans with care, Akyasha finds the best way to care is to ignore those that one does not need to interact with as interaction would bring "undue attention to the undead." Bio: Once upon a time, Akyasha was a blonde human girl with another name, turned by a Cleric of Ichor. Over the years, she dedicated her unlife to the following of Ichor and rose through the ranks. Unfortunately, during the final years she saw many of her fellow clerics felled by Paladins until finally, she was one of the last few Clerics. Of course, one of the last few didn't matter as she was impaled with a holy weapon and put into an eternal slumber. Only to eventually wake back up in an unforgiving world…. Anything else:</s> <|message|>Captain Argus Fellborn, the Red Tide Captain Argus Fellborn "Perhaps, Ichor willing, we'll rematch that monster with a proper crew someday," Argus replied, putting the maid down. "Nevertheless, I see no shame in a well-executed escape." Unlike the last time he cheated an almost certain death, he pulled it off deftly enough to not warrant sacrificing anyone, he contemplated as he felt a sense of satisfaction in his chest, no doubt from the sense of pride of having pulled it off without deigning to take the easy way. The pirate still wasn't sure what Cynthia had done with her eye, but she definitely cast the impression that it had taxed her. Cynthia was unwilling to continue onward, claiming it would be best if the split up, but she gave the vampire directions to the village that she had offered to lead him to. With any luck it shouldn't be too difficult of a walk, assuming there wasn't anything like that sea monster walking around up on land. "Aye, if I need you, I'll make use of it," he said, accepting the charm, and taking a moment to examine the pattern. "Farewell, lass." He tipped his hat to her and started on his way to the village where, according to Cynthia, other vampires awaited him. There was much to consider. There was the job to retrieve the blade, of course, but the pirate had other things on his mind. He needed to find corpses for a new crew. He needed to find a source of blood. Perhaps he also needed a ship, but with the collapse of civilization, there would be no wealthy merchant enterprises to plunder out on the seas. Besides, if there was a chance that the Silent Swordbill was still out there awaiting her captain's return, he did not wish to be unfaithful to her.</s> <|message|>Akyasha Akyasha spoke back to the gorebat that had asked if it could eat the human ignoring said human's blade with nary a care. "No." She commanded back before turning her attention back to the blacksmith girl and Giselle. After Giselle was done, Akyasha knew what she was implying. How frustrating, trying to encroach when Akyasha already had her sights set on her. "As for me, please call me Akyasha and I am no 'fake' holy woman. I am fully devoted to my Goddess, though perhaps she is one foreign to you. She is benevolent to her children." Well, no more was needed said than that. "As for what I am doing here... Supplies I suppose? And also to see if more would follow my faith, of course, though that is hard to ask in the best of times forget these current ones." To the both of them there, it was obvious which of the two reasons Akyasha really thought she was here for. Of course, to an outsider, Akyasha did sound like she belong to a religious cult... To her fellow vampires as well. "And can you put the blade down? If I wanted to harm you, I could have done it long ago." If Julene had seen her fight, it was quite obvious a blade as such meant nothing to the cleric. "Instead, how do you fair? Do you need me to carry you into town?" Akyasha asked, wanting to make sure the human girl were in great shape. "My Goddess has instilled within me great strength." Akyasha mentioned, a good portion of her issues healing up. If it were some broken portions of her body, she could fight through it.</s> <|message|>Full Luna Emeraltide The vampiress turned her gaze towards the hole leading out into cold air, and hummed after Dragan's theory. The drifting apathy in her smooth hum exposed her own doubts -she seemed inclined to believe the nameless lord had at least some hand in this violence. Luna moved to the ladder, and turned back to Aleksiya. "I would have us reach Giselle first, wherever she may be. She was last with us outside the gates. If she is yet in the forest, she may be in the most danger," Luna explained before climbing up the ladder. Her absurdly long hair hung below as she ascended, like the tail of a golden fox. A fox that, plainly visible to Dragan and Aleksiya, was in dire need of cleaning. Through their travels thus far, the floor-and-then-some-length hair had collected all manner of mud, twigs, and leaves at its splayed ends. The rungs of the ladder helped to sift out only a small amount of the debris. At the surface, Luna instinctively spread her arms wide and stretched, as if taking in the glow of a moon which was no longer there. She turned about then, gaining her bearings after being hidden underground in an unfamiliar place.</s> <|message|>The Queen Location: Human Village Landshark@VitaVitaAR --- Dragan would make his way back up, passing by a few people who somewhat timidly, expressed their thanks, as if expecting him to be angry for doing so. They were already starting to tend to the dead that had been left alone, burning the beasts and starting to remove them. As he'd find his way back up the stairs, it seemed Giles had kept his word and barricaded the room but after a bit of insistence the villagers would remove it and allow the vampires back into the abode. "Did you actually manage…to drive the beasts back?" Giles would ask, seeing Dragan return mostly unharmed. "...forgive my disbelief, I wasn't expecting you to return." The boy that had run up earlier was running down now, likely to look for and check for his parents that had been left behind. "I don't suppose you found where those creatures came from?" Location: Human Village --- Luna climbed the rather hastily made ladder. Whoever made it likely intended to use it as a secret entrance into the village below. Climbing up was easy enough, the old thing creaking under her weight as she'd pull herself out of the tunnels below and into the lightless world above. She was met with an unfamiliar sight. She was close to the river, not extremely deep into the forest but far enough away from the village most villagers likely wouldn't bother with it. The ladder itself came out into what was a pile of boulders that seemed to have been purposefully placed to hide it, causing her to have to step out of a little rocky passageway to be outside properly. If she hadn't come out of here or knew that it was here, there was a good chance it'd have gone unnoticed. In the distance, back towards the village she could see the burning smolders of a house. She could see the carcasses of a few dead beasts back that way, too. Giselle's work? The fire seemed contained at least. This far into the forest though, she could smell it. The stench of blood coming from across and further down the river. It was faint, likely being much further away but it was present, but the fact she could smell it so far away meant there could be no small quantity of it. Perhaps it'd be better to meet up with her fellows before pressing onwards. Location: Human Village, Riverside @Click This --- Julene was quiet as the two explained themselves, grip on her blade not faltering for a moment. "I can stand on my own, fake nun." She'd say after a few seconds, though it soon turned into a fit of coughing, as she'd point her blade to the ground, impaling it into the earth and using it to help her do it. "I don't buy a word of what ye said, but…well, I don't think you're here to harm us at least." She'd wheeze a bit, taking a few lungfuls of air. "Sorry about the poor welcome…urgh, but I can't be too careful about vagrants like you two." She'd, perhaps through sheer force of pride and her desire not to show weakness, managed to stand back up, face still covered in soot. "...I can let ya both stay at my place if you need a place to lay your head for a bit. Ain't big, but I got space for a few extras just in case." A frown, glancing towards Giselle. "I dunno what you're talking about. Ain't no civilization that can exist out here…all people here can do is survive. Ain't no gods either." She'd narrow her eyes at Akyasha. "Except beasts and evil things claiming to be one. We don't need either here." Location: Pirates End -> Forest of Beasts Paladin --- "Fair winds and safe travels, Captain. Remember - the Violet Witch rewards loyalty." With that, the Maid would fall silent, watchin Fellborn leave, heading north towards the river that she had indicated. As he left, she would soon as well, disappearing into the forests in the opposite direction. She had a report to make. Argus would make his way across the rocky shoreline, eventually finding his way to the aforementioned river not long after parting ways with Cynthia and a forest. Following it upstream was a trifling task, with the ability to see in this lightless world the beasts that would have beset most travelers were wary, scurrying around just in the shadows deeper in the forest. Aside from a few hounds and similar beasts and having to cross to the rivers opposite shoreline to get up a particularly large waterfall, it was an uneventful trip. This did however, put him on the opposite side of the village mentioned as well as in the middle of a forest. It had become much thicker now, with the few bits of foliage that remained on the trees obscuring the lightless sky and their twisted branches and roots making it not the easiest of places to traverse. It was curious then, that the Vampire would catch campfire light in the distance. While he could now see some ramshackle buildings across the river where the village would be, this person was both across the river and a fair distance away from it still. Creeping up to see who they were, would reveal a single human. It was difficult to tell much of their appearance beyond their short, brown hair, pale skin and somewhat long, thin fingers for it was obscured by a thick, heavy cloak around their shoulders. They were seemingly writing in a book of some sort, hunched over a small desk as a cauldron bubbled away over a campfire. Didn't smell like food. A number of glass vials and if he was a learned man he'd recognize other alchemical equipment sitting on it. Oddly though, there did not seem to be anything in the way of a shelter. Perhaps they didn't intend to stay long. They didn't seem to have noticed Argus…and perhaps it'd be best he didn't engage whoever this was. Something about this traveler would make him uneasy.</s>

<|message|>Akyasha While the girl questioned them once more, Akyasha grabbed the bat that had been bothering Giselle and brought it to herself. Then she spoke to the one that had brought her to the human girl. Quietly. "Go find the others and report to me their whereabouts later. No snacks." Still such worries about beasts and evil things pretending to be gods. "My, you seem quite insistant on there being no gods or anything of the such, but I continue to draw strength from mine. For example." Akyasha tread forward and scooped the human girl into a princess carry. If she and Giselle waited on her to waddle all the way back home it would take ages. Sure, they would be fine, but she'd likely die of old age! Well, probaly not. "I have no problem carrying a young girl such as yourself. Please do not fret, however. I merely plan on carrying you until we reach your home. Do enlighten us on how to reach it."</s>

<|description|>Akyasha Gender: Female Appearance: Akyasha is much like the rest of her kin. Pale, pleasing to the eyes…. The most notable features are her bright red hair and the religious garb she wears at almost all times. Abilities: As a Vampire, of course Akyasha has access to Blood Magic and as a devout servant of Ichor, she also has access to Divine Magic that only Clerics of Ichor would have. The Divine Magics of Ichor are essentially Blood Magic without any weakness a Vampire might have as well as the ability to summon the otherworldly servants of Ichor. That said, she utilizes her Blood Magic in a special way. When she strikes an enemy with her Blood Magic, she attempts to put a "seed" on or in them. This "seed" starts to drain blood from it's target and will over time sprout as a Blood Magic mockery of a lily, something that Akyasha affectionately calls a "Blood Lily". After she collects the lily, she can utilize it in a couple of ways, but her favorite is in her summoning magic. The amount and quality of blood that she collected influences the creatures she would summon from using the Blood Lily. Personality: Some describe her as an eccentric. She's a devout servant and follower of Ichor. She follows the tenets as close as she can except for one thing. While she agrees that normally, humans cannot love them, she thinks that they can be made to love them. Though, this typically means that she likes to have plenty of human thralls. Specifically, Human Women that she can dress in her religious outfits and follow the Path of Ichor. Outside that, one could say that she is every so slightly obsessed with the Cult of Ichor and making it as perfect as she can as well as the betterment of her kin. She sees humans in three ways. The humans worth attempted to turn to the Cult of Ichor and those that are cattle meant for feeding. This does not mean the cattle are to be treated crudely as that would be against the tenets. Preferably, they are to be given their own rooms and things to do as well as well fed. That way, their blood tastes the best it could be. The third and final way she looks at humans…. Are those worthy of ignoring. As the tenets state not to act with cruelty and treat humans with care, Akyasha finds the best way to care is to ignore those that one does not need to interact with as interaction would bring "undue attention to the undead." Bio: Once upon a time, Akyasha was a blonde human girl with another name, turned by a Cleric of Ichor. Over the years, she dedicated her unlife to the following of Ichor and rose through the ranks. Unfortunately, during the final years she saw many of her fellow clerics felled by Paladins until finally, she was one of the last few Clerics. Of course, one of the last few didn't matter as she was impaled with a holy weapon and put into an eternal slumber. Only to eventually wake back up in an unforgiving world…. Anything else:</s> <|message|>Captain Argus Fellborn, the Red Tide Captain Argus Fellborn If there was any doubt in Argus' mind that this monster was an unnatural creation, the seam upon its chest dispelled it. Somebody clearly made this thing and sewed it shut. Those same stitches, however, would provide an ideal place to fatally disassemble this creature without compromising its pelt any more than it already was. Assuming, of course, that he could get close enough to cut them. That might be easier said than done, however, he concluded as the bear-boar began to charge, hurling its massive claws at the vampire. First, Argus used his blood magic to spray a stream of his own blood in the monster's eyes, as to impair its vision. Then as it drew close, the pirate slashed at the underside of the first paw to come towards him, seeking to both turn the blows aside and hopefully lacerate an artery. The next paw to come at him would receive the same attack. This would be much easier if he wasn't trying to leave a serviceable pelt, he thought.</s> <|message|>Aleksiya Ravennart, also known as Ice Princess Aleksiya, or the Rime-Winged Vermilion Angel With the creature thus restrained, and Aleksiya able to get a better look at it, she came to realize it was no oversized chicken at all. Even in a state of such decay, it was quite obvious she was looking at a rather more familiar animal then she had expected. A tropical and exotic bird that had no right to be here, except for the fact that the one at the source of all this was fond of them. Aleksiya sighed heavily. "Wonderful, I can't even make fun of you, now," she lamented as she raised her hand, slowly tracing her finger through the air. Along the same course her hand too, a crystalline line began to form, developing a sharpened edge, widening into a wedge shape as vapors poured off of its form, "I hope you're happy." All it did now was seem sad and pathetic, more than anything else. And what it foretold was nothing particularly good. Still, it was an obstacle. It had to be removed. The blade of ice was sent hurtling through the air, a whistling sound accompanying it as Aleksiya targeted the point where the straining, bound wing met the body. It would tear free soon, so grounding it and then finishing it off was their best option. @Rune_Alchemist@Asuras</s> <|message|>Akyasha Mom and Dad that were mauled by beasts in her early life? For a human that must be rough. Akyasha thought on that for a few short seconds until Julene brought up her sibling like relationship with a Gilles. "Hmm. I see." The vampire mentioned, trying to think of her past. She couldn't remember much of anything before she had become a vampire. Hell, she couldn't even remember how long ago that was. And then, Julene asked about her family. "That's a fair question to ask, especially when I brought it up first." She pondered the question for a few seconds before opening her lips again. "Truthfully, my memories are slightly vacant. I have no recollection of my childhood nor my actual age by number. If I were to assume, my parents were dead far before I had lost them or I would have found some clue. No other family by birth with that in mind. The only real family I have are those I travel with now." The redheaded vampire said with a small amount of somber tone to her voice. "Well, the past is the past. It's unchangeable by most accounts aside, perhaps, long dead gods." Akyasha went silent again as she didn't have much more to add to that topic. She thought about how this human had connections with one Gilles but didn't mention anyone else. It seemed her relationship with Gilles was more of one between brother and sister than anything else... Still, it didn't hurt to probe and see if she had any other close relationships. "Asides this Gilles, is there anyone else in town you're close with? Truthfully, I'm almost surprised no one came to check on you after what happened with that house. Then again, I guess there were some other troubles happening."</s> <|message|>Giselle de Farry Giselle de FarryUndead Princess, de Farry --- With the giant bird immobilized, Giselle was also able to get a good look at the decayed abomination after dancing away from its fumbled attack. Like Aleksiya, she was finally able to recognize it as one of Kordelia's exotic pet birds, now long corrupted and twisted into a true abomination, yet apparently still loyal to the end. It was a little sobering, but it was obvious what needed to be done. Aleksiya had been closer to the princess of beasts than she ever had been, so she let the smaller girl take the lead against the vampire lord's fallen creature. In the end, if they did manage to bring back Kordelia, Giselle supposed it would be better to hear that Aleksiya had put down her oversize bird than Giselle. She had to wonder for a moment if she had been corrupted or twisted herself before finally being brought back. If she could, she would have shuddered at the thought of herself terrorizing the lands that she once tended and shepherded. All the more reason to end this. "Aleksiya, I'll leave the coup de grace to you," she offered, as she moved to further restrain the creature. As her counterpart tore into its wings, she sliced into its legs to leave it only able to thrash about on the forest ground before they finally ended it.</s> <|message|>The Queen Location: Julene's cabin --- "Awfully convenient." Julene replied with a dismissive grunt. "But no, not particularly. The folks here are friendly enough but, well…" Julene paused for a moment, pouring some water into some mugs as she'd turn back to the cooking meat and some water into a pot that she would add a few vegetables too. "I don't do well talking to them." She shrugged. "Can't say I blame 'em. I'm not the friendliest sort." There wasn't any malice in Julene's voice, at least, so it didn't seem like she thought less of the people and she was speaking more as a matter of fact it seemed. "Right about that though, can't change the past. Would be nice though, considering what those idiots in the previous era did to the world, hmph." She'd grumble, throwing a few more bits of wood onto the fire. Forest of beasts --- This@Asuras@VitaVitaAR The beast shrieked loudly, Luna's ethereal chains breaking the instant Aleksiya's spear of ice would rend its remaining flesh from its bone, ripping a hole straight through its shoulder. A horrid shriek followed as the beast brought its beak down, slamming into Giselle and knocking her clean across the clearing like a doll, but she had achieved her objective. Down a wing and now limping slightly, the undead avian shrieked again as it attempted to flap its wings, failing to find any air as its lame one uselessly laid now at its side. So it chose the only option it had left. It reared its head back a shrill cry as it inhaled…turned its beak towards Aleksiya and shrieked. Another stream of razor wind, more powerful this time ripped across the ground, shredding the ground and scraggly trees around it. It followed by frantically scrambling along the ground, what would have been a fearsome charge reduced to a pitiful looking, half crawl as it opened its maw and would attempt to slam its beak around the vampire. Location: Forest of Beasts Paladin --- The massive beast growled as blood obscured its vision. The vampries blade found its mark, slashing into the hide of the beast, turning aside one of its paws as he'd parry the blow. The second soon followed, the beasts momentum not allowing it to stop itself as the blade cut another long gash along its paw…but both were shallow, and barely any blood seeped from the wound. Its body twitched lightly in a mildly unnatural way. Ultimately, the beast charged past Argus a few feet, giving the vampire a few brief moments to think about his next move as the creature would turn to face the vampire once more, snorting aggressively as it seemed unfazed by the injuries on its paws. But it remained docile only briefly as it would rear up on its hind legs once more. Charlotte, the witch, seemed mostly entertained and was writing in her journal a mere few feet away from the fight.</s> <|message|>Aleksiya Ravennart, also known as Ice Princess Aleksiya, or the Rime-Winged Vermilion Angel This time, the barrier of ice shattered almost immediately. It was regrettable, knowing that she still wasn't back to the level of power she needed to pull off such a feat without effort. But it had done enough. The bird's beak yawning open, its body maimed, only barely recognizable as what it once was. Aleksiya sighed, the air around her arm suddenly growing frigid. Water collected, coalescing around her pale limb, as the diminutive vampire formed a spike of ice that entirely incased it. It glistened, gleaming, shining, its point like that of the finest blade. "Go to sleep. It's long overdo." Her arm blurred as she thrust it forward. The length of the spike she had conjured was plenty, she was certain, to pierce the roof of re ruined avian's mouth, through the bone, and up into its brain. To sever whatever remained of its life instantly, as it attempted to shut its beak around her. Typically, Aleksiya took pleasure in slaying her enemies. Joy in destroying those who set themselves against her, threatened her companions, those people beneath her. Those who would trample over others. But there was little joy to be had in this. @Click This@Asuras</s> <|message|>Captain Argus Fellborn, the Red Tide Captain Argus Fellborn The creature's thick hide made it difficult for the vampire to injure, and it didn't seem fazed by any injuries. Many aquatic creatures were the same way, their thick layers of skin and fat making it difficult to get to their blood and vitals. If he wanted to kill this thing, he'd need to either cut deeper, or take another approach. After all, as tough as this thing was, there were so many myriad ways to bring about the end of a mortal being's life. Fortunately, when the bear-boar reared up, it gave the vampire better shots at its vitals without damaging the pelt. In fact, it was precisely the underside where it'd need to be skinned from. Argus thrust his sword at the bottom of the creature's chest seam and thrust upward. Even if he didn't hit anything immediately vital in the process, this ought to make it easier to find and strike at something that would put it down, right? Let's see what you look like on the inside, monster.</s>

<|message|>Akyasha "Well, I'm sure most of the people didn't intend for the current state of the world." Akyasha mentioned with a small smile. "Others perhaps. That aside, I find you quite friendly though perhaps not an upfront kind. After all, you let me in your home and let me rest." Her smile receded a small bit before she continued, "I would, however, prefer if you didn't call my situation 'convenient' I can assure you it's not. Though, it has led my existence since." The vampire's injuries had mostly recovered by now. Some small bits of pain and such but it wasn't half as bad as it had been. "Well, I suppose you could say I've gained some rather 'convenient' gifts in that path. Companions, faith, strength. Purpose." She went silent for some short seconds before speaking up again. "Now, it's not much, but allow me to present my own gift to you, Julene." Akyasha said as she walked up to Julene. "Allow me to touch your person once more for but a few seconds." The vampire would lean in closer and ran her fingernail gently along the side of the blacksmith's head and through her hair. She would feel a gentle scratching before the Vampire removed her hand. Soon, a small lily began to grow on the side of the blacksmith's head stopping at a small size big enough to be a pretty hair decoration. "A lily for you, my favorite flower. I hope you find them as beautiful as I do." With that done, Akyasha would step back giving the woman space.</s>

<|description|>Captain Argus Fellborn, the Red Tide Gender: Male Appearance: Look sharp, lads, there's blood ahead! Abilities: Having spent decades engaging in piracy across the seas, Captain Fellborn is a highly skilled sailor and fighter, particularly with swords, firearms, and polearms. His blood magic allows him to turn blood into an explosive substance much like gunpowder, allowing him to fire flintlocks and cannons, fill grenades, and breach doors. However, this technique can injure its wielder and thus must be used very carefully. Captain Fellborn also has an affinity for necromancy, particularly the raising and control of corporeal undead. At the height of his power, he and his thralls were able to command a ship's crew worth of undead and make them perform the often complicated tasks of running a ship. His greatest necromantic feat was infusing undeath into the dead wood that composed his ship, the Silent Swordbill, giving it a very simple, impulsive un-life enabling it to move its own sails and rudder, open and close doors and hatches, and sometimes just creak unnaturally. His powers have diminished during his sleep, however, and now he finds himself struggling to control more than a few undead at a time. The perpetual scarcity of talent that pirate crews face has also demanded that over the years, Captain Fellborn has picked up on a few additional skills important to a ship's crew such as carpentry, nautical navigation, and cadaver surgery. Unfortunately, despite being fully aware of how effective steam propulsion is, the intricacies of steam technology elude him. Personality: Captain Fellborn is a firm believer in the power of fear. He cultivated the image of a vicious reaper of souls whose jolly roger signaled a fate worse than death for those who resisted. In truth, he was not cruel but rather ruthlessly pragmatic. A foe too cowed to resist meant more blood and no losses, and when he did take losses, it was prudent that he conscript some replacements, via necromancy or enthrallment, to keep his crew at full strength. In person, he believed in fellowship among sailors and treated his thralls like brothers and sisters and in turn commanded them to always speak their mind. It wasn't like he had to worry about mutiny or treachery, after all. On the matter of humans, Captain Fellborn believes that they should be treated as a resource to not be over-harvested, like fish or whales. They must be kept in fear of vampires, but also afforded the understanding that it is in their best interest to not resist. They must neither gain the nerve to fight back nor despair so much that they decide they have nothing to lose by resisting. As one might expect from a pirate, Captain Fellborn is very fond of gold, silver, and copper. He does not hoard it in chests, however, but rather he melts precious metals down and uses them to cast and plate weapons, from sword blades to cannon barrels. Since gaining immortality, he has become very conscious about how easily iron perishes to rust, and likes for his weapons to be able to withstand the toll of time. Bio: Captain Fellborn was once a sailor serving aboard the Silver Swordbill, a merchant ship that moonlighted as a smuggling vessel. His background was nothing special- his father and grandfather were both sailors, and he followed in their footsteps. During one trip, he noticed an inconsistency in the ship's cargo- an unknown crate not recorded or logged- something that was abnormal even for a smuggling job. Concerned that one of the crew might be skimming or pulling a job on the side without sharing the profits with the crew, he peeked into the crate to see what the contents were. The crate contained a vampire, tightly restrained by silver shackles. The vampire offered the man a deal, swearing by Ichor and the Violet Witch to grant him vampirism in exchange for releasing him. The sailor, hesitant to take this deal, went to the captain to report this terrifying discovery. The captain, evidently wanting to bury the evidence, ordered the sailor to be killed, falsely accusing him of theft. In desperation, the sailor fought his way below deck and broke the vampire's shackles. The vampire slew the entire crew aside from the sailor that freed him. True to his word, he enacted the ritual to turn the sailor into a vampire, giving him a new name- Argus Fellborn. Over the next ten years, Argus was brought into vampire society, learned to master his new form, and eventually parted ways with his sire. On the anniversary of the Silver Swordbill's disappearance, the ship returned, refitted as a ghastly pirate ship with an undead crew and a new name- the Silent Swordbill. Over the years, the ship gained a reputation as a dreaded ghost ship, which would appear only at night or during heavy fog, demanding blood and treasure from its victims. In addition to plundering merchant ships, he also attacked naval vessels, but to these ships he made no demands, accepted no parlays, and gave no quarter. Occasionally, he'd find someone who was willing to sign the pirate articles and submit to enthrallment, and with every thrall, his crew became stronger. Even the dreaded Red Tide, however, was compelled to serve the queen and Ichor, and it so happened that he was called upon to deliver a sealed package across the sea, and to not allow anything to stop him from getting it to the recipient. Unfortunately, it was during this smuggling operation that the Hundred Paladins finally caught up to the elusive pirate. During a storm, a powerful steam frigate intercepted the Silent Swordbill, and the ghost ship's sails could not match the swiftness of its foe's steam propulsion. Captain Fellborn managed to escape after a hard-fought battle that left the frigate's steam engine heavily damaged, but he had to sacrifice most of his crew, including every last one of his thralls To make matters worse, one of the enemy marines had managed to steal one of his most valued possessions- an enchanted compass that always pointed in the direction of the Silent Swordbill. After making the delivery, Captain Fellborn concluded that it was only a matter of time before the Paladins tracked him down, and there wasn't going to be enough time to rebuild his crew. There was another matter that weighed on him- while he may have hidden it well, sacrificing his faithful thralls to ensure the mission's success was the most agonizing thing he had ever done. He had no choice in the matter- the queen and Ichor must be served, at any cost- but it didn't make the loss any less painful. With the Paladins having gained the ability to track his ship, it was only a matter of time before he joined them in death. Instead of getting ready for a final stand, or attempting to flee, he sailed up and down the coast, burying caches of cannons, armaments, and gunpowder, each with a plank of wood from the ship. If the planks were able to fool the compass, it'd slow them down long enough for him to give them the slip. If not, then his buried treasure would secure a legacy more immortal than vampirism. While burying the final cache, however, the paladins finally caught up to him. The pirate captain chose to face them alone, ordering his skeleton crew to return to the ship and raise anchor. It was a good way for a pirate to met his end, he thought as his foes finally overwhelmed him...</s> <|message|>The Queen Location: Human Village Landshark@Asuras@VitaVitaAR@Click This --- "...I don't trust them. What kinda people even travel these days? Maybe if there was another village close by, but we haven't heard anything from the other places in what feels like months." One of the men rebuffed the group, the appearance of Akyasha and Dragan making them feel just a bit uncomfortable from the looks of things. "Beastmen? Are you certain?" The one that seemed to be more receptive to them silenced the other man with a glare. "They've been attacking so frequently lately, barely five lantern-lightings ago did they attack last." "Do we sound the alarm?" "If we do and they aren't attacking anything nearby will definitely hear it." "We've no reason to trust you, but you've also no reason to lie." He'd say, shaking his head. "We live in strange times, since the last age and the sun fell. I won't question it. If you've got your reasons then we won't get in your way." He'd reach for the bell, pulling on it loudly and cleanly, a resonant, melodic clang echoing through the village. The other men quickly gathered their things, running deeper into the village. "You're welcome to stay at my place to wait them out." The man said, just as the sound of several more bells rang through the small village. The gorebat tha Akyasha had left behind, landed on Giselle's head, uncaring for the humans' rather startled reaction upon seeing it. It seemed to be trying to pull Giselle towards the direction of the forest. Location: Human Village --- Akyasha swiftly left the group, heading towards where her gorebat was leading her much to the startled humans who seemed to be growing more wary that this group of travelers were all both well dressed as well as somewhat large in number than what they were used to seeing. Still, she'd run down what served as the main street, running past some startled villagers who had as of yet been alerted to the newcomers as well as past the old buildings that served as the peoples homes. As Akyasha approached, she couldn't yet hear the sound of fighting, but she could see both the water as well as the human in question. A strong, somewhat severe looking woman was going around dressed in a thick dress, apron, and gauntlets with long, slightly messy blond hair and a well maintained chestplate. She was walking calmly not far from the river, a silver lantern hanging from her hip that seemed to cast light much further than one would think from the small amount of light it contained. Akyasha would find this light uncomfortable as she approached. Had her gorebats gotten things wrong? There was definitely a woman here, a ways off from the village near the water but there were no undead just yet. Thankfully, she had more than her eyes to see here. She was no necromancer, but as a cleric of Ichor she could definitely feel the familiar sense that every undead gave off for a vampire…and it was coming from the river. Beyond what the human could likely see immediately, Akyasha could see drowned corpses slowly climbing onto the shore, not quite having made it all the way out of the water yet. Location: Pirates End Paladin --- "Says the one who hardly paid her any mind during your first unlife." The maid replied curtly, the ship creaking as a rough sea breeze battered its frame. "But you're in luck. The Violet Witch has no desire to go against Ichor. If anything, you should be on your knees groveling your pathetic thank yous for her infinite mercy." Despite the maids harsh words, she'd pull a vial of sanguine colored fluid from her dress, tossing it in Argus' direction. A vial of blood. "A vial. My own, if you're curious. It should get you back on your feet, for now." The maid walked past, away from the desk and out towards the black skies, towards the battered coast below. "You can see for yourself, or are your eyes worse than mine? Everyone lost in that war. Vampires. The Paladins. The earth, gods, devils…all fell, and all we can do is just…survive." Her mouth curled into a frown, hands balling into a fist, speaking just low enough that Argus could not hear her entirely above the wind and creaking of the ship. She turned her gaze towards Argus. "What we want from you is simple. We would like you to…claim an artifact that has recently come into possession of your vampiric brethren and acquire it for us. I can not say much other than it is a blade of great power. Its blade mimics the waves of the oceans and if used correctly can be used to both take life from a divine being…and return it to one. It has lost most of its power, but it still has its uses. I could take it myself…but my lady has instructed discretion and hopes that we could have a…continued relationship, Captain Fellborn. Should you accept, we will support you in what ways that we can, and as a show of good faith I will assist you in escorting you to a village not terribly far from here where you will no doubt meet your brethren."</s> <|message|>Akyasha That silver light wad an annoyance, but that didnt matter too much to her. It was uncomfortable for the moment but no more than that. She approached, letting her voice be heard. "Fair Maiden, pardon my intrusion. Would you kinda step away from the water before some water geist or ghoul gobbles you up?" The Cleric mentioned as she walked in closer. "Shine your light at the water there if you don't believe me" Her approach went so far as the woman didnt take an immediate defensive againat her nor the light burned her. "The dead crawl ashore." She gave a small smile as she reached down and grabbed a rock almost hand sized and threw it at thr head ofone of the dead crawling up.</s>

<|message|>Captain Argus Fellborn, the Red Tide Captain Argus Fellborn "The Violet Witch herself, you say? All the cutting words in all the languages of the world cannot sink the flattery, nay, the honor of being returned to undeath by her grace," he assessed, as he looked down upon the vial she had given him. The state of the world, as described by the maid, was a sad thing. This pitiful, broken world was not a place for a pirate. There would be no great trade and treasure fleets to plunder. There would be no infrastructure through which to carry myths of ghost ships far and wide. And even if there were, would such tales frighten someone who grew up in such a dark, broken world? And just how strong would they be? Had this dark new world made humans tougher and more resilient, or were they broken and struggling to survive on the scraps of the old world's rotting carcass? Whatever the state, the tenets of Ichor would guide him. Despite what this maid was suggesting, Captain Fellborn took Ichor's commandments quite seriously in his career as a pirate. "Aye, I accept your terms. Obtain the god-slaying blade, deliver it to you, and be discreet." Argus spoke, before taking the vial and imbibing the blood. He needed his strength back, and he needed his thirst slaked. "Lead the way, lass, but first...do you truly believe my brethren may get in the way?"</s>

<|description|>Brazmere Granitebrew Picture: Age: 103 Gender: Male Appearance: Brazmere is wide as he is tall 3 feet to be precise, broad shoulders from carrying barrels and sure feet to hold him steady whilst doing so. His hair although lacking on his head is white but his beard a mucky grey tone thanks to the tanning from various liquids soaked into it. The facial hair itself is loosely braided but mainly held in place by several tarnished brass rings. His normal attire is a green short sleeved tunic covered by a well worn leather apron. Within the apron a small hammer and assorted tappers Skills and Flaws: Strong - From the collection of hops to brewing and moving the barrels to the bar Brazmere along with his kinsmen they aren't weak and they enjoy to be tested, weight lifting, the stone carry all solidifying them as one of the stronger clans in Thrillem. Iron Guts - Brewing is a fine art but unfortunately there is an off chance something goes wrong. Out of date ingredients, a faulty keg which has lead to Brazmere being able to stomach all manner of foreign things. Brawler - Some people just cant hold there weight and when it kicks off in the tavern Brazmere is often asked to step in and cool things down, lucky for him with shovels for hands its not hard to knock or throw out the unfortunate sod who decided to start it. Greed - Currency is fast moving within the tavern be it for a beer, gambling or odds on the first knock out for Brazmere and the tavern the house always wins. Inebriated - Brazmere is not always sound of mind, there's always a thirst for the next round Goading - Brazmere enjoys to push folks buttons to cause a reaction, good or bad Background: In the early days of Thrillem the Granitebrews were labourers and hard workers. Many other clans possessed the skills to build craft and construct and they would provide the materials. As the halls became grander and trade started they set up a tavern on the mid level called 'The Open Door' as the name suggested available to all. Brazmere is one of 5. He has learnt from his family what it is to be a brewer from start to finish. As a young lad he was behind the scenes aiding in the brewing and cargo to the tavern. Over time becoming a local bar keep and friend to every man (with coin). Braz which he is known for short is a fairly relaxed yet sarcastic dwarf taking most things in his stride however he does enjoy to poke and prod certain locals for his own amusement. He can be assertive when needed especially when a brawl gets out of hand and can handle himself whilst in one too! As traditions go the Granite Bowl held each year testing your physical strength and fortitude is a favourite and for Brazmere comes his competitive streak, last year just beating his cousin in the last round; the boulder toss to bring the trophy back home. This year however he has been inducted into this 'adventure' although nervous he is eager to write another chapter for his families linage.</s> <|message|>Beorthric Ironshirt On the Eve of Adventure The mines of Thrillem tremble with the voices of a thousand dwarves... HEIGH! HO! HEIGH! HO! HEEEIGH! HOOO! HEEEIGH! HOOO! HEEE- -igh! Du-ba-du-ba-dum, Ho! Du-ba-du-ba-dum Heigh! Du-ba-dum Ho! Du-ba-dum Heigh! Du-ba-du-ba-Ho! This is the night, brethren, the eve of adventure! Heigh! Of adventure! Ho! This is the night! The eve of adventure! Heigh! Du-ba-du-ba-dum, Ho! Du-ba-du-ba-dum Heigh! Du-ba-Ho! Du-ba-Heigh! Du-ba-du-ba-Ho! Forward you go, brethren, to claim stolen treasure! Heigh! Stolen treasure! Ho! Forward you go! To claim stolen treasure! Aye, you feel it in your Bone, Pride, and longing, for your Home, Strength and honor, kin of Stone! --- The night is young, but you can barely stand. There's a feast in Thrillem tonight and the dwarves mean business. Not just any feast, no. Your feast. You're being celebrated as heroes for undertaking the Great Quest. You're going to the surface, to travel untold miles through uncharted lands, to slay a dragon and steal its hoard. A dragon. And you're going to slay it. You've already said it what feels like a hundred times, and heard others say it more than a thousand, but that somehow still can't seem dispel that gnawing in your gut. The one that's there to remind you that Hey, guess what! The dragon ain't dead yet! And tonight might be The Night, but tomorrow is certainly The Day. The day when it begins for real, this adventure of yours... But leave the worrying for the greybeards! You're still young, and tonight is for you! There's a feast going on, and what a feast it is! Delicious delicacies and beverages by the barrel from all across the land, booming drums and roaring brass, thousands upon thousands of torches and candles and all eyes and all smiles upon you, no expense is spared. You're sitting with the rest of your comrades at the table of honor in the middle of the great hall. You're surrounded on all sides by throngs of your brethren, sitting at tables of their own. On the dais at the head of the hall sits the greybeards, the elders of each clan, looking down on their people with watchful eyes. They're counting on you, and you mean to honor that trust. Your thoughts are suddenly interrupted as Beorthric barges into the table with two fists full of pints. "Refreshments!" he bellows as he smashes them down on the top, and proceeds to lean in towards you with a funny frown on his face. "And good thing, too" he says, nodding over to a neighboring table "'cause them Orebreakers over yonder was bad-mouthing the lot of us, saying they'd stomp us no sweat in arm wrestling, and I figured we'd need a drop 'o strength seeing as we're going to take 'em up on that challenge! Who's with me?"</s> <|message|>Kragg Stonefist Kragg Stonefist Kragg was on his third full plate of mushrooms, wedges of cheese, and slabs roasted meats when his comrade Beorthric arrived at the table with a whole bunch of pints of booze onto the table. "Beorthric! Just in time, I was feeling a tad bit sober from eating all this food!" He welcomed the beer toting dwarf warmly as he, just as warmly, cradled a pint and downed it in three mighty gulps. "Ahh...so much better." Kragg said before taking his attention back to his meal and devouring it with renewed gusto. Even at the third full plate, his gut still had room for a half dozen pints and two more plates of food. But what caused pause in the bottomless pit of a dwarf's meal was that the notification that the table of Orebreakers were slandering them. "Them's fighting words from beardlings that can barely carry their own weight in gold. Ancestors, frown upon me if I let this stand. Beorthric, You have my help in this matter." With that, Kragg stands up from his seat on the table and prepares to show the table of Orebreaker dwarves why he was known as the Bull of Clan Stonefist.</s>

<|message|>Brazmere Granitebrew As celebrations goes Brazmere couldn't recall a feast so grandiose. Some of remaining kegs of 'All Sorts XXXXX' frugally being handed out along with some of the best smoked duroc pork on offer. The glow of the braziers giving everything on the tables a golden halo. Brazmere was taking his fill but of course more liquid than subsistence and as his tankard hit the table his fellow 'surfacer' Beorthric turned up with another. "Cheers Gents" raising his brew along with a few others that heard. The laughter and cheering of the night was infectious along with the boisterousness between fellow dwarves and clans. Beorthric pointed out a table of orebreakers wanting to draw first blood in the evenings festivities. Brazmere drew a large grin across his face as Kragg agreed he stood up on the bench pointing at the breakers table "Who do you think you are? A bunch of orecrumblers with 'my first pickaxe' at your side dare challenge us?! Bring it on!" Brazmere stepped off the bench onto the stone floor knocking the shoulders of his comrades "Come on lads, this will be easy"</s>

<|description|>Norburr Deepslate Picture Age: 98 Gender: Male Appearance: A little short for a dwarf, Norburr is pale of complexion, enough to seem sickly if not for the ruddiness of his nose and the bags beneath his squinting, razor-sharp hazel eyes. His blonde locks carry on past his shoulder, and the lowest of six voluminous braids of his beard -the feature he's by far the most proud of- extend all the way to his waist. His steel helmet is pointed to help deflect impacts from above, and affixed with a special candle to light the way. Other than that, he's clothed head to toe in thick cloth and hide, well-padded to ensure minimal exposure to the dangers of the underground, be they stone shards, poison fungus, acidic drippage, or thorny briars Skills: * Prospecting - As a prospector, Norburr is very talented when it comes to telling what lies ahead in the underground world. At times it might seem like he's some sort of wizard, possessed of future vision, but it's all the result of extensive knowledge and lots of experience. If given a chance to study his surroundings, and especially to run some tests, he can get a pretty good idea of an area's identity, integrity, resources, and dangers * Prepared - In Norburr's line of work, it pays to be ready for anything. He carries a whole host of different items on his person, offering a wide range of utility, and oftentimes can whip out just the right thing at the drop of a hat * Perseverance - No matter how good your predictions or thoughtful your preparations, anything can happen in the bowels of the earth, and where plans and equipment fail, strength of character prevails. Norburr has a level head and a never-say-die attitude, able to take stock of a bad situation and put together a plan Flaws: * Greed - the fatal flaw of all dwarves. While his lust for gold might be a little less strong than most dwarves, Norburr is greedy in another way: for wonder. His heart yearns to see and experience everything that the underground has to offer, all the caves and formations and creatures that he never in a million years could have imagined. This greed can sometimes overpower his caution if he's already assured of himself, making him complacent * Particular - Norburr likes things done a certain way. If his fellow expeditioners object to his routines and checklists, urging him to lay off the tests for once and live a little, it's only because they're fools–at least in his eyes. Slow, steady, and safe wins the race after all, even if it doesn't win him that many friends, or a place at the drinking table. This makes him somewhat bossy, even fussy, and if he isn't allowed to take the time he needs to get comfortable with a new area, he can get pretty anxious * Fighting Prowess - while tough in his own right, Norburr is not a warrior, and has only basic training in the arts of combat. If a fight can't be solved by mindlessly swinging his pickaxe, he's probably outclassed. He's forced to rely on others to fight for him, or if confronted directly, his chemicals and other items, which puts a hard limit on how much he can fight Background: For dwarves, there is no greater industry -indeed, for many, no greater calling- than that of mining in the depths, of exploring ancient caves and carving new tunnels to extract the inexhaustible wealth of the earth. The average gung-ho, bright-eyed dwarf, however, knows little beyond walk forward, hit rock, mine ore, so fixated on the valuables just waiting to be exhumed that the stone around them is little more than a bother. Yet the underground is an incalculably vast and varied realm, with environments and ecosystems all its own, more kinds of stone than there are trees, and more exotic flora and fauna that could every be crammed in the encyclopedias, especially as you go farther down. While the hotheads are swinging away, who's watching the area's structural integrity, and setting up supports to make sure that the roof doesn't fall down on everyone? Who decides the direction the miners delve, and how far? Who can see the telltale signs of a monster infestation ahead, or a pocket of volatile natural gas, or drippage of subterranean lakes? The Deepslates, that's who. The Deepslate line never produced the mightiest dwarves, or the cleverest, or the best crafters, or the most inventive, but just like his forebears, Norburr possessed a rare gift: perception. While in his earlier years his youthful energy drove him alongside all the other firecrackers to be the best digger and delver around, his impetuousness eventually contributed to a terrible cave-in that resulted in a slew of injuries and afflictions, some to his friends and even his brother. On that day Norburr realized just how important his stodgy old father Gorburr's duty really was, and cast aside his thoughts of rebellion to embrace the role of support. He received his line's humble but beloved Candle-light Cap, and from that day forward, his would be the guiding light in the tunnels deep below so that all who ventured into the howling dark might return to drink in their hallowed halls once more. While his attitude can be somewhat acerbic and clinical at times, leading others to think of him as a know-it-all killjoy, few can contest the claim that he wants what's best for his fellow dwarf, and that his acuity makes sure that everyone gets home alive. Miscellaneous: The stuff he carries on his person includes: * Silver Pickaxe - a prized possession, his by rights when his brother was crippled and forced to give up mining. It's not actually silver, but it is nice and shiny, and decorated with a miniature dwarven head. Sometimes referred to as Norburr's 'best friend' * Hammer and Chisel - a couple small tools for chipping rock samples * Soft Case - a padded bag full of vials of different chemicals, mostly acids. The different fluids react to different materials, allowing him to identify stones that they're exposed to. They can also deal some damage in a pinch * Flint & Steel - scratched together long enough, these bits of rock and metal can make a spark * Torches - ten sticks wrapped in oily cloth, able to provide light for some time when lit * Rope, Grappling Hook, & Iron Spikes - not every cave is a nice, safe tunnel. Some go straight up or straight down, or open up into vast open spaces. Being able to traverse vertically -and safely- is a privilege * Candles - a Norburr special. These long-burning candles are somewhat precious to him on account of the wax they take to make. Their distinctive yellow flames are very sensitive and will flare up if exposed to even a trace amount of volatile gas, warning him about larger, more dangerous concentrations of the stuff nearby. The pungent smell of the candles hangs in the air a good while and can be used to tell where he's been. Supposedly a bug repellant too, but that has yet to be confirmed. * Cave Blooms - Norburr carries flowers that are sensitive to toxic gas in a pouch. If one's taken out, it will quickly wither and die in the presence of such gas, signaling that he should steer clear * Sleeping Mat - For long nights in the caves, rolled up and tied when not in use to save space * Canteen - Contains water. Usually. * Cave Nuts - a pouch full of the seeds of a particular subterranean plant. They look like pebbles, but if stepped on will produce a loud crack. Scattering them around an area works as a makeshift alarm system</s> <|message|>Kragg Stonefist Kragg Stonefist Kragg was on his third full plate of mushrooms, wedges of cheese, and slabs roasted meats when his comrade Beorthric arrived at the table with a whole bunch of pints of booze onto the table. "Beorthric! Just in time, I was feeling a tad bit sober from eating all this food!" He welcomed the beer toting dwarf warmly as he, just as warmly, cradled a pint and downed it in three mighty gulps. "Ahh...so much better." Kragg said before taking his attention back to his meal and devouring it with renewed gusto. Even at the third full plate, his gut still had room for a half dozen pints and two more plates of food. But what caused pause in the bottomless pit of a dwarf's meal was that the notification that the table of Orebreakers were slandering them. "Them's fighting words from beardlings that can barely carry their own weight in gold. Ancestors, frown upon me if I let this stand. Beorthric, You have my help in this matter." With that, Kragg stands up from his seat on the table and prepares to show the table of Orebreaker dwarves why he was known as the Bull of Clan Stonefist.</s> <|message|>Brazmere Granitebrew As celebrations goes Brazmere couldn't recall a feast so grandiose. Some of remaining kegs of 'All Sorts XXXXX' frugally being handed out along with some of the best smoked duroc pork on offer. The glow of the braziers giving everything on the tables a golden halo. Brazmere was taking his fill but of course more liquid than subsistence and as his tankard hit the table his fellow 'surfacer' Beorthric turned up with another. "Cheers Gents" raising his brew along with a few others that heard. The laughter and cheering of the night was infectious along with the boisterousness between fellow dwarves and clans. Beorthric pointed out a table of orebreakers wanting to draw first blood in the evenings festivities. Brazmere drew a large grin across his face as Kragg agreed he stood up on the bench pointing at the breakers table "Who do you think you are? A bunch of orecrumblers with 'my first pickaxe' at your side dare challenge us?! Bring it on!" Brazmere stepped off the bench onto the stone floor knocking the shoulders of his comrades "Come on lads, this will be easy"</s>

<|message|>Norburr Deepslate As the uproarious singing of cheerful drunks and fire-forged friends shook Thrillem's beloved feasting hall of old, only one dwarf seemed able to resist the infectious atmosphere of camaraderie. On any other day, one would expect to find Norburr Deepslate minding his own business over in a corner away from the other dwarves, with only a plate of roasted bitterroot, well-seasoned mushrooms, and salty cave fish fillets for company as he pored over ledgers of charts, records, and supplies. While the others stuffed their faces and got back to work, he could spend hours picking at his meal as he checked and rechecked the books to make sure that every lesson from the last expedition had been learned, and everything was in order for the next. After all, failure to do so -as Norburr loved to remind anyone who doubted his methods- could mean the difference between life and death. And yet, that fastidiousness and his exacting standards meant that for as long as anyone could remember, Norburr Deepslate -young in body but old in spirit- ate alone. Not so today. For out of everyone to brave the myriad and unknown dangers of the outside world on this terrific quest, of all the stout-hearted warriors and celebrated heroes, it was Norburr who they picked. Nobody, they reasoned, was better prepared to tackle unknown territory and dangerous terrain than him, the prospector whose preparedness, perception, and perseverance saved who-knows-how-many lives down in the deep. And therein, Norburr realized, was the problem--the reason why even now, in the midst of a celebration for him, he sat slumped on one hand at the dinner table, a dour look upon his wan face. It was because he knew what both opportunity and danger looked, sounded, and smelt like that he could overcome the underground so well! The idea of being thrown to the wolves on the surface world, a place devoid of documentation and research, terrified him. What even were wolves, for instance? What did they eat, and how did they hunt? Were they afraid of fire, like a number of subterranean predators down here? Did they make some distinctive sound that could be used to steer clear from them? Norburr just didn't know. And knowing wasn't half the battle; it was everything. And because this was such an honor, he couldn't possibly refuse. He was so lost in thought that he jumped in his seat when Beorthric slammed down a new round of drinks onto the table. He blinked in mixed bewilderment and annoyance Beorthric leaned into the group to make them aware of the gauntlet thrown down by their neighbors. Norburr glanced over at the Orebreakers. Surly, burly, broad, and dust-speckled...they were miners through and through, the very salt of the earth, and tough as nails. Of course, no typical dwarf would take any such challenge lying down, no matter how stout the competition. Kragg Stonefist, however, was an exceptional dwarf, as strong and honorable as they come. Alongside him, Brazmere Granitebrew eagerly rose to confront the competition, going as far as to rouse the others to join him. Even Norburr was no exception, which the prospector actually didn't mind that much. If he was stuck going on this expedition, he really ought to try to improve his standing with the others in the long term, and he could certainly stand to distract himself from his misgivings for now. With a roll of his eyes Norburr downed the last of his mead (that being just his second cup) and got to his feet. "Let's just try not to break anythin', eh?" he groused, massaging his shoulders. "Don't know about you chaps, but I'd rather not start off tomorrow in a cast!"</s>

<|description|>Behdron Bronzeeye Picture: Age: 109 Gender: Male Appearance: Behdron is standard Dwarven height, about 2 foot 11. His dirty blond beard reaches his belly, gathered by three brass clasps. Behdron has light brown eyes to match. Usually, there's a pair of bronze googles adorning his face - protection from occupational hazards. He keeps his hair tied out of the way. Often seen wearing heavy leather chest and leg pieces and tough, steel boots. Skills and Flaws: * Masonry Proficiency. The Bronzeeye clan has a long history of cutting stone and building with them. If it's a rock, the Bronzeeyes can use it. * Strong. Lifting and moving large materials for building requires a decent amount of strength. * Good with a hammer and chisel. Have to cut those rocks with something, and can probably swing them at someone. * Greedy. * Lightweight. A secret source of shame to Behdron. What kind of Dwarf can't hold their liquor? * Perfectionist. As a result of their trade, Behdron has obtained a need to make each achievement simply perfect. The better the work, the better it reflects on the Bronzeeye clan, and the more gold the clan gets. Background: Behdron was born of the Bronzeeye clan, a long lineage of masons and stonecutters. Since the ancient days of the Halls, the Bronzeeyes have been building. With each generation, the masonry has gotten more elaborate, impressive… and more commissioned gold. The resultant, current breed of masons has a reputation of a family of perfectionists that take some liberties in timelines. As the eldest of 3, Behdron has been trained in masonry since he was old enough to lift a chisel. His mother and father have instilled in him a love of masonry and of improving the halls. Through assisting in various projects commissioned to his family, Behdron had gained a reputation as a reliable mason. He's also known for sometimes taking longer than some would expect over "important" details that "aren't there yet". Recently, as the eldest of his family, he's been selected for an adventure. Behdron is excited to bring a stack of gold and a story fit for recording to his clan. Miscellaneous: Nothing yet...</s> <|message|>Beorthric Ironshirt On the Eve of Adventure The mines of Thrillem tremble with the voices of a thousand dwarves... HEIGH! HO! HEIGH! HO! HEEEIGH! HOOO! HEEEIGH! HOOO! HEEE- -igh! Du-ba-du-ba-dum, Ho! Du-ba-du-ba-dum Heigh! Du-ba-dum Ho! Du-ba-dum Heigh! Du-ba-du-ba-Ho! This is the night, brethren, the eve of adventure! Heigh! Of adventure! Ho! This is the night! The eve of adventure! Heigh! Du-ba-du-ba-dum, Ho! Du-ba-du-ba-dum Heigh! Du-ba-Ho! Du-ba-Heigh! Du-ba-du-ba-Ho! Forward you go, brethren, to claim stolen treasure! Heigh! Stolen treasure! Ho! Forward you go! To claim stolen treasure! Aye, you feel it in your Bone, Pride, and longing, for your Home, Strength and honor, kin of Stone! --- The night is young, but you can barely stand. There's a feast in Thrillem tonight and the dwarves mean business. Not just any feast, no. Your feast. You're being celebrated as heroes for undertaking the Great Quest. You're going to the surface, to travel untold miles through uncharted lands, to slay a dragon and steal its hoard. A dragon. And you're going to slay it. You've already said it what feels like a hundred times, and heard others say it more than a thousand, but that somehow still can't seem dispel that gnawing in your gut. The one that's there to remind you that Hey, guess what! The dragon ain't dead yet! And tonight might be The Night, but tomorrow is certainly The Day. The day when it begins for real, this adventure of yours... But leave the worrying for the greybeards! You're still young, and tonight is for you! There's a feast going on, and what a feast it is! Delicious delicacies and beverages by the barrel from all across the land, booming drums and roaring brass, thousands upon thousands of torches and candles and all eyes and all smiles upon you, no expense is spared. You're sitting with the rest of your comrades at the table of honor in the middle of the great hall. You're surrounded on all sides by throngs of your brethren, sitting at tables of their own. On the dais at the head of the hall sits the greybeards, the elders of each clan, looking down on their people with watchful eyes. They're counting on you, and you mean to honor that trust. Your thoughts are suddenly interrupted as Beorthric barges into the table with two fists full of pints. "Refreshments!" he bellows as he smashes them down on the top, and proceeds to lean in towards you with a funny frown on his face. "And good thing, too" he says, nodding over to a neighboring table "'cause them Orebreakers over yonder was bad-mouthing the lot of us, saying they'd stomp us no sweat in arm wrestling, and I figured we'd need a drop 'o strength seeing as we're going to take 'em up on that challenge! Who's with me?"</s> <|message|>Kragg Stonefist Kragg Stonefist Kragg was on his third full plate of mushrooms, wedges of cheese, and slabs roasted meats when his comrade Beorthric arrived at the table with a whole bunch of pints of booze onto the table. "Beorthric! Just in time, I was feeling a tad bit sober from eating all this food!" He welcomed the beer toting dwarf warmly as he, just as warmly, cradled a pint and downed it in three mighty gulps. "Ahh...so much better." Kragg said before taking his attention back to his meal and devouring it with renewed gusto. Even at the third full plate, his gut still had room for a half dozen pints and two more plates of food. But what caused pause in the bottomless pit of a dwarf's meal was that the notification that the table of Orebreakers were slandering them. "Them's fighting words from beardlings that can barely carry their own weight in gold. Ancestors, frown upon me if I let this stand. Beorthric, You have my help in this matter." With that, Kragg stands up from his seat on the table and prepares to show the table of Orebreaker dwarves why he was known as the Bull of Clan Stonefist.</s> <|message|>Brazmere Granitebrew As celebrations goes Brazmere couldn't recall a feast so grandiose. Some of remaining kegs of 'All Sorts XXXXX' frugally being handed out along with some of the best smoked duroc pork on offer. The glow of the braziers giving everything on the tables a golden halo. Brazmere was taking his fill but of course more liquid than subsistence and as his tankard hit the table his fellow 'surfacer' Beorthric turned up with another. "Cheers Gents" raising his brew along with a few others that heard. The laughter and cheering of the night was infectious along with the boisterousness between fellow dwarves and clans. Beorthric pointed out a table of orebreakers wanting to draw first blood in the evenings festivities. Brazmere drew a large grin across his face as Kragg agreed he stood up on the bench pointing at the breakers table "Who do you think you are? A bunch of orecrumblers with 'my first pickaxe' at your side dare challenge us?! Bring it on!" Brazmere stepped off the bench onto the stone floor knocking the shoulders of his comrades "Come on lads, this will be easy"</s> <|message|>Norburr Deepslate As the uproarious singing of cheerful drunks and fire-forged friends shook Thrillem's beloved feasting hall of old, only one dwarf seemed able to resist the infectious atmosphere of camaraderie. On any other day, one would expect to find Norburr Deepslate minding his own business over in a corner away from the other dwarves, with only a plate of roasted bitterroot, well-seasoned mushrooms, and salty cave fish fillets for company as he pored over ledgers of charts, records, and supplies. While the others stuffed their faces and got back to work, he could spend hours picking at his meal as he checked and rechecked the books to make sure that every lesson from the last expedition had been learned, and everything was in order for the next. After all, failure to do so -as Norburr loved to remind anyone who doubted his methods- could mean the difference between life and death. And yet, that fastidiousness and his exacting standards meant that for as long as anyone could remember, Norburr Deepslate -young in body but old in spirit- ate alone. Not so today. For out of everyone to brave the myriad and unknown dangers of the outside world on this terrific quest, of all the stout-hearted warriors and celebrated heroes, it was Norburr who they picked. Nobody, they reasoned, was better prepared to tackle unknown territory and dangerous terrain than him, the prospector whose preparedness, perception, and perseverance saved who-knows-how-many lives down in the deep. And therein, Norburr realized, was the problem--the reason why even now, in the midst of a celebration for him, he sat slumped on one hand at the dinner table, a dour look upon his wan face. It was because he knew what both opportunity and danger looked, sounded, and smelt like that he could overcome the underground so well! The idea of being thrown to the wolves on the surface world, a place devoid of documentation and research, terrified him. What even were wolves, for instance? What did they eat, and how did they hunt? Were they afraid of fire, like a number of subterranean predators down here? Did they make some distinctive sound that could be used to steer clear from them? Norburr just didn't know. And knowing wasn't half the battle; it was everything. And because this was such an honor, he couldn't possibly refuse. He was so lost in thought that he jumped in his seat when Beorthric slammed down a new round of drinks onto the table. He blinked in mixed bewilderment and annoyance Beorthric leaned into the group to make them aware of the gauntlet thrown down by their neighbors. Norburr glanced over at the Orebreakers. Surly, burly, broad, and dust-speckled...they were miners through and through, the very salt of the earth, and tough as nails. Of course, no typical dwarf would take any such challenge lying down, no matter how stout the competition. Kragg Stonefist, however, was an exceptional dwarf, as strong and honorable as they come. Alongside him, Brazmere Granitebrew eagerly rose to confront the competition, going as far as to rouse the others to join him. Even Norburr was no exception, which the prospector actually didn't mind that much. If he was stuck going on this expedition, he really ought to try to improve his standing with the others in the long term, and he could certainly stand to distract himself from his misgivings for now. With a roll of his eyes Norburr downed the last of his mead (that being just his second cup) and got to his feet. "Let's just try not to break anythin', eh?" he groused, massaging his shoulders. "Don't know about you chaps, but I'd rather not start off tomorrow in a cast!"</s>

<|message|>Behdron Bronzeeye Behdron had never seen quite so much food and drink before. The celebratory cheers, singing, and chattering certainly set the stage for a night to be remembered. With a table full of his favorite meats, a variety of cheeses, and of course a grand amount of alcohol, there was little to be wanted. Between the revelry and feast, there was also little time to think about the realities of the quest. Amazing and impressive descriptions of a dragon! A beast that hoards enough gold to make generations of clan proud. Dangerous? Difficult? Those must all just be stories. Exaggerations. How many Dwarves have seen a dragon anyhow? How big could they possibly be? The cave lizards aren't very big, that's for sure! Speaking of feasts and merriment, as Beorthic approached the table, Behdorn may have been on his second… or third glass. Or maybe it was his fourth? What was the content of these again? The buzz was certainly getting to him by now. Behdron felt that perhaps reaching for some more meat might be the best option… or was that the cheese in front of him? With the arrival of more pints of alcohol Behdron began to sip very slowly on his glass while grabbing a variety of the foods around him. News of the Orebreaker's boasting left a sour taste in his mouth, and he slammed his glass on the table. "Stomp us?! Those wee lads could barely match the size of our fists!" He exclaimed. He stood up from his seat, twirling around to face the Orebreaker's table with a small tumble to his steps. "Why you lot hic are on! Let's do this." With that, Behdron pulled up his sleeve and teetered over to the table.</s>

<|description|>Samuel "Sam" Worthington "It's cool, everything will be fine." Appearance: Gender: Male Age: 18 Height:5'10" Weight:180 lbs Build: Athletic Eyes: Green Hair: Black Skin Tone: Pale White Personal Style: Sam's clothes are meant to be practical more than reflective of any given style, typically wearing a white t shirt and gray sweat pants for maximum mobility. The one thing resembling extravagance he wears would be a pair of durable athletic shoes, chosen to work well with his new magic. Personality: Focused | Relaxed | Intelligent The first two traits might seem contradictory at first, but they're really not. Sam is normally the sort of person who likes to be more laid back, but when faced with something important or interesting to him, he will put all of his efforts towards finding a solution. And relaxed does not mean stupid; Sam is quite capable of thinking his decisions through before acting on them, though that doesn't mean he always does so. History: Sam grew up in an overbearing family who had a strict path set for him. Get good grades, go to a top university, and become a top lawyer or doctor. This left little room for doing anything besides what his parents wanted, which led to him feeling very stifled. So around 6 months after his seventeenth birthday when he discovered he could somehow move the wind? That was probably the happiest day of his life. And it wasn't even some grand event; Sam was just trying to fan himself with his hand on a hot day when he was simply far more successfully than he expected. This power, whatever it was, was something Sam could use on his own terms. He could explore and grow these abilities of his, and that is precisely what Sam decided to do, spending the next six months in a sort of secret "training" period. In the end, the result was that he could use his "wind force" ability in a variety of ways. Around Sam's 18th birthday, he was getting ready to go the college his parents had picked for him when he got a mysterious letter. Not from some university impressed with his grades, but from some "Benefactor" who would help improve his abilities. It was a little suspicious that someone could find him this way when he was careful not to reveal his magic, but mostly Sam wanted to see how this person would help and maybe meet people with other powers as well. So instead of driving off to college, he drove to North Reading, sold his car (there was no point in doing this if his parents could just track him down), and walked to 666 Mystic Lane. Equipment: -A wallet containing around $100 in cash at any given time -Cell phone -Laptop -As he was meant to go to college, Sam also brought two suitcases with him to the house with standard things like clothes, but they also contain around $15,000 hidden in different secret compartments Magic: Sam's magic is wind manipulation. Right now he is just a novice, so he only has one way to make use of it in any organized way; something he calls wind force. Basically, this creates a blast of wind that can be utilized in a variety of situations. These include, but are not limited to: -Creating a blast from the palms of his hands to push things away -Using this ability with his feet for the purposes of high-powered jumps Of course, Sam has more ambitions with his abilities than this. He can imagine a time in the future when his magic could be used to do more fantastic things like create a blade of wind or even fly, but this is what the education is for, right? The weakness to all of this is the more of his power he uses, the more "out of breath" he feels. Sam is usually fine after relaxing to restore his energy, but an extreme use of his power could lead to passing out from a lack of air.</s> <|message|>Ashe "Portal" Ben'Ghazad A few days before Ashe looked at the invitation and the card with wonder. On one hand, she could keep the card and continue as before. Her newfound ability would be more than enough to keep her safe from whatever creatures and hunters this benefactor talked about. On the other hand, what if she couldn't escape or defeat them? She read and saw a lot of movies to know that at one point or the other, the protagonist always finds themselves outnumbered or outclassed. Not that she believed that she's a protagonist but it was the closest thing to her current situation. Taking one last puff of her cigarette, Ashe shook her head. What would be the worst that could happen? She arrives there, someone tries to rape her and she teleports their dicks in China or she gets there and learns more about her ability and how to better control it. The benefits outweigh the risks after all. Today As the taxi dropped her off about a kilometre away from the mansion, as per Ashe's instructions, Ashe paid the driver and watched as the car went away. She could be called a lot of things but dumb wasn't one of them. Ashe approached the mansion on foot, occasionally taking out her binoculars and scouting up the place as she got closer. If this was a rape game or something like that, she won't be taken down easily. Broken trees, outgrown garden, mansion looking like it is about to collapse. For someone who had the money and means to throw around, this benefactor was not taking care of his place of residence. Unless, of course, it was all a ruse to keep people in the dark. Who'd even suspect a place like this would hold, potentially, a bunch of magicians? She watched as a few cars parked in the driveway and people came out of them. Maybe others who received the same invitation or maybe the benefactor's henchmen. Eventually, after a few more minutes of checking the surroundings and not spotting any trap, Ashe took a deep breath to ground herself, she moved her hand in a circular motion while concentrating on a place between the potential magicians and then a portal opened in front of her. Stepping through the portal, Ashe took a cigarette out and lit it up as she got on the other side. Releasing a thick smoke around her as she appeared between the gathered people. " Either you all can do some magical mambo-jambo or I got the wrong mansion and you clearly didn't see me appear out of a clearly not-magical portal and this is all an elaborate prank on national TV. " said Ashe with a grin on her face.</s> <|message|>Morgan Lafleur Arriving at the Forest "Here we are. I don't know what you're looking for out in the forest, but here's the furthest I am willing to go. Good luck out there in the woods!" came the rough voice of the taxi driver as he not-so-gently applied the break. The taxi pulled to an abrupt halt in the middle of an empty road. One quick glance around the surroundings would reveal how empty and desolate the road was. There was not even a single vehicle in sight. This was the only road that led into the stretch of forest. Nothing could be heard other than the ever-incessant whir of the engines and the puffs of smoke chugging out of the exhaust pipes. Morgan reached into his pocket, fished his wallet out, and opened it. Slotted within his wallet was the prepaid card that came with the mysterious postcard that Morgan had received just two weeks ago. A week or so ago, Morgan might have hesitated with the use of the card. After all, who would air drop a card with an unspecified monetary value so easily to someone else. With how the postcard and package had just lightly flitted into his room, it was definitely much more likely for the entire package to have just been a prank, or that the card had been empty. However, Morgan was desperate. Desperate enough to grasp at any straws that offered even a faint slim chance of survival. There was no way Morgan could bear any more of the pain, suffering and wounds of society. Humans and humanity hurt themselves way too much and easily. Just a simple walk to the supermarket and back and Morgan could experience at least two to three people hurting themselves by accident or otherwise. Morgan would always end up with cuts and bruises each time he deigned to leave the house. Morgan quickly paid the taxi fare with the card he was holding. Without a moment's hesitation, he got out of the taxi, retrieved his bag pack and headed off along the road leading into the forest. He had no idea what to expect when he arrived at his destination, but Morgan was willing to bet everything he had on this last chance. Journey to the Cabin As Morgan took one step after another, the serenity of the forest became more and more oppressive. The forest was silent and quiet. The pause button seemed to be on. Even the rustle of the leaves as the wind blew past the nearby trees seemed muted. Morgan took another glance at the map application on his phone to ascertain that he was heading in the right direction and continued walking. There was definitely something good about all the silence and inactivity around Morgan. At the very least, if there was nobody around, there would not be anyone getting hurt, and Morgan's weird... magic would not activate and cause him even more pain. As Morgan trudged onwards, he began to wonder what he would discover when he eventually reached his destination. Throughout his whole journey, his mind had been preoccupied with where else he needed to go and what mode of transportation he needed to take. He had taken a domestic flight, took a train, and then at the train station, hopped onto the taxi that had dropped him off in front of the forest for the final lap of his journey. It was only now when Morgan was so close to where the postcard had asked him to go that he finally had the chance to think about what he was supposed to expect. The postcard had mentioned a tutor. Could the final destination be a school for what the postcard termed "warlocks and witches"? Yet, the postcard mentioned that magic had not been seen for thousands of years, so it seemed less plausible that the location mentioned on the postcard was an academy. Maybe Morgan would meet a wise sage with knowledge beyond his or her years. Or, was it possible that these "warlocks and witches" were evil and did the bidding of the devils and demons of old. Morgan did not fail to notice how the address contained "666", the so-called "Number of the Beast". Was it possible that he was being invited to a cult? Would he end up being forced into eternal servitude under the devil? Morgan's footsteps faltered at this point. However, he had already come so far, that there was no turning back. The only thing he could do now was to continue on to see for himself what the invitation was about. There was one point of worry though: The "creatures that the mages of old banished" and the hunters mentioned on the postcard. Were they likely to be watching Morgan now? Morgan felt a shiver run down his spine at the thought of being caught unawares and attacked before he reached what he deemed as a momentary safe haven. He quickened his footsteps and willed himself to walk faster. The Cabin Morgan took a look at the map on his phone. The map indicated that his desired location was just a turn ahead. Morgan slid his phone into his pocket - he did not need to use the map application any more. Morgan continued walking and as he rounded the bend in the road, the sight of a desolate, lonely building standing there amidst a clearing in the forest. A dead tree stood right beside the house, bringing with it an ominous feeling. The roof of the building seemed to be in disrepair and it was unlikely that there was anyone living in the building. Morgan took out his phone and the postcard again - perhaps he had made a mistake and this was not the right destination? Thoughts that he would be forced into a cultist group surfaced in his mind yet again. Morgan wondered if it was not too late to turn around. He could not imagine having to spend a night in a building that was as exposed to the weather as the building in front was. As Morgan was trying to decide what he could do, he heard a small commotion just to the side of the house. He saw a dark circular space expand in the middle of a group of four people - three women and one man. "Dark circular space" may not be an apt description of what Morgan witnessed. It seemed more like light was just non-existent within that space. Morgan did not have much time to ponder on what he had just seen before a woman stepped out of the circular space, lit up what seemed to be a cigarette and seemed to be speaking to the rest of the people around her. Morgan could not hear what she was saying, but he was drawn to find out more about each of those people and their supposed "magic". Morgan slid his phone into his pocket yet again and after taking a deep breath, as if to encourage himself, started silently and slowly walking towards the group of people gathered near the house.</s>

<|message|>Samuel "Sam" Worthington I deleted this post due to withdrawing from the roleplay.</s>

<|description|>James Isaac Keening Gender Male Age 20 Appearance James stands at around 6'1" with an average frame, though on the slightly broader end of average, and a general lack of muscle. His head is an unkempt mess of dark hair that is technically dirty blond, but rarely reveals that fact outside of particularly bright conditions. His face is framed by thick rectangular glasses and marked by unfortunately light and patchy stubble. He generally appears to have Germanic and Irish features, though he's descended from a broad mishmash of nationalities. James' unkempt appearance tends to come off through his choice in clothes as well, often plain colored wrinkled shirts, dark colored hoodies, and jeans. Plain and functional, but lacking in grace, style, or any sort of wrinkle-prevention. Personality Analytical | Honest | Sluggish James would likely describe himself as tired, and little else. He's a classic burnt-out gifted kid. He lacks internal motivation for important tasks, and requires external motivators, usually routine and obligation. James will often engage himself with puzzles, and enjoys trying to figure out problems analytically. He's the sort of person who thinks through his emotions more than he feels them, and can often be slow to build really emotional responses. Unfortunately, when he does build up that emotional inertia, it takes a very long time to de-escalate, making James the extremely spiteful, grudge-holding sort. James can come off as rather antisocial, idiosyncratic, and rude, especially given recent events. History How one raises a child as if they're the next Einstein in Cleveland of all places will forever be a mystery to James Isaac Keening. His parents were the eternally middle class sort, shifting up and down from basic data entry jobs to management position over many years. They always had enough money to live, never enough for all the amenities one could want. It was a family of 4: James, his parents, his sister Annabelle. The siblings were only separated by two years, but there was a gulf in expectations between them from a young age. Annabelle was rebellious, got held back in kindergarten, and was nearly expelled multiple times during high school. James, however, tested into the school district's gifted program, and did well in school for a long time, his parents pushing him to do better because he's just that smart and should be capable of it. That pushing only got more severe over time, and eventually James gave up. The shining star child disappeared at the start of high school, replaced with the exhausted, unresponsive young adult that James was always doomed to become. He suddenly had a lot more in common with his older sister who he had fought with all his life. They talked about how awful their parents were often, but there was always the silent belief that the other child of the pair was the cause of their parent's treatment. James had given up most of what he used to enjoy, now staring into a computer screen for most of the day and disassociating from his living situation. He did gain new interests, however; primarily puzzles and games, and the general joy of learning new things and digging through strange systems and ideas. He still enjoyed learning, but could no longer function in his former structure. James barely passed high school, only picking up in the last year after some guidance councilors and friends encouraged him to create his own routines, resulting in a couple of A grades. James started going to a community college, as it was all he could get into at first. He did eventually transfer to a larger college, working on a bachelor's in physics. Of course, he still didn't magically do better, and his grades kept slumping intermittently every time there was a mild change in his routine. Luckily, James at least had support, in the form of a small group of friends, and his sister who had followed him in going to college. Life was bearable for a while. Unfortunately, good things don't last long for a Keening. James had been watching the conversation about supposed magic online for a while, and assumed it was all a hoax. That was, until he unknowingly developed one. He speculates that he might've had it the moment powers started showing up in the world, and he was none the wiser for months. Then he got too stressed during a test. The paper turned to ash under his hand, leaving his mouth agape. A second later, he tried to take a deep breath to calm himself and rationalize the situation, and instead it was as if he breathed the pencil in through his hand, that too disappearing into dust. His muscles went rigid, the fear and confusion coursing through him. He excused himself and ran to his dorm. He spent ten minutes pacing before he noticed a letter that had been slipped under his door. James wasn't exactly thrilled that someone somehow knew about this strange power before he did, but he didn't want to show his face on campus ever again. He brought the situation up to his sister, and it was her idea to get the hell out of Ohio and follow the letter. Within a few days' time James, Anna, and a few of their friends got into Anna's car and started toward Massachusets. James doesn't discuss the weeks that followed, and why they resulted in him arriving to the address alone on foot, but the bruises, dirt, and frayed clothing give insight that the young man refuses to elaborate on. Equipment Nothing but his frayed, dirty clothes, a small leatherbound notebook, and a pocket full of rocks. Magic The following is an excerpt from James' notes It appears that I can turn small objects to dust with little effort. Rocks, paper, marbles and such. All I need to do is touch something, then I get this sensation like I can almost breathe the object through my hand, sucking it in, and then the object disintegrates. The thing needs to fit in my palm, I think. Anything larger takes too much force, like breathing through a straw filled with concrete. Same thing happens with stuff with a lot of parts, most things with little mechanisms or any sort of circuitry. I'm not exactly sure what the use case for this is. I can become the world's most effective paper shredder, I suppose.</s> <|message|>Sally Jenkins "Well, ghosts, but yeah." Sally shrugged, as if this was the most natural thing in the world. Of course, natural had gone out the window a long time ago. "They don't talk or anything, or if they do, I can't hear it, so it's not like I'm getting anything useful out of it. It's just... spooky." She looked around at the- coven?- with mild amusement. Aren't we a motley bunch of magicians? "Why, what do you all do? Consort with demons? Conjure up beasts from the depths of Hell?" She laughed nervously- with her luck, that's exactly what they all did.</s> <|message|>Mae Galanis =============== Eyeing the one who appeared from some unknown "portal" suspiciously, Mae joined a few of the others who had shown up to the undisclosed address, checking the GPS on her phone only to realize that it barely registered within a ten-mile radius. Something was off, especially when dealing with a satellite tracking system. There would have to be a lot of electro-magnetic interference in the area, or was it something else? Either way, the girl felt something wasn't quite right with the area. She overheard the brief exchange between the pale girl with the thick-rimmed glasses, and the other who was quite the redhead. Something about "Seeing dead people" or "ghosts", causing Mae to vaguely smirk at the chatter. It was all a lot to take in, and no doubt the others who were present felt the same way. Overwhelmed? Confused? Hungry? Geez, when was the last time the girl ate? "What the hell are we doing here?" Mae finally spoke up, mostly to herself, but anyone who was within a few feet would have understood. She surveyed the front of the house, it's hauntingly beautiful façade, and eerie vibe that was probably compounded by virtue of the fact that it was smack in the middle of fucking nowheresville. Impulsively, she checked her phone as though something had come up. She never did hear back from Ella, one of her best friends, who she had sent a few text messages to shortly before embarking on the trip. What was there to say other than she would be gone for a bit, but to keep in touch? I mean, Mae certainly wasn't going to admit that she was following instructions from a mysterious email and meeting someone who could help her with whatever shit was going on in her mind and body. But she knew she wasn't normal. Not like her family or friends. She needed answers.</s>

<|message|>James Isaac Keening James threw the door to his room open and rushed to close and lock it behind him, the act taking him several seconds longer that it should have. His breathing was panicked, and his thoughts were scattered into white noise. He paced around the room, absentmindedly fiddling with random objects from among the mess while trying to focus on anything in particular. His mind flitted between escape plans. Jumping out the window and just running to nowhere in particular was certainly an option. He could play it cool, but someone was bound to ask how or why he turned his test and an entire pencil to ash. Well, crawling into bed and just waiting for death certainly had its perks, considering he just definitely failed thermodynamics. Anna was likely to kill him over this too. Wait, no, she'd take it as some sort of rebellion against the system probably. Okay, his sister could be informed, but not for a while at least. James' mind halted for a second as his hands had begun to solve a Rubik's Cube. What had even happened? It was the first exam of the semester, and he wasn't that worried about it. Well, he had only gotten two hours of sleep, and the only studying he had done was last night, but that was normal. Despite normal circumstances, then, James had somehow gained and activated this new ability. Even just thinking about it, his body tensed up. He desperately did not want it to activate accidentally again, or ideally ever. He could get by without the ability to turn paper to dust. Admittedly though, he was curious, and learning to control it would at least prevent similar incidents. For now, he would keep it firmly locked up and try to regain some sense of normalcy. If the word online was anything to go buy, this magical power stuff wasn't going to be worth it. Most people would likely be quite happy to suddenly have magic, but James was primarily annoyed. James had finally settled on crawling into bed for an early sleep. He tossed the cube to the ground, and as it skittered towards the door he noticed something. There was a letter on the floor that must have been slipped under his door at some point. Who the hell would send him a letter? He was already bad at responding to texts as is, so archaic snail-mail wasn't exactly the smartest choice. Despite his confusion at its existence, James picked the letter up and opened it. It didn't improve his day, and it made his mid-afternoon nap no longer an option. Screw the 'not telling Anna' grace period, this was an emergency. He pulled his phone out of his pocket and dialed his sister. "Get the hell over here, right now." --- One Month Later James found himself stumbling along the side of a narrow road. The pavement was cracked, marred with disuse, and lined on both sides by sprawling weeds. He shoes felt as if they were seconds from falling apart, full of holes and fraying all around, but his steps were fall from careful. He had stopped caring about the weight of each footfall several hours ago, though it could have been days ago, he wasn't sure. Every step received the full brunt of his weight, carrying his body entirely by the momentum of the last heavy step. His knees constantly threaten to buckle, and a painful mass of blisters had certainly formed on the bottom of his feet, though he refused to check. To stop would be to die. Was he even walking in the right direction? The last time he checked the phone, which was now dead, he appeared to be on the last road before reaching the address, but some cruel act of fate could have pulled him off course. A noise rattled the loose stones of the road. A car was coming. James veered into the weeds, going deep enough that hopefully it's passengers wouldn't notice him. He couldn't take the risk. Eventually he deemed it safe enough to come out, with vines ripping more holes out of his hoodie. The stumbling continued for an indeterminable length of time, punctuated by the occasional rush into the bushes. The only sounds James could hear were the blood rushing past his ears, his breathing, and his head throbbing. His body felt like it was falling apart, and his brain was minimizing his surroundings to compensate. The world was a blurry, half finished painting, still white at the edges. Eventually A large brown smudge materialized on the left of the road, at least he thought. He lurched in that direction. The shapes unblurred, the details filling in. It was some sort of large house, an old mansion? Very old, at that. There were too many greens and oranges where only the greys and beiges should have been. Windows missing, fallen boards, an unkempt lawn, vines and tree branches invading the home. This must have been the right address, the one from the letter. James was pretty sure he was still holding onto a scrap of it in his right hand. It was clenched tight, and it did feel like he was holding onto paper. There were no other buildings for miles, this had to be the one. James focused his vision on the mansion, but despite that some of the smudges kept moving. People. There were people in front of the house. Not good. It looked like some of them were talking. Another person popped out of nowhere, as if through a portal, though James tried to pay that little mind. He adjusted his glasses, as useless as they were with the lenses covered in dirt and sweat and put his left hand into his pocket. He wrapped his fingers around a rock. James walked as nonchalantly as he could with legs that barely held him up, approaching the group. They all seemed to be waiting around, but he didn't exactly want to get caught up in that. He tried to wave as he walked, raising his hand to only about chest high, though he dropped his arm when he realized he was just flopping the half-charred letter in his grip about instead. He quickly strode up the steps and towards the door. He hurriedly reached for the doorknob with one hand, knocked on the door with the other, and tried to pull it open.</s>

<|description|>Corvo Leonis Age: 20 Sex: Male Appearance: Alias(es): Prince of Belisio Description: * Height - 5'9 * Build - Slender * Skin Colour - White * Hair Colour - Dark Brown * Eye Colour - Brown Magic type: Ki Personality: Brooding and deeply introspective, Corvo is generally a quiet and reserved young man but when stirred he becomes hard headed, passionate and impulsive. In such a state, he is quick to anger and even quicker to act. With strong ideals of justice, he believes in swift action and for better or worse, he never hesitates to back up his words with deeds. He is also prideful and confident in his own abilities, though the arduous experience of awakening his ki has humbled him somewhat and has allowed him to accept that there is still much for him to learn. With the fall of Belisio and the loss of his parents, he is now single-mindedly focused on reclaiming his kingdom and enacting vengeance upon the Vaimese Empire, no matter the cost. Background: Before the fall of Belisio, Corvo was a brilliant yet carefree young man whose largest concerns in life were his studies and training as heir apparent to the kingdom. History, politics, economics, religion, military strategy and the nature of magic, all of these things were drilled into him from an early age and though much was expected of him, he took his education in stride and somehow always found time for joy flights, swimming in lakes, travelling the city and other such frivolities. After witnessing a Knight's tournament where the famous Iron Bear was bested by the Crimson Rider, Corvo developed an interest in cultivating his own ki and when his father learned of this, he was appointed the Knight Commander Chisom Balthair, the 'Black Bull', to be his tutor. Although the old warrior proved to be a strict disciplinarian, Corvo took to his martial training with his customary aplomb and was confident that he would awaken his ki within the year. That year passed however and then another, followed by yet another and while Corvo developed excellent combat skills under the Black Bull's tutelage, he never seemed to make any progress towards awakening his ki. Frustrated by this, the young prince abandoned all of his leisurely pursuits for the sake of achieving this one goal, but it became increasingly apparent that the conventional methods of unlocking one's ki was simply not working for him. No matter how harsh the training, it seemed it would never happen at all... until that day when Vaimese warships appeared on the horizon and fired their cannons upon the Royal Palace. Seeing both of his parents being buried beneath the rubble, Corvo let out a shout so fearsome that it shattered every window and cracked the very walls around him. He had finally awakened his ki, but at the cost of his kingdom and now - possessed by righteous wrath and the grief of losing his parents - he will do anything to take it all back and make the Vaimese Empire pay for what it's done. Abilities: * Ki Shout - Unleashes a blast of sonic pressure with a shout that can knock back foes or damage the surrounding environment. * Combat Skills - Highly adept in armed or unarmed combat. * Piloting - Able to drive or pilot most vehicles. Extra:</s> <|message|>Corvo Leonis "Yes, yes, whatever you say, Uncle," Corvo replied, approaching his bed as he waved off the spymaster. "Just so you know, if we're to be sellswords then it would help to have a sword to sell. I'd not the time to find one whilst fleeing for our lives." No doubt Gerhardt had already taken such things into account, but the young prince chose to be flippant anyway for his own sake. Anything to take his mind off that damn nightmare and feel normal, if only for a moment... Anything except for a cup of Brenwyn apparently. Crouching down beside his bed, Corvo retrieved his nerve suit and began the cumbersome process of donning it. Simply putting it on was easy enough, being somewhat akin to a weighted jumpsuit with the top and bottom half attached to a hinged brace in the middle, but once the brace was clasped shut and the suit was activated, it took a moment for its haptic sensors to read the wearer's form so that it may tighten and seal itself without crushing the flesh within. The artificial muscle fibres creaked as they contracted over Corvo's body, pulling tighter and tighter to the point of constricting his breathing before gradually letting go, releasing pressure to an acceptable level. It never failed to prove an uncomfortable experience, but better uncomfortable than unguarded. Without any additional armaments, the suit would have to serve as armour and weapon both. Then there was the matter of his newfound ki ability, though it was yet too raw to be relied upon. Fortunately however, Corvo had been trained in all manner of martial arts, armed and unarmed, under the tutelage of the Knight Commander himself, Chisom Balthair. The most fearsome warrior he had ever known. Was the Black Bull still alive somehow? Were any of them? The Crimson Rider, the Silver Spider, Uilles, the Shooting Stars, were any of Belisio's worthies still out there somewhere, carrying on the fight? These thoughts raced through Corvo's mind as he flexed his limbs, testing the suit's movements. If only there was some way of knowing, perhaps through some clandestine channel or a rallying broadcast. All in due time of course, but for now... Leongarde. Finally satisfied with the suit's performance, Corvo donned his black travelling cloak and climbed the stairs out of the cabin topside to see the Priestdom itself. So this was Avelore.</s> <|message|>Sorsha Gerhardt shook his head at the flippant response, but figured the boy would learn in time. For now he had other priorities to focus upon. He still had some contacts here, so with some luck they wouldn't have to start completely from scratch, but neither would it be easy. The High Priest wasn't a particularly persuasive man and quite frankly as cold as the masks he was wearing. His thoughts drifted off as their ship sailed into the harbour and docked, shaking him away from his past for the time being. He wondered whether it still was there. Whether anything had changed at all or and whether his actions so long ago had at least offered the suffering some reprieve. He released a heavy sigh, not even remembering taking and holding his breath in the first place before he nodded to the prince and moved to disembark. Clad in wool and leathers he stretched his back for a moment as he enjoyed the feeling of standing on steady dry land again. Still he merely took a couple of glances around before setting off to the stairs. "Stay close and don't wander off…" He said as he smoothly moved up the step, leaving the clammy darkness of the Harbour and stepping into the light. Before them lay a gigantic open street filled with vendors. "Welcome Duncan to the Grand Market." He said with a soft chuckle knowing that even Belisio's market would pale in comparison to the large unending street as there was no end to it; it being circular. All sorts of people shouting and moving about with their wares. Litters, Palanquins and small Phaetons were easily capable of moving about. The people again were a mix of rich and poor, though the rich didn't really interact with those lesser than them, they had people to do that for them. Mostly well dressed servants negotiated whilst their masters lounged leisurely. Every once in a while you crossed a couple of guards, wearing distinct uniforms, but there also were a lot of 'sellswords' free roaming warriors who would fight for gold or glory. As Gerhardt moved around the different sights and smells danced about, part revulsion, part intoxication and above all most of it exotic. Street artists also performed their craft, juggling knives, swallowing blades and spitting fire about to entertain the crowds. Rest for a moment and you would be caught by one of the eager maidens, who seized every opportunity to lure in new clientele, even if those of the cloth. As Gerhardt passed them he noticed the nervous and worry stricken expression as the young woman practically climbed into his lap. He was quick enough to dodge the other girl, but Corvo wouldn't be so lucky. Seeing Gerhardt easily sidestepped her, she immediately sought another victim and the poor prince was right in her line of sight. A smile curled around her painted lips and unlike Gerhardt, she wouldn't allow the young one to side step her. "Well hello young master…" Her hoarse voice whispered as blocked his line of sight. "New in town? Let me show you a good time, this city has much to offer to someone…as virile as you." She said practically draping herself all over his armour. "I could make your stay worthwhile, you would never wish for anything for your pleasure is my forte." She lips practically breathed on his skin as her eyes tried to lock him down. Ensnare him and strip away his defiance. She was about to offer him a free shot of Mira's Madness, when they were interrupted and forced to make room. It was a procession, a parade to celebrate the newest Courtesan. An announcer walked in front to announce to the city the newest desire in the Lilypond. Behind him followed a man with a gong and 6 men, two to throw down blossom petals for her to step on, two that held up lamps naming the specific House of Desire and two that held a sun and rain cover, shading the beauty from the element and adding more prestige to the already spectacular walk. She walked underneath the cloth roof in what could only be described as the finest silks and satins, her hair and make up donned to perfection and her head held high with both dignity and grace. Behind her followed the other two roof bearers, as well as a set of guards belonging to the house. Finally there followed the last two, one lamp bearer and one 'gift giver' who would offer small blessings as a token from the Courtesan's character. In this case it was actual money, small alms, but generosity nevertheless. Sorsha noticed Corvo for a moment and halted, stopping the procession for a moment, a highly unusual thing to do. The guards immediately tensed up and the crowd stepped aside as she approached. She glanced at the girl who held a glare of contempt for her. Which Sorsha answered with her special smile. "I think not that he is receptive to your touches Azheera." She spoke her voice light and soothing, like fresh spring water. A snort full of disdain followed as the girl let go, removing any hold of him she had, knowing she had little chance against a proper Courtesan. Sorsha's eyes wandered to the prince, taking him in for a moment before she mysteriously smiled. "You're welcome…" The gentlest whispered graced his ears as she turned and to return to her parade. The procession once more started and the crier once again shouted. "Behold the Emberflame of the City! Semantine! Behold her a gentle fire of beauty and passion."</s>

<|message|>Corvo Leonis Leaving the Lightning Runner behind and paying no heed to the curious stares of the dockworkers, Corvo followed as Gerhardt led the way through the Harbour. The spymaster seemed to move as though he had been here a hundred times before, which he very well might have owing to the nature of his role as a spymaster. Though for what reason or business of state, Corvo could only imagine. He was not privy to such information nor did he have any inclination to learn it before. This, he realized, was something that needed to change if he was to reclaim his kingdom one day, but for now all he could do was allow himself to be led around like a dog on a leash. "Stay close and don't wander off," Gerhardt said as he began ascending the steps up to the city proper. "I am not a child," Corvo replied indignantly as he followed, leaving the clammy darkness of the Harbour and stepping into the light. Then they entered through the gates and before them lay a gigantic open street filled with vendors and all sorts of people shouting and moving about with their wares. Litters, palanquins and phaetons rolled along amidst the crowd, and every once in a while there were a couple of guards walking by on patrol, wearing distinct uniforms, but there also were a lot of striders and sellswords, free roaming warriors who would fight for gold or glory. "Welcome Duncan to the Grand Market," Gerhardt said with a soft chuckle. "Yes, grand is apt," Corvo agreed. Grand, gaudy and... utterly alien. It was as though they had been transported to a different world entirely. One without the hum of shuttlecraft engines flying overhead or any sight of water beyond the gates to the Harbour, so high stood the walls around it. In place of sleek skyscrapers, there were gargantuan palace sized houses surrounded by innumerable smaller structures and then there was the High Castle itself, utterly dwarfing all else around it and turning day to night wherever its shadow was cast. It was as though the entire city was one great monument to the very idea of extravagance. Was this what the Priestdom was like even before the breaking of the world? As Corvo looked around trying to take it all in, his thoughts were interrupted by a young woman stepping directly in front of him. "Well hello young master..." her hoarse voice whispered as she blocked his line of sight. "New in town? Let me show you a good time, this city has much to offer to someone... as virile as you." "Let go of me," Corvo demanded, affronted by the woman's brazenness as she draped herself over his arm. Even during his sojourns to the city night life of Olysium, travelling incognito with fellow youths and companions, no one had ever approached him in such a brash manner before. "I could make your stay worthwhile, you would never wish for anything for your pleasure is my forte." Her lips breathed on his skin as her eyes tried to lock him down. Ensnare him and strip away his defiance. This only served to further irritate the prince however and he was about to push her away when they were interrupted and forced to make room. It was a procession, a parade to celebrate the newest Courtesan. Yet another thing unlike Olysium where its own red light districts were far less conspicuous. What fresh hell is this? Corvo wondered as he watched the procession go by, but then the Courtesan looked his way and the moment their eyes met, he had forgotten all about the girl hanging on his arm. Fiery red hair, sultry green eyes, head held high and walking tall like a proud noblewoman, refined and statuesque... she was a looker for sure. Then her eyes shifted to the other girl who returned a glare of contempt and the Courtesan spoke, her voice light and soothing like fresh spring water, "I think not that he is receptive to your touches Azheera." A snort full of disdain followed as the girl let go of Corvo's arm, clearly outmatched in this exchange. Then the Courtesan's eyes returned to the prince, taking him in for a moment before she mysteriously smiled. "You're welcome..." the gentlest whisper graced his ears as she turned and went back to her parade. The procession once more started and the crier once again shouted, "Behold the Emberflame of the City! Semantine! Behold her a gentle fire of beauty and passion." "Um..." was the only response Corvo could muster as he stared after the Courtesan for a moment longer before turning towards Gerhardt. "What were we doing here again?"</s>

<|description|>Corvo Leonis Age: 20 Sex: Male Appearance: Alias(es): Prince of Belisio Description: * Height - 5'9 * Build - Slender * Skin Colour - White * Hair Colour - Dark Brown * Eye Colour - Brown Magic type: Ki Personality: Brooding and deeply introspective, Corvo is generally a quiet and reserved young man but when stirred he becomes hard headed, passionate and impulsive. In such a state, he is quick to anger and even quicker to act. With strong ideals of justice, he believes in swift action and for better or worse, he never hesitates to back up his words with deeds. He is also prideful and confident in his own abilities, though the arduous experience of awakening his ki has humbled him somewhat and has allowed him to accept that there is still much for him to learn. With the fall of Belisio and the loss of his parents, he is now single-mindedly focused on reclaiming his kingdom and enacting vengeance upon the Vaimese Empire, no matter the cost. Background: Before the fall of Belisio, Corvo was a brilliant yet carefree young man whose largest concerns in life were his studies and training as heir apparent to the kingdom. History, politics, economics, religion, military strategy and the nature of magic, all of these things were drilled into him from an early age and though much was expected of him, he took his education in stride and somehow always found time for joy flights, swimming in lakes, travelling the city and other such frivolities. After witnessing a Knight's tournament where the famous Iron Bear was bested by the Crimson Rider, Corvo developed an interest in cultivating his own ki and when his father learned of this, he was appointed the Knight Commander Chisom Balthair, the 'Black Bull', to be his tutor. Although the old warrior proved to be a strict disciplinarian, Corvo took to his martial training with his customary aplomb and was confident that he would awaken his ki within the year. That year passed however and then another, followed by yet another and while Corvo developed excellent combat skills under the Black Bull's tutelage, he never seemed to make any progress towards awakening his ki. Frustrated by this, the young prince abandoned all of his leisurely pursuits for the sake of achieving this one goal, but it became increasingly apparent that the conventional methods of unlocking one's ki was simply not working for him. No matter how harsh the training, it seemed it would never happen at all... until that day when Vaimese warships appeared on the horizon and fired their cannons upon the Royal Palace. Seeing both of his parents being buried beneath the rubble, Corvo let out a shout so fearsome that it shattered every window and cracked the very walls around him. He had finally awakened his ki, but at the cost of his kingdom and now - possessed by righteous wrath and the grief of losing his parents - he will do anything to take it all back and make the Vaimese Empire pay for what it's done. Abilities: * Ki Shout - Unleashes a blast of sonic pressure with a shout that can knock back foes or damage the surrounding environment. * Combat Skills - Highly adept in armed or unarmed combat. * Piloting - Able to drive or pilot most vehicles. Extra:</s> <|message|>Corvo Leonis Owen's vague response only made Corvo more curious as to what an 'Ender' was and he was about to press the matter until Gerhardt spoke up, "Leongarde chose to let Belisio fall, because the relationship between the two countries has been strained for quite some time. In their eyes Belisio had become nothing more than a bully, regardless of how we might feel about such matters." You dare, the prince thought as he tried to formulate a response, sharing Owen's look of incredulity. A bully? My nation burns and you dare to say it is nothing more than a bully? No... Leongarde. It is from their perspective, but why? What have we done to offend them? Corvo received his answer soon enough as Gerhardt spoke on of mist harvesters, border disputes and the lives of mages within the Priestdom, which only served to further the prince's ire. So because they decide to shoot themselves in the foot with their own intolerance of magic, they let some minor incident dictate our fates? he wanted to scream, brooding in contempt as the brothers quibbled over mercenary business. Do they not realize that by allowing us to fall, they only stand to be next and all over a few harvesters? The prince did not make a single sound or movement, nor even a change in expression until he caught the tail end of Owen's words, "... so I suggest you both eat and rest, cause if you're set on this, I'll take you with me tonight." "No," Corvo said, standing up swiftly as he addressed the master of the house. "No, we've wasted enough time here." Then with a scornful look towards Gerhardt, he continued, "If what you say is true then we will find no aid here no matter what. More aside, I will not bow and scrape for some blinkered theocrat when we could be back home rallying what remains of our forces, of our people, so that we might mount a resistance while we still can. For Gaia's sake, what are we even doing here in the first place?" His spirit inflamed, Corvo turned hotly towards the door whilst declaring his convictions aloud, "We fled when we should have fought!"</s> <|message|>Gerhardt Zygg "No," Corvo said, standing up swiftly as he addressed the master of the house. "No, we've wasted enough time here." Then with a scornful look towards Gerhardt, he continued, "If what you say is true then we will find no aid here no matter what. More aside, I will not bow and scrape for some blinkered theocrat when we could be back home rallying what remains of our forces, of our people, so that we might mount a resistance while we still can. For Gaia's sake, what are we even doing here in the first place?" His spirit inflamed, Corvo turned hotly towards the door whilst declaring his convictions aloud, "We fled when we should have fought!" A chair fell backwards as three heavy thuds passed by Corvo's ear and embedded into the wooden door in front of him. There trembling still were three sharp, thin blades, the width of two fingers and as large as a humanhand. "You want to fight? You miserable arrogant little ingrate, have not enough people died?" Gerhardt cast at him."Thousands have given their lives attempting to protect what they held dear, but guess what?! It wasn't enough. They weren't enough!! Your father, Your Mother blasted to the high heavens never set one foot on the battlefield to bleed with those poor sods that were called on to fight." Gerhardt told him coldly. "Oi, easy now Brother." "No. I have been going easy on him too long." He spoke coldly as he pointed to the door. "If you want to throw your life away go ahead. Don't expect me to save your pompous ass again, if you are truly that blind that you think you actually have a shot at this and know better, by all means, prove me wrong, walk out that door!" He narrowed his eyes. "But if you do, don't expect me to follow you. It will be your folly and yours alone." Gerhardt turned around to drink from his cup. "But I will make you a prediction for what will happen to you...You'll never reach Belisio. Aside from the fact that you have no means to buy passage back to a wartorn nation, the moment your haughtiness gets the better of you any shrewd man with a mind for business will have put two and two together and sold you out to the Vaimese. Now as a slave and a prince of Belisio guess what they'll do to you? They'll parade you through the streets, like a prize, they'll torment ever hour of your life from that point on and ultimately you'll be butchered upon the altar of their choosing. Your head cut off, balmed and preserved, to display as a victory trophy. You'll become the instrument to break the back of any sort of rebellion, for who would unite them and be able to lead the nation, when the last of the royal line died?!" Anger festered and bubbled to the surface. "You think I liked leaving those in my care? Those that had come to depend on me for their survival? For their daily bread? You think I did not want to fight a fair fight? That if given the chance I would not rather have stood with my old friend or safeguard his kin, when fate forced me unto a different path when I stumbled upon you? Do you know what went through my head?! That I thanked the heavens for the lady Fortune safeguarding the future, for giving Belisio a chance at all, that there might be some small measure of hope left despite all of it?" Gerhardt threw his cup at the prince's head, making sure he missed him by a hair. "Go ahead! Go and run! You'd best hurry 'your majesty'." He snarked before adding. "Grow a spine boy. Save your regrets and anger for when you're actually in a postition to use them. But if I wasted and risked my life for an impetuous ingrate, by all means leave and save me the trouble of actually caring." He picked up the chair and made a dismissive wave to Corvo. "Either you put some faith in us or you fuck off and do whatever you think is best."</s>

<|message|>Corvo Leonis Corvo gasped as the blades zipped by his ear and bit into the surface of the door. Out of pure reflex, he immediately spun around and dropped into a combat stance, expecting the next blade to strike for his heart. What followed however were only the spymaster's words, yet spoken harshly as they were, they struck more truly than any weapon could and Corvo found himself unable to meet Gerhardt's eyes as the man exploded in fury and frustration. At first the prince's own anger had evaporated into shame and guilt, subsumed by the greater storm before him and he quietly endured it. Admittedly, he had forgotten that Gerhardt had suffered just as much as he had, if not more. He wanted to say so himself, but the dam had broken and now all the weight of everything they had both endured from Belisio to here was spilling out in this room. All the words unsaid, the thoughts unshared, they were coming out now only when they had a chance to stop and the more Gerhardt spoke in honest anger, the more unfair it seemed to Corvo to not do likewise. "You don't think I know that?" he said, quietly at first as Gerhardt made his predictions. Then the spymaster whipped his cup at the prince's head and whether it would have struck or not, Corvo deflected it anyway with the back of his fist as he shouted, "YOU DON'T THINK I KNOW THAT?" The cup bounced violently off the other side of the room as the prince continued, "I was there! You don't have to remind me, beacuse i was right there! I am still there, every single fucking night and it's all I can think about! You don't think I know the consequences of failure? I just fucking lived it! We both did! How is it any different over here when we're just as surrounded by enemies? At least over there, I could... I could..." Corvo wanted to say more, but found himself struggling to articulate his thoughts into words and in a sudden desire to breathe some fresh air, he hurried to open the door and step outside. He only meant to take pause to gather himself, but the spymaster was not done with him yet. "Go ahead! Go and run! You'd best hurry 'your majesty'," Gerhardt snarked before adding. "Grow a spine boy. Save your regrets and anger for when you're actually in a position to use them. But if I wasted and risked my life for an impetuous ingrate, by all means leave and save me the trouble of actually caring." He picked up the chair and made a dismissive wave to Corvo. "Either you put some faith in us or you fuck off and do whatever you think is best." In response, Corvo slammed the door shut so hard that it rattled on its hinges, knocking the three blades loose and sending them clattering to the floor. It was no use. He had no stomach for bickering anymore and further argument would only lead to more hurt. Words were simply not enough anymore. All he could do was look up at the bright blue sky, glimpsing it briefly before closing his eyes and taking in a deep breath. Then for the second time in his life, he let out a shout so fierce that it seemed to make the world shake. Without thought or intention, Corvo had channelled all the energies of his soul into that shout and like thunder it rumbled through the air, causing the very walls of the house to vibrate. Imbued with so much ki, it would have carried enough destructive force to break through stone or tear a person asunder. Aimed towards the sky however, it harmed only the peace of the neighbourhood as well as the eardrums of whoever happened to be nearby. Corvo however did not realize how loud it had been nor that his eyes had been closed until he opened them, seeing the old man named Castille who was still seated against the wall of the building. In that moment, Corvo had been blind, deaf and dumb to his own power, and thinking nothing of it, he pointed towards the door with a sheepish expression on his face as he said to the old man, "Sorry, I don't suppose you heard all that?"</s>

<|description|>Gerhardt Zygg Age: 45 Sex: Male Appearance: Gerhardt is slightly smaller than the average sized man. His darkblond hair show streaks of white and grey and the same goes for his beard. His heterochromiatic eyes penetrate and lock onto the others gaze, whilst the first wrinkles of age and worry are etched into his clear and his broken nose show a certain rough life as he is nearing the halfway point of his life. He tends to dress to blend in, preferring greys and browns and leather boots. Personality: Gerhardt Zygg is attentative, easy going in nature and naturally charming. But past the façade he is a calculated man, focussed on his goals and determined to see them through, to whatever end. Occupation: Former Spymaster Backstory: Gerhardt is the secretive spymaster from Belisio. Once a good friend to Uilles he served the Kingdom of Belisio faithfully, keeping tabs on the different factions that could threaten their little haven. Sadly, despite his wisdom and foresight he could not stop Vaim from invading and ultimately conquering the capital. With the destruction of the Royal Palace causing the deaths of many a noble as well as the lives of the King and Queen Gerhardt manages to whisk the young prince away before they too become casualties of the invasion. Now he has become the guardian of the Prince in Exile, retreating to the harsh Priestdom of Leongarde. There Gerhardt hopes he will be able to get the prince the help he needs in order to remain safe and potentially find a way to aide their country. Powers: Gerhardt Zygg is a man of many means, he is an old combat fellow of Uilles and a master manipulator of Ki. Less is more, he would say. To understand Ki you need to understand your own limitations, which is why he is a rather adept lockpicker and has a preference for weapons rather than to simple rely on his ki to get him out of trouble.</s> <|message|>Sorsha "Good people of Leongarde. By the just jurisdiction of High Priest Florentius we stand here today to sentence these abominable beings back to the corruption they came from. Magic taints their Soul and thus their connection to the Mother. Was it not said that they by their blasphemous acts tore apart the Weaver's Tapestry of Splendour and Creation?" The Magistrate allowed the crowds to utter their grievances, to jeer and boo as they had always done before. "Was it not Magic that Sundered our World and cost the lives of countless innocents? Yet, whilst we the good people of Leongarde set up laws so they may be useful and secure they flaunt our own laws by trying to remain hidden. To not be checked and guarded. So far has the corruption of magic twisted their minds that they planned a coup on the High Castle itself!" Shocks and gasps rose from the crowds as the crowd responded to what happened next. The soldiers set up one the prisoners onto the block of punishment. It was a middle aged man, with poor attire, looking more like a tradesman or farmer than anything dangerous. Sorsha's heart sank, as she recognised him. Closing her eyes in an attempt to wish it all away. "As you all know how dangerous these magic users are, the good High Priest has ordained me with the task of punishment and safeguarding the good city of Avelore." The cries for justice grew louder, making her head spin and want to scream, but her voice seemed to be smothered, her cruel lips never moving despite her own will. She felt her world turn into one of nightmarish horrors...the figures she had known so well, contorted, distorted, turning into dark clumps of flesh as the fire consumed them. So hot...she could barely breathe... With a gasp she jolted awake, bathed in sweat, feeling their eyes still on her. Eventhough many years had passed she still had nightmares of the event. Their souls would haunt her and she couldn't shake the feeling they would torment her forever. Wiping the sweat off her brow she thrust the blanket off of her, seeing the golden rays of the morning sun peek through the curtains. Time to get up and get ready. Her work was waiting for her...</s> <|message|>Corvo Leonis A New Dawn Meanwhile across the distant skies... The walls shook with the clamour of battle as Corvo Leonis dashed through the halls of the royal palace, his footsteps echoing urgently upon the flagstones. The artificial muscle fibres of his nerve suit whirred loudly as they worked to accommodate his movements, accelerating as quickly as possible without breaking limbs, but the prince could be transformed into a bolt of lightning and it would still not be enough. The enemy was here! Saboteurs had cut off all power to the palace minutes ago, communications were down and there was not enough time to send a runner, he had to warn them himself. Had to reach his parents before it was too late! Breathing hard, Corvo turned a corner and passed by his study room, door still hanging ajar from when he left after hearing news of the invasion earlier. To think that the Vaimese Empire would dare to attack the Kingdom of Belisio so brazenly... to think they would do so with such ease. It had not even been a full day yet since they crossed the border and smashed their way through the Hearthguard, cutting apart its most elite warriors. Whether it was the Crimson Rider's Vanguard Battalion or the infamous Shooting Stars, all the Knights and Battlemages of the kingdom could not so much as halt the Empire's advance, and now they were here within the very heart of Olysium, the shining jewel of the skies. Approaching the end of the hall, Corvo sensed a lull in the cannon fire and risked a glance outside the windows, only to see the guns of every enemy warship suddenly turn towards the palace. Towards its towers. With the horror of realization dawning upon him, the prince skidded to a halt and lifted a hand towards the window, reaching out feebly as if to stop what was about to happen. "No..." he had time to whisper before the guns bloomed to life and the walls came tumbling down in a shower of death. "NO!" Corvo screamed again as he woke up in bed, wide eyed and panic stricken. Breathing rapidly, he looked around his quarters and upon realizing where he was, his panic gradually turned to grief as he slowly sat up and wiped away the tears welling up in his eyes. How long had it been since that night, a day? A week? It mattered not for the fact remained that the city had fallen and both his parents, the king and queen, were gone. What was it all for? the prince-in-exile wondered as he looked out the window, watching a sea of clouds pass by as the vessel he was travelling in flew on. Sky and water? The more Corvo thought about it, the more it filled him with anger and when he remembered reaching out pathetically towards the enemy warships, he looked down at his hand and balled it so tightly that the nails dug into his palm. Then with a deep breath, he channelled all his rage and frustration into his fist and let it all out as he exhaled. One of these days, the prince thought with dreadful calmness. I will paint the skies red with Vaimese blood. Until then however, today was a new dawn. Time to get up and get ready. His work was waiting for him...</s>

<|message|>Gerhardt Zygg Gerhardt had risen earlier, it had been an arduous journey up until this point, but praise the heavens they had succeeded to escape Belisio. It had been something that he had been dreading for months. Vaim and their eternal hunger for conquest. For resources. For revenge. Eager to prove to the world that they had not been defeated, but merely had been stalled. That it had only been a matter of time. And what better way to prove this, then to cut down the very Kingdom that had been there at the beginning. The one instrumental in forging the alliance, in rallying the smaller nations to their cause and halt the most terrifying Empire that had been. Gerhardt sighed as he leaned over the railing of the vessel they were currently sailing on. There wasn't much too see today. Dark grey clouds rolled past, setting the mood quite nicely. He had failed them. Despite his network he had failed in warning the King and Queen in time. Oh he was sure his old friend had attempted to buy them enough time, but in the end it all had been for naught. Had it not been for sheer dumb luck Vaim would have successfully exterminated the Belisian royal line and half of the court. Praise the heavens the boy had been out. Praise the heavens he had found him amidst the chaos of the sacking. His bandaged hand moved up to pinch the bridge of his nose, before his thoughts drifted back to that day. It had all gone by in a blur, one moment he still had everything and the next all of it had been blown to pieces. Scattered in the wind. Like Ashes. He heard one of the crew call out to his fellows, making Gerhardt raise himself from his dark memories and raise his eyes upon the horizon. As the dark clouds parted and lifted, clearing their view, a new place had become visible. Its thin towers rising towards the heavens and it deepened Gerhardt's frown. It had not been his first choice. Hell it was safe to say he had preferred any other nation above the one before him. But fate it seemed likes to play cruel games. He hadn't been given much of a choice though. The Lightning Runner had been in for some minor repairs and some simple cargo delivering nothing too special. Still, it had been a blessing to sail away from a besieged country. Now they had reached the other side. A land with different rules and different people. Leongarde. As a cry of relief went through the crew Gerhardt had felt only trepidation. Leongarde was a nation ruled by Faith. Here Priests and Magistrates swung the sceptre and their knights kept the order. The priests were practically considered nobility and indeed most of them were of noble blood. Knowledge was kept by the powerful, after all you don't teach peasants to read, they could get all sorts of wild notions of equality and rebellion. No too much knowledge was a sin. Better to keep them poor and stupid. They were far easier to rule that way. The compliant were praised and the 'problems' were 'dealt with'. It almost made Gerhardt smile wryly if the punishments had not been so severe. How this place managed to keep itself together was beyond him, stepping a toe out of line could earn you a proper public lashing say nothing of the poor souls that were gifted with magic. He shook his head in disapproval and dismay knowing the horrors far too well. Still for now it would be their new home. Heavens have mercy on them. He tore himself away from the bough and made his way down below. It was time to wake up his charge and set a few new ground rules. They had to be careful, despite Leongarde's hatred for Vaim, they had little love for them either. Hence why it was better to be careful, especially in the beginning. They needed to remain invisible for as long as they could before they had the approval of the priests. Getting a Seal of admittance was no easy feat, not even for a refugee crown prince. As Gerhardt made his way to their cabin he was about to knock when the door opened on its own. "Good you're awake." He spoke pushing the young man back inside. "We're approaching Leongarde's port city and before you go topside it is best if we lay down some ground rules regarding our behaviour and our new identities." He said noticing the young man's paleness. "The dream again?" He asked as he walked over to the small table they had in their cabin. Upon it stood a bottle filled with a powerful herbal concoction. The kind that scorched your throat and murdered one's liver. He poured two fingers for the both of them before handing one of the pewter cups to the young prince, whilst swirling his own. "You'll need this. It'll soothe your nerves and it might inundate you to the sights and smells you could be confronted with." He warned him as he handed him the cup. "Here some Brenwyn. Don't expect your father's Dulce Reina, most commoners would have to work a year to be able to afford a bottle of that stuff. Most people don't live so lavishly as you'll see. Neither will we…" "Remember, your easy days in the palace are over. You've been shielded, kept away from some of the true horrors of life. Atrocities that other people have to face every day. Don't be surprised if you see harlots and whores doing 'streetwork' or watch 'a scolding' and no I don't mean they're exchanging just words with that. Your father's kingdom was a paradise in comparison with what the people experience and suffer here. Desperation and poverty does that to people. Though the wealthy and just wealthy enough pretend to not associate with the lower layers of society, they frequent those corners far more often than they like to admit. They might claim to be the most devout, but for all their piety they are far from holy. I know this isn't the place we both wanted to go, but for now we have no other choice. You'll also no longer be introduced as the crown-prince. We might explore our options there once we've attained a Seal and when we have acquired some allies. Still best not to shout 'here we are' to the rest of the world." Gerhardt explained to him before he raised his cup once more and downed the contents in one go. He winced, hissed and slowly released a pressured breath, staring at the bottom of his cup before resuming the same fatherly tone once more. "You'll be my nephew from this point on. If anyone asks what we do we're hirelings, sellswords. We're our own masters and attempting the climb into the ranks of the Faithful Guard. Make up a new name for yourself for now. Something simple, nothing to fanciful." Another heavy breath followed as his eyes narrowed seriously, staring at the young prince. "And lastly; Don't fall in love. It has ruined better men than you." He ended. "Now, pack your things and if you're ready, let's go topside and watch them dock.</s>

<|description|>Vivid Gender: Female Age: Adult Species: 50% RainWing 25% SandWing 25% SeaWing Abilities: - Has a RainWing's venomous spit - Can change color at will much like other RainWings, though the color fades into a diluted hue as it reaches her flank - SandWing venom is not potent, causes paralysis in certain parts of body - Good swimmer - Thanks to her gills, can breathe underwater for a decent amount of time, though not nearly close enough to pure SeaWings Shortcomings: - Poor flyer - Can't breathe fire like SandWings can - Dehydrates easily, leading to lethargy - Her understanding of SeaWing language is very poor - Sleeps a lot Appearance: Her stature is somewhere in between a RainWing and SandWing, with a thicker, SeaWing-like tail. She bears a cyan-hued color most of the time. The scales running along her face are bright yellow in color, and the same can be said for her underside and wing membranes. Her eyes shift colors depending on the shade of her scales. Orangey-yellow stripes swirl down from the base of her neck and down to the middle of her tail, though these too change color depending on the situation. Her frills, which are a slightly darker shade of blue than most of her body, are most prominent under her ears and along her spine until they reach the base of her tail. She can flatten and raise these at will. Vivid bears gills and webbed claws. Her stinger is almost nonexistent; if one looks close enough at the tip of her tail, her stinger sticks out like a miniature dagger rather than an actual SandWing stinger. The stripes that line her body can light up, though they are much dimmer than a normal SeaWing's bio-luminescent markings. Her fangs protrude slightly from her upper lip, as with all RainWings. Personality: Adventurous, happy-go-lucky, talkative, friendly, stubborn, easily frustrated, can be fierce when need be Other:</s> <|message|>Vivid The sun bore down hard on her scales. No matter how accustomed they were to the heat, it seemed like the rays of light grew closer and closer to burning holes into her with every passing moment. The delicate-looking dragon's scales glowed pale amber in the midst of the sweltering courtyard, with the color fading into a sandy yellow as it neared her flank and tail. At first glance, one might have considered her a strange looking SandWing– possibly one that was underfed or the runt of her clutch. Yet, a scrutinizing eye could catch her ruse. For one, her stinger was far too small for a SandWing, almost as if it was deformed, and her sail was larger and more elaborate than the other SandWings'. But what gave her away the most was the strange colors that blotched over the orange and parts of the yellow; as she sat with chains tied around her muzzle and limbs and clamps around her wings, blues and purples flourished from beneath her fiery scales like spilled ink. The strange color only intensified when SandWings, armed with both swords, lances, and deadly stingers alike, sauntered across the searing sands and glared at her with disdain from beneath their helmets. Bright irises surrounded by dark sclera scorched straight through her body faster than any sunlight or heat could. Vivid wasn't one of them. No, she was far from it. To them, she was one of two things. At best, she was a pretty centerpiece, a slave that someone could purchase from Queen Caracal if she caught their fancy. At worst, she was a monster. A hybrid. If she had any ounce of rancor, she would have blamed her ancestors. From what she heard, her grandmother, a RainWing, fell in love with a SeaWing, and her father was produced from their union. Then he went and got involved with a SandWing… though, she wondered how that happened, with how Pyrrhia viewed hybrids. Tainted, they were called. Huh. She always thought that was a weird thing to call someone. The rustle of dry scales made her snap back to attention. Vivid perked up, seeing that the large, pale SandWing from before had begun to prowl the small perimeter once again. His amber eyes swept across the rest of the dragons that were lined up against the sweltering walls of the square courtyard. Each of these hybrids were restrained just like she was. Clamps around their wings so they couldn't fly away. Chains around their muzzles so they couldn't breathe fire, spit venom, or bite. Heavy clasps around their ankles, necks, and tails so every movement felt as if boulders were piled upon their shoulders. The heat was merely another form of torture. The pale SandWing rounded close to her. He was twice her size, with large claws that could rend her body in half if he wanted to. His maw twisted and he flashed white fangs down at her. "Lucky cur," he spat before he walked past her, the tip of his stinger swinging dangerously close to her face. She bristled in fear and ducked away. Lucky. They kept calling her lucky. Vivid didn't really know what that meant. They kept taking other dragons away, pulling them along by their chains like beasts. Some were so drained by sun and heat, parched due to the lack of water, that they struggled to walk and the SandWing guards practically had to drag them away. Those didn't return. The ones that came back were marred by claw and teeth marks. Their wounds bled freely out into the sand until they passed out, and it was only then that they were tended to. The half-dead ones, their scales painted with crimson burns or their limbs half frozen, were tossed onto the sand like carrion. She had seen a few fall into deep slumbers from which they never emerged. Though, only a few of those that returned were strong enough to be chained up again, their jaws gaping with agony, their eyes empty, their talons and fangs dripping with blood that wasn't their own. Was she going to be next? She always thought she would be, though they took almost everyone else but her. Distant cheers sent a chill through her body. Her claws dug into the sand. She wanted to spread her wings and fly back into the rainforest, the closest thing that she could call home. Her eyes drifted towards the tops of the buildings that provided them no shadow, no respite from the sun, yet trapped them in that dusty courtyard. There was no escaping this. When she saw that the SandWings had noticed her drifting gaze, her attention snapped back to the other hybrids that kept her company. There was a MudWing-looking dragon that had webbed talons and an extra thick tail, and his brown scales, highlighted with an oceanic blue, were striped with the types of scales one might find on a SeaWing. He was leaning against a wall, his eyes half-lidded and sunken in. Then there was a NightWing with a grayish hue and a grumpy expression, though she was transfixed with the white coloring at the top of his head. Was that a NightWing-IceWing..? "Alright you lot, listen up!" roared a dark brown SandWing from the center of the courtyard. "The next fight's coming up, so all of you better be prepared! The Queen wants to watch a good fight before her dinner, and if anyone messes up her day, there'll be punishment dealt for all of you!" As if to punctuate her statement, her tail arched above her back, her black stinger glimmering in the light of the late afternoon sun. Vivid trembled as the SandWing's maroon eyes swept across the dozen or so hybrids that sat there. No one spoke, but she was certain that everyone knew that she was sizing them up. The orange that had once dominated her scales now dimmed to a sickly looking green, and she ducked her head to avoid the SandWing's gaze. Three moons… don't let it be me this time…</s> <|message|>Frostbite How, of everywhere on the continent, Frostbite ended up trapped in a sandy, blisteringly hot courtyard he couldn't really remember. A few missteps here and there and now he was slumped on the ground glaring at the SandWings that strutted around them; piercing blue eyes hoping to maybe kill them with a look. The heat seared against his dark scales, not made any better by his IceWing heritage that made him that much more susceptible to the sun. The chains that bound him to the ground didn't help either. The weight pulled and tore at the spines that ran down his back. He bit back a growl as one of the SandWings kicked him "accidentally" across the face as she walked by; sending him a smug smirk as she did so. He had learned his lesson though. Fight back, growl, show any sign that there was any will left within and they would beat it out. He had the gashes and scars to know that much. He was the product of a forbidden union between his father, a NightWing scientist to his understanding, and his mother, the next in line for the IceWing throne, and that made him an abomination. An affront to everything that was pure, good for nothing other than sport. The sport that currently sent the cheers rising in the arena that was echoing around them. Where Queen Caracal had her fun watching hybrids tear each other apart for her entertainment. He watched the weaker ones get taken away. They would be the starters. The ones that were chased around the arena by the lucky SandWings who won the draw to be killed like little more than animals. The stronger ones were pitted against each other, bet upon to see who would come out on top. He had only been dragged out once so far to fight, luckily pitted against a scrawnier SkyWing hybrid that he'd hit in the face with his freezing breath. The SkyWing hadn't lived long after that. Frostbite tried not to think about the fear in the hybrid's eyes or the screams as his skin had shriveled and died while he was still alive. He told himself that it was so he could live to see another day, but it didn't stop his stomach from turning at the memory. He couldn't let anyone know how much he was impacted by the half dead dragons he saw slung back into the courtyard. Instead he kept his face in a permanent scowl and narrowed his eyes at any of the other hybrids who looked his way. There was another SkyWing hybrid, the large wings told him that much, who had the fin of a SandWing and a mix of red and brown scales. Another looked mostly SeaWing, but the daintier head and swirling colors on their scales told him RainWing was somewhere in there. His eyes shifted to a small looking SandWing as she stared at him, and narrowed with slightly bared teeth. As one of the guards called out to them he noted the change in the scales. RainWing too then. He didn't make eye contact with the SandWing, as much as he postured he didn't want to go to fight. The thought of having to kill another hybrid scared him more than he would ever admit. He also didn't want to die. The plan he'd been working on to get himself, and maybe some of the others if they could keep up, out of the pit was almost there. He just needed a bit more time.</s>

<|message|>Vivid The SandWing's gaze penetrated her scales like swords. Slowly, she raised a curled claw in her direction. "You." Her words dripped with venom as her forked tongue slipped out from between her fangs. She grinned and the flash of her teeth made ice course through her veins. "I'll take you." Vivid's eyes widened to the size of all three moons combined. Her scales became as pale as the inside of a ripe lime, and the SandWing snickered as she trembled in her shackles. "I'm sure her Majesty would love to see something like you prove your mettle. Even a trophy should have some worth, am I right?" Before she knew it, Vivid was dragged from the wall by several SandWing guards. The darker SandWing's head turned back and forth, scanning the rest of the hybrids, as Vivid's mind raced. Was this where she was going to die? In the middle of some pit in the SandWing kingdom? There was nowhere to run or hide. If she was going to fight someone, she could always try to blend into the environment, but her "tainted" blood prevented her from fully vanishing into the background. If she was lucky, the SandWing in charge would choose someone– "I want that tainted NightWing-IceWing abomination as well." the SandWing female growled. Oh no. Not that one. That one always won his fights. She saw what he did to that poor SkyWing. How did it feel to die by an IceWing's frost breath? Did it burn, did it sting? She shuddered as she watched the guards pull him from the wall and towards where they walked. By now, he could definitely tell that she was shivering. Anyone could, really. Her chains clinked together more than usual, and her steps were light and shaky. Her eyes avoided his own, and instead she kept them locked onto the sandy cobblestone floors as her mind ran rampant. They were guided down a small corridor and into a tunnel, and the cobblestone slowly became sand beneath their claws. They were almost at the Pit. Vivid's fate would be waiting for her there.</s>

<|description|>Vivid Gender: Female Age: Adult Species: 50% RainWing 25% SandWing 25% SeaWing Abilities: - Has a RainWing's venomous spit - Can change color at will much like other RainWings, though the color fades into a diluted hue as it reaches her flank - SandWing venom is not potent, causes paralysis in certain parts of body - Good swimmer - Thanks to her gills, can breathe underwater for a decent amount of time, though not nearly close enough to pure SeaWings Shortcomings: - Poor flyer - Can't breathe fire like SandWings can - Dehydrates easily, leading to lethargy - Her understanding of SeaWing language is very poor - Sleeps a lot Appearance: Her stature is somewhere in between a RainWing and SandWing, with a thicker, SeaWing-like tail. She bears a cyan-hued color most of the time. The scales running along her face are bright yellow in color, and the same can be said for her underside and wing membranes. Her eyes shift colors depending on the shade of her scales. Orangey-yellow stripes swirl down from the base of her neck and down to the middle of her tail, though these too change color depending on the situation. Her frills, which are a slightly darker shade of blue than most of her body, are most prominent under her ears and along her spine until they reach the base of her tail. She can flatten and raise these at will. Vivid bears gills and webbed claws. Her stinger is almost nonexistent; if one looks close enough at the tip of her tail, her stinger sticks out like a miniature dagger rather than an actual SandWing stinger. The stripes that line her body can light up, though they are much dimmer than a normal SeaWing's bio-luminescent markings. Her fangs protrude slightly from her upper lip, as with all RainWings. Personality: Adventurous, happy-go-lucky, talkative, friendly, stubborn, easily frustrated, can be fierce when need be Other:</s> <|message|>Vivid Every single one of her footsteps felt like they were weighed down with boulders. From the shallowest end of the tunnel, she heard the cries of the dragons who hollered for bloodshed and gore. She shuddered. How could they be so willing to see their own kind tear each other apart? If they even consider them at least half their own kind. Vivid wished she could just turn invisible, but then they'd just laugh at her and force her to fight anyway. The light on the other side of the tunnel became brighter and brighter, closer and closer, until both of them were shoved out into the hot daylight once again by the guards. Her ear pricked slightly at the other hybrid's warning. His words registered in her head, though they were quickly drowned out by what laid in front of them. Rows and rows of dragons, mostly SandWings, hooted and roared from the siderows. An elaborately-decorated booth, cloaked with golden silks and trimmed with silver, was nestled above the rows of writhing heads and wings. There stood Queen Caracal, flanked by two more SandWing guards. Her scales were a brilliant bronze color and her underbelly was a lovely cream, though what caught her attention the most were the black markings that surrounded her eyes and ran down the length of her muzzle. Her ivory horns were adorned with golden rings and bangles inlaid with topaz. Vivid had heard many things of Queen Caracal– of her sheer beauty, her deadly temper, and how she was the only queen in the whole existence of Pyrrhia who ruled both the SandWing Kingdom and the Scorpion's Den. That went to show where her morals lay… Caracal's wings flared from her seat as her eyes, black as pitch, settled on the dark SandWing from earlier. "What is the meaning of this, Boa? I thought I ordered that the trophies were not to set foot in the ring." Her voice lingered between a hiss and a snarl. Boa stepped out into the ring behind them. "No worries your Majesty. I thought that you might like something a little more entertaining before your meal." "The NightWing monster will kill that puny thing in an instant with its ice breath. Answer me this– how will I sell a dead or crippled trophy? Its worth will be gone in an instant." "Ah, that's the thing, my Queen," Boa answered with a flick of her black tongue. "Let them fight using only their strength. No poison, no ice breath, nothing of the sort. It will thrill the onlookers… along with your palette." Queen Caracal grinned, revealing golden fangs that glinted in the desert heat. "Very well, then. Let them fight. If something happens, though…" She slowly raised a paw and pointed a golden claw in the SandWing's direction. "Let it be on your head, Boa." Boa bowed her head and fanned out her wings. The other guards beside her did the same. With that, the crowds' voices raised in excitement once again. Their roars drowned out the thumping of her heart in her ears and muted her thoughts. Before she knew it, she was shoved to one end of the arena. Her shackles were undone, and the unburdening of her wings and limbs felt like she had just ascended to the moons themselves. A sigh left her maw as she raised a paw to rub at her tender scales around her wrists and muzzle. Then, she glanced up at the other hybrid across the Pit. They were both ready to fight. How did one even fight a NightWing-IceWing hybrid, though? Just because he couldn't use his ice breath didn't mean he couldn't read her mind. If he even had those powers to begin with, that is. Vivid stood up on all-fours and ducked her head, standing her ground in front of Frostbite. If he was confident that his plan could work, then she might as well go along with it. Her yellow eyes glimmered with anticipation as her scales slowly shifted into a vibrant indigo. The crowd's roars turned into chanting as the battle was wont to begin.</s> <|message|>Frostbite It was difficult to tell if what Frostbite had said actually landed with the smaller hybrid, but that was the best he could give. He didn't want the others to die, contrary to the way he acted most of the time, but he also wasn't going to risk his own life. Especially not for some scrawny SandWing who looked like a stiff breeze would probably knock her over, let alone a claw swipe. His eyes flickered around the arena, set up the same way as before when he'd fought against the SkyWing. The screams and jeers, the mass of sand colored scales, and perched amongst it all the smug gaze of Queen Caracal. His vision briefly snapped back to the previous time he had been shoved into the Pit. The similarly scrawny SkyWing, scales painted with blue and a wide tail that showed heavily the SeaWing in him. The fear in both their eyes as they were pushed forward, the realization that one of them would die, and the conviction when he decided it would not be him. Instead he had killed someone and regretted it ever since. The shouts pulled him back to the present as his eyes narrowed up at Caracal. She would be much more beautiful if she didn't always have that smug smirk across her muzzle and an obvious disregard for the lives of other dragons. He glanced curiously at the SandWing guard who had brought them out. Trophies? She must mean the SandWing then because he certainly wasn't that. Interesting. So the other hybrid wasn't meant to be sent into the Pit, she was meant to be sold, or something similar. As Queen Caracal said it would be on their guard's head should something happen he fought down the more vicious side of himself. The side that told him that he should damage the smaller hybrid just to prove the guard wrong. Take back some control in his life and send the guard to an early grave. Would serve her right for what she did to them. But, he had said he wouldn't hurt Vivid and he wasn't going to go back on his word. That would make him no better than the hoard that watched them. He stretched out his own wings as they were freed and shook slightly to free the spines on his neck that had clumped together. If there was one benefit to being in the Pit before he knew what these monsters liked. They wanted aggression and violence. A show. That was all this was to them and that much he could do. He just had to be careful not to actually hurt her with his serrated claws. He looked across the Pit and took in a deep breath. As the call to begin echoed through the area he raised his head and let out a bellowing roar to the delight of the crowd. Idiots. He used his wings, star white scales on the undersides glinting in the light of the desert, to give himself a push towards Vivid. He made it across the Pit faster than one would expect of a dragon his size; taking a somewhat curved route so that he could slam his full weight into the smaller hybrid from the side. He cuffed her hard on the side of the head, making sure not to use his claws, as they tumbled to the ground. He knew how to make a fight look good even if he didn't actually hurt her. She just had to trust him.</s> <|message|>Vivid Vivid crouched lower to the ground when Frostbite roared out of anticipation and, honestly, a little bit of fear. She thought she would be quick enough to dodge his attack, what with the size and shape of her body, but he was surprisingly fast. His initial attack knocked the breath out of her as she was sent skidding across the sand. She tried to recuperate, but her eyes widened in shock when she saw his paw raise to claw her face. Her heart racing, she tried to shield herself with her wings in preparation for the blow, but even the second part of the attack was way too quick. Luckily, she was only met with a smack that half-dazed her. Thank the moons he didn't claw her– his talons were so terrifying, she was sure they'd rend her in half. Somewhat disoriented, yet still full of vigor, Vivid snarled as she charged at Frostbite with all of the speed she could muster. She leapt into the air and clung to his shoulder before she sunk her teeth into the side of his neck. Vivid was careful not to exert too much pressure as to terribly wound him, and she was sure to keep any of her venom from slipping into his blood. Her heart thumped in her chest. What came next? Oh, right, she should probably claw him. Her talons scratched at his dark scales, leaving shallow scrapes that didn't produce much blood, if any at all. She could feel the SandWings' eyes on them, Caracal's own scorching into her back like the desert sun. Vivid knew she had to feign a proper fight, unless they saw through their ruse. Things would get bad quickly if they did, and she was sure that Frostbite's plan would get buried under the sand beneath them.</s> <|message|>Frostbite Frostbite was somewhat surprised by the sudden vigor shown by the little hybrid, but he supposed when you were fighting for your life it gave a bit more of a push. He snarled back at her as she charged him, trying to rear up to bat at her as she leapt at him. It gave her the opening to grab onto his shoulder, and he roared in over exaggerated pain as she sunk her teeth into his neck. He could feel her claws scraping on his scales and knew that they would protect him well enough. The shallow scrapes weren't enough to do more than sting, but blood leaking onto the sand sold the act more. A growl rumbled in his throat as he swung himself to the side into a roll, crushing Vivid underneath the majority of his weight to get her to let go. As he rolled back onto his feet he swung his spiked tail downwards. He could kill her easily but he aimed for her side rather than anything vital. He left a deep enough gash to make it bleed, but no more as she had done for him. His breath was starting to come in heavy pants from the lack of food and water as well as the exertion of the fight. The sun beat down on his dark scales as gave Vivid the opportunity to get back to get back onto her feet. They would only need to draw it out for a bit longer before he felt like he could end it and get his plan under way. He had no idea how well it would work, he just hoped that it would.</s>

<|message|>Vivid Vivid guessed that she should have known that the giant dark-scaled dragon would roll onto his side. Oxygen came flooding out of her lungs as his weight collapsed atop of her, which made her loosen her talons from his tough scales. Sand was sent into the air around them, obscuring the match in powdery clouds that stung her eyes. But even beyond the veil of debris, she saw Frostbite's spiked tail come down upon her. Her heart skipped a beat. Did he mean it when he said he had a plan? He could have tricked her into letting her guard down so that he could survive the fight. Her eyes squeezed shut as she waited for the blow. She cried out when his tail swept across her side, though she was surprised to see that the blow didn't feel as brutal as it should have been. Her purplish scales had now become patterned with white splotches of terror, though she still pulled herself to her feet and stared at the other hybrid in a state of shock, confusion, and fear. He was a dragon that could very easily kill her, even without any use of his ice breath. There was no doubt about it. "C'mon, fight!" roared a dragon from the stands. She saw another SandWing open its mouth to half-yawn, half-yell. "This is boring! Bite her head off already!" Vivid's eyes darted to the sidelines. Boa watched with slitted eyes from the shadow of the arena, flanked by smirking armored SandWings. Caracal sat in her booth, her dark-rimmed gaze glittering with excitement. Her breath stung in her throat. She was so tired, so thirsty, so hungry… but she still had to fight. Turning her eyes back to Frostbite, she focused her mind. C'mon, you can do this… I just need to make all this look convincing to them! Screeching, she set off towards Frostbite in a brave charge. She leapt into the air just as she approached him and fanned out her wings to hopefully distract him with the sudden flash of color. In a smooth movement, she whipped around his neck and clung to the small of his neck with her back talons. "You'll pay for that!" she shrieked, trying to sound as furious as she could as her front left talons clung to his left horn. Her right talons reached over to scratch at his eyes, though she purposely made this appear quite clumsy as to not blind the poor dragon. Despite her rather vicious attack, it was difficult to lean against the back of the half-IceWing's neck and attack his face; his spines prodded her soft underbelly and caused her to wince in pain. Still. She'd have his tail for causing so much trouble. That last attack of his hurt!</s>

<|description|>Vivid Gender: Female Age: Adult Species: 50% RainWing 25% SandWing 25% SeaWing Abilities: - Has a RainWing's venomous spit - Can change color at will much like other RainWings, though the color fades into a diluted hue as it reaches her flank - SandWing venom is not potent, causes paralysis in certain parts of body - Good swimmer - Thanks to her gills, can breathe underwater for a decent amount of time, though not nearly close enough to pure SeaWings Shortcomings: - Poor flyer - Can't breathe fire like SandWings can - Dehydrates easily, leading to lethargy - Her understanding of SeaWing language is very poor - Sleeps a lot Appearance: Her stature is somewhere in between a RainWing and SandWing, with a thicker, SeaWing-like tail. She bears a cyan-hued color most of the time. The scales running along her face are bright yellow in color, and the same can be said for her underside and wing membranes. Her eyes shift colors depending on the shade of her scales. Orangey-yellow stripes swirl down from the base of her neck and down to the middle of her tail, though these too change color depending on the situation. Her frills, which are a slightly darker shade of blue than most of her body, are most prominent under her ears and along her spine until they reach the base of her tail. She can flatten and raise these at will. Vivid bears gills and webbed claws. Her stinger is almost nonexistent; if one looks close enough at the tip of her tail, her stinger sticks out like a miniature dagger rather than an actual SandWing stinger. The stripes that line her body can light up, though they are much dimmer than a normal SeaWing's bio-luminescent markings. Her fangs protrude slightly from her upper lip, as with all RainWings. Personality: Adventurous, happy-go-lucky, talkative, friendly, stubborn, easily frustrated, can be fierce when need be Other:</s> <|message|>Vivid Yes, their plan was working! Frostbite's attack had rendered the SandWing guards either dead or dying, which in part was a rather grizzly sight. The thought of the larger dragon bearing so much power as to do that to a handful of dragons within only a few seconds… if he were any other type of individual, she was sure she'd have been turned into a frozen statue. Vivid flinched when she felt his claws slink under her belly, and within moments they were up in the air and flying up into the sky. She tucked her wings close to her sides to allow him to carry her easier. Freedom was finally within their grasp–! The crowd's screams and calls from below only bolstered the swelling sensation in her chest. Vivid told herself that they were cheering for them, though that was very unlikely. Eh, best to think that way. Frostbite's rumble shook her from her thoughts. She turned her slender neck to see that he was right. Three or four more SandWings were pursuing them– and they were gaining fast. A fiery current or a well-aimed jab of their spears would cause Frostbite great pain for sure. And if they got close enough to stab him with their stingers… "I've got them!" Vivid affirmed. Her eyes watched the SandWings' movements closely. There was the sway of their bodies as their wings carried them through the air. The way they clenched their weapons. The wrinkled scowl that laid upon their lips. She opened her mouth and extended her fangs. Black, viscous liquid shot forth from her maw and splattered against the eyes of the closest SandWing. The guard screamed in pain, reeling back and crashing into the other SandWing that had flanked them. She watched as the two of them clumped together mid-air, with the injured SandWing clawing at their comrade in desperation as their face melted underneath Vivid's venom. The other SandWing screamed too, half in horror and half in pain as the desperate guard's talons dug into their flesh. They careened out of control and crashed against the side of a building before they slammed into the ground below. That left the other two. Vivid's aim once again found its mark when her venom struck the third SandWings in the gap of the armor that covered its neck. It screeched in agony, flaring its wings to claw at the plating. The fourth SandWing snarled and turned to help the soldier, probably out of fear of being struck as well. Vivid grinned. "That should slow them down for a bit!" she called up towards Frostbite.</s> <|message|>Frostbite It was enough of a strain on Frostbite's body to carry the other hybrid, especially after fighting for as long as they had. Even if it had been fake it still required the same amount of energy. Just less blood loss. He was prepared to use his tail if he had to, should one of the SandWings get too close to them, but he had no idea how much it would throw off his balance in the air. The last thing they needed was for them to go spiraling towards the ground with little to no way to break their fall. Some escape that would be and there would be no chance of another one. He couldn't imagine how much Caracal was going to crack down on the other hybrids since they got away, but he chose not to think about that. He let out a grunt of affirmative, talking was too much work at this point, and let his trust rest in Vivid for a moment. He didn't do it often, but it was either that or die at this point so he chose to trust her. He just focused on keeping himself steady so that she could aim at the guards that were tailing them. As the screams started he swiveled his head around and smirked at the chaos. Served them right for treating them like animals. Now they could die in agony like so many of them did. He hoped Boa would be tormented under the claws of the Queen for her failure. He didn't think that Caracal took kindly to any missteps. He was only slightly phased by the sight of their scales practically melting off their bones, mostly because his frost breath did something similar. It was more of a shriveling on his end, but still looked grizzly. He turned his attention back to where they were going, using the screams and clashing armor behind them as a cue that Vivid was doing her part. "Good," he huffed out in a quick breath since he could already feel his lungs and wings starting to strain from the exertion and lack of use. There was no way he could keep up this pace for much longer so he hoped that the SandWings had given up at the sight of their mutilated comrades. There wasn't exactly a plan of where to go, all Frostbite knew was that they needed to get away. Far away from the Sand Kingdom and Caracal if they wanted any chance of staying free. He could only vaguely remember the maps that his father had shown him, but if he remembered right then the Ice and Sky Kingdoms would be closest. He didn't want to go home, that seemed like a bad idea, so the Sky Kingdom it would have to be. For now. What felt like hours but was likely only minutes passed before he could feel the strain becoming too much for him to bear anymore. It felt like the muscles in his wings were going to tear if he dared flap them again. He looked behind them once more, not seeing any pursuing SandWings and instead scanned the barren surface of the desert for anything that might be of use to them. It was flat and barren with the sun reflecting off the grains in blinding rays made it hard to see, but through it he was able to see the faintest glint of water. Some kind of oasis he hoped. Either way it was their best bet. He let them start to coast towards the ground. Once they were close enough he dropped Vivid into the sand and had to take a few running steps onto the hot ground before sinking down, sides heaving with exhaustion. The oasis was small, but it would have to do as he dragged himself to his feet and stepped carefully to lap at the water. It was slightly grainy, but no worse than the water they were given in the pit. He glanced over towards the other hybrid, "Good aim on the SandWings. Hopefully they won't think we're worth enough to follow."</s> <|message|>Vivid Their escapade was more terrifying than exciting. Behind them, the SandWings scrambled, writhed, and clawed at their scales in useless attempts to get rid of the venom that clung to their skin and seared holes through their tendons. The arena had flown into a frenzy, with dragons scattering into the skies in terror. Two monsters had escaped, and they had to get home before they were killed, devoured, or worse. Vivid grinned down at the storm of thrashing wings and tails that lashed back and forth in desperation. With the havoc they caused, they would surely be home free… right? They flew for a while over the sandy wastes. No one followed them. Three moons, she thought Boa and Caracal would care a bit more about losing their dragons. Maybe there was just too much chaos going around for them to set off after them in a hot pursuit. Which meant that they had more than enough time to lay and rest. Her body ached, and fatigue set in as soon as her claws touched down upon the sands of the oasis that Frostbite had found. Finally, some water and shade. She trod over to the parched hybrid's side and slipped into the water. It was shallow, but deep enough to soak in. She spread open her blue wings and let her brilliant yellow membranes soak in the coolness of the water. "Ahhh," she breathed in a sigh of relief before she dipped her head into the water to take large gulps of the liquid. It wasn't too grainy, but she wasn't going to complain. Honestly, if she had the option, she'd stay at that oasis forever. It was much better than that courtyard back in the Scorpion's Den. She raised her head and swiveled it around, facing Frostbite. "You're Frostbite, then?" she piped. "I'm Vivid. It's nice to meet you!" The scratches that marred her scales stung, but for now, they were trophies that she had sustained in order to achieve her freedom. She wondered how tired Frostbite was. "Are we staying at this oasis for too long? The water feels nice, you should try it out!"</s> <|message|>Frostbite As Vivid slipped into the water Frostbite instead chose to slump down on the sand. He wasn't the biggest fan of getting wet if he was honest. He was used to the frigid mountains of the Ice Kingdom or the one time when he'd been a young dragonet that he went to the NightWing's island. He didn't remember much of it, but he did remember that it was hot and humid. He was used to the sand anyway. He'd spent long enough laying on it that it honestly would feel weird to him to not be dealing with the shifting grains. He let his head rest on his claws and closed his eyes briefly, finally feeling like he could rest without something looming over him. His eyes quickly snapped back open as the smaller hybrid spoke. He grunted in affirmation as she got his name right. Where she'd heard it he had no idea. "Nice to meet you too I guess," he muttered, trying to ignore the stinging pain the sand caused. Both from the heat and from getting into the shallow scrapes on his flank and face. Three moons, how could this dragon be so chipper after they'd just escaped from the Scorpion Den? She has just likely killed several dragons and yet her voice was chirpy and excited. He let his eyes slip shut again at the question. "Long enough to rest for a bit then I'm going in the direction of the Sky Kingdom," a single ice blue eye opened to stare at Vivid, "You're free. What you do is up to you." So long as it wasn't following him around. He didn't want to end up carting some naïve young dragon around with him. That meant he had a greater chance of being caught, it would be harder to get places with two of them, and she was far too…uppity. He just wanted to rest at this point and then go somewhere that was much less hot. "I'm good thanks," he mumbled out, shifting, trying to get comfortable on the hot sand without having to get wet. Eventually he stood and breathed out a thin layer of ice onto the sand. That was something he could do now that his jaw wasn't clamped shut. He was careful to make sure that it wasn't cold enough to actually hurt him, just keep him cool. He patted the sand down and laid back down with a sigh as the coolness helped soothe the aches. "I'd recommend some rest. It's a long way to anywhere."</s>

<|message|>Vivid This dragon seemed a lot more… grumpier than she expected. She shifted around in the water, trying to get the cool liquid to wash over her dusty scales. She was part SandWing, yes, but even this was too hot for her. Vivid dipped her head into the water and drank deeply once again. She never knew she could ever be so thirsty. The SandWings had given her more water than the rest of the dragons that had been contained in the courtyard, but sometimes it wasn't enough. Her tongue had been dry as the desert on more than one occasion. So, Frostbite was headed to the SkyWing kingdom. She tipped her head at the suggestion. The SkyWing kingdom sounded like the closest and safest place… she didn't even want to think of trying to head to the IceWing kingdom. She swayed her thick tail under the surface of the water as Frostbite made himself more comfortable with his ice-breath, attempting to keep herself from shuddering. She was lucky that Caracal and Boa prevented them both from using breath attacks on one another. Her mind didn't want to think about what would happen if he actually had used his ice breath on her. "Uhm, the SkyWing kingdom…" she murmured. "Mind if I join you? I don't have anywhere else to go. Least not for now." She had to get to a place where she could actually rest for the time being before she set off somewhere else. Making a break for the RainWing kingdom was too risky, especially in her state. She wasn't even sure if she could fly that long of a distance. And if she tried flying over the Scorpion Den, she ran the chance of getting caught once again. There was no way she stood a chance if she was. No one would save her. Her heart sank at the thought of the other hybrids stuck in that courtyard. Who would save them? Vivid's frills suddenly perked up. "We could rest in the SkyWing kingdom for a bit, then come back to save the others!" she suggested.</s>

<|description|>Frostbite Gender: Male Age: Adult Species: 50% IceWing 50% NightWing Abilities: -Ice breath -Serrated claws -Spiked tail Appearance: Personality: Clever, quiet, irritable, antisocial, bitter, protective, loyal Other:</s> <|message|>Vivid The sun bore down hard on her scales. No matter how accustomed they were to the heat, it seemed like the rays of light grew closer and closer to burning holes into her with every passing moment. The delicate-looking dragon's scales glowed pale amber in the midst of the sweltering courtyard, with the color fading into a sandy yellow as it neared her flank and tail. At first glance, one might have considered her a strange looking SandWing– possibly one that was underfed or the runt of her clutch. Yet, a scrutinizing eye could catch her ruse. For one, her stinger was far too small for a SandWing, almost as if it was deformed, and her sail was larger and more elaborate than the other SandWings'. But what gave her away the most was the strange colors that blotched over the orange and parts of the yellow; as she sat with chains tied around her muzzle and limbs and clamps around her wings, blues and purples flourished from beneath her fiery scales like spilled ink. The strange color only intensified when SandWings, armed with both swords, lances, and deadly stingers alike, sauntered across the searing sands and glared at her with disdain from beneath their helmets. Bright irises surrounded by dark sclera scorched straight through her body faster than any sunlight or heat could. Vivid wasn't one of them. No, she was far from it. To them, she was one of two things. At best, she was a pretty centerpiece, a slave that someone could purchase from Queen Caracal if she caught their fancy. At worst, she was a monster. A hybrid. If she had any ounce of rancor, she would have blamed her ancestors. From what she heard, her grandmother, a RainWing, fell in love with a SeaWing, and her father was produced from their union. Then he went and got involved with a SandWing… though, she wondered how that happened, with how Pyrrhia viewed hybrids. Tainted, they were called. Huh. She always thought that was a weird thing to call someone. The rustle of dry scales made her snap back to attention. Vivid perked up, seeing that the large, pale SandWing from before had begun to prowl the small perimeter once again. His amber eyes swept across the rest of the dragons that were lined up against the sweltering walls of the square courtyard. Each of these hybrids were restrained just like she was. Clamps around their wings so they couldn't fly away. Chains around their muzzles so they couldn't breathe fire, spit venom, or bite. Heavy clasps around their ankles, necks, and tails so every movement felt as if boulders were piled upon their shoulders. The heat was merely another form of torture. The pale SandWing rounded close to her. He was twice her size, with large claws that could rend her body in half if he wanted to. His maw twisted and he flashed white fangs down at her. "Lucky cur," he spat before he walked past her, the tip of his stinger swinging dangerously close to her face. She bristled in fear and ducked away. Lucky. They kept calling her lucky. Vivid didn't really know what that meant. They kept taking other dragons away, pulling them along by their chains like beasts. Some were so drained by sun and heat, parched due to the lack of water, that they struggled to walk and the SandWing guards practically had to drag them away. Those didn't return. The ones that came back were marred by claw and teeth marks. Their wounds bled freely out into the sand until they passed out, and it was only then that they were tended to. The half-dead ones, their scales painted with crimson burns or their limbs half frozen, were tossed onto the sand like carrion. She had seen a few fall into deep slumbers from which they never emerged. Though, only a few of those that returned were strong enough to be chained up again, their jaws gaping with agony, their eyes empty, their talons and fangs dripping with blood that wasn't their own. Was she going to be next? She always thought she would be, though they took almost everyone else but her. Distant cheers sent a chill through her body. Her claws dug into the sand. She wanted to spread her wings and fly back into the rainforest, the closest thing that she could call home. Her eyes drifted towards the tops of the buildings that provided them no shadow, no respite from the sun, yet trapped them in that dusty courtyard. There was no escaping this. When she saw that the SandWings had noticed her drifting gaze, her attention snapped back to the other hybrids that kept her company. There was a MudWing-looking dragon that had webbed talons and an extra thick tail, and his brown scales, highlighted with an oceanic blue, were striped with the types of scales one might find on a SeaWing. He was leaning against a wall, his eyes half-lidded and sunken in. Then there was a NightWing with a grayish hue and a grumpy expression, though she was transfixed with the white coloring at the top of his head. Was that a NightWing-IceWing..? "Alright you lot, listen up!" roared a dark brown SandWing from the center of the courtyard. "The next fight's coming up, so all of you better be prepared! The Queen wants to watch a good fight before her dinner, and if anyone messes up her day, there'll be punishment dealt for all of you!" As if to punctuate her statement, her tail arched above her back, her black stinger glimmering in the light of the late afternoon sun. Vivid trembled as the SandWing's maroon eyes swept across the dozen or so hybrids that sat there. No one spoke, but she was certain that everyone knew that she was sizing them up. The orange that had once dominated her scales now dimmed to a sickly looking green, and she ducked her head to avoid the SandWing's gaze. Three moons… don't let it be me this time…</s> <|message|>Frostbite How, of everywhere on the continent, Frostbite ended up trapped in a sandy, blisteringly hot courtyard he couldn't really remember. A few missteps here and there and now he was slumped on the ground glaring at the SandWings that strutted around them; piercing blue eyes hoping to maybe kill them with a look. The heat seared against his dark scales, not made any better by his IceWing heritage that made him that much more susceptible to the sun. The chains that bound him to the ground didn't help either. The weight pulled and tore at the spines that ran down his back. He bit back a growl as one of the SandWings kicked him "accidentally" across the face as she walked by; sending him a smug smirk as she did so. He had learned his lesson though. Fight back, growl, show any sign that there was any will left within and they would beat it out. He had the gashes and scars to know that much. He was the product of a forbidden union between his father, a NightWing scientist to his understanding, and his mother, the next in line for the IceWing throne, and that made him an abomination. An affront to everything that was pure, good for nothing other than sport. The sport that currently sent the cheers rising in the arena that was echoing around them. Where Queen Caracal had her fun watching hybrids tear each other apart for her entertainment. He watched the weaker ones get taken away. They would be the starters. The ones that were chased around the arena by the lucky SandWings who won the draw to be killed like little more than animals. The stronger ones were pitted against each other, bet upon to see who would come out on top. He had only been dragged out once so far to fight, luckily pitted against a scrawnier SkyWing hybrid that he'd hit in the face with his freezing breath. The SkyWing hadn't lived long after that. Frostbite tried not to think about the fear in the hybrid's eyes or the screams as his skin had shriveled and died while he was still alive. He told himself that it was so he could live to see another day, but it didn't stop his stomach from turning at the memory. He couldn't let anyone know how much he was impacted by the half dead dragons he saw slung back into the courtyard. Instead he kept his face in a permanent scowl and narrowed his eyes at any of the other hybrids who looked his way. There was another SkyWing hybrid, the large wings told him that much, who had the fin of a SandWing and a mix of red and brown scales. Another looked mostly SeaWing, but the daintier head and swirling colors on their scales told him RainWing was somewhere in there. His eyes shifted to a small looking SandWing as she stared at him, and narrowed with slightly bared teeth. As one of the guards called out to them he noted the change in the scales. RainWing too then. He didn't make eye contact with the SandWing, as much as he postured he didn't want to go to fight. The thought of having to kill another hybrid scared him more than he would ever admit. He also didn't want to die. The plan he'd been working on to get himself, and maybe some of the others if they could keep up, out of the pit was almost there. He just needed a bit more time.</s> <|message|>Vivid The SandWing's gaze penetrated her scales like swords. Slowly, she raised a curled claw in her direction. "You." Her words dripped with venom as her forked tongue slipped out from between her fangs. She grinned and the flash of her teeth made ice course through her veins. "I'll take you." Vivid's eyes widened to the size of all three moons combined. Her scales became as pale as the inside of a ripe lime, and the SandWing snickered as she trembled in her shackles. "I'm sure her Majesty would love to see something like you prove your mettle. Even a trophy should have some worth, am I right?" Before she knew it, Vivid was dragged from the wall by several SandWing guards. The darker SandWing's head turned back and forth, scanning the rest of the hybrids, as Vivid's mind raced. Was this where she was going to die? In the middle of some pit in the SandWing kingdom? There was nowhere to run or hide. If she was going to fight someone, she could always try to blend into the environment, but her "tainted" blood prevented her from fully vanishing into the background. If she was lucky, the SandWing in charge would choose someone– "I want that tainted NightWing-IceWing abomination as well." the SandWing female growled. Oh no. Not that one. That one always won his fights. She saw what he did to that poor SkyWing. How did it feel to die by an IceWing's frost breath? Did it burn, did it sting? She shuddered as she watched the guards pull him from the wall and towards where they walked. By now, he could definitely tell that she was shivering. Anyone could, really. Her chains clinked together more than usual, and her steps were light and shaky. Her eyes avoided his own, and instead she kept them locked onto the sandy cobblestone floors as her mind ran rampant. They were guided down a small corridor and into a tunnel, and the cobblestone slowly became sand beneath their claws. They were almost at the Pit. Vivid's fate would be waiting for her there.</s>

<|message|>Frostbite Frostbite's whole body was tense, as was everyone else's, as they waited to see who the SandWing would pick to die. At least one of the chosen wouldn't be coming back, or if they did they likely wouldn't survive very long after. He shrunk back slightly as he heard the SandWing speak before looking to see which poor soul had caught her attention. The SandWing looking hybrid that had been staring at him earlier. A pity really. She had been able to avoid their gaze for a long time. There was no way that she would survive a fight with most of the hybrids here. They were bigger than she was and many of them were desperate to survive. They would slash clean through a terrified opponent's throat without much of a thought. He could hear the chains rattling even from across the pit. Pathetic. He watched absently as she was dragged away by the guards and kept his eyes averted from the dark scaled SandWing. They tended to pick those who showed some bit of fight to them, or in the SandWing's case looked like easy prey. When he heard the SandWing speak again his body went rigid, but he then looked up to meet the black eyes and narrowed his own with a growl. He didn't want to kill anyone else, but he also didn't want to die. That was the option for them, fight or die. Either your opponent would kill you, or if neither would fight then the SandWings would make an example. The chains pulled uncomfortably as the guards dragged him to his feet and over to where the others stood. His eyes flicked emotionlessly to the smaller hybrid next to him. She sounded like a collection of swords with how hard her chains were rattling as the shivers of fear racked her body. He stood as tall as he could next to the SandWings. He wouldn't let them know how broken they'd made him. It wouldn't give them the satisfaction. He watched as the light from the hole they were kept in faded and the light from the Pit at the head of the tunnel illuminated the space instead. His mind raced as he tried to figure out how he would get out of this. He didn't want to kill the little hybrid, but he wasn't sold on his plan to get them out of here either. Where they were kept was too well guarded and they were chained up, the Pit itself was far too well watched to attempt to escape, and even at his best he couldn't take on the number of guards that flanked them on all sides. He would have to improvise then. Once they made it to the head of the tunnel they could hear the pounding of claws and the cheers and hollers that came from the crowd. "Don't try anything funny," one of the guards snarled at them as he went around and started unlocking the various chains and shackles that would prevent them from putting on a good show. Frostbite resisted a sigh of relief as the weight fell of, but he did stretch out his jaw and wings slightly; sending a glare towards the little SandWing. Better to put on a show. Once the guards had freed them and started to move out of the way so they could be pushed into the pit he leaned his head down towards his 'opponent', "Fight back, give them a good show and you might live. I won't kill you, and I have a plan to maybe get some of us out so don't kill me. His eyes flickered to the guards to make sure they couldn't overhear. "It's your only shot," he told her as the guards started to shove them forward into the Pit.</s>

<|description|>Frostbite Gender: Male Age: Adult Species: 50% IceWing 50% NightWing Abilities: -Ice breath -Serrated claws -Spiked tail Appearance: Personality: Clever, quiet, irritable, antisocial, bitter, protective, loyal Other:</s> <|message|>Frostbite It was difficult to tell if what Frostbite had said actually landed with the smaller hybrid, but that was the best he could give. He didn't want the others to die, contrary to the way he acted most of the time, but he also wasn't going to risk his own life. Especially not for some scrawny SandWing who looked like a stiff breeze would probably knock her over, let alone a claw swipe. His eyes flickered around the arena, set up the same way as before when he'd fought against the SkyWing. The screams and jeers, the mass of sand colored scales, and perched amongst it all the smug gaze of Queen Caracal. His vision briefly snapped back to the previous time he had been shoved into the Pit. The similarly scrawny SkyWing, scales painted with blue and a wide tail that showed heavily the SeaWing in him. The fear in both their eyes as they were pushed forward, the realization that one of them would die, and the conviction when he decided it would not be him. Instead he had killed someone and regretted it ever since. The shouts pulled him back to the present as his eyes narrowed up at Caracal. She would be much more beautiful if she didn't always have that smug smirk across her muzzle and an obvious disregard for the lives of other dragons. He glanced curiously at the SandWing guard who had brought them out. Trophies? She must mean the SandWing then because he certainly wasn't that. Interesting. So the other hybrid wasn't meant to be sent into the Pit, she was meant to be sold, or something similar. As Queen Caracal said it would be on their guard's head should something happen he fought down the more vicious side of himself. The side that told him that he should damage the smaller hybrid just to prove the guard wrong. Take back some control in his life and send the guard to an early grave. Would serve her right for what she did to them. But, he had said he wouldn't hurt Vivid and he wasn't going to go back on his word. That would make him no better than the hoard that watched them. He stretched out his own wings as they were freed and shook slightly to free the spines on his neck that had clumped together. If there was one benefit to being in the Pit before he knew what these monsters liked. They wanted aggression and violence. A show. That was all this was to them and that much he could do. He just had to be careful not to actually hurt her with his serrated claws. He looked across the Pit and took in a deep breath. As the call to begin echoed through the area he raised his head and let out a bellowing roar to the delight of the crowd. Idiots. He used his wings, star white scales on the undersides glinting in the light of the desert, to give himself a push towards Vivid. He made it across the Pit faster than one would expect of a dragon his size; taking a somewhat curved route so that he could slam his full weight into the smaller hybrid from the side. He cuffed her hard on the side of the head, making sure not to use his claws, as they tumbled to the ground. He knew how to make a fight look good even if he didn't actually hurt her. She just had to trust him.</s> <|message|>Vivid Vivid crouched lower to the ground when Frostbite roared out of anticipation and, honestly, a little bit of fear. She thought she would be quick enough to dodge his attack, what with the size and shape of her body, but he was surprisingly fast. His initial attack knocked the breath out of her as she was sent skidding across the sand. She tried to recuperate, but her eyes widened in shock when she saw his paw raise to claw her face. Her heart racing, she tried to shield herself with her wings in preparation for the blow, but even the second part of the attack was way too quick. Luckily, she was only met with a smack that half-dazed her. Thank the moons he didn't claw her– his talons were so terrifying, she was sure they'd rend her in half. Somewhat disoriented, yet still full of vigor, Vivid snarled as she charged at Frostbite with all of the speed she could muster. She leapt into the air and clung to his shoulder before she sunk her teeth into the side of his neck. Vivid was careful not to exert too much pressure as to terribly wound him, and she was sure to keep any of her venom from slipping into his blood. Her heart thumped in her chest. What came next? Oh, right, she should probably claw him. Her talons scratched at his dark scales, leaving shallow scrapes that didn't produce much blood, if any at all. She could feel the SandWings' eyes on them, Caracal's own scorching into her back like the desert sun. Vivid knew she had to feign a proper fight, unless they saw through their ruse. Things would get bad quickly if they did, and she was sure that Frostbite's plan would get buried under the sand beneath them.</s> <|message|>Frostbite Frostbite was somewhat surprised by the sudden vigor shown by the little hybrid, but he supposed when you were fighting for your life it gave a bit more of a push. He snarled back at her as she charged him, trying to rear up to bat at her as she leapt at him. It gave her the opening to grab onto his shoulder, and he roared in over exaggerated pain as she sunk her teeth into his neck. He could feel her claws scraping on his scales and knew that they would protect him well enough. The shallow scrapes weren't enough to do more than sting, but blood leaking onto the sand sold the act more. A growl rumbled in his throat as he swung himself to the side into a roll, crushing Vivid underneath the majority of his weight to get her to let go. As he rolled back onto his feet he swung his spiked tail downwards. He could kill her easily but he aimed for her side rather than anything vital. He left a deep enough gash to make it bleed, but no more as she had done for him. His breath was starting to come in heavy pants from the lack of food and water as well as the exertion of the fight. The sun beat down on his dark scales as gave Vivid the opportunity to get back to get back onto her feet. They would only need to draw it out for a bit longer before he felt like he could end it and get his plan under way. He had no idea how well it would work, he just hoped that it would.</s> <|message|>Vivid Vivid guessed that she should have known that the giant dark-scaled dragon would roll onto his side. Oxygen came flooding out of her lungs as his weight collapsed atop of her, which made her loosen her talons from his tough scales. Sand was sent into the air around them, obscuring the match in powdery clouds that stung her eyes. But even beyond the veil of debris, she saw Frostbite's spiked tail come down upon her. Her heart skipped a beat. Did he mean it when he said he had a plan? He could have tricked her into letting her guard down so that he could survive the fight. Her eyes squeezed shut as she waited for the blow. She cried out when his tail swept across her side, though she was surprised to see that the blow didn't feel as brutal as it should have been. Her purplish scales had now become patterned with white splotches of terror, though she still pulled herself to her feet and stared at the other hybrid in a state of shock, confusion, and fear. He was a dragon that could very easily kill her, even without any use of his ice breath. There was no doubt about it. "C'mon, fight!" roared a dragon from the stands. She saw another SandWing open its mouth to half-yawn, half-yell. "This is boring! Bite her head off already!" Vivid's eyes darted to the sidelines. Boa watched with slitted eyes from the shadow of the arena, flanked by smirking armored SandWings. Caracal sat in her booth, her dark-rimmed gaze glittering with excitement. Her breath stung in her throat. She was so tired, so thirsty, so hungry… but she still had to fight. Turning her eyes back to Frostbite, she focused her mind. C'mon, you can do this… I just need to make all this look convincing to them! Screeching, she set off towards Frostbite in a brave charge. She leapt into the air just as she approached him and fanned out her wings to hopefully distract him with the sudden flash of color. In a smooth movement, she whipped around his neck and clung to the small of his neck with her back talons. "You'll pay for that!" she shrieked, trying to sound as furious as she could as her front left talons clung to his left horn. Her right talons reached over to scratch at his eyes, though she purposely made this appear quite clumsy as to not blind the poor dragon. Despite her rather vicious attack, it was difficult to lean against the back of the half-IceWing's neck and attack his face; his spines prodded her soft underbelly and caused her to wince in pain. Still. She'd have his tail for causing so much trouble. That last attack of his hurt!</s>

<|message|>Frostbite Every blow that Frostbite landed onto Vivid was carefully controlled. As easy as it would be to kill her and let them drag him back into the pit in chains he wasn't about to let that happen. He had spent too long biding his time for anything to go wrong now. He had kept his gaze away from the guards, made himself seem cowed and weak until the moment when he knew they were too stupid to realize he'd played them for this long. This was the first time he'd been back in the Pit since killing the SKyWing and it would be the last. His head swiveled slightly to the stands as the SandWings started yelling. If they wanted a fight they wouldn't get it. They would get a facsimile of one. He could see the guards watching and based on what Caracal had told them if it really looked like Vivid would be killed the guards would jump in to stop her from losing her "trophy." They were both getting tired, that much was obvious. Under the beating sun of the hot desert it almost felt like his scales were burning even though he knew they weren't. He needed to get out though, he couldn't be tired and get away at the same time. That meant he had to end this now, and quickly. He made eye contact with Vivid, ice blue eyes gleaming in the sun, and gave her an almost imperceptible nod. She was a RainWing hybrid which meant she would be useful in getting out and she was small which meant he could carry her. This could work. He returned her screech with a roar of his own but twisted his head to the side at the sudden mix of colors hitting his eyes. He reared back as she wrapped around his neck, tossing his head and attempting to snap at any limbs that might be close enough to grab in his teeth. As she reached around to his eyes he could tell she was purposefully being clumsy about it, but he still shrieked in pain as she clawed at his face. Two can play at that game. He ducked his head sharply towards the ground, pulling her more onto the spines along his head and neck. Not enough to really hurt her, but enough to certainly cause pain. With her distracted by that he tossed his head and shook his body hard, flaring his wings in order to dislodge her. Once she was on the ground he lunged towards her again, using his size to barrel into her and knock her to the ground again. One clawed paw pinning her rear legs to the ground with another pressed to her throat. His eyes flicked up to where Caracal sat in her box, Three moons this better work. If Caracal really didn't care about losing her prize they were both screwed. With Vivid pinned to the ground he raised another serrated set of claws into the air, ready to bring his claws down onto her neck. At least that's how he hoped it looked to the Queen.</s>

<|description|>Sir Lucario Age: 25 Years Gender: Male Species: Anthropomorphic Jackal Biography: Lucario's birth parents are not known for certain. As a newborn, he was left at the base of the stairs that led up to the giant doors of the castle. After he was found by one of the high-ranking knights, he was taken in. The lead knight raised him as his own son, as he and his wife lost a son in a miscarriage. With no other sons to train, the lead knight taught Lucario everything that there was to know about being a good knight. As Lucario grew up, he had a strong interest in becoming a knight, just like the man who he called "Father." His telepathy, as well as being accurately predicting an opponent's moves, which was something unexpected among the royal family, servants and knights, allowed him to topple all of his fellow squires, and even a few knights, gave him the title "Knight of the Aura." Shortly after he was promoted to knight, Lucario learned that the princess's former guard, who was his adopted father, was killed protecting the princess from an arrow fired by an assassin. The news upset Lucario greatly, but when he learned that he was to take his adoptive father's place, he felt pride, and promised that he would not let anyone down. Personality: Lucario is fiercely loyal to the royal family, and especially protective of the princess. He tends to remain oddly calm, even in situations that would rattle most knights. He does not speak much, preferring to focus on his task, and not make small talk. Other: Lucario doesn't exactly speak the way most do. A family trait that happened to contain a certain mutation caused him to speak with telepathy, rather than an out loud voice. Voice claim: Sean Schemmel (Voice of Lucario in the movie: Lucario and the Mystery of Mew)</s> <|message|>Sir Lucario Long ago, in the kingdom of Soleanna, there were humanoids and humans. The ruling family was powerful, and the king was a man who didn't like to be defined, but was otherwise a caring leader. The people of Soleanna came to respect him, but in some of the other kingdoms, the royal family was seen as an enemy. Each member of the Soleanna royal family had at least one strong knight to act as guards. Many attempts have been taken on the lives of the king, the queen, and their daughter. Thankfully, these attempts have been unsuccessful, thanks to the royal guards. However, some of the Soleanna guards died in attempt to defend the royal family. One was the adoptive father of Sir Lucario, also known as "The Knight of the Aura" due to his abilities. It has been a month since Sir Aaron, Lucario's adopted father was killed and Lucario took his place as the guard for the princess... *** The early morning sunlight came through the windows of the castle. Sir Lucario was pacing outside the chambers where the princess slept, keeping his senses alert for signs of danger. He wasn't worried about his own safety, of course, but he was worried about the princess. He wore golden armor, and had his sword, Caliburn, at his side. Sir Lucario wasn't wearing the golden helmet that went along with the rest of his armor, though, not seeing the need for something that would possibly slow him down if and when the princess was attacked again.</s> <|message|>Thea Thea woke up from a deeply refreshing sleep. She'd had a blessed life with almost nothing to haunt her dreams, and so she always slept peacefully. There was something else, too that, she had to look forward to. Him. Her bright eyes blinked opened and she smiled, stretching luxuriously and knowing that he would be there, waiting for her, as he always did. The fact that he was off limits to her didn't bother her terribly much. She usually got her way, whether her stern but loving father knew it or not. Slipping out of bed, she dressed quickly and fixed her hair, slipping on a thin gold tiara that brought out the warmth of her pale skin. Then she opened the door, peeked out, and there he was. "Good morning, sir guard," she said, her voice sweet and honeyed as always.</s> <|message|>Sir Lucario Lucario looked to the princess and nodded, acknowledging her. He was quiet for a few seconds, as he usually was before responding. It certainly didn't help that he didn't exactly sleep well at night for the past month, as he was always alert for signs of assassins after getting appointed the royal guard for the princess. "Good morning, princess. I hope that you slept well?" Lucario asked after the few seconds had passed. His tone sounded alert, despite his exhausted state. As loyal as he was to the royal family, he often wished that the king had appointed more than one guard to protect his daughter. That way, Lucario could get some much needed sleep when the other guard or guards were on duty. Hoowever, most of the residents knew better than to question the king, who was nicknamed Ironfist for a reason. The king was usually forgiving on certain things, but one wrong move could end up costing someone their head.</s> <|message|>Thea She opened the door wider and stepped out of her room into the hall, shutting the door behind her. "I'm doing well. I had a beautiful night's sleep, which doesn't seem to be the case with you. Shall I go down to breakfast with my mother and father so that you can have a rest?" She was enraptured by her knight and protector, but since he had been her guard she hadn't been able to slip away, and she wanted to go to the woods and shoot a few arrows. She could almost feel the taught string between her fingers and she smiled at the thought.</s> <|message|>Sir Lucario "Breakfast sounds good. Though, I sense that you wish to go shooting arrows. I have no issue accompanying you to do so, but after breakfast. Perhaps some food will awaken my senses." Lucario said, even though he knew that archery wasn't something her father would approve of her doing. Lucario would just come up with something to cover up the fact that he was encouraging the princess to do what was considered a manly thing to do. He did not really approve of the gender stereotypes between men and women, boys and girls, but Lucario knew that his opinion was a rather unpopular one. Had he been born a girl and dropped off at the castle's steps, things might have turned out differently. For example, he might have been raised in a different way by Sir Aaron, and not trained to be a knight. Sure, Soleanna had female knights, called dames, but they were not as abundant as the male warriors. Perhaps, Lucario would have been raised to be one of the female servants who tended to the female members of the royal family.</s> <|message|>Thea Thea tightened her lips briefly, giving a hint of her dislike of not getting her way. Then she quickly smiled and said, "Oh, of course. I wouldn't want to be out of sight of my loyal guard." This was partially true, she wanted to gaze at him as long as possible, but she was getting a little annoyed at his ability to know her intentions. Taking his hand, she walked briskly towards the hall where breakfast was no doubt already under way. She was often late and this displeased her stern father. The gold plate of his armor felt smooth and cool in her hand. She knew that this sort of touch would be inappropriate in her father's eye, but she tried to make some contact with him whenever possible in the most innocent way. It just felt nice to touch him and she wasn't sure why.</s>

<|message|>Sir Lucario Sir Lucario chose to pay little to no attention to the actions of the princess, though he did admit to himself that he sort of liked when the princess grabbed his paw like that. He had become close to the princess in the month that he had been her guard, but he knew that an affair with her would need to be kept secret, if it ever happened. The king would have him beheaded or exiled, but most likely beheaded, if his highness knew that a member of the royal guard fell for the heir to the throne in such a way. Upon approaching the dining hall, Sir Lucario's ears perked up as he caught the smell of food. It smelled like the usual buffet that was left out for the royal family members and theoir bodyguards, and despite it being so familiar, Sir Lucario's stomach growled slightly at the thought of the upcoming meal. "Damn it all..." The knight cursed as he heard his stomach. Sure, the growling of one's stomach wasa natural reaction to being hungry, but that didn't mean that Sir Lucario liked it nor did it mean that it didn't embarss him to show a weakness like that.</s>

<|description|>Thea Age: 20 Characteristics: Thea is the master of telling people what they want to hear so that she can get what she wants. She has mastered the ladylike arts of needlepoint and sitting prettily, but as soon as she has her parents and peers lulled into thinking that she is sweet and gentle, she finds ways to sneak away and do what she likes. This usually means trying to evade her guard so that she can leave the castle grounds on her own and explore the area. Sometimes this means going to the woods to teach herself archery and hunting, and sometimes she will dress in plain clothes and masquerade as a town girl and go into the villages. Strong willed and mild tempered, for the most part, she doesn't mean any harm, she just wants to do whatever she wants and hasn't quite grasped her full responsibilities. Yet.</s> <|message|>Sir Lucario Long ago, in the kingdom of Soleanna, there were humanoids and humans. The ruling family was powerful, and the king was a man who didn't like to be defined, but was otherwise a caring leader. The people of Soleanna came to respect him, but in some of the other kingdoms, the royal family was seen as an enemy. Each member of the Soleanna royal family had at least one strong knight to act as guards. Many attempts have been taken on the lives of the king, the queen, and their daughter. Thankfully, these attempts have been unsuccessful, thanks to the royal guards. However, some of the Soleanna guards died in attempt to defend the royal family. One was the adoptive father of Sir Lucario, also known as "The Knight of the Aura" due to his abilities. It has been a month since Sir Aaron, Lucario's adopted father was killed and Lucario took his place as the guard for the princess... *** The early morning sunlight came through the windows of the castle. Sir Lucario was pacing outside the chambers where the princess slept, keeping his senses alert for signs of danger. He wasn't worried about his own safety, of course, but he was worried about the princess. He wore golden armor, and had his sword, Caliburn, at his side. Sir Lucario wasn't wearing the golden helmet that went along with the rest of his armor, though, not seeing the need for something that would possibly slow him down if and when the princess was attacked again.</s> <|message|>Thea Thea woke up from a deeply refreshing sleep. She'd had a blessed life with almost nothing to haunt her dreams, and so she always slept peacefully. There was something else, too that, she had to look forward to. Him. Her bright eyes blinked opened and she smiled, stretching luxuriously and knowing that he would be there, waiting for her, as he always did. The fact that he was off limits to her didn't bother her terribly much. She usually got her way, whether her stern but loving father knew it or not. Slipping out of bed, she dressed quickly and fixed her hair, slipping on a thin gold tiara that brought out the warmth of her pale skin. Then she opened the door, peeked out, and there he was. "Good morning, sir guard," she said, her voice sweet and honeyed as always.</s> <|message|>Sir Lucario Lucario looked to the princess and nodded, acknowledging her. He was quiet for a few seconds, as he usually was before responding. It certainly didn't help that he didn't exactly sleep well at night for the past month, as he was always alert for signs of assassins after getting appointed the royal guard for the princess. "Good morning, princess. I hope that you slept well?" Lucario asked after the few seconds had passed. His tone sounded alert, despite his exhausted state. As loyal as he was to the royal family, he often wished that the king had appointed more than one guard to protect his daughter. That way, Lucario could get some much needed sleep when the other guard or guards were on duty. Hoowever, most of the residents knew better than to question the king, who was nicknamed Ironfist for a reason. The king was usually forgiving on certain things, but one wrong move could end up costing someone their head.</s> <|message|>Thea She opened the door wider and stepped out of her room into the hall, shutting the door behind her. "I'm doing well. I had a beautiful night's sleep, which doesn't seem to be the case with you. Shall I go down to breakfast with my mother and father so that you can have a rest?" She was enraptured by her knight and protector, but since he had been her guard she hadn't been able to slip away, and she wanted to go to the woods and shoot a few arrows. She could almost feel the taught string between her fingers and she smiled at the thought.</s> <|message|>Sir Lucario "Breakfast sounds good. Though, I sense that you wish to go shooting arrows. I have no issue accompanying you to do so, but after breakfast. Perhaps some food will awaken my senses." Lucario said, even though he knew that archery wasn't something her father would approve of her doing. Lucario would just come up with something to cover up the fact that he was encouraging the princess to do what was considered a manly thing to do. He did not really approve of the gender stereotypes between men and women, boys and girls, but Lucario knew that his opinion was a rather unpopular one. Had he been born a girl and dropped off at the castle's steps, things might have turned out differently. For example, he might have been raised in a different way by Sir Aaron, and not trained to be a knight. Sure, Soleanna had female knights, called dames, but they were not as abundant as the male warriors. Perhaps, Lucario would have been raised to be one of the female servants who tended to the female members of the royal family.</s>

<|message|>Thea Thea tightened her lips briefly, giving a hint of her dislike of not getting her way. Then she quickly smiled and said, "Oh, of course. I wouldn't want to be out of sight of my loyal guard." This was partially true, she wanted to gaze at him as long as possible, but she was getting a little annoyed at his ability to know her intentions. Taking his hand, she walked briskly towards the hall where breakfast was no doubt already under way. She was often late and this displeased her stern father. The gold plate of his armor felt smooth and cool in her hand. She knew that this sort of touch would be inappropriate in her father's eye, but she tried to make some contact with him whenever possible in the most innocent way. It just felt nice to touch him and she wasn't sure why.</s>

<|description|>Luo Yifang The Lost Dancer | 罗依芳 | 28 Rank: First Class Warrior Allegiance: Martial Alliance APPEARANCE Yifang is much like ghost: other wordly, still, watchful, pale. Maybe once upon a time she was stronger, but her body has grown thin with age and lack of appetite. Her long hair is one part of her that seems to be cared for daily. Long and dark, a strand is never out of place. When she fights or dances, it flows with the wind. PERSONALITY Yifang has grown somber in her late twenties. She is serious and watchful, scornful of too much play. It is perhaps part of the reason why she struggles to grow into a master: her mind is not at peace. The Luo Clan embraces the philosophy of Yin and Yang, maintaining balance between the mind and body. However, very few of her thoughts are positive, forward thinking while much of her thoughts are dark and negative as she seems to still dwell on her fiance's untimely death. There are moments where she is caught smiling, but it is not a comfort to onlookers as its usually at the misfortune of someone else: an elder falling, a child being bit by a dog, or ill omens. HISTORY Yifang was young when the devil clans made their motives known the rest of the The Jianghu--nearly 18. The pressure to grow stronger was heavier than ever for the Luo Clan, and Yifang was able to deliver. She ascended confidently through the ranks, particularly skilled with a blade in hand. It was said watching her fight was like watching a dance, a convergence of power and grace that left no enemies standing. It was not so surprising when became engaged half way through the war--who couldn't see her beauty? Her strength? At the end of the war, destroying their dream to settle down peacefully together and raise a family, Yifang's fiance was lost. He was killed in their battle against a Transcendent Master of the devil clans--though not without first defeating the enemy. He earned the title "Shadow Bolt Slayer" in his death. Yifang has changed much since then. Those who are old enough, remember her as a bright and friendly woman. She was easy to smile, easier to laugh. Though, since that fateful day, she has grown quite somber. Frown lines threaten to grow around her mouth, pushed back only when she is amused by others' misfortunes. She no longer wears the colors of the Luo clan, but dull blacks and whites. Much of what defines her is as she is versus as she used to be. Her cultivation has stagnated. During the war, Yifang rose through the ranks to First Class and there was much promise in her potential as a Master. However, now it is hardly fair to call her even First Class as she has seems to grown quite placid--hence her title given by those who know her story: the Lost Dancer. The veteran lives as a self-made outcast on the outskirts of the Luo Clan territory. It is here that she manages an old temple to a nearly forgotten goddess who blesses followers with good health. EQUIPMENT Mercy: Her blade gained recognition during the war due to the allies it killed. It is known among the Martial Alliance that Yifang constantly moved into enemy territory to rescue allies. While her persistence and bravery during the war allowed her to save many members of the Martial Alliance (and even some of The Recusant), the acts of evil that the devil clans inflicted upon others left them beyond saving. Forbidden cultivation practices broke minds and bodies, and often only Mercy could free these prisoners. Now, Mercy collects dust. It is not a weapon she likes to use. Her favored weapons these days put distance between her and her target: when she is seen training, bows or guandao are her preference. If one watches carefully, they will see that Yifang is particularly skillful with a bow, but few pay her much mind anymore. CULTIVATION BASE For the Luo Clan, qi is created where Yin and Yang meet. In deliberate movements where one's limb extends away from the body and is pulled back, qi manifests at the range where neither pulling or pushing is happening. In breathing, qi manifests not when one draws in their breath or exhales--but for that moment their breath is held. Disciples of the Luo Clan spend much of their time learning to create qi with this theory via meditation and tai chi. While Yifang still does daily trainings, she struggles with any martial techniques since the war. Nowadays, she uses her cultivation base to heal others and maintain what little strength she has. TECHNIQUES Bone Mending: Yifang can harness qi to mend broken bones over the course of a few days rather than the usual months. While an extraordinary ability, she doesn't claim it herself. Instead, she says the goddess blesses her with the ability to help those who seek it. Despite its name, it extends to flesh as well, and can be life saving against bleeding out. Qi blocking: entirely defensive, Yifang can counter skin-to-skin attacks by stopping the flow of qi in another person's body. She does have to make physical contact with them to do so, but a successful hit to her target's meridian will stop the flow of their qi. Heaven's Arrow: by focusing her own qi, Yifang can enhance her dexterity and vision. Its purpose is to improve her archery and range attacks in general, give her an eagle's eye whether she is shooting an arrow or throwing a knife. When adopting Heaven's Arrow, she cannot miss her target(s)--though its intense focus makes her farsighted, so to say. She becomes insanely vulnerable to close attacks, almost completely unaware of them.</s> <|message|>Luo Yifang Shrine of a Forgotten God Luo Yifang Yifang's eyelids dropped momentarily into a blink as Sima approached the shine and visitor inside. After another beat, she looked around and followed Sima to meet her. Irritation tugged her lips into a frown and furrowed her brows as the girl lowered her head, refusing to look to the veteran. She couldn't muster the same gentle tone as the man, but her words were not harsh. "Child, you are more than welcome to rest--" she began and, bristled by such shy behavior, Yifang leaned and tilted her head to see the girl's face hidden under the hood. However, her voice trailed off, recognition flickering across her features for just a moment. She stood straight, sparing a glance to Sima as she crossed her thin arms in front of her body. Yifang's scowl deepened as the young woman squirmed under their gazes, and her pale hand lifted to idly twirl her own dark hair around her finger. She was quiet for a moment as she thought. "Three heads are better than two, isn't that right? A young pair of eyes could be helpful in an investigation like yours, Sima," she said at last.</s> <|message|>Probably a name fitting to Ancient China or its surrounding areas. Shrine of an Forgotten God, Henan --- Vanished @Kidd@Feyblue --- "You're right about that," Sima replied to Yifang. "I've been out west for so long that I got sand stuck in my head." Stepping out of the shrine, Sima gave his arms a quick stretch. "We should probably take a few. Rest up and get ready to leave. Ask me any questions if you got 'em." "And Blue," he looked back at Xiaying. The expression on his face was a strange one. Perhaps it was sympathy or perhaps it was the remembrance of an old memory. More so than a rugged master, he seemed more like a sorrowful man as he shared some words. "It might be a little presumptuous of me to say, but walk with your head high. Doesn't matter if you have to fake it. The world's a rough place." Looking back at the wilds, he took a place sitting with his back against a tree. --- An Escort Warrior? @Zeroth@Cu Chulainn? --- "Euuergh..?" A drunkard at a table seemed to raise his head. As if triggered by the words that came from Yi Hyun-Woo, he tossed a wooden placard at the young man. Though, his drunken state was very obvious considering that he almost beaned "Jin" in the skull. Although it seemed like he was starting a fight, the drunkard seemed to be a little too faded for a bar fight. Instead, what was important was the information on the placard he threw. It signified the acceptance of an escort mission. As written on its face, it was a job to escort a merchant caravan carrying supplies to various sects within Henan. Though it didn't explicitly say Mountain Ravine Fist on its face, those words awakening a barely conscious man were effectively confirmation that the school was one of the destinations. Considering how the leaving date was early next morning, it seemed that the drunkard wouldn't be able to make it to depart in time. --- The Hunt for the Madwoman @Restalaan --- "How did she look?!" The bald roughneck seemed to be annoyed. What did it matter how she looked? Still, he swallowed his emotions to respond. He also swallowed his pride as the large Xiao Shan effortlessly picked him up to place him back on his feet. How emasculating. He briefly closed his eyes to remember, but all he could barely recall was her damn eyes. "She had... large red eyes? A red face too. She didn't really loo-" He had opened his eyes and realized that Xiao Shan had already been moving towards where he had fled. "Ah fuck, wait up." --- It was certainly a strange sight. Whatever fight Xiao Shan had prepared herself for had been replaced by an indescribable scene. The first was a group of men that had been bruised and battered. They stood in the middle of a clearing with their legs bent, their arms held up, and bodies bereft of clothing save for something to cover their bits. The second group of four had been conscripted in some strange ritual. And there she was. With an outfit of strange baubles and designs, bright-red makeup solely around her eyes, and a drunkard's flush, the Madwoman seemed to be riding a makeshift palanquin of branches and clothing. She (and by extension her conscripts) had been circling the other group for quite some time judging by the torn up grass circle surrounding them. Upon seeing Xiao Shan, the Madwoman clapped twice. The conscripts seem to slowly lower the palanquin on the ground as they collapsed from exhaustion. "I don't remember a woman among your ranks." She said to nobody in particular, her voice aloof and strange as though she was not speaking in her native tongue. "How urbane." She paused as she sized up the mask wearing giant. "Well?"</s> <|message|>Yuán Xiáyīng 「源 霞櫻」 Shrine of a Forgotten God, Henan --- Xiáyīng momentarily seemed to lower her guard. Or rather, it could perhaps be better said that her curiosity got the better of her. The man wasn't saying anything, and the woman had just entered the room and begun to speak. She tilted her head ever-so-slightly, wanting to see what they were doing, what their expressions were -- wanted to make sure they really weren't going to hurt her. Then it happened. In an instant, a dark and familiar something stole its way over the dark-haired woman's face, icy recognition descending upon her from on high like hailstones, and sudden, bristling anger flashing towards her like lightning. Not towards her specifically, but rather towards... "A young pair of eyes could be helpful in an investigation like yours, Sima." She knew. She didn't just know, but she craved the power that Xiáyīng so unwillingly bore. It wasn't a request, or an invitation -- it was a threat. Lend her power, or have it taken from her by force. Even if she complied, there was no guarantee the woman wouldn't turn on her once her usefulness to her had ended. If she let her guard down for even a second... her eyes would be taken. But she had already seen the woman's strength herself. The path she had walked was long and arduous, and surely, a useless child like her could not possibly hope to match one who had climbed so far, and learned so much. If she drew her blade here, or if she tried to run -- it mattered not. All she could do was comply. Her only reassurance was that the man did not seem to share the woman's awareness of her nature. Or, if he did know -- he had called her "Blue," after all -- he lacked the same hostility. She could see it -- his sorrow, and his warmth. It was far too presumptuous to expect that he would protect her, necessarily, if push came to shove, but... for the time being, of the two who had pressed her into service, he seemed much safer than his dark-haired companion. "I'm sorry." Despite his advice, it was the only answer that came naturally to her when she was scolded. What else was she supposed to say? Nevertheless, she tried to hold her head just a little higher -- almost high enough to meet his gaze as she awkwardly, unsubtly scooted just a little closer to him, and away from Yifang. "I did not mean to cause offense. I will... umm... keep your advice in mind." It wasn't much -- and it could hardly be called an improvement -- but the way she gripped her sword now bespoke a fear much greater than simply being robbed. If she was attacked, she would run, and if forced to fight, she would lose -- but despite the inevitability of such a defeat, she began to steel herself for such an eventuality regardless.</s>

<|message|>Luo Yifang Shrine of a Forgotten God Luo Yifang Yifang couldn't help the slight raise of the end of her lips as the other scooted away from her. Was she really so afraid of the husk she had become? "Well, you have your time to rest," the woman said after Sima took the opportunity to do just that. She paused, eyes flickering about the young woman's figure--messy hair, messy clothes. The vice grip on the sword didn't go unnoticed either. Perhaps it was best to speak plainly. She dropped her hand from her locks and, while she hesitated, did rest her bony hand on the girl's shoulder. "I'm Luo Yifang. As unlikely as it is that you've heard of me, I know of your father. If you need anything at all, don't hesitate to ask. "In the meantime, I best prepare for our little adventure. The Marital Alliance calls upon us." Another smile tugged at her features, but it didn't quite reach her dark eyes as they lingered on the younger woman. Only then did Yifang pull away step out of the other's way and into the shrine to find which of her few belongings would be appropriate for the quest.</s>

<|description|>Xiao Shan Stealing? Hah! It's called learning! Age: 19 Rank: First Class Warrior Allegiance: The Iron Concord (Formerly The Recusant) Appearance: 210 cm, 85 kg. Amongst the Broken Mountain Sect, Xiao Shan is the tallest, including her own father. A source of pride for the latter and consternation for the former. Xiao Shan is dressed in a weird mixture of both Han and Wakoku clothing style. One that isn't out of place in her sect but outside of it, it's very obvious and clashing. Additionally, Xiao Shan always wears the mask to denote her official position as the Broken Mountain Sect Young Master as per tradition and never seen going out without it and thus, leading to many outlandish claims of the Young Master of the Broken Mountain Sect being a disfigured brute of a man. Yet, despite all of that, she is a female. One that many others would envy heavily if they saw what lay underneath her thick eastern clothing that masks her true gender. Personality: Xiao Shan is one that never shies away from learning something new or fawning over things she finds exciting or fascinating regardless of how trivial it is. This bled into her martial art style, not having a single iota of shame when it comes to learning new techniques and moves that other sects perform. An image that the Broken Mountains thievery on techniques and moves also encourages. As another side result of her upbringing from her sect, she's also very blunt at times which often brings her plenty of trouble outside of her home and downright insensitive to the majority of the Jianghu. History: Hailing from the Broken Mountain Sect, a recusant sect that came about from multiple martial artists of sordid, fallen or exiled past, congregating together to form their own haven amongst the many mountainous regions in the Jianghu. Xiao Shan, daughter of the Unrestrained Master that leads the Broken Mountain Sect, was raised amongst the band that conducts bodyguard business, protection racket, Inn business, and smuggling routes for less than savory merchants. Her father, who desired a son instead of a daughter, felt conflicted at her birth, and thus, decided to raise Xiao Shan up like a son instead. Under his watchful eyes, Xiao Shan was raised thoroughly as the next successor of the Broken Mountain Sect. Given the best training, attention, and care, she was even allowed to accompany her father on official business for running the sect. Seeing many faces, from devils, and scums of the lowest rung to honourable warriors, saints and even heroes of the Martial Alliance. Xiao Shan was intrigued and listened to many stories told by travellers that stayed in their territory. Filling her heart with tales of heroism and stoic stories of how the Iron Concord was forged, alongside with the eventual sacrifice of the many heroes and Heavenly Demonic Master. This stoked a fire in her heart, desiring and wishing to be as great as these heroes were. After all, they saved the entire Jianghu and stopped the tracks of the Devil Clan. Were they not examples to be followed? Yet no sooner than the major conflict was over, did the Resucants begin to turn their attention to old grudges again. The Broken Mountain sect had suffered attacks from the Martial Alliance despite not being close to the initial conflict, only being dragged into it after enough assault. But the perpetrators were caught, their vengeance sated, was it not enough? No, it was not. They may be outcasts, but to show weakness in front of this affront, was to invite greater danger and shame upon themselves. An eye for an eye, blood for blood. Thus, Xiao Shan left the Broken Mountain Sect home under the pretence of undergoing her wandering trials to break into the Peak Master, understanding that she and her father will never see eye to eye in regard to the Iron Concord. Equipment: War Club, a heavy piece of steel and hardwood meant for bludgeoning others. Two grown men would struggle to even lift the heavy war club but Xiao Shan alone is able to wield it like a normal club. The foundations of the Broken Mountain Sect are numerous as it is mixed. Born from multiple masters mixing and numerous unfortunate trials ranging from humiliating to deadly, one path was finally created to be the basis of its Martial arts. These mix of ideas, while contrary to some of the Recusant view, had its origin from former Orthodox Masters. To gain true strength, one must endure numerous trials and dangers. Many Broken Mountain Practitioners are noted for their impressive physical bodies because of this. Bones are broken but healed, then hardened over time that it's no different from iron. Some are even able to mimic the Iron Fist techniques just as well, one that has caused no few arguments with the Iron Fist Sect, claiming it was stolen. Finally, for those that met the requirements of the body. Will have another wisdom imparted to them. Through the body growth, shall Qi follow. By pushing the body to its limits, one gains a foundation strong like a mountain and in turn, allows pathways of Qi to be developed in tandem. These pathways are then slowly mastered before pushing it to the limits just as well. The advanced techniques will be utilising Qi as part of the strikes themselves and Infusing their weapon, making even the simple twig to be as sharp and hard as a piece of steel. Then, the final techniques are the mind. It is particularly the hardest, as it involves studying oneself thoroughly and pushing basics like Qi Sensory, pre-initiative, post-initiative and finally, foresight to its mastery. Lastly, the pinnacle will be a combination of Qi, Mind and Body, effectively allowing the user to break past their very limits. Once all conditions are met, only then can one reach the desired level of Profound, or perhaps, the coveted Heavenly Master rank. Commonly referred to as breaking the mountain itself. Iron Skin - Hardening one limb enough to the point that the skin darkens till it's black, creating a powerful defensive skill that can block even weapons. A favoured way of showcasing one prowess amongst the Broken Mountain Sect, it's the very technique that the Iron Fist claimed to be stolen from them. Arguments arose aplenty, saying that their technique could never match the true Iron Fist style. Yet those that dare utter such words often don't last long in front of the Broken Mountain Masters. Thunder Strike - Xiao Shen infuses either a limb or weapon with Qi, compresses, and releases, creating a powerful shockwave on point of impact. It's her father's trademark skill and the only technique that she can match her father. Slow Observation - Xiao Shan utilizes Qi to further speed up her senses and thoughts, allowing her to perceive the world in a slower manner and thus, pick up things that usually are missed by others. An advance technique meant for Peak Masters but she had learned it unintentionally since young, enabling her to progress her skill far more rapidly.</s> <|message|>Yuán Xiáyīng 「源 霞櫻」 Shrine of a Forgotten God, Henan --- Xiáyīng momentarily seemed to lower her guard. Or rather, it could perhaps be better said that her curiosity got the better of her. The man wasn't saying anything, and the woman had just entered the room and begun to speak. She tilted her head ever-so-slightly, wanting to see what they were doing, what their expressions were -- wanted to make sure they really weren't going to hurt her. Then it happened. In an instant, a dark and familiar something stole its way over the dark-haired woman's face, icy recognition descending upon her from on high like hailstones, and sudden, bristling anger flashing towards her like lightning. Not towards her specifically, but rather towards... "A young pair of eyes could be helpful in an investigation like yours, Sima." She knew. She didn't just know, but she craved the power that Xiáyīng so unwillingly bore. It wasn't a request, or an invitation -- it was a threat. Lend her power, or have it taken from her by force. Even if she complied, there was no guarantee the woman wouldn't turn on her once her usefulness to her had ended. If she let her guard down for even a second... her eyes would be taken. But she had already seen the woman's strength herself. The path she had walked was long and arduous, and surely, a useless child like her could not possibly hope to match one who had climbed so far, and learned so much. If she drew her blade here, or if she tried to run -- it mattered not. All she could do was comply. Her only reassurance was that the man did not seem to share the woman's awareness of her nature. Or, if he did know -- he had called her "Blue," after all -- he lacked the same hostility. She could see it -- his sorrow, and his warmth. It was far too presumptuous to expect that he would protect her, necessarily, if push came to shove, but... for the time being, of the two who had pressed her into service, he seemed much safer than his dark-haired companion. "I'm sorry." Despite his advice, it was the only answer that came naturally to her when she was scolded. What else was she supposed to say? Nevertheless, she tried to hold her head just a little higher -- almost high enough to meet his gaze as she awkwardly, unsubtly scooted just a little closer to him, and away from Yifang. "I did not mean to cause offense. I will... umm... keep your advice in mind." It wasn't much -- and it could hardly be called an improvement -- but the way she gripped her sword now bespoke a fear much greater than simply being robbed. If she was attacked, she would run, and if forced to fight, she would lose -- but despite the inevitability of such a defeat, she began to steel herself for such an eventuality regardless.</s> <|message|>Luo Yifang Shrine of a Forgotten God Luo Yifang Yifang couldn't help the slight raise of the end of her lips as the other scooted away from her. Was she really so afraid of the husk she had become? "Well, you have your time to rest," the woman said after Sima took the opportunity to do just that. She paused, eyes flickering about the young woman's figure--messy hair, messy clothes. The vice grip on the sword didn't go unnoticed either. Perhaps it was best to speak plainly. She dropped her hand from her locks and, while she hesitated, did rest her bony hand on the girl's shoulder. "I'm Luo Yifang. As unlikely as it is that you've heard of me, I know of your father. If you need anything at all, don't hesitate to ask. "In the meantime, I best prepare for our little adventure. The Marital Alliance calls upon us." Another smile tugged at her features, but it didn't quite reach her dark eyes as they lingered on the younger woman. Only then did Yifang pull away step out of the other's way and into the shrine to find which of her few belongings would be appropriate for the quest.</s>

<|message|>Xiao Shan Well, this is odd. Xiao Shan thought to herself as she rubbed the back of her head, ruffling her wild hair as she looked at the spectacle unfolding in front of her. Tang Yuying is certainly living up her name as the mad woman as she glanced to the people gathered and used for whatever she intended. That she noticed her appearance despite being a first-time meeting also demonstrated this was no simpleton, there was skill behind that madness or eccentricity. What kind of techniques does she use though? Perhaps poison? Or something far more insidious-? Ah, she's going off-course. Xiao Shan cleared her throat and spoke in a much more reserved tone. "There's a poster requesting that you're to be found and brought in." Xiao Shan said before letting parting her arms wide. "So here I am." "So follow me and let me bring you in." She bluntly stated to Tang Yuying and thumbed back to where the Golden River Inn was. "You can run afterward." Honestly, it was the best arrangement, she gets paid, Tang Yuying doesn't waste energy and focus more on running while still having a chance to escape. A win win scenario in Xiao Shan opinion.</s>

<|description|>Ferret Age: 25 About: Ferret has been on his own since he was a young boy. He grew up as a stray orphan on the streets of Gotham, running around with other kids and watching his friends gradually get picked off or die of disease. He was one of the few who survived to adulthood, and it paid off. He makes his way through the Underground, as he calls the network of subterranean tunnels, alleys, and sewers. For the most part he keeps to himself. Occasionally he will shoplift necessities, but mostly he survives by scavenging, pawning the rare valuables he finds. He got his name because of his long, lean body which allows him to fit through spaces that seem impossibly small.</s> <|message|>Ferret "Twenty bucks." "Come on, man, it's worth fourty." "Final offer." "Fine." Ferret traded the watch he'd found in a dumpster for a wrinkled, dirty twenty and slunk out of the pawn shop. Glancing both ways quickly, he slipped in the small gap between the pawn shop and laundromat and jogged down the slightly wider alley. When he got to the wall, he scrambled up it and slid down the other side. Using some of the money to buy a greasy burger from a shack on the other side of the street, he slipped the change into one of the pockets of his ragged coat and put the burger into the knapsack on his back. Wanting to get below the surface streets, he slunk along the shadows of the severe gray buildings and avoided contact with any other people going about their business. When he came to a row of dumpsters, he crawled behind one and settled down to eat. He was dressed as if someone put together a bunch of old rags and sewed them together with twine, which is actually how some of his clothes were made. His hair was overgrown and dirty, and the cloth that covered his lower face, neck, and chest made it almost impossible to see what he looked like. All in all, he was completely forgettable, and that was the way he liked it.</s> <|message|>Lilliane Marie Helgate "Yes, sir... thank you." Lilliane quietly spoke, head lightly tilted forwards, giving this bowed look as she nodded to the obese man in front of her. That was her boss and she absolutely hated him. Lily worked as a as general worker in a grocery store chain and this man was the guy who ran this store. Her tasks here varied widely from day to day, but since they were constantly understaffed to limit expenses, the guy was making a lot of money since he made them work harder while keeping the money that would usually be spend on more workers. He had friends in the rest of the stores that allowed him to hide it from the people who actually owned the entire thing, so as long as the profits stood as they should be, he was scott free to do whatever. She was one of the about dozen workers here and she was tired, overworked every day. Still it was one of the few places that had agreed to hire her and he did so by cutting her pay even more. She was currently obediently waiting for her salary to be given and he was instead berating her and abusing her psychologically. He liked to do so, but she wasn't breaking. After a while, a few indirect insinuations, a few not so veiled ones and a lot of shouting, he tossed the envelope with her salary to her. It was lighter than what it should be, but she was used to it. With all her willpower she walked out normally out of his office and headed to the changing rooms in the back of the big store. She took off her uniform there and by the time she began walking towards the staff entrance on the back, she was already shuffling her feet tiredly. It had been a 12 hour shift... 12 hours of night shift that had somehow gotten even more stretched out since it was well into the day now. Just as she reached the back entrnace, there was a big crash, sound of broken glass and shouts as something was apparently happening. Chances were that it was a store robbery, but given the chaos it was more likely that one of the many 'villains' was on a rampage. A rather regular thing in Gotham. She had no idea who it was and didn't really care. Happening across events like this was the norm in this blasted city. So she just walked out hte door, leaving the chaos behind and with a tired shuffle walked onwards, following the back alleyway towards her destination. She had to stop by the bank to deposit her salary. The sounds of battle, crumbling concrete and police sirens barely registered with her. Maybe... she should see if she could move to Metropolis...</s>

<|message|>Ferret Ferret heard the sound of destruction coming from behind, and he looked out from behind the dumpster, debating whether to risk staying hidden close by or to run to safety further away. He didn't want to get close to any of the villians wreaking havok. That was his method, avoid the mess, pick through the aftermath for supplies. He decided to book it. He slipped out and jogged quickly away from the noise. He ran past a woman who seemed to be taking her time, and hissed, "Hurry, they always fan out. You're in the line of fire."</s>

<|description|>Lilliane Marie Helgate Age: 21 About: Borned and raised in Gotham, Lilliane, never quite fit in with the world around her. Born into a middle class family, she often saw the grim reality of the accursed city, yet there wasn't much to do in order to change her lot in life. It was their life and despite the madness that was Gotham and all the villains running about, her family made do with what they had. They were never rich or targets of organized crime... at least until Lilliane was in highschool. Her super powers began manifesting around that time as she began rapidly recovering from illnesses and healing from injuries until eventually it became so fast that it was obvious it was NOT natural. That earned her some weird looks... people began distancing from her, some began bullying her since she healed anyways... Worst came when she was 16 and got targeted by the Joker who had gotten wind of her unique gift and was wanting to check it out. Lily( as she prefferes being called), doesn't actually remember much from that time. A trauma of sorts, but she knows she got pumped full of the joker chemicals and survived it... then she got pumped full constantly until it got absorbed into her and she became poisonous with the stuff by mere touch. Police say she used to do stuff for the Joker, obeyed and the like for a while until Batman managed to capture him eventually and she got captured too. After a few years of rehab, psychological interventions, a lot of experimental therapy to ged rid of the Joker stuff, a file in the polife and a constant tracking bracelet she was allowed back in society. A society that was now even more hostile... She had a proper criminal background, she was behind on her education, was awkward around people and nobody wanted to hire a potential criminal... She managed to set her life eventually, working menial jobs and finishing her education on the side.</s> <|message|>Ferret "Twenty bucks." "Come on, man, it's worth fourty." "Final offer." "Fine." Ferret traded the watch he'd found in a dumpster for a wrinkled, dirty twenty and slunk out of the pawn shop. Glancing both ways quickly, he slipped in the small gap between the pawn shop and laundromat and jogged down the slightly wider alley. When he got to the wall, he scrambled up it and slid down the other side. Using some of the money to buy a greasy burger from a shack on the other side of the street, he slipped the change into one of the pockets of his ragged coat and put the burger into the knapsack on his back. Wanting to get below the surface streets, he slunk along the shadows of the severe gray buildings and avoided contact with any other people going about their business. When he came to a row of dumpsters, he crawled behind one and settled down to eat. He was dressed as if someone put together a bunch of old rags and sewed them together with twine, which is actually how some of his clothes were made. His hair was overgrown and dirty, and the cloth that covered his lower face, neck, and chest made it almost impossible to see what he looked like. All in all, he was completely forgettable, and that was the way he liked it.</s> <|message|>Lilliane Marie Helgate "Yes, sir... thank you." Lilliane quietly spoke, head lightly tilted forwards, giving this bowed look as she nodded to the obese man in front of her. That was her boss and she absolutely hated him. Lily worked as a as general worker in a grocery store chain and this man was the guy who ran this store. Her tasks here varied widely from day to day, but since they were constantly understaffed to limit expenses, the guy was making a lot of money since he made them work harder while keeping the money that would usually be spend on more workers. He had friends in the rest of the stores that allowed him to hide it from the people who actually owned the entire thing, so as long as the profits stood as they should be, he was scott free to do whatever. She was one of the about dozen workers here and she was tired, overworked every day. Still it was one of the few places that had agreed to hire her and he did so by cutting her pay even more. She was currently obediently waiting for her salary to be given and he was instead berating her and abusing her psychologically. He liked to do so, but she wasn't breaking. After a while, a few indirect insinuations, a few not so veiled ones and a lot of shouting, he tossed the envelope with her salary to her. It was lighter than what it should be, but she was used to it. With all her willpower she walked out normally out of his office and headed to the changing rooms in the back of the big store. She took off her uniform there and by the time she began walking towards the staff entrance on the back, she was already shuffling her feet tiredly. It had been a 12 hour shift... 12 hours of night shift that had somehow gotten even more stretched out since it was well into the day now. Just as she reached the back entrnace, there was a big crash, sound of broken glass and shouts as something was apparently happening. Chances were that it was a store robbery, but given the chaos it was more likely that one of the many 'villains' was on a rampage. A rather regular thing in Gotham. She had no idea who it was and didn't really care. Happening across events like this was the norm in this blasted city. So she just walked out hte door, leaving the chaos behind and with a tired shuffle walked onwards, following the back alleyway towards her destination. She had to stop by the bank to deposit her salary. The sounds of battle, crumbling concrete and police sirens barely registered with her. Maybe... she should see if she could move to Metropolis...</s> <|message|>Ferret Ferret heard the sound of destruction coming from behind, and he looked out from behind the dumpster, debating whether to risk staying hidden close by or to run to safety further away. He didn't want to get close to any of the villians wreaking havok. That was his method, avoid the mess, pick through the aftermath for supplies. He decided to book it. He slipped out and jogged quickly away from the noise. He ran past a woman who seemed to be taking her time, and hissed, "Hurry, they always fan out. You're in the line of fire."</s>

<|message|>Lilliane Marie Helgate Lily was barely moving honestly. A body that kept healing and regenerating didn't mean she was a boundless wellspring of energy. After over 14 hours of being on foot, working heavy lifting work, no time to have meals or rest, she was about as dead on her feet as one could be. At this point she was way beyond giving any care to what happens with the villains and 'heroes'... Not like she wouldn't be dragged into it if somebowdy wanted her to be. The tracker on her ankle meant her locations were always known to the Gotham PD. To her susrprise somebody was calling out to her to hurry it up. She looked up at the man. She didn't recognize him, wondered why she cared. Gotham was not a city where most people survived if they cared for others. He also ahd that peculiar looks about him that suggested one of hte many denizens that weren't officially existing in the city aka the city rats/homeless population. Struggling to walk a bi faster, she made her way over to the other side down the alleyway, making way away from the huge grocery store just in time as one of the walls burst in a shower of concrete, bricks adn chunks of the metal shelving used inside. From it came forth a trio of Joker dressed hoodlums that were waving guns about and having a firefight with presumably the police. By this point she had managed to reach the end of the alleyway and the corner of the building leading to the streets proper. She barely managed to turn the corner before everything turned black for a moment and she just lurched forward, leaning on the nearby wall and sitting down on some stairs." Hey, thank you for the warning... Most wouldn't bother." She told the man who had decided to provide some measure of help even if it was just a warning. The gunshots echoing from the alleyway turned hectic as screams about 'the bat' began. It wasn't hard to figure out what was happening in the alleyway right now.</s>

<|description|>Nick Hayes Age: 32 Outfit: Nick typically wears his DPA uniform which consists of a white button down shirt, flak pants, combat boots, and a bomber jacket Bio: Nick was never one to stand out in the crowd. As a child he hated drawing attention to himself and would often be the loner of the group. As a result, he grew up without many close friends in his life and burying his nose in books and the like. Eventually, he took up a temp job working in a county courthouse where he had the unfortunate luck to run into a class-3 roaming spirit. In this case, it was the soul of a convict who'd been sentenced to death within the courthouse. Nick was saved at the last minute by a DPA officer who, rather than wipe Nick's memory, saw his potential as a member of the force and recruited him to join the secretive organization. Now, Nick works as one of the main officers for the DPA and is a decorated ghost hunter. Weapons: Nick's weapon of choice is the S.E.E.K.R. a high-powered revolver that fires specialized soul-killing bullets that eradicate a spirit from both the astral plane as well as our world. In addition, he carries a variety of tools depending on the type of ghost he is dealing with. (I.E. holy water, wooden stakes, sanctified steel, etc.)</s> <|message|>Nick Hayes A pair of blinding white headlights cut through the darkness as a solitary car sped down the two-lane Kentucky highway. Inside the car, Officer Nick Hayes kept his eyes squarely focused on the road. Hayes was frustrated to be called out to Kentucky on such short notice, but sadly for him, the Hopkinsville Goblins were back. Nick was an officer for the Department of Paranormal Activity (The DPA). About 45 years ago, the U.S. government had discovered the existence of another dimension that was housed by the "spirits" of humans and other creatures who had departed from earth. While they were "mostly" separate, some ghosts managed to cross the barrier and return to our world, but many were the worse for it. The process eradicated what sense the spirit had left and often turned them into mad and rampaging monsters. The Goblins were a group of spirits that popped up in rural Kentucky every few years. They weren't a major threat, but they could cause serious problems if they got out of hand, which was why Nick and his partner were hot on their tail. As the car pulled up to a lone farmhouse just off the highway, Nick turned to his partner and groaned. "Jesus, Thea... can you not stick your head through the window while I'm driving? You know that creeps me out..."</s> <|message|>Thea Thea drew back and sat the conventional way in the passenger seat, minus the seatbelt. She made the motions of smoothing her long skirt over her legs, an unnessary act given she had no mass. "If that frightens you," she said, her words soft and enunciated clearly, "You picked the wrong line of work." A slim cigareete holder was held delicately on the side of her mouth, and she removed it and blew a thin line of smoke. So much of what she did was pointless given her ghostly form, the smoking, the careful speech she was taught almost a century ago, and the smoking. But, she often said, little separated her from the evil creatures they fought and she wanted to make that line as thick as possible. Besides, she was a lady. "This place reeks of goblins. Don't pack too close to the house. They're hiding." She leaned over and looked through the door of the car to see the ground below the moving vehicle. "The tracks are fresh, too." Her flowing hair was as unchanged by the wind outside as it was inside.</s>

<|message|>Nick Hayes "I wouldn't worry too much. This is just gonna be a routine extermination," Nick said with a sigh as the car began to slow to a halt. "I've tangled with Goblins before. The only time they were ever a problem was the Hopkinsville Incident, and the upper brass want to make sure that NEVER happens again." Getting out of the car, Nick proceeded to open the trunk and withdrew some items they'd need for the upcoming extermination. Among them, he grabbed a clip-board and a forged U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service badge. He then turned to approach the house, flipping a signal for Thea to turn invisible. If the people in the house proved uncooperative, standard procedure would have Thea possess them to comb their memory and then wipe it once they had the information they needed. When he reached the door, Nick gave it a stiff knock that echoed in the darkness of the night. After several moments, a middle aged woman pulled the door open partway. She had a frail build and mousy brown hair pulled back into a bun. Nick smiled as he flashed the badge that he'd tacked to his shirt. "Good evening, Miss. Sorry to bother you at this late hour, but I'm with the Fish and Wildlife Service. There was an issue involving an oil spill a few miles south of here and it's causing some of the animals in the area to migrate. We're just running a survey to see if you've noticed anything... unusual in the last few days?" Based on her expression, Nick wasn't altogether sure she was buying his story, but he hoped the official-looking nature of the badge and clipboard could make up for his explanation.</s>

<|description|>Fuyuko Yamato Height: 158 cm (5'2") Weight: 107 lbs Build: Slender Age: 15 Nationality: Japanese Zangetsu (Moon Slayer) Noble Arm Rank: B+ Noble Arm Type, Element, and Range: Melee, Fire, Mid-Range Noble Arm Abilities: Flame Strike: An ability to envelope the katana in flames akin to a blast furnace. Once enchanted, the blade stays so until manually extinguished, severely burning anything it contacts, as the flames burst violently. Blazing Wave: A power to unleash a tidal wave of flame. That splits off into a multitude of fireballs to target any enemy the user can see. The fireballs home in and cause 10-meter-radius detonations. The wave, fireballs and detonation alike do no harm to anyone the user doesn't specifically designate as an enemy and are thus harmless by default. Amaterasu's Judgement: A passive ability. The flames created by all of the katana's other abilities grow stronger in the presence of heat, even their own. Unless extinguished, the flames will grow exponentially until nightfall. Amaterasu's Mercy: The katana can rapidly weaken and extinguish any flame the user can see. This effect isn't instantaneous, so if they were to, for example, contest the power of another flame user, it would be a race to see who can output more power into their effects faster. Daughter of the Sun: A passive ability. The flames created by all of the katana's other abilities are stronger under the light of the sun. At noon-day, the difference is particularly notable. Amaterasu's Mercy also is more efficient. Misc Abilities: Leadership: As a lieutenant of the imperial army, she has the leadership skills to lead her division to battle, but not groomed to be heir to the imperial throne. Political Backing: Her status as the ninth imperial princess of Japan allows her to have some sort of diplomatic skill for dignitaries or if there's persuasion needed. Military Training: Having served the imperial army for a year of experience, she has the training to strive for Japan's greatness in war. Swordsmanship: Her skills in swordplay are unrivaled to other practitioners since she received training under an instructor when she was young. Personality: Fuyuko is generally a private and reserved young woman who is constantly in the shadow of her elder brother and siblings. While females are barred from inheriting the throne of Japan, she tries to keep up an appearance of being a Japanese royal like the many other European royals with being well-informed of other political matters of other countries. Though she acts more like a very prim and proper Japanese lady, Fuyuko is not adverse to displaying tomboyish behavior at times with her hobbies. This contradicts with how the Imperial Household Agency wants her to act, so she feels a bit trapped at times. *Likes: Tea ceremonies, debating history, going outdoors, training, swords *Dislikes: Outdated views, China, corruption Fears: Being touched, confined spaces, being bound or tied, crowds Bio: Born as the ninth born daughter of Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako, she had several older siblings where the younger son was the Crown Prince of Japan. In the shadow of her elder brother, she wasn't very much groomed to be the heir and stayed out of her brother's way. Training under an instructor of sportsmanship, she learned kendo at a young age. At her thirteenth birthday, her Noble Arms manifested under being kidnapped by a group of men who disliked the Emperor. She was able to get away from the alleyway that they had taken her and in fear, she made the first kill in stabbing the men who tried to kidnap her. Her teenage years at school were a little lonely with the other students not wanting to incur the wrath of her father if they became friends with her. Thus, she enlisted in the Japanese Self-Defense Forces as soon as she asked her father about it, the man not wanting to see his daughter on the front lines of war, but he reluctantly let her go train in the military. Fuyuko would later rise to the rank of lieutenant over her own merits where China was an antagonistic nation who helped the corruption of the President of the Phillipines. *Current Goal: To change the succession law of Japan, so that if her older brother dies, she can ascend to the throne. Additionally, to prevent China from endangering other nations. Military or Civilian Rank: Second Lieutenant of the Japanese Self-Defense Forces, Ninth Imperial Princess of Japan</s> <|message|>Noel Alonso. Chapter One, Desperation in Lingayen, Part Six Lingayen Beach, Municipality of Lingayen, Lingayen Gulf "The enemy Arms Master we know for sure is after us is Ren Huo - Or was it Huo Ren?" Noel responded to Regina punctually. "His Noble Arm is a Spear which allows him several Sun-themed powers - That means he's most likely the one projecting that Artificial Sun above us. Thankfully, Princess Fukuyo here is strengthened by fire and heat in general, meaning that she can counter him long enough for us to stab him in the back. As for the other Arms Masters... I don't have anything yet." And indeed, the Princess could feel her Noble Arm being strengthened, and it was faster than it should be even in these circumstances. She might recall a memorandum from Japan's Military Intelligence that Ren Huo might have a secret weakness; that he seemed to empower every Arms Master who based their power on fire and heat whether he was willing to or not. Those rumors were further confirmed once the Artificial Sun suddenly began fading, turning transparent until it vanished completely, leaving a clear sky. Noel's strategy, discussed with Callie and Nil, to use Henri to negate the magical construct had succeeded, with Henri's dive into the giant ball of fire, a dive where he had been able to activate his 'Anti-Magic', being the decisive factor in halting Ren Huo's onslaught and the near-loss of the defenders. In the air, Lotus Squadron could see the man with the spear, Ren Huo himself, halt completely in his tracks, and Kaitlyn could see him as well, and if she requested Qingshe for a telescope or already had binoculars, she could have a closer view of the man who had caused so much havoc on his own. "Fireteams one and two - All of you but Nemo can reach him with your powers!" Noel shouted, clearly remembering Regil, Lucy, and Fukuyo's abilities in particular. "Prepare to attack; fire at will when we get the enemy's position through the comms!" He then shifted topics, "Lotus Squadron, do you copy? If you've found Ren Huo, give us the coordinates of his position - We might have a chance to rub him out of this world!" He then took the time to walk up to the smallest Arms Master (Nemo) and give the boy a cautious head pat, before saying to him, "You did well in the previous stage of the battle. Now, I presume you have more powers than what you've already shown? If so, while the others blast him, tell me all about them so we can use your Noble Arm better." Then to Qingshe, Noel continued, "Can you relay a message to Private Pierce? Tell her she's amazingly good with kids; can she and you help me protect this one?" he gestured to Nemo, "We can't avoid all trauma, but we can use whatever support we can to get through it and even minimize what we get..." --- Team Callie had succeeded with flying colors, giving the Main Group a chance to deal with the enemy who had cast the Artificial Sun. It was almost time for the real deal to set, and the sky was brightly lit with red as the area cooled. They could see from their position that the Chinese Fleet was holding back, making no moves to attack for thirty seconds - An eternity in a modern battlefield. Was this because although the ships had been reset yet again by the mysterious Arms Master who was frustrating their efforts, the crewfolk who had been killed on the vessels had not been so lucky? Either way, this would be enough time for the Main Group to fire at Huo Ren, enough time to get off one or two blasts, but that wasn't their problem right now. Because in the thirty seconds' pause, the earth was shaking, even though it was not being pounded with artillery. The Philippine marines that had been stationed on Team Callie's new hill were vanishing, many turning to the just-appeared team of Arms Masters for help before they were swallowed into the softening ground. Then, when the three members of the team were finally alone, yet given enough foreshadowing of their enemy's nature and capabilities to be afraid, to sense that they were being toyed with, the earth underneath them began to crack, with small chunks of the hill breaking loose and tumbling down towards the beach... Just as the three of them saw Sophist flying towards them, lightening gravity in their area so that they were almost floating, "The person behind this must be nearby - I've lightened your gravity to allow you to escape, then we're going to find whoever is causing this once we find another vantage point!" @The World@Chiro@Aisede@MagusDream@Lewascan2@Vergil@Sniblet@Conscripts@Gerlando@Senhara</s> <|message|>Nemo --- Nemo wasn't sure how to respond to Noel. He seemed to be the one in charge, but he also showed unnecessary worrying considering his position. He also didn't know how to react to having his head pat like that, so he simply stood there with a blank expression. Orders had been given to attack, but of course he wasn't included in that, not being able to do anything meaningful. And that lack of use was grating on him quickly before he was asked about his Noble Arm. Can't fight. If I can't fight I can't be useful. I n- His thinking was cut off when Noel asked him about his weapon. It was close enough to an order, a reason to do something to be useful that it brightened his mood. "Vitae responds to emotions. Known effects are anger, sadness, happiness, determination, and agony. Anger is an offensive state, Sadness is a defensive state. Happiness makes it easier to use, determination has a healing effect, and agony is an anti-capture use." Nemo explained succinctly. He didn't take his eyes off of Noel, the commanding officer that he was, at all since being addressed by him. He needed to be told what he could do to be helpful, now that there were no nearby opposing forces enemies.</s>

<|message|>Fuyuko Yamato Well, this was some trouble with Huo Ren they were all running to which frankly, her own powers being born from the sun goddess' blessing should be able to match the other guy's. With the buff being given by Regil and Huo Ren's own sun-based power, Zangetsu was being strengthened to make sure it would increase speed than before. Seeing the artificial sun fade until the sky appeared before them clearly, she nodded to Noel with her response. "If you wish it so, I will attempt to buy us time in order for our combined attacks to go through." With the others being a little busy with other matters in the war to protect the Phillipines, she would rush forward to confront Huo Ren with Zangetsu manifesting in a burst of flame. "I shall be the one to challenge your might." The flames burst out violently as she aimed to attempt buying time for the others to coordinate in bringing the man down, using the strikes of her flaming katana to engage in close combat. He definitely had the very same power to control heat and fire, so the blessing of the sun goddess will turn the tides.</s>

<|description|>Yosugano Rin Appearance Height: 158 cm (5'2") Weight: 103 lbs Build: Athletic Age 19 Nationality Japanese Noble Arm Name & Appearance These chains manifest in and out of her body. Bond Abound — Amatsutowaza Noble Arm Rank C- Noble Arm Type, Element, and Range Chains — Mid-Range, Conditional, Ice Noble Arm Abilities Evening Geysers, Hallowed Type: Mid-Range, Feint, Combo-Setter Condition: Follow-up Chains protrude from the ground, combined with ice geysers. There must be either a solid or humid surface to perform this standard attack spell and those touched by the icy chains will be marked by a runic condition. Under Oath of The Snow Globe Type: Effect Condition: Vow A byproduct of Evening Geysers, Hallowed. Under Oath of The Snow Globe is a conditional vow between two parties and that agreement is to fight in an isolated area that is agreed upon. The vow leaves an open-ended question, either a Yes or No. If Yes, a cage match like barrier will be the battleground. The area in effect can still be disrupted by Arms Master by merely destroying it. If No, there will be no cage match inside the isolated barrier. Icy Heart, Enduring Pain Type: Self Buff/Combo-Setter Condition: Affliction This particular technique is harmful to Rin as she places the conditional chains to herself, by withstanding damage from her adversaries, all her abilities are doubled. The only downside would be her keeping up the endurance before she passed out of pain and fatigue or eventually, killed. She may inflict damage to herself too. Horrific House of Mirrors Type: AoE, Mid-Range, Trump Card This is a one-time gig after accumulation of hurt from Icy Heart, Enduring Pain. Rin manifests a snowy landscape, filled with mirrors, entangled with chains. She uses psychology warfare to trick opponents of her whereabouts and since the mirrors shows Rin's reflection, it makes it difficult to intercept. Rin uses this to her advantage and bind her opponents in the mazy house of Mirrors with chains. It's expected that her Trump Card can be dispelled with brute force. The World Series All Around Chains Type: Anti-Personnel Range: Short, Mid, Long, AoE (20-meters) Victims: 50 Use: Multipurpose Condition: Imagination Rin can shape her chains into whatever extended tool at the end of its protruding tips. Flail — Increases mass = explosive power. Blades — increases cutting and piercing momentum. Barriers — increases defense. Platform — increases mobility to create grappling floors, etc Key — duplicates the properties of daily security. E.g keys to unlock doorknob, etc. All Around Enchantment Type: Enchantment Range: Mid Use: Buffs Targets: 5 Condition: Sacrificing Defense Rin inflicts a runic condition to increase resistance to known types of disorienting effects — motion sickness, *insert name of* -phobia, poison, illusions, burning and augment attack, defense, speed, healing, decrease spell cooldown and stamina recovery double time. When under the spell, people feel a cool sensation. Rin, however, cannot buff herself, only others. She becomes vulnerable in this state. Misc Abilities Psychology — Rin can be charming or horrid. In the army, she's the "charismatician" of her squad and listens to her fellow soldiers by giving them therapy. She's horrid to her enemies. Military Training — In both the Medical Department and enlists, Rin has been in the army for a year and a half. Ninjutsu — Rin is a descendant of the Koga Clan and directly related to the late Mochizuki Chiyome. She's trained in the Koga Art of Offensive and Defensive Guerrilla Warfare. Personality Rin much like her element is tranquil and soft-spoken, she's perceptive and quick to act like a Girl Scout and has no tolerance for beating around the bush and lies. One may consider her a killjoy and a "Yes Lady" but that's far from the truth, Rin only complies to what's ruled and regulated by her environment as long as it benefits her and the rest. She's quick to drop morals and commit warcrimes, in particular false surrenders to pragmatically get good results. Ironic, for someone who hates lies is a liar herself but that only applies to life threatening situations and the lack of destructive capacity that her Noble Arms have, which she compensates with psychological warfare. Despite of that cold icy heart, Rin cares and uses her vocational course, majoring in Psychology to address people according to their temperament. So she's like a chameleon that emulates how people portray themselves based on personality types and if one were to be aggressive, she'll respond with a graceful tone while being passive-aggressive, this is to fish out truths than insult. *Likes: Ramen. Creative Solutions. Dancing. *Dislikes Do not call her short. Do not touch her. Do not make her question you. Fears Rin is afraid of: — Accomplishing a mission that requires pragmatic action that involved perishing those she forms attachment with. — Her family's emotional grip and abuse. Ironic, given her position. She still holds a soft spot despite their dogmatic viewpoint. — China and their motives. Bio The Age of Ninja dwindled and so as its renown people, the Koga went under civilian names as they put their past behind but some remained loyal to the practice. The House of Yosugano, from the extinction of ninja to the present day upholds the ninja way and earnestly developed their Ninjutsu to the first caliber. Allegiance to neither nation nor government while remaining aligned to Japan as your average citizens in the surface while in the night of the shadows, Ninja to the core and principled with their beliefs about eliminating what threatens their nation and protect those associated with Japan. Ninja, a general term, Shinobi for Males and Kunoichi for Females, the House of Yosugano are an autonomous force, the public hears of it as an urban legend about masked people, dispatching threats at night, or so they say. Rin lived a life of doctrine by her family's ninja sect, every aspect of her life was barely separated from ninjahood including socializing. This means that socializing is used and practiced daily to gauge the true colors of people, Rin wanted to be normal yet is chained by her clan's philosophy, she's taught to forsake her "selfish" desires and do all for the sake of her family, which was strongly enforced in perfecting academics and sports. Rin took gymnastics and figure skating as a child, merely as a cover to keep normal people from prying into her Ninja life while maintaining Ninjutsu training. Her Noble Arms manifested at 13 and discouraged the use of poison tactics, believing that cooling and freezing their persons of interests are better of in one piece that die a painful poisonous death. A year and a half ago, she's taken up military service, which at the same time was a mission from her clan, to keep tabs of any possible threats. Rin was enlisted in the Medical Division for her outstanding psychology ethics and in the event where China became the aggressor, her family doubled the mission: protect Japan and its allies, kill anyone who is a threat and aide the Filipino People who is at mercy of their enemy. *Current Goal Therapy For All Military or Civilian Rank Medical Soldier of the Japanese Self-Defense Forces. *Optional Take note: IRL Ninjutsu, please do not associate with Naruto terms.</s> <|message|>Noel Alonso. Chapter One, Desperation in Lingayen Lingayen Beach, Municipality of Lingayen, Lingayen Gulf The Municipality of Lingayen, Pangasinan, as well as its strategic Lingayen Beach, had been commandeered by the Armed Forces of the Philippines as they desperately sought to fortify the area against a now-inevitable Chinese landing, and evacuation orders had been sent out to the local population to prevent them from being collateral damage. As the Siege of Taiwan to the north bought valuable time for the ASEAN Countries (except for Myanmar, which was Pro-China) to mobilize, the Philippines' meager naval strength had been gathered around Manila Bay to guard against a People's Liberation Navy attack from the west, while Arms Masters from all over the Philippines were mobilized to defend Lingayen Gulf and the municipalities around it. Lingayen City itself was ill-equipped to be a strong point; it had been a hub of tourism and agriculture for the region and thus had little experience with the demands of war. Nevertheless, the local commander had put what forces he can spare inside the municipality, intending to oppose the Chinese from the beaches with Arms Masters - Both locals and foreign volunteers (and a mercenary). Arms Masters were their only hope; every infantryfolk, vehicle driver, and air force or helicopter pilot had been tasked to support them. Second Lieutenant Noel Alonso, despite being only sixteen, oversaw the preparations for the defense of Lingayen Beach, such as it was, and he was not happy with how he and his people were about to be thrown away just because the Filipino people couldn't be shaken out of their lethargy earlier. The People's Liberation Navy had decided that they were content with having overrun half of Taiwan, and were now sending a fleet and an army down to Lingayen Gulf; the latter made up of a significant fraction of the People's Liberation Army which in ordinary circumstances, would be enough to overrun Manila itself. This cannot be allowed, so Alonso swiftly sent orders via radio to the Arms Masters who had come to take a stand alongside them, telling them to come to Lingayen Beach now and... Oppose the bombardment and the landings; use whatever defensive abilities you can to make things much harder. Maximize casualties among the enemy; make them march over the corpses of their own people. Do not be afraid to fall back to the city; there's no other way of escape anyway. And above all, don't get captured; we cannot get you back from their clutches if we lose you. As the innumerable transports and landing craft appeared on the horizon, as the Chinese broadcast their orders to surrender over the radio in multiple languages, as the Philippine Army and Marine detachments lay in their crude trenches, barely covered by what armored vehicles High Command could muster, Noel looked over to see if the Arms Masters both local and foriegn had arrived yet. It was late afternoon, 15:30 (3:30 PM), and the weather was cloudy; there would be no special advantages from the Moon today. Nevertheless, for his country, he would fight on, even if the stand he made resulted in his death. So as the Chinese waited, their landing craft already numbering hundreds as they waited for the order to advance, Noel howled his defiance, daring them to strike, knowing full well they had missiles and aircraft and artillery and drones and tanks and all the ordnance of war... As well as their own Arms Masters to counter the ones who had come here to 'make a difference'. He looked at the Japanese Imperial Princess who had come to fight alongside them, assuming she was beside him. As the Chinese began their bombardment, not giving the Arms Masters more time to prepare, as their landing craft surged to land thousands of their own infantry and marines, Noel said to the Princess, "Here's hoping your fire is a match for theirs'." Cruiser@SkyHresvelg@The World@Chiro@Aisede@Senhara@Renny@MagusDream@Lewascan2@Vergil@Sniblet@Silverstein@Stern Algorithm</s> <|message|>Fuyuko Yamato On behalf of her country, the ninth daughter of the current Emperor of Japan was deployed to the front lines in the gulf. She expected that the Chinese forces would be no slouch in military combat, so she'd had to be careful. The princess gave a nod to the young Fillipino man, the fire from the sun goddess will burn through the Chinese soldiers for their crimes over the atrocities they committed. "The flames of Amaterasu will give them their due punishment as a divine sign." Her response was filled with zeal over the ancestress of the Japanese Imperial House and for the longest time, they were treated like gods until the end of the Second World War. Her own outfit at the battlefield wasn't very much what a Japanese royal lady should be. The red military uniform and gold cherry-blossom engraved cap with gold medals signified that the girl was a commander of her own troop in spite of her age. Being Second Lieutenant of the Japanese Self-Defense Force taught her so much of warfare and military tactics, so today, the Phillipines will be safer under her watch.</s>

<|message|>Yosugano Rin Having smirked at the statement of the Ojou-sama, Rin knew that victory is at hand and that shadowing her was top priority. Yosugano Rin, the bodyguard and emissary adviser of Fuyukohime sighed at the slightest fidgeting of those around her, after all fear is natural but it must not consume the individual. China may have fallen from the graces of the Sun and unlike the heated discrimination these days, Rin only wish to cool it down. "And may Susanoo'o empower us as the storm that is approaching, Milady." It was an honor to serve not only the Japanese Self Defense Force but also Fuyukohime, herself, above all. Today and onward, Japan will be reclaiming their name and not seen as fools who are apologetic for their sins. Their world, metaphorically reborn in flames like Suzaku, the crimson phoenix from the ashes, dark, divine and the misery that is the war will be a distant tale like destiny chasing time, for generations to come. "As your entourage Milady, what is thy bidding? I do wish to wrap our prospects in cold chain to gain Intel and if not, what more can be done to turn things to our favor?" Although Rin supports herself she directly wants to hear what her Princess may mandate.</s>

<|description|>Sophist the Agitator [ UNDER INTENSE REVISION ] 5'7"| Svelte Build | Restless, Cocky, and Determined Age: 15 Nationality: Egyptian Sinsetta FO | The Philosopher's Shard Noble Arm Rank: B+ Noble Arm Type, Element, and Range: Support, Gravity??? (Close/Mid/Long) Noble Arm Abilities: Sinsetta FO enhances latent abilities and exerts a gravitational force on the user and target. Once spoken of in ancient times, Sinsetta FO is actually a refabricated shard of the crimson Philosopher's Stone. The gold, baseball-sized sphere simply being its chosen mode of transportation. Made by the most reclusive of The Seven Virtues. A tightly guarded secret by its wielders, Sinsetta FO adapts to the holder. In Sophist' case it manifests itself on the enigmatic and pervasive force known as Gravity, allowing him to manipulate it in various ways and degrees. His degree of use is dependent on both his understanding of the force and his current level of Willpower or focus. His abilities are noted by those necessary as the following. * Enhanced Physicality, superhuman level. Though no where near Pure Strength NAs. * Gravitational Fields, push and pull. To attribute weight and lessen it. * Flight at sub-sonic speeds. An adept through his years of practice. * Conjuration through unknown means and spiritual connection. As long as he can "visualize" it and its placement, he can summon it to the leather holster on his waist. * Unknown physical transmutation. Upon first use, Sinsetta FO seemingly made him appear more like Master overtime. This is explained away by Master through alchemic means. Misc Abilities: Spirit Force, Flowing Skyward Style of Combat. A mystic close-combat style that was taught to him by the one called Master. Its regarded by those few advanced students of the occult as deadly. The masses know nothing of it and should regard it as simple martial arts. While his martial style might be the most important, Sophist is likewise inquisitive and observant. He's also an avid studier of lost knowledge. Personality: Both reserved and impatient, Sophist takes to conflict as thoroughly as he does to his studies of the ancient arts and peaceful resolutions. Meticulous when his attention is grasp by worldly disputes but arguably indifferent in concerns to those petty things most called negotiations, Sophist considers both himself and his time to be of the highest importance. This speaks to a level of arrogance, one he battles with daily with furious mental effort. His Master believes his path arduous but virtuous, speaking of a future yet unseen. Sophist believes his goal meaningless but trusts more in the words of his Master than the blathering of his sub-conscious angst. At the end of all things is the singular personalized ideal of a purpose. Sophist believes his is to seek penance for his whimsical faith several years ago. *Likes: Ancient things, Pretty women, Text and Scrolls, and Noble Arms *Dislikes: Sheeple, Over-confident men, Gun-like weaponry Fears: Emotional attachments, Dark places, Vultures, Rats, Blood, Comedy and Tragedy Masks (specifically) Bio: Sophist' past begins more or less as a boy named: Oba, whose curiosities led him to radical terrorism and eventual enslavement. The adage "Curiosity killed the cat." applied here with fascinating precision. In his search online, he believed he had found a group of like-minded individuals, his young mind uncaring for the dark subjects therein. Long story short, he was tasked with murdering his beloved dog and leaving his life behind him. He did so and joined a lackluster organization known as The Hand that Reveals. It was more militaristic than one might think. They dispensed disruptive missions to their "Initiates", whole squads of kids and teens, across the continent of Africa. Before the age of nine, Sophist had killed up to hundreds of people through various means. When he had enough and his mind had somehow, however sudden it was, recognized his horrendous acts; he grasped with horror that he was trapped. Though a child soldier by choice at one point, he became a prisoner in the blink of an eye. A prisoner to his fears and environment. He sought freedom thereafter. On the precipice of turning eleven, he gathered other youths through fanciful speeches and intuitive suggestions. They revolted and though they won; he took on the burden of fifteen fallen comrades. Freedom costs, he learned. Debts must be paid. It cost him his mind for a period until forces beyond his understanding brought Student and Master together. Oba determines to repent for his sins and chances to believe in his Master. The topic of his training is kept secret, through no magical arts you might surmise, only a sacred creed passed down from master to student. And so, we won't discuss the three year period known as "The Contemplation". At the end of which, Oba renounced his given name and took on Sophist in reverence to his station and lessons. His Master, known simply as Master, was powerful in both mind and physicality. He carried with him a Noble Arm he found half a decade ago and presented it to whom he believed it belonged too all along. Though they lived as scholars, the two shared a brotherly bond and so when goodbyes were shared by Master, it was Sophist who reassured that "All is right, and so it shall be forevermore." Master demonstrating to Oba for the first time the power of his Noble Arms. Thought experiments are prevalent in the teachings of the occult. It was such an experiment that revealed to Sophist his Noble Arm's ability. His Master held a strong tie to The Seven Virtues but did not require Sophist to subscribe to the same. In fact, till this day his Noble Arm, though of Seven Virtues origins, has been used of purely selfish-intent. His first major debut was neither attributed to him or well received. A thought experiment gone awry, he produced the now coined "Footprint of God" along the Nile River. His second debut was a careless action, where he made two highly-regarded political powers kneel and show respect to one another out of frustration. He became known as Sophist the Agitator as said action only caused further strife. After which he was brough under the supervision of the Big Three, two of which was hoping to subdue and arrest his free will. Sophist has fought several Noble Arms users in this regard; The Seven Virtues being the only faction unwilling to come to blows with him. He ponders on why as he travels to the Philippines in hopes of discovering an unorthodox temple of occult study at the heart of the country. A tense, yet familiar tug on his consciousness follows. *Current Goal: To assess the cosmic string pulling him to the Philippines. Military or Civilian Rank: Unregistered Arm Master *Whatever it takes, Chosen Theme.</s> <|message|>Noel Alonso. Chapter One, Desperation in Lingayen Lingayen Beach, Municipality of Lingayen, Lingayen Gulf The Municipality of Lingayen, Pangasinan, as well as its strategic Lingayen Beach, had been commandeered by the Armed Forces of the Philippines as they desperately sought to fortify the area against a now-inevitable Chinese landing, and evacuation orders had been sent out to the local population to prevent them from being collateral damage. As the Siege of Taiwan to the north bought valuable time for the ASEAN Countries (except for Myanmar, which was Pro-China) to mobilize, the Philippines' meager naval strength had been gathered around Manila Bay to guard against a People's Liberation Navy attack from the west, while Arms Masters from all over the Philippines were mobilized to defend Lingayen Gulf and the municipalities around it. Lingayen City itself was ill-equipped to be a strong point; it had been a hub of tourism and agriculture for the region and thus had little experience with the demands of war. Nevertheless, the local commander had put what forces he can spare inside the municipality, intending to oppose the Chinese from the beaches with Arms Masters - Both locals and foreign volunteers (and a mercenary). Arms Masters were their only hope; every infantryfolk, vehicle driver, and air force or helicopter pilot had been tasked to support them. Second Lieutenant Noel Alonso, despite being only sixteen, oversaw the preparations for the defense of Lingayen Beach, such as it was, and he was not happy with how he and his people were about to be thrown away just because the Filipino people couldn't be shaken out of their lethargy earlier. The People's Liberation Navy had decided that they were content with having overrun half of Taiwan, and were now sending a fleet and an army down to Lingayen Gulf; the latter made up of a significant fraction of the People's Liberation Army which in ordinary circumstances, would be enough to overrun Manila itself. This cannot be allowed, so Alonso swiftly sent orders via radio to the Arms Masters who had come to take a stand alongside them, telling them to come to Lingayen Beach now and... Oppose the bombardment and the landings; use whatever defensive abilities you can to make things much harder. Maximize casualties among the enemy; make them march over the corpses of their own people. Do not be afraid to fall back to the city; there's no other way of escape anyway. And above all, don't get captured; we cannot get you back from their clutches if we lose you. As the innumerable transports and landing craft appeared on the horizon, as the Chinese broadcast their orders to surrender over the radio in multiple languages, as the Philippine Army and Marine detachments lay in their crude trenches, barely covered by what armored vehicles High Command could muster, Noel looked over to see if the Arms Masters both local and foriegn had arrived yet. It was late afternoon, 15:30 (3:30 PM), and the weather was cloudy; there would be no special advantages from the Moon today. Nevertheless, for his country, he would fight on, even if the stand he made resulted in his death. So as the Chinese waited, their landing craft already numbering hundreds as they waited for the order to advance, Noel howled his defiance, daring them to strike, knowing full well they had missiles and aircraft and artillery and drones and tanks and all the ordnance of war... As well as their own Arms Masters to counter the ones who had come here to 'make a difference'. He looked at the Japanese Imperial Princess who had come to fight alongside them, assuming she was beside him. As the Chinese began their bombardment, not giving the Arms Masters more time to prepare, as their landing craft surged to land thousands of their own infantry and marines, Noel said to the Princess, "Here's hoping your fire is a match for theirs'." Cruiser@SkyHresvelg@The World@Chiro@Aisede@Senhara@Renny@MagusDream@Lewascan2@Vergil@Sniblet@Silverstein@Stern Algorithm</s> <|message|>Fuyuko Yamato On behalf of her country, the ninth daughter of the current Emperor of Japan was deployed to the front lines in the gulf. She expected that the Chinese forces would be no slouch in military combat, so she'd had to be careful. The princess gave a nod to the young Fillipino man, the fire from the sun goddess will burn through the Chinese soldiers for their crimes over the atrocities they committed. "The flames of Amaterasu will give them their due punishment as a divine sign." Her response was filled with zeal over the ancestress of the Japanese Imperial House and for the longest time, they were treated like gods until the end of the Second World War. Her own outfit at the battlefield wasn't very much what a Japanese royal lady should be. The red military uniform and gold cherry-blossom engraved cap with gold medals signified that the girl was a commander of her own troop in spite of her age. Being Second Lieutenant of the Japanese Self-Defense Force taught her so much of warfare and military tactics, so today, the Phillipines will be safer under her watch.</s> <|message|>Yosugano Rin Having smirked at the statement of the Ojou-sama, Rin knew that victory is at hand and that shadowing her was top priority. Yosugano Rin, the bodyguard and emissary adviser of Fuyukohime sighed at the slightest fidgeting of those around her, after all fear is natural but it must not consume the individual. China may have fallen from the graces of the Sun and unlike the heated discrimination these days, Rin only wish to cool it down. "And may Susanoo'o empower us as the storm that is approaching, Milady." It was an honor to serve not only the Japanese Self Defense Force but also Fuyukohime, herself, above all. Today and onward, Japan will be reclaiming their name and not seen as fools who are apologetic for their sins. Their world, metaphorically reborn in flames like Suzaku, the crimson phoenix from the ashes, dark, divine and the misery that is the war will be a distant tale like destiny chasing time, for generations to come. "As your entourage Milady, what is thy bidding? I do wish to wrap our prospects in cold chain to gain Intel and if not, what more can be done to turn things to our favor?" Although Rin supports herself she directly wants to hear what her Princess may mandate.</s>

<|message|>Sophist the Agitator "Pitiful..." thought Sophist with a modicum of sorrow. The clouds around him were grayish, not yet dark. Yet overhead the countless soldiers, over the waters more specifically was a weighty behemoth preparing to drop its downpour. Carelessly, Sophist wrapped a thin, repulsive veil of gravity around his person; he left imperceptible openings to allow oxygen but mostly shielded his clothes from the approaching storm. Below him were other teens and adults, soldiers and volunteers; humans and Arm Masters, all fighting for a cause that ultimately meant nothing. If not for the tautness he felt when approached with the request; Sophist would've outright denied them his assistance. But there was a cause here, a keystone to some universal event perhaps. Sophist sighed, his leisurely posture floating some hundred meters above the others displaying his nonchalance at war. The voice speaking through his earpiece however grounded him in this reality. He shook his head before imposing a sense of duty on himself. I'm as arrogant as ever. Careful about that Sophist, Master says it'll be your undoing. He dropped his arms to his sides and launched his own offensive. War was cruel, that much he knew. He wouldn't allow the enemy to coordinate an attack. He flew off with astounding speed, leaving a boom in his wake. His hand formed a claw gesture as he gripped a corral of landing crafts in spheres of dense gravity and begun crushing them. The grinding and tearing metal was resounding. The cries of poor souls still inside blood-curdling and overshadowed. Yet still they deadened and in a show of mercilessness; Sophist viciously slammed the metal meteors across the enemies' battleground. His torso swiveled with alertness. No way they'll let that go unanswered.</s>

<|description|>Nemo Appearance: Height: 152.5cms / 60.03 inches Weight: 45.8kgs / 101lbs Slightly shorter than average but at the average weight, Nemo is about as toned as a 13 year old can get without being bulky. Age: 13 Nationality: Unknown Noble Arm Name & Appearance: -Vitae- Noble Arm Rank: D+ Noble Arm Type, Element, and Range: Support, Time, Reversal. Close-range. Noble Arm Abilities: Vitae's abilities are based on Nemo's emotional state. Rip (Anger): Vitae's blade begins vibrating at an intense speed, making it able to cut through most things that aren't Noble Arms themselves, and making it near impossible to block even with one. This, combined with Vitae being much too big for its Arms Master, makes wielding it a challenge. Tear (Sadness): Vitae becomes inert, making it able to deflect attacks in a unique way as nothing other than its Arms Master can cause it to move. [Think Immovable Rod from DND or something] Shred (Happiness): Vitae shrinks to a third of its size, making wielding it much easier as it now fits Nemo's body like a weapon should. Reverse (Determination): Vitae stops being able to cut things, instead being in contact with its blade causes things to revert to a previous point in time, in terms of its existence. Wounds heal as if they were never there, but there's little to no offensive use of Reverse. Inverse (Agony): Any damage that Nemo is dealing with, physical, mental, emotional, etc. becomes transferable via Vitae's blade. A small cut from it will mirror the wounds Nemo has unto the target. Misc Abilities: Physical Fitness: Nemo is extremely agile and strong for his age. His only lacking physical attribute is durability. Mental Acuity: Nemo is not necessarily brilliant, as he is uneducated, but is a good problem solver and quick learner. Voice: Nemo's voice is naturally very calming and he is capable of mimicking other voices quite well. Personality: *Likes: Survival. Helping. Praise. *Dislikes: Dying. Being useless. Killing. Fears: Death. Torture. Heights. Bio: Nemo is an unknown element up until he turned 11 years old, at which point his Noble Arms manifested. Since then he has been kept in a facility where he was experimented on, trained, and used in order to become a useful soldier for the U.S. His existence is top-secret, and is kept to only the highest members of the military, or more specifically the faction he belongs to. Which faction? If we knew, we'd be dead. Before his abduction, he was an orphan. That's all he remembers from that time, due to the "treatments" he has had administered over time. That's all that exists in records, either. He's been put through daily training in how to fight, especially in how to use his Noble Arms, but tactics escape him beyond the scope of himself. He will never be a military leader, and couldn't be due to this fact, which is only worsened by the induced amnesia he is put through weekly as part of his training. The only things he retains for sure are muscle memory usage of weapons, his Noble Arms, and his need to be praised. (Usually for following orders.) He once even forgot how to eat and had to be fed intravenously for a few days until he relearned how to swallow food correctly, and how much to chew it. His early training was mostly obedience training, shock collar and all, but when it was decided to begin inducing amnesia, that training was deemed a failure. However, it seems like it stuck with him somehow, due to how desperate he is to do well for others. *Current Goal: Survive and do what he has to in order to do so. Military or Civilian Rank: Unknown Military Rank.</s> <|message|>Hannie Cavalet ...and, as quickly as Hannie realizes how out of her depth she really is, the world bursts into fire. A soaring shimmering dome arcs above her head; she cringes down to the ground, not sure where it's from or what it's doing. Her radio squawks but it doesn't register with her; the guns are firing now, people are screaming, something blew up, people on the beach falling in bloody arcs. The Arms Masters - at least she knows them apart from everything else - are stepping forward, some of them yelling - prayers? - and she wonders if she should be praying too. She feels herself trying to shut down. Kirvella is biting her hand, chewing on her heart. The sand under her subtly crackles, only audible with the blessing of adrenaline, as freezing air from Kirvella's touch passes its cold into a tiny circle on the ground. There's this one little interesting thing she can do, and then there's... what is she supposed to do? A Queen enters play. Then, the dagger thrums uncharacteristically. Hannie's vision sharply dims, and she shudders. She finds her attention drawn to a spectral noblewoman raising some type of staff behind one of the Arms Masters. Child. Die. What is this voice--? The child's eyes begin to tear up with agony, but the pain is brief. In a moment, the tears stop, and I brush her aside. I am in control now - more than I ever was before. We are safer this way. Hannie straightens again, her expression relaxed. Kirvella's blade drips smoky clear fluid, then begins to rain small chunks of flash-frozen atmosphere. The child stands on a sheet of solid ice where there was sand, and the ice rapidly spreads around her. It's gotten very, very cold, very fast. I know our enemies. They are not beside us. We advance. With a blurring flick of her arm, she hurls Kirvella toward the shore. The cold here is not quick to recede, but it stops getting worse. Within a few seconds, Hannie too is gone. Instead, the child is at the shore, among the vanguard of enemy tanks. Nearby machinegun mounts swivel to face her, and lock up midway, shortly followed by the cannon turrets themselves. Spindles of frost dart, then flow across armor plating in, rather than a crackle, a constant deafening roar. Firearm mechanisms freeze and jam. Gunpowder flares - flames spread briefly within cartridges - and then are extinguished. Combustion engines sputter and die. Lungs numbly burn, as something unseen rips warmth from the air they take in, and the air desperately tears warmth from the body. The sea and sand grow smooth and solid in a still-expanding circle, ripples pausing just as they are as the chaos of life is drawn from them. It is a pleasure to be so awake, however long my Queen will allow me to be. We stay where we are, and assess. The world that was so grim and fast, becomes white and still. Hannie hops up on top of a dead tank and crouches as she surveys the work of just a few seconds, eyes wide open with fascination. The wind has picked up heavily. It's all going to her Noble Arm.</s> <|message|>Lucy Dolores Lucy Dolores We're The Desperate Measures. --- Lucy and the soldiers around her had opened fire on enemy forces. She wondered why the enemy had decided to engage like this. Hearing the calls on the radio... Defending the girl with the shield sounded good, but she had heard about the isolated Arms Master. "Where is he?" She thought, glancing back and forth while dropping another enemy soldier. Through her scope, she saw one enemy point... Up, to their fighters? No, to that Arms Master she saw rush in. The one beyond the wall. Lucy also witnessed some tanks, amphibious craft, amongst other things. She lowers her gun, grabbing the shoulder of a regular who's reloading with Daedalus, although very gently. "You, what kind of anti-vehicle weapons do we have?" She asks, staring at the regular, thankfully he provides a quick response. "Portable rockets, TOWs, that kind of thing. What do you suggest?" He spoke out, cautiously glancing at the Noble Arm. Lucy takes a moment to think, letting go of his shoulder, "Ask to get some rockets on those vehicles and infantry threatening the flying guy, he's making himself a target, everyone's gonna shoot at him now. Not even the strongest can sustain that kind of attention." In response, he nods, barking into his radio. "An Arms Master is requesting we utilize RPGs against infantry and vehicles to defend the Arms Master in the air beyond the shield! Get some TOWs on the tanks too, use whatever you have to spare!" With that, rockets fire out towards hostile vehicles and infantry, whizzing past other rounds in the air. Explosions where the enemy was, that's good, very good. Lucy also prioritizes attacking the ones threatening Sophist, or to her, the "flying guy". She raises her gun once more and fires off a few rounds, the flaps on Daedalus opening, the regular to her right getting slightly worried about what's going to happen. She figured she had enough range, just needed to wait... Time, time to engage! Several clicks from Daedalus, she lowers her gun and opens her palm facing the enemies ready to engage Sophist, basically everyone in front. Clicks and clacks, tightening the cone so she doesn't hit any allies, just another few seconds left. The flaps slam closed, as a massive crack erupts from Daedalus, unleashing a Burst kicking up dirt as it rolls towards the hostiles at the speed of sound. Now she just needs to pray it ruins their entire formation. If that shield drops, she's next on the chopping block, according to her.</s>

<|message|>Nemo "... Pretty." The young boy sitting just outside of the hellscape of war spoke aloud to no-one. He had a perfect view of the shield of light and the bombs breaking against it. There was a moment that passed in which the boy watched, as if viewing fireworks at a party, before the wall of light became even brighter and the boy turned away. He could see most of the battlefield from where he was, and it seemed he was going to get his wish. The enemy began breaking through the coastline with tanks and amphibious vehicles, moving ever closer towards his own position, bombs hitting near enough to shake most people's conviction, but far enough to not quite do him in. "..." The thought that he was being a burden sprouted in his mind as he watched the young girl he had noticed disappear, reappearing on the shore as she tore apart several of the offending tanks. "I'm still useless." The boy didn't like that thought. He disliked it, he hated the little voice in his head that said it. Perhaps to his handlers' surprise, perhaps to their expectation, deploying Nemo a bit away from the battle had been a brilliant tactical move, as an apathetic Nemo would only get in the way. And of course, getting in the way would only turn him into a rather short-reaching shield, when they needed something more... offensive. And watching as those deemed his allies die wasn't enough. Instead, it was watching that girl that began the domino effect that was expected, the whole reason he was placed here instead of elsewhere in the war. The boy stood slowly, the sword resting behind his neck on his shoulders beginning to move as well, equally as slowly. By the time he was standing straight, the sword had fallen to his side, held by both hands now, and the blade was seemingly larger. In truth, the blade was simply vibrating at high speeds, and was only increasing in intensity as its wielder began to run towards the shore. Just outside the wall of light, skirting the edge of it, was a young boy in the clothes of a civilian overtop Kevlar padding, running as fast as he could around the wall as explosions rocked the air above him. Soon enough, the explosions stopped as he got close enough to the opposing ships that attempted aerial strikes would be harming their own side. Several ZTZ-99 were moving along the same path he was, in the opposite direction, to try to find an opening in the Arms Master's wall. And while the boy may have been dressed in the clothes of a civilian, no civilian carried a much-too-large sword that buzzed like the wings of a hummingbird. Several shots were fired, and one even hit the boy in his left arm, but orders to not kill Arms Masters, as the boy obviously was, saved him. It would have been trivial to shoot him down, but by holding Vitae in front of his body, parallel to his torso, Nemo was able to approach without further injury. He slashed the blade through the tank, just short enough to avoid decapitating the driver, and then through the treads on its right side. He seemed to quickly dance through the entourage of military vehicles as he cut through each of them the same as the first, starting with the front and ending with one of the treads. He likely wouldn't make it back to his designated position, but at the moment, he didn't care. He was going to be useful somehow, or die trying.</s>

<|description|>Nemo Appearance: Height: 152.5cms / 60.03 inches Weight: 45.8kgs / 101lbs Slightly shorter than average but at the average weight, Nemo is about as toned as a 13 year old can get without being bulky. Age: 13 Nationality: Unknown Noble Arm Name & Appearance: -Vitae- Noble Arm Rank: D+ Noble Arm Type, Element, and Range: Support, Time, Reversal. Close-range. Noble Arm Abilities: Vitae's abilities are based on Nemo's emotional state. Rip (Anger): Vitae's blade begins vibrating at an intense speed, making it able to cut through most things that aren't Noble Arms themselves, and making it near impossible to block even with one. This, combined with Vitae being much too big for its Arms Master, makes wielding it a challenge. Tear (Sadness): Vitae becomes inert, making it able to deflect attacks in a unique way as nothing other than its Arms Master can cause it to move. [Think Immovable Rod from DND or something] Shred (Happiness): Vitae shrinks to a third of its size, making wielding it much easier as it now fits Nemo's body like a weapon should. Reverse (Determination): Vitae stops being able to cut things, instead being in contact with its blade causes things to revert to a previous point in time, in terms of its existence. Wounds heal as if they were never there, but there's little to no offensive use of Reverse. Inverse (Agony): Any damage that Nemo is dealing with, physical, mental, emotional, etc. becomes transferable via Vitae's blade. A small cut from it will mirror the wounds Nemo has unto the target. Misc Abilities: Physical Fitness: Nemo is extremely agile and strong for his age. His only lacking physical attribute is durability. Mental Acuity: Nemo is not necessarily brilliant, as he is uneducated, but is a good problem solver and quick learner. Voice: Nemo's voice is naturally very calming and he is capable of mimicking other voices quite well. Personality: *Likes: Survival. Helping. Praise. *Dislikes: Dying. Being useless. Killing. Fears: Death. Torture. Heights. Bio: Nemo is an unknown element up until he turned 11 years old, at which point his Noble Arms manifested. Since then he has been kept in a facility where he was experimented on, trained, and used in order to become a useful soldier for the U.S. His existence is top-secret, and is kept to only the highest members of the military, or more specifically the faction he belongs to. Which faction? If we knew, we'd be dead. Before his abduction, he was an orphan. That's all he remembers from that time, due to the "treatments" he has had administered over time. That's all that exists in records, either. He's been put through daily training in how to fight, especially in how to use his Noble Arms, but tactics escape him beyond the scope of himself. He will never be a military leader, and couldn't be due to this fact, which is only worsened by the induced amnesia he is put through weekly as part of his training. The only things he retains for sure are muscle memory usage of weapons, his Noble Arms, and his need to be praised. (Usually for following orders.) He once even forgot how to eat and had to be fed intravenously for a few days until he relearned how to swallow food correctly, and how much to chew it. His early training was mostly obedience training, shock collar and all, but when it was decided to begin inducing amnesia, that training was deemed a failure. However, it seems like it stuck with him somehow, due to how desperate he is to do well for others. *Current Goal: Survive and do what he has to in order to do so. Military or Civilian Rank: Unknown Military Rank.</s> <|message|>Henri Janssens Henri Janssens didn't fully understand, why he was sent to the Philippines. Laelaps-unit was supposed to be a European unit. It would have been more sense if Henri was sent to Ukraine, or maybe deal with domestic troubles. Global Mafia and the sort. But he wasn't one to question orders. A soldier obeys. Not to mention that as he listened to the conversations around him, the full picture began to form. This was no simple military crisis. Combined with the situation in Ukraine, it was effectively World War III. No one had said anything officially, but with two powerful countries, both of which had seemingly good ties, attacking their neighbors, what else could it be but another world war? In other words, Henri was here as a show of solidarity. Those thoughts had to pass soon, however, because the invasion was already under way, when Henri arrived. The first moments were intense, but nothing much that Henri and others couldn't handle. There hadn't even been much need for Leonidas. It was probably likely that Henri wouldn't be in the front lines in the near future. There was another shielder among the Arms Masters, and the command didn't want Henri accidentally negating his defense. Instead, he would be in the city proper, protecting the civilians still in Lingayen. It was soon proven a wise choice, as what could be best described as a second sun appeared in the sky. A Noble Arm attack if there ever was one. "Fighting in Shade!" Henri shouted out of trained reflex. Luckily it seemed that it wasn't a very long lasting attack. "That was too close" Thought Henri to himself as the strike passed. Those within his radius would be fine, but he needed to check if anyone else needed help. The ground zero was in the beach itself, but who knows what else it could have destroyed...</s> <|message|>Hannie Cavalet The moments - minutes - hours? The time from when Hannie first let Kirvella free to the time she collapses onto her hands and knees, breathless and disoriented, is entirely blank. She remembers dispelling her Arm on purpose. She remembers... pain, death, the cold. It's still so cold. She let it control her. Hopefully... hopefully she didn't do anything. She's on asphalt. She's not on the beach anymore. She looks up, scans her environment. This is the city. Which way is the beach? Does she have to go back? The question lingers in her mind. She ought to challenge it. She isn't. Hannie rises to her feet, lost in the evacuated city of Lingayen. The wind touches her shoulders oddly. She looks. That's... ice. And those are... holes... all the way through. It's time to leave. It's time for Hannie to get out. She doesn't know where she's going, but she starts moving fast. She doesn't know these streets at all and can barely see where she's going, between the corners, the ducking away from overhead planes, and the simple confused fear. It isn't long before things are taken back out of her hands, though. In an instant, everything is black and green and falling and charged. She's back at the beach again. It's quiet - for half a second - and then it's roaring. Blindingly bright everywhere she looks but down, and down there's that dark stuff - that weird woman's bubbling dark thing under her feet - what's happening? She can't- She can't... She can't. Hannie can't understand what's happening. She can't do anything to help. She can't escape. She can't go home. It's so loud. It's so hot and so cold. She can barely hear the wheezing sob that escapes her. She tries to step out of the dark puddle but it follows her. She tries to look around and recognize anyone but they're all just dark silhouettes against the white and the screaming roaring. She can't. Hannie's knees give out on their own. She was going to sit down anyway. She falls on her side in this weird terrible bubbling stuff and squeezes her eyes shut and covers her ears and fails to try not to cry.</s>

<|message|>Nemo Nets flew, and the boy cut through them. Vitae began to slow with the dropping of his anger, and soon there was gas around him, making his head fuzzy and reducing Vitae to an inert state. Before he fell into darkness, the young boy was rescued, saved from whatever the opposing forces enemies were planning. And then the sky exploded. By the time Nemo's eyes had readjusted, he found his feet entrenched in some sort of liquid. Alongside the liquid came a shock that woke him from his stupor incited by the gas. Then the shouting registered, the soldiers who rescued him trying to guide him. And... where were the enemies? Without targets, how would he be able to be of use? He decided to follow the soldiers who saved him, following along with their commands and instructions to the best of his ability, albeit in the most literal of interpretations of them. Follow. Stay. Follow. Stay. Follow. And so he would.</s>

<|description|>Nemo Appearance: Height: 152.5cms / 60.03 inches Weight: 45.8kgs / 101lbs Slightly shorter than average but at the average weight, Nemo is about as toned as a 13 year old can get without being bulky. Age: 13 Nationality: Unknown Noble Arm Name & Appearance: -Vitae- Noble Arm Rank: D+ Noble Arm Type, Element, and Range: Support, Time, Reversal. Close-range. Noble Arm Abilities: Vitae's abilities are based on Nemo's emotional state. Rip (Anger): Vitae's blade begins vibrating at an intense speed, making it able to cut through most things that aren't Noble Arms themselves, and making it near impossible to block even with one. This, combined with Vitae being much too big for its Arms Master, makes wielding it a challenge. Tear (Sadness): Vitae becomes inert, making it able to deflect attacks in a unique way as nothing other than its Arms Master can cause it to move. [Think Immovable Rod from DND or something] Shred (Happiness): Vitae shrinks to a third of its size, making wielding it much easier as it now fits Nemo's body like a weapon should. Reverse (Determination): Vitae stops being able to cut things, instead being in contact with its blade causes things to revert to a previous point in time, in terms of its existence. Wounds heal as if they were never there, but there's little to no offensive use of Reverse. Inverse (Agony): Any damage that Nemo is dealing with, physical, mental, emotional, etc. becomes transferable via Vitae's blade. A small cut from it will mirror the wounds Nemo has unto the target. Misc Abilities: Physical Fitness: Nemo is extremely agile and strong for his age. His only lacking physical attribute is durability. Mental Acuity: Nemo is not necessarily brilliant, as he is uneducated, but is a good problem solver and quick learner. Voice: Nemo's voice is naturally very calming and he is capable of mimicking other voices quite well. Personality: *Likes: Survival. Helping. Praise. *Dislikes: Dying. Being useless. Killing. Fears: Death. Torture. Heights. Bio: Nemo is an unknown element up until he turned 11 years old, at which point his Noble Arms manifested. Since then he has been kept in a facility where he was experimented on, trained, and used in order to become a useful soldier for the U.S. His existence is top-secret, and is kept to only the highest members of the military, or more specifically the faction he belongs to. Which faction? If we knew, we'd be dead. Before his abduction, he was an orphan. That's all he remembers from that time, due to the "treatments" he has had administered over time. That's all that exists in records, either. He's been put through daily training in how to fight, especially in how to use his Noble Arms, but tactics escape him beyond the scope of himself. He will never be a military leader, and couldn't be due to this fact, which is only worsened by the induced amnesia he is put through weekly as part of his training. The only things he retains for sure are muscle memory usage of weapons, his Noble Arms, and his need to be praised. (Usually for following orders.) He once even forgot how to eat and had to be fed intravenously for a few days until he relearned how to swallow food correctly, and how much to chew it. His early training was mostly obedience training, shock collar and all, but when it was decided to begin inducing amnesia, that training was deemed a failure. However, it seems like it stuck with him somehow, due to how desperate he is to do well for others. *Current Goal: Survive and do what he has to in order to do so. Military or Civilian Rank: Unknown Military Rank.</s> <|message|>Lucy Dolores Lucy Dolores Eyeless Cerberus --- What Lucy did not expect was that flash. It ruined her plans, and her vision, for the moment. It'd come back, she knew that. What she didn't know is who she hit, being blinded like that caused her to panic release a Burst she was charging up, the drain hitting her like a sack of wet potatoes. Thankfully, it hit no one, but it sheared off a few trees and ripped all the branches off several others, the resulting boom and crack drawing attention to her area. This was a problem, if that enemy Arms Master looked her way... No, can't think about that now. She wouldn't stop trying, not while they still exist. "Everyone alive?" She asked, to be met with pained grunts and a few noises of acknowledgement. Think, think. Time to think. She can't see, so she couldn't shoot the fucker. Think... If only Daedalus had eyes, wait. That's what she should do. Might not be the smartest idea but... She fumbles for her radio, shouldering against what she thinks is cover. "Ground troops, if you see or hear a chain move close, say the word 'gold' over comms, if you need help from a threat, say 'green'." A moving chain? One other soldier let out a confused mouth noise, as it would be described by Lucy. Soon after that, a series of three bladed chains erupt from Daedalus, one coiling around her immediate surroundings. The other two extend to their maximum length, fifty whole meters, covering a hundred combined. She tears off her helmet, then grabs one chain with her thumb and index, and the other with her middle and ring finger. Those two extended chains slowly snake across the battlefield. Thankfully, there's not many people shooting anymore, so it's a tad quieter now. She hushes the thoughts in her head, listening to the surroundings and impacts from the chains hitting things. While she may not be able to see right now, or feel with Daedalus, she can listen and feel impacts on those chains with her hand. Can't keep em out forever, but she doesn't need forever, only a few moments until her vision comes back, letting those blinded chains try to find Huo Ren, even if he's not too close. If she can find him before he finds her... That'd be helpful. Yet another unexpected thing, a powerful thump coming from afar, plus the crack whizz of a round flying by. That couldn't have been an enemy, could it? She couldn't afford to find out, she's not dead after all. Only if she had some form of premonition, or extra sensory perception. That'd be useful, but Lucy is limited to a mortal, albeit magical, coil.</s> <|message|>Nico Makri The very first thing Nico noticed when he finally arrived on the beach was the spearman, Huo Ren. He wasn't fully in the loop, but he understood that a Zodiac was not a good sign for most of the people nearby. The next thing he noticed was the beam of light that tore through the sky, racing right at the spearman with a roar like thunder. Nico figured that would be a good distraction, but worried that wouldn't be enough to kill the A-Rank. And then he noticed the world around him: NA Masters, some regular soldiers, and the frantic state of the battle. "That shot might be what I need, but I've got to get going." He hesitated for only a moment before making his choice. He manifested his Noble Arm, knowing that he'd need all the strength he can get. Still, he was confident that he could make the distance before Huo could recover. Between the railgun and robed girl fighting the Zodiac, Nico may not be high on the priority list considering his fashionably late arrival. "Here goes…something." And with that, Nico would take off, feeling Helios Rod's power flood his body, barely restraining it in order to avoid burning in the process. Still, it's a sight to behold, as Nico streaked down the beach like a comet, the sand steaming with each stride he takes. As he thundered down the beach, he'd aim a massive fist right at the side of Huo Ren's chin in an attempt to knock him off balance, praying silently that the swordswoman and apparent lightning cannon would be enough to give him the element of surprise.</s>

<|message|>Nemo -"Good; we might need you later on, then. In the meantime, query: Are you here as a volunteer, or as part of another nation's special forces or related group? And if the latter, can you share me any details you know? It might be useful to know who our allies are..."- Nemo didn't outwardly respond, but his inner balance was thrown off somewhat. Lie. He knew he wasn't to divulge any information about his handlers, even to friendly forces allies, but he also couldn't just refuse to respond. And he was no good at misdirection, he knew that. After a moment's silence, he responded. "Special forces, located in the western hemisphere." he managed to say. Any more than that would be dangerous for him if when he returned. -"If you really want to help in the battle, ask for a longer-range weapon, perhaps a sniper rifle, if you know how to use one. But to be honest, I would prefer it if you tell me why you've been sent to fight and how you feel about it."- the Officer continued. The young boy nodded at first, but slowly began to stop. He didn't know how to use a sniper rifle. Or rather, he hadn't been allowed to practice with one. He knew the theory behind it, but the finer points escaped him. He thought that at one point he had known the correct usage, but that skill must have been erased forgotten. Pausing for a moment as these thoughts fired in his head, he finally replied. "Subject sent with orders to assist in defending the area. While the reason is unknown, this battle is considered critical to the plans of those who determined that this area should be defended. Subject was chosen to collect real-world battle experience, and due to lack of crucial knowledge if captured." Nemo, having finished his spiel, thought for a few seconds on the last part of the Officer's statement. "As long as I can be useful, I'll be okay. Permission to requisition a firearm?" There was a flash across the area, behind Nemo's back. The boy didn't react, and was temporarily blinded despite facing away from it. He simply waited for his vision to clear.</s>

<|description|>Nemo Appearance: Height: 152.5cms / 60.03 inches Weight: 45.8kgs / 101lbs Slightly shorter than average but at the average weight, Nemo is about as toned as a 13 year old can get without being bulky. Age: 13 Nationality: Unknown Noble Arm Name & Appearance: -Vitae- Noble Arm Rank: D+ Noble Arm Type, Element, and Range: Support, Time, Reversal. Close-range. Noble Arm Abilities: Vitae's abilities are based on Nemo's emotional state. Rip (Anger): Vitae's blade begins vibrating at an intense speed, making it able to cut through most things that aren't Noble Arms themselves, and making it near impossible to block even with one. This, combined with Vitae being much too big for its Arms Master, makes wielding it a challenge. Tear (Sadness): Vitae becomes inert, making it able to deflect attacks in a unique way as nothing other than its Arms Master can cause it to move. [Think Immovable Rod from DND or something] Shred (Happiness): Vitae shrinks to a third of its size, making wielding it much easier as it now fits Nemo's body like a weapon should. Reverse (Determination): Vitae stops being able to cut things, instead being in contact with its blade causes things to revert to a previous point in time, in terms of its existence. Wounds heal as if they were never there, but there's little to no offensive use of Reverse. Inverse (Agony): Any damage that Nemo is dealing with, physical, mental, emotional, etc. becomes transferable via Vitae's blade. A small cut from it will mirror the wounds Nemo has unto the target. Misc Abilities: Physical Fitness: Nemo is extremely agile and strong for his age. His only lacking physical attribute is durability. Mental Acuity: Nemo is not necessarily brilliant, as he is uneducated, but is a good problem solver and quick learner. Voice: Nemo's voice is naturally very calming and he is capable of mimicking other voices quite well. Personality: *Likes: Survival. Helping. Praise. *Dislikes: Dying. Being useless. Killing. Fears: Death. Torture. Heights. Bio: Nemo is an unknown element up until he turned 11 years old, at which point his Noble Arms manifested. Since then he has been kept in a facility where he was experimented on, trained, and used in order to become a useful soldier for the U.S. His existence is top-secret, and is kept to only the highest members of the military, or more specifically the faction he belongs to. Which faction? If we knew, we'd be dead. Before his abduction, he was an orphan. That's all he remembers from that time, due to the "treatments" he has had administered over time. That's all that exists in records, either. He's been put through daily training in how to fight, especially in how to use his Noble Arms, but tactics escape him beyond the scope of himself. He will never be a military leader, and couldn't be due to this fact, which is only worsened by the induced amnesia he is put through weekly as part of his training. The only things he retains for sure are muscle memory usage of weapons, his Noble Arms, and his need to be praised. (Usually for following orders.) He once even forgot how to eat and had to be fed intravenously for a few days until he relearned how to swallow food correctly, and how much to chew it. His early training was mostly obedience training, shock collar and all, but when it was decided to begin inducing amnesia, that training was deemed a failure. However, it seems like it stuck with him somehow, due to how desperate he is to do well for others. *Current Goal: Survive and do what he has to in order to do so. Military or Civilian Rank: Unknown Military Rank.</s> <|message|>Noel Alonso. Chapter One, Desperation in Lingayen, Part Nine Lingayen Beach, Municipality of Lingayen, Lingayen Gulf - 9/25/2022, 17:25 UTC+8 Those who had been under the dome may have witnessed two unusual sights: that of the remains of Ari's barrier, glittering and drifting down around them like gold dust; and that of Ari herself dropping abruptly to her knees, the shape of her shield Adamantius blurring and then blinking away. Those perhaps inadvisably close might have caught the smell of her burning, charred clear through by a thin stream of colorless, odorless, primordial gas. She looked down at the sand before her, eyes wide, hands shakily climbing to her chest. She emitted a series of very soft choking noises. Noel was at least close enough to see her fall. He spoke into his radio: "Our defensive barrier has been broken," Noel was trying to keep himself calm, firm, not entirely emotionless, but projecting only a leader's emotions; he needed to look fearless, and he looked to Nemo, "We need to get it back up; that means that Nemo and I have to go to where Ari is and heal her before she dies." Then he responded to Lotus Squadron's transmission with one of his own, "Roger that, Lotus Squadron! Everyone else, including Volunteer Makri, out of Huo Ren's spot as fast as you can! It's going to be a crater soon!" The boy sighed, glancing at the setting sun, tired out from the constant fighting. Then he asked Qingshe, "Liason Lei, time for the final leg of the battle, right? I and Nemo will be going to try and heal our barrier mistress before she expires unless you have–?" There was a loud, harsh, explosive sound from the hills. ------- Even while reeling from Nico's kick, the Dragon of the Zodiac switched all the way from a pained grimace into a hideous grin as he caught that sound. He dismissed his Noble Arm once again, and reached up to his ear with his remaining arm, brushing his hair aside with a slight flourish, scanning across all those in front of him - Princess Fuyuko, the brave white-haired flanker, the King, and the Witch closing rapidly… His smile died a little, with regret that he was in no position to destroy them all himself. "Zǒu ba, Cáo Bǎo," he said. And then Lotus Squadron's cannon fire plummeted down from the clouds and plunged into the sands, a storm of dust and shrapnel, blinding and slicing and blasting into the melee, ignorant of friend and foe. ------- To Nil, Callie, and Henri, the sound of that blast was deafening - head-splitting - and the cause of the sound was far worse than that. The spires of glass that were once around them emitted a distorted, twisted cackle. "Nn-hnn-hnn-hnn… ahahahAHAHAHA!" And then the hill buckled - deformed - all at once, collapsed. As they escaped on the helicopter, they had the opportunity to see that the ground had quite literally escaped from under them. Like a living being awakening with violence in its heart, the hill, starting with the peak and going down, began flowing in a single direction: toward that section of the beach where there was once a dome to protect the main Philippine force. ------- As the sun approached the horizon, one huge shadow lengthened over the beach faster than the rest. An amorphous roaring crashing monster, shedding stones and clods of earth in a perpetual malicious avalanche, pulled itself from the hills and began to rush for the Philippine army at a terrible speed, blocking the river's mouth which had been in its way and thus putting Alain, who was still by the riverbank, in harm's way. At the end of the day, he would be presumed missing in action, not having gotten out fast enough as the glass and the sand, the earth, and the mud swept through his position. @The World@Chiro@Aisede@MagusDream@Lewascan2@Sniblet@Conscripts@Gerlando@Senhara@Creative Chaos@Nimbus</s> <|message|>Hannie Cavalet Discord dialogue between Sniblet as Hannie and Manperor as Carroman from "#Sison Auditorium Barracks (Present)" Hannie More than one mistake is made in quick sequence. The first was Carroman's; startling an Arms Master awake from striking distance is very rarely wise. Hannie is particularly volatile at this moment, given she is in the middle of, firstly, a nightmare about her least favorite thing in the world, and secondly, the second worst day of her life. The second mistake is Hannie's. Hers is doing exactly what you should expect her to do in these conditions. Her movement is fast and clumsy, reflexive and half-awake. With a yelp and a soft pop of suddenly declining air pressure, the frosty dagger that had just crossed Carroman's mind is instantly between them, in Hannie's hand as she raises them up to cover her face - quickly bringing the blade toward the underside of Carroman's right arm as he finishes with that first mistake. We all make mistakes. Sometimes those mistakes get our forearms slashed, or almost slashed, by a 14-year-old girl. This time, hopefully it's "almost": even Arms Masters don't quite brush off frostbite. Carroman Carroman moved back as he saw the blade flash before his eyes, sighing as he did. The dragon headed cane shone with a warm, brilliant glow, though his expression was anything but. "Well, well, sorry about that, did I startle you?" Carroman shook his head, putting one hand on his back as it ached somewhat. "What are you... eh, doing up here?" Hannie Hannie blinks. She glances to her weapon, then to Carroman. She flinches and drops the dagger, and it blinks out of being just short of landing in her lap. "I'm sorry," she says, "I'm so sorry, ah... am- am I not supposed to be here? I can sleep somewhere else..." If it weren't for Dragonstaff's reflected glow, there would be no light at all in Hannie's eyes. Carroman Carroman could see it. Hannie had those dead eyes, belonging to someone who wasn't allowed to grow up properly. A child that was forced to grow up too fast, and then exposed to the horrors of war. He'd know. If combat could mentally scar even hardy veterans, how much more would it do to literal kids? "I guess the others didn't bother to bring you along to the beach," Carroman answered, sitting down. "Not that kids of your age should be going out to war. The fact that you're out here and not with, I don't know, your families, is a failure of epic proportions. Though I guess the existence of war is a failure in every way. Anyway, I just want to know. Why do you, you know, always doze off?" Hannie "...always... doze off?" Has she been sleeping a lot? Even if he didn't catch her going to the beach with the rest, maybe this man's been paying more attention to her in some ways than she has to herself? She did sleep for most of the truck ride. And for a little while after they got settled in the barracks. But if she's still sleeping now, isn't that just because Kirvella's drained her? "Well, I guess I... don't really... wanna be awake?" That's not quite what she was planning to say. It feels bad, like a confession. She looks down into her lap, trying to sort out her own meaning. "Sorry," she says, to be safe. "You're... um... mister Caravan?" Carroman "Carroman," the chaplain corrected, before nodding. "Well, it might not be wise to not be awake now, when the mountains themselves are shaking. Apparently we got some A classes attacking." Hannie "Carroman. Yeah." The energy Hannie woke up with has slipped away again. Again her gaze falls from his face, and slowly trails down to somewhere around his left knee. She sits unmoving, hands folded in her lap. "I... saw." Carroman The chaplain nodded his head, visibly concerned. The exact reason why Hannie slept so much still eluded him. Was she anemic? Did her Noble Arm drain so much energy that it forces her to a sleepy state? Or was she just like that? "Well... ah, damn. They're calling for healing. I have to go. Are you absolutely sure that you want to stay here? Instead of... you know, the barracks." Hannie The numb expression on her face could indeed just be sleepiness, but a man who's been doing what Carroman's been doing has seen a lot of expressions like it recently. The charred holes in her jacket, the bullet wound-shaped icy circles in her shoulders, together seem to indicate that she's already been to the beach. "I prefer the quiet up here," she says, softly. And then, outside, a mountain uproots itself, and it is no longer quiet.</s>

<|message|>Nemo "Liason Lei, time for the final leg of the battle, right? I and Nemo will be going to try and heal our barrier mistress before she expires unless you have–?" the commander stopped short. Nemo nodded; there was work to do. He followed the commander a few feet before an explosion sounded out. But the boy ignored it. There was an implicit order in the commander's words. He remained focused on following that order and continued towards this "Ari," in the direction that the older boy had begun leading him. He didn't even pause. What did make the boy pause, however, was the loud crashing from the massive leviathan behemoth kaiju creature's arrival. As the boy continued to the center of the area, he felt thankful that fear was not a trigger for his Noble Arm, and steeled himself to remain determined in his mindset. If he faltered too much, he'd be useless again. The thought that he was making the wrong decision never crossed his mind. An implied order was still an order, after all.</s>

<|description|>Nil Through the power of Excel I've added an accuracy table and also reworked the abilities Appearance: Age: 19-20 (assumed) Nationality: Danish (assumed) Noble Arm Name & Appearance: Stang A simple rigid staff that has a bright blue glow which produces a faint light, Nil can move Stang via telekinesis. Noble Arm Rank: C rank Power B Speed C Range A Persistence C Precision C Potential D Noble Arm Type, Element, and Range: glowy hitty thing, Kinetic Projectile, Telekinesis, Short/Medium Range Noble Arm Abilities: Conjured Staffs, Stang can be create copies that are indistinguishable from the original, Nil can also control them just like the original and create more copies from said copies, maintaining a few copies has little affect on stamina but maintaining a huge amount has a much larger toll. Telekinesis, Nil can control Stang and its copies telekinetically when doing so the staff has effectively 100 times of its original weight, which is around 1kg. Telekinetic movements are usually not particularly fast unless Nil launches the NA as a projectile in which case it can go up to 1000m/s and get ~10kms away and has equivalent power to a tank round, unfortunately unlike a tank Nil cannot shoot accurately at that range and has an effective range of 300m on a human sized target without taking impact shock into consideration. Enhancement, Nil can boost her durability to be able to resist 1-2 additional blows or bullets but it also makes her especially resistant to shockwaves, when using this ability Nil glows blue, especially the hair, eyes and tearducts. Demolition, when touching an object Nil can form small Stang copies inside the object slowly pulling it apart, while powerful this ability requires extreme focus and Nil can only use it when stationary and vulnerable, making it useless in combat, the larger and tougher the object the more time is needed. The target used was human sized, 200 rounds were shot for each range apart from the 270meters range where 50 rounds were shot. Percentage of direct hits only takes into accounts hits that directly hit the target dismissing possible damage dealt through other means. Percentage of lethal hits takes into account any shot that produced lethal damage either by a direct hit or as the effect of impact shockwave. Misc Abilities: Nil can fluently speak Danish but can barely speak other languages such as English, Thai and Filipino. Nil can also eat many inedible materials without seemingly suffering from it, such as wrappers and paper. Personality: Nil usually doesn't speak much but she can be direct and blunt, she usually seeks to be around people but doesn't do much when in company. *Likes: food, people, smashing stuff *Dislikes: too much noise, long conversations Fears: Drowning (she can swim but she panics when in deep water) Bio: Subject designated name: Nil Subject birth name: N/A Subject weight and height: 55kg / 170cm Description: Nil joined Thailand's military in 13th of May 2015, the day prior meeting with military personnel in Pattaya and being documented as an Arms Master for the first time. Nil has been unable to answer most questions about her past to the point where her age and nationality can only be assumed, the most commonly agreed theory is that she is from Denmark, as danish is the only language she can speak fluently, and that information about her was lost in the 2009 ransomware attack to the Danish government's databases where many citizen's personal data was erased. Nil displays some lack of understanding of human interactions and common knowledge, she has been a slow learner with things like learning a new language, monetary value and proper eating, despite this Nil seeks to be around other people and is uncomfortable when left alone for a long period of time. Medical scans have shown that Nil is human and the lines on her body are likely related to her Noble Arm and not some biological condition, this is exemplified when she uses her Noble Arm and the lines on her body begin to emit a stronger glow. In the last few years Nil has supported various field operations and displayed a level of obedience and calmness during tense situations, since the start of the ASEAN war she has been active in Vietnam and Thailand and joined the ASEAN joint military, she only recently arrived in the Philippines, arriving in Lingayen shortly after the fighting began. *Current Goal: Being alive, eating Military or Civilian Rank: Sergeant of the Thai Military and jointed ASEAN military</s> <|message|>Kaitlyn Price Just keep firing. Don't think. Don't... Kaitlyn gasped, watching aircraft fly overhead. They were attacking the city. The city they were meant to protect. Kaitlyn felt a burning in her chest. Gritting her teeth, she returned her attention to the battlefield, lending her aid to those she could. She still matters. She can still make a difference... They just have to deal with the beach forces first, and then they can help those in the city. Silently, Kaitlyn prayed for those already lost. Most of the Arms Masters were, predictably, terrifyingly efficient murder machines. Kaitlyn wondered if they felt any remorse, or if 'superhuman' went deeper than surface-level. Watching the princess incinerate soldiers and the little brat practically dance on the battlefield lead her to believe the answer was yes. Did that make them less than human? "Sir!" She fumbled with her radio, and this time she managed to hit the correct button in just a couple seconds. She'd been surveying the battlefield- largely disregarding the tanks now that they seemed to be getting pulped under concentrated fire- and focused instead on... Sigh... That same Arms Master from before. And... A child? God, she knew Arms Masters could be young, but to send a child onto a battlefield... "The enemy is attempting to neutralize the gravity Arms Master, designating AM-One. They are utilizing sonic weaponry, and other tools for incapacitation." Withdrawing binoculars from her toolbelt- privately purchased. Thank God the Philippine Army gave her that much freedom- she also got a better look at the weather phenomenon that was the child. She could feel a pulsing in her head, and her hands shook slightly. She didn't pay it any mind. "The juvenile Arms Master is injured and is sustaining heavy fire... Snipers on the boats." She let out a shaky breath, rubbing her eyes. Her intel relayed, she waited to hear back from Corporal Castro as she began firing on the boats. She didn't expect to actually hit anyone, but hopefully the threat of a stray shot would be enough to make them back down. Corporal Castro perked up from his vigil of the shield-wielding Arms Master and looked in the direction Kaitlyn had gestured. His jaw worked in a motion that suggested he was grinding his teeth in frustration at the sight of the child soldiers outside the edge of the barrier... the all too distant edge. "Damn it," he hissed, glancing around at the lingering enemies within the radius of the barrier. They had mostly been picked off now (with strangely few corpses all of a sudden, living or weapon alike), but that just meant most of the enemy was outside the barrier instead... and only had precious few targets to focus on, bereft of other options. "Damn it all!" he snapped again. "Hate relying on that shield to stay up, but we're not hitting shit from here!" He was clearly struggling to act. Every instinct as a soldier clearly told him that staying in the trenches as a safety measure was the ideal course of action. On the other hand... "Alright, men, we're making a leap of faith!" He gestured forward, his finger pointing at an overturned FMC M113 armored personal carrier, smoking over the top of one of the further forward trenches. "It's not much, but it's better than nothing! We're moving in!" He scrambled to the top of the trench, still crouching. "Stay low, and fall in! The brats outside need fire support, and dammit, we'll provide it!" Kaitlyn was shook out of her reverie, jerking to attention with wide eyes. They were leaving the shield? "Y-yes sir!" Falling in line, she supported her unit with cover fire then knelt just beside the end of the ruined vehicle, now paying much more attention to the shots being fired her way. She still concentrated her fire on the boats, though, but split her attention to take pot shots at soldiers targeting the child as well. "Are we... Is the military really allowed to deploy children on the field, sir?" Castro spared her a glance at the words, before stiffening, as if he suddenly comprehended them through the chaos. As the squad approached the overturned armored transport, he shot a look Katelyn's way, before focusing his expression back on the children they were moving to support. His expression darkened, before, growling lowly, "There are times and places for that discussion, Private Price... and there's men with far louder voices than me having the final say." He sent a couple shots the way of the soldiers menacing the boy with the large sword. "And those times are neither here or now... no matter what anyone might wish otherwise." His shadowed gaze met Katelyn's briefly, as he ejected his rifle's spent clip and slid in new ammo. "Save those thoughts for later, and focus on living to have that discussion. I can't have my men distracted, and your ideals are no good to anyone if you're dead." "R-right..." Don't think. Just keep firing. Fire and pray. She ignored the burning at the edges of her eyes.</s> <|message|>Hannie Cavalet Crouched behind a tank turret as she is, lightly suppressed from the beach as they are, most of the snipers can't get a clear shot on anything but the girl's head - their orders and their training have had them come to see this as a bad thing. But from the right elevation, from the right angle, far enough out of the defending soldiers' way... When Hannie is hit, she feels, more than anything, the force of the shots. Two huge rounds burrow clean through one shoulder and the opposite upper arm, and her body fails to register these as wounds, as being painful. She does feel her balance suddenly shifting in the wrong direction. She notices when she tumbles off of the tank and is not able to catch herself on the fall to the ice. She can't move her arms. Seconds pass. She finds herself in a slightly different position, firmly grasping Kirvella. She must have dropped it. A miscalculation. There is a crackling, a crunching. Hannie tries again to lift herself up. No movement. The crackling continues, unnatural ice filling the wounds and carefully integrating with her body. The ground under the dagger begins to flow strangely as it approaches that energy point where typical physics become inapplicable. It has begun to hail in Kirvella's area of effect. Humbled, but not defeated, we rise. The crackling settles. Hannie pushes herself off the ground and sits behind the tank, soft misty fog drifting from what had seconds earlier been crippling injuries. Autonomically, she lets out a hitching sigh. No sense in leaving anything to chance. A nearby boat is ordered to fire the net. It comes as deep into the cold and suppressing fire as its crew can bear – with the assurance of a second chance keeping them steady – and launches its shot, before turning and leaving in a hurry. Unhappy to be pinned down and satisfied enough with the damage she's caused, Hannie reels her mostly-renewed arm back and throws her dagger. By the time the net lands, she is already among the very front of the advancing friendly line and throwing again: a strange small figure blinking into being, once again in the line of fire, but this time going the right way to leave it. Someday there will be nothing but ice left of you, child.</s>

<|message|>Nil 'Thirtythree' Nil had started counting after the first few hours, there was a lot to do for the unprepared anti-air defenders, but it was very repetitive and that was fucking with Nil. 'Thirtyfour' the bomber slowly fell from the sky leaving a trail of flame in its descent, there were now many of these bombers flying over, they were larger and slower targets than jets so naturally Nil began targeting them. 'Thirtyfive' thirtyfive planes she counted so far and also the amount of chocolate bars she would eat back at HQ, at least if there were enough left, of if they would go back to HQ at all, if only Nil started counting earlier she could have eaten fifteen or maybe twenty more, well it was no use now, Nil wasn't going to change the rules of her little game while in the mid of it. 'Thirtysix' the anti-air corps had been tasked with an impossible task and everyone knew it, even if the city was equipped with a few more AA missile launchers and interceptor jets it would hardly make a difference, the chinese were starting to cover the city's sky and shower it with their bombs. 'Thirtyseven' the scenery wasn't pretty either, as would be expected most emplacements and large vehicles had already been destroyed by precision air-to-ground missiles, the soldiers had all scattered in the trenches and foxholes that littered the ground, hiding and shooting their MANPADS before going back to cover again. 'Thirtyeight' Nil was doing pretty much the same thing, just shooting more than a single projective each time, moreover she had her hair fully hidden under her coat with a hood and cap on top of it all, it was very uncomfortable but at least it covered her glow from jets and drones. 'Thirtynine' but at the end there was only one thing that every soldier stopped to look at, even if for just a second, the Wall of Light being bombarded from a distance, it was truly spectacular, huge explosions rumbling and cracking on an impenetrable barrier, a display of lights and distant noise that would be deafening for anyone close to the barrier, also a reminder that even with everything that had been thrown at them real hell was over there, not further away than a mile. 'Forty' it was time to take break, just a minute to look at the barrier while it was being bombed, there wouldn't be a scarcity of bombers anytime soon and if the battle kept going for so long, could she even eat that much chocolate?</s>

<|description|>Nil Through the power of Excel I've added an accuracy table and also reworked the abilities Appearance: Age: 19-20 (assumed) Nationality: Danish (assumed) Noble Arm Name & Appearance: Stang A simple rigid staff that has a bright blue glow which produces a faint light, Nil can move Stang via telekinesis. Noble Arm Rank: C rank Power B Speed C Range A Persistence C Precision C Potential D Noble Arm Type, Element, and Range: glowy hitty thing, Kinetic Projectile, Telekinesis, Short/Medium Range Noble Arm Abilities: Conjured Staffs, Stang can be create copies that are indistinguishable from the original, Nil can also control them just like the original and create more copies from said copies, maintaining a few copies has little affect on stamina but maintaining a huge amount has a much larger toll. Telekinesis, Nil can control Stang and its copies telekinetically when doing so the staff has effectively 100 times of its original weight, which is around 1kg. Telekinetic movements are usually not particularly fast unless Nil launches the NA as a projectile in which case it can go up to 1000m/s and get ~10kms away and has equivalent power to a tank round, unfortunately unlike a tank Nil cannot shoot accurately at that range and has an effective range of 300m on a human sized target without taking impact shock into consideration. Enhancement, Nil can boost her durability to be able to resist 1-2 additional blows or bullets but it also makes her especially resistant to shockwaves, when using this ability Nil glows blue, especially the hair, eyes and tearducts. Demolition, when touching an object Nil can form small Stang copies inside the object slowly pulling it apart, while powerful this ability requires extreme focus and Nil can only use it when stationary and vulnerable, making it useless in combat, the larger and tougher the object the more time is needed. The target used was human sized, 200 rounds were shot for each range apart from the 270meters range where 50 rounds were shot. Percentage of direct hits only takes into accounts hits that directly hit the target dismissing possible damage dealt through other means. Percentage of lethal hits takes into account any shot that produced lethal damage either by a direct hit or as the effect of impact shockwave. Misc Abilities: Nil can fluently speak Danish but can barely speak other languages such as English, Thai and Filipino. Nil can also eat many inedible materials without seemingly suffering from it, such as wrappers and paper. Personality: Nil usually doesn't speak much but she can be direct and blunt, she usually seeks to be around people but doesn't do much when in company. *Likes: food, people, smashing stuff *Dislikes: too much noise, long conversations Fears: Drowning (she can swim but she panics when in deep water) Bio: Subject designated name: Nil Subject birth name: N/A Subject weight and height: 55kg / 170cm Description: Nil joined Thailand's military in 13th of May 2015, the day prior meeting with military personnel in Pattaya and being documented as an Arms Master for the first time. Nil has been unable to answer most questions about her past to the point where her age and nationality can only be assumed, the most commonly agreed theory is that she is from Denmark, as danish is the only language she can speak fluently, and that information about her was lost in the 2009 ransomware attack to the Danish government's databases where many citizen's personal data was erased. Nil displays some lack of understanding of human interactions and common knowledge, she has been a slow learner with things like learning a new language, monetary value and proper eating, despite this Nil seeks to be around other people and is uncomfortable when left alone for a long period of time. Medical scans have shown that Nil is human and the lines on her body are likely related to her Noble Arm and not some biological condition, this is exemplified when she uses her Noble Arm and the lines on her body begin to emit a stronger glow. In the last few years Nil has supported various field operations and displayed a level of obedience and calmness during tense situations, since the start of the ASEAN war she has been active in Vietnam and Thailand and joined the ASEAN joint military, she only recently arrived in the Philippines, arriving in Lingayen shortly after the fighting began. *Current Goal: Being alive, eating Military or Civilian Rank: Sergeant of the Thai Military and jointed ASEAN military</s> <|message|>Ayahime Rain Walters Municipality of Lingayen - 9/30/2022, 8:17 UTC+8 --- As a War Correspondent, Ayahime arrived at the Municipality of Lingayen seventeen minutes after the fighting had stopped. Ayahime had a 14-hour, 52-minute flight from Sacramento, California, to Lingayen, Philippines, but she had to divert her flight somewhat because of Chinese Aggression in the region. She officially arrived by car at the Municipality of Lingayen, safe enough that she drove herself since the news waited for no one. It didn't help that Ayahime had jet lag from the long trip, and having her flight diverted slightly from going straight to Lingayen, Philippines, was a pain. 'Christ, this place was turned into a wreck by the Chinese. Oh god, that must have been some battle. Too bad I was late in getting here to see it.' Ayahime thought to herself, with one of those looks of war is so much different when looked up close. She did go through War Correspondent training to understand the pros and cons of being one. Ayahime parks her car nearish to what would seem like a good parking spot and gets out Sony A7 IV, Camera, which is the best identifier of being a War Correspondent, Freelance Journalist. She places her Sony A7 IV Camera around her neck, holds it carefully, and tries to figure out what to do since the buildings in this city are slightly damaged from the fighting. 'Hopefully, no one will notice me.' Ayahime thought to herself while walking towards the Sison Auditorium. Ayahime got her camera off her neck and started taking pictures of the surrounding buildings that did have damage in Lingayen, Pangasinan. She was too engrossed in taking photographs as she walked down the street towards the Sison Auditorium. However, Ayahime did remember that she needed to report to the highest-ranking military officer in the region. Thankfully, she called where she got her War Correspondent Credentials to learn where the allied army locations were in the war-torn areas of the Phillippines, Vietnam, etc. since previous War Correspondents did return to the United States. '96-year-old buildings being converted into military barracks is depressing, but war changes places.' Ayahime thought as she walked and stopped on the street with the large building behind her. She sighed slightly, looked behind her, and took a picture of the Sison Auditorium. After taking the picture, Ayahime placed her camera back around her neck.</s> <|message|>Cuong Hoang Van (Sometimes referred as Hoang Van Cuong), Nikolay Phan (old surname: Morozov) --- And it didn't take very long until they encountered what their captain had been warning them about: mobs of vengeful citizens on Chinese innocents. The pilots noticed the commotion outside the store that had been battered, almost destroyed by the bombing run a few days earlier, now also vandalized with various degree of damage. A broken signage in mandarin told them pretty much all they needed to know. While the others attempted to ignore the commotion, the only blonde man in the group walked forward quietly but very firmly, as if a spirit had possessed him. And his partner, upon seeing him going, decided to follow along into the fray. And there, they witnessed a Chinese man, bloodied and with terror in his eyes as he ran out to the door, pursued by a rough-looking man with a knife in his hand. But that was intercepted by a tall lady in uniforms, as she stared him down into defusion. However, it did not escape the pilots what that man did to her, so when the man was trying to run away in fear, he found himself being dragged back in the collar by the Russian. "Oh no no, you don't get to walk away after that." Nikolay angrily declared as he pulled the man back, giving the man another staredown. "You better prepare to rot in jail you pig." "Stand down Lieutenant. We don't have jurisdiction." His partner addressed him sternly, but took the man and handed him over to one of the soldiers standing around. The others were trying to gather up the others, grouping them with the mob to be dispersed, but Cuong stood firm. "Vietnam's People Air Force." He stated, looking over to the tall lady who just stopped this whole mess, and down at the bloody knife. "Are you alright, ma'am? We can take you to our airbase."</s>

<|message|>Nil Yet another Sison Auditorium Barracks RP A lone soul wandered around the structure, desperately searching for hours upon hours, for even if they got a moment of respite she knew without what she was looking for all that fighting and death would have been for naught. Nil had gotten only two chocolate bars out of forty-four. Indeed after so much time of looking around she had lost spirit, but even still she wandered, she could give up trying to fight a strong opponent but not trying to get sweets. While looking around Nil saw a young boy that probably shouldn't be in a combat area, but she did recognise his face from the short post-briefing with Callie and Henri, it was one of three they were looking for. "Nemo, Niko, Neekro..." She mistakenly said outloud as the two names fused in her head. First Lieutenant Noel Alonso was looking for Nemo, and yes, he had a small woven basket filled with pastries and a few chocolate bars tucked under his arm. Waving hi to the both of them, the young officer said, "Soldiers; you both well?" When the young man entered the scene Nil's attention immediately shifted, not exactly on the man himself but rather on the food-filled basket he was carrying. "Yes, from the Royal Thai Army." she said while looking nothing like a thai. Nemo has been sitting still, waiting for new orders from his handlers when he heard someone mention him. He looked up just in time to see the commanding officer entering and addressing him. "Yes." he replied to the older boy. Noel then went over to both, offering Nil a chocolate bar and Nemo a powdery but sweet cookie, saying, "Would you two like to eat something sweet?" "Yes!" Nil said ecstatic, grabbing the chocolate bar and starting to eating it right away, together with the plastic wrapper of course. Nemo stared at the cookie for a moment. He didn't understand what was happening, and simply shook his head "no". Looking at the younger boy Nil wondered how much of a waste it was to leave that cookie, but she didn't say anything, at least it wasn't going to waste away immediately. What was the thing about this young boy, she thought while munching on the chocolate bar and trying to remind herself what even was his name. Noel put the cookie back in the basket and said, "All right. So, you're looking for anything to do? Are you bored?" "Waiting for orders to move to the library..." Nemo replied simply. "You have permission," Noel didn't fully understand Nemo's situation, and it showed as he added, "You don't need orders; read anything you can want in the Library; nothing there is classified." Then he asked, "What sort of books do you like?" Nemo tilted his head, confused. Was there not someone wanting him to go to the library? He supposed if there wasn't an order to go, then it wasn't that important. "I don't know." Noel's expression chilled, before he said to Nemo, "...Okay, that's not normal. Tell me how you were raised; did your parents or trainers hurt you?" "I'm not supposed to talk about that." Nemo responded. The conversation had suddenly become tense. "Where even is the library?" she asked Noel, trying to nag him away from that conversation with Nemo. Noel sighs as he remembered, "Oh, right, this place doesn't have one; this used to be an auditorium where plays and theater performances were held." He then said to Nemo, already feeling guilt at what he was going to do, "What if I order you to talk about it?" Nemo thought for a moment. "Standing orders like that are more important, I think." "Standing orders from who?" was the response from Noel himself. "The handlers." Nemo said, somewhat apprehensively. He was starting to worry about the situation. During the ongoing conversation Nil had started to feel the tension more and more and chose to stay just out of it, slowly backing away, but still close enough to the basket to grab a couple of cookies. Noel asked next, "Did you want to be a soldier?" "I don't remember." The boy was definitely worried at this point. Noel saw Nemo look worried, then sighed, "I'll leave you alone, then, if you want. For all its worth, sorry for making you uncomfortable. Also, do eat the cookie if you want; it's impolite to not eat food offered to you if it's good..."</s>

<|description|>Nico Makri "Why am I here? I can understand the question. I am not the strongest, or the fastest. I'm not extremely persuasive or clever. All I have is my blade and my resolve. Therefore, I'll prove myself, so that no one questions me or my abilities." Appearance: A lanky man with a tense air to him, his eyes wandering unless in conversation or actively focusing on something. His hair was black before, but his Noble Arm's toll caused him extreme stress in the past, to a point where his hair began graying. His hands are unusually big, and covered with rough calluses as a result of constant training with his NA. Height: 6'3" Weight: 190 lbs Build: Fit and lanky Age: 24 Nationality: Greek Noble Arm Name & Appearance: Helios Rod, an ornate golden and white saber. Noble Arm Rank: B Power: B-A (S) (Sun Stoked) Speed: C-B (S) (Sun Stoked) Range: E-D+ (S) (Wildfire Dance) Persistence: D-C (S) (Sunsetter) Precision: C-B (S) (Sunsetter) Potential: D (S) Helios Rod slowly grows and changes as Nico practices with and understands how to use the sword. However, this growth is held back by a combination of Nico's lack of experience and Helios Rod's volatile nature. Noble Arm Type, Element, and Range: Support/Melee, Sun and Fire, close-to-mid-range Noble Arm Abilities: Burning Edge: Nico can coat his sword's edge in flames, making the sword akin to a plasma cutter, melting through most mundane metals with ease. When the edge makes contact with Moon- or Dark-themed NAs, Helios Rod flares up in an attempt to burn away the darkness. Nico isn't immune to this ability, so if Helios Rod touches him, it will burn. (Sun Stoke makes the edge burn white hot, turning almost anything mundane touched into ashes) Inner Sun: Helios Rod gives Nico slight pyrokinesis, granting his unarmed strikes an explosive effect. The force of the explosion is equal to double the force of the original attack. Nico has to worry about the recoil from these strikes, as too many consecutive blows can cause damage to his joints. (Sunsetter delays the explosive force for a few moments, giving the strikes an element of surprise and mitigating the recoil of the strikes.) Sun Stoke: As day approaches, Nico's speed and power are increased a rank higher than his usual, trading defense and subtlety for raw, overwhelming power. Helios Rod burns brighter and responds faster, and Nico's reflexes and strength rise to match. This makes him seem like a living comet, rushing through the battlefield to get into close range combat. However, this isn't without costs. The more Nico uses his enhanced power, the more he heats up, running the risk of hyperthermia as a battle drags on. Radiant Burst: A wave of light extends in a 20 foot radius centered on Nico, accelerating the healing process of himself and any allies in the AoE, closing up most moderate injuries (ie. slashes, burns, and small caliber gunshots). It also blinds any enemies caught within the radius, similar to a flash grenade. This ability shifts targets depending on who Nico considers an ally or enemy at the time, so even those fighting beside Nico may be blinded if he doesn't trust them. Wildfire Dance: During the hours of 11AM to 1PM, Nico's strikes release waves of fire. These strikes can hit targets up to 100 feet away with the force of a missile. These attacks pass through allies harmlessly, following the rules set by Radiant Burst. Sunsetter: As night approaches, Helios Rod's abilities alter. It increases Nico's persistence and precision by a rank, giving his strikes more finesse in trade for less raw power. This gives him immunity to his own flames and boosts his regeneration to a level where most superficial wounds heal instantly (ie. scrapes and glancing blows). Sunsetter also hones Nico's mind, making his senses 4 times more acute than the average person. Vanishing Step: Nico disappearing from one point for an instant and reappearing in a different point. This is a result of him using Helios Rod to mark a location, Nico maneuvering the opponent into having that spot outside their field of view, and returning to it in order to launch a surprise attack. He must stay within 30 feet of the mark, otherwise it dissipates. Godspeed Dance: During the hours of 12AM to 2AM, Nico's precision reaches a point that rivals even well trained Noble Arms Masters. He can act and react to the world around him in mere milliseconds without stumbling or pausing to reposition. However, this godlike precision is costly. It severely wears down on his stamina, so he prefers using it in short bursts, making rapid movements and evasive action. Misc Abilities: Alertness: Nico barely needs sleep, being able to get a good night's rest in 3-4 hours. He's constantly assessing the environment, taking note of strange objects and people alike. Multilingual: Nico knows English and French, along with his native Greek. He learned French and English as electives in school and kept studying until he was able to hold conversation with tourists and the like. Compass: Nico's internal compass is better than the average citizen. He can ignore the sun's glare and the darkness of night to find his way back to wherever he slept before. Personality: As a newbie to the war business, Nico attempts to not let his doubts get in the way, burying them under a veil of pride. He's not arrogant and enjoys connecting with other people, wanting to learn more about the lives of those outside of Athens. For Nico, powers are something given to those who earn it. As such he tends to take training very seriously, being annoyed at lazy Arms Masters, particularly the strong ones, who for him are choosing to waste the strength they were given. At the same time, he wishes that the weak be allowed to grow on their own and walk newer paths, a gift granted to him that he wishes to help spread to everyone. Nico is out here to prove his resolve to the world, his pride is at stake. As for the Big Three, Nico tolerates Seven Virtues, thinking of them as a bunch of pricks with the right idea and bad execution, but sees Downward Descent as psychos and nihilists, viewing their ideals as complete insanity. *Likes: Spicy food, sour drinks, cheese, parties, all nighters *Dislikes: Sweets, bland food, quiet places, lazy people, elitists, Downward Descent Fears: Spiders, snakes Bio: Nico always had a fascination with knights and heroes of legends, having grown up in a country where some of the most famous myths came from. He was born in Athens at exactly high noon, a good omen. His family ran a small hotel near Athens Airport, so there was always some new person to meet, and a new story to hear. His mother and father encouraged his curiosity as a kid, letting him help around the hotel and talk to the guests. Once Nico left for university, he kept a hotel key with him as a memento. Helios Rod appeared a month or so after Nico graduated from uni, at exactly high noon. Awakening his Noble Arm led him to take up swordplay just in case something ever happened. As he got better with the sword and his form improved, he realized that wanting to help people didn't mean much if there weren't many people in need of help. In lieu of the Greek Debt Crisis, he became a freelance mercenary for some form of steady income. Working with ASEAN gave Nico a chance to put his abilities to the test, to forge his will in fire. *Current Goal: Protect those behind and beside him, and give others a chance to walk their path. Military or Civilian Rank: Freelance Mercenary Nico's Theme</s> <|message|>Cuong Hoang Van (Sometimes referred as Hoang Van Cuong), Nikolay Phan (old surname: Morozov) --- "Whoa whoa." The calm-headed pilot of the Vietnamese squadron gave out a slight bit of uneasiness as he pulled on the yoke and the warplane immediately swirled to dodge the incoming missiles and flaks. Despite the repeated training for these types of armaments, the relentless attack of the Chinese fleet felt a little bit too much if they were to proceed. They did notice particular patterns in both armaments as the squadron was toeing around the range of the carrier strike group. "We could go through here." Nikolay said, explosions shook the yoke of his entrusted warplane. "There is a noticeable interval in the missile fire there." "We'll still need to dodge at least another barrage of their nonsense. Is it worth the attacking chances though?" A female pilot commented. "Weapon check." Cuong ordered. The pilots reported back a few seconds later. The temporary head of the squadron furrowed his brows at what he heard. "We could take down a couple of frigates if we pile up, or damage their carrier. But it's a heavy heavy risk." "Also, make this as you will comrade, but I heard from some ground forces that there were attacks upon the carriers earlier in the fight, but they appeared to have already fixed that minutes later." The same voice warned. "I don't know the details, but they seem to be able to shrug off some damage pretty easily." "Ok no then." Cuong quickly decided. This was the Chinese grand opening to a new theatre, and it was not anything new or flashy. Cuong suspected that the PLA was also deploying the same kind of show over in the Philippines as well, but against a more uncoordinated defenders this time. In that case, it simply would just be a waste. After a couple of rounds just flipping and dodging the Chinese firepower from a relatively safe distance, the six Vietnamese planes backed off and headed back to shore, bringing back with them all 12 aircraft intact, but also not much done aside from wasting the attention of the Chinese fleet. The Chinese seemed to have relied almost solely on the Noble Arms to make progress on the beach, seeing the catastrophic destruction they caused, and to their chagrin, the squadron was not really in a position to attack the guy. They didn't really have the weapons specifically for the task of sniping an individual off the face of the planet. However, given the relatively lack of objectives for them to do, and the fact that these weren't aces for nothing... "How would you feel if we attack that asshole on the beach instead?" Nikolay said over to his copilot. "Uh, not good?" Cuong responded. "But given the hedgehog that is the Chinese fleet, I'd take that guy any day." "That's all I need to hear!" Nikolay stepped over onto the comm and announced. "Alrighty comrades. We will attack that guy fighting on the beach earlier." "What? Are you serious?" The female pilot spoke again. "Yes, we are doing the funny run. Lotus 3, you have bombs right?" Cuong asked, to an affirmative response. "Then you go high. Everyone else, ready the cannons and spread out." The lack of dedicated weaponry hasn't really stopped them before. One SU-30 perked its nose up and ascended, meanwhile the other five burst out of formation like a blooming flower, approaching the shore all in different directions. Once visibility over the Chinese Noble Arms master was clear, they slowed down a little, before a message was broadcast. "This is Lotus Squadron. We will soon commence an attack on the target at sector D1. Stay out of his position." As soon as the broadcast stopped, all aircraft turned simultaneously towards the spearman on the beach, the one SU-30 diving down on his visually estimated position. Very soon, multiple ear-splitting noises of automatic cannon fire rattled the air, stacking on top of one another creating a long chain of auricle-menace, as the sands surrounding Huo Ren burst up in columns. Once the shooting stopped, two explosions reinvigorated the sand column.</s> <|message|>Fuyuko Yamato --- Rin looked over to the upset man who attempted to murder or disable her with fire coming from his spear, but before the bodyguard could react, the body of Huo Ren was ragdolled away from where she would be getting to safety with the princess. The female kunoichi would take the opportunity to drag Fuyuko away from the chaotic fight where they could avoid being in the line of sight from the Chinese man. They both wouldn't be out of harm's way yet though as a tsunami of flame would be aimed towards both young girls. With a push out of the flaming tsunami's way, the female bodyguard of the Japanese royal tried to shield her charge from whatever burns they would suffer. The proximity of the thin wave of fire still caused nasty burns to appear on their legs and arms, but at least, Rin was able to keep Fuyuko safe from the fiery anger that Fuyuko's opponent tried to vent out. Moving out of the way and letting Fuyuko see the barrier cracking under the blue fiery wave, she hissed from the pain coming from her cut shins and knelt down to the sands with the kunoichi holding her and trying to comfort her.</s>

<|message|>Nico Makri You know what, if I live through this, I'm buying better shoes. It was a stupid thing to think while running, but the burning sands created by the Dragon's Noble Arm made the thought pop up all the same. Then he saw Huo Ren manage to get up from the cannon shot. It was as terrifying as it was baffling. Even though Nico hated that his fears were realized, the Dragon being monoplegic made this seem almost like a fair fight. Even if the railgun wasn't enough to kill the Zodiac, he'd at least try to finish the job. At the sight of the Noble Arm appearing inches from him, he used Helios Rod's guard to bat away the tip of the burning spear. There was no hesitation this time, only his instincts guiding him. Trying his best to keep his momentum, he aimed a full force kick at Huo Ren's chest. He didn't think about getting hurt, or even death. All that mattered was making sure the Zodiac finally stayed down.</s>

<|description|>Nico Makri "Why am I here? I can understand the question. I am not the strongest, or the fastest. I'm not extremely persuasive or clever. All I have is my blade and my resolve. Therefore, I'll prove myself, so that no one questions me or my abilities." Appearance: A lanky man with a tense air to him, his eyes wandering unless in conversation or actively focusing on something. His hair was black before, but his Noble Arm's toll caused him extreme stress in the past, to a point where his hair began graying. His hands are unusually big, and covered with rough calluses as a result of constant training with his NA. Height: 6'3" Weight: 190 lbs Build: Fit and lanky Age: 24 Nationality: Greek Noble Arm Name & Appearance: Helios Rod, an ornate golden and white saber. Noble Arm Rank: B Power: B-A (S) (Sun Stoked) Speed: C-B (S) (Sun Stoked) Range: E-D+ (S) (Wildfire Dance) Persistence: D-C (S) (Sunsetter) Precision: C-B (S) (Sunsetter) Potential: D (S) Helios Rod slowly grows and changes as Nico practices with and understands how to use the sword. However, this growth is held back by a combination of Nico's lack of experience and Helios Rod's volatile nature. Noble Arm Type, Element, and Range: Support/Melee, Sun and Fire, close-to-mid-range Noble Arm Abilities: Burning Edge: Nico can coat his sword's edge in flames, making the sword akin to a plasma cutter, melting through most mundane metals with ease. When the edge makes contact with Moon- or Dark-themed NAs, Helios Rod flares up in an attempt to burn away the darkness. Nico isn't immune to this ability, so if Helios Rod touches him, it will burn. (Sun Stoke makes the edge burn white hot, turning almost anything mundane touched into ashes) Inner Sun: Helios Rod gives Nico slight pyrokinesis, granting his unarmed strikes an explosive effect. The force of the explosion is equal to double the force of the original attack. Nico has to worry about the recoil from these strikes, as too many consecutive blows can cause damage to his joints. (Sunsetter delays the explosive force for a few moments, giving the strikes an element of surprise and mitigating the recoil of the strikes.) Sun Stoke: As day approaches, Nico's speed and power are increased a rank higher than his usual, trading defense and subtlety for raw, overwhelming power. Helios Rod burns brighter and responds faster, and Nico's reflexes and strength rise to match. This makes him seem like a living comet, rushing through the battlefield to get into close range combat. However, this isn't without costs. The more Nico uses his enhanced power, the more he heats up, running the risk of hyperthermia as a battle drags on. Radiant Burst: A wave of light extends in a 20 foot radius centered on Nico, accelerating the healing process of himself and any allies in the AoE, closing up most moderate injuries (ie. slashes, burns, and small caliber gunshots). It also blinds any enemies caught within the radius, similar to a flash grenade. This ability shifts targets depending on who Nico considers an ally or enemy at the time, so even those fighting beside Nico may be blinded if he doesn't trust them. Wildfire Dance: During the hours of 11AM to 1PM, Nico's strikes release waves of fire. These strikes can hit targets up to 100 feet away with the force of a missile. These attacks pass through allies harmlessly, following the rules set by Radiant Burst. Sunsetter: As night approaches, Helios Rod's abilities alter. It increases Nico's persistence and precision by a rank, giving his strikes more finesse in trade for less raw power. This gives him immunity to his own flames and boosts his regeneration to a level where most superficial wounds heal instantly (ie. scrapes and glancing blows). Sunsetter also hones Nico's mind, making his senses 4 times more acute than the average person. Vanishing Step: Nico disappearing from one point for an instant and reappearing in a different point. This is a result of him using Helios Rod to mark a location, Nico maneuvering the opponent into having that spot outside their field of view, and returning to it in order to launch a surprise attack. He must stay within 30 feet of the mark, otherwise it dissipates. Godspeed Dance: During the hours of 12AM to 2AM, Nico's precision reaches a point that rivals even well trained Noble Arms Masters. He can act and react to the world around him in mere milliseconds without stumbling or pausing to reposition. However, this godlike precision is costly. It severely wears down on his stamina, so he prefers using it in short bursts, making rapid movements and evasive action. Misc Abilities: Alertness: Nico barely needs sleep, being able to get a good night's rest in 3-4 hours. He's constantly assessing the environment, taking note of strange objects and people alike. Multilingual: Nico knows English and French, along with his native Greek. He learned French and English as electives in school and kept studying until he was able to hold conversation with tourists and the like. Compass: Nico's internal compass is better than the average citizen. He can ignore the sun's glare and the darkness of night to find his way back to wherever he slept before. Personality: As a newbie to the war business, Nico attempts to not let his doubts get in the way, burying them under a veil of pride. He's not arrogant and enjoys connecting with other people, wanting to learn more about the lives of those outside of Athens. For Nico, powers are something given to those who earn it. As such he tends to take training very seriously, being annoyed at lazy Arms Masters, particularly the strong ones, who for him are choosing to waste the strength they were given. At the same time, he wishes that the weak be allowed to grow on their own and walk newer paths, a gift granted to him that he wishes to help spread to everyone. Nico is out here to prove his resolve to the world, his pride is at stake. As for the Big Three, Nico tolerates Seven Virtues, thinking of them as a bunch of pricks with the right idea and bad execution, but sees Downward Descent as psychos and nihilists, viewing their ideals as complete insanity. *Likes: Spicy food, sour drinks, cheese, parties, all nighters *Dislikes: Sweets, bland food, quiet places, lazy people, elitists, Downward Descent Fears: Spiders, snakes Bio: Nico always had a fascination with knights and heroes of legends, having grown up in a country where some of the most famous myths came from. He was born in Athens at exactly high noon, a good omen. His family ran a small hotel near Athens Airport, so there was always some new person to meet, and a new story to hear. His mother and father encouraged his curiosity as a kid, letting him help around the hotel and talk to the guests. Once Nico left for university, he kept a hotel key with him as a memento. Helios Rod appeared a month or so after Nico graduated from uni, at exactly high noon. Awakening his Noble Arm led him to take up swordplay just in case something ever happened. As he got better with the sword and his form improved, he realized that wanting to help people didn't mean much if there weren't many people in need of help. In lieu of the Greek Debt Crisis, he became a freelance mercenary for some form of steady income. Working with ASEAN gave Nico a chance to put his abilities to the test, to forge his will in fire. *Current Goal: Protect those behind and beside him, and give others a chance to walk their path. Military or Civilian Rank: Freelance Mercenary Nico's Theme</s> <|message|>Nil Briefings had never been fun, and this one wasn't much of an exception, bored to no end Nil passed through Noel's spiel with an impassive face and a couple slight nods, masquerading her internal panic at seeing the next mission would have a lot of water AND sand, she never hated sand but now she worried for some reason… it wasn't very stable ground. Apparently they were going on a, mister Jose? ah it's a ship, Nil wasn't sure what was worse, being on a boat or staying on a small sandy island, the latter seemed worse given the recent experience. Maybe she'll just put on the new earmuffs and ignore the briefing for a while, better to make sure they work now than later. Then a few different people started talking, probably discussing the briefing and other of that stuff, both the ice cream making green woman and the teleporter Callie started talking. It would be interesting to hear what they had to say, what made them worry and what made them tick, but right now Nil preferred to calm down and hey, the earmuffs worked. More people joined in, everyone bringing in their fashion and mannerisms, or lack thereof, this Task Force would sure look like a carnival from the outside. Then glancing to her right Nil saw a man trying to speak to her, taken a bit by surprise she looked at the man for a second, lowered her headphone-looking gear to her neck and replied. "Yes." despite having no clue what the original question was.</s> <|message|>Fuyuko Yamato --- Carefully watching the presentation in the auditorium where the briefing appeared to be focusing on Mischief Reef which was the site of the next mission, there was the defector named Qingshe in the middle of their forces while Nemo was gone. She had narrowly avoided being burned alive by the man who wielded the same kind of Noble Arms she had or the same power it had with it. With her kunoichi bodyguard going away quietly and leaving Fuyuko on her own, the Japanese princess was a little confident that she could start putting in teamwork without the protection of a bodyguard. After the projector's pressentation ended, the lieutenant allowed some questions or concerns to be made. "I second what Second Lieutenant Larsdottir spoke of." When it was her turn to speak, the Japanese royal spoke formally. "I did not think I got to know you too well, sir, so it will be a pleasure to get a chance to talk with you more in spite of my introversion. That and where I can best work with whatever assigned team I will be in."</s>

<|message|>Nico Makri Nico was almost too energetic to be of service during the meeting, and far too hungry. Perhaps midnight training was a bit much, especially considering he didn't get as much sleep as he would prefer after the fact. While he could easily function on 3 hours of rest, it was in no way ideal. Godspeed Dance took a lot out of him, and the long hours of rigorous swordplay and close quarters practice in the days after his encounter with Diligence were slowly beginning to show. Nico's large hands were wrapped in bandages, and even those were charred at the ends. He hadn't quite had time to grab anything to eat, so he had munched on a couple pieces of jerky from a rations box on the way which, while not filling, kept his stomach from growling during the important proceedings and debrief. At first, Nico was content with just relaxing through the meeting, but decided to keep an ear listening and an eye out in case anything piqued his curiosity, or his anxiety. And there was already something that set him on edge. Or rather, someone. Bloody prick, but can't blame her. There was always something about Qingshe that unnerved him, and it wasn't helping his anxiety any. Still, Nico pushed down his unease and listened to the First Lieutenant give the debrief. It was the general explanation of what the next mission was, and the general theater of battle. A reef was less than ideal for him, but it was also likely a night battle, which meant his swordplay would be at its best. Nico fiddled with a rather well-cut diamond in a bandaged hand, smirking a bit at some of the snark Noel was letting seep into his debrief. It definitely made it a bit more bearable to sit through than if it was all business. He clenched a bit at the name of Ren Huo, but relaxed at hearing that his brother was helping them out. His power would be a great asset for the team, especially considering their lack of defensive options. When the First Lieutenant finished his presentation and opened the floor to questions, he sighed and stood up. "Volunteer Nico Makri. A question about the mission. And a few concerns of my own." Nico's accent is thin but noticeable. He raised a loosely closed bandaged hand, sticking out a finger. "This first one is a rather important one for me. What time exactly is the mission taking place? My Noble Arm is rather time sensitive. While I believe that I'd be of service no matter what time it is, the time does play a role in what capacity I'm able to aid the task force." He opened his other hand, letting his saber appear in his grasp, the familiar surge of heat going through his body. He took a coin out of his pocket and tossed it a bit into the air a few times, smiling a bit. This trick never stops being fun to do. After a few tosses, he tossed the coin much higher than before, flicking it as it came back down. The miniature explosion caused by his pyrokinesis practically shot the coin into the ceiling. He shook his hand a bit, wincing at the recoil. "During the day, I become more physically powerful and faster, and I become more precise and durable at night. So I'd prefer to be aware of what I should prepare for. He took a deep breath and sighed. Now or never, Nico. He readjusted the burnt bandages on his hands giving them a little tug to tighten them, dismissing his blade. "Now for my concern. One of the pricks from Seven Virtues came after me. A blondie by the name of Diligence. He asked me to be the leader of their organization, and said that Alan Turing was after me and Hannie. Obviously, I refused his offer, but I worry that he will try to force me to join. Turing is another matter in himself, but I don't know if he's as immediate of a threat as those Seven Virtues pricks are likely to be." He sat back down, cracking a couple of knuckles passively. This was all a lot more than he thought he would be doing in the field of battle, but it hadn't deterred him quite yet. If anything, it only solidified his resolve to fight for his own sake, as well as those who weren't able to on their own. He relaxed a bit as he thought about new things to do with the time he had. Perhaps get some actual breakfast, sleep a bit, train, or even get a good sparring session in before things got started. Nico's mind was racing for something to do or something to happen, and he was good at masking that excitement. But all the same, a small smile was plastered on his face, despite his stress. What a day this is going to be.</s>

<|description|>Brian MacPherson Age: 20 Gender: Man Appearance: Human: Sasquamon (pronounced Sahs-KOO-wah) -Can change his appearance (color) to blend in with his surroundings, but only if there are trees. -Pinewood Pummel (He carries a heavily knotted wood club, and performs what amounts to a machine gun punch) -Bigfoot Crash (He sometimes leans into a stomp, other times jumps with both giant feet, either way the impact opens a fissure in the ground, overflowing with energy, and moving like a directed attack) Beast: OwlHumon -Night Eyes (can work 1 of 2 ways: either glowing red beams fire from his eyes, or, ring like waves project from his eyes, encircling and mesmerizing the target) -Harbinger of Doom (Flies high into the air, meanwhile shadows form around an affected area. The shadows move on their own, and entangle/grapple with the target/s, leaving them vulnerable to a handful of dive-bomb attacks from OwlHumon) Double: Ahoolmon -Night Howl (emits a shrieking sonic blast) -Divebomb Tackle (self explanatory; flies high, becomes charged with purple energy as he dives, and releases the energy in a blast on impact with the target) -Night Terror (an affected area is swallowed up by darkness, his glowing eyes the only thing visible. His eyes project waves in a similar way to when OwlHumon does Night Eyes, but instead of stunning or mesmerizing it drains energy!) Special Equipment, Gear, or Skills: Old tape recorder (with extra batteries and cassette tapes) Note pad and pen Old film camera with extra rolls of film Photography Paranormal enthusiast Amateur paranormal investigator Canvas backpack Backstory: Brian MacPherson has always been a true believer. When he was 8, he was camping out in the wilderness with his father. In the night, they heard strange noises, and in order to console his frightened child, Brian's father went out into the night to prove there was nothing to be afraid of. It felt like he had been gone for… Too long, and the lantern was starting to burn out! When he heard a noise, something too big to be his dad, he gasped, and put out the light so that whatever it was couldn't see him. A shadow passed over the side of the tent. Something big, with glowing red eyes. Just when he thought he was done for, it turned and moved on, off into the night. It was never seen again. Neither was his father. Since then, he's been hooked on the paranormal (some say obsessed, others claim it's a coping mechanism- either people he tends to ignore), and has finally found an opportunity to go to a supposedly very haunted location in Japan. Miscellaneous: Can sometimes go on odd tangents about whatever paranormal entity/phenomenon comes to mind, particularly when nervous or scared, as if his knowledge were a shield. Species: Ogremon Gender: Male Appearance: Backstory: Ogremon has definitely seen better days. Between always being subjugated by one digimon, or trounced by another, he'd had it, and began plotting a way to strike out on his own, build his own power, maybe even challenge those that would make him kneel, before. He just needed a foothold, something or someone to give him some kind of edge. He was found out, of course, and destroyed promptly. Yet, in spite of knowing where he was supposed to go, he turned away. He didn't want to be reborn, just to keep being weak, so his data drifted about, occasionally finding rifts between the digital and analog worlds. When he learned how contracts worked (and realized that was an option, for that matter), he only became impatient, popping in and out of rifts and breaches, trying to find some way to anchor himself in the Analog World, and thereby regain more meaningful access to the Digital World. And he may have just found the ideal candidate...</s> <|message|>Violet Evergreen A young brunette walked through the streets of Tokyo slowly. She was only in the city for a short while, there to visit her parents, and was quite lost. Normally she wouldn't be wandering aimlessly like this, but she had heard of a bird sanctuary nearby and wanted to check it out. Besides, the city was way too loud for the girl in the Mametchi shirt, and the buildings and people made it too hot for her to comfortably wear her scarf around her neck. Instead, she chose to wear it around her waist like a belt, which had actually gotten her in some slight trouble with the locals. They thought she was in a gang of some kind! As if she didn't have enough trouble with people... Finally arriving, she stopped just outside the sanctuary, looking at the cemetery across from it. Music played through her headphones too loud to hear if anyone else was nearby, but something felt wrong, somehow. It didn't take long for her to give in to the feeling and take one of the random paths through the area. She didn't know where it would lead, but she didn't really care. It was more important to get rid of that feeling. So she turned her music up a little louder and kept walking, not noticing the damage on the other path. ♪ ♪ ♪ umaretsuita toki kara imiko oni no ko toshite sono mi ni amaru batsu o uketa kanashii koto wa nanimo nai kedo yuuyake koyake te o hikarete sa shiranai shiranai boku wa nanimo shiranai shikarareta ato no yasashisa mo ameagari no te no nukumori mo demo hontou wa hontou wa hontou wa hontou ni samuinda ♪ ♪ ♪</s> <|message|>Kana Asakura One week ago… At that moment the world seemed to be frozen in place. Kana looked forward as a giant knight kneeled down in pain, their body being broken down into digitalizes particles, as if they were just as much of a distortion than the ripple in space that they came from. "Human, please confirm or deny the contract. Destabilization is eminent, there is no more time and as a reminder the threat to your life will arrive in 3 minutes and 27 seconds." The knight like distortion stated in an almost mechanical way, as it broke her out from her trance as it reminded her of imminent demise by giant monster. "Alright, if we're doing this, then yer power is mine to use and yer going to help me, understand?" "These conditions, are acceptable." "Alright then, I accept. My name is Kana, what should I call ya?" "Chaosmon." Present day "The Digimon's signal is two miles west and is moving." Chaosmon stated like the voice of a GPS towards Kana, who was leaning against the wall with her phone. "Let's see, that's should be around the old bird sanctuary." Kana had pulled up a map to triangulate the position of her target. Meeting of Chaosmon had not changed her usual plans of trying to find her friend, it merely made it more precise her method of going about things was to try and find the Digimon that was on the photo, it was her only real lead and finding it could finally give her the truth that she was looking for. The delinquent girl got off the wall and started to run towards the monster. "Kana, are you alright?" Chaosmon asked their partner, who while keeping up stoic expression, had a slight tremble to her hand. One week ago, she had nearly meet with death after her attempt to find a Digimon went horrifically well. For that response, the rather grumpy delinquent responded back. "I'm fine. What are ya, my mother?" Kana growled out as she clenched her hand. 'It's fine, I've got the power to fight back, it won't end up like last time.' Kana reminded herself. "I do not believe I am your material figure. We are two different species, so it would be an impossibility for us to have any familial relation. Much less one of mother and child." Kana sighed as she quickened up her pace, this ghost that she allowed to haunted her for exchange for power had absolutely no sense or understand for sarcasm whatsoever. Though that was a small thing to deal with in exchange for being able to find her friend and fight back against Digimon. "You are coming up in to the area where the digital signal is located, be aware of your surroundings as a combat encounter could occur at any time." "Thank you Captain Obvious." Kana snarked as she climbed the chain link fence of the sanctuary, before landing gracefully like a cat on the other side. "The compliment has been noted, however, I would like to point out that my name is Chaosmon, I do not see why you occasionally call me Captain Obvious, as I do not have the title of Captain. Nor is my name Obvious. I would like to ascertain as for why you use such an incorrect designation." "Well, it sounds correct to me." "As I have pointed out previously, that the designation of Captain Obvious is clearly incorrect, please explain why you feel otherwise."</s> <|message|>Asahi Matsumoto Asahi hated the fact that his parents didn't want him to leave the house for anything but school, ever since he came back form the Digital World, but while he had made plans to sneak out he never acted on them. He understood why his parents worried after all. So with nothing to do he was sitting in his room, doing his homework . "Ughh, I have been studying for 45 minutes already, surely one quick game can't hurt." "Don't lie to yourself, you've been only been working for about 30 minutes and spent 15 minutes looking at pictures of those creatures you call cats." Jewelbeemon did his best not to sound too harsh, as he knew Asahi's true issue was feeling locked up, he had heard the human complain about that often enough after all. "That said a five minute break might get you to focus." Feeling five minutes was too short Asahi wanted to complain but his partner had a point. Misclicking he opened a news site instead of the game he wanted to play. He didn't really follow the news too closely but ever since finding out about the Digital World he kept an eye out for strange things going on Feeling that he didn't have enough time to play the game he wanted anymore Asahi decided to just check out if there was interesting going in the forums. It turned out there might be something, apparently some weird noises including a falling tree had been heard nearby Toyo, but so far no one living nearby had gone out to look and it was stated that it was probably nothing. Still, Asahi saw this as an excuse to not spend another evening in his room. "What do you think JB? Worth checking out?" The Spirit knew exactly what his partner was thinking, but as a guard he also knew better than to ignore a potential threat. "Fine, but if it is nothing we will come straight back."</s>

<|message|>Brian MacPherson It was a simple hop over the outer wall of the cemetery, and a few jogging steps until he was on the path left by the beast. He paused, seeing only the shape, barely, in the darkness. "Hey, uh, 'Ogremon'? are you sure this is a good idea?" "Are you down wind of it?" "I... Think so, yeah." "Alright, you're probably fine, than." Brian made a face, 'P-probably'? "Alright, step one for making this deal work- I need you to draw something on the ground, and stand in the center of it." Ogremon talked him through drawing up something that looked like a summoning circle, but the markings consisted of 1's and 0's instead of runes or something he would have expected. As he was finishing as quickly as he could, he asked, "And this will bring you onto the mortal plane, right?" Ogremon made a noise Brian could only assume was a chuckle, "Sure, you could say that. Now, hurry, stand in the center and repeat after me: Initiate-Download/cmnd/Digital-Spirit-Contract;Ogremon. This last part of important, so listen carefully! To finalize the contract, the magic word is 'Execute'! Got it?" Brian did as he was told, standing in the center of the circle as he recited the "incantation". "Uh, Initiate download slash command slash Digital Spirit Contact; Ogremon-" The circle lit up as he did, by the end being a full, ghostly green glow! The wind seemed to gust around him, giving a rather spooky effect on top of the under-lighting from the circle. "Don't stop, hurry! 'Execute', say 'Execute'!" "Ah, uh, Execute! >_<U" The glowing sigils rose up and formed what looked like pixels, and began swirling in the air around him! "Agh! W-what's going on? S-somethings- eurgh- making... me..." He seemed to be struggling against something that couldn't be seen, frozen in place except for his head, turning to look straight up as the ghostly pixels rose higher, swirling closer together. "Ggggghhhh-gggghhhh!!" He couldn't even scream properly, his jaw seemingly locked! An onlooker might see his eyes filled with terror, as the pixel storm suddenly streamed straight down, into his eyes! Once it had fully entered him, there was a large flash of that same green glow from his eyes, and in his hand (the one that held the tape recorder). It faded as quickly as it'd flared, and the circle was gone when he dropped to his knees, panting, and sweating. His terror turned to confusion again as he noticed something was wrong. "H-hey, what...? My recorder- a-and that...??" He jumped and fell back as a ghostly... He recalled something, it sounded like... Owe-knee? Some kind of... If not a monster, than the pixelated ghost of one! "Relax, buddy, now you and only you can see and hear me! It's all on account of that newly coded D-tector you've got, there, a manifestation of our Contract! Now, it's time to get moving again!" It raised it's great arm, and ordered, "After that GrounDramon!" "I... No! This is bogus, man! What'd you do to me!? And what am I supposed to do when we catch up with- mmmm!" His jaw locked again, cutting him off as he seemed to struggle and fail to part his lips. Ogremon stepped in front and crouched to look Brian in the eye. "Can it, will ya? Too much noise and he'll notice us, and we're gonna need the element of surprise! So if you're not going to cooperate, than make room in the drivers' seat!" And with that, he moved into the same position and posture as Brian, both of their eyes taking on that same glow as before! Both spoke at the same time, now, but it was clearly Ogremon calling the shots, "Haha, alright; it feels great having a body, again! Pedal to the metal!" Just like that, they were off to a sprint, the ghost and the mortal moving in unison, with a smirk that didn't seem natural to the mortal...</s>

<|description|>Brian MacPherson Age: 20 Gender: Man Appearance: Human: Sasquamon (pronounced Sahs-KOO-wah) -Can change his appearance (color) to blend in with his surroundings, but only if there are trees. -Pinewood Pummel (He carries a heavily knotted wood club, and performs what amounts to a machine gun punch) -Bigfoot Crash (He sometimes leans into a stomp, other times jumps with both giant feet, either way the impact opens a fissure in the ground, overflowing with energy, and moving like a directed attack) Beast: OwlHumon -Night Eyes (can work 1 of 2 ways: either glowing red beams fire from his eyes, or, ring like waves project from his eyes, encircling and mesmerizing the target) -Harbinger of Doom (Flies high into the air, meanwhile shadows form around an affected area. The shadows move on their own, and entangle/grapple with the target/s, leaving them vulnerable to a handful of dive-bomb attacks from OwlHumon) Double: Ahoolmon -Night Howl (emits a shrieking sonic blast) -Divebomb Tackle (self explanatory; flies high, becomes charged with purple energy as he dives, and releases the energy in a blast on impact with the target) -Night Terror (an affected area is swallowed up by darkness, his glowing eyes the only thing visible. His eyes project waves in a similar way to when OwlHumon does Night Eyes, but instead of stunning or mesmerizing it drains energy!) Special Equipment, Gear, or Skills: Old tape recorder (with extra batteries and cassette tapes) Note pad and pen Old film camera with extra rolls of film Photography Paranormal enthusiast Amateur paranormal investigator Canvas backpack Backstory: Brian MacPherson has always been a true believer. When he was 8, he was camping out in the wilderness with his father. In the night, they heard strange noises, and in order to console his frightened child, Brian's father went out into the night to prove there was nothing to be afraid of. It felt like he had been gone for… Too long, and the lantern was starting to burn out! When he heard a noise, something too big to be his dad, he gasped, and put out the light so that whatever it was couldn't see him. A shadow passed over the side of the tent. Something big, with glowing red eyes. Just when he thought he was done for, it turned and moved on, off into the night. It was never seen again. Neither was his father. Since then, he's been hooked on the paranormal (some say obsessed, others claim it's a coping mechanism- either people he tends to ignore), and has finally found an opportunity to go to a supposedly very haunted location in Japan. Miscellaneous: Can sometimes go on odd tangents about whatever paranormal entity/phenomenon comes to mind, particularly when nervous or scared, as if his knowledge were a shield. Species: Ogremon Gender: Male Appearance: Backstory: Ogremon has definitely seen better days. Between always being subjugated by one digimon, or trounced by another, he'd had it, and began plotting a way to strike out on his own, build his own power, maybe even challenge those that would make him kneel, before. He just needed a foothold, something or someone to give him some kind of edge. He was found out, of course, and destroyed promptly. Yet, in spite of knowing where he was supposed to go, he turned away. He didn't want to be reborn, just to keep being weak, so his data drifted about, occasionally finding rifts between the digital and analog worlds. When he learned how contracts worked (and realized that was an option, for that matter), he only became impatient, popping in and out of rifts and breaches, trying to find some way to anchor himself in the Analog World, and thereby regain more meaningful access to the Digital World. And he may have just found the ideal candidate...</s> <|message|>Asahi Matsumoto "Can you go see what my parents are doing?" "Sure." While Jewelbeemon was out of the room Asahi grabbed his D-Scanner, which he had hidden in plain sight with several videogames and a few cheap electronic toys and clipped it to his belt. "They're watching tv." that was to be expected given the time but it never hurt to be sure. "How engrossed are they?" "Not that much." Sneaking out of the front door was out of the question in that case but there were other options. Quietly Asahi exited his bedroom and entered his parents' room. Opening the window he climbed out, using the ivy covered lattice as a ladder. He knew he had to hurry cause it wouldn't support his weight long but he made it down without issue. He considered taking his bike from the shed but he didn't want to stay in the backyard for too long and instead just left. The city's edge luckily wasn't that far but it was still a fifteen minute walk. Since neither of them actually expected there was anything serious going Asahi treated it as a simple walk. "I should have known it was just a trick to go out." Jewelbeemon wanted to argue with his partner but a deal was a deal and his training as a guard meant he couldn't leave a potential threat unexamined, especially since as far as he knew they were the only ones who could do anything about hostile Digimon. After about twenty minutes they arrived close to the spot Groundramon appeared in but didn't see any sign of the Digimon. "There is definitely something going on here, be careful Asahi." "No need to worry, we can handle this." Jewelbeemon wanted to point out that combining might not be such a good idea since they would terrify any humans around and they had no concrete evidence that there was a Digimon around but Asahi had already taken out his digivice and while pointing the scanner at his partner pressed the button on it's side. "Jewelbeemon manifest as Stingmon. Execute!" Whether he wanted to or not Jewelbeemon's consciousness retracted into Asahi's D-tector and a silhouette of his body overlapped with Asahi's. At the mention of their combined form's name the silhouette changed into a wireframe Stingmon which became more and more solid while Asahi's body faded away.</s> <|message|>Riku Azuma Riku turned his head again until he saw a young woman. What was she doing carrying around a stuffed bunny? And a weird looking one at that? He took his phone out and paused the recording. He normally didn't approach girls, but this was for the sake of his research. He waved to her, drawing closer. Once about four or five meters away he spoke. "I'm sorry to bother you, ma'am," he said, "but I was wondering if you might know some information about phenomena happening in this area? "Specifically, I'm looking into sightings of a huge bird." Riku glanced down at the stuffed rabbit. Wow, it looked so lifelike. The fuzz looked soft, and the little black eyes looked like a real rabbit's. I wonder where you can get something like that? he thought. He looked back up to the girl's face, doing his best to smile in a reassuring manner.</s> <|message|>Arianna "Ryan" Mayez `R Y A N M A Y E Z` `T I M E :` Sunset `L O C A T I O N :` Hinode Wild Birds Sanctuary Nature Park `I N T E R A C T I O N S:` Riku Azuma @JDubs `M E N T I O N S:` None --- When the man turned towards Ryan, she tried to look away. However, her started talking to her. There was no way she was getting out of this without saying at least something to him. Why had she just been standing there staring at him? I should have walked away or something… She cursed herself and loosened her grip on Terriermon. She was so ready for this guy to get bamboozled in case he tried anything on her. "I…" Ryan wanted to run away from this guy. It didn't matter how she acted in front of this guy. It wasn't like she was ever going to see him, again. But, dignity stopped her. She looked down at the ground. The grass was a graying in the evening. Her boot was toeing it with anticipation. What was she supposed to say? "I've read a little bit about this sanctuary, but I've never heard of any big bird…" She wanted to kick herself. Was that all she could manage? He was so awkward, just like a pervert who spends all his time online. Her body tensed as she watched him. There was something normal about him, but she couldn't shake the feeling that this guy's whole life revolved around some pseudo-persona he projected online. This guy's interest in the sighting was merely to boost the pervert's persona. Gross! Her eyes glanced at the tree. Didn't Terriermon say he felt a Digimon over there? Maybe, the bird has something to do with what Terriermon was feeling. Or, maybe its some stupid online hoax that will go away before we know it. Either way, she felt trapped in a conversation with some dweeby pervert.</s>

<|message|>Brian MacPherson "They" caught up to the GrounDramon quickly. "Alright, guy, pay close attention, because I'm not going to do this for you twice!" A new circle of 1's and 0's appeared, spinning on the ground before spiraling up and obscuring him from the view of onlookers. Thrusting out his empty hand, a ring of code sigils began spinning around the palm. He moved like he was making an exaggerated strum of a guitar, swiping the sigiled hand across the scanner of his newly formed D-tector, where it met resistance! It flashed that ghostly green light, casting shadows across his face (like when you shine a flashlight under your face, to look spooky), and he cried out, "Execute; Spirit Evolution!!" His whole body turned into code, as the "shadow" of Ogremon did the same, the form changing as the masses of code began swirling together! As they reformed, they seemed to break free from the code circles, first the right hand, swinging a heavily knotted wood club, then the left, flexing a clawed hand, and finally, a very big foot stomping the ground once, and that seem to blast away the rest. He threw his head back and cried out in an eerie howl, before taking an intimidating pose and loudly declaring this new Digimon's name to the world, in a completely new voice, "Sasquamon!!" And just like that, the sigils were banished, and the beast had appeared where a young man once stood. "Alright, time to get the drop on 'im!" He glanced over the larger opponent, (Sasquamon only a bit larger than Ogremon, who was hoping to have a closer match in size to the enemy than he got), then eyed a tall tree close by. "Alright, I think I'm getting an idea-" Turning and taking a few bounding steps to the tree, he then machine-gun punched it, causing splinters of wood to scatter as he destroyed the trunk! "Pinewood Pummel!!" The tree fell, and looked on course to smack down on the GrounDramon!"</s>

<|description|>Brian MacPherson Age: 20 Gender: Man Appearance: Human: Sasquamon (pronounced Sahs-KOO-wah) -Can change his appearance (color) to blend in with his surroundings, but only if there are trees. -Pinewood Pummel (He carries a heavily knotted wood club, and performs what amounts to a machine gun punch) -Bigfoot Crash (He sometimes leans into a stomp, other times jumps with both giant feet, either way the impact opens a fissure in the ground, overflowing with energy, and moving like a directed attack) Beast: OwlHumon -Night Eyes (can work 1 of 2 ways: either glowing red beams fire from his eyes, or, ring like waves project from his eyes, encircling and mesmerizing the target) -Harbinger of Doom (Flies high into the air, meanwhile shadows form around an affected area. The shadows move on their own, and entangle/grapple with the target/s, leaving them vulnerable to a handful of dive-bomb attacks from OwlHumon) Double: Ahoolmon -Night Howl (emits a shrieking sonic blast) -Divebomb Tackle (self explanatory; flies high, becomes charged with purple energy as he dives, and releases the energy in a blast on impact with the target) -Night Terror (an affected area is swallowed up by darkness, his glowing eyes the only thing visible. His eyes project waves in a similar way to when OwlHumon does Night Eyes, but instead of stunning or mesmerizing it drains energy!) Special Equipment, Gear, or Skills: Old tape recorder (with extra batteries and cassette tapes) Note pad and pen Old film camera with extra rolls of film Photography Paranormal enthusiast Amateur paranormal investigator Canvas backpack Backstory: Brian MacPherson has always been a true believer. When he was 8, he was camping out in the wilderness with his father. In the night, they heard strange noises, and in order to console his frightened child, Brian's father went out into the night to prove there was nothing to be afraid of. It felt like he had been gone for… Too long, and the lantern was starting to burn out! When he heard a noise, something too big to be his dad, he gasped, and put out the light so that whatever it was couldn't see him. A shadow passed over the side of the tent. Something big, with glowing red eyes. Just when he thought he was done for, it turned and moved on, off into the night. It was never seen again. Neither was his father. Since then, he's been hooked on the paranormal (some say obsessed, others claim it's a coping mechanism- either people he tends to ignore), and has finally found an opportunity to go to a supposedly very haunted location in Japan. Miscellaneous: Can sometimes go on odd tangents about whatever paranormal entity/phenomenon comes to mind, particularly when nervous or scared, as if his knowledge were a shield. Species: Ogremon Gender: Male Appearance: Backstory: Ogremon has definitely seen better days. Between always being subjugated by one digimon, or trounced by another, he'd had it, and began plotting a way to strike out on his own, build his own power, maybe even challenge those that would make him kneel, before. He just needed a foothold, something or someone to give him some kind of edge. He was found out, of course, and destroyed promptly. Yet, in spite of knowing where he was supposed to go, he turned away. He didn't want to be reborn, just to keep being weak, so his data drifted about, occasionally finding rifts between the digital and analog worlds. When he learned how contracts worked (and realized that was an option, for that matter), he only became impatient, popping in and out of rifts and breaches, trying to find some way to anchor himself in the Analog World, and thereby regain more meaningful access to the Digital World. And he may have just found the ideal candidate...</s> <|message|>Violet Evergreen Panic ran through Renamon's mind as the giant digimon threw a tree at her and the human girl. Acting entirely on instinct, she tackled Violet once again and turned so that it was Renamon's back that slid across the ground, pulling the two at high enough speed to do damage to it through the path the tree was travelling. Her quick action was just barely enough to save them from becoming paste under the trunk as it landed. Violet's knife was knocked from her hand, and the headphones attached to her phone scraped along the ground behind her as she slid on top of the fox digimon. ♪ ♪ ♪ boku no ibasho wa doko nimo nai no ni 「issho ni kaerou」 te o hikarete sa ♪ ♪ ♪ As the dust cleared, Violet found herself in the arms of the yellow fox, who was clearly quite wounded. "Why... why do you keep saving me?" Renamon tried to smile but could only grimace in pain instead. "I can't just stand by and watch something die. Besides, you're the one from that day, the one who gave me my lucky fabric." Renamon let go of Violet and attempted to stand up, but couldn't. "I at least owe you that back." She said as she unwrapped the scarf and slowly placed it around Violet's neck. Violet felt tears fill her eyes. "Wha- what?" She was going to continue but Renamon interrupted her with a coughing fit. "You're hurt, really bad." She steeled herself as she pulled her now-returned scarf tighter. "How can I help?" Renamon paused. There was only one thing she could do, if it were even possible. She'd heard that humans and digimon could combine their power in desperate situations, but she'd never seen it done before. "There might be something. But I don't know what will actually happen." She looked at her shoulder and winced. There didn't seem to be any other way. "If this works, I hate to rope you into this, but... We need to make a contract." She held out her right arm and focused. Will-o-wisps began forming around her in a circular pattern. Violet watched, transfixed, as they did before looking back to Renamon. Finally, she reached out and grabbed the digimon's hand with her own. "Then let's." Renamon opened her eyes to see the human smiling at her. She smiled back. "Renamon." she said. As she saw the look of confusion on the human's face she explained. "That's my name." "Oh! I'm Violet. Evergreen. Not the kind of name you hear around here, I know." Violet said with a slight laugh, despite the danger she had just been in. And with that, the foxfire grew and ingulfed the pair, burning bright blue in a large flame. --- In a flash of azure, the giant onibi burned itself away and revealed a new entity kneeling in the middle. It bore Violet's red scarf around its neck. As it picked up the blue scarf that lay on the ground next to it, the human mind inside it realized that it could now understand the music that came from the headphones buried in the scarf. ♪ ♪ ♪ - not the voice of you or I but all mankind With no chance to resist, we were sucked into the sunset and vanished into the air ♪ ♪ ♪ Hey, you holding up okay? Yeah, I'm doing better than I expected. This is a weird feeling, to say the least. And I can understand Japanese better all of the sudden! That's from you, right? I'd assume so. Now then, are you okay with getting a spot of revenge on that giant digimon? I'm not a fan of vengeance, but it could hurt too many others if we don't stop it. Renamon felt a shiver from Violet's self before getting a response, the combined digimon wrapping the blue scarf around its waist as she heard it. Yeah... Yeah. Let's kick it up. Show them all the things we can do. Wha- Don't worry about it. Let's go! The digimon went over, picked up the knife that had been knocked aside, and looked once more at the remnants of the tree that had been chucked at its component beings before turning and beginning towards the sound of violence. As it began to move, it noticed another digimon nearby and called out to it. "Hey! Are you on the dragon's side or what?" ♪ ♪ ♪ - the buzzing in my ears Was sucked into the sunset and vanished into the air... ♪ ♪ ♪</s> <|message|>Asahi Matsumoto By the time Groundramon threw a log in the direction of a nearby human and Digimon it was clear to Stingmon who the hostile was here. Unfortunately there was no way for him to stop the log from where he was so he helplessly watched as Renamon pushed the human out of the way and took the full brunt of the hit. As he wondered if he should try to help out the clearly dying digimon or go after the threat it seemed they handled things themselves as they clearly formed a contract and combined into a single entity. Relieved to see things ending on a decently happy note he was about to go chase after Groundramon when something he hadn't expected happened. "Hey! Are you on the dragon's side or what?" Asahi couldn't believe the accusation. "What, are you stup..." Luckily he never got to finish that sentence as Jewelbeemon took over. Forgive my partner, but no we're not. In fact we were just about to deal with him. World</s> <|message|>Ai Shinomiya Between the dying sounds and echoes of passing transit, a figure clad in purple strolled down the street. Suddenly, they stopped, as what would otherwise be described as a shrieking sound was felt by the individual. ... digital rift came the muffled voice in Ai's head as they shot a glance to the window of a nearby storfront. As their eyes were cast to the glass, the image of the speaker was reflected there, stooping low to fit in the reflection, "What was that?" Ai muttered under their breath. A slight sigh echoed within the helmet, It feels like there's been a Digital Rift. Which probably means a harmless one like me, or, well... "A train with teeth, right," Ai replied, leaning their head back and casting a glance into the window as their pace quickened, "Pity, just finished my top coat. So should we-" Probably best to save our energy. We can't be like that for very long, it seems. "Guess you're right, yeah?" Ai replied under her breath with a sigh, "So where're we heading?" The phantasm pointed an armored finger in the reflection, which caused Ai to look out towards the edge of the city. "Looks like the bird sanctuary, yeah?"</s> <|message|>Arianna "Ryan" Mayez `R Y A N M A Y E Z` `T I M E :` Sunset `L O C A T I O N :` Hinode Wild Birds Sanctuary Nature Park `I N T E R A C T I O N S:` None `M E N T I O N S:` None --- Screaming as she fell for the ground, Ryan's legs crumpled. Her body collapsed, and her cheek scraped against the hard dirt. She knew she was breathing rapidly, but she could not feel it through all the pain. Slowly, Ryan pushed her body upwards, only to collapse, scraping her face against the ground again. She tasted blood. A small moan escaped her lips as raspy breaths beaded in-and-out of her. "T…" she looked to her left. The traces of where Terriermon had been were prevalent. "Terrier…mon," she mouthed. Tears swelled in her eyes. She closed them as they ran down her dirty heeks. "I'm still here, Ryan." Ryan's eyes shot open. Terriermon? Her breaths increased as she tried to move. Had he survived? "Don't move, Ryan. You're badly injured. I'd never let anyone kill you." A small light of pixels glowed by Ryan's chest. It had a unique warmness that made the pains of breathing feel less stressful "Terrier… mon?" She spoke with a barely audible voice. "Is th-at… you?" "I swore to protect you, Ryan. I'm sorry. I put us in danger. It's all my fault, and now, we only have one choice if both of us want to make it out of this alive. We have to make a contract." The glowing pixels moved with the voice of Terriermon. "It is… you," Ryan made a weak smile, as more tears trickled down her cheeks. "You… you're alive." "For now, in this form. But we're both going to die if we don't make a contract." Terriermon warned her. "It's your choice Ryan. I would never tell you to do something like this if it was a bad idea. But, it's up to you. I'll do whatever you want, Ryan." "A con… tract?" Ryan's smile continued to delicately remain traced on her lips. "Just as long as you're okay… Terrier… mon." She could barely focus anymore from the pain. Her body ached all over, and her head was throbbing. "Thank you, Ryan," the glow spread its form and merged into Ryan's body. The pixels disappeared as they entered her. "Contract initiated."</s> <|message|>Riku Azuma "Ya gotta say it, mate," the lizard said. "All it takes is your word, mate." The lizard's front paw seemed to become more solid as it reached out towards him. "Alright," Riku mumbled. He could feel himself losing consciousness. "Let's make a contract, little guy." "Call me Bruce, mate." The lizard seemed to smile. The air around the two felt charged with electricity, and the sand around Riku began swirling around him and Bruce. Riku's body felt hot, as if his very blood was boiling in his veins. As the sand swirled around in a tornado, a light came from within, shining brighter and brighter until the sand blew away, revealing a single figure where there had once been two.</s>

<|message|>Brian MacPherson Things had escalated quickly. Hey, is that guy seriously dead? "Calm down, buddy, I got this!" He did, in fact, not have this. If he didn't act more decisively, more aggressively, he was going to miss out on some serious data! In a couple leaps, he got closer to the fray. On the second leap, as he was coming back down to earth, he called out another attack- "Bigfoot Crash!!" He stomped both feet into the landing, causing a fissure to open up, over flowing with energy, almost like lightning charging at the Groundramon.</s>

<|description|>Riku Azuma Age: 16 Gender: Male Appearance: Of average height and build for his age, Riku is rarely seen without a pair of headphones. Digivolution Line + Attacks: Iguneetmon (Galapagos Field, Timoniniser, Granadaro, Final Traveler); Greymon (Ash) (Atomic Tail, Horn Charge, Ash Fang); JESmon (Tekken Seibai, Schwertgeist, OS Generics, Un Pour Tous) Backstory: Always a little different from his peers, Riku has always been curious about myths and legends, spirits and monsters, and generally anything that might be seen as outside the norm, such as conspiracy theories. Because of his shy, awkward nature, he often had few friends. However with the rise of the digital age he was able to find friends online with similar interests. Through his time online, Riku came to learn more and more about bizarre happenings. Sightings of ferocious monsters, reports spirits with unfinished business. But in the background of all of them was the fact that these supernatural beings and Unidentified Mysterious Animals involved these entities just disappearing, as if fading from existence. Since then, Riku has been trying to connect the dots between sightings. Miscellaneous: * Obsessed with dinosaurs as a child, and still likes them enough to the point that he'll visit his uncle Kenryu Uchida in the Fukui Prefecture and help him out at digs in the Kitadani Formation in the summer * Can read and understand English thanks to years online * Loves animals of all kinds... except bugs; he's outright terrified of spiders * His taste in music is... unique, to say the least; after all, when was the last time you heard someone listening to a metal song about dwarves digging holes? Nickname: Bruce Species: Sunarizamon Spirit Manifestation: Iguneetmon Gender: Male Appearance: Since becoming partners with Riku a red stripe has appeared on his head. Other than that, he resembles a normal Sunarizamon. Backstory: Before Bruce arrived in Japan, he would travel to and from Australia from the Digital World, where he picked up the local slang from farmers and outdoorsmen. He made friends with two other Digimon, Kangarumon and Sepikmon, and the three were occasionally seen by humans; in one particular incident, a rather hungry Bruce (in his Champion form) attacked and ate several cows. As time went on, he and his friends became rivals to another group of Digimon: Hanumon, Porcupamon, and Ebidramon. In one battle, Porcupamon's allies lost to Kangarumon and Sepikmon, and in a fit of rage, Porcupamon Digivolved into a new form: Lamortmon. Lamortmon quickly defeated Kangarumon and Sepikmon before turning on Greymon and defeating him. The two returned to their Rookie forms, and so began a long and irritating relationship between Bruce and Phascomon. In the last few years, Bruce has made his way from the Digital World to Japan.</s> <|message|>Violet Evergreen A young brunette walked through the streets of Tokyo slowly. She was only in the city for a short while, there to visit her parents, and was quite lost. Normally she wouldn't be wandering aimlessly like this, but she had heard of a bird sanctuary nearby and wanted to check it out. Besides, the city was way too loud for the girl in the Mametchi shirt, and the buildings and people made it too hot for her to comfortably wear her scarf around her neck. Instead, she chose to wear it around her waist like a belt, which had actually gotten her in some slight trouble with the locals. They thought she was in a gang of some kind! As if she didn't have enough trouble with people... Finally arriving, she stopped just outside the sanctuary, looking at the cemetery across from it. Music played through her headphones too loud to hear if anyone else was nearby, but something felt wrong, somehow. It didn't take long for her to give in to the feeling and take one of the random paths through the area. She didn't know where it would lead, but she didn't really care. It was more important to get rid of that feeling. So she turned her music up a little louder and kept walking, not noticing the damage on the other path. ♪ ♪ ♪ umaretsuita toki kara imiko oni no ko toshite sono mi ni amaru batsu o uketa kanashii koto wa nanimo nai kedo yuuyake koyake te o hikarete sa shiranai shiranai boku wa nanimo shiranai shikarareta ato no yasashisa mo ameagari no te no nukumori mo demo hontou wa hontou wa hontou wa hontou ni samuinda ♪ ♪ ♪</s> <|message|>Kana Asakura One week ago… At that moment the world seemed to be frozen in place. Kana looked forward as a giant knight kneeled down in pain, their body being broken down into digitalizes particles, as if they were just as much of a distortion than the ripple in space that they came from. "Human, please confirm or deny the contract. Destabilization is eminent, there is no more time and as a reminder the threat to your life will arrive in 3 minutes and 27 seconds." The knight like distortion stated in an almost mechanical way, as it broke her out from her trance as it reminded her of imminent demise by giant monster. "Alright, if we're doing this, then yer power is mine to use and yer going to help me, understand?" "These conditions, are acceptable." "Alright then, I accept. My name is Kana, what should I call ya?" "Chaosmon." Present day "The Digimon's signal is two miles west and is moving." Chaosmon stated like the voice of a GPS towards Kana, who was leaning against the wall with her phone. "Let's see, that's should be around the old bird sanctuary." Kana had pulled up a map to triangulate the position of her target. Meeting of Chaosmon had not changed her usual plans of trying to find her friend, it merely made it more precise her method of going about things was to try and find the Digimon that was on the photo, it was her only real lead and finding it could finally give her the truth that she was looking for. The delinquent girl got off the wall and started to run towards the monster. "Kana, are you alright?" Chaosmon asked their partner, who while keeping up stoic expression, had a slight tremble to her hand. One week ago, she had nearly meet with death after her attempt to find a Digimon went horrifically well. For that response, the rather grumpy delinquent responded back. "I'm fine. What are ya, my mother?" Kana growled out as she clenched her hand. 'It's fine, I've got the power to fight back, it won't end up like last time.' Kana reminded herself. "I do not believe I am your material figure. We are two different species, so it would be an impossibility for us to have any familial relation. Much less one of mother and child." Kana sighed as she quickened up her pace, this ghost that she allowed to haunted her for exchange for power had absolutely no sense or understand for sarcasm whatsoever. Though that was a small thing to deal with in exchange for being able to find her friend and fight back against Digimon. "You are coming up in to the area where the digital signal is located, be aware of your surroundings as a combat encounter could occur at any time." "Thank you Captain Obvious." Kana snarked as she climbed the chain link fence of the sanctuary, before landing gracefully like a cat on the other side. "The compliment has been noted, however, I would like to point out that my name is Chaosmon, I do not see why you occasionally call me Captain Obvious, as I do not have the title of Captain. Nor is my name Obvious. I would like to ascertain as for why you use such an incorrect designation." "Well, it sounds correct to me." "As I have pointed out previously, that the designation of Captain Obvious is clearly incorrect, please explain why you feel otherwise."</s> <|message|>Asahi Matsumoto Asahi hated the fact that his parents didn't want him to leave the house for anything but school, ever since he came back form the Digital World, but while he had made plans to sneak out he never acted on them. He understood why his parents worried after all. So with nothing to do he was sitting in his room, doing his homework . "Ughh, I have been studying for 45 minutes already, surely one quick game can't hurt." "Don't lie to yourself, you've been only been working for about 30 minutes and spent 15 minutes looking at pictures of those creatures you call cats." Jewelbeemon did his best not to sound too harsh, as he knew Asahi's true issue was feeling locked up, he had heard the human complain about that often enough after all. "That said a five minute break might get you to focus." Feeling five minutes was too short Asahi wanted to complain but his partner had a point. Misclicking he opened a news site instead of the game he wanted to play. He didn't really follow the news too closely but ever since finding out about the Digital World he kept an eye out for strange things going on Feeling that he didn't have enough time to play the game he wanted anymore Asahi decided to just check out if there was interesting going in the forums. It turned out there might be something, apparently some weird noises including a falling tree had been heard nearby Toyo, but so far no one living nearby had gone out to look and it was stated that it was probably nothing. Still, Asahi saw this as an excuse to not spend another evening in his room. "What do you think JB? Worth checking out?" The Spirit knew exactly what his partner was thinking, but as a guard he also knew better than to ignore a potential threat. "Fine, but if it is nothing we will come straight back."</s> <|message|>Brian MacPherson It was a simple hop over the outer wall of the cemetery, and a few jogging steps until he was on the path left by the beast. He paused, seeing only the shape, barely, in the darkness. "Hey, uh, 'Ogremon'? are you sure this is a good idea?" "Are you down wind of it?" "I... Think so, yeah." "Alright, you're probably fine, than." Brian made a face, 'P-probably'? "Alright, step one for making this deal work- I need you to draw something on the ground, and stand in the center of it." Ogremon talked him through drawing up something that looked like a summoning circle, but the markings consisted of 1's and 0's instead of runes or something he would have expected. As he was finishing as quickly as he could, he asked, "And this will bring you onto the mortal plane, right?" Ogremon made a noise Brian could only assume was a chuckle, "Sure, you could say that. Now, hurry, stand in the center and repeat after me: Initiate-Download/cmnd/Digital-Spirit-Contract;Ogremon. This last part of important, so listen carefully! To finalize the contract, the magic word is 'Execute'! Got it?" Brian did as he was told, standing in the center of the circle as he recited the "incantation". "Uh, Initiate download slash command slash Digital Spirit Contact; Ogremon-" The circle lit up as he did, by the end being a full, ghostly green glow! The wind seemed to gust around him, giving a rather spooky effect on top of the under-lighting from the circle. "Don't stop, hurry! 'Execute', say 'Execute'!" "Ah, uh, Execute! >_<U" The glowing sigils rose up and formed what looked like pixels, and began swirling in the air around him! "Agh! W-what's going on? S-somethings- eurgh- making... me..." He seemed to be struggling against something that couldn't be seen, frozen in place except for his head, turning to look straight up as the ghostly pixels rose higher, swirling closer together. "Ggggghhhh-gggghhhh!!" He couldn't even scream properly, his jaw seemingly locked! An onlooker might see his eyes filled with terror, as the pixel storm suddenly streamed straight down, into his eyes! Once it had fully entered him, there was a large flash of that same green glow from his eyes, and in his hand (the one that held the tape recorder). It faded as quickly as it'd flared, and the circle was gone when he dropped to his knees, panting, and sweating. His terror turned to confusion again as he noticed something was wrong. "H-hey, what...? My recorder- a-and that...??" He jumped and fell back as a ghostly... He recalled something, it sounded like... Owe-knee? Some kind of... If not a monster, than the pixelated ghost of one! "Relax, buddy, now you and only you can see and hear me! It's all on account of that newly coded D-tector you've got, there, a manifestation of our Contract! Now, it's time to get moving again!" It raised it's great arm, and ordered, "After that GrounDramon!" "I... No! This is bogus, man! What'd you do to me!? And what am I supposed to do when we catch up with- mmmm!" His jaw locked again, cutting him off as he seemed to struggle and fail to part his lips. Ogremon stepped in front and crouched to look Brian in the eye. "Can it, will ya? Too much noise and he'll notice us, and we're gonna need the element of surprise! So if you're not going to cooperate, than make room in the drivers' seat!" And with that, he moved into the same position and posture as Brian, both of their eyes taking on that same glow as before! Both spoke at the same time, now, but it was clearly Ogremon calling the shots, "Haha, alright; it feels great having a body, again! Pedal to the metal!" Just like that, they were off to a sprint, the ghost and the mortal moving in unison, with a smirk that didn't seem natural to the mortal...</s>

<|message|>Riku Azuma Riku began moving forward, slowly scanning the trees. "While there have been no reports of the Hinode Mystery Bird attacking people," he continued narrating for the camera, "some people speculate that some property damage might have been caused by it. And if this is an actual animal, it's obviously had to eat something. Given that this is a bird sanctuary, it might be preying on the residents. If those are too small... well, I'll be looking into missing dogs and cats in the area when I get home tonight." The area was beautiful. Though the wildife was winding down for the night he could hear plenty of birds singing before the sun went down. "I'll have to come back here when I'm not looking for anything," he commented. "Bring a bento, do some sightseeing, maybe get a souvenir or two." Riku cleared his throat. "Back on topic: evidence points to this being connected to certain other phenomena I've looked into, including the Silver Kitsune sightings and the reports of haunted jack o'lanterns. "On a note that may or may not be related, it feels like something or someone's been watching me for a while." Riku continued slowly sweeping the GoCam over the trees. "Maybe I've been at this too long, imagining ghosts and monsters and urban legends like Hanako-san..."</s>

<|description|>Riku Azuma Age: 16 Gender: Male Appearance: Of average height and build for his age, Riku is rarely seen without a pair of headphones. Digivolution Line + Attacks: Iguneetmon (Galapagos Field, Timoniniser, Granadaro, Final Traveler); Greymon (Ash) (Atomic Tail, Horn Charge, Ash Fang); JESmon (Tekken Seibai, Schwertgeist, OS Generics, Un Pour Tous) Backstory: Always a little different from his peers, Riku has always been curious about myths and legends, spirits and monsters, and generally anything that might be seen as outside the norm, such as conspiracy theories. Because of his shy, awkward nature, he often had few friends. However with the rise of the digital age he was able to find friends online with similar interests. Through his time online, Riku came to learn more and more about bizarre happenings. Sightings of ferocious monsters, reports spirits with unfinished business. But in the background of all of them was the fact that these supernatural beings and Unidentified Mysterious Animals involved these entities just disappearing, as if fading from existence. Since then, Riku has been trying to connect the dots between sightings. Miscellaneous: * Obsessed with dinosaurs as a child, and still likes them enough to the point that he'll visit his uncle Kenryu Uchida in the Fukui Prefecture and help him out at digs in the Kitadani Formation in the summer * Can read and understand English thanks to years online * Loves animals of all kinds... except bugs; he's outright terrified of spiders * His taste in music is... unique, to say the least; after all, when was the last time you heard someone listening to a metal song about dwarves digging holes? Nickname: Bruce Species: Sunarizamon Spirit Manifestation: Iguneetmon Gender: Male Appearance: Since becoming partners with Riku a red stripe has appeared on his head. Other than that, he resembles a normal Sunarizamon. Backstory: Before Bruce arrived in Japan, he would travel to and from Australia from the Digital World, where he picked up the local slang from farmers and outdoorsmen. He made friends with two other Digimon, Kangarumon and Sepikmon, and the three were occasionally seen by humans; in one particular incident, a rather hungry Bruce (in his Champion form) attacked and ate several cows. As time went on, he and his friends became rivals to another group of Digimon: Hanumon, Porcupamon, and Ebidramon. In one battle, Porcupamon's allies lost to Kangarumon and Sepikmon, and in a fit of rage, Porcupamon Digivolved into a new form: Lamortmon. Lamortmon quickly defeated Kangarumon and Sepikmon before turning on Greymon and defeating him. The two returned to their Rookie forms, and so began a long and irritating relationship between Bruce and Phascomon. In the last few years, Bruce has made his way from the Digital World to Japan.</s> <|message|>Arianna "Ryan" Mayez `R Y A N M A Y E Z` `T I M E :` Sunset `L O C A T I O N :` Hinode Wild Birds Sanctuary Nature Park `I N T E R A C T I O N S:` None `M E N T I O N S:` None --- Screaming as she fell for the ground, Ryan's legs crumpled. Her body collapsed, and her cheek scraped against the hard dirt. She knew she was breathing rapidly, but she could not feel it through all the pain. Slowly, Ryan pushed her body upwards, only to collapse, scraping her face against the ground again. She tasted blood. A small moan escaped her lips as raspy breaths beaded in-and-out of her. "T…" she looked to her left. The traces of where Terriermon had been were prevalent. "Terrier…mon," she mouthed. Tears swelled in her eyes. She closed them as they ran down her dirty heeks. "I'm still here, Ryan." Ryan's eyes shot open. Terriermon? Her breaths increased as she tried to move. Had he survived? "Don't move, Ryan. You're badly injured. I'd never let anyone kill you." A small light of pixels glowed by Ryan's chest. It had a unique warmness that made the pains of breathing feel less stressful "Terrier… mon?" She spoke with a barely audible voice. "Is th-at… you?" "I swore to protect you, Ryan. I'm sorry. I put us in danger. It's all my fault, and now, we only have one choice if both of us want to make it out of this alive. We have to make a contract." The glowing pixels moved with the voice of Terriermon. "It is… you," Ryan made a weak smile, as more tears trickled down her cheeks. "You… you're alive." "For now, in this form. But we're both going to die if we don't make a contract." Terriermon warned her. "It's your choice Ryan. I would never tell you to do something like this if it was a bad idea. But, it's up to you. I'll do whatever you want, Ryan." "A con… tract?" Ryan's smile continued to delicately remain traced on her lips. "Just as long as you're okay… Terrier… mon." She could barely focus anymore from the pain. Her body ached all over, and her head was throbbing. "Thank you, Ryan," the glow spread its form and merged into Ryan's body. The pixels disappeared as they entered her. "Contract initiated."</s> <|message|>Riku Azuma "Ya gotta say it, mate," the lizard said. "All it takes is your word, mate." The lizard's front paw seemed to become more solid as it reached out towards him. "Alright," Riku mumbled. He could feel himself losing consciousness. "Let's make a contract, little guy." "Call me Bruce, mate." The lizard seemed to smile. The air around the two felt charged with electricity, and the sand around Riku began swirling around him and Bruce. Riku's body felt hot, as if his very blood was boiling in his veins. As the sand swirled around in a tornado, a light came from within, shining brighter and brighter until the sand blew away, revealing a single figure where there had once been two.</s> <|message|>Brian MacPherson Things had escalated quickly. Hey, is that guy seriously dead? "Calm down, buddy, I got this!" He did, in fact, not have this. If he didn't act more decisively, more aggressively, he was going to miss out on some serious data! In a couple leaps, he got closer to the fray. On the second leap, as he was coming back down to earth, he called out another attack- "Bigfoot Crash!!" He stomped both feet into the landing, causing a fissure to open up, over flowing with energy, almost like lightning charging at the Groundramon.</s> <|message|>Ai Shinomiya Normally, Ai wouldn't have put much stock in rumors. People tended to leap to conclusions, particularly in the dark. From their experience, this went doubly so for those with lower intelligence. It was basically the basis on which their daily life continued to function. However, even without Medieval Gallantmon having detected a digital rift, the existence of Digimon in their world themselves did cast the slightest shadow of doubt. Not wanting to waste time in investigating, they dropped a handful of yen on a rental bike, and began making their way to the bird sanctuary. Medieval Gallantmon was keeping quiet. With either the meeting of a potentially injured Digimon or a possible threat, perhaps both, on the horizon, he felt it best not to incite any perceived sleight on either side that would fester during their encounter. After all, it wasn't like he could just leave and handle the issue himself. And even if he could, stealth wasn't his strong suit, even in the Digital World. Pedaling slowed as Ai began to hit the stone path. They paused beneath the gate, and unslung the bike from beneath them. The cool hush that would be expected was immediately broken by a crash in the distance. The telltale sound and sight of falling trees followed. "F-k," Ai exclaimed under their breath. 'Come now, it might not be so bad,' came the reply from their mental cohabiter, 'Stay observant. There might be another injured Digimon like me, or...' "Train with teeth, got it," came their barely voiced reply, as they headed into the clearing. Then came the screams. Figures in the distance, other Digimon, it seemed, were being thrashed about. Smote by the massive claws of- "Shit, is that a dragon?" they incredulously blurted. 'A Ground Dragon, as a matter of fact; Groundramon, Virus Attribute, Ultimate Level, Perfect Class, a member of the Dragon's Roar Family. It is said to boast both great offensive and defensive abilities. However, it seems to be less than quick witted, and has poor eyesight, from what I've heard. If we're able to find some allies, we might be able to eek out an advantage.' Not wasting a moment, Ai produced a device, gripping it firmly in their palm. It was their D-tector, the contract they had made between them given physical form. As the red and purple device was drawn back, a blue ring of what appeared to be scan lines formed around Ai's hand. With focus, they drew the top of the D-tector across the ring, which erupted into orange sparks. With the sparks flashing, their arm raised to the sky, as the bands of light flowed from the D-tector, and surrounded them in an iridescent orb. "Execute Spirit Evolution!" The shadow of Medieval Gallantmon drifted into the orb, becoming a staticy mist that filled the confines of the light. Rigid sheets of data began to collect the mist, as Ai's body floated mid air, arms outstretched, ankles crossed. As their forms integrated, a layer of woven scales snapped over Ai's skin, yanking their body into position. From Medieval Dukemon's presence, a white helmet with horns sprouting from the brow appeared. Each hand was encased with wooden gauntlets, affixed to which were shield like planks. Tattered hakama aligned with their body, before their chest was strapped with belts and lashed with vines. Falling from their suspended position, Ai now took a new form, with fluttering red hair, ghostly blue skin, and feet tipped in white claws. Two wooden swords were grasped from the air as this new form landed, before twitching and convulsing as if pulled by too many strings. "Yaksamon!" Gauntleted hands gripped the aged bokuto tightly, drawing them into an 'X' shape. Inhaling a sharp breath, Yaksamon suddenly surged into action, dragging sword against sword. The Demon Man scanned the area, noting the positions and directions of the other humanoid Digimon taking part in the battle. "Ittoryodan!" hopping not to accidentally hit the rapid but, at least from this angle, unseen combatant, the recently spirit evolved Ai loosed a shockwave from the connected blades. As strong as two strikes at once, the pressure wave hurtled through the air, aimed to catch the beast at its flank, where it was less likely to be able to evade in time. Unless those modified wings on its back could still allow it to fly.</s> <|message|>Arianna "Ryan" Mayez `R Y A N M A Y E Z` `T I M E :` Sunset `L O C A T I O N :` Hinode Wild Birds Sanctuary Nature Park `I N T E R A C T I O N S:` None `M E N T I O N S:` Riku Azuma @JDubs Brian MacPherson @BenG85 --- Symbols and letters from languages all around the world began swirling around Ryan. She felt a renewed energy enveloping her body, and the aches that had been fully present within her began subsiding. What was happening? Was this the contract? A bright light flowed beneath her, and she felt as if time had momentarily stopped while all this progressed. She held her breath and let whatever that was happening continue to play out it's course of action. There was no stopping it, whatever it was, and despite all the strangeness, she felt compelled, as if she was in some sort of enchantment. Besides, Terriermon was with her. He was still there's and with each passing non-moment, she felt closer and closer to him. As the glowing subsided and non-time slowed to a hault, stepping back into real time again, Ryan found herself standing upwards with full strength. "How are you feeling, Ryan?" the voice of Terriermon echoed in her head like a clear string of thoughts. The girls dark eyes gazed under the impression. Her lips clamped shut into a serious line. "Wouldn't trade this feeling for the world," Ryan registered back to the Digimon. Her eyes fixed on the Digimon in front of her. She knew what to do, like some sort of new instinct had just developed in her. "Good," Terriermon sounded just as serious as she felt. Both had a rekindled strength within each other. "Blazing Fire!" A rage of flames burst from the Digimon. Alongside the other humanoid-Digimon, they joined forces, keeping from being in sight as well. Ryan could not help but feel as if Terriermon and she should have done this sooner.</s>

<|message|>Riku Azuma The energy that surged through Riku's new form was incredible. He felt like he could take on the world. Or, at the very least, a weird-looking dragon monster. He cracked a lopsided grin. "Fair suck of the sav! The hell is this? I thought I was s'posed to be in control of this body?" Bruce's voice was in his head, and he sounded both surprised and angry. He let out a frustrated huff. "The hell with it. We're in this blue whether we like it or not. How 'bout we teach this bounce a lesson, eh?" Wait, so you only offered to help me because you wanted my body? Riku thought. He sounded offended, bordering on disgusted. "Cripes, no! You might know how I can get back home. If you up and drop dead, there go any chances for me to get back to the Digital World." Digital World? "Best getcher head in the game, mate. Groundramon ain't gonna be nice and wait for you."</s>

<|description|>Violet Evergreen D-Tector User Character Sheet: Age: 15 Gender: Female Appearance: She is almost always seen in a red scarf and with red hairpins in her bangs. She wears this scarf even in the sweltering heat, though she'll often wear it around her waist instead if it's too hot out. She tends to wear casual clothes, unlike the image, such as t-shirts with various images of fictional characters on them and comfortable pants. It's rare for her to wear something like jeans, preferring instead to wear athletic pants in the heat and sweatpants in the cold. Occasionally, especially in the cold, she'll wear a light jacket. She'd much rather freeze from underdressing than melt from overdressing, and this reflects in her fashion choices, for the most part. She also tends to wear gloves, particularly medical gloves with more fashionable ones on top of them. Since giving her red scarf to a strange dog, she has been wearing a blue one that she likes much less. Digivolution Line + Attacks: Ghost: Renamon | Diamond Storm, Power Paw, Kohenkyo Human: Lilimon | Flow' Canon, Temptation, Fairy Vine, Flower Wreath Beast: BlackTailmon | Neko Punch, Neko Kick, Cat's Eye, Danger Love Double: BanchoLilimon | Absolute Territory, Twin Petal, Nightmare Assemble Special Equipment, Gear, or Skills: Equipment: Pocket Knife, Pocket Multitool, Lighter Gear: Medical Gloves, Cellphone, Ziplock Bags, Headphones, MP3 Player Skills: Piano, Guitar, Singing Backstory: Violet suffers from severe Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, and nearly flunked out of Highschool because of this. This in conjunction with everyday life as a non-japanese person living in rural Japan has led her to be quite suicidal at times. It was one such moment when she found herself travelling to the nearest shrine she could to look for some kind of sign to continue on. It was a small shrine, one like many others in Japan where kitsune are venerated. Almost as if the world was matching her emotions, as she travelled there the sky became darker and rain began to pour heavily. Finally she arrived, only to find a strange yellow creature with many tails taking shelter from the storm. Violet decided that this was the sign she needed, and wrapped her scarf around what she believed in her muddled mental state was a large sleeping dog as a makeshift blanket. She later came to believe that perhaps it wasn't actually a dog, but couldn't remember details clearly enough to say otherwise. When she returned to the shrine days later, the creature and her scarf were nowhere to be found. Unfortunate, as that was her favorite of her scarves as well... Miscellaneous: - Violet is a fast and loyal friend. She's quick to trust, and for those who earn her friendship via good use of that trust, she is a steadfast supporter. Due to this, she's both good and bad at keeping secrets, as she'll gladly keep them for her friends unless another friend is the one who wants to know it, in which case it's hard for her to make up her mind as to which person should have their wishes honored. - She has very low self-confidence. When she's with those she cares about, this is hard to see, but when by herself she has trouble even asking for extremely necessary assistance, when needed. She tries to alleviate this by listening to music that has a bolstering affect on her personality and confidence. - She is very good at hearing out both sides of an argument, and tends to wait until she has both sides of a story before making up her mind about someone or something. - She hates insects and insect-looking creatures with a passion. Her only exceptions are butterflies and wasps, because the former pollinates harmlessly and the latter kills other insects and spiders. Digital Spirit Character Sheet: Species: Kyubimon in nature, Renamon as a spirit. Gender: Female Appearance: Renamon is a caring digimon, who nonetheless is very strict with itself. It hates fighting, but trains diligently to become stronger in case it has a need to fight anyway. The world is a place where the strong devour the weak, and it knows and hates this. Because of this, it will often throw itself between two battling opponents to try to intervene with their conflict and force them to solve it peacefully, though this usually results in Renamon getting injured. It also has a strong sense of justice, believing that everything and everyone has value. Backstory: Renamon had fought many battles just outside the purview of the Digital Sovereigns, a place where digimon were more natural, more free, than within the bounds of the Sovereigns' territories. Having "grown up" so to speak in such an area, it was a surprise to Renamon when a BanchoLeomon appeared one day and defeated every digimon that challenged him. Renamon had never seen such a powerful digimon, and it was a kind one at that! It always stopped before fully defeating its opponent, and quickly grew a following via its kind nature and/or its immense power. Then one day, BanchoLeomon vanished. The power vacuum was quickly causing even more fighting than there was before BanchoLeomon appeared in the first place. Renamon tried her best to save the digimon that were weaker and had depended on BanchoLeomon's existence, growing strong enough in doing so as to digivolve. However, while she tried to stop battles that were unnecessary, she found herself fighting almost daily. Finally, she had to lure away several crueler digimon that were harassing young ones, and in doing so she and the digimon chasing her found themselves in the Analog World. She managed to escape from them and found a small shrine that seemed dedicated to her kind, just in time before it began to storm. She chose to rest there, and when she awoke, she pretended to stay asleep as a strange creature placed a large bit of fabric on her back in an apparent act of kindness. She hasn't forgotten that moment.</s> <|message|>Riku Azuma The sun was setting. According to reports, the activity would start up soon. Word on the forums said that near the bird sanctuary in this part of the city was frequented by a massive, unidentified bird, as dark as the night sky. This was the kind of phenomenon Riku enjoyed looking into. His mom worried about him going out at odd hours, but she encouraged his hobby, even if it was one she found odd. "Your father always liked the weird and unexplainable, too," she'd say. Riku adjusted his baseball cap, and turned on the GoCam clipped and velcroed to the brim. A quick glance at his phone's screen confirmed that it was recording. "This is Azuma Riku, log entry number four-oh-seven. I'm currently looking into stories about a giant bird seen near Hinode Wild Bird Sanctuary. While this is possibly some kind of misidentification of a known species, such as the Japanese golden eagle, reports from witnesses indicate that it may be some unknown phenomenon, such as a UMA or something related to spiritual activity. "As of this recording, there have been no photographs or recordings of what I will from here on out refer to as the 'Hinode Mystery Bird'." He began moving along the trail. "Hopefully our feathered friend will show up long enough for me to get a good shot of it with my GoCam. If I do, I'll put it up on MeTube and share it on the forum. If not..." Riku sighed. "Then I'm just someone who's going to spend the next two hours or so talking to a camera for nothing." --- Unbeknownst to the young man, a pair of emerald green eyes were watching him from among a pile of rocks and sand. The creature had been following him for some time, ever since encountering him in what the humans called the "Foo-koo-ee Prefecture". He was odd by human standards, but he was looking into weird phenomena all the time, phenomena that the creature was related to. Maybe there was a chance this Riku bloke could help him out.</s> <|message|>Arianna "Ryan" Mayez `R Y A N M A Y E Z` `T I M E :` Sunset `L O C A T I O N :` Hinode Wild Birds Sanctuary Nature Park `I N T E R A C T I O N S:` None `M E N T I O N S:` Riku Azuma @JDubs --- "Are you sure we're going the right way?" Ryan asked as she looked around. They were on the outskirts of Tokyo and wandering farther and farther into uncharted territory. The light in the sky was beginning to dull, and Ryan was beginning to think she wouldn't be home in time for dinner. "I'm positive!" Terriermon jumped from her arms after seeing that no one was around. His long floppy ears softened his landing. There had been a digifeeling inside of him all day long. It had been pulling him towards something, and his curiosity had gotten the better of both of them. "We're almost there, I can feel it!" He exclaimed with a cute confidence. His body twirled to face her, and his round eyes looked brightly at Ryan as his head tilted. He observed his digipartner with several blinks. "What's wrong, Ryan? You don't look happy." With small frown, Ryan brushed a few dark strands of hair from her face. "It's just..." She looked down and dug her phone from the pocket of her pants. She pressed the screen with her thumb and watched as it lit up. "It's getting late, and I told my mom I'd be home by dinner." "Can't you just tell her you'll be a little late?" Terriermon asked. "I mean, she thinks I've been studying at the library this whole time." Ryan shoved her phone back in her pocket, "You know how she's been since Obachan passed away." There was a small moment between the two before Terriermon broke the silence, "Oh... That was only just last week, right, Ryan?" His little paw pointed a finger towards his cheek in wonder. "Exactly, like the funeral was only a couple of days ago. I just..." Ryan started again, wanting to explain herself. She had been having a hard time connecting with Terriermon since her Obachan had died. There were little things off about their communication recently. Ryan knew it had to be something about herself, and maybe the part about how her mother had left herself at the funeral. It was a lot of grief to deal with. "It's okay, Ryan. I understand," Terriermon relented. He did not want to disappoint Ryan. She had been having a hard time. However, just as Terriermon was taking a step towards Ryan, a strong prescence passed over Terriermon, "Wait!" He twirled around. His round eyes searched the area, "We're close, Ryan. I can feel it!" Ryan hugged herself. She wanted to tell the Digimon that they should go home and leave this for another day. However, at the same time, she felt as if she had been ignoring him in her depression, and if she was being honest, Terriermon was her best friend. He had appeared in her life when she really needed a friend the most. She was always so adamant to be best in the class and prove herself more academically successful than her older sister Violet that she shoved everyone out of the way to make it happen. She hadn't realized how alone she was until Terriermon popped out of her laptop screen. Forcing a small smile, Ryan complied, "Okay, but we have to be quick. I don't want everyone waiting too long," she let out a sigh. Her hands fall to her side, and she pulled out her phone again. She held it up to her face and let the screen unlock. Be home a little late. Found something interesting to read. Tell u about it later. she tapped into the phone. Her thumb went back to the u and she fully typed the out, word, just for her mom. "What's this, Ryan?" Terriermon asked as he turned to his left. "A-" Ryan stared for a moment. Her mood dropped, "A cemetery. It's where dead people's remains are," she paused before continuing, "buried." Terriermon turned away from the cemetery, "I'm sorry, Ryan... Huh? Ryan?" The Digimon walked slowly over to Ryan. She was staring across the street. The sound of someone talking could be heard. "Shhh. Get in my arms. I've heard about this place..." Ryan held out her arms. Quickly, Terriermon jumped into them, plopping his head like a stuffed animal. This was the rumored place she kept accidentally reading about online. "It's that place, Ryan," Terriermon whispered and motioned its little arm towards the bird sanctuary. His arm flopped comfortably. A small shiver ran up Ryan's spine. She wanted to go home. She also was not in the mood of socializing with any creeps, but for the sake of curing Terriermon's curiosity, she walked across the street towards the sanctuary.</s>

<|message|>Violet Evergreen A young brunette walked through the streets of Tokyo slowly. She was only in the city for a short while, there to visit her parents, and was quite lost. Normally she wouldn't be wandering aimlessly like this, but she had heard of a bird sanctuary nearby and wanted to check it out. Besides, the city was way too loud for the girl in the Mametchi shirt, and the buildings and people made it too hot for her to comfortably wear her scarf around her neck. Instead, she chose to wear it around her waist like a belt, which had actually gotten her in some slight trouble with the locals. They thought she was in a gang of some kind! As if she didn't have enough trouble with people... Finally arriving, she stopped just outside the sanctuary, looking at the cemetery across from it. Music played through her headphones too loud to hear if anyone else was nearby, but something felt wrong, somehow. It didn't take long for her to give in to the feeling and take one of the random paths through the area. She didn't know where it would lead, but she didn't really care. It was more important to get rid of that feeling. So she turned her music up a little louder and kept walking, not noticing the damage on the other path. ♪ ♪ ♪ umaretsuita toki kara imiko oni no ko toshite sono mi ni amaru batsu o uketa kanashii koto wa nanimo nai kedo yuuyake koyake te o hikarete sa shiranai shiranai boku wa nanimo shiranai shikarareta ato no yasashisa mo ameagari no te no nukumori mo demo hontou wa hontou wa hontou wa hontou ni samuinda ♪ ♪ ♪</s>

<|description|>Ai Shinomiya Age: 17 Gender: No thanks Appearance: Ai's facial expressions tend to remain aloof, and their posture straight, but apparently relaxed. Thair hair is often dyed, and frequently moved into a ponytail. In the presence of others, their movements are fluid and circular, and their smile engaging, if slight. Maybe less tattoos. Digivolution Line + Attacks: Human Spirit (of Valor)- Yaksamon: Ittouryoudan- Releases a crushing shockwave created by the friction of two boken. Kugutsu no Jutsu- Interferes with the target's gross motor function, manipulating them like a puppet as long as Yaksamon's eyes remain open. Beast Spirit (of Valor)- DarkTyrannomon: Fire Blast- Breathes out a sheet of flames that crawl along surfaces. Flame Snatch- Grips an opponent in one claw and ignites with green flame. Iron Tail- Slams the opponent with a swing of the tail. Dark Nail- Heavily slashes the opponent with foreclaws. Fusion Spirit (of Valor)- Gaiomon: Gaia Reactor- Concentrated and detonates a fiery sphere of energy at will at any point. This attack becomes more powerful the more other attacks have been released in a fight. When attacks like this are used, it resets the power of Gaia Reactor, and Gaia Reactor's use resets its own power. Rinkazan- Attacks with the phosphorescent trails left behind by its Kikurin swords. Rinkageki- Collects all phosphorescent trails on the battlefield in a point that they intersect, or combine the two Kikurin swords into a bow, and fire the phosphorescent trails on the battlefield in one attack. Ghost- Ryudamon: Iaijin- Attacks with a katana, as if spring loaded, from the mouth. Kabutogaeshi- Attempts a counter attack with the armored helmet. Bushikatagi- Allows it to attempt attacking stronger Digimon despite level. Special Equipment, Gear, or Skills: Persuasive- People tend to feel comfortable around Ai, even when they shouldn't. Perceptive- Ai is keen to patterns, and uses this ability to discern people's behaviors. Up their Sleeve- Ai frequently wears sleeves with hidden openings to hide small objects, like coins and cards. Technical Know-How- Ai is technically minded, and gained experience from watching and assisting in the repair of various machines in the gambling house. However, their expertise is limited. Nail Care Kit- Containing a file, polish, clipper, and other similar care items. Backstory: 'They say the house always wins. So you can imagine what being the house must be like, yeah? Maybe you can't. And maybe that's the problem. Could be that it's easier the other way around, always having enough to eat but knowing what it's like to starve.' 'Anyway, here I am in middle school, and it's a good one, yeah? They only accept the best test scores, and the rest have to go to publics. So life's pretty good, yeah? Only I start hearing these whispers around the corner, people saying I haven't earned anything. They're thinking that I only got into the schools I did because my parents could flip the whole tuition out of their pocket change. Mom and dad are great, yeah? Mom was born rich, and dad was a bit of a con-man. They didn't always see eye to eye, but they always agreed on one thing- I want something outside of the basic needs, I need to work for it. And I did work for it. I mean, the fact that I'm good at it didn't hurt- I have a head for numbers, besides.' 'So I'll let you in on a little secret, yeah? I make my rounds, intersections, mouths of alley ways, places like that- big crowds, easy in and out- and maybe I find the person with the most vacant expression. Maybe I offer them a game or two, or a watch casing that looks like a luxury model, for a reasonable price. Maybe they're lead to believe I work somewhere nearby, and I inform them of a discount that may or may not exist. Nothing technically illegal, and they always agree to it- I can't help it if I'm just too quick for them.' 'And then I was almost hit by a train recently. That was weird. Especially because it had teeth. And there wasn't supposed to be a train right then, or I wouldn't have been crossing the tracks. Schedules and all that, yeah? Anyway, long story short, now I got this ghost of a Digimon following me around, and this fancy new D-Tector thing. He's kind of a stick in the mud, but he packs a punch, I gotta say. And I may or may not have been cracking heads of certain malicious unaffiliated muggers in my spare time.' Miscellaneous: VA: Wendy Powell Hex: 00a99d Digital Spirit Character Sheet: Species: Medieval Gallantmon Gender: Male Appearance: Backstory: After taking charge against an alledged robbery, Medieval Gallantmon came into odds with a Devic stronghold and was shot down and left for dead, where he crashed into a passage to the Analog World. Dazed and injured, he found himself with a rogue Trailmon barreling towards him. With a human in his presence, unable to defend themself, he had no choice. A brutal fight ensued, and left both Digimon on the brink of death. Feeling a pang of dread in this strange world, and with a suspicion that the Trailmon might devour them both if he didn't, Medieval Gallantmon offered a contract, and Ai accepted. Working with Ai has been... interesting to say the least. While working in the shadows, and dealing with the ways of the Analog World, often put him off kilter, there are at least some ways in which they can agree. It seems that the laws between worlds, Vigilance falls on a line in which they can both embrace. Miscellaneous: VA: Patrick Seitz Hex: dc143c</s> <|message|>Violet Evergreen Panic ran through Renamon's mind as the giant digimon threw a tree at her and the human girl. Acting entirely on instinct, she tackled Violet once again and turned so that it was Renamon's back that slid across the ground, pulling the two at high enough speed to do damage to it through the path the tree was travelling. Her quick action was just barely enough to save them from becoming paste under the trunk as it landed. Violet's knife was knocked from her hand, and the headphones attached to her phone scraped along the ground behind her as she slid on top of the fox digimon. ♪ ♪ ♪ boku no ibasho wa doko nimo nai no ni 「issho ni kaerou」 te o hikarete sa ♪ ♪ ♪ As the dust cleared, Violet found herself in the arms of the yellow fox, who was clearly quite wounded. "Why... why do you keep saving me?" Renamon tried to smile but could only grimace in pain instead. "I can't just stand by and watch something die. Besides, you're the one from that day, the one who gave me my lucky fabric." Renamon let go of Violet and attempted to stand up, but couldn't. "I at least owe you that back." She said as she unwrapped the scarf and slowly placed it around Violet's neck. Violet felt tears fill her eyes. "Wha- what?" She was going to continue but Renamon interrupted her with a coughing fit. "You're hurt, really bad." She steeled herself as she pulled her now-returned scarf tighter. "How can I help?" Renamon paused. There was only one thing she could do, if it were even possible. She'd heard that humans and digimon could combine their power in desperate situations, but she'd never seen it done before. "There might be something. But I don't know what will actually happen." She looked at her shoulder and winced. There didn't seem to be any other way. "If this works, I hate to rope you into this, but... We need to make a contract." She held out her right arm and focused. Will-o-wisps began forming around her in a circular pattern. Violet watched, transfixed, as they did before looking back to Renamon. Finally, she reached out and grabbed the digimon's hand with her own. "Then let's." Renamon opened her eyes to see the human smiling at her. She smiled back. "Renamon." she said. As she saw the look of confusion on the human's face she explained. "That's my name." "Oh! I'm Violet. Evergreen. Not the kind of name you hear around here, I know." Violet said with a slight laugh, despite the danger she had just been in. And with that, the foxfire grew and ingulfed the pair, burning bright blue in a large flame. --- In a flash of azure, the giant onibi burned itself away and revealed a new entity kneeling in the middle. It bore Violet's red scarf around its neck. As it picked up the blue scarf that lay on the ground next to it, the human mind inside it realized that it could now understand the music that came from the headphones buried in the scarf. ♪ ♪ ♪ - not the voice of you or I but all mankind With no chance to resist, we were sucked into the sunset and vanished into the air ♪ ♪ ♪ Hey, you holding up okay? Yeah, I'm doing better than I expected. This is a weird feeling, to say the least. And I can understand Japanese better all of the sudden! That's from you, right? I'd assume so. Now then, are you okay with getting a spot of revenge on that giant digimon? I'm not a fan of vengeance, but it could hurt too many others if we don't stop it. Renamon felt a shiver from Violet's self before getting a response, the combined digimon wrapping the blue scarf around its waist as she heard it. Yeah... Yeah. Let's kick it up. Show them all the things we can do. Wha- Don't worry about it. Let's go! The digimon went over, picked up the knife that had been knocked aside, and looked once more at the remnants of the tree that had been chucked at its component beings before turning and beginning towards the sound of violence. As it began to move, it noticed another digimon nearby and called out to it. "Hey! Are you on the dragon's side or what?" ♪ ♪ ♪ - the buzzing in my ears Was sucked into the sunset and vanished into the air... ♪ ♪ ♪</s> <|message|>Asahi Matsumoto By the time Groundramon threw a log in the direction of a nearby human and Digimon it was clear to Stingmon who the hostile was here. Unfortunately there was no way for him to stop the log from where he was so he helplessly watched as Renamon pushed the human out of the way and took the full brunt of the hit. As he wondered if he should try to help out the clearly dying digimon or go after the threat it seemed they handled things themselves as they clearly formed a contract and combined into a single entity. Relieved to see things ending on a decently happy note he was about to go chase after Groundramon when something he hadn't expected happened. "Hey! Are you on the dragon's side or what?" Asahi couldn't believe the accusation. "What, are you stup..." Luckily he never got to finish that sentence as Jewelbeemon took over. Forgive my partner, but no we're not. In fact we were just about to deal with him. World</s>

<|message|>Ai Shinomiya Between the dying sounds and echoes of passing transit, a figure clad in purple strolled down the street. Suddenly, they stopped, as what would otherwise be described as a shrieking sound was felt by the individual. ... digital rift came the muffled voice in Ai's head as they shot a glance to the window of a nearby storfront. As their eyes were cast to the glass, the image of the speaker was reflected there, stooping low to fit in the reflection, "What was that?" Ai muttered under their breath. A slight sigh echoed within the helmet, It feels like there's been a Digital Rift. Which probably means a harmless one like me, or, well... "A train with teeth, right," Ai replied, leaning their head back and casting a glance into the window as their pace quickened, "Pity, just finished my top coat. So should we-" Probably best to save our energy. We can't be like that for very long, it seems. "Guess you're right, yeah?" Ai replied under her breath with a sigh, "So where're we heading?" The phantasm pointed an armored finger in the reflection, which caused Ai to look out towards the edge of the city. "Looks like the bird sanctuary, yeah?"</s>

<|description|>Ai Shinomiya Age: 17 Gender: No thanks Appearance: Ai's facial expressions tend to remain aloof, and their posture straight, but apparently relaxed. Thair hair is often dyed, and frequently moved into a ponytail. In the presence of others, their movements are fluid and circular, and their smile engaging, if slight. Maybe less tattoos. Digivolution Line + Attacks: Human Spirit (of Valor)- Yaksamon: Ittouryoudan- Releases a crushing shockwave created by the friction of two boken. Kugutsu no Jutsu- Interferes with the target's gross motor function, manipulating them like a puppet as long as Yaksamon's eyes remain open. Beast Spirit (of Valor)- DarkTyrannomon: Fire Blast- Breathes out a sheet of flames that crawl along surfaces. Flame Snatch- Grips an opponent in one claw and ignites with green flame. Iron Tail- Slams the opponent with a swing of the tail. Dark Nail- Heavily slashes the opponent with foreclaws. Fusion Spirit (of Valor)- Gaiomon: Gaia Reactor- Concentrated and detonates a fiery sphere of energy at will at any point. This attack becomes more powerful the more other attacks have been released in a fight. When attacks like this are used, it resets the power of Gaia Reactor, and Gaia Reactor's use resets its own power. Rinkazan- Attacks with the phosphorescent trails left behind by its Kikurin swords. Rinkageki- Collects all phosphorescent trails on the battlefield in a point that they intersect, or combine the two Kikurin swords into a bow, and fire the phosphorescent trails on the battlefield in one attack. Ghost- Ryudamon: Iaijin- Attacks with a katana, as if spring loaded, from the mouth. Kabutogaeshi- Attempts a counter attack with the armored helmet. Bushikatagi- Allows it to attempt attacking stronger Digimon despite level. Special Equipment, Gear, or Skills: Persuasive- People tend to feel comfortable around Ai, even when they shouldn't. Perceptive- Ai is keen to patterns, and uses this ability to discern people's behaviors. Up their Sleeve- Ai frequently wears sleeves with hidden openings to hide small objects, like coins and cards. Technical Know-How- Ai is technically minded, and gained experience from watching and assisting in the repair of various machines in the gambling house. However, their expertise is limited. Nail Care Kit- Containing a file, polish, clipper, and other similar care items. Backstory: 'They say the house always wins. So you can imagine what being the house must be like, yeah? Maybe you can't. And maybe that's the problem. Could be that it's easier the other way around, always having enough to eat but knowing what it's like to starve.' 'Anyway, here I am in middle school, and it's a good one, yeah? They only accept the best test scores, and the rest have to go to publics. So life's pretty good, yeah? Only I start hearing these whispers around the corner, people saying I haven't earned anything. They're thinking that I only got into the schools I did because my parents could flip the whole tuition out of their pocket change. Mom and dad are great, yeah? Mom was born rich, and dad was a bit of a con-man. They didn't always see eye to eye, but they always agreed on one thing- I want something outside of the basic needs, I need to work for it. And I did work for it. I mean, the fact that I'm good at it didn't hurt- I have a head for numbers, besides.' 'So I'll let you in on a little secret, yeah? I make my rounds, intersections, mouths of alley ways, places like that- big crowds, easy in and out- and maybe I find the person with the most vacant expression. Maybe I offer them a game or two, or a watch casing that looks like a luxury model, for a reasonable price. Maybe they're lead to believe I work somewhere nearby, and I inform them of a discount that may or may not exist. Nothing technically illegal, and they always agree to it- I can't help it if I'm just too quick for them.' 'And then I was almost hit by a train recently. That was weird. Especially because it had teeth. And there wasn't supposed to be a train right then, or I wouldn't have been crossing the tracks. Schedules and all that, yeah? Anyway, long story short, now I got this ghost of a Digimon following me around, and this fancy new D-Tector thing. He's kind of a stick in the mud, but he packs a punch, I gotta say. And I may or may not have been cracking heads of certain malicious unaffiliated muggers in my spare time.' Miscellaneous: VA: Wendy Powell Hex: 00a99d Digital Spirit Character Sheet: Species: Medieval Gallantmon Gender: Male Appearance: Backstory: After taking charge against an alledged robbery, Medieval Gallantmon came into odds with a Devic stronghold and was shot down and left for dead, where he crashed into a passage to the Analog World. Dazed and injured, he found himself with a rogue Trailmon barreling towards him. With a human in his presence, unable to defend themself, he had no choice. A brutal fight ensued, and left both Digimon on the brink of death. Feeling a pang of dread in this strange world, and with a suspicion that the Trailmon might devour them both if he didn't, Medieval Gallantmon offered a contract, and Ai accepted. Working with Ai has been... interesting to say the least. While working in the shadows, and dealing with the ways of the Analog World, often put him off kilter, there are at least some ways in which they can agree. It seems that the laws between worlds, Vigilance falls on a line in which they can both embrace. Miscellaneous: VA: Patrick Seitz Hex: dc143c</s> <|message|>Arianna "Ryan" Mayez `R Y A N M A Y E Z` `T I M E :` Sunset `L O C A T I O N :` Hinode Wild Birds Sanctuary Nature Park `I N T E R A C T I O N S:` None `M E N T I O N S:` None --- Screaming as she fell for the ground, Ryan's legs crumpled. Her body collapsed, and her cheek scraped against the hard dirt. She knew she was breathing rapidly, but she could not feel it through all the pain. Slowly, Ryan pushed her body upwards, only to collapse, scraping her face against the ground again. She tasted blood. A small moan escaped her lips as raspy breaths beaded in-and-out of her. "T…" she looked to her left. The traces of where Terriermon had been were prevalent. "Terrier…mon," she mouthed. Tears swelled in her eyes. She closed them as they ran down her dirty heeks. "I'm still here, Ryan." Ryan's eyes shot open. Terriermon? Her breaths increased as she tried to move. Had he survived? "Don't move, Ryan. You're badly injured. I'd never let anyone kill you." A small light of pixels glowed by Ryan's chest. It had a unique warmness that made the pains of breathing feel less stressful "Terrier… mon?" She spoke with a barely audible voice. "Is th-at… you?" "I swore to protect you, Ryan. I'm sorry. I put us in danger. It's all my fault, and now, we only have one choice if both of us want to make it out of this alive. We have to make a contract." The glowing pixels moved with the voice of Terriermon. "It is… you," Ryan made a weak smile, as more tears trickled down her cheeks. "You… you're alive." "For now, in this form. But we're both going to die if we don't make a contract." Terriermon warned her. "It's your choice Ryan. I would never tell you to do something like this if it was a bad idea. But, it's up to you. I'll do whatever you want, Ryan." "A con… tract?" Ryan's smile continued to delicately remain traced on her lips. "Just as long as you're okay… Terrier… mon." She could barely focus anymore from the pain. Her body ached all over, and her head was throbbing. "Thank you, Ryan," the glow spread its form and merged into Ryan's body. The pixels disappeared as they entered her. "Contract initiated."</s> <|message|>Riku Azuma "Ya gotta say it, mate," the lizard said. "All it takes is your word, mate." The lizard's front paw seemed to become more solid as it reached out towards him. "Alright," Riku mumbled. He could feel himself losing consciousness. "Let's make a contract, little guy." "Call me Bruce, mate." The lizard seemed to smile. The air around the two felt charged with electricity, and the sand around Riku began swirling around him and Bruce. Riku's body felt hot, as if his very blood was boiling in his veins. As the sand swirled around in a tornado, a light came from within, shining brighter and brighter until the sand blew away, revealing a single figure where there had once been two.</s> <|message|>Brian MacPherson Things had escalated quickly. Hey, is that guy seriously dead? "Calm down, buddy, I got this!" He did, in fact, not have this. If he didn't act more decisively, more aggressively, he was going to miss out on some serious data! In a couple leaps, he got closer to the fray. On the second leap, as he was coming back down to earth, he called out another attack- "Bigfoot Crash!!" He stomped both feet into the landing, causing a fissure to open up, over flowing with energy, almost like lightning charging at the Groundramon.</s>

<|message|>Ai Shinomiya Normally, Ai wouldn't have put much stock in rumors. People tended to leap to conclusions, particularly in the dark. From their experience, this went doubly so for those with lower intelligence. It was basically the basis on which their daily life continued to function. However, even without Medieval Gallantmon having detected a digital rift, the existence of Digimon in their world themselves did cast the slightest shadow of doubt. Not wanting to waste time in investigating, they dropped a handful of yen on a rental bike, and began making their way to the bird sanctuary. Medieval Gallantmon was keeping quiet. With either the meeting of a potentially injured Digimon or a possible threat, perhaps both, on the horizon, he felt it best not to incite any perceived sleight on either side that would fester during their encounter. After all, it wasn't like he could just leave and handle the issue himself. And even if he could, stealth wasn't his strong suit, even in the Digital World. Pedaling slowed as Ai began to hit the stone path. They paused beneath the gate, and unslung the bike from beneath them. The cool hush that would be expected was immediately broken by a crash in the distance. The telltale sound and sight of falling trees followed. "F-k," Ai exclaimed under their breath. 'Come now, it might not be so bad,' came the reply from their mental cohabiter, 'Stay observant. There might be another injured Digimon like me, or...' "Train with teeth, got it," came their barely voiced reply, as they headed into the clearing. Then came the screams. Figures in the distance, other Digimon, it seemed, were being thrashed about. Smote by the massive claws of- "Shit, is that a dragon?" they incredulously blurted. 'A Ground Dragon, as a matter of fact; Groundramon, Virus Attribute, Ultimate Level, Perfect Class, a member of the Dragon's Roar Family. It is said to boast both great offensive and defensive abilities. However, it seems to be less than quick witted, and has poor eyesight, from what I've heard. If we're able to find some allies, we might be able to eek out an advantage.' Not wasting a moment, Ai produced a device, gripping it firmly in their palm. It was their D-tector, the contract they had made between them given physical form. As the red and purple device was drawn back, a blue ring of what appeared to be scan lines formed around Ai's hand. With focus, they drew the top of the D-tector across the ring, which erupted into orange sparks. With the sparks flashing, their arm raised to the sky, as the bands of light flowed from the D-tector, and surrounded them in an iridescent orb. "Execute Spirit Evolution!" The shadow of Medieval Gallantmon drifted into the orb, becoming a staticy mist that filled the confines of the light. Rigid sheets of data began to collect the mist, as Ai's body floated mid air, arms outstretched, ankles crossed. As their forms integrated, a layer of woven scales snapped over Ai's skin, yanking their body into position. From Medieval Dukemon's presence, a white helmet with horns sprouting from the brow appeared. Each hand was encased with wooden gauntlets, affixed to which were shield like planks. Tattered hakama aligned with their body, before their chest was strapped with belts and lashed with vines. Falling from their suspended position, Ai now took a new form, with fluttering red hair, ghostly blue skin, and feet tipped in white claws. Two wooden swords were grasped from the air as this new form landed, before twitching and convulsing as if pulled by too many strings. "Yaksamon!" Gauntleted hands gripped the aged bokuto tightly, drawing them into an 'X' shape. Inhaling a sharp breath, Yaksamon suddenly surged into action, dragging sword against sword. The Demon Man scanned the area, noting the positions and directions of the other humanoid Digimon taking part in the battle. "Ittoryodan!" hopping not to accidentally hit the rapid but, at least from this angle, unseen combatant, the recently spirit evolved Ai loosed a shockwave from the connected blades. As strong as two strikes at once, the pressure wave hurtled through the air, aimed to catch the beast at its flank, where it was less likely to be able to evade in time. Unless those modified wings on its back could still allow it to fly.</s>

<|description|>Kalak Ulanti Above: Kalak. Bellow: Queen Cio-Cio Age: 25 Gender: Male Race: Selkie Homeworld: Crystal Chronicles Key-Weapon: Key-tar Magics: Cure Reflect Silence Might Control D-Links: Mirabel Madrigal Job: Beastmaster Appearance: Kalak is a Selkie with long, blue hair and an effeminate face, he is often mistaken for a girl. He wears what looks like animal pelts that show a lot of his skin. Over these pelts are a series of patchwork leather armour, complete with a small pair of metal, dragon-like wings poking out of the back of the shoulders. He also has a similar pair on a circlet that he wears on his head, as well as a pair on the heels of his plate boots. Brief History: Kalak was born as the son of the Fisherman of his village and trained with a spear with his father, learning how to catch fish, but also learning the art of combat with the Axe from the local Lilty Blacksmith. When he was 18, he was allowed to join the Crystal Caravan as it went to gather the Magical Dew in order to keep the crystal of the village glowing and keeping the terrible Miasma and monsters out. He travelled across the world with the caravan, seeing all sorts of sights, both beautiful and horrifying, all breathtaking in one way or another. At the end of the year, when the Caravan returned to the village with the Crucible full of dew and ready to revitalize the towns Crystal. As he got ready to go to the ceremony, he was distracted by a small, cute, black creature with glowing yellow eyes. Following it, he discovered a strange black swirling portal, before he knew it, another of these things jumped on his back and he lost his balance, falling through the portal and into the void. Like being cast into a great, black sea. Looking around, he could see the sky full of stars and, soon, felt the pull of his heart toward something. That's when more of the cute creatures began to surround him and, before his eyes, the Axe would appear in his hands, but this was different, it had wires and was covered in Butterflies. As he took the axe in his hands, he began to run his hands across the wires to produce a harmonious sound. As one of the creatures lunged for him, he swung the axe at it, cleaving it into a black puff of smoke and a bright, pink heart began floating upwards towards the sky. More and more came after him, the more he cleaved, the more that showed up. As he began to weaken, he ran his hands across the wires again, but this time, a creature seemed to hear him, something from this space between with an equal hatred of the Heartless, a large Butterfly. He managed to make his way to a strange portal, which took him to a strange world where he met... Well, a whole lot of people that he had no idea who they were. He had never seen any of their kind before. They told him that this place was called Ivalice and he soon found himself adopted into a clan of Bangaa and Viera. Eventually he left Ivalice and discovered the man known as Xehanort, who told him exactly what he was and explained to him about the Butterfly was a symbol of the one that he was linked with by destiny. He also showed him how to use his Keyblade Glider, as well as summon his armour. and began travelling with a Nobody by the name of Oko, who claimed to be a Heartless Hunter. Oko took Kalak under his wing to teach him about how to travel the Space Between, with them sailing between worlds on his immense Gummi-Ship. During their time working together, they constantly came under attack from a young, highly antagonistic Nobody by the name of Perthe. Other: Kalak is a total romantic, believing that his duty in life is to marry a fair Princess. He is also a Pacifist, refusing to raise his axe to hurt others. But his Butterfly does not feel the same way. It's a Spirit Dreameater he calls Queen Cio-Cio that fights enemies on his behalf whilst he uses his his magics to buff his allies and debuff his enemies. He also carries a pair of strange devices on his belt at all times.</s> <|message|>Kalak Ulanti As everyone showed up through the portals. Kalak approached each to shake hands. Cio-Cio seemed to buzz behind their heads, looking into their dreams to deem what kind of person they were. She didn't seem that appalled by anyone. "Thanks for showing up, guys. Not sure exactly who this princess is, but i hope the old man is right about this. One step clo-" Before Kalak could finish his sentance, the peace was shattered by the loud slamming of a door, Cio-Cio seemed to have a small heart-attack from shock as her eyes bulged for a second, before panting heavily. As everyone looked around, they would see a large, intimidating, hairy man in a lion themed costume storm straight towards the group with a large keyblade knife in his hands. He had a look of utter fury in his eyes. As Cio-Cio jumped into action, trying to put herself between the man and Kalak, both of them preparing for a fight, the man stopped. "Cowards..." he stated, the russian accent thick on his breath, looking all of them in the eyes. "Come to kill some pathetic creature for money." he spat on the ground in front of them. "No stomach for a REAL mans fight." He motioned the knife at all of them "If you wish to test your mettle against a TRUE quarry, put a bounty on your own head and let Kraven come for you." He then pointed the blade at Cio-Cio "Fear not, tiny creature. Kraven only hunts the most dangerous prey." He laughed. Kalak grabbed hold of her scruff as she got mad and tried to lunge at him. Kraven looked around at the world "Nothing of that sort exists here..." He looked each of them in the eyes, meeting Canaan for a second, he pointed the knife at him and waggled it up and down for a second, before laughing and turning around, running his blade through the air as he rended a hole to The Space Between and said "Do not take mad queen's offer, no honour in it." as he stepped through. "Well, that was an interesting viewpoint on the matter." Kalak stated, turning to the others to check if they were ok. Another creature came jogging through the door and straight between the party, running out of the castle. This creature had large blue eyes and green skin, complete with a pair of green antenna and a fly-like mouth. "Stuka u pediniki leer, mee'm koona tah be noota." It seemed to laugh as it ran off into the field towards the forest. "I..." Kalak started "I don't think he's got a problem "Killing pathetic creature for money" as the other guy did..." Kalak laughed, slipping into a bad russian accent. "Come on, let's see what "Mad Queen" wants" He laughed again. He seemed to enjoy the bad russian accent. As they walked through the door into the dark room, they saw that this dark room was a cavernous throne-room with thick, velvet curtains blocking the light, with a beautiful queen sat upon her throne. "Come before me, mercenaries and bounty hunters." She beaconed "For i have a task for thee." With a wave of her hand, a table appeared in the middle of the room, a box appeared appeared atop it. "Your queen demands a tribute to be paid to her. Within the woods lives a maiden, fair of face, but black of soul. She has committed attrocities unto my kingdom too... Too horrid of which to speak." She draped a dainty hand across her face as if to prevent herself from being moved to tears. "So disgusting is her crime, that so disgusting is her punishment. You will find this maiden and cut out her heart and place it in this box... That it may never know the rest of the grave." She waved another hand and a large pile of gold and jewels appeared "Do this for your queen and your reward shall be most agreeable." She sneered. Kalak looked at the box and then back to the party, before shrugging, as if asking them how to respond.</s> <|message|>Bellamy "Bell" Blackpowder Bell was never much one for words- they preferred actions over flapping their lips. It's how they got this far, after all. Which was why this whole scenario stunk to high Heaven, even without the old man's warning that something was amiss; they didn't trust anyone who used so many words while saying nothing at all. Ones like this "Queen," who seemed to think she was putting on a good act, but who oozed contempt from every pore. So, this "maiden" is probably the Princess that the old man mentioned, thought Bell to themselves, a file casually rasping across their nails as they watched and listened. Seems even hardened bounty hunters can tell this job stinks, they continued, thinking of the strange lion-man and his knife. And yet, if this girl was the Princess… The bitch wants this girl's heart. That's never a good sign. Bell's heels clacked on the stone floor as they casually strode forward, pocketing their nail file. "Your Grace. I understand that it might be difficult, but I'm afraid we need to know what it is we're getting into. If this girl's crimes are so heinous, then she is no doubt dangerous. Perhaps you could enlighten us, even the slightest bit, as to the nature of her misdeeds, so we may be better prepared to deal with her…" They finished with a slow bow, eyes never leaving the Queen's. Let's see what lie she tries to concoct here. Or, on the off-chance she's telling the truth, what we're in for in those woods.</s>

<|message|>Kalak Ulanti Grimhilde watched as one of the odd looking beings stepped forward to ask her for more information. Her eyes narrowed with every question that passed his lips. Her perfect lips curling into a sneer. "You are mercenaries, are you not. Soldiers who fight for gold, rather than loyalty. The details of her treacherous actions are of no concern to you. Will you perform the duty and be paid, or will you slink away with your tail betwixt your legs? For i promise you that others are also on their way to this maiden and whoever brings me the heart will be paid." She waved her hand and the pile of gold and jewels disappeared. "No problem for me, your highness" Came a thick New Yorker accent from behind them. As the crew looked around, they would see a large man in a black costume with skull and bone motiff to it. "Take the box, bag a broad, bring her the heart in said box, badda-bing-badda-boom, don't even bother with these losers" he laughed, pushing them aside to grab the box. "Just make my piles of moolah out to one Crossbones and we're golden." He gave her a two-finger salute, before turning and walking back out, again, making the effort to shove Kalak to the side. Cio-Cio buzzed into Crossbones' face and the pair stared each other down for a second. "Killed plenty of your kind before, tiny." He laughed, before walking out. "As you can see, i have no shortage of people wishing to perform this duty to their queen." She got up and waved her hand, an identical box appearing on the table, exactly where Crossbones had just grabbed one. "So, i ask again, will you do as you are told or waste more time with pointless prattle?" She asked.</s>

<|description|>Conner Waters Age: 18 Gender: Male Race: Human Homeworld: Earth (Hawaii) Lilo and Stitch Key-Weapon: Trident Magics: Thunder, Water, Aero, Jump D-Links: Ariel (The Little Mermaid) Job: Dragoon Appearance: Conner is tall and lean, standing at exactly six feet tall. He has slender well defined swimmers body that he is very happy to show off. He spends plenty of time out in the sun, and thus has a lightly tanned skin complexion. He has a boyish heart shaped face, with big brown eyes, and a small nose. He keeps his brunette hair spiked up in the front, a style he thinks is cool. He can most often be seen with a grin on his face. As for clothing, even though Conner comes from a wealthy family, he doesn't dress the part. He also likes to wear tight fitting tank tops to show off his physique at times. When he fell through the crack, he was wearing a bathing suit, sandals, an unbuttoned flannel shirt, and sunglasses. Brief History: Conner grew up in an upscale area of Hawaii. Comner was the youngest son of the wealthy and prominent Waters family. His parents were quite strict, and they had high standards for their kids. Conner had an older sister named Arianna, and she was the the apple of the family's eye, at least it appeared that way to Conner. She was beautiful, talented, intelligent, and it felt like she could do no wrong. To him, it always seemed like anything he could do she could do better. In his teenage years, Conner gave up trying to live up to the high standards set by his sister. He only did just well enough in school to get by, and spent a lot of time slacking off. He would often act up in class, and get himself into trouble. There were days where he would cut class to go to the beach and surf. Surfing was one of his favorite activities. It was definitely something Arianna wouldn't do. He enjoyed the thrill and adrenaline high of catching a big wave. That, and he also flirting with the hot guys in swimsuits on the beach. He continued coasting through life trying to have as much fun as possible. Even though his grades weren't the best, he was rather popular with other students, and had a few close friends. His parents wished he would put more effort into his studies, and better represent his family name, but Conner didn't really care to try. His sister was obviously the shining star of the family, so why did they need him for? He was on the beach when he fell through a crack and gained a keyblade.</s> <|message|>Rascal Rascal Rascal, for one, did not know what all the fuss was about, killing what was probably an innocent girl. He knew that he should probably just play along, but geez, was this lady a loser or what!? At least the team would definitely stop her from getting what she wanted and get the Princess to a safe location, though! Sure, that weird black haired guy might try to stop them, but Rascal suspected that that wouldn't stop the team from getting things done! "Don't worry, Your Highness, that loser girl won't stand a chance against us!" He exclaimed, following Verik's lead and motioning for the others to follow.</s> <|message|>Canaan The Sorcerer kept his mouth shut through all the exchanges, still not bothering to actually introduce himself. Strange characters and oddities just coming and going as if they didn't care one lick about protecting the existence of the Multiverse. It all made him that much more frustrated that the old man insisted on restricting what they could do or say. Otherwise this whole thing would be little more than a trifle to deal with. Even when one of them tried to shake his hand, Canaan just stared at them with an incredulous gaze and offered no hand in return. With no other choice, he followed along with a frustrated sigh. He had a feeling this was all going to become very annoying in the future. Entering the Throne Room, Canaan's mood remained unchanged. While others may have thought to bow or kowtow to this monarch, Canaan on the other hand barely acknowledged her existence. The power she displayed seemed mediocre at best in his professional opinion. Something any two-bit hack on a stage could accomplish with smoke and mirrors. But he did detect actual power somewhere in this castle. Something more legitimately impressive to him, but it was not the Queen. The magic he detected emanated from somewhere beneath them, possibly the dungeons or somewhere else down in the basement levels. What he hadn't said to anyone was that the story of a Queen trying to kill a Princess was one that existed in his world, albeit as a mere fairy tale. Still, if this world was anything like that fairy tale, then the magic he sensed would have to be... "Are the rest of you coming?" Canaan gave the blue-eyed one a very slight blink-and-you'll-miss-it sideways glance but not much else. If his suspicions were right, then what he sensed was the Queen's Magic Mirror, and it had real power. And that was enough to fully intrigue the Sorcerer. He lingered a moment, only walking away when he was the last to do so. And still not offering so much as a glance of acknowledgement to the Queen. He made sure to lag behind the others, a smirk appearing on his lips. Note to self: investigate that Mirror. It could be... useful.</s> <|message|>Conner Waters Soon, everyone in the group arrived. The cute little elf dude was nice, and so was the talking stuffed racoon thing. The dude in the red cloak gave strong asshole vibes… Soon enough, everyone was there, and they all went inside. When they went to hear the queen out, Conner had to try very hard not to hide his disgust. This queen deserves an Oscar for her performance. The pirate looking person knew what they were talking about, and was the only thing about this whole scene that wasn't totally embarrassing. Conner just let them talk. Queen bitch shot them down immediately. The scene was made even worse when Verik tried flirting the queen… It took everything he could not to throw up right there. Conner saluted, then ran off after Verik. "Dude, what are you doing?" Conner questioned. "I may not be into women, but you can certainly do better than… That…"</s> <|message|>Verik Innes Verik Swimsuit boy was the first to catch up with Verik, asking him why he would flirt up the Queen. Admittedly, he put on a bit of a performance back there, but he needed to get close to her to seal the pact. "No need to be mean. She was pretty enough, in spite of her weird getup. I figure a woman as rich and powerful as her could only be this upset with some random forest girl if it was a matter of jealousy, so I thought she'd like it if I appealed to her vanity. Who knows? Maybe a boost to her self-esteem would be enough to make her forget about this whole thing. Either way, we're supposed to be undercover mercenaries, and that question back there made her suspicious. We wouldn't want the queen thinking we're questioning the legitimacy or morality of the job. Also, I just like making friends. All kinds of friends, really." Thinking back to his old friends in Florem, he had to admit, he missed them, even if they were jerks. The Queen was petty and vain... similar to a lot of his old friends, actually, but her throne room wasn't all that big despite the great riches available to her. Her actual throne was a bit gaudy, but it was only two steps above ground level. There was something more vulnerable and lonely in her conceit, and he could empathize. Of course, he wasn't about to excuse trying to kill some innocent girl because of mere insecurities, but being on good terms with bad people wasn't a bad thing, in his opinion. Verik stops to face Conner, holding his hand out for a handshake and giving him a friendly smirk. "Speaking of which, would you like to be my friend?"</s> <|message|>Kalak Ulanti As the party seemed to bow and bid a hasty retreat, she called to them "Oh, and i will give you a reward for the hearts of anyone who tries to protect her. She has already used her charms to corrupt a pair of the first mercenaries i sent after her. Nothing is as heinous as a traitor..." She said. Kalak had the strange feeling she was staring at him when she said that. As soon as they closed the door behind them, her smile instantly turned into a frown. "I have a feeling they are going be a thorn in my side..." She sighed. Barely a few minutes had passed when there was a flash of light in the corner and Grimhilde stood up, staring a the being that had just appeared. "Who are you, explain yourself." She demanded. The man that entered took a bow. "Greetings, dear queen. Truly, the elegance, beauty and grace of someone such as you is matched only by... Well, me!" the man laughed. "You seem to presume much to come in here and make a claim to my throne of fairity." She said, her lips curling into a snarl as she raised her hand, seemingly ready to strike with her magics "Then fear not, my queen, for i come to you with great tidings. You say that some of your mercenaries are having trouble killing this traitor, constantly being corrupted by her?" Grimhilde's hand slowly lowered. "Then allow me to introduce you to a new weapon in your arsenal. One that i give freely." A rhythmic stomping of many feet in unison was heard as Grimhilde's face curled into a curious smile. "I presume them to be to your liking?" "Very much so..." She smiled "Go forth, my new soldiers and kill the wretch known as Snow White." She ordered. "KILL!!!" A chorus came in unison, before she watched her new army file out of another door towards another exit to the castle. **** Outside, Kalak and the others gathered back in the courtyard. "So, she's hiding something..." Kalak sighed. "But right now, all we have to go on is that girl and the longer we stand here, the closer those other mercs get to her." He jumped up on the well and struck an epic pose, whilst pointing out towards the woods. "ADVENTURE IS OUT THERE!!!" He jumped down and set off at a run towards the woods, hoping that the others would follow.</s> <|message|>Canaan "Of course she's hiding something." said the Sorcerer, at last breaking his long silence. He wondered how long it would be before someone else had started to notice what he had noticed a while ago, "And she's hiding it under the castle somewhere. I sensed it coming from somewhere below the throne room. Power. Real power. Not like the cheap smoke and mirrors tricks she was doing in the throne room." he reached up and adjusted his red coat a bit, also using the time to let them react however they would. But he wouldn't wait long. "And best of all? I'm pretty sure I know what it is." he said with a cocky smirk, "A mirror, magical of course. And if I'm right about it, one that possesses near omniscient levels of knowledge, and able to answer anything you ask of it with perfect accuracy. I assume you all realize the implications here?" he glanced about at his current companions. Surely even the most clueless among them would make the connection. That a power like the mirror's could allow one to always know the movements and whereabouts and anyone they wish to track, among a myriad of other ways it could be used... or abused. "I say the mirror should be our goal." he said flatly, "For two reasons. First: We can probably use its power to locate the Princess, saving us the time it would have taken to search for her. And second: It would be in our best interests to ensure that such a power remains well out of the wrong hands, if you catch my meaning."</s> <|message|>Kalak Ulanti Noticing that nobody was following, Kalak stopped as Canaan brought up some valid points about the current situation. "Don't..." Kalak laughed "Don't want to be a negative nancy on this, but i'm hearing a lot of "Pretty sure" and "If i'm right"" Kalak stated. "Ok, she's got a lot of magical power in that castle somewhere. 1) We don't know for a fact what it is 2) even if it is an all knowing magic mirror, we don't know what's guarding it, could be powerful 3) If it is a magic mirror and its guards are weak enough for us to push through, we don't know it'll answer any of our questions. It might be inclined only for the queen herself. And whilst we're wasting time pushing through a lot of unknowns, that bug-guy and the skull-guy and whoever else is out there are still trying to kill that maiden." He shook his head. "Our first priority is finding that princess and getting her safe, then we can storm the castle and deal with the magics in there. My point is, one of our goals is time sensitive, the other isn't. We should deal with the one we KNOW about first and deal with everything else later."</s>

<|message|>Conner Waters Conner blinked, and gave Verik a look. He wasn't so sure how good of friends someone who was willing to hire mercenaries to kill someone just because they were prettier than her could be. This kid was weird for sure… But he was cute, Conner couldn't deny that! "Um… yeah, sure dude." Conner returned the handshake, and followed the rest of the group. As they were heading off, that guy in the red cloak suggested going after the queen's magic mirror. He wasn't wrong, he knew the story of Snow White, it had to exist somewhere… Even though he was always up for an adventure, even he thought that was a bad idea. Kalak thought so too, and brought up every reason why. "Yeah, as much as I would love a little action, I agree with him. Unless that magic mirror can teleport us directly to her, we gotta keep the princess safe… Plus… uh… no offense bro, but you kinda give me bad vibes… I don't know what you're gonna do with that thing once we find it."</s>

<|description|>Rascal Age:12 mentally, IDK physically Gender:Male Race:Anthropomorphic Toy Raccoon Homeworld:Winnie The Pooh Key-Weapon:Slingshot Magics:Flee and Steal D-Links:Lilo Job:Thief Appearance:An average looking raccoon toy, with a black and white "mask" over his eyes, a mostly light gray body with a white belly, and black-furred upper and lower paws. Is about as tall as Roo or Piglet. Brief History:Rascal was made by a factory machine, as most modern toys are. His stay in the toy shop he was placed in was brief, but he distinctly remembers the toys there bullying him for his shyness and social awkwardness, causing him to draw into himself even more. After being passed over a few times by a few kids, he was eventually bought by Madeline Robin, Christopher Robin's daughter, and was being brought over to The Hundred Acre Wood proper when he fell through a universe crack. Other:(Might as well do a brief personality here) Mischievous and sly. Acts cocky and brave, but is secretly still timid and shy. Calls people he doesn't like and his enemies "losers" as part of his facade. Wants friends more than anything, but isn't quite sure how to get them yet. Very insecure.</s> <|message|>Kalak Ulanti Once upon a time, there lived a lovely little princess named Snow White. Her vain and wicked stepmother, the Queen, feared that some day Snow White's beauty would surpass her own. Then she dressed the little princess in rags and forced her to work as a scullery maid. Each day, the vain Queen consulted her Magic Mirror, "Magic Mirror on the wall, who is the fairest one of all?" And as long as the Mirror responded, "you are the fairest one of all". Snow White was safe from the Queen's cruel jealousy. A black room. The beautiful Queen Grimhilde walked through the darkness, parting it with her grace as she approached a Mirror. "Slave in the Magic Mirror, come from the farthest space. Through wind and darkness, I summon thee. Speak!" A thunderclap sounded, and a wildfire consumed her reflection. "Let me see thy face." She demanded before the fire subsided, revealing the face of the mirror's spirit, eagerly but patiently awaiting whatever questions his mistress may have. "What wouldst thou know, my Queen?" The Mirror on the wall asked. Grimhilde smiled. "Magic Mirror on the wall, who is the fairest one of all?" She had asked this question every day and so long as the answer remained the same, her success as a Queen was assured. "Famed is thy beauty, Majesty. But hold, a lovely maid I see. Rags cannot hide her gentle grace. Alas, she is more fair than thee." Distraught that one maiden dares to opponent her beauty, Grimhilde allowed her brow a wrinkle of anger. "Alas for her! Reveal her name!" She demanded. "Lips red as the rose. Hair black as ebony. Skin white as snow." silently gasping to herself, as her worst fears of her stepdaughter's beauty exceeding her own have eventually come to pass. "Snow White! That treacherous..." she composed herself. "Very well... With a beauty such as hers, I cannot trust any simpleton to get rid of her without being wooed by her beauty... Magic Mirror on the wall, send a message beyond time and space. Bring to me warriors who's lust for gold trumps any lust for flesh" She smiled a sinister smile. "Your will be done, your warriors will come, to ensure your beauties apex." -Several days later- As a portal appeared in the middle of the courtyard, Xenahorts Keybarers appeared. Kalak pulled out his Gummi Phone and watched the message from Xehanort again. "Keybarers," He began in his raspy voice so full of wisdom. "I have received word from sources that a Princess of Heart exists on this world. But you must move with haste, a great many Bounty Hunters and Mercenaries have been making their way there in recent days, I can only assume that they are searching for her for someone. Your first duty will be to make contact with the one sending out the job on this planet, pose as mercenaries and gain the information on the job, then find her and encase her in the stasis pod I have given to you. This will ensure that we can return her afterwards. And remember. No-one else on that world can find out about the Multiverse." Message ends. Kalak looked around as Cio-cio appeared next to him. They stood and awaited the others arrival.</s> <|message|>Conner Waters Another portal appeared, and Conner stepped out, equipped with a Keyblade Trident. He was new to this whole keyblade wielder business, but so far Conner loved it. Action, adventure, and more importantly, he was chosen for this, and his sister was not. Conner appeared in the middle of a castle courtyard, and all of a sudden, he felt very underdressed for the occasion… Oh well, nothing that could be done about it now. Apparently they were here because there was a Princess of Heart here, and they were there to find her. That was important for something, but Conner didn't really remember for what. He was more interested in learning magic, and learning to fight with this new weapon he had gotten. When he arrived, somebody else was already there waiting. And a cute shirtless pretty boy no less. Conner grinned. "Yo, aloha mate!" The surfer boy greeted them. He made a hang loose gesture with his free hand. "Name's Conner. When are we gonna get this party started huh?"</s>

<|message|>Rascal "Heyyyyyy, everyone! What's up?" A small, bipedal toy raccoon came out of another portal, grinning at Conner and Kalak as he was. Rascal had mixed feelings on the whole adventure thing. On the one paw, he liked helping people, but on the other paw, he hated that he couldn't truly get to know people as friends, and also really doubted his ability as a Keyblader. Not that he would ever admit it out loud, though. At least he could socialize with some random strangers. That wouldn't go wrong, right?</s>

<|description|>Rascal Age:12 mentally, IDK physically Gender:Male Race:Anthropomorphic Toy Raccoon Homeworld:Winnie The Pooh Key-Weapon:Slingshot Magics:Flee and Steal D-Links:Lilo Job:Thief Appearance:An average looking raccoon toy, with a black and white "mask" over his eyes, a mostly light gray body with a white belly, and black-furred upper and lower paws. Is about as tall as Roo or Piglet. Brief History:Rascal was made by a factory machine, as most modern toys are. His stay in the toy shop he was placed in was brief, but he distinctly remembers the toys there bullying him for his shyness and social awkwardness, causing him to draw into himself even more. After being passed over a few times by a few kids, he was eventually bought by Madeline Robin, Christopher Robin's daughter, and was being brought over to The Hundred Acre Wood proper when he fell through a universe crack. Other:(Might as well do a brief personality here) Mischievous and sly. Acts cocky and brave, but is secretly still timid and shy. Calls people he doesn't like and his enemies "losers" as part of his facade. Wants friends more than anything, but isn't quite sure how to get them yet. Very insecure.</s> <|message|>Rascal Rascal Rascal, for one, did not know what all the fuss was about, killing what was probably an innocent girl. He knew that he should probably just play along, but geez, was this lady a loser or what!? At least the team would definitely stop her from getting what she wanted and get the Princess to a safe location, though! Sure, that weird black haired guy might try to stop them, but Rascal suspected that that wouldn't stop the team from getting things done! "Don't worry, Your Highness, that loser girl won't stand a chance against us!" He exclaimed, following Verik's lead and motioning for the others to follow.</s> <|message|>Canaan The Sorcerer kept his mouth shut through all the exchanges, still not bothering to actually introduce himself. Strange characters and oddities just coming and going as if they didn't care one lick about protecting the existence of the Multiverse. It all made him that much more frustrated that the old man insisted on restricting what they could do or say. Otherwise this whole thing would be little more than a trifle to deal with. Even when one of them tried to shake his hand, Canaan just stared at them with an incredulous gaze and offered no hand in return. With no other choice, he followed along with a frustrated sigh. He had a feeling this was all going to become very annoying in the future. Entering the Throne Room, Canaan's mood remained unchanged. While others may have thought to bow or kowtow to this monarch, Canaan on the other hand barely acknowledged her existence. The power she displayed seemed mediocre at best in his professional opinion. Something any two-bit hack on a stage could accomplish with smoke and mirrors. But he did detect actual power somewhere in this castle. Something more legitimately impressive to him, but it was not the Queen. The magic he detected emanated from somewhere beneath them, possibly the dungeons or somewhere else down in the basement levels. What he hadn't said to anyone was that the story of a Queen trying to kill a Princess was one that existed in his world, albeit as a mere fairy tale. Still, if this world was anything like that fairy tale, then the magic he sensed would have to be... "Are the rest of you coming?" Canaan gave the blue-eyed one a very slight blink-and-you'll-miss-it sideways glance but not much else. If his suspicions were right, then what he sensed was the Queen's Magic Mirror, and it had real power. And that was enough to fully intrigue the Sorcerer. He lingered a moment, only walking away when he was the last to do so. And still not offering so much as a glance of acknowledgement to the Queen. He made sure to lag behind the others, a smirk appearing on his lips. Note to self: investigate that Mirror. It could be... useful.</s> <|message|>Conner Waters Soon, everyone in the group arrived. The cute little elf dude was nice, and so was the talking stuffed racoon thing. The dude in the red cloak gave strong asshole vibes… Soon enough, everyone was there, and they all went inside. When they went to hear the queen out, Conner had to try very hard not to hide his disgust. This queen deserves an Oscar for her performance. The pirate looking person knew what they were talking about, and was the only thing about this whole scene that wasn't totally embarrassing. Conner just let them talk. Queen bitch shot them down immediately. The scene was made even worse when Verik tried flirting the queen… It took everything he could not to throw up right there. Conner saluted, then ran off after Verik. "Dude, what are you doing?" Conner questioned. "I may not be into women, but you can certainly do better than… That…"</s> <|message|>Verik Innes Verik Swimsuit boy was the first to catch up with Verik, asking him why he would flirt up the Queen. Admittedly, he put on a bit of a performance back there, but he needed to get close to her to seal the pact. "No need to be mean. She was pretty enough, in spite of her weird getup. I figure a woman as rich and powerful as her could only be this upset with some random forest girl if it was a matter of jealousy, so I thought she'd like it if I appealed to her vanity. Who knows? Maybe a boost to her self-esteem would be enough to make her forget about this whole thing. Either way, we're supposed to be undercover mercenaries, and that question back there made her suspicious. We wouldn't want the queen thinking we're questioning the legitimacy or morality of the job. Also, I just like making friends. All kinds of friends, really." Thinking back to his old friends in Florem, he had to admit, he missed them, even if they were jerks. The Queen was petty and vain... similar to a lot of his old friends, actually, but her throne room wasn't all that big despite the great riches available to her. Her actual throne was a bit gaudy, but it was only two steps above ground level. There was something more vulnerable and lonely in her conceit, and he could empathize. Of course, he wasn't about to excuse trying to kill some innocent girl because of mere insecurities, but being on good terms with bad people wasn't a bad thing, in his opinion. Verik stops to face Conner, holding his hand out for a handshake and giving him a friendly smirk. "Speaking of which, would you like to be my friend?"</s> <|message|>Kalak Ulanti As the party seemed to bow and bid a hasty retreat, she called to them "Oh, and i will give you a reward for the hearts of anyone who tries to protect her. She has already used her charms to corrupt a pair of the first mercenaries i sent after her. Nothing is as heinous as a traitor..." She said. Kalak had the strange feeling she was staring at him when she said that. As soon as they closed the door behind them, her smile instantly turned into a frown. "I have a feeling they are going be a thorn in my side..." She sighed. Barely a few minutes had passed when there was a flash of light in the corner and Grimhilde stood up, staring a the being that had just appeared. "Who are you, explain yourself." She demanded. The man that entered took a bow. "Greetings, dear queen. Truly, the elegance, beauty and grace of someone such as you is matched only by... Well, me!" the man laughed. "You seem to presume much to come in here and make a claim to my throne of fairity." She said, her lips curling into a snarl as she raised her hand, seemingly ready to strike with her magics "Then fear not, my queen, for i come to you with great tidings. You say that some of your mercenaries are having trouble killing this traitor, constantly being corrupted by her?" Grimhilde's hand slowly lowered. "Then allow me to introduce you to a new weapon in your arsenal. One that i give freely." A rhythmic stomping of many feet in unison was heard as Grimhilde's face curled into a curious smile. "I presume them to be to your liking?" "Very much so..." She smiled "Go forth, my new soldiers and kill the wretch known as Snow White." She ordered. "KILL!!!" A chorus came in unison, before she watched her new army file out of another door towards another exit to the castle. **** Outside, Kalak and the others gathered back in the courtyard. "So, she's hiding something..." Kalak sighed. "But right now, all we have to go on is that girl and the longer we stand here, the closer those other mercs get to her." He jumped up on the well and struck an epic pose, whilst pointing out towards the woods. "ADVENTURE IS OUT THERE!!!" He jumped down and set off at a run towards the woods, hoping that the others would follow.</s> <|message|>Canaan "Of course she's hiding something." said the Sorcerer, at last breaking his long silence. He wondered how long it would be before someone else had started to notice what he had noticed a while ago, "And she's hiding it under the castle somewhere. I sensed it coming from somewhere below the throne room. Power. Real power. Not like the cheap smoke and mirrors tricks she was doing in the throne room." he reached up and adjusted his red coat a bit, also using the time to let them react however they would. But he wouldn't wait long. "And best of all? I'm pretty sure I know what it is." he said with a cocky smirk, "A mirror, magical of course. And if I'm right about it, one that possesses near omniscient levels of knowledge, and able to answer anything you ask of it with perfect accuracy. I assume you all realize the implications here?" he glanced about at his current companions. Surely even the most clueless among them would make the connection. That a power like the mirror's could allow one to always know the movements and whereabouts and anyone they wish to track, among a myriad of other ways it could be used... or abused. "I say the mirror should be our goal." he said flatly, "For two reasons. First: We can probably use its power to locate the Princess, saving us the time it would have taken to search for her. And second: It would be in our best interests to ensure that such a power remains well out of the wrong hands, if you catch my meaning."</s> <|message|>Kalak Ulanti Noticing that nobody was following, Kalak stopped as Canaan brought up some valid points about the current situation. "Don't..." Kalak laughed "Don't want to be a negative nancy on this, but i'm hearing a lot of "Pretty sure" and "If i'm right"" Kalak stated. "Ok, she's got a lot of magical power in that castle somewhere. 1) We don't know for a fact what it is 2) even if it is an all knowing magic mirror, we don't know what's guarding it, could be powerful 3) If it is a magic mirror and its guards are weak enough for us to push through, we don't know it'll answer any of our questions. It might be inclined only for the queen herself. And whilst we're wasting time pushing through a lot of unknowns, that bug-guy and the skull-guy and whoever else is out there are still trying to kill that maiden." He shook his head. "Our first priority is finding that princess and getting her safe, then we can storm the castle and deal with the magics in there. My point is, one of our goals is time sensitive, the other isn't. We should deal with the one we KNOW about first and deal with everything else later."</s> <|message|>Conner Waters Conner blinked, and gave Verik a look. He wasn't so sure how good of friends someone who was willing to hire mercenaries to kill someone just because they were prettier than her could be. This kid was weird for sure… But he was cute, Conner couldn't deny that! "Um… yeah, sure dude." Conner returned the handshake, and followed the rest of the group. As they were heading off, that guy in the red cloak suggested going after the queen's magic mirror. He wasn't wrong, he knew the story of Snow White, it had to exist somewhere… Even though he was always up for an adventure, even he thought that was a bad idea. Kalak thought so too, and brought up every reason why. "Yeah, as much as I would love a little action, I agree with him. Unless that magic mirror can teleport us directly to her, we gotta keep the princess safe… Plus… uh… no offense bro, but you kinda give me bad vibes… I don't know what you're gonna do with that thing once we find it."</s> <|message|>Kalak Ulanti After a short argument, the party had decided to search for the Princess and go back for the supposed mirror later. The forest was lush and thick, their first entrance seemed a little difficult with vines and other knotweeds preventing easy incursion. As they finally managed to find a way into the forest, the dense cannopy began to block most of the light, the photosynthesis-starved smaller branches and bushes grabbing at their clothes as if the claws of demons. Cio-Cio began to glow as a lightsource as the forest quickly began to look as if night had fallen. Finally it opened into what looked like a maze of paths. The Dreameater seemed to lead the way, seeming to sense the pure heart off in the distance. Following her down a path, they could each feel an evil presence emanating from further in. As they continued to walk, Kalak would quietly pick at the strings of the guitar. Suddenly, they would hear a familiar sound before a scream. "What in the heck?" The party set off at a run towards where the sound had come from. As they reached the clearing, they found the body of the green man they had met back at the castle, laying in a slowly expanding pool of blood, his chest impaled by several a large spears of wood. "Ooooooh..." Kalak winced. "Who the heck did that to you?" Cio-Cio slowly buzzed over to the body and began looking it over.</s>

<|message|>Rascal Rascal visibly gasped when he saw the green man, his eyes wide as he rushed over to him. The cocky facade was entirely gone as Rascal's entire body shook, wondering who would do such a thing. "Is there anything we can do!?" He asked, looking at Kalak and Cio-Cio.</s>

<|description|>Rascal Age:12 mentally, IDK physically Gender:Male Race:Anthropomorphic Toy Raccoon Homeworld:Winnie The Pooh Key-Weapon:Slingshot Magics:Flee and Steal D-Links:Lilo Job:Thief Appearance:An average looking raccoon toy, with a black and white "mask" over his eyes, a mostly light gray body with a white belly, and black-furred upper and lower paws. Is about as tall as Roo or Piglet. Brief History:Rascal was made by a factory machine, as most modern toys are. His stay in the toy shop he was placed in was brief, but he distinctly remembers the toys there bullying him for his shyness and social awkwardness, causing him to draw into himself even more. After being passed over a few times by a few kids, he was eventually bought by Madeline Robin, Christopher Robin's daughter, and was being brought over to The Hundred Acre Wood proper when he fell through a universe crack. Other:(Might as well do a brief personality here) Mischievous and sly. Acts cocky and brave, but is secretly still timid and shy. Calls people he doesn't like and his enemies "losers" as part of his facade. Wants friends more than anything, but isn't quite sure how to get them yet. Very insecure.</s> <|message|>Verik Innes Verik Swimsuit boy was the first to catch up with Verik, asking him why he would flirt up the Queen. Admittedly, he put on a bit of a performance back there, but he needed to get close to her to seal the pact. "No need to be mean. She was pretty enough, in spite of her weird getup. I figure a woman as rich and powerful as her could only be this upset with some random forest girl if it was a matter of jealousy, so I thought she'd like it if I appealed to her vanity. Who knows? Maybe a boost to her self-esteem would be enough to make her forget about this whole thing. Either way, we're supposed to be undercover mercenaries, and that question back there made her suspicious. We wouldn't want the queen thinking we're questioning the legitimacy or morality of the job. Also, I just like making friends. All kinds of friends, really." Thinking back to his old friends in Florem, he had to admit, he missed them, even if they were jerks. The Queen was petty and vain... similar to a lot of his old friends, actually, but her throne room wasn't all that big despite the great riches available to her. Her actual throne was a bit gaudy, but it was only two steps above ground level. There was something more vulnerable and lonely in her conceit, and he could empathize. Of course, he wasn't about to excuse trying to kill some innocent girl because of mere insecurities, but being on good terms with bad people wasn't a bad thing, in his opinion. Verik stops to face Conner, holding his hand out for a handshake and giving him a friendly smirk. "Speaking of which, would you like to be my friend?"</s> <|message|>Kalak Ulanti As the party seemed to bow and bid a hasty retreat, she called to them "Oh, and i will give you a reward for the hearts of anyone who tries to protect her. She has already used her charms to corrupt a pair of the first mercenaries i sent after her. Nothing is as heinous as a traitor..." She said. Kalak had the strange feeling she was staring at him when she said that. As soon as they closed the door behind them, her smile instantly turned into a frown. "I have a feeling they are going be a thorn in my side..." She sighed. Barely a few minutes had passed when there was a flash of light in the corner and Grimhilde stood up, staring a the being that had just appeared. "Who are you, explain yourself." She demanded. The man that entered took a bow. "Greetings, dear queen. Truly, the elegance, beauty and grace of someone such as you is matched only by... Well, me!" the man laughed. "You seem to presume much to come in here and make a claim to my throne of fairity." She said, her lips curling into a snarl as she raised her hand, seemingly ready to strike with her magics "Then fear not, my queen, for i come to you with great tidings. You say that some of your mercenaries are having trouble killing this traitor, constantly being corrupted by her?" Grimhilde's hand slowly lowered. "Then allow me to introduce you to a new weapon in your arsenal. One that i give freely." A rhythmic stomping of many feet in unison was heard as Grimhilde's face curled into a curious smile. "I presume them to be to your liking?" "Very much so..." She smiled "Go forth, my new soldiers and kill the wretch known as Snow White." She ordered. "KILL!!!" A chorus came in unison, before she watched her new army file out of another door towards another exit to the castle. **** Outside, Kalak and the others gathered back in the courtyard. "So, she's hiding something..." Kalak sighed. "But right now, all we have to go on is that girl and the longer we stand here, the closer those other mercs get to her." He jumped up on the well and struck an epic pose, whilst pointing out towards the woods. "ADVENTURE IS OUT THERE!!!" He jumped down and set off at a run towards the woods, hoping that the others would follow.</s> <|message|>Canaan "Of course she's hiding something." said the Sorcerer, at last breaking his long silence. He wondered how long it would be before someone else had started to notice what he had noticed a while ago, "And she's hiding it under the castle somewhere. I sensed it coming from somewhere below the throne room. Power. Real power. Not like the cheap smoke and mirrors tricks she was doing in the throne room." he reached up and adjusted his red coat a bit, also using the time to let them react however they would. But he wouldn't wait long. "And best of all? I'm pretty sure I know what it is." he said with a cocky smirk, "A mirror, magical of course. And if I'm right about it, one that possesses near omniscient levels of knowledge, and able to answer anything you ask of it with perfect accuracy. I assume you all realize the implications here?" he glanced about at his current companions. Surely even the most clueless among them would make the connection. That a power like the mirror's could allow one to always know the movements and whereabouts and anyone they wish to track, among a myriad of other ways it could be used... or abused. "I say the mirror should be our goal." he said flatly, "For two reasons. First: We can probably use its power to locate the Princess, saving us the time it would have taken to search for her. And second: It would be in our best interests to ensure that such a power remains well out of the wrong hands, if you catch my meaning."</s> <|message|>Kalak Ulanti Noticing that nobody was following, Kalak stopped as Canaan brought up some valid points about the current situation. "Don't..." Kalak laughed "Don't want to be a negative nancy on this, but i'm hearing a lot of "Pretty sure" and "If i'm right"" Kalak stated. "Ok, she's got a lot of magical power in that castle somewhere. 1) We don't know for a fact what it is 2) even if it is an all knowing magic mirror, we don't know what's guarding it, could be powerful 3) If it is a magic mirror and its guards are weak enough for us to push through, we don't know it'll answer any of our questions. It might be inclined only for the queen herself. And whilst we're wasting time pushing through a lot of unknowns, that bug-guy and the skull-guy and whoever else is out there are still trying to kill that maiden." He shook his head. "Our first priority is finding that princess and getting her safe, then we can storm the castle and deal with the magics in there. My point is, one of our goals is time sensitive, the other isn't. We should deal with the one we KNOW about first and deal with everything else later."</s> <|message|>Conner Waters Conner blinked, and gave Verik a look. He wasn't so sure how good of friends someone who was willing to hire mercenaries to kill someone just because they were prettier than her could be. This kid was weird for sure… But he was cute, Conner couldn't deny that! "Um… yeah, sure dude." Conner returned the handshake, and followed the rest of the group. As they were heading off, that guy in the red cloak suggested going after the queen's magic mirror. He wasn't wrong, he knew the story of Snow White, it had to exist somewhere… Even though he was always up for an adventure, even he thought that was a bad idea. Kalak thought so too, and brought up every reason why. "Yeah, as much as I would love a little action, I agree with him. Unless that magic mirror can teleport us directly to her, we gotta keep the princess safe… Plus… uh… no offense bro, but you kinda give me bad vibes… I don't know what you're gonna do with that thing once we find it."</s> <|message|>Kalak Ulanti After a short argument, the party had decided to search for the Princess and go back for the supposed mirror later. The forest was lush and thick, their first entrance seemed a little difficult with vines and other knotweeds preventing easy incursion. As they finally managed to find a way into the forest, the dense cannopy began to block most of the light, the photosynthesis-starved smaller branches and bushes grabbing at their clothes as if the claws of demons. Cio-Cio began to glow as a lightsource as the forest quickly began to look as if night had fallen. Finally it opened into what looked like a maze of paths. The Dreameater seemed to lead the way, seeming to sense the pure heart off in the distance. Following her down a path, they could each feel an evil presence emanating from further in. As they continued to walk, Kalak would quietly pick at the strings of the guitar. Suddenly, they would hear a familiar sound before a scream. "What in the heck?" The party set off at a run towards where the sound had come from. As they reached the clearing, they found the body of the green man they had met back at the castle, laying in a slowly expanding pool of blood, his chest impaled by several a large spears of wood. "Ooooooh..." Kalak winced. "Who the heck did that to you?" Cio-Cio slowly buzzed over to the body and began looking it over.</s> <|message|>Rascal Rascal Rascal visibly gasped when he saw the green man, his eyes wide as he rushed over to him. The cocky facade was entirely gone as Rascal's entire body shook, wondering who would do such a thing. "Is there anything we can do!?" He asked, looking at Kalak and Cio-Cio.</s> <|message|>Verik Innes Verik Verik eyed the green man as he approached him. "This is the same man who accepted the queen's offer without hesitation, I believe. As Kalak said, I don't think he's got a problem 'killing pathetic creature for money.' I bring this up because I can save him, but if I do, and the same thing happens to one of you, I won't be able to do it a second time. If I help him, he could become our enemy, and even if he doesn't, one of us may unknowingly be trading our lives for his. It's not as simple as self-sacrifice. Any lives we would have saved and any lives he will go on to take will be doomed by this choice, but the alternative is leaving him to die when we didn't need to. We don't have a lot of time before the decision is made for us, so let's go straight to a vote. Raise your hand if you think we should save him." Verik looks the others in the eye, one by one. It was quite sudden, but they needed to make a choice. He was quite reluctant to spend his only use of Raise on an enemy, but if they could make him an ally, or at least a friend, it would be worth it. He couldn't just do nothing, because when he uses it later, they'd ask why he didn't use it now. That being said, the idea of reviving the green man and being blamed for his choice down the line was scary, so he put it to a vote. This way, no matter what they decide, no one will hate him. It's the perfect plan. "I will abstain."</s> <|message|>Canaan "Who said anything about 'storming' the castle?" retorted the Sorcerer with a scoff, "Have none of you ever sneaked into any place before?" he shook his head. The idea that someone like him would suggest using brute force was laughable, hysterical even. And of course they questioned his certainty about the mirror. Okay then, seemed it was time to spill the beans. "I know all this because it exists as a fairy tale in the world I hail from. That's how I'm so certain about the Mirror and what it can do." he leaned in a bit for a hard gaze at shorter guy, "And according to the story, the Mirror is a spirit that was enslaved and trapped in the mirror by the Queen. So if we were to... rescue it? Well you can probably guess how grateful it would be to us for saving it." But that didn't seem to be enough. And now the would-be surfer dude was accusing him of giving 'bad vibes', as he put it. That made the Sorcerer's blood boil and he whirled around to glare at him, "What I'm doing is looking at this from the bigger picture. So I'm sorry if that gives you bad vibes, 'bro'. What exactly do you think I would do with the Mirror? Lug it around with me everywhere I go? Don't be absurd." he rubbed his temples in frustration, "Obviously my suggestion is to take the Mirror back to the old man. If he doesn't know a way to free the spirit, then he's sure to know someone else who does." But despite his arguments and against all of Canaan's protests, the group voted to search for the maiden first. Canaan hung back as they walked, clearly having no desire to make this choice, "Tch, this is why I hate Democracy." he muttered under his breath. It was also why he hated having to work with other people. If he'd been on his own he could have just gone with his own plan and not have to care about trying to pitch the idea to anyone else. But as the group entered the forest, Canaan could almost immediately the smell the stench of a dead body somewhere deeper within. Soon they found it, the body of one of the mercenaries that had passed by them earlier. He was clearly dead, impaled on a bunch of tree branches and roots. And now suddenly it was turning into a vote on whether to try to help the poor fool or not. Great, another 'vote'. Because the last one went so well last time. Canaan rolled his eyes, "Look, who cares? He's dead and gone, guy was probably an idiot anyway. And remind me again who it was earlier that was making such a big deal about not wasting our time?" he shot a sideways glance over Kalak and Conner.</s>

<|message|>Rascal "I..." Rascal hesitated. On the one paw, leaving the guy dead felt cruel, wrong even. On the other paw, however, the guy was going to kill the Princess of Heart they were supposed to protect, and he didn't seem to be a very good person, either. Hmm... "I'll pass."</s>

<|description|>Canaan Age: 17 Gender: Male Race: Human Home World: The Sorcerer's Apprentice Key-Weapon: Snake-Eyes. A Keystaff that is held not by its handle but by its long shaft. The teeth of the key serve as the bottom tip that usually rests on the ground, while the key's handle serves as the ornate head of the staff. Snake-Eyes in particular also carries the motif of a snake, with what looks like an ornate cobra coiling its body up and around the shaft and positioning its head in the center of the key's handle. Magics: Fire, Water, Blizzard, Slow, Reflect Grand Magic: A unique phenomenon that occurs when repeatedly casting the same spell in rapid succession. It's a form of temporary magical surge that allows the caster to channel the same spell but one tier higher for a single use. At higher levels it can used to cast spells otherwise considered to be inaccessible due to high range of power. D-Links: Jafar Job: Black Mage (Prefers to be called a Sorcerer) Appearance: He's a nimble, scarlet eyed youth with short sandy brown hair, though you rarely see it when his iconic crimson hood is almost always covering it. Underneath that is a basic combination of black shirt, black pants, and dark leather shoes. He's also surprisingly athletic for a mage, able to maneuver himself with a degree with agility and acrobatics not typically seen in one such as himself. Brief History: Throughout the ages, a silent shadow war has been waged between the Morganians and Merlineans at the behest of their leaders, Balthazar Blake and Maxim Horvath. The Merlineans believed magic was a force to be used for the betterment of mankind, while the Morganians would instead use their magics for selfish gain and subjugation. Canaan was one such sorcerer under the tutelage of Melvor, a Merlinean. Canaan had been an orphan on the streets until he was found by Melvor, who sensed the magical potential within the boy and took him in as an apprentice. Some years after this, their sanctum came under attack by unfamiliar black creatures, appearing to be commanded by a powerful dark wizard that Melvor recognized as a Horvath. Under any other circumstance, he and his student would have fought the intruders off, but this time Melvor cast a powerful spell that opened a tear in the very world and used his magic to throw his student through it to the other side. Caught completely off guard, Canaan found himself tumbling down a sandy dune in the middle of a desert. It was nighttime, and he could hear horses in the distance. Canaan tried to return through the tear but it had already vanished. Instead he caught side of two horses approaching a distance dune. Their riders stopped, and after a moment the sandy dunes transformed themselves into the shape of a fierce tiger's head that spoke in an ominous low voice, "Who disturbs my slumber?" one of the riders dismounted and nervously approached. Canaan couldn't make out what the short man said, but could hear the Tiger's response clearly, "Know this: Only one may enter here. One whose worth lies far within. The Diamond in the Rough!" the man looked hesitant, but the second rider appeared to be spurring him forward. Shortly after the man entered the Tiger's mouth, Canaan watched in horror as the living cave became enrage and chomped down on the would-be intruder, apparently killing him. And yet, the other man didn't seem particularly shocked. The bird on his shoulder flew out and fetched a pair of tiny objects from the sand, too small for Canaan to identify them. Then it flew back and landed back on its master's shoulder. After this, the man turned his horse around rode off into the distance. And then somehow - through some kind of magic he didn't recognize, a name seemed to pop into Canaan's head: Jafar. It had to have been that man's name, and yet how did Canaan suddenly come to know it? At that same instance, an unfamiliar object appeared in his hand. It looked like a key-shaped staff, also bearing the image of a serpent wrapping itself around it. And then it vanished just as suddenly as it appeared. Canaan decided to follow the direction that the man Jafar had rode off into. Likely he would find civilization by doing so. But along the way, the desert started to take its toll. And just as Canaan found himself surrounded by more of those things that attacked him and his master, he collapsed from both the heat and exhaustion. When he awoke, he found himself elsewhere. He'd been saved by an elderly looking man who held in his hand a key-shaped weapon of his own. Other: Carries with him a dagger that serves as his Focus, an object that sorcerers in his world use to channel their magic with. And although he is able to use magic through Snake-Eyes, he is also able to do so through the Dagger, and in fact can use both to channel his magic to a stronger degree than he could with either individually.</s> <|message|>Conner Waters Another portal appeared, and Conner stepped out, equipped with a Keyblade Trident. He was new to this whole keyblade wielder business, but so far Conner loved it. Action, adventure, and more importantly, he was chosen for this, and his sister was not. Conner appeared in the middle of a castle courtyard, and all of a sudden, he felt very underdressed for the occasion… Oh well, nothing that could be done about it now. Apparently they were here because there was a Princess of Heart here, and they were there to find her. That was important for something, but Conner didn't really remember for what. He was more interested in learning magic, and learning to fight with this new weapon he had gotten. When he arrived, somebody else was already there waiting. And a cute shirtless pretty boy no less. Conner grinned. "Yo, aloha mate!" The surfer boy greeted them. He made a hang loose gesture with his free hand. "Name's Conner. When are we gonna get this party started huh?"</s> <|message|>Rascal Rascal "Heyyyyyy, everyone! What's up?" A small, bipedal toy raccoon came out of another portal, grinning at Conner and Kalak as he was. Rascal had mixed feelings on the whole adventure thing. On the one paw, he liked helping people, but on the other paw, he hated that he couldn't truly get to know people as friends, and also really doubted his ability as a Keyblader. Not that he would ever admit it out loud, though. At least he could socialize with some random strangers. That wouldn't go wrong, right?</s> <|message|>Verik Innes Verik Becoming a Keybearer felt like joining a shadowy cabal. Being the only ones with knowledge of other worlds, yet deliberately keeping people in the dark felt questionable. Sure, it wouldn't do them much good without keys, and he could think of good reasons to leave the worlds segregated like this. Maybe it wasn't not letting them know that bothered him - perhaps it was being part of the group that did know. He got his key completely by accident, and it doesn't seem all that useful other than the 'door to different worlds' stuff that weird old man was going on about. As far as he could tell, obtaining one was just pure luck, making it a completely arbitrary selection criteria. Hell, the first thing he sees when he walks through the portal to another world is a toy raccoon - one of the other keybearers. Also assembled are a pair of men - one wearing what appears to be a cross between a hunter's first attempt at making clothing and fetish gear, while the other is dressed for the beach. Quite the diverse selection of backgrounds, it seems. There's also a giant bee-butterfly monster that seems to be with the questionably clothed one, given the way it hovers behind him. He had received the run down on dream eaters, but actually seeing one made him decide he wasn't interested in befriending one himself. Yeesh. Well, in any case, might as well introduce himself. Verik walks forward to join the group. "Hey. My name is Verik. Seems we're working together on this mission. Is everyone here?"</s>

<|message|>Canaan On a small island in the center of a creek sat an unassuming ant hill. Who knew this small little ant hill was the centerpiece of an entire world? Well, Canaan certainly didn't know that when he first arrived. Although the fact that he was the size of an insect served as his first clue. He had to use his own magic to give himself a disguise to blend in, in this case the look of a red ant, though still retaining Canaan's characteristic scarlet eyes. The little red ant stuck out like a sore thumb when among the crowds of blue ants that occupied the island. Why were these ants not attacking what would otherwise be seen as an invading species? Well, it was because Canaan had come to this colony in the company of one its own. When he first arrived, Canaan had found himself in a city like location lived in by all manner of insects. He happened upon a blue ant in search of what he called "warrior bugs" and told him he could probably fit that bill. And after recruiting a group of other bugs Canaan found himself here. Things hadn't exactly gone too well. In the first place, Flick - the blue ant - had mistakenly believed the other bugs to be warriors when they were in fact a circus troupe. But he managed to come up with a workaround involving a mechanical bird to frighten off their enemy with. But now that enemy was here and had discovered the fake bird. "Looks to me like you ants forgot your place." said the grasshopper, appropriately named Hopper. He was absolutely fuming with anger at the idea that someone had tried to stand up to him, and he currently had Flick at his mercy, "So let me give you a little reminder." he said with pure hatred in his eyes. That's when Canaan spotted it. There was... Darkness growing in that grasshopper's Heart. And as if on cue several Heartless appeared around him and went on the attack. Not good. The bugs were ill-equipped to deal with Heartless, and they'd be wiped out if Canaan couldn't put a stop to this, "Flick, you deal with Hopper!" he shouted to the blue ant, then gestured to the creatures with his staff, "Leave those things to me!" the blue ant - despite being tired and ragged - nodded with a look of determination in his eyes. And as he went to confront the grasshopper, Canaan focused his attention on the Heartless. He swatted away one that tried to lunge at him and then flung a Water spell at two others, destroying them instantly. "You're wrong, Hopper." Canaan could hear Flick say as he fought off the Heartless, "Ants are not meant to serve grasshoppers." Canaan could only listen, as his attention was focused on keeping a growing horde of Heartless at bay with a flurry of Water spells, and even a stronger Watera spell at one point, "I've seen these ants do great things. And somehow, year and year they manage to pick food for themselves AND you!" Canaan swatted away another Heartless, changing tactics and instead switching to Fire spells next. "So who is the weaker species? Ants don't serve grasshoppers! It's you who need us!" even Canaan paused to look around after hearing the murmured voices of other ants, "We're a lot stronger than you say we are... and you know it, don't you?" and although Hopper was about to squish Flick, he was interrupted by the Princess as well as all the other ants finally taking a stand. At this point the Heartless seemed to start vanishing, perhaps due to Hopper's own Heart faltering. But Canaan knew they'd be called back to this world again eventually. But at least it seemed like his presence in this world was no longer required. Now he just needed to make sure things played out and then he could find a secluded place to open a portal so he could- his thoughts were completely interrupted when the Gummi Phone suddenly went off., "Gah! Geez, old man, thanks for the heart attack!" he complained as he grabbed the phone and made it stop ringing. Sure enough it was a message from old man Xehanort alright, but unfortunately Canaan was a tad bit busy at the moment. Although, as Canaan watched it was becoming clear that Flick and the insects could take it from here. So he managed to catch the glimpse of Flick whom he gave a simple nod and wave, indicating that he needed to leave. Flick looked a bit sad at the sudden departure, but had to keep his attention on the matter of hand. With that, Canaan ran off somewhere where he could find cover. Once away from the commotion, he was able to safely open a portal that would take him out into the Lanes Between. He dispelled his disguised, donned his protective armor, and stepped on through. According to Xehanort's message, Canaan was needed in a place called the Dwarf Woodlands. Some queen was about try and have a Princess killed and she was apparently too important to let die, though Canaan didn't quite understand why. Still, he couldn't just refuse a request from the old man. He saved his life after all, and so Canaan felt like he needed to repay that debt somehow. Meanwhile, a new portal opened up in the castle courtyard where Keybearers where gathering. An armored figure stepped through it only for the armor itself to immediately dispel, revealing a red-hooded young man with eyes of scarlet, "'Protect the secret of the multiverse' he says," the scarlet-eyed youth was apparently grumbling to himself, "while also informing us that a host of intergalactic bounty hunters are on their way. Good luck maintaining the secret after they all start showing up here, old man." he rubbed his temples with his fingers, clearly looking exasperated by all this. He also didn't seem to be all that bothered with introducing himself either, as he had yet to acknowledge any of the weirdos in front of him.</s>

<|description|>Canaan Age: 17 Gender: Male Race: Human Home World: The Sorcerer's Apprentice Key-Weapon: Snake-Eyes. A Keystaff that is held not by its handle but by its long shaft. The teeth of the key serve as the bottom tip that usually rests on the ground, while the key's handle serves as the ornate head of the staff. Snake-Eyes in particular also carries the motif of a snake, with what looks like an ornate cobra coiling its body up and around the shaft and positioning its head in the center of the key's handle. Magics: Fire, Water, Blizzard, Slow, Reflect Grand Magic: A unique phenomenon that occurs when repeatedly casting the same spell in rapid succession. It's a form of temporary magical surge that allows the caster to channel the same spell but one tier higher for a single use. At higher levels it can used to cast spells otherwise considered to be inaccessible due to high range of power. D-Links: Jafar Job: Black Mage (Prefers to be called a Sorcerer) Appearance: He's a nimble, scarlet eyed youth with short sandy brown hair, though you rarely see it when his iconic crimson hood is almost always covering it. Underneath that is a basic combination of black shirt, black pants, and dark leather shoes. He's also surprisingly athletic for a mage, able to maneuver himself with a degree with agility and acrobatics not typically seen in one such as himself. Brief History: Throughout the ages, a silent shadow war has been waged between the Morganians and Merlineans at the behest of their leaders, Balthazar Blake and Maxim Horvath. The Merlineans believed magic was a force to be used for the betterment of mankind, while the Morganians would instead use their magics for selfish gain and subjugation. Canaan was one such sorcerer under the tutelage of Melvor, a Merlinean. Canaan had been an orphan on the streets until he was found by Melvor, who sensed the magical potential within the boy and took him in as an apprentice. Some years after this, their sanctum came under attack by unfamiliar black creatures, appearing to be commanded by a powerful dark wizard that Melvor recognized as a Horvath. Under any other circumstance, he and his student would have fought the intruders off, but this time Melvor cast a powerful spell that opened a tear in the very world and used his magic to throw his student through it to the other side. Caught completely off guard, Canaan found himself tumbling down a sandy dune in the middle of a desert. It was nighttime, and he could hear horses in the distance. Canaan tried to return through the tear but it had already vanished. Instead he caught side of two horses approaching a distance dune. Their riders stopped, and after a moment the sandy dunes transformed themselves into the shape of a fierce tiger's head that spoke in an ominous low voice, "Who disturbs my slumber?" one of the riders dismounted and nervously approached. Canaan couldn't make out what the short man said, but could hear the Tiger's response clearly, "Know this: Only one may enter here. One whose worth lies far within. The Diamond in the Rough!" the man looked hesitant, but the second rider appeared to be spurring him forward. Shortly after the man entered the Tiger's mouth, Canaan watched in horror as the living cave became enrage and chomped down on the would-be intruder, apparently killing him. And yet, the other man didn't seem particularly shocked. The bird on his shoulder flew out and fetched a pair of tiny objects from the sand, too small for Canaan to identify them. Then it flew back and landed back on its master's shoulder. After this, the man turned his horse around rode off into the distance. And then somehow - through some kind of magic he didn't recognize, a name seemed to pop into Canaan's head: Jafar. It had to have been that man's name, and yet how did Canaan suddenly come to know it? At that same instance, an unfamiliar object appeared in his hand. It looked like a key-shaped staff, also bearing the image of a serpent wrapping itself around it. And then it vanished just as suddenly as it appeared. Canaan decided to follow the direction that the man Jafar had rode off into. Likely he would find civilization by doing so. But along the way, the desert started to take its toll. And just as Canaan found himself surrounded by more of those things that attacked him and his master, he collapsed from both the heat and exhaustion. When he awoke, he found himself elsewhere. He'd been saved by an elderly looking man who held in his hand a key-shaped weapon of his own. Other: Carries with him a dagger that serves as his Focus, an object that sorcerers in his world use to channel their magic with. And although he is able to use magic through Snake-Eyes, he is also able to do so through the Dagger, and in fact can use both to channel his magic to a stronger degree than he could with either individually.</s> <|message|>Rascal Rascal Rascal, for one, did not know what all the fuss was about, killing what was probably an innocent girl. He knew that he should probably just play along, but geez, was this lady a loser or what!? At least the team would definitely stop her from getting what she wanted and get the Princess to a safe location, though! Sure, that weird black haired guy might try to stop them, but Rascal suspected that that wouldn't stop the team from getting things done! "Don't worry, Your Highness, that loser girl won't stand a chance against us!" He exclaimed, following Verik's lead and motioning for the others to follow.</s> <|message|>Canaan The Sorcerer kept his mouth shut through all the exchanges, still not bothering to actually introduce himself. Strange characters and oddities just coming and going as if they didn't care one lick about protecting the existence of the Multiverse. It all made him that much more frustrated that the old man insisted on restricting what they could do or say. Otherwise this whole thing would be little more than a trifle to deal with. Even when one of them tried to shake his hand, Canaan just stared at them with an incredulous gaze and offered no hand in return. With no other choice, he followed along with a frustrated sigh. He had a feeling this was all going to become very annoying in the future. Entering the Throne Room, Canaan's mood remained unchanged. While others may have thought to bow or kowtow to this monarch, Canaan on the other hand barely acknowledged her existence. The power she displayed seemed mediocre at best in his professional opinion. Something any two-bit hack on a stage could accomplish with smoke and mirrors. But he did detect actual power somewhere in this castle. Something more legitimately impressive to him, but it was not the Queen. The magic he detected emanated from somewhere beneath them, possibly the dungeons or somewhere else down in the basement levels. What he hadn't said to anyone was that the story of a Queen trying to kill a Princess was one that existed in his world, albeit as a mere fairy tale. Still, if this world was anything like that fairy tale, then the magic he sensed would have to be... "Are the rest of you coming?" Canaan gave the blue-eyed one a very slight blink-and-you'll-miss-it sideways glance but not much else. If his suspicions were right, then what he sensed was the Queen's Magic Mirror, and it had real power. And that was enough to fully intrigue the Sorcerer. He lingered a moment, only walking away when he was the last to do so. And still not offering so much as a glance of acknowledgement to the Queen. He made sure to lag behind the others, a smirk appearing on his lips. Note to self: investigate that Mirror. It could be... useful.</s> <|message|>Conner Waters Soon, everyone in the group arrived. The cute little elf dude was nice, and so was the talking stuffed racoon thing. The dude in the red cloak gave strong asshole vibes… Soon enough, everyone was there, and they all went inside. When they went to hear the queen out, Conner had to try very hard not to hide his disgust. This queen deserves an Oscar for her performance. The pirate looking person knew what they were talking about, and was the only thing about this whole scene that wasn't totally embarrassing. Conner just let them talk. Queen bitch shot them down immediately. The scene was made even worse when Verik tried flirting the queen… It took everything he could not to throw up right there. Conner saluted, then ran off after Verik. "Dude, what are you doing?" Conner questioned. "I may not be into women, but you can certainly do better than… That…"</s> <|message|>Verik Innes Verik Swimsuit boy was the first to catch up with Verik, asking him why he would flirt up the Queen. Admittedly, he put on a bit of a performance back there, but he needed to get close to her to seal the pact. "No need to be mean. She was pretty enough, in spite of her weird getup. I figure a woman as rich and powerful as her could only be this upset with some random forest girl if it was a matter of jealousy, so I thought she'd like it if I appealed to her vanity. Who knows? Maybe a boost to her self-esteem would be enough to make her forget about this whole thing. Either way, we're supposed to be undercover mercenaries, and that question back there made her suspicious. We wouldn't want the queen thinking we're questioning the legitimacy or morality of the job. Also, I just like making friends. All kinds of friends, really." Thinking back to his old friends in Florem, he had to admit, he missed them, even if they were jerks. The Queen was petty and vain... similar to a lot of his old friends, actually, but her throne room wasn't all that big despite the great riches available to her. Her actual throne was a bit gaudy, but it was only two steps above ground level. There was something more vulnerable and lonely in her conceit, and he could empathize. Of course, he wasn't about to excuse trying to kill some innocent girl because of mere insecurities, but being on good terms with bad people wasn't a bad thing, in his opinion. Verik stops to face Conner, holding his hand out for a handshake and giving him a friendly smirk. "Speaking of which, would you like to be my friend?"</s> <|message|>Kalak Ulanti As the party seemed to bow and bid a hasty retreat, she called to them "Oh, and i will give you a reward for the hearts of anyone who tries to protect her. She has already used her charms to corrupt a pair of the first mercenaries i sent after her. Nothing is as heinous as a traitor..." She said. Kalak had the strange feeling she was staring at him when she said that. As soon as they closed the door behind them, her smile instantly turned into a frown. "I have a feeling they are going be a thorn in my side..." She sighed. Barely a few minutes had passed when there was a flash of light in the corner and Grimhilde stood up, staring a the being that had just appeared. "Who are you, explain yourself." She demanded. The man that entered took a bow. "Greetings, dear queen. Truly, the elegance, beauty and grace of someone such as you is matched only by... Well, me!" the man laughed. "You seem to presume much to come in here and make a claim to my throne of fairity." She said, her lips curling into a snarl as she raised her hand, seemingly ready to strike with her magics "Then fear not, my queen, for i come to you with great tidings. You say that some of your mercenaries are having trouble killing this traitor, constantly being corrupted by her?" Grimhilde's hand slowly lowered. "Then allow me to introduce you to a new weapon in your arsenal. One that i give freely." A rhythmic stomping of many feet in unison was heard as Grimhilde's face curled into a curious smile. "I presume them to be to your liking?" "Very much so..." She smiled "Go forth, my new soldiers and kill the wretch known as Snow White." She ordered. "KILL!!!" A chorus came in unison, before she watched her new army file out of another door towards another exit to the castle. **** Outside, Kalak and the others gathered back in the courtyard. "So, she's hiding something..." Kalak sighed. "But right now, all we have to go on is that girl and the longer we stand here, the closer those other mercs get to her." He jumped up on the well and struck an epic pose, whilst pointing out towards the woods. "ADVENTURE IS OUT THERE!!!" He jumped down and set off at a run towards the woods, hoping that the others would follow.</s>

<|message|>Canaan "Of course she's hiding something." said the Sorcerer, at last breaking his long silence. He wondered how long it would be before someone else had started to notice what he had noticed a while ago, "And she's hiding it under the castle somewhere. I sensed it coming from somewhere below the throne room. Power. Real power. Not like the cheap smoke and mirrors tricks she was doing in the throne room." he reached up and adjusted his red coat a bit, also using the time to let them react however they would. But he wouldn't wait long. "And best of all? I'm pretty sure I know what it is." he said with a cocky smirk, "A mirror, magical of course. And if I'm right about it, one that possesses near omniscient levels of knowledge, and able to answer anything you ask of it with perfect accuracy. I assume you all realize the implications here?" he glanced about at his current companions. Surely even the most clueless among them would make the connection. That a power like the mirror's could allow one to always know the movements and whereabouts and anyone they wish to track, among a myriad of other ways it could be used... or abused. "I say the mirror should be our goal." he said flatly, "For two reasons. First: We can probably use its power to locate the Princess, saving us the time it would have taken to search for her. And second: It would be in our best interests to ensure that such a power remains well out of the wrong hands, if you catch my meaning."</s>

<|description|>Canaan Age: 17 Gender: Male Race: Human Home World: The Sorcerer's Apprentice Key-Weapon: Snake-Eyes. A Keystaff that is held not by its handle but by its long shaft. The teeth of the key serve as the bottom tip that usually rests on the ground, while the key's handle serves as the ornate head of the staff. Snake-Eyes in particular also carries the motif of a snake, with what looks like an ornate cobra coiling its body up and around the shaft and positioning its head in the center of the key's handle. Magics: Fire, Water, Blizzard, Slow, Reflect Grand Magic: A unique phenomenon that occurs when repeatedly casting the same spell in rapid succession. It's a form of temporary magical surge that allows the caster to channel the same spell but one tier higher for a single use. At higher levels it can used to cast spells otherwise considered to be inaccessible due to high range of power. D-Links: Jafar Job: Black Mage (Prefers to be called a Sorcerer) Appearance: He's a nimble, scarlet eyed youth with short sandy brown hair, though you rarely see it when his iconic crimson hood is almost always covering it. Underneath that is a basic combination of black shirt, black pants, and dark leather shoes. He's also surprisingly athletic for a mage, able to maneuver himself with a degree with agility and acrobatics not typically seen in one such as himself. Brief History: Throughout the ages, a silent shadow war has been waged between the Morganians and Merlineans at the behest of their leaders, Balthazar Blake and Maxim Horvath. The Merlineans believed magic was a force to be used for the betterment of mankind, while the Morganians would instead use their magics for selfish gain and subjugation. Canaan was one such sorcerer under the tutelage of Melvor, a Merlinean. Canaan had been an orphan on the streets until he was found by Melvor, who sensed the magical potential within the boy and took him in as an apprentice. Some years after this, their sanctum came under attack by unfamiliar black creatures, appearing to be commanded by a powerful dark wizard that Melvor recognized as a Horvath. Under any other circumstance, he and his student would have fought the intruders off, but this time Melvor cast a powerful spell that opened a tear in the very world and used his magic to throw his student through it to the other side. Caught completely off guard, Canaan found himself tumbling down a sandy dune in the middle of a desert. It was nighttime, and he could hear horses in the distance. Canaan tried to return through the tear but it had already vanished. Instead he caught side of two horses approaching a distance dune. Their riders stopped, and after a moment the sandy dunes transformed themselves into the shape of a fierce tiger's head that spoke in an ominous low voice, "Who disturbs my slumber?" one of the riders dismounted and nervously approached. Canaan couldn't make out what the short man said, but could hear the Tiger's response clearly, "Know this: Only one may enter here. One whose worth lies far within. The Diamond in the Rough!" the man looked hesitant, but the second rider appeared to be spurring him forward. Shortly after the man entered the Tiger's mouth, Canaan watched in horror as the living cave became enrage and chomped down on the would-be intruder, apparently killing him. And yet, the other man didn't seem particularly shocked. The bird on his shoulder flew out and fetched a pair of tiny objects from the sand, too small for Canaan to identify them. Then it flew back and landed back on its master's shoulder. After this, the man turned his horse around rode off into the distance. And then somehow - through some kind of magic he didn't recognize, a name seemed to pop into Canaan's head: Jafar. It had to have been that man's name, and yet how did Canaan suddenly come to know it? At that same instance, an unfamiliar object appeared in his hand. It looked like a key-shaped staff, also bearing the image of a serpent wrapping itself around it. And then it vanished just as suddenly as it appeared. Canaan decided to follow the direction that the man Jafar had rode off into. Likely he would find civilization by doing so. But along the way, the desert started to take its toll. And just as Canaan found himself surrounded by more of those things that attacked him and his master, he collapsed from both the heat and exhaustion. When he awoke, he found himself elsewhere. He'd been saved by an elderly looking man who held in his hand a key-shaped weapon of his own. Other: Carries with him a dagger that serves as his Focus, an object that sorcerers in his world use to channel their magic with. And although he is able to use magic through Snake-Eyes, he is also able to do so through the Dagger, and in fact can use both to channel his magic to a stronger degree than he could with either individually.</s> <|message|>Canaan "Of course she's hiding something." said the Sorcerer, at last breaking his long silence. He wondered how long it would be before someone else had started to notice what he had noticed a while ago, "And she's hiding it under the castle somewhere. I sensed it coming from somewhere below the throne room. Power. Real power. Not like the cheap smoke and mirrors tricks she was doing in the throne room." he reached up and adjusted his red coat a bit, also using the time to let them react however they would. But he wouldn't wait long. "And best of all? I'm pretty sure I know what it is." he said with a cocky smirk, "A mirror, magical of course. And if I'm right about it, one that possesses near omniscient levels of knowledge, and able to answer anything you ask of it with perfect accuracy. I assume you all realize the implications here?" he glanced about at his current companions. Surely even the most clueless among them would make the connection. That a power like the mirror's could allow one to always know the movements and whereabouts and anyone they wish to track, among a myriad of other ways it could be used... or abused. "I say the mirror should be our goal." he said flatly, "For two reasons. First: We can probably use its power to locate the Princess, saving us the time it would have taken to search for her. And second: It would be in our best interests to ensure that such a power remains well out of the wrong hands, if you catch my meaning."</s> <|message|>Kalak Ulanti Noticing that nobody was following, Kalak stopped as Canaan brought up some valid points about the current situation. "Don't..." Kalak laughed "Don't want to be a negative nancy on this, but i'm hearing a lot of "Pretty sure" and "If i'm right"" Kalak stated. "Ok, she's got a lot of magical power in that castle somewhere. 1) We don't know for a fact what it is 2) even if it is an all knowing magic mirror, we don't know what's guarding it, could be powerful 3) If it is a magic mirror and its guards are weak enough for us to push through, we don't know it'll answer any of our questions. It might be inclined only for the queen herself. And whilst we're wasting time pushing through a lot of unknowns, that bug-guy and the skull-guy and whoever else is out there are still trying to kill that maiden." He shook his head. "Our first priority is finding that princess and getting her safe, then we can storm the castle and deal with the magics in there. My point is, one of our goals is time sensitive, the other isn't. We should deal with the one we KNOW about first and deal with everything else later."</s> <|message|>Conner Waters Conner blinked, and gave Verik a look. He wasn't so sure how good of friends someone who was willing to hire mercenaries to kill someone just because they were prettier than her could be. This kid was weird for sure… But he was cute, Conner couldn't deny that! "Um… yeah, sure dude." Conner returned the handshake, and followed the rest of the group. As they were heading off, that guy in the red cloak suggested going after the queen's magic mirror. He wasn't wrong, he knew the story of Snow White, it had to exist somewhere… Even though he was always up for an adventure, even he thought that was a bad idea. Kalak thought so too, and brought up every reason why. "Yeah, as much as I would love a little action, I agree with him. Unless that magic mirror can teleport us directly to her, we gotta keep the princess safe… Plus… uh… no offense bro, but you kinda give me bad vibes… I don't know what you're gonna do with that thing once we find it."</s> <|message|>Kalak Ulanti After a short argument, the party had decided to search for the Princess and go back for the supposed mirror later. The forest was lush and thick, their first entrance seemed a little difficult with vines and other knotweeds preventing easy incursion. As they finally managed to find a way into the forest, the dense cannopy began to block most of the light, the photosynthesis-starved smaller branches and bushes grabbing at their clothes as if the claws of demons. Cio-Cio began to glow as a lightsource as the forest quickly began to look as if night had fallen. Finally it opened into what looked like a maze of paths. The Dreameater seemed to lead the way, seeming to sense the pure heart off in the distance. Following her down a path, they could each feel an evil presence emanating from further in. As they continued to walk, Kalak would quietly pick at the strings of the guitar. Suddenly, they would hear a familiar sound before a scream. "What in the heck?" The party set off at a run towards where the sound had come from. As they reached the clearing, they found the body of the green man they had met back at the castle, laying in a slowly expanding pool of blood, his chest impaled by several a large spears of wood. "Ooooooh..." Kalak winced. "Who the heck did that to you?" Cio-Cio slowly buzzed over to the body and began looking it over.</s> <|message|>Rascal Rascal Rascal visibly gasped when he saw the green man, his eyes wide as he rushed over to him. The cocky facade was entirely gone as Rascal's entire body shook, wondering who would do such a thing. "Is there anything we can do!?" He asked, looking at Kalak and Cio-Cio.</s> <|message|>Verik Innes Verik Verik eyed the green man as he approached him. "This is the same man who accepted the queen's offer without hesitation, I believe. As Kalak said, I don't think he's got a problem 'killing pathetic creature for money.' I bring this up because I can save him, but if I do, and the same thing happens to one of you, I won't be able to do it a second time. If I help him, he could become our enemy, and even if he doesn't, one of us may unknowingly be trading our lives for his. It's not as simple as self-sacrifice. Any lives we would have saved and any lives he will go on to take will be doomed by this choice, but the alternative is leaving him to die when we didn't need to. We don't have a lot of time before the decision is made for us, so let's go straight to a vote. Raise your hand if you think we should save him." Verik looks the others in the eye, one by one. It was quite sudden, but they needed to make a choice. He was quite reluctant to spend his only use of Raise on an enemy, but if they could make him an ally, or at least a friend, it would be worth it. He couldn't just do nothing, because when he uses it later, they'd ask why he didn't use it now. That being said, the idea of reviving the green man and being blamed for his choice down the line was scary, so he put it to a vote. This way, no matter what they decide, no one will hate him. It's the perfect plan. "I will abstain."</s>

<|message|>Canaan "Who said anything about 'storming' the castle?" retorted the Sorcerer with a scoff, "Have none of you ever sneaked into any place before?" he shook his head. The idea that someone like him would suggest using brute force was laughable, hysterical even. And of course they questioned his certainty about the mirror. Okay then, seemed it was time to spill the beans. "I know all this because it exists as a fairy tale in the world I hail from. That's how I'm so certain about the Mirror and what it can do." he leaned in a bit for a hard gaze at shorter guy, "And according to the story, the Mirror is a spirit that was enslaved and trapped in the mirror by the Queen. So if we were to... rescue it? Well you can probably guess how grateful it would be to us for saving it." But that didn't seem to be enough. And now the would-be surfer dude was accusing him of giving 'bad vibes', as he put it. That made the Sorcerer's blood boil and he whirled around to glare at him, "What I'm doing is looking at this from the bigger picture. So I'm sorry if that gives you bad vibes, 'bro'. What exactly do you think I would do with the Mirror? Lug it around with me everywhere I go? Don't be absurd." he rubbed his temples in frustration, "Obviously my suggestion is to take the Mirror back to the old man. If he doesn't know a way to free the spirit, then he's sure to know someone else who does." But despite his arguments and against all of Canaan's protests, the group voted to search for the maiden first. Canaan hung back as they walked, clearly having no desire to make this choice, "Tch, this is why I hate Democracy." he muttered under his breath. It was also why he hated having to work with other people. If he'd been on his own he could have just gone with his own plan and not have to care about trying to pitch the idea to anyone else. But as the group entered the forest, Canaan could almost immediately the smell the stench of a dead body somewhere deeper within. Soon they found it, the body of one of the mercenaries that had passed by them earlier. He was clearly dead, impaled on a bunch of tree branches and roots. And now suddenly it was turning into a vote on whether to try to help the poor fool or not. Great, another 'vote'. Because the last one went so well last time. Canaan rolled his eyes, "Look, who cares? He's dead and gone, guy was probably an idiot anyway. And remind me again who it was earlier that was making such a big deal about not wasting our time?" he shot a sideways glance over Kalak and Conner.</s>

<|description|>Bellamy "Bell" Blackpowder Age: 21 Gender: Non-binary (They/them, he/they) Race: Human (?) Homeworld: Montressor (Treasure Planet) Key-Weapon: Key-Rifle Magics: Spark, Cure, Sidewinder, Warhead D-Links: Aimée Matchlock (Bravely Second) Job: Hawkeye Appearance: A tallish, slim, androgynous sailor of mysterious origin. Red eyes, sharp features, white hair highlighted with black streaks. They're always dressed as immaculately as possible, even far from port. Brief History: Bell Blackpowder began life as practically an orphan, abandoned at an orphanage on Montressor. By the time Bell was 12, they'd given up on finding a home with a family, and decided to set out for greener pastures by stowing away on a leaving ship. The downside? It was a pirate ship. After being discovered, the captain took a small mercy on the scrawny child, and put them to work as a powder monkey on the gun deck. Unlike most children in their position, Bell managed to work their way up from the bottom of the ladder, graduating to gunner, and later Master Gunner. During a pitched battle with a rival crew, the captain and first mate of the ship were cut down by gunfire. In the chaos that ensued, Bell took charge, keeping a level head and calling the shots (literally), leading the crew to an unlikely victory. In the crew meeting that followed, the vote was unanimous: Bell, their lucky charm, was chosen as the new captain. And thus, the Red Flower Pirates were born. Unfortunately, such a lofty position wouldn't last long. Only two years after their promotion, the Calypso was caught in a terrible solar storm, one that seemed to tear the very fabric of the Etherium. Bell was thrown overboard, into the tear, never to be seen again… …Until they arrived on the other side, finding themselves in a strange, neon-lit town. And to make matters more curious, their trusty rifle had changed, gaining an odd axe-head bayonet, looking almost like the bit of a skeleton key. But they could wonder about strange weapons and odd towns later; Bell's current goal is to find a way off of this strange planet, and back to their loyal crew, by any means possible. Other: Bell loves spicy food. The spicier the better; many of their personal recipes are labeled "hazardous for sapient and sentient consumption" by various health organizations because of this.</s> <|message|>Verik Innes Verik Becoming a Keybearer felt like joining a shadowy cabal. Being the only ones with knowledge of other worlds, yet deliberately keeping people in the dark felt questionable. Sure, it wouldn't do them much good without keys, and he could think of good reasons to leave the worlds segregated like this. Maybe it wasn't not letting them know that bothered him - perhaps it was being part of the group that did know. He got his key completely by accident, and it doesn't seem all that useful other than the 'door to different worlds' stuff that weird old man was going on about. As far as he could tell, obtaining one was just pure luck, making it a completely arbitrary selection criteria. Hell, the first thing he sees when he walks through the portal to another world is a toy raccoon - one of the other keybearers. Also assembled are a pair of men - one wearing what appears to be a cross between a hunter's first attempt at making clothing and fetish gear, while the other is dressed for the beach. Quite the diverse selection of backgrounds, it seems. There's also a giant bee-butterfly monster that seems to be with the questionably clothed one, given the way it hovers behind him. He had received the run down on dream eaters, but actually seeing one made him decide he wasn't interested in befriending one himself. Yeesh. Well, in any case, might as well introduce himself. Verik walks forward to join the group. "Hey. My name is Verik. Seems we're working together on this mission. Is everyone here?"</s> <|message|>Canaan On a small island in the center of a creek sat an unassuming ant hill. Who knew this small little ant hill was the centerpiece of an entire world? Well, Canaan certainly didn't know that when he first arrived. Although the fact that he was the size of an insect served as his first clue. He had to use his own magic to give himself a disguise to blend in, in this case the look of a red ant, though still retaining Canaan's characteristic scarlet eyes. The little red ant stuck out like a sore thumb when among the crowds of blue ants that occupied the island. Why were these ants not attacking what would otherwise be seen as an invading species? Well, it was because Canaan had come to this colony in the company of one its own. When he first arrived, Canaan had found himself in a city like location lived in by all manner of insects. He happened upon a blue ant in search of what he called "warrior bugs" and told him he could probably fit that bill. And after recruiting a group of other bugs Canaan found himself here. Things hadn't exactly gone too well. In the first place, Flick - the blue ant - had mistakenly believed the other bugs to be warriors when they were in fact a circus troupe. But he managed to come up with a workaround involving a mechanical bird to frighten off their enemy with. But now that enemy was here and had discovered the fake bird. "Looks to me like you ants forgot your place." said the grasshopper, appropriately named Hopper. He was absolutely fuming with anger at the idea that someone had tried to stand up to him, and he currently had Flick at his mercy, "So let me give you a little reminder." he said with pure hatred in his eyes. That's when Canaan spotted it. There was... Darkness growing in that grasshopper's Heart. And as if on cue several Heartless appeared around him and went on the attack. Not good. The bugs were ill-equipped to deal with Heartless, and they'd be wiped out if Canaan couldn't put a stop to this, "Flick, you deal with Hopper!" he shouted to the blue ant, then gestured to the creatures with his staff, "Leave those things to me!" the blue ant - despite being tired and ragged - nodded with a look of determination in his eyes. And as he went to confront the grasshopper, Canaan focused his attention on the Heartless. He swatted away one that tried to lunge at him and then flung a Water spell at two others, destroying them instantly. "You're wrong, Hopper." Canaan could hear Flick say as he fought off the Heartless, "Ants are not meant to serve grasshoppers." Canaan could only listen, as his attention was focused on keeping a growing horde of Heartless at bay with a flurry of Water spells, and even a stronger Watera spell at one point, "I've seen these ants do great things. And somehow, year and year they manage to pick food for themselves AND you!" Canaan swatted away another Heartless, changing tactics and instead switching to Fire spells next. "So who is the weaker species? Ants don't serve grasshoppers! It's you who need us!" even Canaan paused to look around after hearing the murmured voices of other ants, "We're a lot stronger than you say we are... and you know it, don't you?" and although Hopper was about to squish Flick, he was interrupted by the Princess as well as all the other ants finally taking a stand. At this point the Heartless seemed to start vanishing, perhaps due to Hopper's own Heart faltering. But Canaan knew they'd be called back to this world again eventually. But at least it seemed like his presence in this world was no longer required. Now he just needed to make sure things played out and then he could find a secluded place to open a portal so he could- his thoughts were completely interrupted when the Gummi Phone suddenly went off., "Gah! Geez, old man, thanks for the heart attack!" he complained as he grabbed the phone and made it stop ringing. Sure enough it was a message from old man Xehanort alright, but unfortunately Canaan was a tad bit busy at the moment. Although, as Canaan watched it was becoming clear that Flick and the insects could take it from here. So he managed to catch the glimpse of Flick whom he gave a simple nod and wave, indicating that he needed to leave. Flick looked a bit sad at the sudden departure, but had to keep his attention on the matter of hand. With that, Canaan ran off somewhere where he could find cover. Once away from the commotion, he was able to safely open a portal that would take him out into the Lanes Between. He dispelled his disguised, donned his protective armor, and stepped on through. According to Xehanort's message, Canaan was needed in a place called the Dwarf Woodlands. Some queen was about try and have a Princess killed and she was apparently too important to let die, though Canaan didn't quite understand why. Still, he couldn't just refuse a request from the old man. He saved his life after all, and so Canaan felt like he needed to repay that debt somehow. Meanwhile, a new portal opened up in the castle courtyard where Keybearers where gathering. An armored figure stepped through it only for the armor itself to immediately dispel, revealing a red-hooded young man with eyes of scarlet, "'Protect the secret of the multiverse' he says," the scarlet-eyed youth was apparently grumbling to himself, "while also informing us that a host of intergalactic bounty hunters are on their way. Good luck maintaining the secret after they all start showing up here, old man." he rubbed his temples with his fingers, clearly looking exasperated by all this. He also didn't seem to be all that bothered with introducing himself either, as he had yet to acknowledge any of the weirdos in front of him.</s> <|message|>Kalak Ulanti As everyone showed up through the portals. Kalak approached each to shake hands. Cio-Cio seemed to buzz behind their heads, looking into their dreams to deem what kind of person they were. She didn't seem that appalled by anyone. "Thanks for showing up, guys. Not sure exactly who this princess is, but i hope the old man is right about this. One step clo-" Before Kalak could finish his sentance, the peace was shattered by the loud slamming of a door, Cio-Cio seemed to have a small heart-attack from shock as her eyes bulged for a second, before panting heavily. As everyone looked around, they would see a large, intimidating, hairy man in a lion themed costume storm straight towards the group with a large keyblade knife in his hands. He had a look of utter fury in his eyes. As Cio-Cio jumped into action, trying to put herself between the man and Kalak, both of them preparing for a fight, the man stopped. "Cowards..." he stated, the russian accent thick on his breath, looking all of them in the eyes. "Come to kill some pathetic creature for money." he spat on the ground in front of them. "No stomach for a REAL mans fight." He motioned the knife at all of them "If you wish to test your mettle against a TRUE quarry, put a bounty on your own head and let Kraven come for you." He then pointed the blade at Cio-Cio "Fear not, tiny creature. Kraven only hunts the most dangerous prey." He laughed. Kalak grabbed hold of her scruff as she got mad and tried to lunge at him. Kraven looked around at the world "Nothing of that sort exists here..." He looked each of them in the eyes, meeting Canaan for a second, he pointed the knife at him and waggled it up and down for a second, before laughing and turning around, running his blade through the air as he rended a hole to The Space Between and said "Do not take mad queen's offer, no honour in it." as he stepped through. "Well, that was an interesting viewpoint on the matter." Kalak stated, turning to the others to check if they were ok. Another creature came jogging through the door and straight between the party, running out of the castle. This creature had large blue eyes and green skin, complete with a pair of green antenna and a fly-like mouth. "Stuka u pediniki leer, mee'm koona tah be noota." It seemed to laugh as it ran off into the field towards the forest. "I..." Kalak started "I don't think he's got a problem "Killing pathetic creature for money" as the other guy did..." Kalak laughed, slipping into a bad russian accent. "Come on, let's see what "Mad Queen" wants" He laughed again. He seemed to enjoy the bad russian accent. As they walked through the door into the dark room, they saw that this dark room was a cavernous throne-room with thick, velvet curtains blocking the light, with a beautiful queen sat upon her throne. "Come before me, mercenaries and bounty hunters." She beaconed "For i have a task for thee." With a wave of her hand, a table appeared in the middle of the room, a box appeared appeared atop it. "Your queen demands a tribute to be paid to her. Within the woods lives a maiden, fair of face, but black of soul. She has committed attrocities unto my kingdom too... Too horrid of which to speak." She draped a dainty hand across her face as if to prevent herself from being moved to tears. "So disgusting is her crime, that so disgusting is her punishment. You will find this maiden and cut out her heart and place it in this box... That it may never know the rest of the grave." She waved another hand and a large pile of gold and jewels appeared "Do this for your queen and your reward shall be most agreeable." She sneered. Kalak looked at the box and then back to the party, before shrugging, as if asking them how to respond.</s>

<|message|>Bellamy "Bell" Blackpowder Bell was never much one for words- they preferred actions over flapping their lips. It's how they got this far, after all. Which was why this whole scenario stunk to high Heaven, even without the old man's warning that something was amiss; they didn't trust anyone who used so many words while saying nothing at all. Ones like this "Queen," who seemed to think she was putting on a good act, but who oozed contempt from every pore. So, this "maiden" is probably the Princess that the old man mentioned, thought Bell to themselves, a file casually rasping across their nails as they watched and listened. Seems even hardened bounty hunters can tell this job stinks, they continued, thinking of the strange lion-man and his knife. And yet, if this girl was the Princess… The bitch wants this girl's heart. That's never a good sign. Bell's heels clacked on the stone floor as they casually strode forward, pocketing their nail file. "Your Grace. I understand that it might be difficult, but I'm afraid we need to know what it is we're getting into. If this girl's crimes are so heinous, then she is no doubt dangerous. Perhaps you could enlighten us, even the slightest bit, as to the nature of her misdeeds, so we may be better prepared to deal with her…" They finished with a slow bow, eyes never leaving the Queen's. Let's see what lie she tries to concoct here. Or, on the off-chance she's telling the truth, what we're in for in those woods.</s>

<|description|>Mateo Secada Age: 30 Apperance: Standing at 6'0 with an athletic build. Well-defined muscles and on his chest and calves. Short black hair with a well-trimmed five o'clock shadow. Brown eyes and with a default serious resting face. Mateo has a small scar on the palm of his right hand and another on his chest near his left bicep. This one clearly a bullet hole scar. Along with a tattoo on his right shoulder. Nationality: Colombian Callsign: Jaguar Skills: Close Quarter Combat Specialist - Combined with what his father taught him and what he was trained as a spy. Mateo is a skilled fighter in close quarters. Parkour Expert - Being trained in Parkour to rapidly move through urban areas to track or chase down a target. Mateo was a natural at it and few things can stop him once he gets into his groove. Explosive Specialist - Being trained to handle different explosives with the intent to sabotage enemy targets and knowing the best explosive for the job at hand. Sniper - Trained to use sniper rifles to kill targets from afar, Mateo has proved to be an excellent shot and can act as a spotter if needed. Hacking Expert- In the increasing cyberized world, hacking has proved to be an essential skill for an agent to have. Having been taught how to hack most devices and being able to hack electronic devices either remotely or in person using his own gear. History: Born the single child of a college professor and former AFEUR operator. Growing up, Mateo was always curious about his father's life in the military. But, he was always met with the same answer, no, and after a while, Mateo would stop asking. The only answer he would get other than no is that he does not want to talk about it and asked Mateo to never join the military. A request that Mateo took seriously as he loved his father and would grow close to his father. Who would teach Mateo how to fight both with a gun and with his fist. Up to this point, Mateo's life had been good and uneventful despite the Colombian conflict reigniting some years earlier. This changed when he was sixteen for one night. Their home was unexpectedly invaded by a group of armed men who would shoot the family. Killing both of his parents but, Mateo would survive barely as the men thought that he was dead. Mateo would hear some of what the men said before passing out. One name was mentioned was Thiago Tejedor. The man who personally shot his parents. The gunfire would alert his neighbors, and one of them would call the police, and they arrived on the scene soon after. They would find Mateo and his parent's bodies. Calling for an ambulance and Mateo would survive. As he was recovering in the hospital, and after telling the police what he heard the armed men say. It turned out that Thiago Tejedor is the wanted leader of the Tejedor Cartel. Who took control of the cartel after his brother was killed by a squad of Colombian AFEUR operators. The same squad that his father used to belong to. After hearing about this and being sent to live with his grandparents. Mateo would try to get revenge on Thiago Tejedor. After graduating high school, Mateo would enroll at a local university in criminology, and he was noticed by the DNI. The main intelligence agency of Colombia and seeing this was a chance to better find Thiago. Mateo agreed to join the DNI and was trained as an agent. Learning CQC, firearms, surveillance, and more. Being sent on several missions and after five years in the agency. Became one of the agency's best. However, Mateo would have had some suspicions about the agency in the past few years. Some inconsistencies he had noticed and some questionable missions he had heard about. He would start digging and would learn the truth when an unknown whistleblower would reveal that the DNI were corrupt and guilty of several crimes, such as working with several rebel groups. Mateo would be surprised by how bad the crimes were and how they were able to keep it hidden from him for so long. Mentally kicking himself for not finding out sooner and would be disgusted by this. More so when he learned that they were hindering his progress of finding Thiago since he was a cartel that worked with them. Luckily Mateo was clear of any wrongdoings and would quit the DNI after the scandal. Now an ex-agent, Mateo what skills he had to support himself by being a free agent. While using what assets and connections he had to track down Tejedor, who at this point had left the country. It was during this point in Mateo's life that he had been approached by Raven Squad and would accept their offer to join them. While he would be committed to the group's goal. Mateo, in what free time he has, still is trying to find Tejedor and get his revenge. Personality: Mateo can be described as friendly though at times distant and hard on himself for some failures he has done in his life. Mateo regardless of what thinks of him due to being a former spy. He has strong morals that he got from his father. Which at times has had some problems with his job in regards to torture as something he does not want to do but, if there are no options. He will do it but, will not enjoy it. Otherwise, he is one to help someone in need and despite his goal of finding his parents' killer. Mateo can find time to relax and enjoy life. After his time with the DNI, and despite the noble goal that the Raven Squad has. Mateo has become cautious about his new employers as he does not want to get duped again. So while he will do missions and talk with his fellow teammates, he will be watchful if Raven Squad turns out to be something else. Tactical Suit: Or adaptive camouflage armour. The ACR has two ways to camouflage its wearer. One by using optical cloaking to cloak the wearer or if the cloaking fails. It is able to change the camouflage patterns on the armor to fit with its surroundings. Along with having light armor to protect the wearer in case of the wearer gets exposed and shot at. Plus, capable of monitoring the wearer's vitals, embedded comms, night and thermal vision. Weapons: Heckler & Koch UMP Daewoo Telecom K7 SCAR-L Remington MSR(Silenced) FN Five-seven(Silenced) Combat Knife Equipment: C5(Four Charges) C5 detonator Mico Grenades(Six) Mico Explosives(Six) Reusable Grappling hook Rangefinder Binoculars that come with night and thermal vision A datapad worn on his left foreman that is used for hacking and can connect to electronic devices either remotely or through a wired connection. Hobbies: Astronomy, Reading, Sparring, Jogging, Card Games, Camping, and Mixology Likes: Nature, Rock Music, Classic Drinks, Telescopes, and Fireworks Dislikes: Cold, Drugs, Rap, Bad Drinks, and Sushi</s> <|message|>Greyson McGeer MBE "Brazen" Greyson lent forward somewhat taken off guard and reached his hand out and took the glass. "thank you" Once it had about a finger poured in it. He almost reflexively flicked out his arm and checked his watch. "I suppose im off duty" he mumbled. He looked at his team and his demeanor changed almost imperceptibly. He was no stranger to alcohol, he had been around many SAS soldiers during his training and they had insisted he go for "a skinfull", then they would all head back to the shooting range and attempt to complete it while drunk to sharpen their skills. He looked up directly at Xan and his eyes seemed to glisten when he said "german engineering cant do everything", as a rye smile crept across his face. Anyway if i want to annoy Ziess i'll put you up to the job. Greyson replied to the question. "Who havent i pissed off? I am a wide and prolific pisser-offer, it is the title of most of my debriefings... My strategy is to piss off the opposition in so many different ways that they are completely inconvenienced. Afterall, they can only kill you once. So the side comes out ahead." Greyson briefly considered for a moment how he'd tackle attacking the base, personally. He quickly concluded that he would never risk taking on his own team. If there was an answer, it was probably divide and conquer. Which is why he needed to make sure this never happened. He wouldn't give black flag the opportunity to isolate members of the team… but before he could go deeper into thought, someone spoke. "Yeas Ma-am." He sounded off. From what he was hearing it sounded like the Lights had the hardest job. Sure more firepower would be directed at them once the empty shells started hitting the sand. And the smart firepower would then switch to the Heavies. But the Lights had to go in first, so they had to work within the most existing contraints. The goalposts would be at their absolute tightest for them. For this reason he gave them a grudging respect. They were the forlorn hope, the vanguard. The most his fireteam could do is provide a big noisy distraction. But who? In our line of work gets distracted by this trick anymore? He immediately spoke. "Queen? I would feel much better if Jaguar and Ghost worked together. I don't want them to be isolated without being able to rely on one other. I am a proponent of the battle buddy system and i think that although the speed of the sabotage would be greater if they were independent, we'd be in danger of exchanging one highly valuable operative for atmost 3 minutes inside their OODA loop. I'd rather have the operative for the full duration of the battle. Being 1 down is usually the start of a irrecoverable losing streak. It is usually the first indicator of who will win. And from a ethical standpoint, i dont trade lives. No one gets left behind and so on..." "This is my professional opinion," He said in the calm manner of an accountant.</s> <|message|>Misa Ysuki "Absolutely not," Misa responded when Skye suggested that she should work more with Xander. He was loud, obnoxious, and has no sense of personal space. The only thing that man has going for him is being entertaining. Misa clicked her tongue as Skye invoked Xander's name prompting him to come over. He sat across from her with a mischievous grin on his face. She paid him no mind and continue to sip on her tea but when he mentioned Buki, she turned and matched his gaze. "His name is Buki and you will do well to remember that," Misa took a sip of her tea before continuing, "But I'll humor you, Xander. If you can beat me in a 1 v 1 combat scenario I'll let you do add whatever you want into Buki's programming or design." Xander was a tech specialist so she had great confidence that she could beat him in combat. Hopefully, this would get him off of her case. Then again, that man seems like someone who enjoyed a challenge, so she might have achieved the complete opposite outcome. Worse case scenario, Xander would win and add something to Buki. Not a huge loss since he is a tech specialist and would most likely improve Buki in some way. Though, she couldn't begin to fathom how anyone would understand his jokes much less program them. When Skye began explaining their mission, Misa turned and gave her the utmost attention. An extraction mission from a canyon base with a high level of security and limited maneuverability. She was indeed familiar with a high-altitude drop using parachutes, but she would need to make adjustments to Buki beforehand. He was prone to freezing at the joints in extremely cold temperatures. "Understood," Misa said as Skye finished her briefing. Misa then turned to look at Jamie who was sitting ever so still in that armchair. Despite being fellow heavies, she hasn't had much interaction with the big man since coming here. He frequented the gym for the heavies but that was the extent of their interactions. "Well, it looks like I finally get the pleasure to work with you, Jamie. I cannot wait to see what the son of legends has to offer," Misa said with a faint smile. She was somewhat excited to work with him. he seems very capable from that showing in the gym. "Now if you excuse me, I have something to take care of," Misa said before standing up. She gave Skye a small bow before leaving for the kitchen. Skye mentioned Katsu so she also got started on frying up some chicken cutlets while also putting some final touches to the curry, Sometime later, she sent Buki to fetch everyone for dinner.</s>

<|message|>Mateo Secada Mateo simply chuckled at what Skye said to him before getting serious when she brought up the details of their next mission, and he put his drink away. So a capture mission in French Pacific. He would like to know specifically how many HVTs there are, but he can settle with a few. Hopefully, they will be in one place, but that is wishful thinking. Either way, he was already thinking of which approach he wanted to take and what to bring with him on the mission. Then Xander approached him about needing something strong. "Uhhhh," at first, unsure what to make, then it came to him, and he looked at the alcohol behind him. "Well, I do know of one drink that will do the job, and I think we have the ingredients." Mateo made a nervous chuckle, he has not made that cocktail in a long time, and the last he saw someone drink that cocktail... Well, the liquor sure left him alright. Time to see how Xander reacts to it. So Mateo, without a word, goes on and making the cocktail known to him as the Hangover Cure. It did not take long to make, and when he was done, he placed it on the counter in front of Xander. "Here you go, and good luck with it," Mateo said with a hint of concern. Next was listening to Greyson's suggestion. Nice to see that someone other than Skye cared about his survival during the mission. Though he is used to working solo during a mission. Sneaking behind enemy lines and causing chaos or stealing something valuable from the enemy. Mateo does know he has the hard part of infiltrating the base and keeping the HVTs from escaping, and it might be easier if he had a teammate with him. "I know it is your order, Queen, but, like with what Brazen said. It would be nice to have a second set of hands with keeping the HVTs from escaping. But that is your call, Queen." Time to see what Queen says now, and hopefully, Xander can handle the Hangover Cure. Please handle the cocktail well, he thought as he waited for an answer from Queen.</s>

<|description|>Eduard Montag •Age: 22 •Chosen God: Themis, Goddess of Justice and Divine Order BIOGRAPHY Of Hungarian descent from his father's side and American descent from his mother's, Eduard was born and raised in New Haven. Like so many who are fated to grow up in such a tumultuous city, Eduard grew up on the border of impoverishment despite both of his parents working: his father as a police officer and his mother as a stall-owner in a local marketplace. As a child he mostly kept to himself, a reserved nature he maintains to this day, but despite that would frequently get in trouble for fights and skipping class at school, despite his undeniably gifted intellect. His intention always was, after all, to leave school at 16 and join his father in the police force, a dream he always spoke about with uncharacteristic yet charming enthusiasm. Unfortunately, once he did turn 16, tragedy struck. Upon returning home from what would be his last day of school, he witnessed the execution of his parents at the hands of the Cult of Eris in their own apartment. Completely unexplained to the boy and utterly out of the blue, it's an experience that left the young Montag traumatised and with lasting mental scars. Scars that, though his reserved nature does a good job of hiding them, come to the surface from time to time. After sleeping rough for some time, he was offered a home by a former friend of Eduard's mother from the marketplace, the owner of a kebab shop in downtown New Haven as well as an editor for a local newspaper. Now with a roof over his head, Eduard took some time to gather his bearings before, aged just 17, finally joining the police force he'd always so wished to be a part of. A recruit possessing a rare amount of talent, he flew through his training and each task that was thrown at him with machine-like efficiency. But, upon being offered a large promotion only within a year of his start, not only did the young man refuse but he quit the force altogether, disillusioned and feeling entrapped by its protocols. The dream had died along with his father, it seemed. From there, however, he turned to becoming a private investigator and used the money he'd gained from his time with the police to rent out a small upstairs room of the offices of a certain local paper, and until recently flew completely solo. That was until he received a certain letter which would start a series of events involving murder, deception, Gods, the Fates and the start of unravelling the very fabric of New Haven itself. Through these events he would meet several curious faces including Abigail, a war-scarred and religious doctor with a funny accent, and Marie, the daughter of a dubious mayoral candidate whom Eduard saved from certain death at the cost of her father's life, an incident which has since left the city in turmoil. With these two people the young man felt he could finally trust, he set up Montag Detectives Ltd., a rather bland name as Marie pointed out but there you go that's Eduard for you. A small team dedicated to investigating not only regular cases, but those of a paranormal nature as well. For Montag, it's imperative to keep digging deeper, to find out what really lies at the heart of this mysterious, wretched city he calls his home. To bring those who wrong to justice, whether they be the Gods themselves or the lowest scum of the Earth. And maybe, one day, get an answer as to why his parents were murdered all those years ago.</s> <|message|>Cathal O'Molloy Rain slicked stones. A storm above. The crash of thunder. Lightning splits the scene; illumination lingers in the still-shot. Then, a neon glow; a streak of color against the monochrome world. A streak of blue falling onto a body. A woman. Rea Markouli. Her eyes? Wide open. Staring straight through my soul. Cathal shook himself. The large man shifted from foot to foot, as if passing the tremor wholly through his body and back out the other leg back into the earth below. Lifting a hand he pulled the cap down more firmly, a sea draft having caught under the brim and woken him from his reverie. The salty sting in his eyes left him wondering if it was ocean air irritation, or his own tear ducts begging to be uncorked at last. Refusing to come up with an answer to that question, Cathal focused back on the newspaper in hand as he secured the cap just over the ridge of his brow where it'd shield his eyes from the sky and breeze alike. Montag Detectives, Ltd. Hiring Now. His eyes scanned the rest of the advertisement. He'd already read it a dozen times. Woken up to it on top of his face. Found it beneath bottles of whiskey. Seen it in dreams, floating there like a neglected band aid overtop a gushing wound. Was it holding the tide back, or was it about to get lost in the drift? Another question he didn't want to think about. Another vision to blur the waking world and sleeping into that of prophecy. This ever growing list of questions took the shape of an outline in chalk, the title of the quiz 'Rea Markouli', and Cathal's swaggering soldier's gait carried him right over it and across this wayward dock. He felt Rea Markouli at his back as he stepped into the Fateful Warehouse. He stood in the door and let his gaze adjust to the candlelight within. "...Not quite the Sandra..." He laughed to himself. "...but it'll do." Lowering the collar of his heavy coat, Cathal enjoyed a reprieve from the sea breeze and the cutting winds that the industry of the city produced. The latent smog and haze of the city was second nature to him, and a far cry from the artillery smoke and gas screens of the battlefield. As he took his first proper steps in, his gaze swept the room and landed on a redheaded woman- Outside, a rogue wave washed over the dockside and slammed into the side of an abandoned junker, creating a resounding clang. Cathal went rigid, his eyes focusing on the woman in a sudden and deep clarity brought about by the triggering noise. The cry of thunder; the neon glow; the woman; the woman's eyes. Rea Markouli. Her body strewn across the city, the city torn asunder, her eyes wide open. Always open. He lifted a hand to his eyes and rubbed them, forcing a barking laughter as he calmed himself. Letting his hand fall away with a heavy limbed fatigue that permeated every bone of this man's being was easy; forcing the next step was hard. Montag Detectives, Ltd. The fluttering band aid of his dreams. The frayed cloth holding together the modesty of New Haven. The last train home, its light beckoning in the dark. Every footstep took him closer to that lantern. When he finally sat down, the woman's voice caught up with him. His gaze finished its sweep as he clasped his hands together in front of his groin and adopted a casual sitting stance- but one relaxed and prepared to move, a man accustomed to spontaneity and danger alike. His shoulders bounced rather than his knees, and as her words fully registered in his head so too did the presence of the others in the building. He shifted forward, a more friendly demeanor rising over his casual one, and propped his elbows on his knees and flashed a dazzling smile that peeked out from above a grizzled jawline of beard and below a trimmed moustache of minimalist intentions. "Eh, ain't awkward a bit, missus." He chimes in. "We're all a bit on the temporary side, I find. Nobody knows what tomorrow brings; you know where you stand with a warehouse with crate tables and clean water." He takes a cup and runs a hand over his beard as he looks down into it. "...At least I hope it's clean!" He laughs that barking laughter, as he drinks deeply of the cup. He clears his throat and raises the cup to Robyn when she speaks up. "I've been worse, and trust me there's a helluva lot worse weather to be in." He winks in a compassionate manner, rather than flirtatious, to show his sympathy at the climate. "Name's O'Molloy, formally Cathal. Don't much mind what you call me." He finds himself swept up in Jane's enthusiasm and energy, and his introduction takes a walk out the door as he studies the girl and her frenetic state. "Girlie, if yer worried about payin' for water, I'll cover the tab; drink, I say, drink!" He encourages her with that barking laugh again- the callousness of his laugh a stark contrast to the smooth and honeyed tones of his voice, a voice that some may find quite familiar if they were regulars in the music clubs of the city.</s> <|message|>JANE .</s>

<|message|>Eduard Montag Weeks had passed now since the events at the villa, and yet its events remained no less vivid in Eduard Montag's mind. From entering the Arnault estate to the moment the Mayor was shot before his very eyes, the detective's crystal clear recollection of every second from that evening was something that had plagued his thoughts near-constantly for the past month. He didn't doubt that it had something to do with that strange woman he'd encountered, the one who had managed to drive his mind to the very brink of decay, but it was clear that day had left an imprint on him, internally at least. He didn't doubt that the same applied to Abigail and especially Marie, now left with little to hold onto after the sudden death of her father, no matter what relationship she'd had with him. That imprint on the three of them represented a sort of microcosm of the effect on the rest of New Haven that the death of Thomas Arnault had produced. Even now, amidst the chilled wet air that spread like miasma through the cobbled streets, Montag still couldn't push those images out of his mind. As well as the potential consequences that had yet to come to fruition. Now more than ever it felt as if something was brewing within and beneath the confines of this city. Things stirring that everyone, even those leading as regular a life as you could lead in this place, feared but dared not speak about. Paranoia was now embedded in the very foundation of New Haven. It was for this reason that Abigail and Marie had suggested branching out. Up until now Montag had remained a completely solo detective. Never asking for help and barely acknowledging others who worked close to him. If he'd been asked only a couple of months prior, the idea of working with a partner, let alone an agency, wouldn't have even gotten a response from the young man. Even still, after taking on Abigail and Marie as his first associates, the suggestion of a whole agency was something he'd been very reluctant to give any sort of mileage. People, let alone strangers, couldn't be trusted easily in a place like New Haven. Some would stab you in the back figuratively and literally with the same ease that they would shake your hand and give you a smile. That's just the kind of moral void this city was. And yet, nonetheless, he'd given in. Perhaps he was getting soft, he thought, lighting up a cigarette as he now approached the docks where they'd arranged to meet. This place had been Abigail's idea actually, and he had to admit it wasn't a bad spot. Out of the inner city, an area of the outskirts most didn't go out of their way to hang around unless they worked here, but with the state the warehouse they'd chosen was in Montag severely doubted anyone was working in this particular nook. Plus, this was well out of the way of his actual office, meaning that if there were any bad eggs showing up today then they wouldn't know where to find him afterwards. Not that easily at least. Montag Detectives Limited is the name he'd chosen for their agency. A basic name, as Marie had pointed out almost immediately after he'd chosen it, but the detective wasn't here to be creative. He was here to do a job, and besides he figured the name could always change later. At least this way people knew what they were signing up for. The waves crashing against the rickety, deteriorating wooden boards along the dock was surprisingly therapeutic, tempting the detective to stare out at the vast stretch of water ahead just a little longer, until he'd finished his cigarette at least. In a weird sort of way it was quite a beautiful evening, something you didn't always notice until you found your way out of the inner city. But, conscious of his own and other peoples' time, the quick decision was made to save the private viewing for later. Montag stamped the half-finished cigarette out on the deck, he found it rude to smoke in front of strangers as you greeted them, and stepped through into the open warehouse. He entered to relative bustle as the prospective members settled themselves down. Montag was surprised to see this many here already to be honest, in fact if he was the last one to show up today he might almost be impressed. "Evening." He finally spoke, his tone cutting right through whatever other conversations may have been continuing. If his entering hadn't caught everyone's attention yet, it had now. He hung around the doorway for now, just about inside, a short distance away from everyone else while being able to see them all. In his own time he'd give each of them an acknowledging, but discerning, look. "I'm Detective Montag, but you may simply call me Montag. You may have already spoken to her but this is my associate, partner, whatever you want to call it, McCarthy. She's the one who arranged this whole thing, for better or worse." Montag nodded half-appreciatively to Abigail. Unlike his partner he wasn't up to saying first names quite yet in front of these people, especially not his own. He wasn't even sure if even Abigail or Marie knew what his first name was. "Now I'm sure you've all had a short amount of time to get to know each other in the time it's taken me to get here, but before we go any further I'd like to hear an introduction from each of you. It's been only a few seconds but since I arrived I've already made judgements and observations about each of you that have given me an idea of what your character is. Maybe even the way you live, where you come from, your personal circumstances, perhaps even more than that. This is your chance to prove me right or prove me wrong. Tell me your name or alias, your age, where you come from, and why you want to join this agency. Anything else you want to add is extra, just don't go on for too long. Give me as concise of an idea of who you are as you possibly can." Montag paused for a split second, looking to each newcomer as well as Abigail to gauge their individual reactions to his instructions, before continuing. "We'll go in order of arrival. So whoever arrived first, now's your time to speak up.</s>

<|description|>Garrock Friendship Gem Tracker: Stargaze, the Orphan (played by @Guardian Angel Haruki): ♦♦ Skobeloff, the Trickster (played by @rush99999): ♦♦ Fellwing, the Seer (played by @Vertigo): ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ Shieldwing, the Warrior (played by @Digizel): ♦ ♦ ♦ --- NPCs: Pronouns: He/him Species: Dragon Age: Bearded Dragon House: House Tessith Colour: Royal yellow Moons: Stone, Liberty Looks: - Large curled horns - Thick scales - Icy blue eyes with slit pupils - Long, wrinkled snout with crocodile-like teeth - Bat-like wings, each tipped with an extra 'claw' - Clubbed tail - Bulky body Description: Soon to be named an Elder dragon and take his place on the Council, Garrock is simultaneously smug about the superiority his age grants him and mournful of his lost youth. He was once a member of a pilgrimage clutch of decent repute called the Dawnfire Clutch, but while the rest of his comrades moved on to form new clutches, Garrock chose to remain solo and has prided himself on his self-sufficiency ever since. He dislikes relying on others to solve his problems, especially those younger than himself, and has been known to have a particularly sharp and cruel tongue when forced to interact with clutches of drakes. Name: Fogdance Pronouns: She/her Species: Dragon Age: Bearded Dragon House: House Tessith Colour: Silver Moons: Spirit, Stone Looks: - Hornless, has two small fins on the side of her head - Pale grey scales speckled with darker greys - Large, indigo eyes that always appear somewhat teary - Short, rounded snout, resembling a sea turtle - Large wings that form a crescent-moon shape when spread out Description: While Garrock may state that House Tessith's tenets encourage independence and self-reliance, there are many dragons within the House of Diamond who interpret 'living simply' as being more community-focused. Fogdance is one such dragon; nurturing by nature, she is one of the teachers and caregivers for Tessith's drakes, and has been recognized even by the mentors of House Semscale for her patience and diligence. However, beneath her gentle exterior, there is something frail and somber within the older dragon that many glimpse, but very few truly understand. After all, how can someone surrounded by so much love be so sad? Name: Alpin Pronouns: He/him Species: Brownie Age: Young Adult Looks: - Scrawny, with very thin, pointed features - Covered in wiry ginger hair - Outfits often include a hat and a scarf, and favour muted greens and browns colourwise Description: Alpin is seen as something of the village idiot among the brownies of his island: lovable and ultimately harmless, yes, but with very little sense between his ears. How true this opinion is and how aware Alpin is of his fellow brownie's judgements is up in the air, as while he seems pretty oblivious most of the time, there are moments where he demonstrates a keen perceptiveness and an understanding of things deeper than his peers. Name: Bartley Pronouns: They/them Species: Brownie Age: Elderly Looks: - Chubby - Beady eyes and large, drooping ears - Covered in brown hair that is fading to grey - Wears tiny, half-moon spectacles - Has a fondness for old shirts and trousers, with very little variation Description: An older brownie with a love for tinkering and crafting, Bartley prefers the company of one or two friends at a time as opposed to large groups, and likes to keep their hands busy with a project even while in conversation. They have a very short, blunt manner of speaking that can some time come off as rude to those unfamiliar with them, but in truth, Bartley is just shy and not always sure how to best express themselves. Name: Tamba Pronouns: She/her Species: Dragon Age: Rawscale Drake House: House Myndoth Colour: Pastel green Moons: All Looks: - Antler-like horns - Soft, pastel green scales with splashes of orange and yellow - Large purple eyes - Feather tipped wings and tail - Chubby, rounded body - Wears round spectacles Description: For a drake so young, Tamba is considered extremely well-read. She's rarely found outside of Myndoth's libraries, and is capable to memorizing reciting whole passages from the books she studied. However, when it comes to socializing, she's far less adept, and tends to either talk far too much or far too little with no in-between. Name: Pleexem Pronouns: He/him Species: Dragon Age: Rawscale Drake House: House Tessith Colour: Lilac Moons: All Looks: - Gazelle-like horns - Soft lilac scales with pastel green splotches - Large bluish-green eyes - Feather tipped wings and tail Description: Tamba's twin and current clutchmate, Pleexem makes his sister look like a daredevil by comparison. He's afraid of pretty much everything and everyone, save for Tamba and some older dragons in House Tessith, and is rarely seen without his sister by his side. Name: Echo Pronouns: She/her Species: Elemental (mixed: wood, water and earth) Age: Unknown Looks: - Humanoid torso - Translucent greenish-brown skin with bioluminescent gold freckles - Long bluish-green hair resembling leaves of a willow tree - Eel tail in place of legs Description: Echo is a very enigmatic being, even by the standards of elementals. She's implied to much older and more powerful than she appears, and like the dryads who tend to the dragons' hatchery, may have access to knowledge beyond. This knowledge is probably why she chose to take care of Stargaze after the drake's egg somehow found its way into her case, and also why she eventually drove the drake away. Name: Kyte Pronouns: They/them Species: Dragon Age: Winged Drake House: House Semscale Colour: Peach Moons: Liberty, Spirit, Storm, Void Looks: - Hornless, with 'winged' ears - Pale orange scales that fade to pink, like the sky at dawn - Round, hawk-like golden eyes - Long, bird-like legs ending in sharp talons - Small bumps above nose and down their back - Very thin Description: Originally belonging to a different pilgrimage clutch, circumstances have lead to Kyte being placed with the younger Tamba and Pleexem. As such, they've taken on an 'older sibling' roll to their new clutchmates, not as a leader but in that they're willing to do whatever it takes to keep their friends safe, even if it puts themself at risk.</s> <|message|>Garrock Garrock watched the drakes debate with only the vaguest of interests, all the while stretching his various limbs and occasionally sparing a wary glance towards the jungle. Once the decision was made, he stood back up to his full height. "Well, if that's finally settled," he muttered with an impatient swish of his tail. That being said, as the groups begin to split off and make their separate ways into the foliage, Skobeloff catches Garrock turning his head towards him and giving him an approving nod... or maybe it was just a cursory glance and a small twitch of the head. It's not easy to tell, as he quickly turns away and continues following behind Stargaze's group. --- Since Stargaze was hatched and raised in the deeper, murkier part of the jungle, she's a little less familiar with the more vibrant, outer areas and it takes her a while to find a good path. It doesn't help that the trees are so densely packed at some points that the group has to either stop and wait for Garrock to untangle himself from whatever tree he's gotten himself stuck on or to find an easier way the larger, less agile dragon can travel. Any time the older dragon finds himself struggling with the environment, you notice his demeanor get grumpier, as if he detests the very idea that he's the one holding up the group. Eventually, the trees do start to get more spaced apart, and the dragons' start to feel the ground becoming softer and less sure under their feet. Stargaze will find this marshier ground far more negotiable than her companions, and she is starting to better recognize where she is. However, before she can fully get a grasp of where they might be in relation to Echo's cave, the group suddenly hears a combination of squeaks, snuffling and scurrying that brings to mind a group of enraged rats. As the group tries to pinpoint the origin of the sound, Garrock suddenly gives a loud yelp. Something leapt out of the trees and is currently hanging on to the joint of his wing by its teeth. Fellwing notices the resemblance between it and the creatures she saw swarming him and Shieldwing in her previous vision. After trying to shake it off with little avail, Garrock reaches over and grabs it, trying to yank it off. He does eventually succeed, but not without causing it to take a large chunk of his flesh with it. Giving a pained snarl, the yellow dragon tosses the creature down to the ground. It hits the earth, takes a moment to right itself before giving a loud, ear-piercing squeal. Within moments, more and more of those creatures come scurrying out of the trees and begin surrounding the group. What do Stargaze, Fellwing and Shieldwing do? --- In contrast to his companions, Skobeloff's walk through the woods is fairly pleasant, with no signs of monsters, dangerous wildlife or even the smallest geological obstacle. Of course, this lack of hindrance starts to make it more and more obvious how quiet the forest is. The only sounds Skobeloff's hears for the next hour or so are his own footsteps, and there is not the slightest hint of movement anywhere he may look. There isn't even a breeze to rattle and rustle the trees around him. After a while, it starts to feel a lot less pleasant and a lot more eerie. Unnatural. After a long walk of not seeing a single sign of sentient life, nor any hint that he's any closer to the Tessith stronghold, Skobeloff finally sees something. Or thinks he does. In the corner of his eye, there is the smallest of movements, accompanied by a faint flash of light and colour. However, should the blue dragon turn his head in that direction, he finds nothing there, nor any indication that there ever was anything there. After that bizarre moment, for the rest of his continue travel, he starts noticing the same movement in the corner of his eye every so often. Each time he tries to center his sight on it, he finds nothing. This goes on for some time, with enough breaks in between that just when Skobeloff might think his mind his playing tricks on him, it happens again. Eventually, he starts to notice something else, something even more troubling: his surroundings are starting to look very samey. Should he take a moment to gaze around his surroundings, he spots a bush bearing a single, bright orange flower. Looking at it for a moment, Skobeloff starts to get this sense of deja vu, like he's passed this specific bush more than once already during his walk. Somehow, despite not feeling like he's made that many turns during his walk, he gets the sense that this whole time, he's walking in circles. What does Skobeloff do?</s> <|message|>Skobeloff Skobeloff Despite the forest being suspiciously quiet, the confident smile that Skobeloff had on his face since he parted ways with his fellows never once faltered. Despite possibly being followed by an unknown entity, Skobeloff kept on smiling. And despite it seeming like he was going in circles, nothing about the situation seemed capable of shaking the young drake's confidence. And that was because Skobeloff knew what was happening and he knew what to do next. Skobeloff plays the Long Game. He rolls a 9 and and chooses to seize a position or resource.</s>

<|message|>Garrock As a trickster and member of House Myndoth, it doesn't take long for Skobeloff to recognise the situation he's in: the thing that he keeps seeing in the corner of his eye is a pixie, a tiny winged fairy with a love of mischief. In particular, they are known for following travellers through the woods and causing them to get turned around by throwing pixie dust in their eyes. Knowing that, Skobeloff plays along, allowing his winged stalker to think he's completely fooled. Then, just as he catches another flicker of movement at the edge of his vision, he turns his head immediately to find himself staring straight at a small humanoid with large, purplish-blue butterfly wings. They're wearing an upside-down flower as a hat and their clothes seemed to be made from a mixture of fine dark-blue silk and vibrant leaves. They are clutching a small pouch which they were in the process of rummaging through, and Skobeloff can see the glimmer of pixie dust clenched within their fist. However, Skobeloff turning so quickly to face them seems to have thrown the pixie off, and instead of throwing the dust into the dragon's eye, it instead falls to the ground by his feet, where he can easily grab for it. The pixie looks at the dust on the ground, then back at Skobeloff. After a moment of just staring at each other, the pixie spins around and flies as fast as it can the opposite direction, shouting "Uh oh, gotta go!" as they do so. Skobeloff now has two options: now that the pixie is gone, he can try and course-correct and make his way towards the stronghold without having to worry about being mislead again, or he can attempt to follow the pixie to wherever it is fleeing. What will he do? (Note: neither choice involves you having to roll again)</s>

<|description|>Garrock Friendship Gem Tracker: Stargaze, the Orphan (played by @Guardian Angel Haruki): ♦♦ Skobeloff, the Trickster (played by @rush99999): ♦♦ Fellwing, the Seer (played by @Vertigo): ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ Shieldwing, the Warrior (played by @Digizel): ♦ ♦ ♦ --- NPCs: Pronouns: He/him Species: Dragon Age: Bearded Dragon House: House Tessith Colour: Royal yellow Moons: Stone, Liberty Looks: - Large curled horns - Thick scales - Icy blue eyes with slit pupils - Long, wrinkled snout with crocodile-like teeth - Bat-like wings, each tipped with an extra 'claw' - Clubbed tail - Bulky body Description: Soon to be named an Elder dragon and take his place on the Council, Garrock is simultaneously smug about the superiority his age grants him and mournful of his lost youth. He was once a member of a pilgrimage clutch of decent repute called the Dawnfire Clutch, but while the rest of his comrades moved on to form new clutches, Garrock chose to remain solo and has prided himself on his self-sufficiency ever since. He dislikes relying on others to solve his problems, especially those younger than himself, and has been known to have a particularly sharp and cruel tongue when forced to interact with clutches of drakes. Name: Fogdance Pronouns: She/her Species: Dragon Age: Bearded Dragon House: House Tessith Colour: Silver Moons: Spirit, Stone Looks: - Hornless, has two small fins on the side of her head - Pale grey scales speckled with darker greys - Large, indigo eyes that always appear somewhat teary - Short, rounded snout, resembling a sea turtle - Large wings that form a crescent-moon shape when spread out Description: While Garrock may state that House Tessith's tenets encourage independence and self-reliance, there are many dragons within the House of Diamond who interpret 'living simply' as being more community-focused. Fogdance is one such dragon; nurturing by nature, she is one of the teachers and caregivers for Tessith's drakes, and has been recognized even by the mentors of House Semscale for her patience and diligence. However, beneath her gentle exterior, there is something frail and somber within the older dragon that many glimpse, but very few truly understand. After all, how can someone surrounded by so much love be so sad? Name: Alpin Pronouns: He/him Species: Brownie Age: Young Adult Looks: - Scrawny, with very thin, pointed features - Covered in wiry ginger hair - Outfits often include a hat and a scarf, and favour muted greens and browns colourwise Description: Alpin is seen as something of the village idiot among the brownies of his island: lovable and ultimately harmless, yes, but with very little sense between his ears. How true this opinion is and how aware Alpin is of his fellow brownie's judgements is up in the air, as while he seems pretty oblivious most of the time, there are moments where he demonstrates a keen perceptiveness and an understanding of things deeper than his peers. Name: Bartley Pronouns: They/them Species: Brownie Age: Elderly Looks: - Chubby - Beady eyes and large, drooping ears - Covered in brown hair that is fading to grey - Wears tiny, half-moon spectacles - Has a fondness for old shirts and trousers, with very little variation Description: An older brownie with a love for tinkering and crafting, Bartley prefers the company of one or two friends at a time as opposed to large groups, and likes to keep their hands busy with a project even while in conversation. They have a very short, blunt manner of speaking that can some time come off as rude to those unfamiliar with them, but in truth, Bartley is just shy and not always sure how to best express themselves. Name: Tamba Pronouns: She/her Species: Dragon Age: Rawscale Drake House: House Myndoth Colour: Pastel green Moons: All Looks: - Antler-like horns - Soft, pastel green scales with splashes of orange and yellow - Large purple eyes - Feather tipped wings and tail - Chubby, rounded body - Wears round spectacles Description: For a drake so young, Tamba is considered extremely well-read. She's rarely found outside of Myndoth's libraries, and is capable to memorizing reciting whole passages from the books she studied. However, when it comes to socializing, she's far less adept, and tends to either talk far too much or far too little with no in-between. Name: Pleexem Pronouns: He/him Species: Dragon Age: Rawscale Drake House: House Tessith Colour: Lilac Moons: All Looks: - Gazelle-like horns - Soft lilac scales with pastel green splotches - Large bluish-green eyes - Feather tipped wings and tail Description: Tamba's twin and current clutchmate, Pleexem makes his sister look like a daredevil by comparison. He's afraid of pretty much everything and everyone, save for Tamba and some older dragons in House Tessith, and is rarely seen without his sister by his side. Name: Echo Pronouns: She/her Species: Elemental (mixed: wood, water and earth) Age: Unknown Looks: - Humanoid torso - Translucent greenish-brown skin with bioluminescent gold freckles - Long bluish-green hair resembling leaves of a willow tree - Eel tail in place of legs Description: Echo is a very enigmatic being, even by the standards of elementals. She's implied to much older and more powerful than she appears, and like the dryads who tend to the dragons' hatchery, may have access to knowledge beyond. This knowledge is probably why she chose to take care of Stargaze after the drake's egg somehow found its way into her case, and also why she eventually drove the drake away. Name: Kyte Pronouns: They/them Species: Dragon Age: Winged Drake House: House Semscale Colour: Peach Moons: Liberty, Spirit, Storm, Void Looks: - Hornless, with 'winged' ears - Pale orange scales that fade to pink, like the sky at dawn - Round, hawk-like golden eyes - Long, bird-like legs ending in sharp talons - Small bumps above nose and down their back - Very thin Description: Originally belonging to a different pilgrimage clutch, circumstances have lead to Kyte being placed with the younger Tamba and Pleexem. As such, they've taken on an 'older sibling' roll to their new clutchmates, not as a leader but in that they're willing to do whatever it takes to keep their friends safe, even if it puts themself at risk.</s> <|message|>Garrock At Stargaze's squeak, the creatures paused in their approach, several of them blinking rapidly while others glanced at their neighbours with an expression resembling confusion. This hesitation gave Fellwing a moment to get a better look at them, and she notices that beneath their rodent-like features, they actually have very fairy-like faces, albeit bloated and distorted. Some of them are also wearing clothes, or at least the ragged remains of clothing. Her mind flashes back briefly to her vision earlier that day, of Alpin and Bartley, of their conversation about how the other brownies had been acting strangely, of the dark green patches of skin on Bartley's face as they snarled and shouted at their friend. She even notices now that one of these creatures bears a striking similarity Bartley, even wearing the same shirt and shoes they had in her earlier vision. The dots slowly start to connect: these creatures are, or were, brownies, and whatever's happening to the island has horribly affected them, turning them into these feral beings. This revelation is unsettling, but also good as identifying them allows Fellwing to start going through all the facts she knows about brownies, hoping that something might give an idea about how best to deal with them: first of all, she knows that brownies, like all fairy creatures, are weak to iron. Merely touching it burns their skin, and getting cut even slightly with an iron weapon can lead to horrible injuries or even death. Of course, in their current environment, there are no readily available iron tools or weapons, nor is Fellwing familiar enough with this area to be able to locate any natural iron deposits. Secondly, and specifically, brownies are notoriously hardworking, particularly when it comes to domestic chores or farm work. If there is a job that needs doing - be it a messy room or the starts of meal - a brownie will often be compelled to do it with very little prompting required. Some dragons, particularly those of Houses Semscale and Myndoth, will hire them to help with the upkeep of their strongholds, and paying them mostly in food, particularly bowls of milk or cream which are their favourite. While they may seem easily pleased, they are also renowned to be easily offended. Upsetting a brownie is generally a bad idea, as they can range from elaborate revenge pranks, to flying into a rage and breaking everything in sight, to simply disappearing without notice and never gracing you with your presence again. The Darkness has likely taking advantage of these severe tantrums to turn them into the vicious creatures the group sees before them. However, this flighty behaviour can also work in the other direction, for as easy as they are to anger, their attention spans can also make them quick to forget. Surely, even in their current state, there should be a way to distract them. With all this in mind, what will Fellwing and the others do? --- Skobeloff continues his journey unhindered, as it is far easier to find the path without the pixie's constant meddling. However, that same unnatural stillness remains, even seeming heavier than before now that Skobeloff scared off the only other living being besides himself. Thankfully, he doesn't have to put up with this for long as he soon reaches the hollowed-out tree that forms the old Tessith stronghold. Upon close inspection, it's easy for Skobeloff to see why House Myndoth are eager to claim the building for themselves as it shows a lot of the natural yet mystical aesthetic they favour in their architecture. It will need some expanding and refurbishing, of course, as Tessith buildings tend towards minimalism. Tessith dragons prefer to sleep beneath the stars if the weather allows it, so their strongholds focus on providing shelter from the harsher elements and storing the bear essentials. This may work for the House of Diamond, but not for Myndoth. No, Myndoth will at very least require a decent-sized library to store their centuries worth of knowledge, as well as an observatory for observing and charting the movements of the movements of the stars and moons. They'll likely not want to stop there, either. If the presence of fairy creatures, the strange sand and the presence of a mixed elemental like Echo were any indication, this island was a gold mine of magical resources. Magical resources that probably won't last long if the Darkness remains here. Focusing on the front of building, Skobeloff can see that the door is shut and there are no signs of movement within the windows. The same quietness that followed him through the forest is no less present here, and if not for Fellwing's vision, it would easy to assume that there is no one home. What will Skobeloff do now?</s> <|message|>Skobeloff Skobeloff Knowing that he was about to face the Darkness alone, Skobeloff decided to try and appeal for aid from on high. After taking a brief moment to prepare himself, Skobeloff reached out to the moons above. More specifically, Skobeloff reached out to the Storm Moon and called out an incantation in a mystical tongue known only to dragons. "Meyz fin ven!" These words roughly translated into the common tongue as 'to become the wind'. Skobeloff's intened to use the Storm Moon's connection to the elements to become one with the air, transforming himself into a gust of wind to pass through the halls of the stronghold without fear of being seen or struck by any foul creature that lurked within. All while still being able to carry the gem sand and the pixie dust with him using his breezy form to hold them aloft in the air... Unfortunately for Skobeloff, the Storm Moon was not feeling very cooperative at that moment. Skobeloff calls upon the power of the Storm Moon to turn himself into a gust of wind... Snake Eyes.</s>

<|message|>Garrock As Skobeloff calls upon the Storm Moon, a tingly feeling begins to travel up through his tail and legs towards his wings tip and the top of his skull. His body feels lighter and he begins to lift off the ground as if taking flight, though his wings are still as his sides. In a single breath, he discards all sensation of solidity and becomes one with the air, trickling through the cracks in the stronghold's bark with ease... And then, the moment he's inside the building, the magic suddenly fizzles out and he falls to the ground with a large thump, a flesh and blood drake once more. "What in the Isles...?" He hears a slightly startled voice call out. It doesn't sound like Tamba, or the voice of any young drake for that matter. "Hello? Is someone there?" He hears footsteps come from above and raises his head to see a fully-grown pale grey dragon coming down the stairs. Given that she doesn't look familiar, Skobeloff can assume she's one of the Tessith dragons of the party, and seems to be a bearded dragon, though likely quite a bit younger than Garrock given the ease with which she makes her way down the stairs. Indeed, comparing those two dragons seems odd as, despite their similar ages and likely being from the same House, they couldn't be more different: this dragon is smaller, with much softer, rounder features. She'd probably appear quite gentle normally, if not for the fact her eyes are currently wide with concern, and Skobeloff notices a slightly tremble in her limbs as if there is a nervous energy trapped within her, desperate to get out. As she stands over Skobeloff, she keeps glancing between his fallen form and the front door, as if trying to figure out how in the world he was able to get in. "Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear..." she mutters to herself before finally dressing the drake. "Are you alright, deary? Looks like you took quite a fall." She attempts to help Skobeloff to his feet with one claw, while using the other to brush at the drake's horns and scales as if trying to remove invisible cobwebs. "How'd you even get in? Did you climb through the window? Don't you know how dangerous that is, given that your wings are still developing? Oh dear, oh dear..."</s>

<|description|>Garrock Friendship Gem Tracker: Stargaze, the Orphan (played by @Guardian Angel Haruki): ♦♦ Skobeloff, the Trickster (played by @rush99999): ♦♦ Fellwing, the Seer (played by @Vertigo): ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ Shieldwing, the Warrior (played by @Digizel): ♦ ♦ ♦ --- NPCs: Pronouns: He/him Species: Dragon Age: Bearded Dragon House: House Tessith Colour: Royal yellow Moons: Stone, Liberty Looks: - Large curled horns - Thick scales - Icy blue eyes with slit pupils - Long, wrinkled snout with crocodile-like teeth - Bat-like wings, each tipped with an extra 'claw' - Clubbed tail - Bulky body Description: Soon to be named an Elder dragon and take his place on the Council, Garrock is simultaneously smug about the superiority his age grants him and mournful of his lost youth. He was once a member of a pilgrimage clutch of decent repute called the Dawnfire Clutch, but while the rest of his comrades moved on to form new clutches, Garrock chose to remain solo and has prided himself on his self-sufficiency ever since. He dislikes relying on others to solve his problems, especially those younger than himself, and has been known to have a particularly sharp and cruel tongue when forced to interact with clutches of drakes. Name: Fogdance Pronouns: She/her Species: Dragon Age: Bearded Dragon House: House Tessith Colour: Silver Moons: Spirit, Stone Looks: - Hornless, has two small fins on the side of her head - Pale grey scales speckled with darker greys - Large, indigo eyes that always appear somewhat teary - Short, rounded snout, resembling a sea turtle - Large wings that form a crescent-moon shape when spread out Description: While Garrock may state that House Tessith's tenets encourage independence and self-reliance, there are many dragons within the House of Diamond who interpret 'living simply' as being more community-focused. Fogdance is one such dragon; nurturing by nature, she is one of the teachers and caregivers for Tessith's drakes, and has been recognized even by the mentors of House Semscale for her patience and diligence. However, beneath her gentle exterior, there is something frail and somber within the older dragon that many glimpse, but very few truly understand. After all, how can someone surrounded by so much love be so sad? Name: Alpin Pronouns: He/him Species: Brownie Age: Young Adult Looks: - Scrawny, with very thin, pointed features - Covered in wiry ginger hair - Outfits often include a hat and a scarf, and favour muted greens and browns colourwise Description: Alpin is seen as something of the village idiot among the brownies of his island: lovable and ultimately harmless, yes, but with very little sense between his ears. How true this opinion is and how aware Alpin is of his fellow brownie's judgements is up in the air, as while he seems pretty oblivious most of the time, there are moments where he demonstrates a keen perceptiveness and an understanding of things deeper than his peers. Name: Bartley Pronouns: They/them Species: Brownie Age: Elderly Looks: - Chubby - Beady eyes and large, drooping ears - Covered in brown hair that is fading to grey - Wears tiny, half-moon spectacles - Has a fondness for old shirts and trousers, with very little variation Description: An older brownie with a love for tinkering and crafting, Bartley prefers the company of one or two friends at a time as opposed to large groups, and likes to keep their hands busy with a project even while in conversation. They have a very short, blunt manner of speaking that can some time come off as rude to those unfamiliar with them, but in truth, Bartley is just shy and not always sure how to best express themselves. Name: Tamba Pronouns: She/her Species: Dragon Age: Rawscale Drake House: House Myndoth Colour: Pastel green Moons: All Looks: - Antler-like horns - Soft, pastel green scales with splashes of orange and yellow - Large purple eyes - Feather tipped wings and tail - Chubby, rounded body - Wears round spectacles Description: For a drake so young, Tamba is considered extremely well-read. She's rarely found outside of Myndoth's libraries, and is capable to memorizing reciting whole passages from the books she studied. However, when it comes to socializing, she's far less adept, and tends to either talk far too much or far too little with no in-between. Name: Pleexem Pronouns: He/him Species: Dragon Age: Rawscale Drake House: House Tessith Colour: Lilac Moons: All Looks: - Gazelle-like horns - Soft lilac scales with pastel green splotches - Large bluish-green eyes - Feather tipped wings and tail Description: Tamba's twin and current clutchmate, Pleexem makes his sister look like a daredevil by comparison. He's afraid of pretty much everything and everyone, save for Tamba and some older dragons in House Tessith, and is rarely seen without his sister by his side. Name: Echo Pronouns: She/her Species: Elemental (mixed: wood, water and earth) Age: Unknown Looks: - Humanoid torso - Translucent greenish-brown skin with bioluminescent gold freckles - Long bluish-green hair resembling leaves of a willow tree - Eel tail in place of legs Description: Echo is a very enigmatic being, even by the standards of elementals. She's implied to much older and more powerful than she appears, and like the dryads who tend to the dragons' hatchery, may have access to knowledge beyond. This knowledge is probably why she chose to take care of Stargaze after the drake's egg somehow found its way into her case, and also why she eventually drove the drake away. Name: Kyte Pronouns: They/them Species: Dragon Age: Winged Drake House: House Semscale Colour: Peach Moons: Liberty, Spirit, Storm, Void Looks: - Hornless, with 'winged' ears - Pale orange scales that fade to pink, like the sky at dawn - Round, hawk-like golden eyes - Long, bird-like legs ending in sharp talons - Small bumps above nose and down their back - Very thin Description: Originally belonging to a different pilgrimage clutch, circumstances have lead to Kyte being placed with the younger Tamba and Pleexem. As such, they've taken on an 'older sibling' roll to their new clutchmates, not as a leader but in that they're willing to do whatever it takes to keep their friends safe, even if it puts themself at risk.</s> <|message|>Stargaze Stargaze Stargaze stopped, comically freezing as though she was caught, when she heard the voice of another brownie calling to them. She relaxed a bit when Fellwing recognized the brownie. She looked to Fellwing and Garrick before she decided, talking quietly so as to not attract the feral brownies' attention, "Let's follow him. We can talk more when we're away from these guys," She then starts to move to follow Alpin, trying to be quick and silent. The last thing she wanted was for Fellwing's distraction, with the moons' help, to go to waste.</s> <|message|>Garrock As Skobeloff pretends to fall asleep on his feet and rests his head against the older dragon, he feels one of her wings fold over him and press him closer to her. He can hear Fogdance's heart racing inside her chest, revealing that despite her attempts to appear as gentle and welcoming as possible, she is actually on the verge of complete panic: the Darkness has warped her perception of the world around her, causing her to see threats round every corner. However, instead of being afraid for her own well-being, her focus seems to entirely be on protecting those under her care. It's likely, from what Fellwing shared about her vision, that Fogdance is holding Tamba and Pleexem here against their will in an attempt to 'keep them safe', and plans to do the same with Skobeloff. This suspicion is confirmed as they reach one of the rooms, and Fogdance has to pause in order to go through her keyring in search of the correct key. This gives Skobeloff time to consider his options. Over the many centuries since the Moonlit Isles were first raised into the sky, much work has been done in an attempt to understand the Darkness, with Houses Myndoth and Kebros taking the most active role in research. As such, Skobeloff has a decent amount of information to go off of concerning shadow selves: when the Darkness fully overtakes someone, it targets a trait or belief that is core to that individual and twists and exaggerates it until they are a dark parody of themselves. The best way to return someone to themselves is to challenge this belief. From what Skobeloff can tell, Fogdance's normally nurturing soul has been turned to an over-protectiveness, bordering on possessiveness. Her desire to love and care for those smaller and weaker than herself has been poisoned so that she no longer able to recognise them as individuals with their own needs and wants, but objects that need to be hoarded and kept safe at all cost. Because Skobeloff has been playing along, Fogdance has been rather docile. Should he start exercising his own will and independence, however, he will likely bring out a viciousness in the older dragon, the viciousness of a mother trying to protect her young but to absurd, self-destructive degree. Skobeloff needs to find a way to convince Fogdance, either through word or action, that her smothering nature is at best unnecessary and at worst harmful to those she seeks to care for. At last, Fogdance seems to locate the correct key and opens the door to a small, dark room. The windows have been closed and no light sources are visible, but Skobeloff can just about see the sleeping forms of two small drakes, likely Tamba and Pleexem. He feels Fogdance start to gently nudge him into the room. What will Skobeloff do? --- Alpin leads the dragons away from his corrupted brethren and deeper into the marshier part of the jungle. At first, the young brownie is quiet, keeping his pace quick and his eyes in front, only pausing when he hears a sound or detects movement. Whenever they encounter one of the other brownies, he stops completely and raises his hand to signal that the dragons should do the same. Once the threat has moved, he starts scurrying forward again. After walking long enough without encountering another living creature, to where the trees are sparse and the ground is more water than soil, he finally starts to slow down a little and will often look over his shoulder at the dragons. In particular, he keeps looking at Fellwing. Obviously, the seer calling him by name has confused the brownie, and he appears to be trying to recollect if they may have met at some point. Eventually, he gives up trying and just says what he's been thinking this whole time. "So, hey, I'm Alpin," he introduced himself, still walking forward as he speaks. He then tilts his head towards Fellwing. "But then, you already knew that. Somehow. And can I say, that's very strange because I haven't met many dragons in my time - they don't have much reason to come round here - and I certainly haven't met a pure black dragon before. So I'm afraid, friends, you have me at something of a disadvantage, because you know me and I don't know you." He tilts his head towards each of the dragons, as if he's waiting for them to finally introduce themselves.</s> <|message|>Skobeloff Skobeloff Skobeloff continued pretending to be asleep, allowing Fogdance to place him inside the cell with the other sleeping drakes. Once inside, Skobeloff waited until he Fogdance had left and the sound of her footsteps had faded away into the distance before springing to his feet. He looked around the cell to see if he could find anything. Predictably, Skobeloff found nothing. With that out of the way, Skobeloff walked over to where his cellmates lay sleeping and gave them both a nudge to try and wake them up. Skobeloff attempts to survey the area, but rolls a 3 and misses.</s>

<|message|>Garrock It didn't take much effort for Skobeloff to wake the other two drakes, namely because it turned out neither were actually asleep: as Skobeloff went to nudge one of the sleeping forms, he was immediately greeted with it opening its eyes, registering who was standing before them, and then wrapping their wings around the trickster in a relieved hug. "Thank the moons, a friendly face at last!" Skobeloff would recognise Tamba's voice immediately. The other figure in the room also sits up. "Careful, Tamba," he says in a hushed voice. Skobeloff can probably assume this other dragon is Pleexem, and from what it seems, the two of them had also been pretending to be asleep. "For all we know, he could be corrupted too!" "Oh, you're right!" Tamba immediately lets go of Skobeloff, takes a step back before craning her neck forward to look the blue drake up and down. "Hmm, it's actually hard to tell in this light, gimme a sec." She takes another step back before lifting up a claw, and glancing up at the sky. She mutters some sort of prayer, likely to one of the moons, before a small spark of light appears in her claw. It doesn't do much to light the room, but it does at least allow Skobeloff to better see Tamba and Pleexem's faces. While Skobeloff hadn't recognise Pleexem's name, he did recall seeing this dragon with Tamba a few times before. He also will notice a similarity in colour schemes and body shapes of the two other drakes, indicating that they're not only clutchmates, they're also probably related in some way. "Well, at least it's something," Tamba says as she looks at the light in her claw. "Do you know how tricky the moons have been since we've got here? I've been barely able to do any magic. Not sure if it's because of the Darkness being present on this island or simply because we're in a shaded area. Now, if you'll just..." The green dragon looks at Skobeloff again, scrutinizing him as if she's looking for something. After a moment, she glances over at Pleexem. "He seems alright. No wierd black veins OR any change in his colouration." Pleexem gives a small, somewhat skeptical 'hmm' but he does walk closer to the two of them, taking a seat next to Tamba. "If you say so," he mutters. "You know him better than I do, after all."</s>

<|description|>Garrock Friendship Gem Tracker: Stargaze, the Orphan (played by @Guardian Angel Haruki): ♦♦ Skobeloff, the Trickster (played by @rush99999): ♦♦ Fellwing, the Seer (played by @Vertigo): ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ Shieldwing, the Warrior (played by @Digizel): ♦ ♦ ♦ --- NPCs: Pronouns: He/him Species: Dragon Age: Bearded Dragon House: House Tessith Colour: Royal yellow Moons: Stone, Liberty Looks: - Large curled horns - Thick scales - Icy blue eyes with slit pupils - Long, wrinkled snout with crocodile-like teeth - Bat-like wings, each tipped with an extra 'claw' - Clubbed tail - Bulky body Description: Soon to be named an Elder dragon and take his place on the Council, Garrock is simultaneously smug about the superiority his age grants him and mournful of his lost youth. He was once a member of a pilgrimage clutch of decent repute called the Dawnfire Clutch, but while the rest of his comrades moved on to form new clutches, Garrock chose to remain solo and has prided himself on his self-sufficiency ever since. He dislikes relying on others to solve his problems, especially those younger than himself, and has been known to have a particularly sharp and cruel tongue when forced to interact with clutches of drakes. Name: Fogdance Pronouns: She/her Species: Dragon Age: Bearded Dragon House: House Tessith Colour: Silver Moons: Spirit, Stone Looks: - Hornless, has two small fins on the side of her head - Pale grey scales speckled with darker greys - Large, indigo eyes that always appear somewhat teary - Short, rounded snout, resembling a sea turtle - Large wings that form a crescent-moon shape when spread out Description: While Garrock may state that House Tessith's tenets encourage independence and self-reliance, there are many dragons within the House of Diamond who interpret 'living simply' as being more community-focused. Fogdance is one such dragon; nurturing by nature, she is one of the teachers and caregivers for Tessith's drakes, and has been recognized even by the mentors of House Semscale for her patience and diligence. However, beneath her gentle exterior, there is something frail and somber within the older dragon that many glimpse, but very few truly understand. After all, how can someone surrounded by so much love be so sad? Name: Alpin Pronouns: He/him Species: Brownie Age: Young Adult Looks: - Scrawny, with very thin, pointed features - Covered in wiry ginger hair - Outfits often include a hat and a scarf, and favour muted greens and browns colourwise Description: Alpin is seen as something of the village idiot among the brownies of his island: lovable and ultimately harmless, yes, but with very little sense between his ears. How true this opinion is and how aware Alpin is of his fellow brownie's judgements is up in the air, as while he seems pretty oblivious most of the time, there are moments where he demonstrates a keen perceptiveness and an understanding of things deeper than his peers. Name: Bartley Pronouns: They/them Species: Brownie Age: Elderly Looks: - Chubby - Beady eyes and large, drooping ears - Covered in brown hair that is fading to grey - Wears tiny, half-moon spectacles - Has a fondness for old shirts and trousers, with very little variation Description: An older brownie with a love for tinkering and crafting, Bartley prefers the company of one or two friends at a time as opposed to large groups, and likes to keep their hands busy with a project even while in conversation. They have a very short, blunt manner of speaking that can some time come off as rude to those unfamiliar with them, but in truth, Bartley is just shy and not always sure how to best express themselves. Name: Tamba Pronouns: She/her Species: Dragon Age: Rawscale Drake House: House Myndoth Colour: Pastel green Moons: All Looks: - Antler-like horns - Soft, pastel green scales with splashes of orange and yellow - Large purple eyes - Feather tipped wings and tail - Chubby, rounded body - Wears round spectacles Description: For a drake so young, Tamba is considered extremely well-read. She's rarely found outside of Myndoth's libraries, and is capable to memorizing reciting whole passages from the books she studied. However, when it comes to socializing, she's far less adept, and tends to either talk far too much or far too little with no in-between. Name: Pleexem Pronouns: He/him Species: Dragon Age: Rawscale Drake House: House Tessith Colour: Lilac Moons: All Looks: - Gazelle-like horns - Soft lilac scales with pastel green splotches - Large bluish-green eyes - Feather tipped wings and tail Description: Tamba's twin and current clutchmate, Pleexem makes his sister look like a daredevil by comparison. He's afraid of pretty much everything and everyone, save for Tamba and some older dragons in House Tessith, and is rarely seen without his sister by his side. Name: Echo Pronouns: She/her Species: Elemental (mixed: wood, water and earth) Age: Unknown Looks: - Humanoid torso - Translucent greenish-brown skin with bioluminescent gold freckles - Long bluish-green hair resembling leaves of a willow tree - Eel tail in place of legs Description: Echo is a very enigmatic being, even by the standards of elementals. She's implied to much older and more powerful than she appears, and like the dryads who tend to the dragons' hatchery, may have access to knowledge beyond. This knowledge is probably why she chose to take care of Stargaze after the drake's egg somehow found its way into her case, and also why she eventually drove the drake away. Name: Kyte Pronouns: They/them Species: Dragon Age: Winged Drake House: House Semscale Colour: Peach Moons: Liberty, Spirit, Storm, Void Looks: - Hornless, with 'winged' ears - Pale orange scales that fade to pink, like the sky at dawn - Round, hawk-like golden eyes - Long, bird-like legs ending in sharp talons - Small bumps above nose and down their back - Very thin Description: Originally belonging to a different pilgrimage clutch, circumstances have lead to Kyte being placed with the younger Tamba and Pleexem. As such, they've taken on an 'older sibling' roll to their new clutchmates, not as a leader but in that they're willing to do whatever it takes to keep their friends safe, even if it puts themself at risk.</s> <|message|>Skobeloff Skobeloff "Whoa!" Skobeloff exclaimed as he was glomped by Tamba. "Thank the moons, a friendly face at last!" Tamba exclaimed in kind as she glomped Skobeloff. "I'm glad to see you as well, Tamba." Skobeloff said happily. "Careful, Tamba," The other drake spoke up then. "For all we know, he could be corrupted too!" "Oh, you're right!" Tamba said before letting go of Skobeloff and stepping back to examine him. "Hmm, it's actually hard to tell in this light, gimme a sec." "...It's been three seconds already, Tamba. What's the hold up?" Skobeloff said with a cheeky grin after three seconds of silence as he watched Tamba call upon the moons for light. "Well, at least it's something," Tamba said as a small mote of light flickered into existence on her claw. "Do you know how tricky the moons have been since we've got here? I've been barely able to do any magic. Not sure if it's because of the Darkness being present on this island or simply because we're in a shaded area. Now, if you'll just..." "Of course." Skobeloff complied as he allowed Tamba to check for any sign that Skobeloff was also his Shadowself. "He seems alright. No wierd black veins OR any change in his colouration." Tamba said to her fellow prisoner once she had confirmed that Skobeloff was untouched by the Shadows. "If you say so," The other drake muttered as he approached. "You know him better than I do, after all." "So what's been going on here exactly?" Skobeloff asked. "Why is Fogdance so obsessed with keeping everyone safe? How did things get to the point where the Darkness managed to claim her for its own ends?"</s> <|message|>Stargaze Stargaze Stargaze answers Alpin, "Hi Alpin! It's nice to meet you. I'm Stargaze! Echo raised me on this island," She then apologizes, "Sorry for startling you like that. Fellwing is able to have these really cool visions, and she must have seen you in one of them," She continues "Oh, right! Thank you for helping us out of that mess! We're trying to get to Echo and see what's going on with Home,"</s>

<|message|>Garrock At Skobeloff's question, the two younger drakes exchange a look. "Well, we have a good idea of when it happened," Tamba began. "We're a little more fuzzy on the 'how' and the 'why'." "She's been acting strangely ever since we got here," Pleexem interjected. "Even before things started going wrong, she's just been so jumpy." "You're one to talk," Tamba said with a snort. She turned her head back to Skobeloff. "Besides us two and her, there were four other dragons with us. Vipereyes and Alto were among them." Skobeloff will recognise those names as members of Myndoth, a bearded and long-tooth dragon respectfully, and from he knows of them, it's easy to see why they were chosen for this specific mission: Vipereyes is Myndoth's expert on poisonous fauna and flora, while Alto - short for Altostratus - was a budding crafter who was known for rarely speaking the common dragon tongue but preferred instead to either use sign language or one of the elemental languages, all of which he was fluent in. "There's also Maug, who's from Tessith, like me and Fogdance. And finally, there was Kyte." "They're the other member of our clutch," Tamba explained, motioning between herself and Pleexem. "They're from Semscale. Since we're still new to working together and me and Pleexem were already going to be here representing our Houses, our Sponsor thought they should come along with us, as a team-building exercise of sorts." Pleexem grimaced. "Obviously, they weren't expecting things to turn out like this." "The island was perfectly fine for the first few days," Tamba continued. "Fogdance was on edge, yes, and we were having a couple of disputes with the local pixie village about expanding the stronghold and how that would cut into their territory. That was a whole mess, but we seemed to have come to agreement." She sighed. "Then one night, we just started hearing strange sounds. The next morning we found claw marks on the trees. We thought the few pixies who still disagreed with us were playing some sort of trick to try and get us to leave, but when we went to confront them about it, they got mad at us. Apparently, some of the pixies had gone missing the night before, and they of coursed blamed us." "That went on for a couple of days," Pleexem added. "More pixies disappeared, more weird sounds in the middle of the night." "We noticed how quiet the forest was during the day, too. Vipereyes noted how she saw less and less fauna around the place, and Alto told us he hadn't felt the presence of elementals either. We decided after a while we should send word back to the Capitol. Maug offered to act as messenger, so they left." Tamba lowers her head solemly. "We never saw them again, and we never heard anything back." "Until you showed up, that is," Pleexem pointed out. "You're the first word we've heard from anyone in weeks." He looks at Skobeloff with a mixture of hope and dread. "Did... did Maug ever reach the Capitol? Are they okay?" --- Stargaze's explanation did nothing to ease Alpin's surprised expression. "You had a vision? About me?" he says, looking up at Fellwing. He looks a little embarrassed. "I wasn't doing anything stupid in your vision, was I?" He then looks to Stargaze when she mentioned Echo. "Echo..." Alpin repeated, a hint of recognition in his voice. "Right. She's the elemental who lives near that willow tree." He nods. "Yeah I think I know the way to her place. Thankfully, it's in the more watery part of the swamp, which means we're not likely to run into any more brownies. Not many of us really like swimming." He frowns as he gestures to his surroundings. "I mean, I ain't particularly fond of it myself but if keeps us safe, it keeps us safe."</s>

<|description|>Garrock Friendship Gem Tracker: Stargaze, the Orphan (played by @Guardian Angel Haruki): ♦♦ Skobeloff, the Trickster (played by @rush99999): ♦♦ Fellwing, the Seer (played by @Vertigo): ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ Shieldwing, the Warrior (played by @Digizel): ♦ ♦ ♦ --- NPCs: Pronouns: He/him Species: Dragon Age: Bearded Dragon House: House Tessith Colour: Royal yellow Moons: Stone, Liberty Looks: - Large curled horns - Thick scales - Icy blue eyes with slit pupils - Long, wrinkled snout with crocodile-like teeth - Bat-like wings, each tipped with an extra 'claw' - Clubbed tail - Bulky body Description: Soon to be named an Elder dragon and take his place on the Council, Garrock is simultaneously smug about the superiority his age grants him and mournful of his lost youth. He was once a member of a pilgrimage clutch of decent repute called the Dawnfire Clutch, but while the rest of his comrades moved on to form new clutches, Garrock chose to remain solo and has prided himself on his self-sufficiency ever since. He dislikes relying on others to solve his problems, especially those younger than himself, and has been known to have a particularly sharp and cruel tongue when forced to interact with clutches of drakes. Name: Fogdance Pronouns: She/her Species: Dragon Age: Bearded Dragon House: House Tessith Colour: Silver Moons: Spirit, Stone Looks: - Hornless, has two small fins on the side of her head - Pale grey scales speckled with darker greys - Large, indigo eyes that always appear somewhat teary - Short, rounded snout, resembling a sea turtle - Large wings that form a crescent-moon shape when spread out Description: While Garrock may state that House Tessith's tenets encourage independence and self-reliance, there are many dragons within the House of Diamond who interpret 'living simply' as being more community-focused. Fogdance is one such dragon; nurturing by nature, she is one of the teachers and caregivers for Tessith's drakes, and has been recognized even by the mentors of House Semscale for her patience and diligence. However, beneath her gentle exterior, there is something frail and somber within the older dragon that many glimpse, but very few truly understand. After all, how can someone surrounded by so much love be so sad? Name: Alpin Pronouns: He/him Species: Brownie Age: Young Adult Looks: - Scrawny, with very thin, pointed features - Covered in wiry ginger hair - Outfits often include a hat and a scarf, and favour muted greens and browns colourwise Description: Alpin is seen as something of the village idiot among the brownies of his island: lovable and ultimately harmless, yes, but with very little sense between his ears. How true this opinion is and how aware Alpin is of his fellow brownie's judgements is up in the air, as while he seems pretty oblivious most of the time, there are moments where he demonstrates a keen perceptiveness and an understanding of things deeper than his peers. Name: Bartley Pronouns: They/them Species: Brownie Age: Elderly Looks: - Chubby - Beady eyes and large, drooping ears - Covered in brown hair that is fading to grey - Wears tiny, half-moon spectacles - Has a fondness for old shirts and trousers, with very little variation Description: An older brownie with a love for tinkering and crafting, Bartley prefers the company of one or two friends at a time as opposed to large groups, and likes to keep their hands busy with a project even while in conversation. They have a very short, blunt manner of speaking that can some time come off as rude to those unfamiliar with them, but in truth, Bartley is just shy and not always sure how to best express themselves. Name: Tamba Pronouns: She/her Species: Dragon Age: Rawscale Drake House: House Myndoth Colour: Pastel green Moons: All Looks: - Antler-like horns - Soft, pastel green scales with splashes of orange and yellow - Large purple eyes - Feather tipped wings and tail - Chubby, rounded body - Wears round spectacles Description: For a drake so young, Tamba is considered extremely well-read. She's rarely found outside of Myndoth's libraries, and is capable to memorizing reciting whole passages from the books she studied. However, when it comes to socializing, she's far less adept, and tends to either talk far too much or far too little with no in-between. Name: Pleexem Pronouns: He/him Species: Dragon Age: Rawscale Drake House: House Tessith Colour: Lilac Moons: All Looks: - Gazelle-like horns - Soft lilac scales with pastel green splotches - Large bluish-green eyes - Feather tipped wings and tail Description: Tamba's twin and current clutchmate, Pleexem makes his sister look like a daredevil by comparison. He's afraid of pretty much everything and everyone, save for Tamba and some older dragons in House Tessith, and is rarely seen without his sister by his side. Name: Echo Pronouns: She/her Species: Elemental (mixed: wood, water and earth) Age: Unknown Looks: - Humanoid torso - Translucent greenish-brown skin with bioluminescent gold freckles - Long bluish-green hair resembling leaves of a willow tree - Eel tail in place of legs Description: Echo is a very enigmatic being, even by the standards of elementals. She's implied to much older and more powerful than she appears, and like the dryads who tend to the dragons' hatchery, may have access to knowledge beyond. This knowledge is probably why she chose to take care of Stargaze after the drake's egg somehow found its way into her case, and also why she eventually drove the drake away. Name: Kyte Pronouns: They/them Species: Dragon Age: Winged Drake House: House Semscale Colour: Peach Moons: Liberty, Spirit, Storm, Void Looks: - Hornless, with 'winged' ears - Pale orange scales that fade to pink, like the sky at dawn - Round, hawk-like golden eyes - Long, bird-like legs ending in sharp talons - Small bumps above nose and down their back - Very thin Description: Originally belonging to a different pilgrimage clutch, circumstances have lead to Kyte being placed with the younger Tamba and Pleexem. As such, they've taken on an 'older sibling' roll to their new clutchmates, not as a leader but in that they're willing to do whatever it takes to keep their friends safe, even if it puts themself at risk.</s> <|message|>Garrock Tamba and Pleexem exchanged concerned glances at Skobeloff's plan, and for a moment it looked like the latter might even object. While Tamba knew the trickster well enough to trust his plan, Pleexem did not and he eyed Skobeloff with a mixture of doubt and worry. However, after another glance at his sister, Pleexem conceded with a nod. Tamba turned back to the blue drake and nudged him with her wing. "Good luck," she said. "We'll be waiting and listening out here should anything go wrong." Upon exiting the room and making his way to the kitchen, Skobeloff would note that same eerie stillness he had witnessed on his way to the stronghold, which made the subtle creak of the floorboards seem all the more noticeable. Fortunately, these sounds did not seem to alert Fogdance, and Skobeloff didn't catch any sign of the older dragon on his way down the stairs. Once he reached the kitchen and began searching, he quickly found what he was looking for: a cupboard full of various herbs and medicines, which he could only assume belonged to Vipereyes. The Myndoth scientist had likely gathered these from the surrounding wilderness and collected them as part of her research. While Skobeloff's knowledge of plants did not compare to that of Vipereyes, it didn't take him long to find a bundle of leaves that he recognised as being a strong sedative. He didn't know the name of the plant exactly, but he knew its smell as he had caught a whiff of it when pretending to eat the meal Fogdance had prepared for him earlier. --- A long silence met Stargaze's words. Then, in the water, a few paces in front of them, several bubbles started forming along the surface before the water itself started to rise up and formed itself into the top of Echo's face. Her eyes regarded the dragons warily before settling on Stargaze, and the drakes caught a look in the elemental's eyes, relief mixed with a grimace. Echo approached the group quietly, more and more of her body forming from the muck until her entire torso was visible. "Stargaze," she says at last. "It's good to see you again. I just wish it was under better circumstances." She smiles, but it's a weak smile, a pained smile. From this distance, the drakes are able to see that her body is barely holding itself together, as if at any moment it will start melting back into the elements that form it. The leaves that make up her hair are drooping and withered, and the bio-luminescent lights that dot her skin are shining dimmer than Stargaze has ever seen before.</s> <|message|>Skobeloff Skobeloff Despite not knowing what the sedative was exactly, Skobeloff knew it wouldn't matter. His fox fairy teachers had taught him enough common symptoms among medicine overdoses that his act would be convincing regardless of what medicine Fogdance used. With the use of medicine confirmed, Skobeloff gathered up a few common kitchen ingredients and the drugged porridge he had hidden away earlier for use in his plan. When he had what he needed, Skobeloff snuck back to the cell. "Alright, I have what I need." Skobeloff said softly as he entered the cell and quietly shut the door behind him. "With what I have here, I will be able to make it look like Fogdance gave me too much sleeping medicine. Now listen closely, because I'll need you're help for this next part." As he spoke, Skobeloff began mixing what he had gathered from the kitchen into the porridge. "When my performance begins, I'll need you two to start panicking and making a racket to draw Fogdance's attention. When she arrives, you must tell her that you were woken up by the sounds I'm making and that when you opened your eyes, you found me." Skobeloff finished mixing and looked into the bowl. The porridge within now looking considerably more half-digested than before. "Now comes the finishing touch: Once you've given the explanation, you'll need to ask Fogdance what she did to me. That should be enough to drive home the harm her measures have the potential to do. Any questions?" Should either of the twins have questions, Skobeloff would answer them then while hiding the supplies next to the door in such a way that they would be out of sight when the door is open. Once any questions were answered and all things were ready, Skobeloff poured a puddle of seemingly regurgitated porridge onto the floor and also put some of the mixture into his mouth, taking care not to swallow it so as not to be effected by the sedative. With that done, Skobeloff hid the bowl with the rest of his supplies, returned to the puddle, collapsed into it, and began seizing and convulsing on the floor while making choking noises and allowing the porridge in his mouth to leak out and join the rest of the puddle. The trap was set. Now the twins needed only to lure Fogdance in. Skobeloff attempts to trick Fogdance into thinking she made him overdose on the sedative she gave him. He rolls a 10 and opts to learn a valuable secret and confuse Fogdance for some time.</s>

<|message|>Garrock The twins nod, though once again with hesitation of Pleexem's part. He keeps glancing at Tamba as if expecting her to object. When she doesn't, he simply gives a small sigh of resignation as he watches Skobeloff put his plan into motion. Once the trickster is in place and starting to put on his act, both siblings start shouting, Tamba calling out for Fogdance by name while Pleexem gives wordless yelps and gasps of horror. It doesn't take long before they hear Fogdance's steps stomping towards the room and she flings open the door. "What? What happened?" she shouts, her eyes darting between the twins and the fallen Skobeloff. "I... I don't..." Pleexem stammers before he starts hyperventilating, causing Tamba to cut in. "We just woke up to this!" The green drake motions towards Skobeloff. "I think he's poisoned!" Upon hearing this, Fogdance is immediately fussing over the trickster, cradling his form in her claws as she calls out his name. After only getting choking noises as response, her eyes start welling up. "This... this can't be..." she says. "I..." She looks between him and the seemingly regurgitated porridge on the floor. "This wasn't supposed to happen. I read Vipereyes' notes, I thought-" "What did you do?" Tamba interrupts, shouting at the older dragon. "What did you do!?" "I didn't..." Tears start falling down Fogdance's cheeks. "I didn't mean..." The older dragon buries her face into Skobeloff and starts weeping. Between her sobs, Skobeloff hears the dragon muttering the words, "No... not again... my poor, poor child... I'm so sorry, I failed you again..." Once again, Skobeloff gets the strong sense that she's not seeing him as he is, but as someone else, someone she has failed to care for and protect. As she speaks, one vaguely sees a faint shimmering on her scales as they lighten slightly to a paler, brighter shade of grey as her realization of what she has done starts to sink in and the darkness slowly loosens its grip on her. The sobbing stops as Fogdance's lifts her head and looks down at Skobeloff in her arms. Confusion fills the dragon's eyes as she seems to finally perceive Skobeloff for what he truly is. She lets go off him, taking a few steps back and looking between him and the twins. "Tamba? Pleexem? What is, what is going on? What was I...?" Her voice trails off as she becomes at a loss for words.</s>

<|description|>Garrock Friendship Gem Tracker: Stargaze, the Orphan (played by @Guardian Angel Haruki): ♦♦ Skobeloff, the Trickster (played by @rush99999): ♦♦ Fellwing, the Seer (played by @Vertigo): ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ Shieldwing, the Warrior (played by @Digizel): ♦ ♦ ♦ --- NPCs: Pronouns: He/him Species: Dragon Age: Bearded Dragon House: House Tessith Colour: Royal yellow Moons: Stone, Liberty Looks: - Large curled horns - Thick scales - Icy blue eyes with slit pupils - Long, wrinkled snout with crocodile-like teeth - Bat-like wings, each tipped with an extra 'claw' - Clubbed tail - Bulky body Description: Soon to be named an Elder dragon and take his place on the Council, Garrock is simultaneously smug about the superiority his age grants him and mournful of his lost youth. He was once a member of a pilgrimage clutch of decent repute called the Dawnfire Clutch, but while the rest of his comrades moved on to form new clutches, Garrock chose to remain solo and has prided himself on his self-sufficiency ever since. He dislikes relying on others to solve his problems, especially those younger than himself, and has been known to have a particularly sharp and cruel tongue when forced to interact with clutches of drakes. Name: Fogdance Pronouns: She/her Species: Dragon Age: Bearded Dragon House: House Tessith Colour: Silver Moons: Spirit, Stone Looks: - Hornless, has two small fins on the side of her head - Pale grey scales speckled with darker greys - Large, indigo eyes that always appear somewhat teary - Short, rounded snout, resembling a sea turtle - Large wings that form a crescent-moon shape when spread out Description: While Garrock may state that House Tessith's tenets encourage independence and self-reliance, there are many dragons within the House of Diamond who interpret 'living simply' as being more community-focused. Fogdance is one such dragon; nurturing by nature, she is one of the teachers and caregivers for Tessith's drakes, and has been recognized even by the mentors of House Semscale for her patience and diligence. However, beneath her gentle exterior, there is something frail and somber within the older dragon that many glimpse, but very few truly understand. After all, how can someone surrounded by so much love be so sad? Name: Alpin Pronouns: He/him Species: Brownie Age: Young Adult Looks: - Scrawny, with very thin, pointed features - Covered in wiry ginger hair - Outfits often include a hat and a scarf, and favour muted greens and browns colourwise Description: Alpin is seen as something of the village idiot among the brownies of his island: lovable and ultimately harmless, yes, but with very little sense between his ears. How true this opinion is and how aware Alpin is of his fellow brownie's judgements is up in the air, as while he seems pretty oblivious most of the time, there are moments where he demonstrates a keen perceptiveness and an understanding of things deeper than his peers. Name: Bartley Pronouns: They/them Species: Brownie Age: Elderly Looks: - Chubby - Beady eyes and large, drooping ears - Covered in brown hair that is fading to grey - Wears tiny, half-moon spectacles - Has a fondness for old shirts and trousers, with very little variation Description: An older brownie with a love for tinkering and crafting, Bartley prefers the company of one or two friends at a time as opposed to large groups, and likes to keep their hands busy with a project even while in conversation. They have a very short, blunt manner of speaking that can some time come off as rude to those unfamiliar with them, but in truth, Bartley is just shy and not always sure how to best express themselves. Name: Tamba Pronouns: She/her Species: Dragon Age: Rawscale Drake House: House Myndoth Colour: Pastel green Moons: All Looks: - Antler-like horns - Soft, pastel green scales with splashes of orange and yellow - Large purple eyes - Feather tipped wings and tail - Chubby, rounded body - Wears round spectacles Description: For a drake so young, Tamba is considered extremely well-read. She's rarely found outside of Myndoth's libraries, and is capable to memorizing reciting whole passages from the books she studied. However, when it comes to socializing, she's far less adept, and tends to either talk far too much or far too little with no in-between. Name: Pleexem Pronouns: He/him Species: Dragon Age: Rawscale Drake House: House Tessith Colour: Lilac Moons: All Looks: - Gazelle-like horns - Soft lilac scales with pastel green splotches - Large bluish-green eyes - Feather tipped wings and tail Description: Tamba's twin and current clutchmate, Pleexem makes his sister look like a daredevil by comparison. He's afraid of pretty much everything and everyone, save for Tamba and some older dragons in House Tessith, and is rarely seen without his sister by his side. Name: Echo Pronouns: She/her Species: Elemental (mixed: wood, water and earth) Age: Unknown Looks: - Humanoid torso - Translucent greenish-brown skin with bioluminescent gold freckles - Long bluish-green hair resembling leaves of a willow tree - Eel tail in place of legs Description: Echo is a very enigmatic being, even by the standards of elementals. She's implied to much older and more powerful than she appears, and like the dryads who tend to the dragons' hatchery, may have access to knowledge beyond. This knowledge is probably why she chose to take care of Stargaze after the drake's egg somehow found its way into her case, and also why she eventually drove the drake away. Name: Kyte Pronouns: They/them Species: Dragon Age: Winged Drake House: House Semscale Colour: Peach Moons: Liberty, Spirit, Storm, Void Looks: - Hornless, with 'winged' ears - Pale orange scales that fade to pink, like the sky at dawn - Round, hawk-like golden eyes - Long, bird-like legs ending in sharp talons - Small bumps above nose and down their back - Very thin Description: Originally belonging to a different pilgrimage clutch, circumstances have lead to Kyte being placed with the younger Tamba and Pleexem. As such, they've taken on an 'older sibling' roll to their new clutchmates, not as a leader but in that they're willing to do whatever it takes to keep their friends safe, even if it puts themself at risk.</s> <|message|>Skobeloff Skobeloff When Fogdance released Skobeloff, the rawscale drake did not immediately end his charade. Instead, he lay still and continued to act incapacitated. Now that Fogdance had returned from her Shadowself, Skobeloff became consumed by concern. The mindset Fogdance needed to return was built on trickery and deceit. If Skobeloff revealed that, what if doing so caused the foundations supporting that mindset to crumble? All the work leading up to this moment would be undone! But at the same time, Skobeloff knew he couldn't keep lying on the floor forever. And so he wracked his brain for a way to drop the act without running the risk of bringing Fogdance to the conclusion that she had it right the first time because no one had actually been harmed. Skobeloff studies Fogdance. He rolls a 12 and learns the answers to the following questions: - How could I get you to realize that I'm alright without undoing all the work I've done? - What could I learn from you?</s> <|message|>Garrock Tamba and Pleexem must have had similar thoughts to Skobeloff because neither of them moved, instead looking between Fogdance and the trickster as if waiting for some sort of cue as to what to do next. When he did nothing, Tamba quickly went over to the grey dragon, placing her wing on her leg. "It's alright," Tamba says quickly. "You're okay, you're fine." Fogdance looks at her. "What was I doing before... and who is this?" She motioned to Skobeloff. "And why is he lying on the floor like that? Did..." She places a wing on her own forehead. "I don't remember what I was doing before." It seems to Skobeloff that her memories of what she was doing while her shadowself are clouded and hazy. She doesn't seem to remember encountering the trickster, or anything she may have said and done at the time. Tamba seems to realise this and quickly speaks up. "You were acting weirdly," she says. "When the others started to go missing, you went out to look for them. When you came back, you didn't seem to be yourself." "The others?" Fogdance squints as she tries to remember. "Yes, I think I remember. After Maug left, Alto went missing. Then Vipereyes. Then Kyte." "You went looking for Kyte," Tamba chimes in helpfully. Fogdance nods. "Yes... yes I went looking for them, and then..." She frowns. "I thought I heard something. My children. I thought I heard them in the woods, calling out for me." "Your children?" Pleexem croaks, finally seeming calm after his supposed panic. A pained expression passes over Fogdance's face, which quickly turns to a realization that she might have said something she wasn't supposed to. "It's nothing," she says quickly, shaking her head. "Clearly, I wasn't thinking correctly." She looks back at Tamba. "Everything after that is fuzzy, dream-like. Did I say or do anything strange?" Tamba doesn't respond, instead looking over to Skobeloff. It seems Fogdance doesn't recall what she did while in the grip of the Darkness, so there is likely no danger of Skobeloff revealing himself and explaining what happened. That being said, in her currently confused state, the group should probably be as gentle as possible in their explanation. There also seems to be something she is keeping from the drakes, likely tied to whatever made her fall to the Darkness in the first place. Skobeloff might be able to get more information, but again, he'll have to approach this as delicately as possible. What will he do?</s> <|message|>Skobeloff Skobeloff Realizing that there would be no danger in revealing himself, Skobeloff opened his eyes and got to his feet. After taking a moment to stretch his limbs after lying still for so long, Skobeloff turned to Fogdance and spoke. "Strange is certainly one way to put it." Skobeloff stated while wiping the porridge sludge off of himself as best he could. "Another way of putting it would be... not the sort of thing you'd want to hear about while in a state of confusion. Perhaps we should have this conversation somewhere brighter and more relaxed than in this dingy little room. Perhaps also with something calming to drink. I happen to know the recipe for a lovely blend of green tea if any of you are interested."</s> <|message|>Stargaze Stargaze During the wait, Stargaze reassured her friends, "She's coming. I know she's just on her way," However, there was still a bit of doubt gnawing at her. Was she okay? She didn't take so long usually... When Echo appeared, Stargaze immediately noticed that Echo isn't as vibrant as usual, and she even looks to be in pain. Her tail was wagging in happiness at the thought of seeing Echo again, but now it stopped as concern creeps in. She asked Echo, "Echo? What's going on with home? Are you okay?"</s>

<|message|>Garrock Fogdance looks momentarily startled when Skobeloff gets up and starts talking, but Tamba is quick to calm her. "It's alright, he's fine," the green drake says, patting the older dragon's leg with her wing. "No one is hurt, and that's all that matters for now." "I... see," Fogdance says. She squints at Skobeloff, likely trying to place the trickster in her memories. Clearly, she recognises something familiar about him, but after a moment when the memories refuse to come to her, she simply shakes her head. "I suppose we should all go downstairs then, to the kitchen. You can all fill me in and we can discuss our next move." She grimaces. "If the others are still missing, we probably should do something." She pauses again, another look of straining to remember on her face, before she shakes her head and begins exiting the room. Tamba and Pleexem start to follow behind her. --- Echo winces slightly. "I've... been better," she says. "You may have noticed that the island is a little different from how you remember it. As an elemental, I am tied to this island, particularly to this swamp. The Darkness has found its way into the hearts of many inhabitants, and I've been using my magic to keep it from seeping into the very earth itself." She glances behind her to the mouth of the cave, where Fellwing would recall from her visions she saw an injured drake resting a little further in the cavern. "Among other things." Her eyes linger on the cave before she turns back to the group. "With so much energy going to keeping the Darkness at bay, maintaining my physical form like this a little trickier than usual."</s>

<|description|>Garrock Friendship Gem Tracker: Stargaze, the Orphan (played by @Guardian Angel Haruki): ♦♦ Skobeloff, the Trickster (played by @rush99999): ♦♦ Fellwing, the Seer (played by @Vertigo): ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ Shieldwing, the Warrior (played by @Digizel): ♦ ♦ ♦ --- NPCs: Pronouns: He/him Species: Dragon Age: Bearded Dragon House: House Tessith Colour: Royal yellow Moons: Stone, Liberty Looks: - Large curled horns - Thick scales - Icy blue eyes with slit pupils - Long, wrinkled snout with crocodile-like teeth - Bat-like wings, each tipped with an extra 'claw' - Clubbed tail - Bulky body Description: Soon to be named an Elder dragon and take his place on the Council, Garrock is simultaneously smug about the superiority his age grants him and mournful of his lost youth. He was once a member of a pilgrimage clutch of decent repute called the Dawnfire Clutch, but while the rest of his comrades moved on to form new clutches, Garrock chose to remain solo and has prided himself on his self-sufficiency ever since. He dislikes relying on others to solve his problems, especially those younger than himself, and has been known to have a particularly sharp and cruel tongue when forced to interact with clutches of drakes. Name: Fogdance Pronouns: She/her Species: Dragon Age: Bearded Dragon House: House Tessith Colour: Silver Moons: Spirit, Stone Looks: - Hornless, has two small fins on the side of her head - Pale grey scales speckled with darker greys - Large, indigo eyes that always appear somewhat teary - Short, rounded snout, resembling a sea turtle - Large wings that form a crescent-moon shape when spread out Description: While Garrock may state that House Tessith's tenets encourage independence and self-reliance, there are many dragons within the House of Diamond who interpret 'living simply' as being more community-focused. Fogdance is one such dragon; nurturing by nature, she is one of the teachers and caregivers for Tessith's drakes, and has been recognized even by the mentors of House Semscale for her patience and diligence. However, beneath her gentle exterior, there is something frail and somber within the older dragon that many glimpse, but very few truly understand. After all, how can someone surrounded by so much love be so sad? Name: Alpin Pronouns: He/him Species: Brownie Age: Young Adult Looks: - Scrawny, with very thin, pointed features - Covered in wiry ginger hair - Outfits often include a hat and a scarf, and favour muted greens and browns colourwise Description: Alpin is seen as something of the village idiot among the brownies of his island: lovable and ultimately harmless, yes, but with very little sense between his ears. How true this opinion is and how aware Alpin is of his fellow brownie's judgements is up in the air, as while he seems pretty oblivious most of the time, there are moments where he demonstrates a keen perceptiveness and an understanding of things deeper than his peers. Name: Bartley Pronouns: They/them Species: Brownie Age: Elderly Looks: - Chubby - Beady eyes and large, drooping ears - Covered in brown hair that is fading to grey - Wears tiny, half-moon spectacles - Has a fondness for old shirts and trousers, with very little variation Description: An older brownie with a love for tinkering and crafting, Bartley prefers the company of one or two friends at a time as opposed to large groups, and likes to keep their hands busy with a project even while in conversation. They have a very short, blunt manner of speaking that can some time come off as rude to those unfamiliar with them, but in truth, Bartley is just shy and not always sure how to best express themselves. Name: Tamba Pronouns: She/her Species: Dragon Age: Rawscale Drake House: House Myndoth Colour: Pastel green Moons: All Looks: - Antler-like horns - Soft, pastel green scales with splashes of orange and yellow - Large purple eyes - Feather tipped wings and tail - Chubby, rounded body - Wears round spectacles Description: For a drake so young, Tamba is considered extremely well-read. She's rarely found outside of Myndoth's libraries, and is capable to memorizing reciting whole passages from the books she studied. However, when it comes to socializing, she's far less adept, and tends to either talk far too much or far too little with no in-between. Name: Pleexem Pronouns: He/him Species: Dragon Age: Rawscale Drake House: House Tessith Colour: Lilac Moons: All Looks: - Gazelle-like horns - Soft lilac scales with pastel green splotches - Large bluish-green eyes - Feather tipped wings and tail Description: Tamba's twin and current clutchmate, Pleexem makes his sister look like a daredevil by comparison. He's afraid of pretty much everything and everyone, save for Tamba and some older dragons in House Tessith, and is rarely seen without his sister by his side. Name: Echo Pronouns: She/her Species: Elemental (mixed: wood, water and earth) Age: Unknown Looks: - Humanoid torso - Translucent greenish-brown skin with bioluminescent gold freckles - Long bluish-green hair resembling leaves of a willow tree - Eel tail in place of legs Description: Echo is a very enigmatic being, even by the standards of elementals. She's implied to much older and more powerful than she appears, and like the dryads who tend to the dragons' hatchery, may have access to knowledge beyond. This knowledge is probably why she chose to take care of Stargaze after the drake's egg somehow found its way into her case, and also why she eventually drove the drake away. Name: Kyte Pronouns: They/them Species: Dragon Age: Winged Drake House: House Semscale Colour: Peach Moons: Liberty, Spirit, Storm, Void Looks: - Hornless, with 'winged' ears - Pale orange scales that fade to pink, like the sky at dawn - Round, hawk-like golden eyes - Long, bird-like legs ending in sharp talons - Small bumps above nose and down their back - Very thin Description: Originally belonging to a different pilgrimage clutch, circumstances have lead to Kyte being placed with the younger Tamba and Pleexem. As such, they've taken on an 'older sibling' roll to their new clutchmates, not as a leader but in that they're willing to do whatever it takes to keep their friends safe, even if it puts themself at risk.</s> <|message|>Skobeloff Skobeloff Skobeloff looked at the twins and smiled reassuringly before looking back at Fogdance and nodding in acceptance of her request. "With the Moons as my witness, I promise to never speak of anything you reveal in this room." Skobeloff vowed.</s> <|message|>Stargaze Stargaze Stargaze could only listen as Fellwing asked Echo her numerous questions, and Shieldwing had introduced themselves as her clutchmates. She added onto his introduction happily for a moment, remembering she wanted to introduce them to Echo, "Yeah, they're my friends!" Her tail wagged happily, but not as fast as it did when they first arrived here. It was slower because she was worried about Echo's condition and the events happening here. Naturally, Echo suggested that they talk more in the cave. She nodded in agreement. After Echo reassured Alpin that she can help him, she also offered, "I can help too if you need it," She then nods to her friends and starts to lead them into the cave.</s>

<|message|>Garrock After Skobeloff's response, both of the twins nodded with only slight hesitance. "Me and Pleexem also both swear not to tell anyone," Tamba said. "Y-yeah," Pleexem stammered. "Sure." "Okay," Fogdance said. She turned her eyes up towards the ceiling as she began her tale. "I don't know when I first realised I wanted to be a mother. I've always had a skill for nurturing and teaching younger dragons. Even when I was a drake myself, I always found myself naturally trying to aid and protect those younger than me. It was instinct. So, when I was going to have my first clutch of eggs, you can imagine I was very excited. Me and my partners had at eleven eggs, and while I knew that most of the raising of drakes is done by their House, I expected at least one of my children would end up in Tessith. Regardless, I promised myself I would do my best to support and care for all of them, wherever they ended up." Fogdance gives a heavy sigh, and all three drakes are able to see obvious pain in her expression. "However, things didn't go how I expected. Out of those eleven eggs, only two hatched." She lowers her head. "It... happens sometimes. Not often, but it happens. Just one of those cruel facts of life." Her eyes start to shine with tears. "Everyone tried to comfort me, of course, tell me it wasn't my fault. Truthfully, I don't know if there is anything I could have done differently, but the fact is, I had lost nine of my children." She brushes away an emerging tear with the back of her claw. "To make matters worse, the two that survived did not end up in House Tessith. You may have met them. Their names are Hopa and Aziri." She attempts a weak smile. "I am very proud of them both, and I do what I can to support them. However, the sad fact is, at the end of the day they belong to their Houses, not to me. I cannot be there all the time to protect them, to brush away their tears and scare away their fears." A edge of coldness starts to enter her tone. "And that... that started to make me realise how flawed Dragon society truly is, how the Houses may not be the ideal way to raise and care for our young." She starts to look at the three drakes in the room. "I know I probably shouldn't be saying such things in front of young, impressionable drakes, but if the Council thinks you are all old enough to go on such missions, perhaps you are old enough to start questioning the world around you." Her eyes stop on Skobeloff. "So, after some time of grieving and trying to get by, I decided that I would try and have a new lot of eggs, raised outside the safety and structure of the Houses. Me and another dragon, not of my affinity clutch and one who I will keep anonymous for their sake, decided to have a clutch of eggs outside of the confines of the Houses. We would raise in secret, caring for them ourselves. Then, when they were at least of winged drake age, we would present them to the Council. We would show them how good our children, how they had grown to be fine dragons without the system restricting and influencing them." She gives a small, sad laugh. "We honestly thought we could change society, that we could bring down the Houses and show them a new way, a better way." She sighs again. "But, just as before, things didn't work out the way I wanted." --- As the drakes and Alpin stepped out onto the river's surface, they notice the water feels solid enough for them to walk on, feeling not unlike walking on a sheet of glass. However, before they can fully comprehend this, all four of them are suddenly pulled beneath the surface. For Stargaze, this isn't too unusual as she seen Echo do this trick before, but it will be a little disorientating for everyone else as they realise that, despite being underwater, they can still breathe and speak like normal. They all seem to be contained within a large bubble of air that is slowly being pushed forwards, into the mouth of the cave. During their journey, they will notice that just like on dry land, there is not any sign of life beneath the water either. No fish, plankton, nothing. Just the swaying of water plants, and even that seems more stilted than it should be. Eventually, the bubble bring them back up to the surface, where they find that same cave Fellwing saw in her vision. And, just like her vision, the pale orange winged drake can be seen, lying and resting on the rocks. They raise their head as the group emerges. "Back so soon, Echo? Were you able to find something better to-" They stop mid-sentence as they realise that they are not addressing the elemental. They get to their feet immediately and come bounding over. "Thank the moons! I was starting to think the Council had forgotten about us!" While it is dim in the cave, there is enough bio-luminescent plants to provide a light source, allowing everyone to be able to see this dragon. While it takes a moment, Shieldwing will eventually be able to recognise them. Though he can't recall their name exactly, he will know them as a dragon he used to see hanging around his rival and bully Stonescale. However, despite being able to recognise them, it doesn't seem this drake has recognised Shieldwing yet, as they are beaming happily at all of the drakes.</s>

<|description|>Garrock Friendship Gem Tracker: Stargaze, the Orphan (played by @Guardian Angel Haruki): ♦♦ Skobeloff, the Trickster (played by @rush99999): ♦♦ Fellwing, the Seer (played by @Vertigo): ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ Shieldwing, the Warrior (played by @Digizel): ♦ ♦ ♦ --- NPCs: Pronouns: He/him Species: Dragon Age: Bearded Dragon House: House Tessith Colour: Royal yellow Moons: Stone, Liberty Looks: - Large curled horns - Thick scales - Icy blue eyes with slit pupils - Long, wrinkled snout with crocodile-like teeth - Bat-like wings, each tipped with an extra 'claw' - Clubbed tail - Bulky body Description: Soon to be named an Elder dragon and take his place on the Council, Garrock is simultaneously smug about the superiority his age grants him and mournful of his lost youth. He was once a member of a pilgrimage clutch of decent repute called the Dawnfire Clutch, but while the rest of his comrades moved on to form new clutches, Garrock chose to remain solo and has prided himself on his self-sufficiency ever since. He dislikes relying on others to solve his problems, especially those younger than himself, and has been known to have a particularly sharp and cruel tongue when forced to interact with clutches of drakes. Name: Fogdance Pronouns: She/her Species: Dragon Age: Bearded Dragon House: House Tessith Colour: Silver Moons: Spirit, Stone Looks: - Hornless, has two small fins on the side of her head - Pale grey scales speckled with darker greys - Large, indigo eyes that always appear somewhat teary - Short, rounded snout, resembling a sea turtle - Large wings that form a crescent-moon shape when spread out Description: While Garrock may state that House Tessith's tenets encourage independence and self-reliance, there are many dragons within the House of Diamond who interpret 'living simply' as being more community-focused. Fogdance is one such dragon; nurturing by nature, she is one of the teachers and caregivers for Tessith's drakes, and has been recognized even by the mentors of House Semscale for her patience and diligence. However, beneath her gentle exterior, there is something frail and somber within the older dragon that many glimpse, but very few truly understand. After all, how can someone surrounded by so much love be so sad? Name: Alpin Pronouns: He/him Species: Brownie Age: Young Adult Looks: - Scrawny, with very thin, pointed features - Covered in wiry ginger hair - Outfits often include a hat and a scarf, and favour muted greens and browns colourwise Description: Alpin is seen as something of the village idiot among the brownies of his island: lovable and ultimately harmless, yes, but with very little sense between his ears. How true this opinion is and how aware Alpin is of his fellow brownie's judgements is up in the air, as while he seems pretty oblivious most of the time, there are moments where he demonstrates a keen perceptiveness and an understanding of things deeper than his peers. Name: Bartley Pronouns: They/them Species: Brownie Age: Elderly Looks: - Chubby - Beady eyes and large, drooping ears - Covered in brown hair that is fading to grey - Wears tiny, half-moon spectacles - Has a fondness for old shirts and trousers, with very little variation Description: An older brownie with a love for tinkering and crafting, Bartley prefers the company of one or two friends at a time as opposed to large groups, and likes to keep their hands busy with a project even while in conversation. They have a very short, blunt manner of speaking that can some time come off as rude to those unfamiliar with them, but in truth, Bartley is just shy and not always sure how to best express themselves. Name: Tamba Pronouns: She/her Species: Dragon Age: Rawscale Drake House: House Myndoth Colour: Pastel green Moons: All Looks: - Antler-like horns - Soft, pastel green scales with splashes of orange and yellow - Large purple eyes - Feather tipped wings and tail - Chubby, rounded body - Wears round spectacles Description: For a drake so young, Tamba is considered extremely well-read. She's rarely found outside of Myndoth's libraries, and is capable to memorizing reciting whole passages from the books she studied. However, when it comes to socializing, she's far less adept, and tends to either talk far too much or far too little with no in-between. Name: Pleexem Pronouns: He/him Species: Dragon Age: Rawscale Drake House: House Tessith Colour: Lilac Moons: All Looks: - Gazelle-like horns - Soft lilac scales with pastel green splotches - Large bluish-green eyes - Feather tipped wings and tail Description: Tamba's twin and current clutchmate, Pleexem makes his sister look like a daredevil by comparison. He's afraid of pretty much everything and everyone, save for Tamba and some older dragons in House Tessith, and is rarely seen without his sister by his side. Name: Echo Pronouns: She/her Species: Elemental (mixed: wood, water and earth) Age: Unknown Looks: - Humanoid torso - Translucent greenish-brown skin with bioluminescent gold freckles - Long bluish-green hair resembling leaves of a willow tree - Eel tail in place of legs Description: Echo is a very enigmatic being, even by the standards of elementals. She's implied to much older and more powerful than she appears, and like the dryads who tend to the dragons' hatchery, may have access to knowledge beyond. This knowledge is probably why she chose to take care of Stargaze after the drake's egg somehow found its way into her case, and also why she eventually drove the drake away. Name: Kyte Pronouns: They/them Species: Dragon Age: Winged Drake House: House Semscale Colour: Peach Moons: Liberty, Spirit, Storm, Void Looks: - Hornless, with 'winged' ears - Pale orange scales that fade to pink, like the sky at dawn - Round, hawk-like golden eyes - Long, bird-like legs ending in sharp talons - Small bumps above nose and down their back - Very thin Description: Originally belonging to a different pilgrimage clutch, circumstances have lead to Kyte being placed with the younger Tamba and Pleexem. As such, they've taken on an 'older sibling' roll to their new clutchmates, not as a leader but in that they're willing to do whatever it takes to keep their friends safe, even if it puts themself at risk.</s> <|message|>Skobeloff Skobeloff "You've done well, Fogdance. Saying all of this, dredging up all of these painful memories, mustn't have been pleasant for you." Skobeloff said once Fogdance had finished speaking. "Because of that though, I believe the mystery regarding your brush with the Darkness is solved. When you went out in search of Kyte, you found something else instead. Something dark and devious. Something that plays on pain to give the Darkness a way in. Something against which we'll need to be able to defend ourselves. But how?"</s> <|message|>Stargaze Stargaze Stargaze led her friends and the drake across the water. Knowing what's going to happen next, she warns her friends, "Here comes the fun part!" before she immediately sinks into the large air bubble with her only making a "Woo!" sound. As soon as her friends recuperate and realize they're in a large bubble of air underwater, Stargaze smiled as she commented, "Pretty cool, right?" She took stock of the aquatic environment around them, and realized that it wasn't as lively or vibrant as usual. It was still and dead... She added upon that realization in sadness, "Though...this area's usually much more lively..." Then they arrived into the cave proper. Before she could even tell them that this is where she grew up, the other drake that was already here spoke up, thinking they were Echo. Stargaze's exuberance faded as she realized that the drake in question was none other than Kyte. She had seen him before as someone who hung out with Stonescale, and just watched the bullying. She came to realize... If Kyte was here, then Stonescale might be on this island too... At that thought, her tail now tucked between her legs in anxiety. She answered him, knowing she can't really hide and she was in the front leading her friends... "Oh! Uh...Hi, Kyte. Um...Gl-Glad to see you're okay, haha..." It was clear from her greeting that she was trying to put on airs of 'Everything is okay and is going to be okay,'. Internally, she was freaking out. She was worried that the bullying was going to start again, here of all places. At her very home!</s> <|message|>Shieldwing, the Warrior of Shieldwing Shieldwing hesitantly reached his claw out to the water's surface. He wasn't overly fond of water. After all, it restricted movement and made him a slower, far less capable warrior. However, when his claw didn't immediately sink into the water, but rather stood atop it, his eyes widened in surprise. He cautiously stepped out further onto the water's surface, unable to stop his tail from wagging behind him a bit as he was actually standing on top of the water's surface! He had never felt something like this before! It was strange...and he was loving every second of it! Man, he KNEW his first trip from the capital would give him all kinds of cool experiences! "Whoa...." the dragon murmured, looking down at the water below. He pushed down with his claws a bit, allowing his tail to dip down onto the surface as well, feeling it around. It was like he was standing on regular floor.... However, Stargaze's words caught his attention quickly. Did she say "the fun part"? What did that- "WHOA!" Suddenly, the red dragon was pulled down beneath the water's surface, almost like something had snagged his body and dragged it under! He gasped and fought and squirmed for a moment...until he quickly realized that nothing actually had a hold of him. He blinked as he realized what was going on. He wasn't in the water, fighting for air. In fact, there was still air all around him. He soon straightened himself out completely, clearing his throat. "Ahem...y-yeah. Cool. Definitely super cool." he quickly said, hoping to cover his misunderstanding as soon as possible. He began to make his way through the small tunnel with the others. Much like Stargaze, he quickly realized that it wasn't as...lively as he would have expected underwater to be. Usually even in small places like this, there were things swimming around or swaying a bit more. Or at least, so he thought anyway. Soon enough, the group arrived back at the surface and Shieldwing gladly stepped foot on the inside of the cave. He looked around for a moment, looking for any sign of life. However, he had hardly even been here for a second when another dragon had exclaimed something about their arrival, and had bounded up next to them! This drew Shieldwing's attention immediately. He puffed himself up a bit to make sure he seemed tall, strong and confident. However, all of that bravado melted away when he recognized just who it was he was looking at. And his confident smile turned into a bit of a scowl. "You..." Shieldwing muttered, stepping forward, instinctively putting himself between the orange dragon and Stargaze. "I know you. Aren't you one of Stonescale's little lackeys?" he narrowed his gaze at the dragon, the name "Stonescale" having practically been spit from his mouth like he were removing something gross from his mouth. He glanced back toward Stargaze, hearing that name. Kyte.... He wasn't sure, but it sounded familiar, he supposed.</s>

<|message|>Garrock Fogdance shook her head. "I have no idea," she says. "All I remember is hearing the voices of what I thought were my children calling out me. Everything becomes hazy after that." At this point, Tamba spoke up. "Something must have attacked you," she says. "You were collapsed when we found you, and it took you days to come to." Fogdance shrugs. "Like I said, I have no clue," she says. "I can only assume it was some kind of Monster or perhaps a corrupted Beast. That's the most likely answer I can think of, but I really do not know." --- At Stargaze and Shieldwing's responses, Kyte's expression quickly flickered from surprise, to recognition, to hurt before finally settling into a mirror of Shieldwing's own scowl. "Okay, for the record, I wasn't his lackey," they say, their tail starting to lash around like that of agitated feline. "We were in the same clutch. That was all." They quickly avert their gaze to the ground, all the while muttering, "And not anymore. Obviously." While their tone was sharp, the way they lowered their head and hugged their wings against their body implied they were in a far more defensive mood than offensive.</s>

<|description|>Garrock Friendship Gem Tracker: Stargaze, the Orphan (played by @Guardian Angel Haruki): ♦♦ Skobeloff, the Trickster (played by @rush99999): ♦♦ Fellwing, the Seer (played by @Vertigo): ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ Shieldwing, the Warrior (played by @Digizel): ♦ ♦ ♦ --- NPCs: Pronouns: He/him Species: Dragon Age: Bearded Dragon House: House Tessith Colour: Royal yellow Moons: Stone, Liberty Looks: - Large curled horns - Thick scales - Icy blue eyes with slit pupils - Long, wrinkled snout with crocodile-like teeth - Bat-like wings, each tipped with an extra 'claw' - Clubbed tail - Bulky body Description: Soon to be named an Elder dragon and take his place on the Council, Garrock is simultaneously smug about the superiority his age grants him and mournful of his lost youth. He was once a member of a pilgrimage clutch of decent repute called the Dawnfire Clutch, but while the rest of his comrades moved on to form new clutches, Garrock chose to remain solo and has prided himself on his self-sufficiency ever since. He dislikes relying on others to solve his problems, especially those younger than himself, and has been known to have a particularly sharp and cruel tongue when forced to interact with clutches of drakes. Name: Fogdance Pronouns: She/her Species: Dragon Age: Bearded Dragon House: House Tessith Colour: Silver Moons: Spirit, Stone Looks: - Hornless, has two small fins on the side of her head - Pale grey scales speckled with darker greys - Large, indigo eyes that always appear somewhat teary - Short, rounded snout, resembling a sea turtle - Large wings that form a crescent-moon shape when spread out Description: While Garrock may state that House Tessith's tenets encourage independence and self-reliance, there are many dragons within the House of Diamond who interpret 'living simply' as being more community-focused. Fogdance is one such dragon; nurturing by nature, she is one of the teachers and caregivers for Tessith's drakes, and has been recognized even by the mentors of House Semscale for her patience and diligence. However, beneath her gentle exterior, there is something frail and somber within the older dragon that many glimpse, but very few truly understand. After all, how can someone surrounded by so much love be so sad? Name: Alpin Pronouns: He/him Species: Brownie Age: Young Adult Looks: - Scrawny, with very thin, pointed features - Covered in wiry ginger hair - Outfits often include a hat and a scarf, and favour muted greens and browns colourwise Description: Alpin is seen as something of the village idiot among the brownies of his island: lovable and ultimately harmless, yes, but with very little sense between his ears. How true this opinion is and how aware Alpin is of his fellow brownie's judgements is up in the air, as while he seems pretty oblivious most of the time, there are moments where he demonstrates a keen perceptiveness and an understanding of things deeper than his peers. Name: Bartley Pronouns: They/them Species: Brownie Age: Elderly Looks: - Chubby - Beady eyes and large, drooping ears - Covered in brown hair that is fading to grey - Wears tiny, half-moon spectacles - Has a fondness for old shirts and trousers, with very little variation Description: An older brownie with a love for tinkering and crafting, Bartley prefers the company of one or two friends at a time as opposed to large groups, and likes to keep their hands busy with a project even while in conversation. They have a very short, blunt manner of speaking that can some time come off as rude to those unfamiliar with them, but in truth, Bartley is just shy and not always sure how to best express themselves. Name: Tamba Pronouns: She/her Species: Dragon Age: Rawscale Drake House: House Myndoth Colour: Pastel green Moons: All Looks: - Antler-like horns - Soft, pastel green scales with splashes of orange and yellow - Large purple eyes - Feather tipped wings and tail - Chubby, rounded body - Wears round spectacles Description: For a drake so young, Tamba is considered extremely well-read. She's rarely found outside of Myndoth's libraries, and is capable to memorizing reciting whole passages from the books she studied. However, when it comes to socializing, she's far less adept, and tends to either talk far too much or far too little with no in-between. Name: Pleexem Pronouns: He/him Species: Dragon Age: Rawscale Drake House: House Tessith Colour: Lilac Moons: All Looks: - Gazelle-like horns - Soft lilac scales with pastel green splotches - Large bluish-green eyes - Feather tipped wings and tail Description: Tamba's twin and current clutchmate, Pleexem makes his sister look like a daredevil by comparison. He's afraid of pretty much everything and everyone, save for Tamba and some older dragons in House Tessith, and is rarely seen without his sister by his side. Name: Echo Pronouns: She/her Species: Elemental (mixed: wood, water and earth) Age: Unknown Looks: - Humanoid torso - Translucent greenish-brown skin with bioluminescent gold freckles - Long bluish-green hair resembling leaves of a willow tree - Eel tail in place of legs Description: Echo is a very enigmatic being, even by the standards of elementals. She's implied to much older and more powerful than she appears, and like the dryads who tend to the dragons' hatchery, may have access to knowledge beyond. This knowledge is probably why she chose to take care of Stargaze after the drake's egg somehow found its way into her case, and also why she eventually drove the drake away. Name: Kyte Pronouns: They/them Species: Dragon Age: Winged Drake House: House Semscale Colour: Peach Moons: Liberty, Spirit, Storm, Void Looks: - Hornless, with 'winged' ears - Pale orange scales that fade to pink, like the sky at dawn - Round, hawk-like golden eyes - Long, bird-like legs ending in sharp talons - Small bumps above nose and down their back - Very thin Description: Originally belonging to a different pilgrimage clutch, circumstances have lead to Kyte being placed with the younger Tamba and Pleexem. As such, they've taken on an 'older sibling' roll to their new clutchmates, not as a leader but in that they're willing to do whatever it takes to keep their friends safe, even if it puts themself at risk.</s> <|message|>Garrock Kyte flinched away slightly when Skobeloff addressed them, clearly remembering the incident. They, however, decided not to comment. "If I may," Echo intervened, raising her hand to get the trickster's attention. She didn't seem at all surprised to have the drake suddenly appear in front of her, or his urgency. "While my physical body may be here, my presence - my senses - extend beyond. I can sense Garrock outside the den, keeping watch. So technically, he isn't alone. Not completely, and if something were to happen to him, I would be aware of it, and would do what I could to help him."</s> <|message|>Skobeloff Skobeloff Upon hearing Echo's words, Skobeloff breathed a sigh of relief when he heard that Garrock was ok. "Alright. That's good to know." Skobeloff said before turning to Shieldwing. "Sorry for going off on you like that." Skobeloff apologized. He then addressed everyone in the cave as he spoke his next words. "I've figured out what's causing the island's troubles." Skobeloff explained. "There is something on this island. Something dark enough to drag its victims into their Shadowselves. Something powerful enough to match the strongest of dragons. But at the same time, something cowardly enough that it won't attack unless you are alone or it has no other option."</s> <|message|>Garrock Echo nods towards Skobeloff. "You are correct," she says. "Have you perhaps encountered this creature yourself?" She then turns her head towards Alpin, who has been standing quietly beside Stargaze during this conversation. "But our friend Alpin can tell you far more than I can. After all, it was the brownies who first encountered this being, which is how they ended up in their current state." "Erm, yes," Alpin says, fidgetting slightly as he speaks. "We found this, erm, 'person' a little over two, maybe three weeks ago. They crash-landed near our village, fell clean out of the sky." He motions towards the drakes. "We thought, erm, it was one yours. A dragon, black dragon." He points towards Fellwing. "Like you! But also not like you, it's hard to describe. Like, their scales were dark, almost like darker than black, but also kind of see-through, like they were there but also not there at the same time." He shakes his head. "No one else seemed to notice that there was anything wrong with them, but they gave me the shivers. Anyway, they were out-cold for a few days, so we were watching over them, hoping they would wake up soon and tell us what had happened. While we were waiting, things started going... weird. Brownies started acting different, getting more snappy with each other. When they finally woke up, it got even worse."</s> <|message|>Skobeloff Skobeloff "You are correct," Echo said. "Have you perhaps encountered this creature yourself?" Skobeloff shook his head. "I doubt I'd be here if I had." The Trickster said. "I had a run in with one of its victims. She's fine now, but she is a bearded dragon and this thing overcame her regardless. Power will do us no good here. It's knowledge that we need." "Our friend Alpin can tell you far more than I can." Echo stated. "After all, it was the brownies who first encountered this being, which is how they ended up in their current state." Skobeloff listened to Alpin's words intently as the brownie explained the origins of the threat they faced. Paying careful attention to every detail as the story unfolded. "What happened then?" Skobeloff asked when Alpin paused after mentioning that the strange black dragon woke up.</s> <|message|>Garrock "Well, er..." Alpin motions vaguely to the exit outside the cave. "Have you, erm, seen what has happened to the brownies? They, err... aren't acting right." "I believe our young friend here has been lucky not to run into any infected creatures during his stay here," Echo chimes in. "But the brownies have become quite feral, and have taken to attacking people as if they are no better than beasts or monsters." She then turned her attention to Kyte. "Kyte, if you would please...?" The pale orange drake raises their head before nodding and unfurling their wings, revealing the black veins on one of the wings' membrane. "Kyte was bitten by one of the brownies while leading them away from their clutch," Echo says. "They were in a pretty bad state when I found them. I've used some of my magic to fight off the infection, but I couldn't stop it completely." She frowns. "It's part of the Darkness, yes, but not quite like any version of it I've seen before."</s> <|message|>Stargaze Stargaze Stargaze was quiet as she listened intently to the ongoing discussion. She had been startled by Skeboloff's change in demeanor at her answer, and was noticeably concerned. Echo, thankfully, reassured the group by informing them that she was keeping watch on Garrock. She couldn't help but wonder if the mentioned black dragon was someone who was overtaken by darkness. She looked to Kyte when he opened his wings to reveal the infection from a brownie bite. She gave a quiet gasp. While the others spoke, she tentatively approached Kyte. She was slow and careful in her steps so as to not startle Kyte, or to interrupt the conversation. When she was close enough, she inspected Kyte's wing carefully. She couldn't help but ask herself if there was anything she could do to help heal Kyte... She recalled Fellwing was able to make the flowers blossom with the power of the moons earlier. So what if she tried calling upon the moons to help heal Kyte? Even if it meant that she took on that darkness herself... She gently bonks the top of her head to Kyte's wing and closes her eyes as she quietly calls to the moons to help heal Kyte. She isn't sure if she's doing this correctly, but she was going to try anyways. Stargaze calls upon the Magic of the Moons, returning a Friendship Gem to Shieldwing... Rolled an 8</s>

<|message|>Garrock Kyte tenses up slightly as Stargaze approachs them, but otherwise says and does nothing as Stargaze attempted to heal their wing. Similar to how it was when Fellwing caused the flowers to bloom, there is a long pause where it seems like nothing is happening. Then, Stargaze feels the warm glow of the Spirit Moon channeling through as the dark veins on Kyte's wing start to fade away, being reduced to several small dark flecks. These spots attempt remain for a few moments, as if stubbornly trying to resist Stargaze's magic, but even these eventually fade away. Kyte's wing is now completely rid of the Darkness. "How..." Kyte steps away slowly, looking over their wing as they flex it. "I tried to use Moon Magic earlier but it didn't seem to do anything." After a moment of testing their wing, they look back to Stargaze with a mixture of surprise, gratitude... and just the smallest hint of guilt, likely remembering the the moments they stood by while Stonescale teased and made fun of Stargaze. "Thank you," they say after a long pause. Since meeting her earlier, Echo's expression has remained a small, tired smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. Upon seeing Stargaze pull of this miracle, however, her smile widens slightly and the bio-luminescent patches on her skin glow a warm amber as she radiates with strong pride at Staraze's accomplishment. "Remarkable," she says quietly, seeming to be talking more to herself than anyone else.</s>

<|description|>Skobeloff Pronouns: He, Him. Playbook: Trickster Color: Skobeloff Look: While no one can quite agree on the finer points of Skobeloff's appearance, there are enough common broad strokes to allow for a recognizable description. He's slightly shorter than most dragons his age. Most of his body is the color of his namesake, but his extremities gradually become either bluer or greener the further away from his torso they go. The one thing everyone agrees on though is that Skobeloff is rarely ever without a smile on his face. Stats: Charm: +2 Courage: 0 Cunning: -1 Virtue: Wit House & Obligation: Myndoth, the House of Oak: Trick someone into giving away a secret or vital piece of information. Moves: THE LONG GAME: When you reveal how an earlier failure is part of your larger plan, describe your machinations and roll +Charm. On a 10+, pick 2. On a 7-9, pick 1. - you've created an opportunity; the DM will tell you how you or an ally can claim it. - you've seized a position or resource; take +1 ongoing when you make use of it. - you've hidden something important; tell the DM why it might be revealed again. On a miss, you're the one who is blindsided by your own cleverness; your feint plays right into the hands of your opposition to disastrous and immediate effect. When you advance your signature move, mark a new potential benefit to your increasingly complex schemes. When you roll The Long Game, you may also find that: [X] you've discovered a secret; ask the DM a question, and they will answer honestly. [] you've rallied your friends; tell one clutchmate (your choice) to clear a Shadow. [] you've secured your next move; take 10+ instead of rolling to act despite danger. [] you've attracted a new ally; your opposition will have to deal with them first. Tell the DM how one of your enemies taught you this new trick, intentionally or not. A TONGUE OF SILVER: When you mislead or trick someone with fanciful stories or invented histories, roll +Charm instead of +Cunning. On a miss, your falsehoods cost you much more than the truth could have charged Advancement: Rawscale Drake: 5 You start with a +0 bonus to calling upon the Moons. [] take another move from your playbook [] take +1 to any stat (maximum of +3) [X] advance your signature move Winged Drake: You still have a +0 bonus to calling upon the Moons. [] take another move from your playbook [] take +1 to any stat (maximum of +3) [] advance your signature move Longtooth Dragon: You now have a +1 bonus to calling upon the Moons. [] take another move from another playbook [] take +1 to any stat (maximum of +3) [] advance your signature move Bearded Dragon: You now have a +2 bonus to calling upon the Moons. [] take a ritual of your House [] advance your signature move Elder Dragon: You now have a +3 bonus to calling upon the Moons. [] your house dedicates a stronghold to you [] retire your character, arise as an Ancient or a Mystic Moons: - Liberty Moon - Spirit Moon - Stone Moon - Storm Moon - Void Moon Shadow Track: [] Anger - Lash out at a friend. - Break something valuable - Escalate a delicate situation [] Doubt - Question a friend's loyalty - Steal something valuable - Reject a tradition [] Shame - Blame a friend for your mistakes - Mock or belittle someone vulnerable - Seek isolation or solitude [] Fear - Hide something from your friends - Avoid a difficult task - Exaggerate the danger of the situation Shadowself: You see the truths that everyone else avoids. They are so gullible, misled by the sweet lies of those who know better. And you do know better, enough to trick everyone into doing things your way. Make sure your clutch knows how they've been duped, how they dance like puppets on your strings. You are the Trickster. Return from your Shadowself when a friend convinces you that some dragons will stand with you of their own free will. Fellowship: Fellwing is a fellow prankster, a lover of tricks and jokes just like you. Explain how they once got one over on you, and give them a Friendship Gem. You know Stargaze looks to you when they want to get into trouble. Ask them how you exemplify their virtue and take a Friendship Gem from them. Shieldwing gave you their trust and confidence at a time when you knew you didn't deserve it. Ask them why they believed in you, and give them a Friendship Gem.</s> <|message|>Skobeloff Skobeloff Skobeloff continued pretending to be asleep, allowing Fogdance to place him inside the cell with the other sleeping drakes. Once inside, Skobeloff waited until he Fogdance had left and the sound of her footsteps had faded away into the distance before springing to his feet. He looked around the cell to see if he could find anything. Predictably, Skobeloff found nothing. With that out of the way, Skobeloff walked over to where his cellmates lay sleeping and gave them both a nudge to try and wake them up. Skobeloff attempts to survey the area, but rolls a 3 and misses.</s> <|message|>Garrock It didn't take much effort for Skobeloff to wake the other two drakes, namely because it turned out neither were actually asleep: as Skobeloff went to nudge one of the sleeping forms, he was immediately greeted with it opening its eyes, registering who was standing before them, and then wrapping their wings around the trickster in a relieved hug. "Thank the moons, a friendly face at last!" Skobeloff would recognise Tamba's voice immediately. The other figure in the room also sits up. "Careful, Tamba," he says in a hushed voice. Skobeloff can probably assume this other dragon is Pleexem, and from what it seems, the two of them had also been pretending to be asleep. "For all we know, he could be corrupted too!" "Oh, you're right!" Tamba immediately lets go of Skobeloff, takes a step back before craning her neck forward to look the blue drake up and down. "Hmm, it's actually hard to tell in this light, gimme a sec." She takes another step back before lifting up a claw, and glancing up at the sky. She mutters some sort of prayer, likely to one of the moons, before a small spark of light appears in her claw. It doesn't do much to light the room, but it does at least allow Skobeloff to better see Tamba and Pleexem's faces. While Skobeloff hadn't recognise Pleexem's name, he did recall seeing this dragon with Tamba a few times before. He also will notice a similarity in colour schemes and body shapes of the two other drakes, indicating that they're not only clutchmates, they're also probably related in some way. "Well, at least it's something," Tamba says as she looks at the light in her claw. "Do you know how tricky the moons have been since we've got here? I've been barely able to do any magic. Not sure if it's because of the Darkness being present on this island or simply because we're in a shaded area. Now, if you'll just..." The green dragon looks at Skobeloff again, scrutinizing him as if she's looking for something. After a moment, she glances over at Pleexem. "He seems alright. No wierd black veins OR any change in his colouration." Pleexem gives a small, somewhat skeptical 'hmm' but he does walk closer to the two of them, taking a seat next to Tamba. "If you say so," he mutters. "You know him better than I do, after all."</s> <|message|>Skobeloff Skobeloff "Whoa!" Skobeloff exclaimed as he was glomped by Tamba. "Thank the moons, a friendly face at last!" Tamba exclaimed in kind as she glomped Skobeloff. "I'm glad to see you as well, Tamba." Skobeloff said happily. "Careful, Tamba," The other drake spoke up then. "For all we know, he could be corrupted too!" "Oh, you're right!" Tamba said before letting go of Skobeloff and stepping back to examine him. "Hmm, it's actually hard to tell in this light, gimme a sec." "...It's been three seconds already, Tamba. What's the hold up?" Skobeloff said with a cheeky grin after three seconds of silence as he watched Tamba call upon the moons for light. "Well, at least it's something," Tamba said as a small mote of light flickered into existence on her claw. "Do you know how tricky the moons have been since we've got here? I've been barely able to do any magic. Not sure if it's because of the Darkness being present on this island or simply because we're in a shaded area. Now, if you'll just..." "Of course." Skobeloff complied as he allowed Tamba to check for any sign that Skobeloff was also his Shadowself. "He seems alright. No wierd black veins OR any change in his colouration." Tamba said to her fellow prisoner once she had confirmed that Skobeloff was untouched by the Shadows. "If you say so," The other drake muttered as he approached. "You know him better than I do, after all." "So what's been going on here exactly?" Skobeloff asked. "Why is Fogdance so obsessed with keeping everyone safe? How did things get to the point where the Darkness managed to claim her for its own ends?"</s> <|message|>Stargaze Stargaze Stargaze answers Alpin, "Hi Alpin! It's nice to meet you. I'm Stargaze! Echo raised me on this island," She then apologizes, "Sorry for startling you like that. Fellwing is able to have these really cool visions, and she must have seen you in one of them," She continues "Oh, right! Thank you for helping us out of that mess! We're trying to get to Echo and see what's going on with Home,"</s> <|message|>Garrock At Skobeloff's question, the two younger drakes exchange a look. "Well, we have a good idea of when it happened," Tamba began. "We're a little more fuzzy on the 'how' and the 'why'." "She's been acting strangely ever since we got here," Pleexem interjected. "Even before things started going wrong, she's just been so jumpy." "You're one to talk," Tamba said with a snort. She turned her head back to Skobeloff. "Besides us two and her, there were four other dragons with us. Vipereyes and Alto were among them." Skobeloff will recognise those names as members of Myndoth, a bearded and long-tooth dragon respectfully, and from he knows of them, it's easy to see why they were chosen for this specific mission: Vipereyes is Myndoth's expert on poisonous fauna and flora, while Alto - short for Altostratus - was a budding crafter who was known for rarely speaking the common dragon tongue but preferred instead to either use sign language or one of the elemental languages, all of which he was fluent in. "There's also Maug, who's from Tessith, like me and Fogdance. And finally, there was Kyte." "They're the other member of our clutch," Tamba explained, motioning between herself and Pleexem. "They're from Semscale. Since we're still new to working together and me and Pleexem were already going to be here representing our Houses, our Sponsor thought they should come along with us, as a team-building exercise of sorts." Pleexem grimaced. "Obviously, they weren't expecting things to turn out like this." "The island was perfectly fine for the first few days," Tamba continued. "Fogdance was on edge, yes, and we were having a couple of disputes with the local pixie village about expanding the stronghold and how that would cut into their territory. That was a whole mess, but we seemed to have come to agreement." She sighed. "Then one night, we just started hearing strange sounds. The next morning we found claw marks on the trees. We thought the few pixies who still disagreed with us were playing some sort of trick to try and get us to leave, but when we went to confront them about it, they got mad at us. Apparently, some of the pixies had gone missing the night before, and they of coursed blamed us." "That went on for a couple of days," Pleexem added. "More pixies disappeared, more weird sounds in the middle of the night." "We noticed how quiet the forest was during the day, too. Vipereyes noted how she saw less and less fauna around the place, and Alto told us he hadn't felt the presence of elementals either. We decided after a while we should send word back to the Capitol. Maug offered to act as messenger, so they left." Tamba lowers her head solemly. "We never saw them again, and we never heard anything back." "Until you showed up, that is," Pleexem pointed out. "You're the first word we've heard from anyone in weeks." He looks at Skobeloff with a mixture of hope and dread. "Did... did Maug ever reach the Capitol? Are they okay?" --- Stargaze's explanation did nothing to ease Alpin's surprised expression. "You had a vision? About me?" he says, looking up at Fellwing. He looks a little embarrassed. "I wasn't doing anything stupid in your vision, was I?" He then looks to Stargaze when she mentioned Echo. "Echo..." Alpin repeated, a hint of recognition in his voice. "Right. She's the elemental who lives near that willow tree." He nods. "Yeah I think I know the way to her place. Thankfully, it's in the more watery part of the swamp, which means we're not likely to run into any more brownies. Not many of us really like swimming." He frowns as he gestures to his surroundings. "I mean, I ain't particularly fond of it myself but if keeps us safe, it keeps us safe."</s>

<|message|>Skobeloff "Well seeing how this is the first time I've heard mention of anyone called Maug, he either didn't make it or someone high up decided to keep a lid on his arrival and message." Skobeloff said. "Either way, we can do nothing about that or anything else while were locked in here. Fortunately, I can get us out. But before I do, I need to know a little bit more about who I'm working with here." Skobeloff turned to Tamba. "I already know your capabilities in matters academical. Especially when it comes to the subjects covered by Lung-Kwan's Famous Dragons and What They Did." Skobeloff told her. "I expect that should come into play quite nicely later. But if there's any other capability you feel we should know, feel free to make mention of it." Once Tamba was done speaking, Skobeloff would nod and then turn to Pleexem. "You I am not so familiar with. So I don't know what you can do." The rawscale Trickster stated. "Tell me about yourself. The more detail you can give me, the better able I shall be to bring you into my plan."</s>

<|description|>Skobeloff Pronouns: He, Him. Playbook: Trickster Color: Skobeloff Look: While no one can quite agree on the finer points of Skobeloff's appearance, there are enough common broad strokes to allow for a recognizable description. He's slightly shorter than most dragons his age. Most of his body is the color of his namesake, but his extremities gradually become either bluer or greener the further away from his torso they go. The one thing everyone agrees on though is that Skobeloff is rarely ever without a smile on his face. Stats: Charm: +2 Courage: 0 Cunning: -1 Virtue: Wit House & Obligation: Myndoth, the House of Oak: Trick someone into giving away a secret or vital piece of information. Moves: THE LONG GAME: When you reveal how an earlier failure is part of your larger plan, describe your machinations and roll +Charm. On a 10+, pick 2. On a 7-9, pick 1. - you've created an opportunity; the DM will tell you how you or an ally can claim it. - you've seized a position or resource; take +1 ongoing when you make use of it. - you've hidden something important; tell the DM why it might be revealed again. On a miss, you're the one who is blindsided by your own cleverness; your feint plays right into the hands of your opposition to disastrous and immediate effect. When you advance your signature move, mark a new potential benefit to your increasingly complex schemes. When you roll The Long Game, you may also find that: [X] you've discovered a secret; ask the DM a question, and they will answer honestly. [] you've rallied your friends; tell one clutchmate (your choice) to clear a Shadow. [] you've secured your next move; take 10+ instead of rolling to act despite danger. [] you've attracted a new ally; your opposition will have to deal with them first. Tell the DM how one of your enemies taught you this new trick, intentionally or not. A TONGUE OF SILVER: When you mislead or trick someone with fanciful stories or invented histories, roll +Charm instead of +Cunning. On a miss, your falsehoods cost you much more than the truth could have charged Advancement: Rawscale Drake: 5 You start with a +0 bonus to calling upon the Moons. [] take another move from your playbook [] take +1 to any stat (maximum of +3) [X] advance your signature move Winged Drake: You still have a +0 bonus to calling upon the Moons. [] take another move from your playbook [] take +1 to any stat (maximum of +3) [] advance your signature move Longtooth Dragon: You now have a +1 bonus to calling upon the Moons. [] take another move from another playbook [] take +1 to any stat (maximum of +3) [] advance your signature move Bearded Dragon: You now have a +2 bonus to calling upon the Moons. [] take a ritual of your House [] advance your signature move Elder Dragon: You now have a +3 bonus to calling upon the Moons. [] your house dedicates a stronghold to you [] retire your character, arise as an Ancient or a Mystic Moons: - Liberty Moon - Spirit Moon - Stone Moon - Storm Moon - Void Moon Shadow Track: [] Anger - Lash out at a friend. - Break something valuable - Escalate a delicate situation [] Doubt - Question a friend's loyalty - Steal something valuable - Reject a tradition [] Shame - Blame a friend for your mistakes - Mock or belittle someone vulnerable - Seek isolation or solitude [] Fear - Hide something from your friends - Avoid a difficult task - Exaggerate the danger of the situation Shadowself: You see the truths that everyone else avoids. They are so gullible, misled by the sweet lies of those who know better. And you do know better, enough to trick everyone into doing things your way. Make sure your clutch knows how they've been duped, how they dance like puppets on your strings. You are the Trickster. Return from your Shadowself when a friend convinces you that some dragons will stand with you of their own free will. Fellowship: Fellwing is a fellow prankster, a lover of tricks and jokes just like you. Explain how they once got one over on you, and give them a Friendship Gem. You know Stargaze looks to you when they want to get into trouble. Ask them how you exemplify their virtue and take a Friendship Gem from them. Shieldwing gave you their trust and confidence at a time when you knew you didn't deserve it. Ask them why they believed in you, and give them a Friendship Gem.</s> <|message|>Stargaze Stargaze Stargaze could only listen as Fellwing asked Echo her numerous questions, and Shieldwing had introduced themselves as her clutchmates. She added onto his introduction happily for a moment, remembering she wanted to introduce them to Echo, "Yeah, they're my friends!" Her tail wagged happily, but not as fast as it did when they first arrived here. It was slower because she was worried about Echo's condition and the events happening here. Naturally, Echo suggested that they talk more in the cave. She nodded in agreement. After Echo reassured Alpin that she can help him, she also offered, "I can help too if you need it," She then nods to her friends and starts to lead them into the cave.</s> <|message|>Garrock After Skobeloff's response, both of the twins nodded with only slight hesitance. "Me and Pleexem also both swear not to tell anyone," Tamba said. "Y-yeah," Pleexem stammered. "Sure." "Okay," Fogdance said. She turned her eyes up towards the ceiling as she began her tale. "I don't know when I first realised I wanted to be a mother. I've always had a skill for nurturing and teaching younger dragons. Even when I was a drake myself, I always found myself naturally trying to aid and protect those younger than me. It was instinct. So, when I was going to have my first clutch of eggs, you can imagine I was very excited. Me and my partners had at eleven eggs, and while I knew that most of the raising of drakes is done by their House, I expected at least one of my children would end up in Tessith. Regardless, I promised myself I would do my best to support and care for all of them, wherever they ended up." Fogdance gives a heavy sigh, and all three drakes are able to see obvious pain in her expression. "However, things didn't go how I expected. Out of those eleven eggs, only two hatched." She lowers her head. "It... happens sometimes. Not often, but it happens. Just one of those cruel facts of life." Her eyes start to shine with tears. "Everyone tried to comfort me, of course, tell me it wasn't my fault. Truthfully, I don't know if there is anything I could have done differently, but the fact is, I had lost nine of my children." She brushes away an emerging tear with the back of her claw. "To make matters worse, the two that survived did not end up in House Tessith. You may have met them. Their names are Hopa and Aziri." She attempts a weak smile. "I am very proud of them both, and I do what I can to support them. However, the sad fact is, at the end of the day they belong to their Houses, not to me. I cannot be there all the time to protect them, to brush away their tears and scare away their fears." A edge of coldness starts to enter her tone. "And that... that started to make me realise how flawed Dragon society truly is, how the Houses may not be the ideal way to raise and care for our young." She starts to look at the three drakes in the room. "I know I probably shouldn't be saying such things in front of young, impressionable drakes, but if the Council thinks you are all old enough to go on such missions, perhaps you are old enough to start questioning the world around you." Her eyes stop on Skobeloff. "So, after some time of grieving and trying to get by, I decided that I would try and have a new lot of eggs, raised outside the safety and structure of the Houses. Me and another dragon, not of my affinity clutch and one who I will keep anonymous for their sake, decided to have a clutch of eggs outside of the confines of the Houses. We would raise in secret, caring for them ourselves. Then, when they were at least of winged drake age, we would present them to the Council. We would show them how good our children, how they had grown to be fine dragons without the system restricting and influencing them." She gives a small, sad laugh. "We honestly thought we could change society, that we could bring down the Houses and show them a new way, a better way." She sighs again. "But, just as before, things didn't work out the way I wanted." --- As the drakes and Alpin stepped out onto the river's surface, they notice the water feels solid enough for them to walk on, feeling not unlike walking on a sheet of glass. However, before they can fully comprehend this, all four of them are suddenly pulled beneath the surface. For Stargaze, this isn't too unusual as she seen Echo do this trick before, but it will be a little disorientating for everyone else as they realise that, despite being underwater, they can still breathe and speak like normal. They all seem to be contained within a large bubble of air that is slowly being pushed forwards, into the mouth of the cave. During their journey, they will notice that just like on dry land, there is not any sign of life beneath the water either. No fish, plankton, nothing. Just the swaying of water plants, and even that seems more stilted than it should be. Eventually, the bubble bring them back up to the surface, where they find that same cave Fellwing saw in her vision. And, just like her vision, the pale orange winged drake can be seen, lying and resting on the rocks. They raise their head as the group emerges. "Back so soon, Echo? Were you able to find something better to-" They stop mid-sentence as they realise that they are not addressing the elemental. They get to their feet immediately and come bounding over. "Thank the moons! I was starting to think the Council had forgotten about us!" While it is dim in the cave, there is enough bio-luminescent plants to provide a light source, allowing everyone to be able to see this dragon. While it takes a moment, Shieldwing will eventually be able to recognise them. Though he can't recall their name exactly, he will know them as a dragon he used to see hanging around his rival and bully Stonescale. However, despite being able to recognise them, it doesn't seem this drake has recognised Shieldwing yet, as they are beaming happily at all of the drakes.</s> <|message|>Skobeloff Skobeloff Skobeloff sat in silence and listened as Fogdance told her story. The tragic nature of the tale was quick to wipe the smile from his face once more. He knew all too well that some eggs simply didn't hatch. Skobeloff forced those memories back into the dark recesses from which they had reared their heads and continued to listen as Fogdance spoke of the two that did survive. Hopa and Aziri. the names were vaguely familiar, but Skobeloff found himself unable to attach faces to them. He likely heard their names in passing or passed by them at some point, but it probably wasn't a very distinct encounter to him. At very least, Skobeloff was fairly certain that neither of them were in House Myndoth. Then Fogdance revealed the reason why she had sworn the drakes to silence before speaking on this. The occasional Orphan or Rebel was one thing. As was the odd reservation regarding how things were run on the Moonlit Isles. Skobeloff was no stranger to such things, having become clutchmates with Stargaze, who was herself an Orphan. But an entire clutch raised away from the Houses? That sort of daring was rare enough to be practically unheard of. Regardless, Skobeloff gave no indication that he thought less of Fogdance because of her actions. When she paused for a moment after stating that her plan to raise a Houseless clutch in secret didn't pan out any batter than he first attempt at having children, Skobeloff gave Fogdance a warm smile. "I know this must be difficult for you. But you're doing well." He said reassuringly. "Take your time and continue whenever you feel ready to do so. We can wait." As he waited, Skobeloff took a moment to glance over at the twins to see how they were reacting to things. They had been just as quiet during Fogdance's explanation as Skobeloff had been, so hopefully they were taking it as well as he was. Skobeloff studies Tamba and Pleexem. He rolls a 13 and learns who they are holding a grudge against and what they are hoarding.</s> <|message|>Garrock Tamba made no indication that she thought any less of Fogdance during this conversation, though her eyes shone with a sadness that indicated that she felt sympathy for the older dragon and listening keenly to everything she said. Pleexem on the other claw seemed very uncomfortable, though in the brief time Skobeloff had known the lilac dragon he had never seemed particularly relaxed. He kept glancing towards Tamba, also seeming to want to know what she makes of all this. Seeing that she seems to be listening, he merely looks back at Fogdance. Skobeloff can get the sense that he does not want to be in this conversation or part of anything that is currently going on. At one point, he glances towards Skobeloff, and in that brief moment where the two's eyes meet, he gets sense that Pleexem is not happy that the trickster has gotten them into this situation. After all, he's not a member of House Myndoth like his sister, and is likely far less fond of keeping the secrets of others, at least those that do not belong either to himself or his twin. Fogdance doesn't seem to notice Pleexem's discomfort, as he is currently giving a soft but sad smile at Skobeloff. "Thank you, dear, just give me second," she said, wiping yet another tear away. She takes a moment to steady herself before she continues. "Anyway, I didn't get the opportunity to see my second clutch hatch. One day, me and my partner came back to find the entire nest destroyed by some Monster. A few eggs were missing, and those that were still there had been smashed. We tried our best to find what had happened to the missing eggs, but we never found them." She looks between the three drakes. "I think, while I was taken over by the Darkness, I saw you three as my lost children. Any drakes who somehow survived would be somewhere between your ages after all." She shakes her head. "But no. My children are gone. Even if their eggs survived the Monster attack, how would they have lived out in the wild without anyone to care for them? It's not possible."</s>

<|message|>Skobeloff "You've done well, Fogdance. Saying all of this, dredging up all of these painful memories, mustn't have been pleasant for you." Skobeloff said once Fogdance had finished speaking. "Because of that though, I believe the mystery regarding your brush with the Darkness is solved. When you went out in search of Kyte, you found something else instead. Something dark and devious. Something that plays on pain to give the Darkness a way in. Something against which we'll need to be able to defend ourselves. But how?"</s>

<|description|>Skobeloff Pronouns: He, Him. Playbook: Trickster Color: Skobeloff Look: While no one can quite agree on the finer points of Skobeloff's appearance, there are enough common broad strokes to allow for a recognizable description. He's slightly shorter than most dragons his age. Most of his body is the color of his namesake, but his extremities gradually become either bluer or greener the further away from his torso they go. The one thing everyone agrees on though is that Skobeloff is rarely ever without a smile on his face. Stats: Charm: +2 Courage: 0 Cunning: -1 Virtue: Wit House & Obligation: Myndoth, the House of Oak: Trick someone into giving away a secret or vital piece of information. Moves: THE LONG GAME: When you reveal how an earlier failure is part of your larger plan, describe your machinations and roll +Charm. On a 10+, pick 2. On a 7-9, pick 1. - you've created an opportunity; the DM will tell you how you or an ally can claim it. - you've seized a position or resource; take +1 ongoing when you make use of it. - you've hidden something important; tell the DM why it might be revealed again. On a miss, you're the one who is blindsided by your own cleverness; your feint plays right into the hands of your opposition to disastrous and immediate effect. When you advance your signature move, mark a new potential benefit to your increasingly complex schemes. When you roll The Long Game, you may also find that: [X] you've discovered a secret; ask the DM a question, and they will answer honestly. [] you've rallied your friends; tell one clutchmate (your choice) to clear a Shadow. [] you've secured your next move; take 10+ instead of rolling to act despite danger. [] you've attracted a new ally; your opposition will have to deal with them first. Tell the DM how one of your enemies taught you this new trick, intentionally or not. A TONGUE OF SILVER: When you mislead or trick someone with fanciful stories or invented histories, roll +Charm instead of +Cunning. On a miss, your falsehoods cost you much more than the truth could have charged Advancement: Rawscale Drake: 5 You start with a +0 bonus to calling upon the Moons. [] take another move from your playbook [] take +1 to any stat (maximum of +3) [X] advance your signature move Winged Drake: You still have a +0 bonus to calling upon the Moons. [] take another move from your playbook [] take +1 to any stat (maximum of +3) [] advance your signature move Longtooth Dragon: You now have a +1 bonus to calling upon the Moons. [] take another move from another playbook [] take +1 to any stat (maximum of +3) [] advance your signature move Bearded Dragon: You now have a +2 bonus to calling upon the Moons. [] take a ritual of your House [] advance your signature move Elder Dragon: You now have a +3 bonus to calling upon the Moons. [] your house dedicates a stronghold to you [] retire your character, arise as an Ancient or a Mystic Moons: - Liberty Moon - Spirit Moon - Stone Moon - Storm Moon - Void Moon Shadow Track: [] Anger - Lash out at a friend. - Break something valuable - Escalate a delicate situation [] Doubt - Question a friend's loyalty - Steal something valuable - Reject a tradition [] Shame - Blame a friend for your mistakes - Mock or belittle someone vulnerable - Seek isolation or solitude [] Fear - Hide something from your friends - Avoid a difficult task - Exaggerate the danger of the situation Shadowself: You see the truths that everyone else avoids. They are so gullible, misled by the sweet lies of those who know better. And you do know better, enough to trick everyone into doing things your way. Make sure your clutch knows how they've been duped, how they dance like puppets on your strings. You are the Trickster. Return from your Shadowself when a friend convinces you that some dragons will stand with you of their own free will. Fellowship: Fellwing is a fellow prankster, a lover of tricks and jokes just like you. Explain how they once got one over on you, and give them a Friendship Gem. You know Stargaze looks to you when they want to get into trouble. Ask them how you exemplify their virtue and take a Friendship Gem from them. Shieldwing gave you their trust and confidence at a time when you knew you didn't deserve it. Ask them why they believed in you, and give them a Friendship Gem.</s> <|message|>Stargaze Stargaze Stargaze blinked as Shieldwing stepped in front of her to instinctively protect her. She wanted to stop a fight from happening, but Fellwing already spoke for her. She listened, curious about Kyte's answers to her clutchmates' questions. But he didn't give them an answer. Instead he just dismissed it. Stargaze couldn't help but get the sense that something terrible must have happened between him and Stonescale. Before she could ask, Echo arrived. Stargaze's tail is no longer tucked between her legs, and instead she looked happier to see Echo once again. She greeted Echo, "Echo! We--" Before she could even finish speaking, a swirling vortex of sand appeared next to her, and with a flourish it dissipated to reveal it was Skobeloff! Before Stargaze could say anything, she found herself coughing and blinking rapidly. She accidentally inhaled some of that sand and some of it got in her eyes. After she got rid of the sand, she spoke in surprise and happiness, "Skobeloff! You're okay! But how--?!" Then he turned his attention to Echo and Kyte. She was glad to see that he was polite to Echo. But, after he spoke to Kyte, she spoke up softly, "Skobeloff, Don't. Leave him alone. He's not with Stonescale anymore," When he asked about Garrock, she answered him, "He's outside of the cave,"</s> <|message|>Skobeloff Skobeloff "He's... outside of the cave." Skobeloff said, the smile having fallen from his face the moment he heard those words. "Please tell me you didn't leave him on his own out there."</s> <|message|>Shieldwing, the Warrior of Shieldwing "Hm...." came Shieldwing's response to Kyte's words. He looked like he was about to add something when Fellwing spoke up again. "Huh...?" he murmured, glancing back at Fellwing, and he couldn't help but frown slightly from her words...but more her tone. "H-hey, what're you...? I-I'm not doing anything, I'm just-!" However, before he could begin to defend himself, there was sudden movement from behind them! Shieldwing's guard was immediately and instinctively raised and he jumped defensively closer to his clutchmates! He was put even more on edge when he realized...that this wasn't some intruder bursting their way into Echo's cave...but a cloud of...multi-colored...sand...? What in the moons kind of creatures was this!? Was this just another natural part of the islands? However, as he stood defensively, ready for whatever challenge this strange rainbow sand was going to offer, the sand landed on the ground in front of them in a heap. And a moment later, it reformed...into a very familiar face. At first, Shieldwing's face exuded signs of relief and gratitude to see his missing clutchmate back once more! However...he couldn't help but scowl slightly as Skobellof made his entrance with a boast and, in the verdant dragon's words "triumph" and "excitement." Finally, Shieldwing had just about had it. He stepped forward, opening his mouth to say something about just how he felt about how reckless the other dragon had been. Now that Garrock wasn't around, this was his chance to finally tell his clutchmate just exactly how he truly felt about what had happened. However, just as he did so, Skobellof mentioned something that caught him by surprise. "L-look, just forget about Kyte for a second," Shieldwing said, stepping forward again. "He's hurt and we need to make sure he doesn't get worse. We'll take care of that and help him in a bit. And I've got some words for you, but that'll wait too. First, what do you mean? Why is it a big deal if we leave Garrock alone? Of course we did, he couldn't fit in here. But it's fine. He's easily bigger and stronger than all of us combined and can take care of himself. Plus, he's sick of babysitting us anyway-" Shieldwing rolled his eyes at that. "-so he wanted the break anyway. What's the problem?"</s> <|message|>Skobeloff Skobeloff "L-look, just forget about Kyte for a-" Was all Shieldwing had time to say before being interrupted. "I have." Skobeloff snapped at his clutchmate, the Trickster's face now a picture of worry and panic. "Now answer my question!" "Why is it a big deal if we leave Garrock alone? Of course we did, he couldn't fit in here. But it's fi-" "NO IT ISN'T!" Skobeloff cut Shieldwing off again before turning away and looking around at the others. "If Garrock is alone then he is in danger! We have to get to him! Fast!"</s> <|message|>Garrock Kyte flinched away slightly when Skobeloff addressed them, clearly remembering the incident. They, however, decided not to comment. "If I may," Echo intervened, raising her hand to get the trickster's attention. She didn't seem at all surprised to have the drake suddenly appear in front of her, or his urgency. "While my physical body may be here, my presence - my senses - extend beyond. I can sense Garrock outside the den, keeping watch. So technically, he isn't alone. Not completely, and if something were to happen to him, I would be aware of it, and would do what I could to help him."</s> <|message|>Skobeloff Skobeloff Upon hearing Echo's words, Skobeloff breathed a sigh of relief when he heard that Garrock was ok. "Alright. That's good to know." Skobeloff said before turning to Shieldwing. "Sorry for going off on you like that." Skobeloff apologized. He then addressed everyone in the cave as he spoke his next words. "I've figured out what's causing the island's troubles." Skobeloff explained. "There is something on this island. Something dark enough to drag its victims into their Shadowselves. Something powerful enough to match the strongest of dragons. But at the same time, something cowardly enough that it won't attack unless you are alone or it has no other option."</s> <|message|>Garrock Echo nods towards Skobeloff. "You are correct," she says. "Have you perhaps encountered this creature yourself?" She then turns her head towards Alpin, who has been standing quietly beside Stargaze during this conversation. "But our friend Alpin can tell you far more than I can. After all, it was the brownies who first encountered this being, which is how they ended up in their current state." "Erm, yes," Alpin says, fidgetting slightly as he speaks. "We found this, erm, 'person' a little over two, maybe three weeks ago. They crash-landed near our village, fell clean out of the sky." He motions towards the drakes. "We thought, erm, it was one yours. A dragon, black dragon." He points towards Fellwing. "Like you! But also not like you, it's hard to describe. Like, their scales were dark, almost like darker than black, but also kind of see-through, like they were there but also not there at the same time." He shakes his head. "No one else seemed to notice that there was anything wrong with them, but they gave me the shivers. Anyway, they were out-cold for a few days, so we were watching over them, hoping they would wake up soon and tell us what had happened. While we were waiting, things started going... weird. Brownies started acting different, getting more snappy with each other. When they finally woke up, it got even worse."</s>

<|message|>Skobeloff "You are correct," Echo said. "Have you perhaps encountered this creature yourself?" Skobeloff shook his head. "I doubt I'd be here if I had." The Trickster said. "I had a run in with one of its victims. She's fine now, but she is a bearded dragon and this thing overcame her regardless. Power will do us no good here. It's knowledge that we need." "Our friend Alpin can tell you far more than I can." Echo stated. "After all, it was the brownies who first encountered this being, which is how they ended up in their current state." Skobeloff listened to Alpin's words intently as the brownie explained the origins of the threat they faced. Paying careful attention to every detail as the story unfolded. "What happened then?" Skobeloff asked when Alpin paused after mentioning that the strange black dragon woke up.</s>

<|description|>Skobeloff Pronouns: He, Him. Playbook: Trickster Color: Skobeloff Look: While no one can quite agree on the finer points of Skobeloff's appearance, there are enough common broad strokes to allow for a recognizable description. He's slightly shorter than most dragons his age. Most of his body is the color of his namesake, but his extremities gradually become either bluer or greener the further away from his torso they go. The one thing everyone agrees on though is that Skobeloff is rarely ever without a smile on his face. Stats: Charm: +2 Courage: 0 Cunning: -1 Virtue: Wit House & Obligation: Myndoth, the House of Oak: Trick someone into giving away a secret or vital piece of information. Moves: THE LONG GAME: When you reveal how an earlier failure is part of your larger plan, describe your machinations and roll +Charm. On a 10+, pick 2. On a 7-9, pick 1. - you've created an opportunity; the DM will tell you how you or an ally can claim it. - you've seized a position or resource; take +1 ongoing when you make use of it. - you've hidden something important; tell the DM why it might be revealed again. On a miss, you're the one who is blindsided by your own cleverness; your feint plays right into the hands of your opposition to disastrous and immediate effect. When you advance your signature move, mark a new potential benefit to your increasingly complex schemes. When you roll The Long Game, you may also find that: [X] you've discovered a secret; ask the DM a question, and they will answer honestly. [] you've rallied your friends; tell one clutchmate (your choice) to clear a Shadow. [] you've secured your next move; take 10+ instead of rolling to act despite danger. [] you've attracted a new ally; your opposition will have to deal with them first. Tell the DM how one of your enemies taught you this new trick, intentionally or not. A TONGUE OF SILVER: When you mislead or trick someone with fanciful stories or invented histories, roll +Charm instead of +Cunning. On a miss, your falsehoods cost you much more than the truth could have charged Advancement: Rawscale Drake: 5 You start with a +0 bonus to calling upon the Moons. [] take another move from your playbook [] take +1 to any stat (maximum of +3) [X] advance your signature move Winged Drake: You still have a +0 bonus to calling upon the Moons. [] take another move from your playbook [] take +1 to any stat (maximum of +3) [] advance your signature move Longtooth Dragon: You now have a +1 bonus to calling upon the Moons. [] take another move from another playbook [] take +1 to any stat (maximum of +3) [] advance your signature move Bearded Dragon: You now have a +2 bonus to calling upon the Moons. [] take a ritual of your House [] advance your signature move Elder Dragon: You now have a +3 bonus to calling upon the Moons. [] your house dedicates a stronghold to you [] retire your character, arise as an Ancient or a Mystic Moons: - Liberty Moon - Spirit Moon - Stone Moon - Storm Moon - Void Moon Shadow Track: [] Anger - Lash out at a friend. - Break something valuable - Escalate a delicate situation [] Doubt - Question a friend's loyalty - Steal something valuable - Reject a tradition [] Shame - Blame a friend for your mistakes - Mock or belittle someone vulnerable - Seek isolation or solitude [] Fear - Hide something from your friends - Avoid a difficult task - Exaggerate the danger of the situation Shadowself: You see the truths that everyone else avoids. They are so gullible, misled by the sweet lies of those who know better. And you do know better, enough to trick everyone into doing things your way. Make sure your clutch knows how they've been duped, how they dance like puppets on your strings. You are the Trickster. Return from your Shadowself when a friend convinces you that some dragons will stand with you of their own free will. Fellowship: Fellwing is a fellow prankster, a lover of tricks and jokes just like you. Explain how they once got one over on you, and give them a Friendship Gem. You know Stargaze looks to you when they want to get into trouble. Ask them how you exemplify their virtue and take a Friendship Gem from them. Shieldwing gave you their trust and confidence at a time when you knew you didn't deserve it. Ask them why they believed in you, and give them a Friendship Gem.</s> <|message|>Skobeloff Skobeloff "L-look, just forget about Kyte for a-" Was all Shieldwing had time to say before being interrupted. "I have." Skobeloff snapped at his clutchmate, the Trickster's face now a picture of worry and panic. "Now answer my question!" "Why is it a big deal if we leave Garrock alone? Of course we did, he couldn't fit in here. But it's fi-" "NO IT ISN'T!" Skobeloff cut Shieldwing off again before turning away and looking around at the others. "If Garrock is alone then he is in danger! We have to get to him! Fast!"</s> <|message|>Garrock Kyte flinched away slightly when Skobeloff addressed them, clearly remembering the incident. They, however, decided not to comment. "If I may," Echo intervened, raising her hand to get the trickster's attention. She didn't seem at all surprised to have the drake suddenly appear in front of her, or his urgency. "While my physical body may be here, my presence - my senses - extend beyond. I can sense Garrock outside the den, keeping watch. So technically, he isn't alone. Not completely, and if something were to happen to him, I would be aware of it, and would do what I could to help him."</s> <|message|>Skobeloff Skobeloff Upon hearing Echo's words, Skobeloff breathed a sigh of relief when he heard that Garrock was ok. "Alright. That's good to know." Skobeloff said before turning to Shieldwing. "Sorry for going off on you like that." Skobeloff apologized. He then addressed everyone in the cave as he spoke his next words. "I've figured out what's causing the island's troubles." Skobeloff explained. "There is something on this island. Something dark enough to drag its victims into their Shadowselves. Something powerful enough to match the strongest of dragons. But at the same time, something cowardly enough that it won't attack unless you are alone or it has no other option."</s> <|message|>Garrock Echo nods towards Skobeloff. "You are correct," she says. "Have you perhaps encountered this creature yourself?" She then turns her head towards Alpin, who has been standing quietly beside Stargaze during this conversation. "But our friend Alpin can tell you far more than I can. After all, it was the brownies who first encountered this being, which is how they ended up in their current state." "Erm, yes," Alpin says, fidgetting slightly as he speaks. "We found this, erm, 'person' a little over two, maybe three weeks ago. They crash-landed near our village, fell clean out of the sky." He motions towards the drakes. "We thought, erm, it was one yours. A dragon, black dragon." He points towards Fellwing. "Like you! But also not like you, it's hard to describe. Like, their scales were dark, almost like darker than black, but also kind of see-through, like they were there but also not there at the same time." He shakes his head. "No one else seemed to notice that there was anything wrong with them, but they gave me the shivers. Anyway, they were out-cold for a few days, so we were watching over them, hoping they would wake up soon and tell us what had happened. While we were waiting, things started going... weird. Brownies started acting different, getting more snappy with each other. When they finally woke up, it got even worse."</s> <|message|>Skobeloff Skobeloff "You are correct," Echo said. "Have you perhaps encountered this creature yourself?" Skobeloff shook his head. "I doubt I'd be here if I had." The Trickster said. "I had a run in with one of its victims. She's fine now, but she is a bearded dragon and this thing overcame her regardless. Power will do us no good here. It's knowledge that we need." "Our friend Alpin can tell you far more than I can." Echo stated. "After all, it was the brownies who first encountered this being, which is how they ended up in their current state." Skobeloff listened to Alpin's words intently as the brownie explained the origins of the threat they faced. Paying careful attention to every detail as the story unfolded. "What happened then?" Skobeloff asked when Alpin paused after mentioning that the strange black dragon woke up.</s> <|message|>Garrock "Well, er..." Alpin motions vaguely to the exit outside the cave. "Have you, erm, seen what has happened to the brownies? They, err... aren't acting right." "I believe our young friend here has been lucky not to run into any infected creatures during his stay here," Echo chimes in. "But the brownies have become quite feral, and have taken to attacking people as if they are no better than beasts or monsters." She then turned her attention to Kyte. "Kyte, if you would please...?" The pale orange drake raises their head before nodding and unfurling their wings, revealing the black veins on one of the wings' membrane. "Kyte was bitten by one of the brownies while leading them away from their clutch," Echo says. "They were in a pretty bad state when I found them. I've used some of my magic to fight off the infection, but I couldn't stop it completely." She frowns. "It's part of the Darkness, yes, but not quite like any version of it I've seen before."</s> <|message|>Stargaze Stargaze Stargaze was quiet as she listened intently to the ongoing discussion. She had been startled by Skeboloff's change in demeanor at her answer, and was noticeably concerned. Echo, thankfully, reassured the group by informing them that she was keeping watch on Garrock. She couldn't help but wonder if the mentioned black dragon was someone who was overtaken by darkness. She looked to Kyte when he opened his wings to reveal the infection from a brownie bite. She gave a quiet gasp. While the others spoke, she tentatively approached Kyte. She was slow and careful in her steps so as to not startle Kyte, or to interrupt the conversation. When she was close enough, she inspected Kyte's wing carefully. She couldn't help but ask herself if there was anything she could do to help heal Kyte... She recalled Fellwing was able to make the flowers blossom with the power of the moons earlier. So what if she tried calling upon the moons to help heal Kyte? Even if it meant that she took on that darkness herself... She gently bonks the top of her head to Kyte's wing and closes her eyes as she quietly calls to the moons to help heal Kyte. She isn't sure if she's doing this correctly, but she was going to try anyways. Stargaze calls upon the Magic of the Moons, returning a Friendship Gem to Shieldwing... Rolled an 8</s> <|message|>Garrock Kyte tenses up slightly as Stargaze approachs them, but otherwise says and does nothing as Stargaze attempted to heal their wing. Similar to how it was when Fellwing caused the flowers to bloom, there is a long pause where it seems like nothing is happening. Then, Stargaze feels the warm glow of the Spirit Moon channeling through as the dark veins on Kyte's wing start to fade away, being reduced to several small dark flecks. These spots attempt remain for a few moments, as if stubbornly trying to resist Stargaze's magic, but even these eventually fade away. Kyte's wing is now completely rid of the Darkness. "How..." Kyte steps away slowly, looking over their wing as they flex it. "I tried to use Moon Magic earlier but it didn't seem to do anything." After a moment of testing their wing, they look back to Stargaze with a mixture of surprise, gratitude... and just the smallest hint of guilt, likely remembering the the moments they stood by while Stonescale teased and made fun of Stargaze. "Thank you," they say after a long pause. Since meeting her earlier, Echo's expression has remained a small, tired smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. Upon seeing Stargaze pull of this miracle, however, her smile widens slightly and the bio-luminescent patches on her skin glow a warm amber as she radiates with strong pride at Staraze's accomplishment. "Remarkable," she says quietly, seeming to be talking more to herself than anyone else.</s>

<|message|>Skobeloff "The Moons' power seems to be in short supply out here." Skobeloff commented at the mention of how difficult using Moon Magic was. "I had trouble with it earlier. The Stronghold's inhabitants were finding it difficult as well. The Darkness has something to do with this I'm sure. Fortunately, I know how to circumvent this little obstacle." Skobeloff then proceeded to explain how everyone would be able to deal with their Moon Magic issues. What he didn't know however was that his solution was based off of information that he had misremembered. His guidance would only make the problem worse. Skobeloff attempts to use Moon Magic's failure to function properly on this island to fuel a round of the Long Game. He rolls a 5 and misses. With this latest failure, Skobeloff levels up! I will advance his signature move, marking the following new potential benefit to his increasingly complex schemes: [X] you've discovered a secret; ask the DM a question, and they will answer honestly.</s>

<|description|>Stargaze Pronouns: She, Her Playbook: The Orphan Colour: White Look: (Either describe how your dragon appears or put a picture.) Stats: (Adding +1 to Courage) Charm: 0 Courage: +2 Cunning: -1 Virtue: Empathy House & Obligation: As an Orphan, you have no House and no obligation to one. Instead, choose how you will discover your true destiny: Path of Omens: Discover an artifact or tome connected to your fate. Moves: Your signature move is... THIS IS MY DESTINY: Your fate is intertwined with Adulare's future, now and forever. Pick two portents the seers have revealed about what is to come: [] you will defeat a great enemy in battle [] you will discover a dark secret of the Moons [X] you will prevent a terrible, natural disaster [] you will uncover a shadowy, dragon conspiracy [] you will recover an important ritual, once lost [X] you will restore an ancient or sacred place At the beginning of the session, roll +Courage. On a 7-9, hold 1. On a 10+, hold 2. Spend your hold, 1 for 1, to take a 10+ instead of rolling when acting despite danger to move closer to your destiny. On a miss, you still hold 1, but a dark omen comes to light that reveals more about your role in shaping Adulare's fate. When you advance your signature move, add another basic move to This is My Destiny. You can spend your hold to take a 10+ instead of rolling on that additional move. Tell the DM which dragon's display of Housely virtue expanded your horizons. [] Mislead or Trick [] Study Another [] Convince Another [] Stand Up to Someone [] Survey an Area SEEK THE PATH: When you consult an older dragon for advice, roll +Courage. On a hit, they reveal new information about your past or future that is useful to your current problems. On a 10+, your counselor devotes serious thought to the issue you've raised; ask a followup question. On a miss, the older dragon's advice causes you to remember your own role in the problems you face; mark a Shadow. Advancement: (There are five dragon age brackets, and these basically represent your in-game level. Every time you gain 5 XP, take a new advancement from your age bracket, and reset your XP to zero. Once you've taken all the advancement from your age bracket, you age up.) Rawscale Drake (2 XP): You start with a +0 bonus to calling upon the Moons. [] take another move from your playbook [] take +1 to any stat (maximum of +3) [] advance your signature move Winged Drake (0 XP): You still have a +0 bonus to calling upon the Moons. [] take another move from your playbook [] take +1 to any stat (maximum of +3) [] advance your signature move Longtooth Dragon (0 XP): You now have a +1 bonus to calling upon the Moons. [] take another move from another playbook [] take +1 to any stat (maximum of +3) [] advance your signature move Bearded Dragon: You now have a +2 bonus to calling upon the Moons. [] take a ritual of your House [] advance your signature move Elder Dragon: You now have a +3 bonus to calling upon the Moons. [] your house dedicates a stronghold to you [] retire your character, arise as an Ancient or a Mystic Moons: (Cross of one moon every time you age up.) - Liberty Moon - Spirit Moon - Stone Moon - Storm Moon - Void Moon Shadow Track: (The shadow track represents how much hold the Darkness has on your dragon. You can mark Shadows in any order. When you mark a Shadow, you must take one action associated with that Shadow. When you mark the last Shadow, you lose yourself to the Darkness and become your Shadowself. While you are lost to the Darkness, do not mark any further Shadows, even if a move asks you to do so. Once you return to normal, erase your shadow track.) [] Anger - Lash out at a friend. - Break something valuable - Escalate a delicate situation [] Doubt - Question a friend's loyalty - Steal something valuable - Reject a tradition [] Shame - Blame a friend for your mistakes - Mock or belittle someone vulnerable - Seek isolation or solitude [] Fear - Hide something from your friends - Avoid a difficult task - Exaggerate the danger of the situation Shadowself: Your loneliness is your strength. You can prove the doubters wrong without any help from your clutch. You will act alone to save Adulare. You are the Orphan. Return from your Shadowself when a friend convinces you that friendship can be as strong as any family tie, and that the family you chose is as important as the family that hatched you. Fellowship: Shieldwing was a friend to you when you felt all alone in the face of your destiny. Explain how they exemplified your virtue and give them a Friendship "Accident!" "Beggar!" "Worthless!" "You don't even have a color, let alone a house!" Stargaze had heard it all before. She didn't want to be here--at this place, at this event--but she had to with all of the other dragons her age. That's what the Nymph, Echo, had told her. This was a ceremony where the Houses would give younger dragons their first job, and where the dragons her age finally form clutches. This was where they were supposed to learn about their purpose, their destiny...right? Well, at least that's the case for those who actually belong to a House. She could honestly feel their emotions behind their vitriolic words. They didn't want her here either. They didn't just hate her, but they were also having fun saying those awful things... But...why? What had she done to them to earn their hatred? She didn't understand. "Why are you even here?!" "Yeah, you don't belong here!" "Just do everyone a favor and disappear!" Disappear...? Was that it? Was her destiny just to...disappear? Then...why was she even born to begin with...? What was the point? The laughter grew louder and crueler as Stargaze could feel herself grow tired. She could only lower herself to the ground, try to make herself as small as possible, in a futile attempt to just...disappear. She felt alone...perhaps she should disappear...right now... What happened next surprised not just her, but everyone around her. Someone came to her defense! Shieldwing of the Brynbak House! Stargaze was stunned by her bewilderment as Shieldwing shouted at the bullies. He had shouted at them, calling them out not just for their cruelty, but also for the fact that they were bullying Stargaze, someone weaker than them, in order to feel strong! She hadn't even considered that the bullies were teasing her relentlessly because they also felt weak and uncertain...! Thanks to Shieldwing, the bullies left her alone. But she still kept herself low to the ground, fully expecting Shieldwing to leave her alone. But he didn't. Instead he stayed by her side, and spoke with her. She expressed that the bullies were right and that she didn't have an obligation like the other dragons with houses did. She would never forget his answer to that: It's not that she didn't have a destiny, but instead, she gets to choose her destiny or obligation. What does she want to do? He also told her that he knew that destiny can be overwhelming, especially when everyone seems to be against her. But he was willing to be her friend. Stargaze couldn't help but shed tears over that kindness. Thanks to Shieldwing and his empathy, she found her clutch and is now emboldened with the ability to choose. Shieldwing is consumed by the Isle's immediate problems; you will show them why they must focus on the future. Take a Friendship Gem from them. Skeboloff showed you that the Darkness lingers everywhere. Tell them what Darkness you see in them, and take a Friendship Gem from them.</s> <|message|>Skobeloff Skobeloff "Extra powerful moon magic." Skobeloff said with a nod and a smile. "Yes, I can see that coming into play quite nicely. First things first however..." Skobeloff turned to the door to their cell and walked towards it with a sly grin. Having failed to properly capture and contain the Trickster, Fogdance had given Skobeloff carte blanche to engage in trickery galore at his discretion. Starting with taking advantage of an opportunity that had revealed itself to him as he was nudged into the cell. Capitalizing on Fogdance's failure to properly contain him, Skobeloff plays the Long Game. He rolls an 8 and creates an opportunity. The DM will reveal how Skobeloff or an ally can claim it.</s> <|message|>Garrock Due to Skobeloff playing along and the twins' faking being asleep, Fogdance had been fooled into believing her captives would cause her no trouble. As such, Skobeloff would have noticed no sound of the door being locked behind him, meaning he and his comrades were free to exit this room. Of course, just because the room was unlocked didn't mean the front door would be, and attempting to go down the stairs would likely alert Fogdance. If his intent is simply to escape, Skobeloff still had access to the crystal sand he took from the beach which will teleport him, Tamba and Pleexem to where his friends are. However, if he wants to restore Fogdance from her shadowself, he'll need to find a way to confront her while still retaining the trust he has bought from his subterfuge. What will Skobeloff do? --- While Alpin had been correct in his assumption that they wouldn't have to deal with any more corrupted brownies, that didn't mean their journey to Echo's cave was easy: Alpin was not the strongest swimmer, and several times during their journey would find himself sinking into the muddy water. Either one of the drakes or Garrock would then have to grab and place him on their head or back while he recovered. This happened several times, with Alpin getting steadily wearier each time. The only blessing of this tedious process was that Garrock remained mercifully silent for all of it. The yellow dragon, who had fussed and groaned during their earlier walk into the jungle, hadn't uttered a single word after Alpin started leading them to Echo's, and the only hint that he was clearly not enjoying this process was the permanent scowl on his face, which since he was at the back of the group, the drakes wouldn't even see unless they happened to be looking in his direction. Eventually, the group caught sight of the large willow tree, familiar to both Stargaze and Fellwing as the one which Echo's cave is situated. They can even see the mouth of the cave beneath the trees overgrown roots, a cave both drakes would know is partially submerged in water. They will have to go under the water to enter. Also worth noting is that entrance is too small for a fully grown dragon like Garrock to enter, meaning the drakes and Alpin will have to go without him. Speaking of Alpin, the brownie doesn't look too pleased at the thought of going under water and eyes the mouth of the cave with apprehension. "Welp, there is is," he says. "I... err... don't see a doorbell anywhere, so..." He glanced over his shoulder at Stargaze. "Should we just go in? Is she okay with visitors just entering her home?" He's currently seated on Shieldwing's back and shifting awkwardly from foot to foot. "Seems a little discourteous, to be honest, but I don't really know the etiquette of elementals."</s> <|message|>Skobeloff Skobeloff "All according to plan." Skobeloff said to the unlocked door, before turning back to the twins. "Alright, here's what comes next. I managed to get an ear on Fogdance's heartbeat on the way here. From what I learned, the only way to bring Fogdance back from her Shadowself is to show her that the extreme measures she's taking to keep us safe are unnecessary at best and harmful at worst. Provided I can find what I need, I should be able to do a convincing enough act of harmful to bring her to her senses. When I arrived, Fogdance tried to give me a porridge that had something in it meant to make me fall asleep. With any luck, she used a sleeping medicine rather than a sleeping potion. Medicines, while easier to make, have a tendency to do more harm than good if too much is used. So if I manage to reach the kitchen and find a sleeping medicine tucked away somewhere, it would be a simple matter of gathering what I need, sneaking back here, and faking a medicine overdose. When Fogdance sees the 'harm' her measures have done, that should be enough to pull her from the Darkness." Provided the twins had no objections to the plan, Skobeloff would then instruct them to stay put, ensuring them he wouldn't be long. Skobeloff would then stealthily exit the cell and begin sneaking towards the kitchen. Provided the twins don't stop him, Skobeloff attempts to trick Fogdance into thinking that he isn't sneaking around. He rolls an 8 and opts to create an opportunity.</s>

<|message|>Stargaze Stargaze found navigating through the waters to be familiar. Whenever Alpin needed help, she easily lifted him out of the water and put him on her back whenever the brownie found himself sinking into the muddy waters. She followed Alpin until they finally reached the familiar cave entrance to Echo's home. She answered Alpin, "Oh no need! We can just call for her. Plus, she knows me, I'm sure she'll be happy to meet you guys," She then stepped forward, and called into the cave for Echo, "Helloooo! Echo, it's me! I'm back! And I have friends here with me too!"</s>

<|description|>Stargaze Pronouns: She, Her Playbook: The Orphan Colour: White Look: (Either describe how your dragon appears or put a picture.) Stats: (Adding +1 to Courage) Charm: 0 Courage: +2 Cunning: -1 Virtue: Empathy House & Obligation: As an Orphan, you have no House and no obligation to one. Instead, choose how you will discover your true destiny: Path of Omens: Discover an artifact or tome connected to your fate. Moves: Your signature move is... THIS IS MY DESTINY: Your fate is intertwined with Adulare's future, now and forever. Pick two portents the seers have revealed about what is to come: [] you will defeat a great enemy in battle [] you will discover a dark secret of the Moons [X] you will prevent a terrible, natural disaster [] you will uncover a shadowy, dragon conspiracy [] you will recover an important ritual, once lost [X] you will restore an ancient or sacred place At the beginning of the session, roll +Courage. On a 7-9, hold 1. On a 10+, hold 2. Spend your hold, 1 for 1, to take a 10+ instead of rolling when acting despite danger to move closer to your destiny. On a miss, you still hold 1, but a dark omen comes to light that reveals more about your role in shaping Adulare's fate. When you advance your signature move, add another basic move to This is My Destiny. You can spend your hold to take a 10+ instead of rolling on that additional move. Tell the DM which dragon's display of Housely virtue expanded your horizons. [] Mislead or Trick [] Study Another [] Convince Another [] Stand Up to Someone [] Survey an Area SEEK THE PATH: When you consult an older dragon for advice, roll +Courage. On a hit, they reveal new information about your past or future that is useful to your current problems. On a 10+, your counselor devotes serious thought to the issue you've raised; ask a followup question. On a miss, the older dragon's advice causes you to remember your own role in the problems you face; mark a Shadow. Advancement: (There are five dragon age brackets, and these basically represent your in-game level. Every time you gain 5 XP, take a new advancement from your age bracket, and reset your XP to zero. Once you've taken all the advancement from your age bracket, you age up.) Rawscale Drake (2 XP): You start with a +0 bonus to calling upon the Moons. [] take another move from your playbook [] take +1 to any stat (maximum of +3) [] advance your signature move Winged Drake (0 XP): You still have a +0 bonus to calling upon the Moons. [] take another move from your playbook [] take +1 to any stat (maximum of +3) [] advance your signature move Longtooth Dragon (0 XP): You now have a +1 bonus to calling upon the Moons. [] take another move from another playbook [] take +1 to any stat (maximum of +3) [] advance your signature move Bearded Dragon: You now have a +2 bonus to calling upon the Moons. [] take a ritual of your House [] advance your signature move Elder Dragon: You now have a +3 bonus to calling upon the Moons. [] your house dedicates a stronghold to you [] retire your character, arise as an Ancient or a Mystic Moons: (Cross of one moon every time you age up.) - Liberty Moon - Spirit Moon - Stone Moon - Storm Moon - Void Moon Shadow Track: (The shadow track represents how much hold the Darkness has on your dragon. You can mark Shadows in any order. When you mark a Shadow, you must take one action associated with that Shadow. When you mark the last Shadow, you lose yourself to the Darkness and become your Shadowself. While you are lost to the Darkness, do not mark any further Shadows, even if a move asks you to do so. Once you return to normal, erase your shadow track.) [] Anger - Lash out at a friend. - Break something valuable - Escalate a delicate situation [] Doubt - Question a friend's loyalty - Steal something valuable - Reject a tradition [] Shame - Blame a friend for your mistakes - Mock or belittle someone vulnerable - Seek isolation or solitude [] Fear - Hide something from your friends - Avoid a difficult task - Exaggerate the danger of the situation Shadowself: Your loneliness is your strength. You can prove the doubters wrong without any help from your clutch. You will act alone to save Adulare. You are the Orphan. Return from your Shadowself when a friend convinces you that friendship can be as strong as any family tie, and that the family you chose is as important as the family that hatched you. Fellowship: Shieldwing was a friend to you when you felt all alone in the face of your destiny. Explain how they exemplified your virtue and give them a Friendship "Accident!" "Beggar!" "Worthless!" "You don't even have a color, let alone a house!" Stargaze had heard it all before. She didn't want to be here--at this place, at this event--but she had to with all of the other dragons her age. That's what the Nymph, Echo, had told her. This was a ceremony where the Houses would give younger dragons their first job, and where the dragons her age finally form clutches. This was where they were supposed to learn about their purpose, their destiny...right? Well, at least that's the case for those who actually belong to a House. She could honestly feel their emotions behind their vitriolic words. They didn't want her here either. They didn't just hate her, but they were also having fun saying those awful things... But...why? What had she done to them to earn their hatred? She didn't understand. "Why are you even here?!" "Yeah, you don't belong here!" "Just do everyone a favor and disappear!" Disappear...? Was that it? Was her destiny just to...disappear? Then...why was she even born to begin with...? What was the point? The laughter grew louder and crueler as Stargaze could feel herself grow tired. She could only lower herself to the ground, try to make herself as small as possible, in a futile attempt to just...disappear. She felt alone...perhaps she should disappear...right now... What happened next surprised not just her, but everyone around her. Someone came to her defense! Shieldwing of the Brynbak House! Stargaze was stunned by her bewilderment as Shieldwing shouted at the bullies. He had shouted at them, calling them out not just for their cruelty, but also for the fact that they were bullying Stargaze, someone weaker than them, in order to feel strong! She hadn't even considered that the bullies were teasing her relentlessly because they also felt weak and uncertain...! Thanks to Shieldwing, the bullies left her alone. But she still kept herself low to the ground, fully expecting Shieldwing to leave her alone. But he didn't. Instead he stayed by her side, and spoke with her. She expressed that the bullies were right and that she didn't have an obligation like the other dragons with houses did. She would never forget his answer to that: It's not that she didn't have a destiny, but instead, she gets to choose her destiny or obligation. What does she want to do? He also told her that he knew that destiny can be overwhelming, especially when everyone seems to be against her. But he was willing to be her friend. Stargaze couldn't help but shed tears over that kindness. Thanks to Shieldwing and his empathy, she found her clutch and is now emboldened with the ability to choose. Shieldwing is consumed by the Isle's immediate problems; you will show them why they must focus on the future. Take a Friendship Gem from them. Skeboloff showed you that the Darkness lingers everywhere. Tell them what Darkness you see in them, and take a Friendship Gem from them.</s> <|message|>Skobeloff Skobeloff When Fogdance released Skobeloff, the rawscale drake did not immediately end his charade. Instead, he lay still and continued to act incapacitated. Now that Fogdance had returned from her Shadowself, Skobeloff became consumed by concern. The mindset Fogdance needed to return was built on trickery and deceit. If Skobeloff revealed that, what if doing so caused the foundations supporting that mindset to crumble? All the work leading up to this moment would be undone! But at the same time, Skobeloff knew he couldn't keep lying on the floor forever. And so he wracked his brain for a way to drop the act without running the risk of bringing Fogdance to the conclusion that she had it right the first time because no one had actually been harmed. Skobeloff studies Fogdance. He rolls a 12 and learns the answers to the following questions: - How could I get you to realize that I'm alright without undoing all the work I've done? - What could I learn from you?</s> <|message|>Garrock Tamba and Pleexem must have had similar thoughts to Skobeloff because neither of them moved, instead looking between Fogdance and the trickster as if waiting for some sort of cue as to what to do next. When he did nothing, Tamba quickly went over to the grey dragon, placing her wing on her leg. "It's alright," Tamba says quickly. "You're okay, you're fine." Fogdance looks at her. "What was I doing before... and who is this?" She motioned to Skobeloff. "And why is he lying on the floor like that? Did..." She places a wing on her own forehead. "I don't remember what I was doing before." It seems to Skobeloff that her memories of what she was doing while her shadowself are clouded and hazy. She doesn't seem to remember encountering the trickster, or anything she may have said and done at the time. Tamba seems to realise this and quickly speaks up. "You were acting weirdly," she says. "When the others started to go missing, you went out to look for them. When you came back, you didn't seem to be yourself." "The others?" Fogdance squints as she tries to remember. "Yes, I think I remember. After Maug left, Alto went missing. Then Vipereyes. Then Kyte." "You went looking for Kyte," Tamba chimes in helpfully. Fogdance nods. "Yes... yes I went looking for them, and then..." She frowns. "I thought I heard something. My children. I thought I heard them in the woods, calling out for me." "Your children?" Pleexem croaks, finally seeming calm after his supposed panic. A pained expression passes over Fogdance's face, which quickly turns to a realization that she might have said something she wasn't supposed to. "It's nothing," she says quickly, shaking her head. "Clearly, I wasn't thinking correctly." She looks back at Tamba. "Everything after that is fuzzy, dream-like. Did I say or do anything strange?" Tamba doesn't respond, instead looking over to Skobeloff. It seems Fogdance doesn't recall what she did while in the grip of the Darkness, so there is likely no danger of Skobeloff revealing himself and explaining what happened. That being said, in her currently confused state, the group should probably be as gentle as possible in their explanation. There also seems to be something she is keeping from the drakes, likely tied to whatever made her fall to the Darkness in the first place. Skobeloff might be able to get more information, but again, he'll have to approach this as delicately as possible. What will he do?</s> <|message|>Skobeloff Skobeloff Realizing that there would be no danger in revealing himself, Skobeloff opened his eyes and got to his feet. After taking a moment to stretch his limbs after lying still for so long, Skobeloff turned to Fogdance and spoke. "Strange is certainly one way to put it." Skobeloff stated while wiping the porridge sludge off of himself as best he could. "Another way of putting it would be... not the sort of thing you'd want to hear about while in a state of confusion. Perhaps we should have this conversation somewhere brighter and more relaxed than in this dingy little room. Perhaps also with something calming to drink. I happen to know the recipe for a lovely blend of green tea if any of you are interested."</s>

<|message|>Stargaze During the wait, Stargaze reassured her friends, "She's coming. I know she's just on her way," However, there was still a bit of doubt gnawing at her. Was she okay? She didn't take so long usually... When Echo appeared, Stargaze immediately noticed that Echo isn't as vibrant as usual, and she even looks to be in pain. Her tail was wagging in happiness at the thought of seeing Echo again, but now it stopped as concern creeps in. She asked Echo, "Echo? What's going on with home? Are you okay?"</s>