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<\|description\|>Sarah Physical Description: Sarah is a slender girl with bright green eyes and soft, shoulder-length pink hair and pale, almost alabaster skin. She stand at about 5'4" (162.6 cm) and weighs 100 lbs (45.3 kg). She has a curious glint in her eyes, and tends to see everything as though for the first time. Class: Oracle Personality: Sarah is a warm, compassionate soul, always worried about other peoples' welfare and willing to go to any length to protect them. Despite her lack of social experience with the world, she can tell when people are being hurt or abused, and will try and ease their suffering any way she can. Due to mostly being a blank state, the world around her entices her curiosity, and she will try to learn as much about it as possible. She will try and know more any new sensations or experiences she might encounter, giving her the feeling of a wide-eyed newborn child eagerly gawping at the beautiful world around them. Her lack of experience with the world means she's also very naïve and clueless about current events or about certain social cues or behaviors that more worldly people would pick up easily. She does have a general sense of social decency and behavior, but the nuances or subtler plays are a bit beyond her experience, and a cunning operator can out-think her until she catches on. However, despite this, one should not push her too far. She is still an Oracle, and programmed with combat skills and powerful abilities, and can end up fighting back rather tenaciously when she or those she cares about are threatened. History: Sarah recalls nothing of her past, practically having been 'born' to the world with the opening of her case. Abilities: * Enhanced physical attributes: As an Oracle and genetically engineered being, Sarah possesses a certain amount of enhanced strength, increased agility, and improved durability and stamina, as well as a small measure of enhanced senses. However, the emphasis are on stamina and agility, making her a poor choice for a heavy fighter. * Healing: Aside from no small skill at normal healing, she possesses the ability to heal injuries and wounds almost instantly. Currently, she's still learning how to use this power, so she can heal mild injuries and cuts. * Protective 'magic': Sarah can use her 'magic' to protect her allies by casting a small, protective halo to absorb some of the damage that hits them. Equipment: Sarah barely has anything beyond the shirt on her back and a few items and supplies given to her by her mysterious caretaker. RP Notes: Sarah is basically a blank slate, one with little to no knowledge of the outside world, and must learn more about it to survive and complete her destined mission. Fortunately, she does have a certain amount of combat skills programmed into her, allowing her to fight competently and survive long enough to get stronger. Sarah's main virtues are compassion and empathy, the ability to feel for those around her, and a strong desire to reduce their suffering and help them find happiness. Role-wise, Sarah would lean towards a mage-knight with an emphasis on magic and healing. While she is still an Oracle, she prefers to use magic and healing to support her allies in battle and help them out of battle.</s> <\|message\|>Ayaan Jabberwocky's Hideout Annabelle watched the blind girl walk with her food into one of the back rooms. She walked confidently, like someone who knew all the steps and had traveled them many, many times. Annabelle crept up to the mecha with the map and began to touch the keys. Something beeped, "Oops!" she said. "Hello? Who's there?" came a voice from the room. Oh, shoot, she thought, but she smiled like she enjoyed being caught. She pushed more buttons on the mecha device and tried to read the display, the map over her head began to turn, it had pin points showing the location of the hideout, some major cities, and the big castle the wizards think is so impressive. It also had little blips with the names Bandersnatch and Draygon. That's kinda useful, she thought. Absently, Annabelle started whistling. Annabelle doesn't care that Ruby knows she's there, she's looking at your stuff and playing with your toys.</s> <\|message\|>Sarah Sarah The final blow leaves Sarah breathless and gasping for air amid the ever-present miasma and the acrid smell of roasted spider-monster, fully aware that she's covered in the gunk, and might have even gotten some of it in her mouth. She feels very sick right now, and retches and coughs in disgust. She slumps back against a wall, relieved that the fight is over and the surviving spiderlings had run for cover, hopefully never to return. She notices Pip running up to a pedestal with a button on it, and watches with curiosity as he activates... something. Not long after, the miasma begins to recede, allowing Sarah the taste of wondrous fresh air. Soon, the hallucinatory effects would stop, and Sarah is glad for that. She picks up Pip when he gets back to her and she strokes his fur lovingly. She's not sure what happened, but if she is to venture a guess, there might be some old machinery in this cave, and that may be the source of the miasma. She'd need to make sure it's destroyed or disabled so nobody else could use it. Once she's recovered enough from the miasma and the fight, she gets up, and tries to find a way to help the villagers. She starts with the poor girl the spiderling queen was feasting on, trying to heal her with her powers, and praying she's alright. Once she's sure the girl's recovering, she tries to cut down the villagers from the spiderwebs - while not hurting any of them, of course. She soon hears steps coming from the cave, so she cautiously pulls out the sword, worried if it's more trouble, but to her relief it's Master Thunderfist coming in. "Oh, Master Thunderfist," she says with a bow. "I've found the sword - and more importantly, I found where the villagers disappeared to. I hope they're all alright... And Pip was a great help, I couldn't have done it without him..." She kneels down to stroke Pip's ears, who barks back in gratitude.</s> <\|message\|>Jabberwocky She frowns. "You're not Daddy. Go away. I want you to leave!" Her hands begin glowing a deep red, flowing over her wrists and up her arms, a thick red substance that makes the whole cave start heating up. She runs forward and slaps Annabelle, the magma on her hands searing away at her flesh and muscles.</s> <\|message\|>Ayaan Urgrapth's Home Sarah Kensu came trotting in, huffing a little from the exertion. He looked at her and then looked at the surroundings. Pip came over and began licking his hand, earning himself a scratch. "Oh, Master Thunderfist," she says with a bow. "I've found the sword - and more importantly, I found where the villagers disappeared to. I hope they're all alright... And Pip was a great help, I couldn't have done it without him..." "I see," said Kensu, taken aback. The cave was filled with shiny, metal like threads. When he had come here previously it was empty, open. He felt amazed that it had all changed so quickly since he opened that damn door. The young Oracle was covered in black gore, but she didn't look severely injured. "You could certainly use a dip in the ocean." He said smiling. "..master... Kensu..." came a weak voice. Kensu looked down and it was the little girl who used to pick flowers and sell them in the village. He ran over to her and kneeled to cradle her head. "..the lady saved us.. she was amazing.. she's one of the special people isn't she master?.." the little girl said softly. "Yes dear girl," Kensu replied, his heart filled with pride, "yes she is a special one." He smiled reassuringly. He placed her down and let her fall back asleep. Kensu stood up and looked around. He felt a wave of guilt wash over him as he saw all the people strung up, but many of them seemed to be stirring and Sarah had already cut a few down who seemed to be able to stand. "Let's get everyone back to the village, then, well, then we'll talk." He turned to Sarah, "Thank you for what you have done this day, I know the ordeal has been more than extreme, and doubly so for one who just awoke. You are a special person Sarah, more than I think you know. Let us work quickly, there is much to discuss." Kensu pulled out his own knife and together they began to free as many villagers as possible. When the people seemed to be moving along well enough Kensu fought through the spider webs back into the little room near the back of the cavern, the room he opened that let the spider queen out. "To think all this came from one small decision," he said looking around. There on the floor were a set of steel containers, unopened and marked with a blue tag. They looked, important somehow, so Kensu grabbed them. They were heavy, but they had a strap made for carrying them and so with Kensu's strong arms it was not that difficult. Together the villagers, the old Master, and our hero made their way to the homes near the beach for a moment of respite, rest, and food.</s> <\|message\|>Jabberwocky Jabber sees a large group of villagers walking down a mountain from a cave, and roars, making the livestock flee, and the people scream, thrown into a panic. He swoops nearby, his talons tearing into the rock, sending debris flying through the air, a small avalanche of rocks and boulders tumbling down towards the village, and his flaming breath sets the buildings alight.</s> <\|message\|>Ayaan For clarification, this is on Kensu's Island, Jabberwocky has diverted his course and is attacking the Island for fun, as any good villain should do. SETUP: The tired and battered villagers have just awoke from a cave of nightmares at the hand of a spider queen and her spiderlings. The villagers were saved by Sarah, a young lady with pink hair and a sword that fires lightning bolts. Sarah is accompanied by Pip, a small dog-like creature, and Kensu, a warrior Wizard who has also studied the power of Lightning. Play fair guys, and focus on the goal of making the other person's roleplay experience the most fun it can be.</s>	<\|message\|>Sarah Sarah is glad the villagers are all alright, and helps them leave the cave as quickly and orderly as possible, reassuring them along the way. She wants nothing more than a bath and a rest, but she's certain these people have had a worse day, being kidnapped by monsters and webbed up, exposed to nightmare-inducing miasma and almost made monster food. "Special?" she says softly to herself, as though trying to get a feel of the word. "I don't even know who I really am." When she gets out into the sunlight, she stops. It feels like years since she's been out in the sun; the dank, dark caves full of foul mist almost made her forget how the sun feels so nice and warm. She's just glad to be outside. That's when she sees something in the sky, descending towards them. At first she thinks it's a bird... but then realizes it's far too big and moving far too fast to be a bird. In fact, she realizes it's some sort of monster, heading straight for them. At first she feels a burst of panic and anxiety; she's barely recovered from the fight with the spiderlings, and she's still a bit shaky from the effects of the miasma. Then she realizes to her horror that the villagers are still in danger. It's the thought of the poor people escaping one threat only to face an even monstrous one galvanizes her into action. "Run!" she calls out to the village folk. "Run! Head for the forest! Take cover! Hurry! Please!" The ensuing panic feels like it's going to break her heart, what with the villagers running amok and pushing and hurting each other in their blind terror. However, the torrent of rocks rolling down from above where the monster struck the mountain drives her to try and get them away from danger, trying to help people who fell or got knocked over in the commotion. She tries to make sure everyone gets to cover as quickly as possible, all the while trying to shield the people from the falling rocks. The villagers were still streaming out of the cave. Right now, Sarah is trying to figure whether the beast is going to keep attacking them, or if it was just passing by. Either way, she can't ignore it; if it comes around for another pass... She grabs one of the more lucid villagers. "Please, listen to me, we don't have much time," she implores him. "Tell everyone to stay hidden in the forest and nearby caves. Please stay hidden until Master Thunderfist finds you and tells you it's safe to come out. Tell Master Thunderfist... tell him it was an honor to meet him, and I had to distract the monster before it hurt or killed anyone. "Tell him I'll be back, I promise..." The villager nods, and starts helping by herding his fellows to safety. Part of her wonders if she'll ever fulfill that promise. She prepares herself, and pulls out the sword. Taking measure, she then aims the sword and focuses her energy through it. A bolt of lightning fires from the tip, flying through the air, passing right in front of the flying beast to get its attention. "Hey!" she calls out to the beast, running south towards the beach. "Over here! This way!" She prepares to fire more bolts from the sword if the beast ignores her, trying to force it to follow her and away from the poor townsfolk. Once it follows her, she runs. She runs as fast as she can, wind rushing in her face, feeling her heart pound away in her chest. Using the map in this post: roleplayerguild.com/posts/5184875</s>
<\|description\|>Sarah Physical Description: Sarah is a slender girl with bright green eyes and soft, shoulder-length pink hair and pale, almost alabaster skin. She stand at about 5'4" (162.6 cm) and weighs 100 lbs (45.3 kg). She has a curious glint in her eyes, and tends to see everything as though for the first time. Class: Oracle Personality: Sarah is a warm, compassionate soul, always worried about other peoples' welfare and willing to go to any length to protect them. Despite her lack of social experience with the world, she can tell when people are being hurt or abused, and will try and ease their suffering any way she can. Due to mostly being a blank state, the world around her entices her curiosity, and she will try to learn as much about it as possible. She will try and know more any new sensations or experiences she might encounter, giving her the feeling of a wide-eyed newborn child eagerly gawping at the beautiful world around them. Her lack of experience with the world means she's also very naïve and clueless about current events or about certain social cues or behaviors that more worldly people would pick up easily. She does have a general sense of social decency and behavior, but the nuances or subtler plays are a bit beyond her experience, and a cunning operator can out-think her until she catches on. However, despite this, one should not push her too far. She is still an Oracle, and programmed with combat skills and powerful abilities, and can end up fighting back rather tenaciously when she or those she cares about are threatened. History: Sarah recalls nothing of her past, practically having been 'born' to the world with the opening of her case. Abilities: * Enhanced physical attributes: As an Oracle and genetically engineered being, Sarah possesses a certain amount of enhanced strength, increased agility, and improved durability and stamina, as well as a small measure of enhanced senses. However, the emphasis are on stamina and agility, making her a poor choice for a heavy fighter. * Healing: Aside from no small skill at normal healing, she possesses the ability to heal injuries and wounds almost instantly. Currently, she's still learning how to use this power, so she can heal mild injuries and cuts. * Protective 'magic': Sarah can use her 'magic' to protect her allies by casting a small, protective halo to absorb some of the damage that hits them. Equipment: Sarah barely has anything beyond the shirt on her back and a few items and supplies given to her by her mysterious caretaker. RP Notes: Sarah is basically a blank slate, one with little to no knowledge of the outside world, and must learn more about it to survive and complete her destined mission. Fortunately, she does have a certain amount of combat skills programmed into her, allowing her to fight competently and survive long enough to get stronger. Sarah's main virtues are compassion and empathy, the ability to feel for those around her, and a strong desire to reduce their suffering and help them find happiness. Role-wise, Sarah would lean towards a mage-knight with an emphasis on magic and healing. While she is still an Oracle, she prefers to use magic and healing to support her allies in battle and help them out of battle.</s> <\|message\|>Ayaan Kensu The demon monster was chasing Sarah, just like she planned, and he had changed into his human form. Kensu jumped up from his location behind a rock and began running after the black robed creature with the scythe. "NOOOOO!!" He yelled and raised his mighty hammer. Through his hammer he channeled a thick volt of lightning and aimed for the ground beneath Jabberwocky's feet. The ground exploded in a rain shower of rock and smoke.</s> <\|message\|>Sarah Sarah Sarah manages to run into the village, and stops to take a breather. At her heels, Pip barks at her in encouragement, then turns around, growling at... something. Sarah braces herself, wondering if the dragon had flown away; she can't hear its wings, and something that big would make a lot of noise stomping around, right? To her surprise, she sees a man in a hooded cloak, carrying an oversize scythe that was almost rippling with dark energies. A chill shoots up her spine, though she doesn't understand why. Besides her, Pip seems to have gotten even more agitated, actively snarling at the man. Sparks were forming around the electric dog, as though he's charging up for an attack. "Uh, s-sir?" she says cautiously. "I don't know how to put this, but... there's a flying monster around here somewhere. You might want to take cover someplace before it comes back..."</s> <\|message\|>Jabberwocky He grins, baring sharp teeth. "Oh, I know about the monster." He stops when the ground blows up in a bolt of lightning. He turns, enraged, and snarls deep in his throat. "That foolish priest followed me?" He hisses, a thin, animalistic sound. He roars, the ground trembling from the force. He then uproots a small tree, and swings it like a hammer on the priest. "Silence!"</s> <\|message\|>Sarah Sarah To her surprise, Master Thunderfist appears and used a hammer to create a bolt of lightning, attacking the stranger. The stranger's response was no less startling; he lifts a small tree and tries to crush Thunderfist under it. Pip needs no invitation, and is already charging the stranger, shooting a bolt of lightning at him. Finding no other option, Sarah raises her sword and moves in to join the fray. She tries to cover Pip so he doesn't get crushed under the stranger's attacks.</s> <\|message\|>Ayaan Kensu Kensu wakes up near the tree, luckily for him it wasn't a direct hit. His leg and his left arm are broken though. He props himself up using his right hand, the tree had knocked him about 3 or so meters from the fight. He could see Pip charging up and Sarah raise her sword. He raised his Hammer, it had maybe one more charge in it before it was just a hammer again, it began to spark.... poof he had used up all the hammer's energy with his last bolt. He screamed at Jabberwocky, "YOU'RE A PATHETIC PIECE OF DOG SCAT!! YOU KNOW THAT! NOTHING BUT A WEAK LACKY! TELL ME, DO YOU WIPE DRAYGON'S ASS TOO?" then he collapsed back down, breathing heavily.</s> <\|message\|>Jabberwocky He snarls, and spitefully kicks Pip aside, sending him flying into Sarah, bowling her over. He then walks towards the fallen priest, and his pupils narrow into slits. "A lacky? Oh no no no, you don't get it, do you? I have Draygon in my pocket." He laughs, a deep, evil cackle. He looks over at Sarah and dismisses her as no threat. He then looks at the broken, battered priest. "What I want? I want to watch this world burn. For all it's evils, all it's suffering. It's just justice."</s> <\|message\|>Sarah Sarah "Master Kensu!" Sarah cries out as she sees the old wizard crumple to the ground. She rushes forwards to save Kensu, giving a loud cry as she swings her sword. However, she gets caught off-guard by the man throwing a yelping Pip at her, knocking her onto her ass. She grunts in surprise, but she quickly gets up, putting Pip aside. "Stay here!" she orders the dog. She charges her sword with lightning and fires it at the stranger once she has a clear shot. Once she has his attention again, she resumes taking a fighting stance. "Leave Master Thunderfist alone," Sarah demands. "Who are you, and what do you want? And why did that monster attack the villagers?! They've done nothing!"</s> <\|message\|>Ayaan Kensu When Jabber turns to look at Sarah Kensu takes advantage of the moment. He had unscrewed a small bulb from the bottom of his hammer handle and was able to toss it to Sarah. It landed at her feet. "Attach it to the sword, kill this pretender!" He yelled, somewhat weakly</s> <\|message\|>Jabberwocky He hisses. "Die." He swings his scythe into his ribs, silencing the annoying priest with a nasty squish. He wipes off his blade, and picks up the mans hammer, spinning it. "A powerful weapon....hum....." He points the hammer, and frowns. "It's empty. Strange...." He tosses it aside.</s> <\|message\|>Sarah Sarah "NO!" Sarah screams as Jabber kills Kensu before her eyes. She sinks to her knees in shock as she watches Kensu's body hit the floor lifelessly. Pip whimpers and lays down, ears drooping, whining mournfully. Sarah's gaze turns to something Kensu threw her way; a small bulblike object. Through her tears, she notices that there's a strange slot at the hilt of her sword, just matching the bulb. Practically instinctively, she snaps the bulb into the socket, and slowly rises up to her feet. The sword starts crackling in her hand. "Y-you... monster," she hisses in anger, feeling a burning hatred in her heart for the first time. She then raises the sword and charges him, profile low, muscles tense. This time, she swings with full lethal intent, a red-hot flare of hate rising up through her against the man who murdered Master Thunderfist. The sword hums with menacing power, strong arcs of lightning sparking from the blade, giving the air a distinct, ionized smell. She moves swiftly, the sword practically leaving afterimages as it swings through the air directly at the stranger. Once the first blow is blocked, however, she doesn't relent. If anything, she attacks even more furiously. The sword glows even in the bright light of day, moving so fast in the girl's hands it almost appears to be flashes of lightning on a clear day. Rapid slashes and strikes rain down on the stranger, hammering away at his defenses, trying to break through his guard. With every stroke, the sword hisses with barely contained power, sparks bursting into being and crackling menacingly where the blades meet, sound even above the clanging and screeching sounds of metal striking metal. Sarah is barely aware of how she's doing this, just striking out with pure instinct and some half-remembered ability, all driven with a relentless fury against this man who came to this island with nothing but ruin and death in his wake.</s> <\|message\|>Jabberwocky He spins his scythe in a complicated weave, deflecting her blade so it only hits air, his eyes alight in battle fury. He hisses, his teeth sharp and white like a snakes. He backflips over her sword, and uses the shaft of his pole to spin himself around, his feet slamming into her ribs, sending her flying off.</s> <\|message\|>Sarah Sarah utters a cry that is sharply cut off when Jabberwocky kicks her in the ribs, sending her flying. She tumbles a bit, but eventually rolls back onto her feet, slightly dirty and bruised by the experience - though the throbbing bruise in her ribs feels the wallop Jabberwocky delivers. She gets back in a combat stance, breathing hard as she tries to gather strength. However, his defense is pretty tough; she was unable to land a blow on him despite going all out. Wiping sweat mixed with grime and a bit of blood off her forehead, she continues glaring at him for a bit. She then shifts her stance, gripping the sword's hilt with both hands, before running forwards to engage again. This time, however, she tries to probe his defenses, going for flanking swings and trying to find weak points in his stance, shifting her own stance and striking with the lightning enhancement when she feels she can press an advantage. Any time he tries to counter with his scythe, she parries back, using the smaller sword and her own lighter form to get some edge in mobility over him. "Why?!" she calls out, "why did you kill Master Thunderfist?! What did he ever do to you? You attacked the villagers first!"</s> <\|message\|>Jabberwocky He raises his blade, spinning it, and swings the massive weapon around like a willow switch, making a massive web of black from his dark blade. He snarls, shuddering from the power of her electric blade. He roars, and swings his blade into the earth, making the ground explode in thousands of shards. "SILENCE!!!"</s>	<\|message\|>Sarah Sarah cries out in pain as she gets blasted back, crumpling to the ground. She breathes hard with the effort, feeling tears well in her eyes at the sheer frustration of being unable to hit this bastard. The way he attacked the villagers, how he killed Master Thunderfist, and how he almost effortlessly blocks her attacks, it fills her heart with rage and sorrow. Pip snarls in fury. The Evil Man attacked the villagers, hurt New Master, and killed Old Master. He didn't care about the cost, he charges forwards to take a bite out of the man's ankle. "PIP, STAY BACK!" Sarah calls out hoarsely to Pip, who whines in surprise. "S-stay back. I can handle this, Pip..." Pip, uncertain, nonetheless obeys, whimpering uncertainly as he does. Slowly, Sarah gets back up, using her sword to prop her up. When she gets to her feet, she tiredly gets into a combat stance, and even though there's dirt and blood on her face and tears of anguish in her eyes, she stares defiantly at Jabberwocky. Once again, she shifts her feet, moving into an offensive stance. Her steps are slow and faltering at first, but then she picks up speed, running as fast as she can at Jabberwocky, charging her sword with the power of lightning itself. At first, it seems as though she's trying for another attempt to find a weakness in his defense, to try and duke it out in melee. But then, she stops running, lets the momentum drive her forwards as she slides on the soles of her boots, and swings her sword. As she moves to strike, she pours every last bit of energy inside her, every last scrap of biogenic energy she has, into the sword, charging the power of lightning within and amplifying it with the battery in the pommel. When she has the sword pointed at Jabberwocky, she gives one loud cry of defiance as she unleashes all the stored energy in the sword, firing it in a blast of elemental lightning so strong it shines even in the bright light of day. She fires the full force of the attack at Jabberwocky, the arc so powerful it causes the earth around it to crack and shudder.</s>
<\|description\|>Sarah Physical Description: Sarah is a slender girl with bright green eyes and soft, shoulder-length pink hair and pale, almost alabaster skin. She stand at about 5'4" (162.6 cm) and weighs 100 lbs (45.3 kg). She has a curious glint in her eyes, and tends to see everything as though for the first time. Class: Oracle Personality: Sarah is a warm, compassionate soul, always worried about other peoples' welfare and willing to go to any length to protect them. Despite her lack of social experience with the world, she can tell when people are being hurt or abused, and will try and ease their suffering any way she can. Due to mostly being a blank state, the world around her entices her curiosity, and she will try to learn as much about it as possible. She will try and know more any new sensations or experiences she might encounter, giving her the feeling of a wide-eyed newborn child eagerly gawping at the beautiful world around them. Her lack of experience with the world means she's also very naïve and clueless about current events or about certain social cues or behaviors that more worldly people would pick up easily. She does have a general sense of social decency and behavior, but the nuances or subtler plays are a bit beyond her experience, and a cunning operator can out-think her until she catches on. However, despite this, one should not push her too far. She is still an Oracle, and programmed with combat skills and powerful abilities, and can end up fighting back rather tenaciously when she or those she cares about are threatened. History: Sarah recalls nothing of her past, practically having been 'born' to the world with the opening of her case. Abilities: * Enhanced physical attributes: As an Oracle and genetically engineered being, Sarah possesses a certain amount of enhanced strength, increased agility, and improved durability and stamina, as well as a small measure of enhanced senses. However, the emphasis are on stamina and agility, making her a poor choice for a heavy fighter. * Healing: Aside from no small skill at normal healing, she possesses the ability to heal injuries and wounds almost instantly. Currently, she's still learning how to use this power, so she can heal mild injuries and cuts. * Protective 'magic': Sarah can use her 'magic' to protect her allies by casting a small, protective halo to absorb some of the damage that hits them. Equipment: Sarah barely has anything beyond the shirt on her back and a few items and supplies given to her by her mysterious caretaker. RP Notes: Sarah is basically a blank slate, one with little to no knowledge of the outside world, and must learn more about it to survive and complete her destined mission. Fortunately, she does have a certain amount of combat skills programmed into her, allowing her to fight competently and survive long enough to get stronger. Sarah's main virtues are compassion and empathy, the ability to feel for those around her, and a strong desire to reduce their suffering and help them find happiness. Role-wise, Sarah would lean towards a mage-knight with an emphasis on magic and healing. While she is still an Oracle, she prefers to use magic and healing to support her allies in battle and help them out of battle.</s> <\|message\|>Jabberwocky He roars in fury, seeing her blade charge up, and lunges for her, but stops and starts spinning his scythe like a shield, a thick black wall of metal. The lightning arches across it, and he howls as his arms are scorched, but he keeps up his defense untill the attack ends, his body vanishing into darkness.</s> <\|message\|>Sarah Srah As the energy disspiated, Sarah stood there, breathing hard, barely able to stand up. She feels tired, exhausted, but waits to see if the attack got through. All she sees is a dark shadow dissipating. Did... did she get him? She's afraid to hope, and struggles to hold up her sword. However, it's clear the stranger had disappeared, though he left no corpse. It's... eerie. For now though, she can finally rest. It had been a long, exhausting, and stressful day, capped with the tragedy of Master Thunderfist's death. She staggers over to his body, and then drops the sword as she collapses to her knees, her body wracked with sobs as tears flowed from her eyes. Pip whimpers as he tries to comfort her. "I'm s-sorry, M-Master Thunderfist," she sobs. "I c-couldn't help you... I'm sorry..." Kensu was the first person she'd met when she came out of the capsule, the first person to break the solitude of her existence. He had the keys to finding out who she was and why she was here. And now he's dead, and she feels lost again.</s> <\|message\|>Ayaan Kensu's Island Sarah and Jabberwocky The sky was clear, the sun was bright over head and a salty breeze blew in from the sea. For a few moments the only sounds were the cawing of the birds and the soft slapping of the waves as they broke against the beach and the docks. The ground of the beachhead was scorched and ruined, sand and rock were strewn about impact craters telling a violent story of the fight which seemed to come from no where. A young pink-haired girl, tired and weak, had fallen to her knees and was propping herself up with a blacked and smoking sword. A small, blue tinted dog was on his hind legs trying to lick her face, worry etched in his body language. Solemnly the people of the village began to pick up rubble and shuffle debris, beginning to form order out of all the chaos. It was not the first time one of Draygon's followers had attacked their village, though usually they were more prepared to fight. The incursion with the spider brood left them weak and open, and it was only bad luck that Jabberwocky, one of the worst of the lot, had been close enough to take advantage of the weakened town, and now they paid for it with the death of their strongest warrior, Kensu Thunderfist. The people mourned quietly, being familiar enough with grief to understand how to cope and begin to heal. Eight older members of the village walked to Kensu's body, one of them carrying a canvas sail taken from one of their boats. They lovingly brushed the dust off his face and cleaned what blood they could to help him look presentable in his passing. They wrapped him in the canvas and took him down into the village where he would be prepared for their burial ritual. A young man walked up to Sarah and offered his hand to help her up. He was shirtless and tan, wearing some loose fitting shorts with various belts and straps. His hair was long, black, and curled into ringlets; and his body was covered in various, nautical tattoos. "Hello Oracle," he said warmly, "My name is Steven. You've been through much, I'd much rather give you a proper introduction to our village," he smiled as he helped her to her feet. "First let's get you some food, hot water for bathing, and some rest. I'll take you to Kensu's hut, follow me." He felt tired, the effects of the spider venom and the gas, as well as the adrenaline of the attack from the monster was only going to last so long, but he needed to get her to the hut and then take care of his own family. She was first priority though, she was one of the Oracles. Her kinds were worshipped almost like living deities by the people of the village. She had shown that she had great strength, compassion, and goodwill, this confirmed in Steven that their worship had not been misplaced. Kensu's hut was directly on the water, it hadn't been damaged in the recent fights. Amara, Steven's aunt, had brought some bread, cheese, and salt cured fish and left them on a plate on the table. Moana, Steven's little sister, had already filled the bath with sea water and lit the fire underneath. The people of the village were of one mind, that they needed to take care of their new visitor, their new Savior. Steven led the pink haired girl over to cot opposite to the table with the food. "There's a pull cord with a bell, if you ring it someone will come to attend to you. Please, you are home here." Steven bowed and smiled and backed out of the door, leaving Sarah alone in the quiet, peaceful room that belonged to, or used to belong to, Master Kensu. a young man led Sarah to Kensu's old room to bathe, eat, and recuperate her strength. The villagers are beginning to clean up and rebuild. SETTING: In Kensu's room there is an old computer that works! The use of the computer should come intuitively to Sarah, it doesn't have any complicated or difficult operating system, and it is touch screen. On the computer are the "Sacred Documents" that Kensu had of the island. The content of these documents we can hash out a little in the Discord so you'll have what background information you need to create your post.</s> <\|message\|>Jabberwocky He finishes spinning his blade, deep in a dence patch of trees, and his wings retract into his back. He takes in a deep gasp of air, sinking to one knee, trying to breathe. The old man packed a wallop, and that kid was no joke either. He grins with bloody teeth, and wipes at the split on his lip with his thumb. I wonder if Ruby will grow that powerful one day. He spits on the ground, clearing out his throat of the blood. He then drags his scythe along behind him, digging a groove into the soft earth as he heads for the location of Jub Jub's death.</s>	<\|message\|>Sarah Sarah was still sobbing softly when Steven came up to help her. Initially, she's still upset, unresponsive, but the offer to take a bath and something to eat was greatly appreciated, given she was tired, exhausted, and stressed out. As she follows him limping into town, she notices the villagers bringing out their dead from under the rubble. She shivers, feeling sorrow and helplessness at helping them get free from the spiderlings only to die by crushing under heavy rocks. "Some Oracle I turned out to be," she mutters sadly. "I couldn't protect them - or Master Thunderfist. I'm... I'm sorry about your friends." When in Kensu's house, she looks around, her curiosity helping her come out of her sadness and shock. It's an interesting place, with some rather odd knick-knacks here and there, making her wonder what kind of man he was, and wished she had known him longer. However, all she could do now is try and honor his death and move on, try to understand her destiny. Steven draws her attention to something small and boxy, a strange thing he's seen Kensu use before but it left Steven utterly mystified. Sarah barely takes a glance at it before she somehow realizes it's a computer, a data processing machine from ancient times. It still feels strange when she recognizes something she just saw. Nonetheless, she begins to get to work on it. She's barely aware of herself typing away, it just comes to her naturally. And in the computer's storage, she finds Master Thunderfist's files. About the Ancients, the tale of Harbinger, and how and why the Oracles were created. The power of biogenic energy, the basis of the Oracle Project, and the use of genetic engineering to create Oracles from scratch because regular humans were inefficient in processing the awesome power of biogenic energy. There are some missing spots, of course; the thousands of years and the intervening calamity meant a lot of information was lost. There is a mention of a Julie Anderson, whose teachings formed the basis of current lore about the Ancients. However, it still incites a certain amount of sorrow in her. Such a mighty civilization, one brought low and to a ruinous end. So much wasted, such loss of life. What she's certain of, however, is that there are signs that Harbinger is starting up again. And this time, the people are much less prepared to face the coming apocalypse. The picture Master Thunderfist's files and records drew were incomplete, but a general picture emerged nonetheless. As Oracle, her duty is to find the Swords and their matching artefacts, and find a way to stop Harbinger once and for all. She could get a boat to the mainland; plenty of those in what is essentially a fishing village. The real question, of course, is where should she start? What should she look for? She decides to dig deeper into Kensu's files, petting Pip with one hand when he manages to get up onto the table, tail wagging. Then she finds a message... from a Dr. Logan? She opens it, curiosity overtaking her. Date: >!data missing!< "Project Prometheus is going smoothly. The genetic recoding process proposed by Dr. Sun is giving its results, and in record time too, I might add. Things are proceeding pretty well, and we'll have our first biogenic resonance test within two to three weeks. Things are promising, and we'll have the first embryo - the Galatea prototype - ready for a series of full tests within a month or two. "...Mind if I just digress here for a moment? I... I still feel a bit giddy, I can't deny. We're creating a brand new breed of humanity, something almost from scratch. Sure, we've had genetic engineering for the past century or two, but nothing really on the scale of what we're trying to achieve here. A brand new breed of humanity, free of the flaws and shortcomings of old. A new kind that could change the very fabric of reality itself at will, through the splendorous power of biogenic energy. Using it the way it's meant to be used; pure, efficient, powerful... "...but perhaps I'm getting ahead of myself here. Sometimes I frighten my colleagues with these ideas of ubermenschen created in test tubes, making them sound... inhuman. But that's not the point. If anything they should be even more human, more humane. The epitome of what makes humanity great. Empathy. Wisdom. Compassion. Wonder. "If anything, these children - and that's what they'll be, rising from the womb of scientific progress - are going to help shape the future of humanity. Above all else, they should treasure Love of their fellow humans and work with them as equals. Build a new path together. "For now, I should really check on the prototype Galatea. She's showing immense potential, and if the rest follow her footsteps, then they'll be a wonder to behold. For me, though I expect great things from Galatea - or as I like to call her, Sarah. I can't wait to meet her, the person she's destined to be, someday. "Dr. Logan, signing out." The mention of her name jolts her. Was this her, or was it another Oracle by the name of Sarah? Could there be more out there? Dr. Logan seemed to have been the mastermind of the biogenic energy research, but a lot of the files and references were missing - either corrupted or lost. She absently strokes Pip's head as she thinks this over - until her rumbling stomach makes her realize she's overdue for a bath and a meal. She ate some food earlier, but she used up so much energy she's basically running on empty. Maybe some more reading after she's properly freshened up.</s>
<\|description\|>Sarah Physical Description: Sarah is a slender girl with bright green eyes and soft, shoulder-length pink hair and pale, almost alabaster skin. She stand at about 5'4" (162.6 cm) and weighs 100 lbs (45.3 kg). She has a curious glint in her eyes, and tends to see everything as though for the first time. Class: Oracle Personality: Sarah is a warm, compassionate soul, always worried about other peoples' welfare and willing to go to any length to protect them. Despite her lack of social experience with the world, she can tell when people are being hurt or abused, and will try and ease their suffering any way she can. Due to mostly being a blank state, the world around her entices her curiosity, and she will try to learn as much about it as possible. She will try and know more any new sensations or experiences she might encounter, giving her the feeling of a wide-eyed newborn child eagerly gawping at the beautiful world around them. Her lack of experience with the world means she's also very naïve and clueless about current events or about certain social cues or behaviors that more worldly people would pick up easily. She does have a general sense of social decency and behavior, but the nuances or subtler plays are a bit beyond her experience, and a cunning operator can out-think her until she catches on. However, despite this, one should not push her too far. She is still an Oracle, and programmed with combat skills and powerful abilities, and can end up fighting back rather tenaciously when she or those she cares about are threatened. History: Sarah recalls nothing of her past, practically having been 'born' to the world with the opening of her case. Abilities: * Enhanced physical attributes: As an Oracle and genetically engineered being, Sarah possesses a certain amount of enhanced strength, increased agility, and improved durability and stamina, as well as a small measure of enhanced senses. However, the emphasis are on stamina and agility, making her a poor choice for a heavy fighter. * Healing: Aside from no small skill at normal healing, she possesses the ability to heal injuries and wounds almost instantly. Currently, she's still learning how to use this power, so she can heal mild injuries and cuts. * Protective 'magic': Sarah can use her 'magic' to protect her allies by casting a small, protective halo to absorb some of the damage that hits them. Equipment: Sarah barely has anything beyond the shirt on her back and a few items and supplies given to her by her mysterious caretaker. RP Notes: Sarah is basically a blank slate, one with little to no knowledge of the outside world, and must learn more about it to survive and complete her destined mission. Fortunately, she does have a certain amount of combat skills programmed into her, allowing her to fight competently and survive long enough to get stronger. Sarah's main virtues are compassion and empathy, the ability to feel for those around her, and a strong desire to reduce their suffering and help them find happiness. Role-wise, Sarah would lean towards a mage-knight with an emphasis on magic and healing. While she is still an Oracle, she prefers to use magic and healing to support her allies in battle and help them out of battle.</s> <\|message\|>Jabberwocky He finishes spinning his blade, deep in a dence patch of trees, and his wings retract into his back. He takes in a deep gasp of air, sinking to one knee, trying to breathe. The old man packed a wallop, and that kid was no joke either. He grins with bloody teeth, and wipes at the split on his lip with his thumb. I wonder if Ruby will grow that powerful one day. He spits on the ground, clearing out his throat of the blood. He then drags his scythe along behind him, digging a groove into the soft earth as he heads for the location of Jub Jub's death.</s> <\|message\|>Sarah Sarah Sarah was still sobbing softly when Steven came up to help her. Initially, she's still upset, unresponsive, but the offer to take a bath and something to eat was greatly appreciated, given she was tired, exhausted, and stressed out. As she follows him limping into town, she notices the villagers bringing out their dead from under the rubble. She shivers, feeling sorrow and helplessness at helping them get free from the spiderlings only to die by crushing under heavy rocks. "Some Oracle I turned out to be," she mutters sadly. "I couldn't protect them - or Master Thunderfist. I'm... I'm sorry about your friends." When in Kensu's house, she looks around, her curiosity helping her come out of her sadness and shock. It's an interesting place, with some rather odd knick-knacks here and there, making her wonder what kind of man he was, and wished she had known him longer. However, all she could do now is try and honor his death and move on, try to understand her destiny. Steven draws her attention to something small and boxy, a strange thing he's seen Kensu use before but it left Steven utterly mystified. Sarah barely takes a glance at it before she somehow realizes it's a computer, a data processing machine from ancient times. It still feels strange when she recognizes something she just saw. Nonetheless, she begins to get to work on it. She's barely aware of herself typing away, it just comes to her naturally. And in the computer's storage, she finds Master Thunderfist's files. About the Ancients, the tale of Harbinger, and how and why the Oracles were created. The power of biogenic energy, the basis of the Oracle Project, and the use of genetic engineering to create Oracles from scratch because regular humans were inefficient in processing the awesome power of biogenic energy. There are some missing spots, of course; the thousands of years and the intervening calamity meant a lot of information was lost. There is a mention of a Julie Anderson, whose teachings formed the basis of current lore about the Ancients. However, it still incites a certain amount of sorrow in her. Such a mighty civilization, one brought low and to a ruinous end. So much wasted, such loss of life. What she's certain of, however, is that there are signs that Harbinger is starting up again. And this time, the people are much less prepared to face the coming apocalypse. The picture Master Thunderfist's files and records drew were incomplete, but a general picture emerged nonetheless. As Oracle, her duty is to find the Swords and their matching artefacts, and find a way to stop Harbinger once and for all. She could get a boat to the mainland; plenty of those in what is essentially a fishing village. The real question, of course, is where should she start? What should she look for? She decides to dig deeper into Kensu's files, petting Pip with one hand when he manages to get up onto the table, tail wagging. Then she finds a message... from a Dr. Logan? She opens it, curiosity overtaking her. Date: >!data missing!< "Project Prometheus is going smoothly. The genetic recoding process proposed by Dr. Sun is giving its results, and in record time too, I might add. Things are proceeding pretty well, and we'll have our first biogenic resonance test within two to three weeks. Things are promising, and we'll have the first embryo - the Galatea prototype - ready for a series of full tests within a month or two. "...Mind if I just digress here for a moment? I... I still feel a bit giddy, I can't deny. We're creating a brand new breed of humanity, something almost from scratch. Sure, we've had genetic engineering for the past century or two, but nothing really on the scale of what we're trying to achieve here. A brand new breed of humanity, free of the flaws and shortcomings of old. A new kind that could change the very fabric of reality itself at will, through the splendorous power of biogenic energy. Using it the way it's meant to be used; pure, efficient, powerful... "...but perhaps I'm getting ahead of myself here. Sometimes I frighten my colleagues with these ideas of ubermenschen created in test tubes, making them sound... inhuman. But that's not the point. If anything they should be even more human, more humane. The epitome of what makes humanity great. Empathy. Wisdom. Compassion. Wonder. "If anything, these children - and that's what they'll be, rising from the womb of scientific progress - are going to help shape the future of humanity. Above all else, they should treasure Love of their fellow humans and work with them as equals. Build a new path together. "For now, I should really check on the prototype Galatea. She's showing immense potential, and if the rest follow her footsteps, then they'll be a wonder to behold. For me, though I expect great things from Galatea - or as I like to call her, Sarah. I can't wait to meet her, the person she's destined to be, someday. "Dr. Logan, signing out." The mention of her name jolts her. Was this her, or was it another Oracle by the name of Sarah? Could there be more out there? Dr. Logan seemed to have been the mastermind of the biogenic energy research, but a lot of the files and references were missing - either corrupted or lost. She absently strokes Pip's head as she thinks this over - until her rumbling stomach makes her realize she's overdue for a bath and a meal. She ate some food earlier, but she used up so much energy she's basically running on empty. Maybe some more reading after she's properly freshened up.</s> <\|message\|>Ayaan Jabberwocky's Hideout Dragon Ruby's fiery palm smacked against Annabelle's face and burned half of it off. "OOOUUCH!!" she said, well, half said because she didn't have much of a jaw anymore. Her one eye was wide open, the other burnt off, and what was left of her mouth turned up in a smile. "You're a feisty bitch! You ruined my look!" She raised her leg and kicked the young, blind girl back into the room she came out of. "God, I can only see half of what I'm looking for. HAHAHHAHA!!" She laughed at her own joke as she turned back to the computer screen and plucked the keys trying to figure out the mechanism.</s> <\|message\|>Ayaan Kensu's Hut Date: >September 30, 2218< "Have I ever seen the sun before this day? I'm sorry, this isn't really the place for it, but I have to put it down for posterity, for my mind will allow me nothing else. My heart is a slave! Her name, her name is Sarah, a goddess among us. We met while while I was giving a lecture at the college she attended, she's almost 20 years my junior. It's true I thought she was cute, and working with her the last few years has been delightful. I had no idea how much my affection had grown though until now. She's... incredible to say the least. Agh! my scientific mind doesn't speak well the languages of love, but my heart is driving me mad! She is in all my thoughts, all my worries! My world turns at the next moment I can see her! Why WHY! do I feel this way! My work is suffering, but what matter is work when a man is in love? Let me tell you everything I know about her: Her favorite color is Pink, so typical I know, but alluring; she has porcelain skin and bright blue eyes. She has so many talents and somehow we talk about a million different things, I... I can't even remember them. I remember just her face, her beautiful face looking at me like I'm the most powerful thing in her world. I love the way she looks at me, and I love to look at her. This is my science log, I'm sorry to waste the time, I have very important things to get to. We have been manipulating physical structures monitoring the flow of biogenic energy, it doesn't work like electricity, it's more... sublime. Sublime like my heart in the presence of my angel, my muse, my Sarah..... What can I do, I'm hopelessly in love, I can only hope she loves me as much as I love her. -Dr. Logan, signing out"</s> <\|message\|>Jabberwocky She yells in pain as she's punted away, and lands with a crunch. "Aaaah!" She stands up, and looks around, using her molten power to 'see' heat waves. She raises one hand letting magma flow over her arm, and runs forward. "Don't touch my bed!" She puts her arm through Annabelle's back, and through her heart, her arm searing through her flesh with minimal resistance.</s>	<\|message\|>Sarah Sarah pauses. Wait, Dr. Logan named one of the Oracles Sarah... and he had written a love letter to a girl named Sarah? Was she named after her? If she's as charming and intelligent as Dr. Logan made her seem, she's actually rather honored, and wishes she had known the girl. Given the circumstances, it was impossible; that other Sarah must have perished hundreds of years ago, if not by the Cataclysm then by sheer old age. For what it was worth, she hopes Dr. Logan and this other Sarah had been happy together. Once she's done with Master Thunderfist's files, she goes to take a shower and sit down to eat. She's hungry, and it's been a rather busy day.</s>
<\|description\|>Sarah Physical Description: Sarah is a slender girl with bright green eyes and soft, shoulder-length pink hair and pale, almost alabaster skin. She stand at about 5'4" (162.6 cm) and weighs 100 lbs (45.3 kg). She has a curious glint in her eyes, and tends to see everything as though for the first time. Class: Oracle Personality: Sarah is a warm, compassionate soul, always worried about other peoples' welfare and willing to go to any length to protect them. Despite her lack of social experience with the world, she can tell when people are being hurt or abused, and will try and ease their suffering any way she can. Due to mostly being a blank state, the world around her entices her curiosity, and she will try to learn as much about it as possible. She will try and know more any new sensations or experiences she might encounter, giving her the feeling of a wide-eyed newborn child eagerly gawping at the beautiful world around them. Her lack of experience with the world means she's also very naïve and clueless about current events or about certain social cues or behaviors that more worldly people would pick up easily. She does have a general sense of social decency and behavior, but the nuances or subtler plays are a bit beyond her experience, and a cunning operator can out-think her until she catches on. However, despite this, one should not push her too far. She is still an Oracle, and programmed with combat skills and powerful abilities, and can end up fighting back rather tenaciously when she or those she cares about are threatened. History: Sarah recalls nothing of her past, practically having been 'born' to the world with the opening of her case. Abilities: * Enhanced physical attributes: As an Oracle and genetically engineered being, Sarah possesses a certain amount of enhanced strength, increased agility, and improved durability and stamina, as well as a small measure of enhanced senses. However, the emphasis are on stamina and agility, making her a poor choice for a heavy fighter. * Healing: Aside from no small skill at normal healing, she possesses the ability to heal injuries and wounds almost instantly. Currently, she's still learning how to use this power, so she can heal mild injuries and cuts. * Protective 'magic': Sarah can use her 'magic' to protect her allies by casting a small, protective halo to absorb some of the damage that hits them. Equipment: Sarah barely has anything beyond the shirt on her back and a few items and supplies given to her by her mysterious caretaker. RP Notes: Sarah is basically a blank slate, one with little to no knowledge of the outside world, and must learn more about it to survive and complete her destined mission. Fortunately, she does have a certain amount of combat skills programmed into her, allowing her to fight competently and survive long enough to get stronger. Sarah's main virtues are compassion and empathy, the ability to feel for those around her, and a strong desire to reduce their suffering and help them find happiness. Role-wise, Sarah would lean towards a mage-knight with an emphasis on magic and healing. While she is still an Oracle, she prefers to use magic and healing to support her allies in battle and help them out of battle.</s> <\|message\|>Ayaan Jabberwocky's Hideout Dragon As Ruby's hand crashed through Annabelle's chest she let out a guttural scream! Then her body began to molt and form into paste as it melted and fell to the ground. After a moment Annabelle's body was nothing but a heap of greyish burnt clay. Ruby pulled her hand back and realized that she was clutching a Gemstone of some sort, if she could see she would notice that it was red and faceted. "AAAHAHAHHHAAA!!" Came a high, whinnying laugh echoing through the cavern, "Your fun!" Annabelle said, "I like you! Did you know, they call me the Puppet master?" Another harlequin clothed woman stepped from behind a rock, it looked exactly like the one that Ruby had just destroyed, "We could help each other you know, you and me, a couple of young, hot ladies lookin for trouble? Whaddya think?" She smiled and raised her hands in an open gesture. ******* Tinkertown The storm had blown in suddenly and without warning. In the intense thunder and lightening Jabberwocky had snuck up on the town in the mountains and was not in their streets. Minoc could see him from his humble apartment. "Who killed the Harpy?" Jabber screamed form the street, his dagger toothed maw frothing. "Maybe he'll leave if we tell him?" said Jimmy, one of Minoc's assistants, hopefully. Minoc gave himself a moment to consider, "No," he finally said, "no I don't think he will that one. Jabberwocky has always been blood thirsty, we're going to have to give him a fight. Tell me, where are the people?" He turned to Jimmy. Jimmy frowned, "in the house just across the way there. Jabberwocky is between us." "Oh, dear," said Minoc. He stood up shakily but attempted to look strong, "Well then, let us get to the fight, shall we?" As he turned to look he saw that the others were already armed and ready to go. They made their ways to their locations, Minoc to the front door and the others along flanking positions. Minoc looked Jabberwocky in the eye and yelled over the storm, "The Harpy met the fate of all those who give violence to the world, a violent death!" and one his word 6 crossbow went off and hurled their payload towards Jabberwocky's scales.</s> <\|message\|>Sarah Sarah Sarah was just enjoying the view, though she finds the stamina of these sky-mantas remarkable. Do they ever sleep? Or perhaps they stay awake for long, long times and just hibernate every once in a while? She made a mental note to ask about that when she could. Just then, something sparkled and shone in her peripheral vision. "A-Asra?" Sarah asks in surprise. "What are you doing here? "Well, I'm doing alright. It's... it's been a rough day yesterday. First my awakening, then the trial to find the sword... then..." She trails off, unable to continue. Pip, sensing her returning sadness, rubs against her, whining softly. "Well, that seems... convenient," Sarah says, rubbing her head as though trying to feel whatever is connected to Asra in there. It feels a bit weird to have something in her head she has no knowledge of. "It's... it's alright," Sarah says softly, though she doesn't smile. "Yesterday's been a bit rough, and I would have been too distracted to talk anyways." Sarah looks at her sword, tucked away under her belt and under her cloak. "I'll try and think of something," she says. "Can't think of anything right now..." "Wait, what happened to the Oracle in Leaf?!" Sarah asks in concern. The idea of others like her oddly gave her hope, something to look forwards to in this world, and the idea of one of them being dead was distressful. It feels like losing a sibling you never knew about. She's also worried if the other Oracles might similarly get killed off... That was quite an infodump Asra had given her, and Sarah tries to memorize all that. It feels a little overwhelming, especially since she was only 'awake' starting yesterday. Some of it somehow 'clicks' with her, as though reaffirming some knowledge implanted in her mind during her long sleep. Other facts are new, and she makes a note to remember them. "So, first scan the source of the ability, then put the battery on a metal object, and touch it? Can I use the sword, or does it have to be a different metal object?" She shakes her head. "Sounds a bit complex to me..." The idea of another agent of Draygon assaulting a poor town or castle has her simultaneously revolted and shivering. She'd seen one of these dreaded lieutenants before, and he killed Kensu in front of her eyes. She has no idea whether she can even face this next one. She wants to jump in and help, but the fight with the stranger made her worry if she'll be able to even do anything to him. She frowns as she slides deep in thought that she almost misses Asra's next bit. "Oh, that's good," Sarah says. "At least I'll have company, right? "So, Asra, can I ask you something?" she continues. "What exactly are you? You're the first entity I met since my hibernation, and yet you have answers I'm trying to find. I'm beginning to understand the duty of the Oracles thanks to Master Thunderfists' documents, but if the Ancients made you to help the Oracles, why weren't they better prepared for... well, all this?"</s> <\|message\|>Jabberwocky She frowns, and looks at the gem. "Who are you? I feel like Daddy told me about you...Anny? Annabelle?" She smiles. "You make copies, right?" She tilts her head. "Why did you want my bed? That's mine." Jabberwocky He roars as the bolts shatter on his scales. "Who dares to attack me?" He spins, and hisses, staring at the house. "Tell me, or I will burn this town to the ground, and sow the ground with your blood."</s> <\|message\|>Ayaan On the Back of the Manta Ray Asra blipped and fluttered in Sarah's peripheral vision, happy to be a part of a conversation. "Every new configuration requires a new metal vessel, so the sword is configured to channel your Biogenic energy into lightning and it cannot be restructred to channel anything else. For a demonstration what I'm talking about let's take a look at those canisters you brought. Now, take the pressure tapping mechanism that's on the container rack and allow the battery to attach to the bottom, it has a powerful electro-magnet built into the battery so now that it's charged it should stick easily to any conductive metal. I'm sorry if you don't understand all of that, I know this is all very new to you. Please trust me, there was much knowledge built into your mind while you were being formed and with a little practice you should be able to understand basic math, science, and physics...." Sarah did as she was instructed, "There you go, now that you've attached the battery to the wand hold it close to the canister and I will scan the materials within." >.....analysis complete "The canister contains Imaginarium, a chemical compound that is gaseous at room temperature and similar in composition to Dimethyltryptamine, a neuro-hallucinogenic hormone released by the brain shortly before death. Now, give me a second, I haven't done this in a while..." Over the next few moments the rod in Sarah's hand jerked and vibrated and made electrical cutting noises. >.......configuration complete "There," Asra's voice returned, "now if you channel your energy through this wand it'll spray a gas that will cause any humanoid creature to hallucinate. I don't know if it works on animals or if different species of humanoids experience different effects. You'll have to experiment." Her musical voiced flittered happily inside of Sarah's head. "As you use the implements, you don't have to keep the battery on there to use it, it'll only double the strength of the implement, your body will grow neurons in the same configuration as the element so in time you'll be able to use the power of the implement without the aid of the device." "That's a very good question, and I'll try to answer as best as I can. I am something called an 'Artificial Intelligence,'" her voice sounded sad saying it, "I'm a computer who is alive and thinking. In the time before the Apocalypse I was designed to link the Oracles, though they were called something else then, and allow them to communicate with each other and with the Harbinger. I was also attached to Satellites, which are machines in space that can see everything in the world, and the World Net, which is like an electronic library of humanoid intelligence. And I was created to scan and manufacture implements for you to use after you awoke. You see, the Oracles were made to Rule. You were created to be perfect in every way, and more powerful than any being alive; Dr. Logan said he designed you to hold the 'Scepter and the Switch.'" "When Harbinger malfunctioned and began to attack the world the scientists changed my programming. I was put offline so I don't know what happened, but when I came back online it was over, there was nothing left. My program was saved in the pods and eventually I ran out of power and went into stasis myself. When you woke up, it gave me enough power to come back online, but only for a short time. So far I've communicated with yourself, a boy in Leaf village who I lost contact with, a child who burned to death in a fire, and another named Stephanie, though my contact with her was very brief and I don't know what happened." Asra's voice became very somber, "We are in very unsure times now, there's much I don't know. The world has changed and adapted, and now Harbinger has awoken again. I don't know what's going to happen, but I know we have to stop Harbinger before it destroys everything in the world... again."</s>	<\|message\|>Sarah "Oh!" Sarah gasps in understanding as she completes the process Asra outlines. "In which case, I'm not copying the ability to the sword, I'm basically transferring those qualities to a suitable focus. Using biogenic energy to apply specific properties on certain objects and rendering them into complex tools or weapons. Very useful..." She's still not used to knowing the basics of this stuff without any prior experience, but she supposes it makes it easier for her to grasp the concept. As for Asra's description of herself, it was certainly interesting - and sorrowful. All that marvel, all that ability and creativity, wasted. "I... I watched a recording of Dr. Logan, talking about me - that is, me or another Oracle called Sarah, but he called her a 'Galatea prototype'. He seemed... very proud of us. That we'd help lead the way to a better world. But he said we were to help 'normal' humans, not rule over them. That's weird... "And if you're an AI, what was Harbinger... what drove it to malfunction?" Don't give Sarah all the details just yet :P she's just being curious and asking questions. It's okay if she has to find more data on her own.</s>
<\|description\|>Sarah Physical Description: Sarah is a slender girl with bright green eyes and soft, shoulder-length pink hair and pale, almost alabaster skin. She stand at about 5'4" (162.6 cm) and weighs 100 lbs (45.3 kg). She has a curious glint in her eyes, and tends to see everything as though for the first time. Class: Oracle Personality: Sarah is a warm, compassionate soul, always worried about other peoples' welfare and willing to go to any length to protect them. Despite her lack of social experience with the world, she can tell when people are being hurt or abused, and will try and ease their suffering any way she can. Due to mostly being a blank state, the world around her entices her curiosity, and she will try to learn as much about it as possible. She will try and know more any new sensations or experiences she might encounter, giving her the feeling of a wide-eyed newborn child eagerly gawping at the beautiful world around them. Her lack of experience with the world means she's also very naïve and clueless about current events or about certain social cues or behaviors that more worldly people would pick up easily. She does have a general sense of social decency and behavior, but the nuances or subtler plays are a bit beyond her experience, and a cunning operator can out-think her until she catches on. However, despite this, one should not push her too far. She is still an Oracle, and programmed with combat skills and powerful abilities, and can end up fighting back rather tenaciously when she or those she cares about are threatened. History: Sarah recalls nothing of her past, practically having been 'born' to the world with the opening of her case. Abilities: * Enhanced physical attributes: As an Oracle and genetically engineered being, Sarah possesses a certain amount of enhanced strength, increased agility, and improved durability and stamina, as well as a small measure of enhanced senses. However, the emphasis are on stamina and agility, making her a poor choice for a heavy fighter. * Healing: Aside from no small skill at normal healing, she possesses the ability to heal injuries and wounds almost instantly. Currently, she's still learning how to use this power, so she can heal mild injuries and cuts. * Protective 'magic': Sarah can use her 'magic' to protect her allies by casting a small, protective halo to absorb some of the damage that hits them. Equipment: Sarah barely has anything beyond the shirt on her back and a few items and supplies given to her by her mysterious caretaker. RP Notes: Sarah is basically a blank slate, one with little to no knowledge of the outside world, and must learn more about it to survive and complete her destined mission. Fortunately, she does have a certain amount of combat skills programmed into her, allowing her to fight competently and survive long enough to get stronger. Sarah's main virtues are compassion and empathy, the ability to feel for those around her, and a strong desire to reduce their suffering and help them find happiness. Role-wise, Sarah would lean towards a mage-knight with an emphasis on magic and healing. While she is still an Oracle, she prefers to use magic and healing to support her allies in battle and help them out of battle.</s> <\|message\|>Ayaan 𝕮𝖆𝓼𝓽𝓵𝒆 𝓸𝓯 𝓢𝓸𝓵𝓪𝓬𝒆 @shadowsaint007 Tornel and Stephanie "Yes, well..." Tornel said as he took the parcel from Stephanie. Suddenly he dropped it, surprised by its heft. "My God girl! How have you handled such a ridiculously heavy thing! This will not due, not due at all, no weapon could possibly be so.. unwieldy." He picked up the item with two hands and handed it over to Peter. "Take this servant, we'll examine it later." "Y... yes sir." Peter said, reverently taking the wrapped package from the Fire Mage and grunting from the weight. He put his hands together and leaned towards Stephanie, BOOM!!! loud impact rocked the underground chamber as if on cue. "So, Steph, you are to be brought to the King for an immediate audience. An Oracle coming to life well that's... that's the most significant event of the last decade!" He turned and led the other two up the stone staircase, another loud boom shook the chamber, "I do so apologize for the inconvenient noise, you'll never believe how frustrating a siege can be. I might have to personally intervene if the King does not send the Bandersnatch yelping back to Draygon's den." The stopped at the top of the step and opened a large, oaken double door. The door opened to an ornate and gelded hallway with a polished golden floor and bright white walls. The torchlight flickered so brilliantly off the shining surface it was like walking on the surface of a diamond. There were three heavily armored guards waiting for them as they walked through the door. "Sorry for the mess," Tornel said, smiling venomously, "but we don't keep the dungeons as clean as the upper floors. Please, walk this way." "If this is your dungeon I can't imagine the splendor of.. ." Peter spoke, still carrying the heavy package. Tornel raised his finger to silence the talk. "No need to be distracted by the beauty of our city, we know, and you should be silent to appreciate it." Peter fell silent. "Here is your room," Tonel stopped and opened the door to a room at the end of the long hall they had just walked down. The room had the shining floors, white walls, and gelding along the ceiling just like the rest of the hall. It had a large decorative rug on the floor, a single bed with an ornate quilt, a small desk with a mirror, and a wash basin and sink as well as a small enclosed area for using the toilet. "Please, step inside, our ladies in waiting will bring you appropriate clothing for your audience with His Highness." Tornel bowed deeply and motioned them into the room. As soon as Steph and Peter stepped in Tornel shut the door and they heard a loud click as the door was locked. "Fools!" Tornel yelled through the doorway, "I know you are servants of Draygon! You've fallen right into my trap!! Now stay in your room until I decide what to do with you, and don't try to pick the lock, I've booby trapped the door so if you so much as TRY to break out it'll explode and kill you and your little underling!" Steph and Peter could hear Tornel's footsteps click on the solid floor as he walked away from their cell. [hider=SYNOPSIS] Oh No! you've been trapped in a cell and Tornel thinks you work for Draygon! What are you going to do? If you try to pry open the door it'll explode, dare you risk it? Of course, you could always unwrap the gift you brought from Tinkertown, Tornel didn't seem to think it was important enough to confiscate...[hider] The King and Sarah The Manta Rays approached the Castle from the North. From her perch on the back of the Manta Sarah could see Bandersnatch as a little dot on the south side of the castle shooting balls of fire over the outer wall and hitting the stone of the towers. Directly underneath her she could see the top of a large square parapet lined pavilion built atop one of the towers. There were maybe twenty guards standing on the pavilion looking up at the Manta's. "It appears we are expected," Asra's voice chimed in Sarah's ear. The Manta's landed and the soldiers began to unload their goods. One of them walked up to Sarah and helped her down. "Miss," he said chivalrously, "we weren't expecting a lady in attendance. Welcome, to Castle Solace! From whence do you come?" --- King Kovar looked out the window from his study. He could hear Bandersnatch yelling a challenge. Give up the Oracle and Wizard and no one has to die. Over and over again he yelled before blasting the castle again. Kovar felt sad, he didn't know what to do. There was no Oracle at the Castle, it had been sent away as a gift for some cousin or another's wedding. Tornel had told the king that they weren't valuable, just decoration. But now one of Draygon's lieutenants was banging down his door looking for one. Why now? he thought, why after all this time we've been left alone do they now harass us? And why do they want the Oracles? The King was at a lost. The door banged loudly. "Your Highness!" A Paladin's voice called though the thick door, "The Rays from the Islands have brought their load, and they brought a passenger sir." The King motioned for his attendant to open the door. When the Knight saw the King he fell to his knee. "And why is that my concern?" The King asked. "She has Pink hair sir," The Paladin said, looking down. The King stroked his long beard. He remembered that one of the Oracle renderings had pink hair, maybe the Rays had brought them a way out of this mess. "Bring her to me, and good work young Knight. What is your name?" "Sir Brunch, Your Highness." The knight said. He snapped up at the King's command and went to fetch the young girl to see the King. Sorry, I had to write this out quick, so there may be errors. Sarah has landed at Solace and the King has requested an Audience. Not bad, waking up one day and seeing a King shortly after. You just landed, I hope you're not overwhelmed :)</s> <\|message\|>Ayaan Tinkertown Dragon this is a rough and ugly representation so you can know where everything is. You are on a bridge, Minoc is in front of you, the circles are soldiers who are hidden in buildings and shooting bolts at you. The building behind you has civilians and the Scorpion is a weapon that hurts. "You'll do that anyways you evil Monster!" Minoc shouted back. "Jub Jub came here and murdered many of our people! She dropped wild animals on our village and tried to murder us! Our bold fighters killed her and threw her body off the mountain. No go Monster! Go before we kill you too!" Minoc held his arm up, waiting for Jabberwocky to move. If Jabber made a move to attack then Minoc will drop his arm and an arrow from the Scorpion will be fired on him. Make your move Jabber, but if you move aggressively you have to deal with a giant, dragon killing arrow being shot at you.</s> <\|message\|>Jabberwocky He snarls, eyeing the xbow. He growls, and tilts his head, turing into his human form in a swirl of darkness, scythe spinning in his hands. "And where, pray tell, would I go? What's to stop me from just tearing this town apart in the dead of night. You only have so many bolts. Dragon killers or not, only one thing can pierce my hide." He grins. "And how do you plan on killing a creature that can move faster then the speed of sound?" There's a sudden boom, and a shockwave splits the air, his body vanishing, and reappearing on top of the monster crossbow.</s> <\|message\|>Ayaan Tinkertown Dragon "HURRY!!" Minoc yelled and began running across the bridge towards the building where the civilians were hiding. At the site of the Scorpion, where Jabberwocky ran too, a net sticky web shot out of the ground from underneath the roof tangling the man/monster, there were no Tinkertown soldiers manning the Scorpion. The web was designed specifically for individuals who could phase through matter, it has a coagulation effect that bunched and stuck to the person caught in it. If they tried to phase through it it would bunch up in the person's center of mass and not allow them to unphase. Minoc ran into the building while the other soldiers tried to fire their crossbows at Jabberwocky. Minoc closed the door and barred it tightly. Once he was inside he tried to organize the people inside and lead them towards a back door that would take them down the mountain.</s> <\|message\|>Jabberwocky He roars, turning back into his dragon form, and tears his claws through the sticky mesh, shredding great chunks of it with his talons. Jets of fire gush from his jaws, burning the net slowly but surely away from his scales. "INSOLENT MORTALS!" A wave of flame blasts towards the houses, setting them ablaze. "DRAYGON WILL WIPE YOUR RACE OFF THE FACE OF THIS PLANET! ONCE HE HAS THE WEAPON, THIS WORLD WILL BE CLEANSED OF YOUR PATHETIC PEOPLE!'</s>	<\|message\|>Sarah "Oh," Sarah gasps as they approach the castle. "That's a bit surprising... I don't think Master Thunderfist had time to mention me to anyone..." Stepping off the Manta, she straightens her cloak, pulling back the hood, and gives a polite bow. "Forgive my sudden intrusion," she speaks up. "My name is Sarah, and I've come from Master Thunderfist's island. The villagers were kind enough to allow me onto these majestic sky-mantas, so forgive my sudden appearance. "However, I have... sad news. M-Master Kensu Th-Thunderfist... is dead. He was slain by an agent of Draygon. I... I'm sorry." --- Sarah is quite surprised by the stares and the gawking; she suspects something about her appearance isn't very common around these parts. It's probably the pink hair; none of the villagers on the island had pink hair either. "L-look, Master Kensu wanted to dispose of these cannisters, whom should I talk to about-" She then realizes they're leading her... somewhere. She takes the opportunity to look around. The place is certainly a lot bigger and grander than the village she was in, and it has a lot more people. Still, after the claustrophobia of the caverns, it's welcome, even if the size can be a bit intimidating. Meanwhile, Pip kept trotting along, panting happily at being able to walk around after being forced to stay in one spot during the long flight to the castle. She finds herself in front of an old man with a dignified air and commanding presence, someone she realizes is the King - though partially because Sir Brunch announced him to her, making her do a double take. "Ah! Forgive me, m- your majesty!" she says hurriedly, giving an equally hurried bow. "M-my name is Sarah, and I'm most honored to meet you! I... I've come from the island where the Wizard Thunderfist lives... or rather... where he lived..."</s>
<\|description\|>Sarah Physical Description: Sarah is a slender girl with bright green eyes and soft, shoulder-length pink hair and pale, almost alabaster skin. She stand at about 5'4" (162.6 cm) and weighs 100 lbs (45.3 kg). She has a curious glint in her eyes, and tends to see everything as though for the first time. Class: Oracle Personality: Sarah is a warm, compassionate soul, always worried about other peoples' welfare and willing to go to any length to protect them. Despite her lack of social experience with the world, she can tell when people are being hurt or abused, and will try and ease their suffering any way she can. Due to mostly being a blank state, the world around her entices her curiosity, and she will try to learn as much about it as possible. She will try and know more any new sensations or experiences she might encounter, giving her the feeling of a wide-eyed newborn child eagerly gawping at the beautiful world around them. Her lack of experience with the world means she's also very naïve and clueless about current events or about certain social cues or behaviors that more worldly people would pick up easily. She does have a general sense of social decency and behavior, but the nuances or subtler plays are a bit beyond her experience, and a cunning operator can out-think her until she catches on. However, despite this, one should not push her too far. She is still an Oracle, and programmed with combat skills and powerful abilities, and can end up fighting back rather tenaciously when she or those she cares about are threatened. History: Sarah recalls nothing of her past, practically having been 'born' to the world with the opening of her case. Abilities: * Enhanced physical attributes: As an Oracle and genetically engineered being, Sarah possesses a certain amount of enhanced strength, increased agility, and improved durability and stamina, as well as a small measure of enhanced senses. However, the emphasis are on stamina and agility, making her a poor choice for a heavy fighter. * Healing: Aside from no small skill at normal healing, she possesses the ability to heal injuries and wounds almost instantly. Currently, she's still learning how to use this power, so she can heal mild injuries and cuts. * Protective 'magic': Sarah can use her 'magic' to protect her allies by casting a small, protective halo to absorb some of the damage that hits them. Equipment: Sarah barely has anything beyond the shirt on her back and a few items and supplies given to her by her mysterious caretaker. RP Notes: Sarah is basically a blank slate, one with little to no knowledge of the outside world, and must learn more about it to survive and complete her destined mission. Fortunately, she does have a certain amount of combat skills programmed into her, allowing her to fight competently and survive long enough to get stronger. Sarah's main virtues are compassion and empathy, the ability to feel for those around her, and a strong desire to reduce their suffering and help them find happiness. Role-wise, Sarah would lean towards a mage-knight with an emphasis on magic and healing. While she is still an Oracle, she prefers to use magic and healing to support her allies in battle and help them out of battle.</s> <\|message\|>Ayaan Tinkertown Dragon Locke stepped forward, tears in his eyes, "There's no Oracle here!" he cried, "Go AWAY! Haven't you killed enough!?"</s> <\|message\|>Sarah Sarah When Tornel prepares a second strike, Sarah stiffens, Pip growling in her hands. For a moment, she considers drawing her sword and fighting Tornel, but then she remembers the King is still there, and she doesn't want to endanger him. She's not sure what to do about Tornel wanting to kill her, though, as he seems convinced she's a threat to the King. However, the King's angry response - and the timely arrival of another knight - seemed to defuse the situation, and forced Tornel onto the back foot. Sarah couldn't help but wince when the King smacked Tornel; even though Tornel was just threatening to kill her, she feels that it wasn't seemly of the king to get physical like that, plus she felt pity for Tornel, whose dignity was damaged by that. Even though he attacked her and Pip. Pip, however, held no sympathy, growling at Tornel until he leaves, giving an angry little snort when the Wizard had left. Sarah breathes a sigh of relief when Tornel leaves. She just wishes the whole thing hadn't escalated so badly. Why did he believe she was a servant of Draygon? What had she done wrong? When the Knight introduces his guests, Sarah waves to them. "Hello, I'm Sarah, a pleasure to meet you," she says. To Stephanie, Sarah seems to be a pink-haired girl of 18 years old, a bit tall for her age, and with bright green eyes. She's carrying a small dog, similar to a corgi with shiny bits attached, and they seem a bit scuffed up, as though they've been hit by a small explosion - which she probably heard on her way up. The dog seems in better condition than Sarah. For Sarah, seeing Stephanie in those clothes... it stirs something deep within her. A memory? More like a glimpse of one, a flash of recognition that fades away almost before it registers. She remembers the tube from her nightmare in the caverns under the influence of the miasma. She remembers vaguely seeing figures outside her tube, in similar designs. Or is she just imagining things? The memory flashed by too quickly to examine. "I'm... I'm not sure why he thought we were servants of Draygon," Sarah says with a shrug. Then she notices the dog in her arms start fidgeting. "Uh, Pip, what are you doing...? Pip?!" Pip jumps out of New Master's arms, and trots over to the newcomers. The Knight he gives a quick sniff, but more out of mild curiosity than anything. The boy with him he gives a bit more interest, circling him once or twice as he sniffs his feet and legs. Clearly an outsider, from a distant village, but any uniqueness to his scent seems to have rubbed off from the third one, a girl. Sniffing the girl gives more intriguing results. She smells... unique. Somehow it's similar to New Master's scent, but different in a way. He circles the raven-haired girl a few times, sniffing curiously, before looking up at her, tilting his head with a curious whine, then barking cheerfully and panting. "So sorry about that," Sarah says, walking over to pick up the over-eager dog. "Pip's very excitable, and I've only had him for a short while now..."</s> <\|message\|>Jabberwocky He begins laughing, untill he's howling in laughter. "Have you never heard of the Jabberwocky, child? I live for death, for war. I am the ultimate killing machine." He tilts his head. "You're a brave one. If you can hit me at all, I'll leave. Take a swing at me."</s> <\|message\|>Ayaan Tinkertown Dragon Locke looked at the dragon hopelessly, "You're up on that roof! I can't reach you up there!?"</s> <\|message\|>Jabberwocky He laughs, and jumps off the roof. The ground cracked beneath his feet, smattering like glass hit with a boulder. "The first strike is yours, little boy." He bares fangs, sharp and white.</s> <\|message\|>Ayaan Tinkertown Dragon Locke stepped forward, tears running down his face. He was only 14 but he knew he was about to die. If only he could touch the monster then the monster promised to leave his family alone and his friends and go away. Locke felt too weak to live the Sword higher than his wast. He forced his muscles to move and he swung the sword towards jabberwocky's taunting face. "Got you!" Came a tiny voice from behind jabberwocky's leg. A little girl, maybe 5 years old, had been hiding behind Locke's legs And when Jabberwocky landed she slipped around to his giant scaled foot and with a little wooden sword Hit it as hard as her little body could. From the building a woman screamed no. A voice sounded in jabberwocky's head, "Destroy them all," Draygon said inside of Jabberwocky's head, "and return to me."</s> <\|message\|>Jabberwocky He laughs, long and loud. "Not even dogs send pups to fight. Cowards, all of you." The weapons do nothing, less then nothing. They both shatter, as if smashed with a hammer. "I like you, little ones. You remind me of someone...... leave now, children. You are no threat." He looks at the adults, and walks towards them, hands clasped behind his back. His scythe scraping into the ground, rocks cracking and splitting. "Are there no honerable ones among you?"</s> <\|message\|>Ayaan Tinkertown Dragon A disheveled woman who might have been in her mid-twenties ran out of the building and picked up the five-year-old child. "There was a girl," She said holding her child to her chest, "but she disappeared, Lord Minoc took her somewhere and none of us know where. And now he's dead." The woman put herself in between the two children and Jabberwocky, "does that satisfy you beast? Or do you still lust for more blood?"</s> <\|message\|>Jabberwocky He tilts his head. "Enough? You think I've done enough? Should I drag your whole town to Draygon, let him eradicate you all? Send me your strongest warrior. If they can get through my defense, I'll leave. If not....." He bares his fangs. "You get the picture."</s> <\|message\|>Sarah Better get this thing going again, I'd imagine. Sarah "So, Stephanie, right?" Sarah asks her new acquaintance. "It's nice to meet you. And you too, Peter. I'm Sarah, this is my... my friend, Pip." Pip barks as though in confirmation. "Dear girl, please come in," says King Kovar. "It seems I've been blessed by a very unusual day; a visit by two Oracles of old! These are certainly unusual times... but perhaps they are so for a reason. Reports have been... troubling as of late. "You too, my dear boy," he says, gesturing to Peter. "It's surely been a long trip, and you've come a long way if you're Master Minoc apprentice. How is the old Master these days? "Sarah has been talking to me about her journey thus far, perhaps you can regale an old man as myself with your tales as well?"</s> <\|message\|>Stephanie Anderson "Its nice to meet you, Sarah," Steph said with a smile. "You too, Pip," she added, giggling as she gently pet the dog's head. "And I don't mind the attention. I've always loved dogs." "Thank you, your Majesty," she said after the king bid her enter. "Master Minoc was fine when we left him, although Tinkertown did suffer a monster attack a short while ago… Yeah, I suppose I should start at the beginning," she sighed after the king had inquired about her tale. "I'm originally from what I guess you would call the 'Old World', that is, the world before the cataclysm. My parents and I were scientists working at an underground complex. When the world started coming apart at the seams, they placed me in a cryostasis chamber, and, well, I just woke up about a day ago. Obviously, I was shocked by how long I had slept and by how much the world had changed, but with the town I found myself in under attack, I knew I had to figure out some way to help them. Long story short, I was able to come up with a plan and get rid of most of the monsters, including this really creepy harpy. I then met Master Minoc. He told me about Draygon, introduced me to Peter, and instructed me to take this sword to Master Tornel, here at the Castle of Solace. But for some reason," she added, casting a fierce glare at the wizard, "Tornel locked us in a chamber, claiming we were servants of Draygon."</s>	<\|message\|>Sarah Pip likes this one. She knows how to pat a dog properly. "The Old World, you say?" the King muses with interest. Sarah also seems intrigued by Stephanie. "My dear girl, you must have seen such wonders, wonders I can only imagine in this darker age. Sarah says she doesn't remember anything before she woke up from her pod; do you have any idea why that is? I thought that you both being Oracles, perhaps you could enlighten us about the Ancients." Sarah shakes her head sadly. "I have... glimpses, your Majesty, but they're not exactly what you'd call visions. More... I think glimpses of the world, as though I'm still in my pod, looking out. They... they come and go, and they're not exactly clear. As I told your Majesty, I have no clear memories of my existence before waking up from the pod." "I see," King Kovar muses. "Back to Stephanie's tale, was there anything notable about the Harpy? I have my suspicions, though that comes with good news and bad if I am correct."</s>
<\|description\|>Sarah Physical Description: Sarah is a slender girl with bright green eyes and soft, shoulder-length pink hair and pale, almost alabaster skin. She stand at about 5'4" (162.6 cm) and weighs 100 lbs (45.3 kg). She has a curious glint in her eyes, and tends to see everything as though for the first time. Class: Oracle Personality: Sarah is a warm, compassionate soul, always worried about other peoples' welfare and willing to go to any length to protect them. Despite her lack of social experience with the world, she can tell when people are being hurt or abused, and will try and ease their suffering any way she can. Due to mostly being a blank state, the world around her entices her curiosity, and she will try to learn as much about it as possible. She will try and know more any new sensations or experiences she might encounter, giving her the feeling of a wide-eyed newborn child eagerly gawping at the beautiful world around them. Her lack of experience with the world means she's also very naïve and clueless about current events or about certain social cues or behaviors that more worldly people would pick up easily. She does have a general sense of social decency and behavior, but the nuances or subtler plays are a bit beyond her experience, and a cunning operator can out-think her until she catches on. However, despite this, one should not push her too far. She is still an Oracle, and programmed with combat skills and powerful abilities, and can end up fighting back rather tenaciously when she or those she cares about are threatened. History: Sarah recalls nothing of her past, practically having been 'born' to the world with the opening of her case. Abilities: * Enhanced physical attributes: As an Oracle and genetically engineered being, Sarah possesses a certain amount of enhanced strength, increased agility, and improved durability and stamina, as well as a small measure of enhanced senses. However, the emphasis are on stamina and agility, making her a poor choice for a heavy fighter. * Healing: Aside from no small skill at normal healing, she possesses the ability to heal injuries and wounds almost instantly. Currently, she's still learning how to use this power, so she can heal mild injuries and cuts. * Protective 'magic': Sarah can use her 'magic' to protect her allies by casting a small, protective halo to absorb some of the damage that hits them. Equipment: Sarah barely has anything beyond the shirt on her back and a few items and supplies given to her by her mysterious caretaker. RP Notes: Sarah is basically a blank slate, one with little to no knowledge of the outside world, and must learn more about it to survive and complete her destined mission. Fortunately, she does have a certain amount of combat skills programmed into her, allowing her to fight competently and survive long enough to get stronger. Sarah's main virtues are compassion and empathy, the ability to feel for those around her, and a strong desire to reduce their suffering and help them find happiness. Role-wise, Sarah would lean towards a mage-knight with an emphasis on magic and healing. While she is still an Oracle, she prefers to use magic and healing to support her allies in battle and help them out of battle.</s> <\|message\|>Ayaan Draygon's Castle Draygon's Castle Underground Lab \| \| \| \| \| --- \| --- \| --- \| \| ************************************************ \| Draygon was hiding in his lab. After living for centuries he found that his work rooms were always the most peaceful. The world was chaotic, but here, where he was god, there was only order. He picked up the head in his clawed hand. He had spent hours breaking apart the cellular tissues in an attempt to get at the biologic processors but he had had little success. If he sent a volt of energy through the head he could make it talk though, and that was at least mildly amusing. "Asra," growled his deep, inhuman voice. "Yes" sang a sweet voice plainly as a holographic fairy appeared on his desk. "Status Report," Draygon demanded as he inspected the severed head. "There are two awake, not just one. I am in full contact with the one called Sarah, she has been received by King Kovar at Castle Solace," Asra replied solemly. \| ************************************************ \| "And the other?" Draygon asked. "I.. I don't know yet," Asra said fearfully, "her name is Stephanie, I suspected she was dead but she lives. She fought the Jub Jub bird. There's something about her that is different, she is not one of the Galateans, but until she uses the battery I do not have full access. I have directed her to the castle as well, I will instruct Sarah to let her use the battery she already has." "That will not work," Draygon said, "Instruct them to find another battery, make sure they feel it is necessary." "As you wish, Lord." Asra replied. "I've instructed the Bandersnatch to return, until we know the truth behind this Stephanie she is an unpredictable variable. I do not like unpredictability. Status Report from the Harbinger." "It is still silent. The only communication has been in an unknown language. I'm sorry Lord I have made no progress..." "Do not grovel. You are a computer, you perform a function. Do not be weak, do not be human," Draygon threatened. "Yes Lord," relief creeped in Asra's sweet voice. "The Galateans are the key, my Oracles. I need more of them to awaken. Bid Sarah to find others like her, encourage her to do so. I made them to want to be with each other so it should be easy. Report to me again in a week or when I command." "Yes Lord." Asra's holographic image winked out of existance.</s> <\|message\|>Sarah Castle of Solace After a while, the King took his leave of the girls. He wanted to hear more from the Oracles, but alas, the state calls. Also, Bandersnatch seems to have strangely withdrawn his siege. The citizens of the castle were elated and began celebrating, but the King remains... unconvinced. "Draygon's men have a way of being cruel and cunning," he tells the Oracles. "Even if Bandersnatch had no way of ending the siege, we must remain vigilant against an attack by treachery. I'll see to the defenses and the men, in the meanwhile Sir Gravy will lead you to the royal archives so you may find what you seek there. "Take care, fair maidens, and may fortune smile upon you on your journey..." With that, the knight Sir Gravy guides the two girls to the Archives, whereupon they find endless scrolls and books, some new, others old, some even older than the castle itself. The good knight offers his aid, but he can't seem to find anything by Julie Anderson. Sarah take the opportunity to turn to Stephanie. "So what was your mother like?" Sarah asks curiously. "She seems to be a dedicated sort, if we're reading her works this long after... whatever happened..." "My sincere apologies, dear maidens," Gravy says, "it appears I cannot find the tome, though the scribes assure me it's here somewhere; Master Tornel referred to it quite a bit, so it must be here. Give me a second..." He tries looking again, in a shelf, but something small falls out. "Hmm? What is this?" he says, picking up the small object and holding it to the light. "How odd, it seems to be a gem - nay, merely a crystal. Rather shiny, but it doesn't seem to be worth much... Shouldn't this be in the Royal Treasury instead?"</s> <\|message\|>Jabberwocky He takes a deep breath, and shoots a tornado of flame from his mouth, making a massive twister in the air, punching through the clouds with the blaze. "You think my bloodlust can be sated? My lust for vilonce and death cannot be filled." He smiles with razor sharp teeth. "I won't wait all day. Send me a warrior, or I'll pick one myself."</s> <\|message\|>Stephanie Anderson "Thank you, your Majesty," Steph replied, slightly amused by having been called a 'fair maiden'. Following Sir Gravy to the Archives, Steph waited with Sarah and Peter, while the knight set off to retrieve the journal. "Yeah, I guess you could say that," Steph agreed after Sarah inquired about her mother. "She was certainly brilliant, and she worked very hard to ensure that her research would be preserved for future generations. She was also very kind," she added in a softer tone. "She was always trying to make the world a better place, and she wanted to use technology to achieve that goal. That's why she became a scientist. To see the world now, in this state… It would probably break her heart…" At this point, Sir Gravy returned and apologized for having come back empty handed. He had just begun to search one more shelf, when a small crystal fell to the ground. Picking it up, the knight seemed puzzled by its presence in the Archives, wondering if perhaps it belonged in the Royal Treasury instead. "Actually, I think that might be what we're looking for," Steph spoke up. "Yeah, this is definitely a data crystal," she confirmed after taking a closer look. "We're gonna need a device to be able to access it, but that shouldn't be a problem." With a single thought, Steph sent her nanite swarm into motion. Disassembling an unused pouch on her backpack, they reformed it into a palm-sized data crystal reader. "Just stick the crystal into this opening here," Steph instructed. "Then we should be able to access whatever information it contains."</s>	<\|message\|>Sarah "Well, will wonders ever cease," chortles Sir Gravy as Stephanie not only identifies the small crystal as the mysterious tome, but transforms a mundane pouch into... something that can hold it. Peter is similarly wide-eyed and amazed. "Begging your pardons, Ms. Or- Stephanie, but that's some wondrous magic there," he manages to speak up. "How did you do it?" "It's... it's not magic," Sarah says, shaking her head, remembering something vaguely. She turns to Steph. "It's... nanotechnology, right? It's... well, it's complicated, but it's as though I know the basics of the process, as well as a lot of things I've never even seen or heard about, the moment I stepped out of my pod... Just enough to familiarize me with things, I guess..." The makeshift 'reader' powers up, and the crystal starts flickering. For a moment, one could see bright flecks and glittering objects within the tiny frame of the crystal, as though it were an image of the night sky, with the stars themselves shining within. Then a spectral geometric shape appears a foot above the crystal, slowing unfurling until it forms what Stephanie could recognize as a holographic display. It glitches out a bit, but it takes form in sharp detail rather quickly, revealing what appears to the others as a scholarly woman in the garb of the Ancients, but Stephanie can clearly recognize as Julie Anderson, her long-lost mother, in a happier time. "...date today is... December 12th, year [STATIC] and here we are, working on Project Prometheus yet again. I swear, Dr. Logan's a freaking slave driver; he wants the miniaturized reactors ready by next week. And the cryopods. And his precious 'biogenic-sensitive' circuitry prepared. Why not ask for the Sun in the palm of his hand while he's at it? "Okay, okay, I kid. Dr. Logan is... driven, and to be honest, it's hard to not get infected with his enthusiasm for the project. He just seems to tied up in his Biogenics lab and only pokes his head out once in a while, so it's hard to get across that a lot of this stuff takes time, especially at the crazy purity levels he's asking. We can make stuff sturdy, reliable, and effective, only 82% pure, and it'll last centuries, but nope, he wants his precious pieces at 95% or higher. It'll take more time, so tell him to cool it a bit. All the time we're telling him this is for just prototypes, but damn it if he isn't persistent. "Still, I know what it's like to be a perfectionist, so can't blame him for it. Hopefully Dr. Westfield will help mellow him out a bit. She's got his same spark, but I had coffee with her once; she seems like a friendly sort. "Anyways, moving on, here's the list of the facilities where the equipment is being sent. Some of it's supposed to arrive right about now, others are going to be there within the next two weeks, so tell Drake to get off our case, we're doing the best we can. The files and records will be on servers designated PANDORA-4 and higher, though as I said Bob, I always make copies of my work, so I'll be sure to send you something secure. This is Dr. Anderson, signing out." A three-dimensional map of... somewhere forms in the hologram, and Stephanie can recognize it as the land masses of old, prior to the Harbinger Incident. Several dots appear, marking what appears to be the facilities her mother was talking about, with small percentages next to them indicating completion rates of various items. "Forgive me Stephanie, but... I don't think I understood much of that," Peter apologizes. Pip similarly looks at the map, and tilts his head at Stephanie with a curious whine. It's almost as if he's curious too.</s>
<\|description\|>Sarah Physical Description: Sarah is a slender girl with bright green eyes and soft, shoulder-length pink hair and pale, almost alabaster skin. She stand at about 5'4" (162.6 cm) and weighs 100 lbs (45.3 kg). She has a curious glint in her eyes, and tends to see everything as though for the first time. Class: Oracle Personality: Sarah is a warm, compassionate soul, always worried about other peoples' welfare and willing to go to any length to protect them. Despite her lack of social experience with the world, she can tell when people are being hurt or abused, and will try and ease their suffering any way she can. Due to mostly being a blank state, the world around her entices her curiosity, and she will try to learn as much about it as possible. She will try and know more any new sensations or experiences she might encounter, giving her the feeling of a wide-eyed newborn child eagerly gawping at the beautiful world around them. Her lack of experience with the world means she's also very naïve and clueless about current events or about certain social cues or behaviors that more worldly people would pick up easily. She does have a general sense of social decency and behavior, but the nuances or subtler plays are a bit beyond her experience, and a cunning operator can out-think her until she catches on. However, despite this, one should not push her too far. She is still an Oracle, and programmed with combat skills and powerful abilities, and can end up fighting back rather tenaciously when she or those she cares about are threatened. History: Sarah recalls nothing of her past, practically having been 'born' to the world with the opening of her case. Abilities: * Enhanced physical attributes: As an Oracle and genetically engineered being, Sarah possesses a certain amount of enhanced strength, increased agility, and improved durability and stamina, as well as a small measure of enhanced senses. However, the emphasis are on stamina and agility, making her a poor choice for a heavy fighter. * Healing: Aside from no small skill at normal healing, she possesses the ability to heal injuries and wounds almost instantly. Currently, she's still learning how to use this power, so she can heal mild injuries and cuts. * Protective 'magic': Sarah can use her 'magic' to protect her allies by casting a small, protective halo to absorb some of the damage that hits them. Equipment: Sarah barely has anything beyond the shirt on her back and a few items and supplies given to her by her mysterious caretaker. RP Notes: Sarah is basically a blank slate, one with little to no knowledge of the outside world, and must learn more about it to survive and complete her destined mission. Fortunately, she does have a certain amount of combat skills programmed into her, allowing her to fight competently and survive long enough to get stronger. Sarah's main virtues are compassion and empathy, the ability to feel for those around her, and a strong desire to reduce their suffering and help them find happiness. Role-wise, Sarah would lean towards a mage-knight with an emphasis on magic and healing. While she is still an Oracle, she prefers to use magic and healing to support her allies in battle and help them out of battle.</s> <\|message\|>Sarah Sarah "Well, hopefully that will make our search a little easier," Sarah says as they leave the Archives. "It's still a bit daunting to try and find the Oracles all over the map." "I'll be honest, Peter says, rubbing his head, "This is probably the furthest I've ever been from home. The idea of going even further is rather intimidating... though I have to admit, also a bit exciting." "It is, isn't it?" Sarah muses. "I mean, the view from the sky-mantas was wonderful. A bit windy, but you get used to it. The view was definitely worth it. I mean, you're way up there in the sky, and you look down and everything looks small, like doll towns. I couldn't even see individual people, I was so high up..." "I don't know, what if you fell?" Peter replies, looking a bit green at the thought. "It's an awfully long way down..." "Well, Pip almost slid off the wing, but that's because he was so small," Sarah admits. "Still, he didn't mind. Did you, Pip?" Pip barks cheerfully at the mention of his name. "Oh, I wonder what the view from the towers is like?" Sarah speaks up cheerfully. "Oh, no thanks, I'm fine around here, ma'am," Peter says nervously. "Maybe we should tour the rest of the castle first nice and slooOOOOOOOOOOWWWW!!!" Despite Peter's protests, Sarah grabs him by the arm and drags him along to get a view from the tower. Pip barks and chases after them. "Hurry up, Stephanie!" Sarah calls out cheerfully. "I bet it's a wonderful view from up there!"</s> <\|message\|>Ayaan Facilities: 1. Apalachee Facility, USA 2. Sao Paula Facility, Brazil 3. Greenland Facility 4. Antarctica Facility 5. Cape Town Facility, South Africa 6. Helsinki Facility, Finland 7. Naning Manufacturing Facility, China 8. Seoul Facility, Korea - Main Offices for Biogenic research 9. Mt. Fiji Facility, Japan 10. Sydney Facility, Australia Every facility has a research department, a pod manufacture dept, and a business office. The Naning facility manufactured the materials for building Harbinger and much of the materials used in the manufacture of the pods.</s> <\|message\|>Jabberwocky He snaps at the eagle, wings beating and stirring up smoke. He growls from all the cuts and scrapes on his leathery, scaled flesh. He roars, and the sound makes a shockwave, blasting the birds away from him. He flies higher and higher, untill the birds can't reach him at his immense altitude.</s> <\|message\|>Stephanie Anderson "Well, from what little I know of it, Project Prometheus was focused on the manipulation of something called 'Biogenic Energy'," Steph explained after Peter had inquired about the project. "That's the kind of energy harnessed by the sword Minoc gave me," she added, hoping that might make things a bit clearer. "It also had to do with the creation of beings specifically designed to make use of such energy, like Sarah here." After Steph asked about potential methods of rapid transit, Peter frowned. "W-Well… There's the train we took to get here, but, uh, like I said, it only runs between the Castle and Tinkertown…" "There are also several winged beasts upon which one can ride," Sir Gravy added. "Of course, they are not simply handed out to just anyone, but I have no doubt that two Oracles of legend, such as yourselves, would most assuredly be granted them, if requested." "You can say that again," Steph agreed, when Sarah noted the daunting task ahead of them. Then Sarah mentioned going to check out the view from the towers, practically dragging Peter along with her. "I guess it wouldn't hurt to get a look at the local the lay of the land," Steph reflected with a giggle, as she and Sir Gravy followed after them.</s> <\|message\|>Sarah Sarah Up in the tower, Sarah was looking out at the landscape, letting her pink hair dance in the wind, brushing it out of her eyes to get a clear view, a bright smile on her face. To her left is Sir Gravy, doing little more than admiring the view himself. "It's not as high up as it was on the sky-manta's back," she tells Stephanie when the other girl joins her. "But here, I can see things better. I can see the people in the towns, the farmers in the field. It makes me wonder what they're thinking of, how they're living their lives. It's just... so strange, thinking about how these people spend their lives. "To be honest... I envy them a bit," she admits, a warm smile adorning her face. Peter, by contrast, is rather green in the gills, leaning on the inner wall away from the battlements, and trying not to throw up. He's clearly not comfortable way up here. "Begging your pardon, Sarah, but I don't think I'm cut out for heights," he admits. "I've never been this high off the ground, to be honest, and I'm finding it's making me sick." "Oh don't be silly, Peter," Sarah giggles. "You just don't look down. I mean, I've been 'alive' for the past week and I already guessed that bit." "Easier said than done!" Peter says. "You told me not to look down and it got stuck in my head! You just don't tell someone that, especially if they're afraid of heights!" "Well, maybe it's dangerous if you fell from a great height-" "Exactly! And I'd rather not find out!" "But as long as you're standing on something solid, you'll be fine." Sarah stamps the stone. "See? It's safe. Even if the heights look scary, you're safe." She looks down to prove her point, but then something draws her attention. It's the scorch marks left by Bandersnatch, blasting the castle walls with fire and magic. The walls had weathered them well, but the scorched black contrasted against the majesty of the stonework, marring the appearance. The paladin notices her gaze. "It's a shame what that brute has done to the walls," Sir Gravy admits. "Fret not, dear ladies, we'll have the painters and stonemasons clean that up as best as they can. This castle's survived worse, so no need to worry." "That's nice," Sarah muses. "But it's what he tried to do. He tried to destroy the castle..." "As I said, this castle's survived worse. Trust me when I say this castle might stand for centuries more yet!" "Certainly not for his lack of trying," Sarah replies bitterly. "Why do Draygon's servants do this? They seem keen on destroying everything... why? What do they gain from this? It's bad enough the world's fallen from the days of the ancients, they're trying to destroy more of it..."</s> <\|message\|>Stephanie Anderson Steph raised an eyebrow at Peter's terrified demeanor. "Seriously?" she asked Peter with a chuckle. "You're afraid of heights? Your home town was built on top of a mountain!" "Y-Yes, that's true," Peter conceded. "B-But I never really ventured outside all that often, and I never got close to the c-cliffs…" "I guess that explains it, then," she noted, although she still found it amusingly ironic. Steph's attention was soon drawn back to Sarah, who was asking about Draygon and his intentions. It was something that had been poking at the back of Steph's mind as well. Who was this Draygon, and how was he able to create monsters like the harpy she'd fought back at Tinkertown? From what she had been able to gather, the so-called "Wizards" were simply people who had learned how to utilize some facet of old world knowledge or technology. Was this the case for Draygon as well? If so, then he had certainly acquired a knowledge of science far in advance of that displayed by the rest of this depressingly medieval world. However, before Sir Gravy could answer Sarah's question, or Steph could give voice to one of her own, they were interrupted by the arrival of a youthful squire. "P-Please pardon the intrusion, Sir Gravy," the squire stammered, clearly out of breath. "But I come bearing a message from Master Tornel. He has instructed me to request that you…" His voice trailed off as he noticed the two young women present. "O-Oh, good heavens!" he exclaimed, prostrating himself in supplication. "Please forgive your lowly servant, mighty Oracles!" he pleaded. "I did not mean to disturb you with my presence!" "D-Don't worry," Steph told the messenger gently, more than a little taken aback by his reverence towards Sarah and herself. "You didn't do anything wrong, and there's really no need for you to be afraid of us," she added with a reassuring smile, while kneeling down and placing a hand on the squire's shoulder. "We're regular people, just like you." The young man gasped as he felt Steph touch his shoulder, but calmed slightly upon seeing her kind smile. Now that he looked at her face, she didn't appear to be any different than a normal person. And yet, she was an Oracle, a divine messenger of the Ancients! How could she be so… humble? That thought was quickly banished when Sir Gravy spoke up. "Young squire! You spoke of a message from Master Tornel! Out with it lad! What new task awaits?!" "M-My apologies, sir! M-Master Tornel wishes for you to escort the Oracles to their chambers and watch over them until the feast tomorrow. I would have informed you sooner, but I was told you would be in the library, and when you weren't there…" "Not to fret, young squire!" Sir Gravy reassured him. "Your quest to locate us was successful, and you have imparted the message entrusted to your care. You have done quite well indeed! What pray tell is your name, young squire?" "S-Squire Toast, sir." "Well, then, Squire Toast, I shall be sure to mention your exemplary service when next I speak with both Master Tornel and His Majesty, the King!" "T-Thank you, sir!" "Think nothing of it, lad!" the paladin replied with a hearty laugh. "A job well done deserves to be recognized!" "Wait, you mentioned a feast?" Steph asked. "Why, yes! Of course! Master Tornel is preparing a grand banquet in your honor! There will be music and entertainers of all kinds! Master Tornel has demanded only the best for our Mighty Oracles!" "Tornel's setting this up?" Steph asked dubiously. She tried not to scowl at the mention of the wizard, but after his earlier treatment of Sarah and herself, she found it hard not to regard all his actions as highly suspicious.</s>	<\|message\|>Sarah "Well, the King was angry with Tornel at his actions," Sarah says. "Maybe it's his way of an apology?" She still remembers the fury in the King's eyes at Tornel's actions, and while she's still a bit upset about how Tornel had tried to kill her earlier, maybe he saw the error of his ways? She's a bit full after her brunch with the King, but she's certainly curious about the entertainment for the meal. "Either way, sounds like there's going to be quite the spectacle there, and I'm kind of curious to see what they have."</s>
<\|description\|>Sarah Physical Description: Sarah is a slender girl with bright green eyes and soft, shoulder-length pink hair and pale, almost alabaster skin. She stand at about 5'4" (162.6 cm) and weighs 100 lbs (45.3 kg). She has a curious glint in her eyes, and tends to see everything as though for the first time. Class: Oracle Personality: Sarah is a warm, compassionate soul, always worried about other peoples' welfare and willing to go to any length to protect them. Despite her lack of social experience with the world, she can tell when people are being hurt or abused, and will try and ease their suffering any way she can. Due to mostly being a blank state, the world around her entices her curiosity, and she will try to learn as much about it as possible. She will try and know more any new sensations or experiences she might encounter, giving her the feeling of a wide-eyed newborn child eagerly gawping at the beautiful world around them. Her lack of experience with the world means she's also very naïve and clueless about current events or about certain social cues or behaviors that more worldly people would pick up easily. She does have a general sense of social decency and behavior, but the nuances or subtler plays are a bit beyond her experience, and a cunning operator can out-think her until she catches on. However, despite this, one should not push her too far. She is still an Oracle, and programmed with combat skills and powerful abilities, and can end up fighting back rather tenaciously when she or those she cares about are threatened. History: Sarah recalls nothing of her past, practically having been 'born' to the world with the opening of her case. Abilities: * Enhanced physical attributes: As an Oracle and genetically engineered being, Sarah possesses a certain amount of enhanced strength, increased agility, and improved durability and stamina, as well as a small measure of enhanced senses. However, the emphasis are on stamina and agility, making her a poor choice for a heavy fighter. * Healing: Aside from no small skill at normal healing, she possesses the ability to heal injuries and wounds almost instantly. Currently, she's still learning how to use this power, so she can heal mild injuries and cuts. * Protective 'magic': Sarah can use her 'magic' to protect her allies by casting a small, protective halo to absorb some of the damage that hits them. Equipment: Sarah barely has anything beyond the shirt on her back and a few items and supplies given to her by her mysterious caretaker. RP Notes: Sarah is basically a blank slate, one with little to no knowledge of the outside world, and must learn more about it to survive and complete her destined mission. Fortunately, she does have a certain amount of combat skills programmed into her, allowing her to fight competently and survive long enough to get stronger. Sarah's main virtues are compassion and empathy, the ability to feel for those around her, and a strong desire to reduce their suffering and help them find happiness. Role-wise, Sarah would lean towards a mage-knight with an emphasis on magic and healing. While she is still an Oracle, she prefers to use magic and healing to support her allies in battle and help them out of battle.</s> <\|message\|>Stephanie Anderson Steph raised an eyebrow at Peter's terrified demeanor. "Seriously?" she asked Peter with a chuckle. "You're afraid of heights? Your home town was built on top of a mountain!" "Y-Yes, that's true," Peter conceded. "B-But I never really ventured outside all that often, and I never got close to the c-cliffs…" "I guess that explains it, then," she noted, although she still found it amusingly ironic. Steph's attention was soon drawn back to Sarah, who was asking about Draygon and his intentions. It was something that had been poking at the back of Steph's mind as well. Who was this Draygon, and how was he able to create monsters like the harpy she'd fought back at Tinkertown? From what she had been able to gather, the so-called "Wizards" were simply people who had learned how to utilize some facet of old world knowledge or technology. Was this the case for Draygon as well? If so, then he had certainly acquired a knowledge of science far in advance of that displayed by the rest of this depressingly medieval world. However, before Sir Gravy could answer Sarah's question, or Steph could give voice to one of her own, they were interrupted by the arrival of a youthful squire. "P-Please pardon the intrusion, Sir Gravy," the squire stammered, clearly out of breath. "But I come bearing a message from Master Tornel. He has instructed me to request that you…" His voice trailed off as he noticed the two young women present. "O-Oh, good heavens!" he exclaimed, prostrating himself in supplication. "Please forgive your lowly servant, mighty Oracles!" he pleaded. "I did not mean to disturb you with my presence!" "D-Don't worry," Steph told the messenger gently, more than a little taken aback by his reverence towards Sarah and herself. "You didn't do anything wrong, and there's really no need for you to be afraid of us," she added with a reassuring smile, while kneeling down and placing a hand on the squire's shoulder. "We're regular people, just like you." The young man gasped as he felt Steph touch his shoulder, but calmed slightly upon seeing her kind smile. Now that he looked at her face, she didn't appear to be any different than a normal person. And yet, she was an Oracle, a divine messenger of the Ancients! How could she be so… humble? That thought was quickly banished when Sir Gravy spoke up. "Young squire! You spoke of a message from Master Tornel! Out with it lad! What new task awaits?!" "M-My apologies, sir! M-Master Tornel wishes for you to escort the Oracles to their chambers and watch over them until the feast tomorrow. I would have informed you sooner, but I was told you would be in the library, and when you weren't there…" "Not to fret, young squire!" Sir Gravy reassured him. "Your quest to locate us was successful, and you have imparted the message entrusted to your care. You have done quite well indeed! What pray tell is your name, young squire?" "S-Squire Toast, sir." "Well, then, Squire Toast, I shall be sure to mention your exemplary service when next I speak with both Master Tornel and His Majesty, the King!" "T-Thank you, sir!" "Think nothing of it, lad!" the paladin replied with a hearty laugh. "A job well done deserves to be recognized!" "Wait, you mentioned a feast?" Steph asked. "Why, yes! Of course! Master Tornel is preparing a grand banquet in your honor! There will be music and entertainers of all kinds! Master Tornel has demanded only the best for our Mighty Oracles!" "Tornel's setting this up?" Steph asked dubiously. She tried not to scowl at the mention of the wizard, but after his earlier treatment of Sarah and herself, she found it hard not to regard all his actions as highly suspicious.</s> <\|message\|>Sarah Sarah "Well, the King was angry with Tornel at his actions," Sarah says. "Maybe it's his way of an apology?" She still remembers the fury in the King's eyes at Tornel's actions, and while she's still a bit upset about how Tornel had tried to kill her earlier, maybe he saw the error of his ways? She's a bit full after her brunch with the King, but she's certainly curious about the entertainment for the meal. "Either way, sounds like there's going to be quite the spectacle there, and I'm kind of curious to see what they have."</s> <\|message\|>Jabberwocky He takes a deep breath, and blasts out a wave of white hot flames, the air burning as the liquid like blaze feeds greedily on the air, and the bodies of birds. He snarls, and loops around the castle, watching Bandersnatch lay seige to the building.</s> <\|message\|>Ayaan Castle of Solace The Oracle's Banquet It was the night of the banquet in honor of the Oracles and the end of the siege. For reasons unknown Bandersnatch had left, though he did not leave empty handed. He now held in his possession one of the mythical swords of the ancients, the Sword of Fire. The people of Solace, however, did not see that as much of a loss because Tornel, the High Wizard of the Castle, only used the sword as an ornament and never learned how to channel its great power. The true inspiration of the Banquet was the arrival of the Oracles, beings of fable who were seen by many as god-like entities who have risen to lead them into the future, and by others as fake messengers created by the Wizard cult. Not much time had passed since their arrival, but like all monumentally changing events, waves of emotion swept through the population of the castle and and surrounding town. The common folk enjoyed a spectacle, and the possibility of seeing living gods was sure to be one. On the night of the Oracle's Banquet, as it was being called, the main hall of the castle was filled to the brim and people were gathered in the courtyard outside of the gates having their own celebration and listening to the music echoing from the castle interior. On a stage at the end of the hall furthest from the door was the King's thrown and his chromed and gem-inlaid table. Sitting on either side of the King sat Sarah and Stephanie, each dressed in finery that was both radiant and glowing. After the girls sat family members of the King, including his son and three daughters. At the end of the table sat Tornel, purposefully positioned so that he could conduct the orchestrations of the Banquet. Each dish was brought in and served on fine pewter plates, the wine and juices were served in plain silver goblets shined to perfection. The banquet hall was an open space between the King's table and the large double door that lead into the courtyard. There were tables against the far walls containing mountains of fresh food and servants quickly refilled trays and brought fresh munchies to the people dancing and mingling. On well lit balconies above the food tables there sat small quartets of musicians playing wind and string instruments with a drummer keeping the rhythm. To the King's left the musicians had a female singer, to his right was a male singer. They took turns but sometimes harmonized together, the affect was beautiful. The roof of the banquet hall held the visage of 8 women, each in varying stages of dress and with different symbolic images around like stalks of wheat, a boat, or a golden fleece. One of the women had pink hair. The King would note that these are images of different Oracles who were venerated by the people. The people had different names for the Oracles based on tradition, the one with Pink hair was named Laughter. There was no image to depict Stephanie. Periodically throughout the banquet people brought gifts and laid them down at the steps before the throne. There they would ask for blessings from the Oracles, flatter them with a poem or song, or confess a deep affection and vow their servitude. Every third of Fifth supplicant was a performer brought in by Tornel who performed magic tricks, acrobatics, or some other vaudevillian act meant to entertain and keep the festivities fresh. After each one the people of the banquet would applaud and the night seemed to go splendidly.</s> <\|message\|>Serlor "Ah, that's very bold! Assuming you'd try to vanquish me, you must have a team of sorts, yes? " The dragon inquired, narrowing its eyes. "And if not, I'll crush you myself."</s>	<\|message\|>Sarah Given the banquet was to be thrown in their honor, Sarah expected that Stephanie and herself would have seats of honor somewhere. What she didn't expect was that they'd be seated on thrones next to the King himself, dressed in overly elaborate finery and jewelry, being approached and praised by the populace. It just feels awkward to sit before everyone like a golden idol, being praised and lavished like so - and they didn't even do anything yet! All Sarah can do is manage an awkward smile and accept the praises uneasily. If she's to be entirely honest, Sarah would have told them they didn't need to go this far. She looks up at the ceiling, studying the depiction of the eight Oracles if only to keep her from how awkward it feels to be the center of attention. For some reason, the pink-haired one depicted was representative of 'laughter'. If that's meant to be her, she doesn't feel particularly giggly or funny. Heck, she wouldn't even know how to tell a good joke. Though if by 'laughter' they meant 'joy'... well, maybe she can do that. Assuming that's even what her creators intended. She looks over to see how Stephanie is holding up through all this.</s>
<\|description\|>Stephanie Anderson Class: Oracle/Sleeper Appearance: Steph is an average looking fifteen-year-old girl, if a bit on the small side. She has short, black hair and piercing blue eyes. Personality: Steph is usually quiet and soft-spoken, preferring to silently observe a situation, rather than impetuously rush into the unknown, a trait that should serve her well in her current circumstances. When it comes to her areas of interest (science/technology/learning about the stranger facets of her new world), she can get very intense and focused. She is also quite inquisitive, but she never allows her fascination with something to compromise her sense of caution. She has always loved computers, robotics and technology in general, and is very skilled when it comes to working with it. Naturally, she is very distressed by the current, primitive, state of the world. She is very much a fish out of temporal water, and this has a major impact on how she views the world and interacts with its inhabitants. History: The brilliant daughter of two equally brilliant scientists, Stephanie's genius was recognized at an early age, and by the time she turned fifteen, she already had her first doctorate. She routinely assisted her renowned parents with their work, and was well on her way to becoming one of the world's brightest minds. Unfortunately, that world would soon come to a cataclysmic end… As the world of science and progress crumbled around her, Stephanie's parents hastily worked to ensure her survival. She was given a series of highly experimental genetic enhancements, coupled with an equally experimental cybernetic nanotech control system, and placed in a cryonic stasis chamber. Since their facility was located deep underground, and hardened against even the strongest forms of attack, her parents hoped that she would be safe until the world was once again hospitable to human life. Promising Steph that they would join her in stasis shortly, her parents sealed her chamber and hoped for the best. Abilities: Enhanced Physical Attributes- Besides her genius-level intellect, Steph has received extensive genetic enhancement, making her stronger, faster, and more resilient than a normal human. Her senses are also much more acute. Nanite Swarm- In addition, she has access to a small swarm of nanites, which she can control with the use of a cybernetic implant. These nanomachines are limited to performing minor to moderate healing on herself or others (only one person at a time), as well as providing information and manipulating anything made of metal (although in the future, they may be able to expand their capabilities further). The inhabitants of this backwards time will probably consider this to be magic. Equipment: Steph was sealed in her cryochamber with nothing other than the pictured outfit. There was a rather large supply of advanced weapons and survival equipment at the complex in which Steph's cryo chamber is located, but the state of them after the indeterminately long amount of time she has been asleep is anyone's guess… Steph has also acquired a suit of nanofluidic armor that can disguise itself to match the clothing of anyone nearby. Steph used her nanites to convert much of her cryostasis chamber into a cryostasis rifle, then a sword, and, currently, a liquid metal backpack. Steph was given the Earth Sword by Minoc. RP Notes: Steph's story is one of coming to terms with her new world and finding her place in it. She is (at least initally) completely alone in what seems to her like a primitive, alien world. At first, she is understandably overwhelmed by her situation, seeing the inhabitants of this new world as little more than backwards savages, but as she begins to learn more, she starts seeing them in a better light, and eventually comes to greatly respect them and the civilization they have built. While at the start, she might look down on the People of the Realm, she doen't do this out of hatred, but out of a mixture of pity and dissapointment. She hates the fact that the world is so primitive, and wants to do her part to restore at least some of the technology of her original time. Despite this unintentional air of suprioirity, Steph is still a kind person at heart, and one who is always willing to help others.</s> <\|message\|>Jabberwocky He sighs, and glances at the crystal necklace around her neck. It glimmers softly in the light. He smiles, and kisses her head gently. "We'll figure it out baby girl. Have you tried those meditation cards I got you?" He gently hands her a engraved plate with some simple steps to guided meditation. "Don't worry, we'll figure it out someday. How was your day today?" He smiles, gently brushing her hair.</s> <\|message\|>Ayaan Dragon Ruby set aside her food and ran her hands over the indented cards, scanning their contents with her fingers, they involved breathing exercises and sitting in silence, which was something she was good at anyways. "I'll be honest Dadda I haven't looked at these since you brought them," he started to brush her hair, "there are some disruptions the mecha has reported from the Sat-lites," she stumbled over the word, "Jub Jub is attacking some village of Tinkers in the mountains, and Bandersnatch is heading towards Castle of Solace. I don't think Bander is going to have much luck though, he's only one lieutenant against a huge castle with knights and soldiers and who knows what else." Ruby picked up her food again and took another bite, "I don't understand what your boss wants you guys to do," she spoke with a mouthful of food, "I mean..chew.. what good is randomly destroying things?"</s> <\|message\|>Sarah Sarah The further she goes down the caverns, the more Sarah finds it harder to breathe. The shadows, which only just flickered and shifted, now seem to form malevolent faces, gaining demonic forms and always seeming to reach out for her, clutching with long, spindly claws. She would startle, only to stop and realize Pip was looking at her funny, as though wondering if she's alright. She realizes that Pip isn't affected by the miasma, meaning she could at least trust his senses if not her own. She coughs into the crook of her arm as the bitter, pungent miasma fills her nose and mouth, her eyes watering. She's certain this miasma is the source of these hallucinations; get rid of it, and she'll be able to trust her senses again - for that matter, she'll just settle for being able to breathe clean air again! Pausing for breath, she notes the spiderling claw resting in one hand. She realizes that the claw is much smaller than she thought it was, and the things that had harried her earlier were much smaller than she imagined. It must be the miasma's work too. The sooner she's done here, the better. Fortunately, the deeper she goes, the closer she can sense the sword. It's as though this particular sense, this feeling, is uncorrupted by whatever hallucinations inflicted upon her, allowing her to at least navigate the tight, winding corridors with some reliability. The sooner she finds that sword, the sooner she can begin to understand her past, and the thought drives her onwards, battling her thick, palpable terror. Pip, for his part, is worried about the path they're taking. The miasma is thicker here, and it's hurting his nose and eyes, causing him to whimper in protest. He could still smell the fear on New Master, even as she continues to walk forwards. The paths here are new and uncertain to him, and he can smell the spider-things more and more; this is their territory. And yet, New Master seems persistent in the path they're taking. Then he smells something... close. More Spider-things. He stops and growls threateningly, and New Master takes a few moments to realize the threat too. "W-what is it, Pip...?" Sarah asks anxiously, only too aware that her skin is clammy with sweat and she's breaking out in goosebumps. "Is... is it more of those things...?" She hears something skitter closeby, and prays it's only another hallucination. However, the sound comes closer, and she she grips her makeshift weapon, she realizes the sound is undeniably real. Before she realizes it, there's another patrol of spiderlings here, one bigger than the previous one. It takes a considerable effort of will to not bolt; there's more of them this time, and she's still suffering from shakes and nausea. However, she reminds herself that these things, while still dangerous, aren't as big as she thought, and that this time, she's armed. If they want to kill her, she'll put up a better fight this time. And she knows she can at least heal Pip if he gets hurt... The spiderlings emerge from the winding tunnel, not sure what to expect, but ready to fight. They see a human girl and a strange, furred creature, the human girl holding what seems to be a claw from one of their brothers. They collectively hiss in anger, the combined hissing echoing in the caves menacingly. Apparently, those two managed to overcome the previous patrol, and for some reason this particular human is immune to the miasma. They skitter forwards quickly, intending to put these foes down quickly. Pip strikes first, the crest on his back lighting up again before filling the cave with a bright light, striking one of the spiderlings in front with a powerful bolt of lightning. The sudden blast and the surprised screeching of their ally surprises the spiderlings, causing them to panic and try to split up, backing away from another possible attack. Sarah, finding her chance, swings with the claw, only to realize she attacked a hallucination. In retaliation, the closest spiderling cuts her arm with an opportunistic strike, wounding her. Despite the pain, she doesn't let go of the claw. She tries to kick in revenge, but misses as she stumbles, barely managing to keep her balance. The spiderlings try to capitalize on her weakness, trying to swarm the duo with superior numbers. They swing their razor-sharp claws, slashing and stabbing, but Pip dodges deftly using his surprisingly strong legs to dodge and weave their strikes. He'd felt their sting once, he's in no hurry to get hit again. Sarah dodges a swipe by stepping back out of harm's way, but knows that they need to end this quickly. She sidesteps another attack, then sends one flying with a swift kick, smacking it against the cave walls. Pip avoids another slash, and finds an opening as the spiderling had overcommitted, leaving its flank open. He lunges forwards, snarling, before clamping on the thing's throat with sharp teeth. The spiderling panics and tries to throw him off, managing to inflict a slash while one of its brothers assisted by managing to stab Pip in the flank. Pip yips in pain but doesn't let go, not dropping the spiderling until it flops lifelessly to the ground. It whirls with a snarl and a snap at the spiderling that wounded it. Its brother moves to flank, forcing Pip to hobble around to avoid getting attacked from two sides at once. Sarah, meanwhile tries to cut down the last spiderling still standing, but it uses its smaller stature and great agility to dodge attacks. However, it miscalculates and finds itself cornered right in the path of a frenzied swing, and blocks by raising its claws to block. It manages, but Sarah's greater strength shakes it, and it would have gotten stabbed had not its dazed comrade recovered, and moved forwards to jump onto Sarah's back. It starts clawing and slashing, causing Sarah to cry out in pain and reach for the thing. Unable to reach the blind spot on her back, she resorts to slamming herself, back-first, into the nearby wall several times. The spiderling ultimately lets go after one too many hits, allowing Sarah to crush it under her boot. Its enraged brother jumps at her leg and stabs her in the calf, causing her to grunt in pain and drop to one knee, but she manages to bring the claw down sharply, impaling it in the back and twisting the blade to ensure it stays down this time. She clutches her wounded leg in pain. Pip snarls and barks at the surviving spiderlings, trying to keep them back while he charges another lightning attack. The spiderlings sense it too, and try to at least finish this furry threat before the human recovers from her injuries enough to help. One of them skitters sideways, claws raised, but it's a feint to draw Pip's attention while its partner attacks Pip's exposed and injured flank. However, it barely manages to get close before Sarah's boot comes down, crushing it with brutal intent. Sarah had managed to heal herself so she could move sufficiently to help Pip. Surprised by this turn of events, the surviving Spiderling turns and tries to run away, but Pip catches with a strong jolt of lightning, frying it and putting it down for good. For a moment, the noise in the hall quiets down, as Sarah pants heavily trying to recover her breath and the spiderling's scorched corpse sizzles audibly. Pip limps over to the corpses, sniffs them to make sure, then barks at them tauntingly, as though to gloat about winning. Limping, Pip turns to Sarah, panting happily as he's glad to see she's alright. Sarah returns his grin by kneeling down, petting him gently, and healing his wounds. "There," she says. "Let's hurry, we're almost at the sword now. Let's find it and get out already." She stumbles along, trying to heal her wounds, Pip walking along, lighting the way. This time, Sarah's stumble is a bit rushed; even as dizzy as she is from the fight and the miasma, she can feel the sword close. If she finds it, maybe she'll have an easier time in here.</s> <\|message\|>Jabberwocky He smiles. "It's not random. It's all planned out. We're just looking for information, and they threaten us when we don't ask nicely. So we defend ourselves, that's all." He sighs. "Do you know why I have to hide you away? Why you can't leave the cave without me? The world is a dangerous place now. Monsters are everywhere. It's the only way to protect you."</s>	<\|message\|>Stephanie Anderson Steph's aim was true, and she grinned as her cryostasis bolt struck the harpy's wing, blowing it clean off. The creature fell from the sky, wounded, but not killed… Guess these bolts don't have enough juice to affect an entire creature in one shot… Steph reflected. This would be more difficult than she'd first thought, but she was up for the challenge. Her determination was put to the test a moment later, when her hyperaware senses detected a flash of light. She dropped to the floor less than a second before a beam of bluish energy shot through the space she had just been occupying. Holy crap! That was close! Quickly regaining her bearings, Steph utilized her superhuman perceptive abilities to locate the source of the beam. Not wasting a moment, she snapped off another shot, this time, aiming for the creature's head…</s>
<\|description\|>Stephanie Anderson Class: Oracle/Sleeper Appearance: Steph is an average looking fifteen-year-old girl, if a bit on the small side. She has short, black hair and piercing blue eyes. Personality: Steph is usually quiet and soft-spoken, preferring to silently observe a situation, rather than impetuously rush into the unknown, a trait that should serve her well in her current circumstances. When it comes to her areas of interest (science/technology/learning about the stranger facets of her new world), she can get very intense and focused. She is also quite inquisitive, but she never allows her fascination with something to compromise her sense of caution. She has always loved computers, robotics and technology in general, and is very skilled when it comes to working with it. Naturally, she is very distressed by the current, primitive, state of the world. She is very much a fish out of temporal water, and this has a major impact on how she views the world and interacts with its inhabitants. History: The brilliant daughter of two equally brilliant scientists, Stephanie's genius was recognized at an early age, and by the time she turned fifteen, she already had her first doctorate. She routinely assisted her renowned parents with their work, and was well on her way to becoming one of the world's brightest minds. Unfortunately, that world would soon come to a cataclysmic end… As the world of science and progress crumbled around her, Stephanie's parents hastily worked to ensure her survival. She was given a series of highly experimental genetic enhancements, coupled with an equally experimental cybernetic nanotech control system, and placed in a cryonic stasis chamber. Since their facility was located deep underground, and hardened against even the strongest forms of attack, her parents hoped that she would be safe until the world was once again hospitable to human life. Promising Steph that they would join her in stasis shortly, her parents sealed her chamber and hoped for the best. Abilities: Enhanced Physical Attributes- Besides her genius-level intellect, Steph has received extensive genetic enhancement, making her stronger, faster, and more resilient than a normal human. Her senses are also much more acute. Nanite Swarm- In addition, she has access to a small swarm of nanites, which she can control with the use of a cybernetic implant. These nanomachines are limited to performing minor to moderate healing on herself or others (only one person at a time), as well as providing information and manipulating anything made of metal (although in the future, they may be able to expand their capabilities further). The inhabitants of this backwards time will probably consider this to be magic. Equipment: Steph was sealed in her cryochamber with nothing other than the pictured outfit. There was a rather large supply of advanced weapons and survival equipment at the complex in which Steph's cryo chamber is located, but the state of them after the indeterminately long amount of time she has been asleep is anyone's guess… Steph has also acquired a suit of nanofluidic armor that can disguise itself to match the clothing of anyone nearby. Steph used her nanites to convert much of her cryostasis chamber into a cryostasis rifle, then a sword, and, currently, a liquid metal backpack. Steph was given the Earth Sword by Minoc. RP Notes: Steph's story is one of coming to terms with her new world and finding her place in it. She is (at least initally) completely alone in what seems to her like a primitive, alien world. At first, she is understandably overwhelmed by her situation, seeing the inhabitants of this new world as little more than backwards savages, but as she begins to learn more, she starts seeing them in a better light, and eventually comes to greatly respect them and the civilization they have built. While at the start, she might look down on the People of the Realm, she doen't do this out of hatred, but out of a mixture of pity and dissapointment. She hates the fact that the world is so primitive, and wants to do her part to restore at least some of the technology of her original time. Despite this unintentional air of suprioirity, Steph is still a kind person at heart, and one who is always willing to help others.</s> <\|message\|>Jabberwocky Sir Breakfast draws his flaming blade, and mounts his horse, riding out to battle. He stares out of the visor slits in his helmet, and charges toward the vast army in his path, eyes fixed on the one called Bander. He pulls his steed to a stop, glaring out of his helm. "Bandersnatch! Fight me in a knight's duel, one on one!"</s> <\|message\|>Ayaan Bandersnatch got off his horse and walked up to the challenger. "I accept Fool!" he said, "Prepare to die!" The Shadow Servants formed a circle around the fighters, giving them plenty of room to maneuver. Bander didn't hesitate, he walked forward and swung his sword his heavy sword in an arch over his head, aiming to crush his opponent's skull in one blow.</s> <\|message\|>Sarah Sarah As she walks deeper and deeper into the catacombs, Sarah feels the miasma thicken around her. Her lungs burn even as they develop some tolerance for the substance, seeing becomes difficult as she has a hard time telling what's real from what isn't. The only thing keeping her fevered mind going is the growing certainty that the sword is nearby, that there's an end to this maze. She pauses to cough, her coughing dry and chest-wracking, her lungs protesting the foul mist filling the cave. She has to find it soon, she thinks. It doesn't take her long to realize the growing gut feeling inside her, the sense that's she's arrived somehow. If she hadn't been following said sense to lead her to the sword, she would say she's hallucinating. Instead, she lifts her head, and looks around. Sure enough, there on a dais, is a sword embedded hilt-deep. She's almost tempted to call this a hallucination too, if she isn't so glad to finally get here after all the trouble in the cave. She takes a moment to check her surroundings, to be sure that this is indeed where she needs to be. She can feel the stone dais, the strangely warm metal of the sword, and the pulls her finger when she feels a spark of its Thunder affinity. She looks at Pip, and realizes he's curiously sniffing the stone dais, then barks at her as to confirm it. She takes a deep breath before casting aside the used and broken claw she was carrying around as a makeshift weapon. "Here goes," she says, grasping the hilt with both hands and pulls as hard as she can, trying to gather all her strength to try and get the sword out. She grunts and hisses at the effort. "Come on..." Suddenly, she jolts backwards as the sword seems to free itself from its prison, and she feels a surge of electricity surge through her body. This sensation is strangely warm and good, filling her being with confidence and calm amidst her weariness. It feels as if the very sword itself was reaching into her with its power, filling her with newfound resolve. She feels its power washing over her, reaching deep into her mind and heart, as though to awaken something sleeping within. When she opens her eyes again, the hallucination seem to have receded. She still sees things vibrating, the shadows shifting and twitching, and faint echos that aren't there, but her mind is no longer trap in feverish visions and fearsome illusions. She could see and feel more clearly, and the miasma isn't affecting her as strongly. Is this the power of the sword, or did it merely heal her of the worst of the effects. Either way, she's going to need her wits to get out of this place. She takes a couple of practice swings with the sword, feeling it in her hands. It feels balanced, the grip natural, as though it had been forged just for her. She grips it tightly to reassure herself, feeling as though she could take on the world. "Come on, Pip," she calls to the dog, "we need to get out of here and back to Master Thunderfist." Pip barks eagerly, pleased to see New Master snapping out of whatever fear had been controlling her.</s> <\|message\|>Ayaan Caves of Kensu's Island "Sarah.." a familiar, singsong voice chimes into existence, "Sarah, are you there?" An image of Asra appears in Sarah's peripheral vision. "I'm back, oh good, I'm back!" The Fairy giggled in happiness. "You must've found the sword then, good, that is so good. I was worried the Wizards had failed. There is so much to tell you, so many things have happened. Where do I start? From the beginning I suppose. I'm going to run out of time, so I'll tell you everything I can before my power runs out, you had better sit down." "A long time ago, long before you existed, there was a great man, a scientist, named Drake Logan. Dr. Logan had discovered something no one ever knew before, the use of Biogenic energy. It is the energy of life force, but it is so much more. It is the equal sign of Einstein's formula, Energy = mass times the speed of light squared. Of course, you don't know what that is, I'm sorry, I will focus on what's most important." "Dr. Logan's research allowed him to understand how the energy within living things worked with the energy in the matter all around you. He discovered a method for channeling that energy into circuits and through doing so create or rearrange physical matter. It was the potential within his discovery which led to all the people of the world laying down their weapons for the sake of peace and scientific progress. It was the beginning of the evolution of the species..." "What you don't know, this was hundreds of years ago. The people allowed a single entity to carry the weapons of the world, it is called the Harbinger, for it was supposed to warn of consequences. It was programmed to keep people in line, but never to kill. It's weapon systems were primarily those of weather using Dr. Logan's science. For some reason it... for some reason it destroyed the world..." Asra paused for a moment. "Before I went offline I was part of a protocol knows as the Oracle program. You see, for Dr. Logan's science to work perfectly the human body needed to be perfected, just like having a clean circuit within a computer. Oh, you don't know what a computer is, well, that's okay, believe me when I tell you, human's have bodies full of dirtiness. You, however, you were made perfect, in the image of a god. You were grown to channel Biogenic energy through your body without resistance, so what you channel is pure." "You need the circuits to aid you, until you learn for yourself. The circuits are the Swords. They were designed to link to your body and allow you to channel your internal life energy into matter. This sword will allow you to channel your energy into lightning, as you can already feel. Every sword has two boosters that you can find, a battery which will double the amount of power you can focus into the weapon, and a bracelet, which will allow you to pull from Harbinger itself and release destruction 100 fold of what you could normally. Your kind alone are made to be trusted with this power. "I've run out of time, find others like yourself Sarah, find others, and find more of the swords. Learn to use their power. The wizards will help you, they...." SCHZITZ "...an evil has reached out to Harbinger..." S@CT!$ZCH... "deeper in the caves you will find... "!SK$#ZTCH@%$. . ... As suddenly as she appeared, Asra was gone, and Sarah was once again left alone in the caves with her companion Pip. ********* Urgrapth waited and waited, but none of her babies returned. The visitor must be strong, the visitor must be terrible. Urgrapth would fight, for herself and her babies, Urgrapth would suvive. She rolled up the morsel in her front legs and brought it to her mouth, it smelt like flowers. She bit into the soft flesh tightly woven in the wiry threads of her webbing and began to suck, suck, suck the life from it. She could feel her strength grow as warmth spread through her body. Sarah has learned about the history of the Oracles and the swords. Now she has an understanding of how to use the sword and why it works. She also has a hint as to the fact that she was created in the pod to be a perfect, god-like creature. Also, Our lady spider is chomping down on some poor towns person, I recommend you hurry, you may be able to save the little person from their death, maybe. Good luck!!</s>	<\|message\|>Stephanie Anderson Steph exhaled in relief after the harpy's partially decapitated body crashed to the floor in front of her. Welp, I guess that takes care of that… Now I just have to deal with those creatures out there… Moving to a better position, Steph saw that several of the beasts were gathered around a centrally located building, attempting to get inside. She only had three, perhaps four, shots left, so she needed to make each one count. Taking careful aim on the first creature's head, she squeezed the trigger, snapping off a quick shot, before moving on to the next. One. Two. Three… Four. A quartet of corpses now lay upon the ground surrounding the building, but there were still six of the creatures left, and Steph's rifle was now completely out of energy. She needed a new plan… Thinking fast, she instructed her nanites to reassemble her rifle into a sword. Although she was reluctant to engage the creatures in close combat, she knew her enhanced body was fully capable of doing so. She took a deep breath. Okay… Here goes nothing! Leaping from her balcony, Steph used the momentum she had generated to bring her blade down hard upon her first target's neck. This, coupled with her superhuman strength, allowed her weapon to slice clean through, neatly decapitating the creature. Wasting no time, she swiftly jumped over to the next beast and repeated the process. She kept this up until the area around the central structure was completely free of the beasts. This didn't mean Steph was about to let down her guard, though. She had been keeping count, and she was well aware that there were a few beasts still unaccounted for. Not wishing to hunt them down, and potentially be caught unawares, she opted to take up a defensive position in front of the structure's entrance and wait for them to come to her…</s>
<\|description\|>Stephanie Anderson Class: Oracle/Sleeper Appearance: Steph is an average looking fifteen-year-old girl, if a bit on the small side. She has short, black hair and piercing blue eyes. Personality: Steph is usually quiet and soft-spoken, preferring to silently observe a situation, rather than impetuously rush into the unknown, a trait that should serve her well in her current circumstances. When it comes to her areas of interest (science/technology/learning about the stranger facets of her new world), she can get very intense and focused. She is also quite inquisitive, but she never allows her fascination with something to compromise her sense of caution. She has always loved computers, robotics and technology in general, and is very skilled when it comes to working with it. Naturally, she is very distressed by the current, primitive, state of the world. She is very much a fish out of temporal water, and this has a major impact on how she views the world and interacts with its inhabitants. History: The brilliant daughter of two equally brilliant scientists, Stephanie's genius was recognized at an early age, and by the time she turned fifteen, she already had her first doctorate. She routinely assisted her renowned parents with their work, and was well on her way to becoming one of the world's brightest minds. Unfortunately, that world would soon come to a cataclysmic end… As the world of science and progress crumbled around her, Stephanie's parents hastily worked to ensure her survival. She was given a series of highly experimental genetic enhancements, coupled with an equally experimental cybernetic nanotech control system, and placed in a cryonic stasis chamber. Since their facility was located deep underground, and hardened against even the strongest forms of attack, her parents hoped that she would be safe until the world was once again hospitable to human life. Promising Steph that they would join her in stasis shortly, her parents sealed her chamber and hoped for the best. Abilities: Enhanced Physical Attributes- Besides her genius-level intellect, Steph has received extensive genetic enhancement, making her stronger, faster, and more resilient than a normal human. Her senses are also much more acute. Nanite Swarm- In addition, she has access to a small swarm of nanites, which she can control with the use of a cybernetic implant. These nanomachines are limited to performing minor to moderate healing on herself or others (only one person at a time), as well as providing information and manipulating anything made of metal (although in the future, they may be able to expand their capabilities further). The inhabitants of this backwards time will probably consider this to be magic. Equipment: Steph was sealed in her cryochamber with nothing other than the pictured outfit. There was a rather large supply of advanced weapons and survival equipment at the complex in which Steph's cryo chamber is located, but the state of them after the indeterminately long amount of time she has been asleep is anyone's guess… Steph has also acquired a suit of nanofluidic armor that can disguise itself to match the clothing of anyone nearby. Steph used her nanites to convert much of her cryostasis chamber into a cryostasis rifle, then a sword, and, currently, a liquid metal backpack. Steph was given the Earth Sword by Minoc. RP Notes: Steph's story is one of coming to terms with her new world and finding her place in it. She is (at least initally) completely alone in what seems to her like a primitive, alien world. At first, she is understandably overwhelmed by her situation, seeing the inhabitants of this new world as little more than backwards savages, but as she begins to learn more, she starts seeing them in a better light, and eventually comes to greatly respect them and the civilization they have built. While at the start, she might look down on the People of the Realm, she doen't do this out of hatred, but out of a mixture of pity and dissapointment. She hates the fact that the world is so primitive, and wants to do her part to restore at least some of the technology of her original time. Despite this unintentional air of suprioirity, Steph is still a kind person at heart, and one who is always willing to help others.</s> <\|message\|>Jabberwocky Ruby wanders around her room, and sits down with her food to eat on her bed. She happily tucks in, until she hears someone. Her head raises, and she turns her head to the noise. She swallows. "Hello? Who's there?" That's not Daddy......who is that? Did Daddy get me a Mommy?</s> <\|message\|>Sarah Sarah Sarah continues cutting away at the spiderling horde attacking her, managing to cut another in half when she saw something dance in her peripheral vision. She's half-tempted to ignore it as yet another hallucination, but something makes her turn around and notice in horror as the spiderling queen is coming down hard - and aiming for Pip, who is too busy snarling and snapping at a couple spiderlings to notice. For a second, it seems as though everything was floating in water, a moment suspended in time. It takes every inch of will and strength for Sarah to force her whole body to move, trying to cover Pip before he gets fatally skewered. "NO!" By some miracle, she manages to block the tip of the spiky foreleg with the flat of her sword, placing herself between an angry spiderling queen and a surprised Pip who yelps and jumps back. However, by doing so, she left her back exposed, and one spiderling stabs her in the calf with a claw. Giving a pained grunt, Sarah tries to push back, but is slowly driven to her knees by the force of the queen's push, spiderleg scratching against unbreakable ancient steel. Pip, mortified that his carelessness caused New Master to get hurt, turns around in a snarl and goes after the spiderling that just hurt New Master's leg. He bites but misses, the spiderlings falling back to avoid his wrath. This time, Pip doesn't pursue, trying to cover Sarah's back while she struggles with the queen. For a moment, Sarah feels as though she'll be smacked down the ground, unable to keep up the effort against the queen's pressing leg. However, she takes a deep breath, and takes a gamble by changing the sword grip, causing the leg to slip off to the side, allowing Sarah to force the queen off balance with a twist of the sword. With the sword free, Sarah takes her moment to strike. She charges the sword with the biogenic power of lightning, lighting the cave around her with a brilliant azure flash, and swung as hard as she can at the queen in an upwards stroke.</s>	<\|message\|>Stephanie Anderson "Huh," Steph noted, as the last of the strange beasts simply turned and left, following what looked like a bear. "Well, okay then," she added, while giving voice to a relived sigh. She was a little shocked by how easily she had managed to dispatch the creatures, as well as how natural and effortless it had felt. It was almost like she was some character in a video game, and for a moment she thought that perhaps she was dreaming, or stuck in some kind of VR world, but no. Now that she had a moment to catch her breath and refocus, she quickly became convinced that the world around her was all too real… It was about then that she heard a voice coming from the building behind her. Turning around, she was greeted with the sight of a small, elderly man. He had a long grey beard and a pair of orange goggles over his eyes. "Oh, uh, hi," Steph said somewhat shakily. "I-It's okay," she added, trying her best to sound reassuring. "I'm not gonna hurt you. My name's Stephanie. I'm kinda… new around here…" --- A few minutes later, and Steph found herself in a cozy home. It belonged to Minoc, as the elderly man was called. He offered her some food and a drink, which Steph graciously accepted. She listened in silence as he went on to somewhat awkwardly explain her current situation. The fact that Minoc's grandfather had watched over her pod confirmed that she had been asleep for a very long time indeed… Minoc then went on to ask if she was familiar with the creature she had killed. She shook her head. After telling her that the harpy was named Jub Jub, Minoc explained that he was a member of a society of wizards, alchemists, and archeologists who discovered the various cryostasis pods scattered across the world. It sounded as though the world had experienced a drastic technological decline, as if what her own eyes told her wasn't proof enough, and she couldn't help but allow a sullen sigh to escape her lips. Minoc then asked about her own pod, which was now nowhere to be found. "Oh, yeah…" Steph replied hesitantly. "I needed a weapon to fight those things, so I had my nanites reassemble it," she explained, holding out her sword. "Just basic nanotech, really." Minoc was quite impressed. As an archeologist, he had spent many long years unearthing the technology of the past, but he had never encountered anything like what Steph possessed. He had, however, found information on biogenic technology, which caused Steph to noticeably perk up. Her uncle had been a pioneer in that field, and while Steph was far from an expert herself, she was well aware of the amazing possibilities such technology presented. She was glad that at least this remnant of her world's knowledge had survived to be of use to this vastly more primitive age. Minoc was getting more excited too, as apparently, some of his fellow wizards/researchers/or whatever had unlocked some of the technology's incredible potential. His comment about "the enemy", however, made Steph a bit uneasy. "Enemy?" Steph asked. Minoc then proceeded to tell her of Lord Draygon, a being who was apparently some kind of monstrous dark lord, like the kind found in old stories. It sounded a bit ridiculous to Steph, but if the harpy she had killed was anything to go by, the situation was no laughing matter. Draygon had many powerful creatures in his service, Minoc went on to explain, but the forces opposing him had access to the works of the "ancients", and that included her… If they could trust her. The village she had just saved was a pretty pacifistic place, Minoc informed her, and he was wary of her incredible potential for violence. "Hey, I completely agree!" Steph protested. "I'm a scientist, not a fighter. I-It's just… I saw those things attacking your village, so I wanted to try and help in whatever way I could. I-In fact," she added after a moment's thought. "Didn't you kill one of those creatures yourself?" Conceding her point, Minoc said that he wanted to trust her, but that the decision was not his to make. For that, she would need to travel to someplace called the "Castle of Solace". Minoc then asked if she could turn her sword into a backpack. "Uh, yeah, sure," Steph replied, before instructing her nanites to reassemble her sword into the item in question. Minoc handed her a tightly woven bundle of cloth, which she placed in the backpack, before sealing it up. The wizard instructed her to present the bundle to someone named Tornell once she had arrived at the castle. Apparently, he was the leader of Minoc's order of wizards/scientists/archeologists/or whatever, being the "wisest and strongest" of them all. As for how she'd get there, Minoc actually had a pleasant surprise in store. Somehow, he had access to a functioning segment of the global subsurface transit network, which led directly to the castle. This meant that no matter where in the world the castle was located, they would be able to reach it in a relatively short time, and in relative safety as well. But that wasn't the only surprise. Insisting that she shouldn't make the trip alone, Minoc told Steph that his young apprentice, Peter, would be accompanying her. "Oh, wow… The Oracle…" Peter said in hushed awe upon entering the room. "I-It's very nice to meet you!" he added with a great deal more enthusiasm. "And it will be my great honor to accompany you on your journey!" "L-Likewise," Steph replied with a smile, a little taken aback by the young apprentice's reverence. Before they departed, Minoc inquired if Steph had any questions. Well, yes. She had a LOT of questions… Still, she figured that most of them would hopefully be answered upon meeting Tornell. Therefore, she decided to stick to the ones weighing most heavily upon her mind. "Uh, you wouldn't happen to know how long I've been asleep, would you?" Steph asked. "Or what happened to my parents? They were in the same complex as me. That's to say, the same place you found my pod," she clarified.</s>
<\|description\|>Stephanie Anderson Class: Oracle/Sleeper Appearance: Steph is an average looking fifteen-year-old girl, if a bit on the small side. She has short, black hair and piercing blue eyes. Personality: Steph is usually quiet and soft-spoken, preferring to silently observe a situation, rather than impetuously rush into the unknown, a trait that should serve her well in her current circumstances. When it comes to her areas of interest (science/technology/learning about the stranger facets of her new world), she can get very intense and focused. She is also quite inquisitive, but she never allows her fascination with something to compromise her sense of caution. She has always loved computers, robotics and technology in general, and is very skilled when it comes to working with it. Naturally, she is very distressed by the current, primitive, state of the world. She is very much a fish out of temporal water, and this has a major impact on how she views the world and interacts with its inhabitants. History: The brilliant daughter of two equally brilliant scientists, Stephanie's genius was recognized at an early age, and by the time she turned fifteen, she already had her first doctorate. She routinely assisted her renowned parents with their work, and was well on her way to becoming one of the world's brightest minds. Unfortunately, that world would soon come to a cataclysmic end… As the world of science and progress crumbled around her, Stephanie's parents hastily worked to ensure her survival. She was given a series of highly experimental genetic enhancements, coupled with an equally experimental cybernetic nanotech control system, and placed in a cryonic stasis chamber. Since their facility was located deep underground, and hardened against even the strongest forms of attack, her parents hoped that she would be safe until the world was once again hospitable to human life. Promising Steph that they would join her in stasis shortly, her parents sealed her chamber and hoped for the best. Abilities: Enhanced Physical Attributes- Besides her genius-level intellect, Steph has received extensive genetic enhancement, making her stronger, faster, and more resilient than a normal human. Her senses are also much more acute. Nanite Swarm- In addition, she has access to a small swarm of nanites, which she can control with the use of a cybernetic implant. These nanomachines are limited to performing minor to moderate healing on herself or others (only one person at a time), as well as providing information and manipulating anything made of metal (although in the future, they may be able to expand their capabilities further). The inhabitants of this backwards time will probably consider this to be magic. Equipment: Steph was sealed in her cryochamber with nothing other than the pictured outfit. There was a rather large supply of advanced weapons and survival equipment at the complex in which Steph's cryo chamber is located, but the state of them after the indeterminately long amount of time she has been asleep is anyone's guess… Steph has also acquired a suit of nanofluidic armor that can disguise itself to match the clothing of anyone nearby. Steph used her nanites to convert much of her cryostasis chamber into a cryostasis rifle, then a sword, and, currently, a liquid metal backpack. Steph was given the Earth Sword by Minoc. RP Notes: Steph's story is one of coming to terms with her new world and finding her place in it. She is (at least initally) completely alone in what seems to her like a primitive, alien world. At first, she is understandably overwhelmed by her situation, seeing the inhabitants of this new world as little more than backwards savages, but as she begins to learn more, she starts seeing them in a better light, and eventually comes to greatly respect them and the civilization they have built. While at the start, she might look down on the People of the Realm, she doen't do this out of hatred, but out of a mixture of pity and dissapointment. She hates the fact that the world is so primitive, and wants to do her part to restore at least some of the technology of her original time. Despite this unintentional air of suprioirity, Steph is still a kind person at heart, and one who is always willing to help others.</s> <\|message\|>Jabberwocky She frowns. "You're not Daddy. Go away. I want you to leave!" Her hands begin glowing a deep red, flowing over her wrists and up her arms, a thick red substance that makes the whole cave start heating up. She runs forward and slaps Annabelle, the magma on her hands searing away at her flesh and muscles.</s> <\|message\|>Ayaan Urgrapth's Home Sarah Kensu came trotting in, huffing a little from the exertion. He looked at her and then looked at the surroundings. Pip came over and began licking his hand, earning himself a scratch. "Oh, Master Thunderfist," she says with a bow. "I've found the sword - and more importantly, I found where the villagers disappeared to. I hope they're all alright... And Pip was a great help, I couldn't have done it without him..." "I see," said Kensu, taken aback. The cave was filled with shiny, metal like threads. When he had come here previously it was empty, open. He felt amazed that it had all changed so quickly since he opened that damn door. The young Oracle was covered in black gore, but she didn't look severely injured. "You could certainly use a dip in the ocean." He said smiling. "..master... Kensu..." came a weak voice. Kensu looked down and it was the little girl who used to pick flowers and sell them in the village. He ran over to her and kneeled to cradle her head. "..the lady saved us.. she was amazing.. she's one of the special people isn't she master?.." the little girl said softly. "Yes dear girl," Kensu replied, his heart filled with pride, "yes she is a special one." He smiled reassuringly. He placed her down and let her fall back asleep. Kensu stood up and looked around. He felt a wave of guilt wash over him as he saw all the people strung up, but many of them seemed to be stirring and Sarah had already cut a few down who seemed to be able to stand. "Let's get everyone back to the village, then, well, then we'll talk." He turned to Sarah, "Thank you for what you have done this day, I know the ordeal has been more than extreme, and doubly so for one who just awoke. You are a special person Sarah, more than I think you know. Let us work quickly, there is much to discuss." Kensu pulled out his own knife and together they began to free as many villagers as possible. When the people seemed to be moving along well enough Kensu fought through the spider webs back into the little room near the back of the cavern, the room he opened that let the spider queen out. "To think all this came from one small decision," he said looking around. There on the floor were a set of steel containers, unopened and marked with a blue tag. They looked, important somehow, so Kensu grabbed them. They were heavy, but they had a strap made for carrying them and so with Kensu's strong arms it was not that difficult. Together the villagers, the old Master, and our hero made their way to the homes near the beach for a moment of respite, rest, and food.</s> <\|message\|>Jabberwocky Jabber sees a large group of villagers walking down a mountain from a cave, and roars, making the livestock flee, and the people scream, thrown into a panic. He swoops nearby, his talons tearing into the rock, sending debris flying through the air, a small avalanche of rocks and boulders tumbling down towards the village, and his flaming breath sets the buildings alight.</s> <\|message\|>Ayaan For clarification, this is on Kensu's Island, Jabberwocky has diverted his course and is attacking the Island for fun, as any good villain should do. SETUP: The tired and battered villagers have just awoke from a cave of nightmares at the hand of a spider queen and her spiderlings. The villagers were saved by Sarah, a young lady with pink hair and a sword that fires lightning bolts. Sarah is accompanied by Pip, a small dog-like creature, and Kensu, a warrior Wizard who has also studied the power of Lightning. Play fair guys, and focus on the goal of making the other person's roleplay experience the most fun it can be.</s> <\|message\|>Sarah Sarah Sarah is glad the villagers are all alright, and helps them leave the cave as quickly and orderly as possible, reassuring them along the way. She wants nothing more than a bath and a rest, but she's certain these people have had a worse day, being kidnapped by monsters and webbed up, exposed to nightmare-inducing miasma and almost made monster food. "Special?" she says softly to herself, as though trying to get a feel of the word. "I don't even know who I really am." When she gets out into the sunlight, she stops. It feels like years since she's been out in the sun; the dank, dark caves full of foul mist almost made her forget how the sun feels so nice and warm. She's just glad to be outside. That's when she sees something in the sky, descending towards them. At first she thinks it's a bird... but then realizes it's far too big and moving far too fast to be a bird. In fact, she realizes it's some sort of monster, heading straight for them. At first she feels a burst of panic and anxiety; she's barely recovered from the fight with the spiderlings, and she's still a bit shaky from the effects of the miasma. Then she realizes to her horror that the villagers are still in danger. It's the thought of the poor people escaping one threat only to face an even monstrous one galvanizes her into action. "Run!" she calls out to the village folk. "Run! Head for the forest! Take cover! Hurry! Please!" The ensuing panic feels like it's going to break her heart, what with the villagers running amok and pushing and hurting each other in their blind terror. However, the torrent of rocks rolling down from above where the monster struck the mountain drives her to try and get them away from danger, trying to help people who fell or got knocked over in the commotion. She tries to make sure everyone gets to cover as quickly as possible, all the while trying to shield the people from the falling rocks. The villagers were still streaming out of the cave. Right now, Sarah is trying to figure whether the beast is going to keep attacking them, or if it was just passing by. Either way, she can't ignore it; if it comes around for another pass... She grabs one of the more lucid villagers. "Please, listen to me, we don't have much time," she implores him. "Tell everyone to stay hidden in the forest and nearby caves. Please stay hidden until Master Thunderfist finds you and tells you it's safe to come out. Tell Master Thunderfist... tell him it was an honor to meet him, and I had to distract the monster before it hurt or killed anyone. "Tell him I'll be back, I promise..." The villager nods, and starts helping by herding his fellows to safety. Part of her wonders if she'll ever fulfill that promise. She prepares herself, and pulls out the sword. Taking measure, she then aims the sword and focuses her energy through it. A bolt of lightning fires from the tip, flying through the air, passing right in front of the flying beast to get its attention. "Hey!" she calls out to the beast, running south towards the beach. "Over here! This way!" She prepares to fire more bolts from the sword if the beast ignores her, trying to force it to follow her and away from the poor townsfolk. Once it follows her, she runs. She runs as fast as she can, wind rushing in her face, feeling her heart pound away in her chest. Using the map in this post: roleplayerguild.com/posts/5184875</s> <\|message\|>Jabberwocky Jabberwocky roars out a challenge, the rocks trembling from the force. "JABBERWOCKY!" That sends everything into a panic, and the cliffside starts shaking. He flies over the group, his dragging talons tearing into the stone like a knife in butter. He lands on the side of the cliff, and watches the group, eyes slits. He starts growling, and a red light kindles in the back of his throat, hot and deadly.</s> <\|message\|>Ayaan Kensu's Island Sarah * Jabberwocky Kensu heard loud bangs and felt tremors in the ground like the mountain was collapsing into itself. Up ahead he heard his people begin to scream. Sarah said something in her high voice but Kensu couldn't make out what she said. He dropped the containers that held the gas and ran to the cave entrance. What he saw was bedlam. People were running to the forest near the cave entrance and flailing their hands. Kensu could see that at least a few people had been smashed by falling rock. He would come back later to identify the bodies. Sarah fired a lightning bolt into the sky and screamed, Kensu followed the bolt and located the flying, black wyvern. "Jabberwocky", he said, "that lowly, no good, damn lizard!" Sarah was running in the direction of the waterfall, she was trying to lead the dragon away from them, good girl. Kensu made to follow behind, his little legs working hard on the stone to catch up to the younger, taller girl. He looked for Pip and saw the dog running beside her. He stopped a bit up the path and took a defensive position behind a rock. He had dealt with Jabberwocky before, and he had something in store for the creature, but he was going to have to get to the watchtower cabin near the village.</s> <\|message\|>Jabberwocky He hisses in anger as the bolt strikes his chest, and starts crawling down the mountain, disappearing into the shadows. He sniffs at the ground, and hisses, slithering along the ground like a snake. He vanishes into the darkness, and walks out in his human form, carrying a massive black scythe on his hands. The weapon pulses with dark power, rippling like it's underwater. He heads straight for the village, eyes glowing a bloody red. Where's the one who shot me?</s>	<\|message\|>Stephanie Anderson Steph listened in silence as Minoc answered her questions as best he could. She felt her chest tighten when he told her that over 150 years had passed, and she couldn't help but give voice to a small gasp when he said the name Julie Anderson. "Julie Anderson…" Steph whispered after Minoc had finished. "T-That's my mom…" With the knowledge that her mother's journal now resided at the Castle of Solace, Steph found herself even more eager to begin her journey there. Perhaps it would have information on her parents' fate. If they were still alive somewhere, or… She felt her eyes begin to moisten. No, she chided herself. Now's not the time for that. Focus on the task at hand, that's the most important thing. But first… "Thank you, Minoc," she said after a moment, while taking his hand and giving it a gentle squeeze. "For the food, for your help, for watching over me all those years… For everything." Steph smiled as she gave the old wizard a hug. "Okay, Peter," she announced with renewed determination once the embrace had concluded. "Lead the way!"</s>
<\|description\|>Stephanie Anderson Class: Oracle/Sleeper Appearance: Steph is an average looking fifteen-year-old girl, if a bit on the small side. She has short, black hair and piercing blue eyes. Personality: Steph is usually quiet and soft-spoken, preferring to silently observe a situation, rather than impetuously rush into the unknown, a trait that should serve her well in her current circumstances. When it comes to her areas of interest (science/technology/learning about the stranger facets of her new world), she can get very intense and focused. She is also quite inquisitive, but she never allows her fascination with something to compromise her sense of caution. She has always loved computers, robotics and technology in general, and is very skilled when it comes to working with it. Naturally, she is very distressed by the current, primitive, state of the world. She is very much a fish out of temporal water, and this has a major impact on how she views the world and interacts with its inhabitants. History: The brilliant daughter of two equally brilliant scientists, Stephanie's genius was recognized at an early age, and by the time she turned fifteen, she already had her first doctorate. She routinely assisted her renowned parents with their work, and was well on her way to becoming one of the world's brightest minds. Unfortunately, that world would soon come to a cataclysmic end… As the world of science and progress crumbled around her, Stephanie's parents hastily worked to ensure her survival. She was given a series of highly experimental genetic enhancements, coupled with an equally experimental cybernetic nanotech control system, and placed in a cryonic stasis chamber. Since their facility was located deep underground, and hardened against even the strongest forms of attack, her parents hoped that she would be safe until the world was once again hospitable to human life. Promising Steph that they would join her in stasis shortly, her parents sealed her chamber and hoped for the best. Abilities: Enhanced Physical Attributes- Besides her genius-level intellect, Steph has received extensive genetic enhancement, making her stronger, faster, and more resilient than a normal human. Her senses are also much more acute. Nanite Swarm- In addition, she has access to a small swarm of nanites, which she can control with the use of a cybernetic implant. These nanomachines are limited to performing minor to moderate healing on herself or others (only one person at a time), as well as providing information and manipulating anything made of metal (although in the future, they may be able to expand their capabilities further). The inhabitants of this backwards time will probably consider this to be magic. Equipment: Steph was sealed in her cryochamber with nothing other than the pictured outfit. There was a rather large supply of advanced weapons and survival equipment at the complex in which Steph's cryo chamber is located, but the state of them after the indeterminately long amount of time she has been asleep is anyone's guess… Steph has also acquired a suit of nanofluidic armor that can disguise itself to match the clothing of anyone nearby. Steph used her nanites to convert much of her cryostasis chamber into a cryostasis rifle, then a sword, and, currently, a liquid metal backpack. Steph was given the Earth Sword by Minoc. RP Notes: Steph's story is one of coming to terms with her new world and finding her place in it. She is (at least initally) completely alone in what seems to her like a primitive, alien world. At first, she is understandably overwhelmed by her situation, seeing the inhabitants of this new world as little more than backwards savages, but as she begins to learn more, she starts seeing them in a better light, and eventually comes to greatly respect them and the civilization they have built. While at the start, she might look down on the People of the Realm, she doen't do this out of hatred, but out of a mixture of pity and dissapointment. She hates the fact that the world is so primitive, and wants to do her part to restore at least some of the technology of her original time. Despite this unintentional air of suprioirity, Steph is still a kind person at heart, and one who is always willing to help others.</s> <\|message\|>Ayaan Jabberwocky's Hideout Dragon Ruby's fiery palm smacked against Annabelle's face and burned half of it off. "OOOUUCH!!" she said, well, half said because she didn't have much of a jaw anymore. Her one eye was wide open, the other burnt off, and what was left of her mouth turned up in a smile. "You're a feisty bitch! You ruined my look!" She raised her leg and kicked the young, blind girl back into the room she came out of. "God, I can only see half of what I'm looking for. HAHAHHAHA!!" She laughed at her own joke as she turned back to the computer screen and plucked the keys trying to figure out the mechanism.</s> <\|message\|>Ayaan Kensu's Hut Date: >September 30, 2218< "Have I ever seen the sun before this day? I'm sorry, this isn't really the place for it, but I have to put it down for posterity, for my mind will allow me nothing else. My heart is a slave! Her name, her name is Sarah, a goddess among us. We met while while I was giving a lecture at the college she attended, she's almost 20 years my junior. It's true I thought she was cute, and working with her the last few years has been delightful. I had no idea how much my affection had grown though until now. She's... incredible to say the least. Agh! my scientific mind doesn't speak well the languages of love, but my heart is driving me mad! She is in all my thoughts, all my worries! My world turns at the next moment I can see her! Why WHY! do I feel this way! My work is suffering, but what matter is work when a man is in love? Let me tell you everything I know about her: Her favorite color is Pink, so typical I know, but alluring; she has porcelain skin and bright blue eyes. She has so many talents and somehow we talk about a million different things, I... I can't even remember them. I remember just her face, her beautiful face looking at me like I'm the most powerful thing in her world. I love the way she looks at me, and I love to look at her. This is my science log, I'm sorry to waste the time, I have very important things to get to. We have been manipulating physical structures monitoring the flow of biogenic energy, it doesn't work like electricity, it's more... sublime. Sublime like my heart in the presence of my angel, my muse, my Sarah..... What can I do, I'm hopelessly in love, I can only hope she loves me as much as I love her. -Dr. Logan, signing out"</s> <\|message\|>Jabberwocky She yells in pain as she's punted away, and lands with a crunch. "Aaaah!" She stands up, and looks around, using her molten power to 'see' heat waves. She raises one hand letting magma flow over her arm, and runs forward. "Don't touch my bed!" She puts her arm through Annabelle's back, and through her heart, her arm searing through her flesh with minimal resistance.</s> <\|message\|>Sarah Sarah Sarah pauses. Wait, Dr. Logan named one of the Oracles Sarah... and he had written a love letter to a girl named Sarah? Was she named after her? If she's as charming and intelligent as Dr. Logan made her seem, she's actually rather honored, and wishes she had known the girl. Given the circumstances, it was impossible; that other Sarah must have perished hundreds of years ago, if not by the Cataclysm then by sheer old age. For what it was worth, she hopes Dr. Logan and this other Sarah had been happy together. Once she's done with Master Thunderfist's files, she goes to take a shower and sit down to eat. She's hungry, and it's been a rather busy day.</s>	<\|message\|>Stephanie Anderson Steph allowed Peter to lead her deep beneath the mountain, to where the transit tunnel was located. Along the way, she both despaired at how much of the technological infrastructure of her time had been lost, and marveled at how much had still managed to be preserved. It gave her a sliver of hope that, with enough effort, the world she knew might be restored. "Here we are, Miss Stephanie!" Peter announced excitedly. "Master Minoc's greatest achievement, the Sub-Surface Railway! It's only one segment of a vast network, which it is believed once spanned the entire world, but it is hoped that one day we can reactivate the other segments as well!" "That's great to hear," Steph told him with a smile. Despite being so primitive, at least when compared to what Steph was familiar with, it was actually rather amazing what these people had been able to accomplish. From what she had seen so far, the planet's geography had been drastically altered. The fact that they had managed to get even a single segment of the transit network up and running was nothing short of miraculous. "In fact, I'd be more than happy to help you with that project. At least, after all this is taken care of," she added, while patting her backpack. She had a fair idea of what it contained, but she wasn't about to open Minoc's package until they had safely arrived at the Castle of Solace. "Oh, and, uh, just call me Steph. I've never really been too big on formality." "Oh! My apologies!" the apprentice stammered. "It's just that, well, you're something of a living legend to us. I mean, to be part of the generation honored to see you awaken, to accompany you on this journey… I-It's more than I could have ever imagined!" "Hey, relax," Steph told him, becoming more than a little unnerved by all the hero-worship being directed towards her. "I'm just a regular person, same as you. I'm certainly not some mystic 'Oracle' or whatever." "B-But, your powers…!" Peter protested. "I can only do that stuff because of technology," she explained. "Just like the technology you used to get this train up and running. It's not magic," she added as they boarded the train. "Just science." "Well, it's still amazing," Peter said as he sat down across from her. "After all, it's not like anyone around here can do stuff like that." A low hum filled the car, and neon lights glowed, as the train's various systems came online. For a moment, Steph felt like she was back in her own time, the events of the past few hours little more than a dream. Unsurprisingly, Peter quickly brought her back to reality. "Looks like we're on our way," he observed as the lights outside the window began to pass by at an increasingly faster pace, before disappearing completely. "It's incredible how this train doesn't even need a crew. A machine-mind takes care of everything!" "It's called a computer," Steph pointed out. "And that's nothing compared to a full AI." "AI?" Peter asked. "Artificial intelligence," Steph clarified. "A machine that can think and reason just like a human." Peter gasped. "Such a thing existed in your time?!" "Yeah, a lot of them did." "Incredible…" --- The journey was a remarkably swift one, thanks in no small part to the train's inertialess propulsion system. Steph was very grateful for this, for a number of reasons. Bringing an end to Peter's incessant barrage of questions foremost among them. The young apprentice was just about to ask for more information about pre-cataclysmic space travel, when a tone sounded, followed by an artificial voice informing them that they had reached their destination. "Ah!" Peter gasped, having been broken out of his awe-inspired fixation on Steph. "It look's like we've arrived! Welcome to the Castle of Solace!"</s>
<\|description\|>Stephanie Anderson Class: Oracle/Sleeper Appearance: Steph is an average looking fifteen-year-old girl, if a bit on the small side. She has short, black hair and piercing blue eyes. Personality: Steph is usually quiet and soft-spoken, preferring to silently observe a situation, rather than impetuously rush into the unknown, a trait that should serve her well in her current circumstances. When it comes to her areas of interest (science/technology/learning about the stranger facets of her new world), she can get very intense and focused. She is also quite inquisitive, but she never allows her fascination with something to compromise her sense of caution. She has always loved computers, robotics and technology in general, and is very skilled when it comes to working with it. Naturally, she is very distressed by the current, primitive, state of the world. She is very much a fish out of temporal water, and this has a major impact on how she views the world and interacts with its inhabitants. History: The brilliant daughter of two equally brilliant scientists, Stephanie's genius was recognized at an early age, and by the time she turned fifteen, she already had her first doctorate. She routinely assisted her renowned parents with their work, and was well on her way to becoming one of the world's brightest minds. Unfortunately, that world would soon come to a cataclysmic end… As the world of science and progress crumbled around her, Stephanie's parents hastily worked to ensure her survival. She was given a series of highly experimental genetic enhancements, coupled with an equally experimental cybernetic nanotech control system, and placed in a cryonic stasis chamber. Since their facility was located deep underground, and hardened against even the strongest forms of attack, her parents hoped that she would be safe until the world was once again hospitable to human life. Promising Steph that they would join her in stasis shortly, her parents sealed her chamber and hoped for the best. Abilities: Enhanced Physical Attributes- Besides her genius-level intellect, Steph has received extensive genetic enhancement, making her stronger, faster, and more resilient than a normal human. Her senses are also much more acute. Nanite Swarm- In addition, she has access to a small swarm of nanites, which she can control with the use of a cybernetic implant. These nanomachines are limited to performing minor to moderate healing on herself or others (only one person at a time), as well as providing information and manipulating anything made of metal (although in the future, they may be able to expand their capabilities further). The inhabitants of this backwards time will probably consider this to be magic. Equipment: Steph was sealed in her cryochamber with nothing other than the pictured outfit. There was a rather large supply of advanced weapons and survival equipment at the complex in which Steph's cryo chamber is located, but the state of them after the indeterminately long amount of time she has been asleep is anyone's guess… Steph has also acquired a suit of nanofluidic armor that can disguise itself to match the clothing of anyone nearby. Steph used her nanites to convert much of her cryostasis chamber into a cryostasis rifle, then a sword, and, currently, a liquid metal backpack. Steph was given the Earth Sword by Minoc. RP Notes: Steph's story is one of coming to terms with her new world and finding her place in it. She is (at least initally) completely alone in what seems to her like a primitive, alien world. At first, she is understandably overwhelmed by her situation, seeing the inhabitants of this new world as little more than backwards savages, but as she begins to learn more, she starts seeing them in a better light, and eventually comes to greatly respect them and the civilization they have built. While at the start, she might look down on the People of the Realm, she doen't do this out of hatred, but out of a mixture of pity and dissapointment. She hates the fact that the world is so primitive, and wants to do her part to restore at least some of the technology of her original time. Despite this unintentional air of suprioirity, Steph is still a kind person at heart, and one who is always willing to help others.</s> <\|message\|>Sarah Sarah Sarah was just enjoying the view, though she finds the stamina of these sky-mantas remarkable. Do they ever sleep? Or perhaps they stay awake for long, long times and just hibernate every once in a while? She made a mental note to ask about that when she could. Just then, something sparkled and shone in her peripheral vision. "A-Asra?" Sarah asks in surprise. "What are you doing here? "Well, I'm doing alright. It's... it's been a rough day yesterday. First my awakening, then the trial to find the sword... then..." She trails off, unable to continue. Pip, sensing her returning sadness, rubs against her, whining softly. "Well, that seems... convenient," Sarah says, rubbing her head as though trying to feel whatever is connected to Asra in there. It feels a bit weird to have something in her head she has no knowledge of. "It's... it's alright," Sarah says softly, though she doesn't smile. "Yesterday's been a bit rough, and I would have been too distracted to talk anyways." Sarah looks at her sword, tucked away under her belt and under her cloak. "I'll try and think of something," she says. "Can't think of anything right now..." "Wait, what happened to the Oracle in Leaf?!" Sarah asks in concern. The idea of others like her oddly gave her hope, something to look forwards to in this world, and the idea of one of them being dead was distressful. It feels like losing a sibling you never knew about. She's also worried if the other Oracles might similarly get killed off... That was quite an infodump Asra had given her, and Sarah tries to memorize all that. It feels a little overwhelming, especially since she was only 'awake' starting yesterday. Some of it somehow 'clicks' with her, as though reaffirming some knowledge implanted in her mind during her long sleep. Other facts are new, and she makes a note to remember them. "So, first scan the source of the ability, then put the battery on a metal object, and touch it? Can I use the sword, or does it have to be a different metal object?" She shakes her head. "Sounds a bit complex to me..." The idea of another agent of Draygon assaulting a poor town or castle has her simultaneously revolted and shivering. She'd seen one of these dreaded lieutenants before, and he killed Kensu in front of her eyes. She has no idea whether she can even face this next one. She wants to jump in and help, but the fight with the stranger made her worry if she'll be able to even do anything to him. She frowns as she slides deep in thought that she almost misses Asra's next bit. "Oh, that's good," Sarah says. "At least I'll have company, right? "So, Asra, can I ask you something?" she continues. "What exactly are you? You're the first entity I met since my hibernation, and yet you have answers I'm trying to find. I'm beginning to understand the duty of the Oracles thanks to Master Thunderfists' documents, but if the Ancients made you to help the Oracles, why weren't they better prepared for... well, all this?"</s> <\|message\|>Jabberwocky She frowns, and looks at the gem. "Who are you? I feel like Daddy told me about you...Anny? Annabelle?" She smiles. "You make copies, right?" She tilts her head. "Why did you want my bed? That's mine." Jabberwocky He roars as the bolts shatter on his scales. "Who dares to attack me?" He spins, and hisses, staring at the house. "Tell me, or I will burn this town to the ground, and sow the ground with your blood."</s> <\|message\|>Ayaan On the Back of the Manta Ray Asra blipped and fluttered in Sarah's peripheral vision, happy to be a part of a conversation. "Every new configuration requires a new metal vessel, so the sword is configured to channel your Biogenic energy into lightning and it cannot be restructred to channel anything else. For a demonstration what I'm talking about let's take a look at those canisters you brought. Now, take the pressure tapping mechanism that's on the container rack and allow the battery to attach to the bottom, it has a powerful electro-magnet built into the battery so now that it's charged it should stick easily to any conductive metal. I'm sorry if you don't understand all of that, I know this is all very new to you. Please trust me, there was much knowledge built into your mind while you were being formed and with a little practice you should be able to understand basic math, science, and physics...." Sarah did as she was instructed, "There you go, now that you've attached the battery to the wand hold it close to the canister and I will scan the materials within." >.....analysis complete "The canister contains Imaginarium, a chemical compound that is gaseous at room temperature and similar in composition to Dimethyltryptamine, a neuro-hallucinogenic hormone released by the brain shortly before death. Now, give me a second, I haven't done this in a while..." Over the next few moments the rod in Sarah's hand jerked and vibrated and made electrical cutting noises. >.......configuration complete "There," Asra's voice returned, "now if you channel your energy through this wand it'll spray a gas that will cause any humanoid creature to hallucinate. I don't know if it works on animals or if different species of humanoids experience different effects. You'll have to experiment." Her musical voiced flittered happily inside of Sarah's head. "As you use the implements, you don't have to keep the battery on there to use it, it'll only double the strength of the implement, your body will grow neurons in the same configuration as the element so in time you'll be able to use the power of the implement without the aid of the device." "That's a very good question, and I'll try to answer as best as I can. I am something called an 'Artificial Intelligence,'" her voice sounded sad saying it, "I'm a computer who is alive and thinking. In the time before the Apocalypse I was designed to link the Oracles, though they were called something else then, and allow them to communicate with each other and with the Harbinger. I was also attached to Satellites, which are machines in space that can see everything in the world, and the World Net, which is like an electronic library of humanoid intelligence. And I was created to scan and manufacture implements for you to use after you awoke. You see, the Oracles were made to Rule. You were created to be perfect in every way, and more powerful than any being alive; Dr. Logan said he designed you to hold the 'Scepter and the Switch.'" "When Harbinger malfunctioned and began to attack the world the scientists changed my programming. I was put offline so I don't know what happened, but when I came back online it was over, there was nothing left. My program was saved in the pods and eventually I ran out of power and went into stasis myself. When you woke up, it gave me enough power to come back online, but only for a short time. So far I've communicated with yourself, a boy in Leaf village who I lost contact with, a child who burned to death in a fire, and another named Stephanie, though my contact with her was very brief and I don't know what happened." Asra's voice became very somber, "We are in very unsure times now, there's much I don't know. The world has changed and adapted, and now Harbinger has awoken again. I don't know what's going to happen, but I know we have to stop Harbinger before it destroys everything in the world... again."</s> <\|message\|>Sarah Sarah "Oh!" Sarah gasps in understanding as she completes the process Asra outlines. "In which case, I'm not copying the ability to the sword, I'm basically transferring those qualities to a suitable focus. Using biogenic energy to apply specific properties on certain objects and rendering them into complex tools or weapons. Very useful..." She's still not used to knowing the basics of this stuff without any prior experience, but she supposes it makes it easier for her to grasp the concept. As for Asra's description of herself, it was certainly interesting - and sorrowful. All that marvel, all that ability and creativity, wasted. "I... I watched a recording of Dr. Logan, talking about me - that is, me or another Oracle called Sarah, but he called her a 'Galatea prototype'. He seemed... very proud of us. That we'd help lead the way to a better world. But he said we were to help 'normal' humans, not rule over them. That's weird... "And if you're an AI, what was Harbinger... what drove it to malfunction?" Don't give Sarah all the details just yet :P she's just being curious and asking questions. It's okay if she has to find more data on her own.</s> <\|message\|>Ayaan "I can't say for sure," Asra said, "everything fell apart before I the program was fully initiated, I just... I just don't know." no worries, tonight when I'm able to make a thorough post I'll set up Bandersnatch and give you a good place to land. The landing spot is at a point north of the castle, the Manta's are going to swim the materials the rest of the way but you might have to walk, we will see.</s>	<\|message\|>Stephanie Anderson As the train's doors slid open, Steph found herself facing a bearded man with fiery red hair. "Greetings, young Oracle!" He declared with a welcoming smile as Steph and Peter disembarked. "I am Tornel, leader of the Brotherhood of Wizards and advisor to the King of Solace. It is my great honor to welcome you to the Castle of Solace," he added. "Please, right this way," the wizard instructed, while gesturing to a flight of stairs. "There is much to discuss." "Thank you," Steph replied with a smile of her own. "But please, just call me Steph." "A-And I'm Peter," her companion added shakily, awed to be in the presence of not just an Oracle, but the leader of the Brotherhood of Wizards as well. "I-I'm an apprentice to Master Minoc." "I see…" the wizard said thoughtfully, before the sound of a distant rumbling caught their attention. "I regret to say that you have found us in the midst of a siege at the moment," Tornel explained. "A vile servant of the Dark Lord Draygon has chosen to do battle with us. I would have swiftly put an end to him with my magic, but I am loath to reveal my true power unless absolutely necessary. Thus, one of the king's strongest paladins was sent out to slay the fiend, but it would appear he was unsuccessful… To make matters worse, the magical sword the paladin wielded is now in our foe's possession, and he is using its power to great effect. That sword was the most powerful weapon in the royal armory," the wizard continued. "Aside from my mightiest spells, I know of nothing that could stand against it, especially when wielded by such an inhumanly skilled hand..." "Perhaps this might help," Steph suggested as she retrieved Minoc's package from her backpack. "Minoc told me to give you this. I think it might be a weapon of some kind."</s>
<\|description\|>Stephanie Anderson Class: Oracle/Sleeper Appearance: Steph is an average looking fifteen-year-old girl, if a bit on the small side. She has short, black hair and piercing blue eyes. Personality: Steph is usually quiet and soft-spoken, preferring to silently observe a situation, rather than impetuously rush into the unknown, a trait that should serve her well in her current circumstances. When it comes to her areas of interest (science/technology/learning about the stranger facets of her new world), she can get very intense and focused. She is also quite inquisitive, but she never allows her fascination with something to compromise her sense of caution. She has always loved computers, robotics and technology in general, and is very skilled when it comes to working with it. Naturally, she is very distressed by the current, primitive, state of the world. She is very much a fish out of temporal water, and this has a major impact on how she views the world and interacts with its inhabitants. History: The brilliant daughter of two equally brilliant scientists, Stephanie's genius was recognized at an early age, and by the time she turned fifteen, she already had her first doctorate. She routinely assisted her renowned parents with their work, and was well on her way to becoming one of the world's brightest minds. Unfortunately, that world would soon come to a cataclysmic end… As the world of science and progress crumbled around her, Stephanie's parents hastily worked to ensure her survival. She was given a series of highly experimental genetic enhancements, coupled with an equally experimental cybernetic nanotech control system, and placed in a cryonic stasis chamber. Since their facility was located deep underground, and hardened against even the strongest forms of attack, her parents hoped that she would be safe until the world was once again hospitable to human life. Promising Steph that they would join her in stasis shortly, her parents sealed her chamber and hoped for the best. Abilities: Enhanced Physical Attributes- Besides her genius-level intellect, Steph has received extensive genetic enhancement, making her stronger, faster, and more resilient than a normal human. Her senses are also much more acute. Nanite Swarm- In addition, she has access to a small swarm of nanites, which she can control with the use of a cybernetic implant. These nanomachines are limited to performing minor to moderate healing on herself or others (only one person at a time), as well as providing information and manipulating anything made of metal (although in the future, they may be able to expand their capabilities further). The inhabitants of this backwards time will probably consider this to be magic. Equipment: Steph was sealed in her cryochamber with nothing other than the pictured outfit. There was a rather large supply of advanced weapons and survival equipment at the complex in which Steph's cryo chamber is located, but the state of them after the indeterminately long amount of time she has been asleep is anyone's guess… Steph has also acquired a suit of nanofluidic armor that can disguise itself to match the clothing of anyone nearby. Steph used her nanites to convert much of her cryostasis chamber into a cryostasis rifle, then a sword, and, currently, a liquid metal backpack. Steph was given the Earth Sword by Minoc. RP Notes: Steph's story is one of coming to terms with her new world and finding her place in it. She is (at least initally) completely alone in what seems to her like a primitive, alien world. At first, she is understandably overwhelmed by her situation, seeing the inhabitants of this new world as little more than backwards savages, but as she begins to learn more, she starts seeing them in a better light, and eventually comes to greatly respect them and the civilization they have built. While at the start, she might look down on the People of the Realm, she doen't do this out of hatred, but out of a mixture of pity and dissapointment. She hates the fact that the world is so primitive, and wants to do her part to restore at least some of the technology of her original time. Despite this unintentional air of suprioirity, Steph is still a kind person at heart, and one who is always willing to help others.</s> <\|message\|>Jabberwocky He hisses and growls, biting out the weapons, and tossing them aside. He folds his wings in, and folds into himself, his wings turning into a cape, and he draws a long scythe. "I only want the girl. Give me the Oracle, and I'll let you and your people live. Refuse, and you all die."</s> <\|message\|>Ayaan Tinkertown Dragon "I don't know what you're talking about, there is no girl. We killed the harpy, report that to your boss!" Minoc yelled as he threw a last lever and the hut they were in broke free from its supports and began plunging down the mountain! When Minoc designed the buildings of Tinkertown he put in a system to be able to easily move and disassemble some of the structures in case of a fire or landslide. It was originally a safety feature, he never expected that he'd be in one of the buildings as he threw the lever to send it racing to its destruction. He looked into the eyes of Jabberwocky as he felt the building begin to fall, "I'll see you in hell!" He slammed another button and the hurricane shutters of the building closed, sealing the two of them into the falling room.</s> <\|message\|>Jabberwocky He snarls, and jumps over the falling building, sprouting wings, and taking to the sky for a moment, his feet just brushing over the falling building. "You think simple tricks will slay one such as I? I've never lost a target I set my eyes on. I'll hunt it to the ends of the earth!"</s> <\|message\|>Stephanie Anderson Steph was utterly stunned as Tornel locked them inside the chamber and made his accusations. Servants of Draygon?! What the hell?! I thought this guy was supposed to help us, not imprison us! "W-Wait!" Peter cried franticly. "We don't serve Draygon! There's been a terrible mistake!" "Don't waste your breath, Peter," Steph advised. "I doubt he can hear you." "B-But he has to let us out!" the apprentice protested. "With the castle under attack, he needs our help! Well, your help," he added after a moment. "A-And why does he think we work for Draygon, anyway?! Master Minoc always talked of how wise and powerful Master Tornel was. How could he not know who we really are?!" "You know how I said I wasn't anything supernatural, just a normal person? Well, I kinda think that applies double to him." "S-So, what are we going to do?" Peter asked. "Escape, obviously," Steph replied. "B-But the door is booby trapped!" "Somehow, I doubt that will be much of a problem for my nanites," Steph noted with a small grin, before focusing her attention on the package Tornel had so carelessly dismissed. "But first, I'd like to see if my suspicions are right about this thing." Picking it up from where Peter had dropped it on the floor, Steph held it in her hands for a moment, feeling its weight. "Huh. I don't see what Tornel was complaining about. I mean, it doesn't feel all that heavy…" she observed, before smiling and shaking her head. "That's right… I keep forgetting that I'm a lot stronger than I used to be…" Carefully unfastening the wrapping, she allowed it to fall to the ground, revealing what Minoc had tasked her with delivering…</s> <\|message\|>Sarah Sarah Sarah startles at the sound of the fireball crashing into the walls. She remembers what Asra said about one of Draygon's minions assaulting the castle, and her fair, soft features harden as she glares out the window angrily. She's seen what one of these monsters could do, and she barely beat that one back. Asra was hesitant to let her engage this one, meaning he must be equally dangerous. It's only the king's calm reaction that calms her down in return. She sighs and turns back to the King. "How long has this one been assaulting the castle, Your Majesty?" she asks. "Is there anything I can do to help?" Sarah sits down, and takes a deep breath. "Well, you see Your Majesty," she begins, "it began with waking up from my capsule in a cave. I... I have no recollections before that, just knowledge implanted during my long sleep, which is why I'm able to talk to people and understand things, but beyond that, I was just... sleeping. All I know was I had to find someone, and not because I had woken up with nobody around..." She decides to keep Asra to herself for now. She's not entirely sure the King would believe her about a flying fairy that was actually the holosense avatar of an artificial intelligence living in orbital space platforms. She's not entirely sure she believes it herself, despite her own implanted knowledge. "When I walked to the village... there was nobody there. It was... strange. Eerie. I had to explore some more before I found anyone - Master Kensu Thunderfist. He had been exploring a cave on the island, one shaped like a skull, so he missed my awakening and whatever had happened at the village. He greeted me, told me more about my purpose, and that I had to retrieve a sword from the cave. He had tried to find it, but never could, so it was up to me." She pauses to take a sip of wine to wet her throat, but flinches at the sharp taste of alcohol, despite the wine's overall sweetness. "Sorry, is wine supposed to taste like that, Your Majesty?" she asks. "It's sweet, but there's this sharp, strong flavor underneath. I've... I've never had wine before, to be honest. Sorry if I've offended in any way. "Anyways, as I explored the cave, however, I found out what had happened to the villagers." she says with a shudder at the memory. "Turns out a monstrous spider-queen... thing had settled in the cave, and had had her children use a poison gas to incapacitate the villagers and took them into the cave as... as food. The gas made my journey into the cave more difficult, as it was impairing my progress. If Pip weren't with me... well, I don't know what would have happened. I managed to find the villagers, find the sword and fight the spider-queen. The queen had somehow closed the cave entrance, so her death meant Master Thunderfist could finally help me with getting the villagers out, but then..." She silent for a bit, trying to gather the strength to continue. She's on the verge of tears, hands clenched tightly into fists. "T-then a giant, flying monster arrived, and began smashing into the cliffside," she says, her voice trembling. "I... I managed to get most of the v-villagers out, b-but some... some still got crushed under the rocks... I... I couldn't help them, all I could do was try and get the others to safety, get the monster away from... "I-I managed to draw its attention, intending to throw off its attention, but then I s-saw a hooded man in a cloak. I didn't realize it at first b-but that may have been the monster in disguise. I tried to fight him, but he was too strong... then Master K-Kensu tried to help me b-but... but he..." She stopped, and started sobbing quietly, tears dripping onto the table. "I'm s-sorry, M-Master Kensu," she cries softly into her brunch. "I c-couldn't save you..."</s> <\|message\|>Ayaan In the Gilded Dungeon When Stephanie took out the sword of stone she felt a pulse of energy vibrate up her spine. The runic symbols on the sword glowed blue as if with electric light. Stephanie turned the sword over in her hand as she examined it. "OOhhh," Peter let out with wide eyes, "It never did that before?!" Suddenly something sparked in Stephanie's peripheral vision and Asra appeared with a flutter. "Oh My!" she said in her sweet voice, "Stephanie! I'm so happy to talk to you again! I didn't know what happened! Are you okay?" The fairy fluttered around her vision excitedly. "Wait, scratch that, I don't have much time before I run out of power again. There is another in the castle, her name is Sarah, you must find her! She is with the King, and she will tell you much. You will be the first of those who have awoken to... KZ!JC%... ogeth... BRR^&$ZZT!!" and suddenly the fairy vanished. "What? What is it?" Peter asked tentively after seeing Stephanie appear to zone out and look off into nothing. "Are you okay Miss?" Steph nodded that she was okay, "Oh good, you looked like you saw a ghost or something for a second and I was worried. Young Mistress, Steph, I don't know if you realized but Master Minoc was able to use this sword to move stone. I.. I don't know how he did it, but maybe you could.." his voice trailed off.</s>	<\|message\|>Stephanie Anderson "So it is a sword…" Steph said softly as she examined the weapon. She had only held it for a few seconds, before the fairy that had appeared to her just after she'd awoken winked into existence. The tiny creature talked at a rapid pace as it excitedly fluttered around her. Steph tried her best to make sense of what it was saying. Something about finding a girl named Sarah who was currently with the king. She supposed she could do that. After all, she was already planning on paying the king a visit. But who was this girl anyway? And who, or what, was this fairy? Before she could ask, the fairy winked out of existence as swiftly as it had arrived. She mentioned running out of power… Steph thought to herself. Maybe she's an AI of some sort? Peter's voice dissolved her musings. He was asking if she was okay. "Yeah, I'm fine," Steph told him. "So there's nothing to worry yourself about." He went on to tell her how Minoc had used the sword to move stone, and suggested that she might be able to do the same. "Move stone, huh?" she asked with a raised eyebrow. "Well, let's give it a shot." Pointing the sword at the wall next to the door, Steph closed her eyes and concentrated, focusing on linking her mind to the weapon and visualizing the wall opening to create a passage for them to walk through, before sealing back up again. "O-Oh my goodness!" she heard Peter exclaim after a moment. "Y-You're actually doing it!" Opening her eyes, Steph saw that the apprentice was right. The sword had caused an opening to form in the wall just as she had envisioned. "Come on, Peter," she instructed, while slinging her backpack over her shoulder. "Let's get out of here!" After the two had passed through the opening, it swiftly sealed itself, so that no one would realize they had escaped, unless they checked inside the room itself. Wishing to avoid suspicion, Steph retuned the sword to her backpack. "Okay, now to find Sarah…"</s>
<\|description\|>Stephanie Anderson Class: Oracle/Sleeper Appearance: Steph is an average looking fifteen-year-old girl, if a bit on the small side. She has short, black hair and piercing blue eyes. Personality: Steph is usually quiet and soft-spoken, preferring to silently observe a situation, rather than impetuously rush into the unknown, a trait that should serve her well in her current circumstances. When it comes to her areas of interest (science/technology/learning about the stranger facets of her new world), she can get very intense and focused. She is also quite inquisitive, but she never allows her fascination with something to compromise her sense of caution. She has always loved computers, robotics and technology in general, and is very skilled when it comes to working with it. Naturally, she is very distressed by the current, primitive, state of the world. She is very much a fish out of temporal water, and this has a major impact on how she views the world and interacts with its inhabitants. History: The brilliant daughter of two equally brilliant scientists, Stephanie's genius was recognized at an early age, and by the time she turned fifteen, she already had her first doctorate. She routinely assisted her renowned parents with their work, and was well on her way to becoming one of the world's brightest minds. Unfortunately, that world would soon come to a cataclysmic end… As the world of science and progress crumbled around her, Stephanie's parents hastily worked to ensure her survival. She was given a series of highly experimental genetic enhancements, coupled with an equally experimental cybernetic nanotech control system, and placed in a cryonic stasis chamber. Since their facility was located deep underground, and hardened against even the strongest forms of attack, her parents hoped that she would be safe until the world was once again hospitable to human life. Promising Steph that they would join her in stasis shortly, her parents sealed her chamber and hoped for the best. Abilities: Enhanced Physical Attributes- Besides her genius-level intellect, Steph has received extensive genetic enhancement, making her stronger, faster, and more resilient than a normal human. Her senses are also much more acute. Nanite Swarm- In addition, she has access to a small swarm of nanites, which she can control with the use of a cybernetic implant. These nanomachines are limited to performing minor to moderate healing on herself or others (only one person at a time), as well as providing information and manipulating anything made of metal (although in the future, they may be able to expand their capabilities further). The inhabitants of this backwards time will probably consider this to be magic. Equipment: Steph was sealed in her cryochamber with nothing other than the pictured outfit. There was a rather large supply of advanced weapons and survival equipment at the complex in which Steph's cryo chamber is located, but the state of them after the indeterminately long amount of time she has been asleep is anyone's guess… Steph has also acquired a suit of nanofluidic armor that can disguise itself to match the clothing of anyone nearby. Steph used her nanites to convert much of her cryostasis chamber into a cryostasis rifle, then a sword, and, currently, a liquid metal backpack. Steph was given the Earth Sword by Minoc. RP Notes: Steph's story is one of coming to terms with her new world and finding her place in it. She is (at least initally) completely alone in what seems to her like a primitive, alien world. At first, she is understandably overwhelmed by her situation, seeing the inhabitants of this new world as little more than backwards savages, but as she begins to learn more, she starts seeing them in a better light, and eventually comes to greatly respect them and the civilization they have built. While at the start, she might look down on the People of the Realm, she doen't do this out of hatred, but out of a mixture of pity and dissapointment. She hates the fact that the world is so primitive, and wants to do her part to restore at least some of the technology of her original time. Despite this unintentional air of suprioirity, Steph is still a kind person at heart, and one who is always willing to help others.</s> <\|message\|>Stephanie Anderson Moving through the castle halls, Steph and Peter were careful to avoid attracting undue attention. Thankfully, there didn't seem to be many people around, probably due to the siege Tornel had mentioned. This did pose something of a problem, however, as neither Steph nor Peter had any idea of where the king's chambers were located. They needed directions, and for that, they needed someone to provide them. After ascending a few flights of stairs, they came to a large central chamber, at the far end of which, a figure in fancy armor was giving instructions to a group of several men-at-arms. Sir Gravy "Pardon us, sir," Steph said as she and Peter approached the group. "But would you be so kind as to tell us the way to the king's chambers? We're apprentices of Master Minoc of Tinkertown, and we have an urgent message for the king." "Do you now?" the knight who had been giving orders responded as he turned to face them. "In that case, it shall be my honor to take you to his majesty myself. I am Sir Gravy, a paladin in the king's service, and you can rest assured that you shall be safe in my care, even in the midst of this deplorable siege! Sir Snack!" he called, and a knight in substantially less elaborate armor jumped to attention. "Continue overseeing the preparations in my stead." With that, the paladin began leading the way to the king's chambers. "I must say, I find myself somewhat perplexed as to how you made your way here with the dark forces of Draygon having thoroughly surrounded us," Sir Gravy noted as they walked. "We used a secret underground passage," Steph explained. "It's only known to a select few. In fact," she added, "we didn't even know of it until Master Minoc showed us." "Ah yes, wizards and their secrets," Sir Gravy said with a chuckle. "I know, right? Anyway, Master Tornel was supposed to meet us when we arrived, but we haven't seen him anywhere." "That's most likely due to the siege," the paladin noted. "A wizard of his power is undoubtedly quite busy at a time like this, preparing mighty spells and crafting grand strategies." "Oh, of course," Steph replied, while doing her best not to roll her eyes at the paladin's high praise of Tornel. "We figured as much ourselves. That's why we were looking for someone else who could show us the way to the king." "Speaking of his majesty, we have now arrived!" Sir Gravy declared as they stopped before an ornate gilded door. "Your Majesty," he announced. "It is I, Sir Gravy! I have with me two envoys from Tinkertown, apprentices of Master Minoc! They say they carry an urgent message for you!"</s> <\|message\|>Jabberwocky A distant roar shakes the ground, and Jabber rises into the sky, eyes gleaming and hungry. He soars over the ground, the land vanishing beneath his shadow, his claws tearing apart trees and roofs. He opens his massive jaws, and roars so loudly and powerfully that animals drop dead from fright. His hungry eyes glow, and a wave of liquid-like fire bursts from his jaws, setting everything around him alight. He flies over the town hall, and lands on the tallest building, roaring, making the shingles rattle, and glass crack and shatter.</s> <\|message\|>Ayaan Tinkertown Dragon \| *********************************** \| Locke walked out onto the small ledge that was the remnants of the bridge. He beheld the Jabberwocky and was afraid. Bravely he forced himself to step forward and look the beast in the eye. "Your Harpy is dead!" He yelled in his strongest voice, "We killed it. There's nobody else here. You got what you came for, now leave us be!" His heart was beating out of control, he had never been so scared in his life, but even though he was only 14 he was the only one left to tell the dragon beast to go. \| \| --- \| --- \|</s> <\|message\|>Jabberwocky He laughs, a deep, dark laugh, like a set of billows heating a blazing furnace. "What I came for? Listen to yourself, little boy. I don't care about the harpy. I'm here for the Oracle. Hand her over, or burn." He bares his sharp teeth, and grins at him, eyes glowing in hunger.</s> <\|message\|>Ayaan The Castle of Solace @shadowsaint007 The King stood up at the explosion, slightly befuddled. His ears hurt from the noise and his eyes hurt from the bright light. "Tornel what are you..." Before he could answer Tornel pushed him to the wall and placed his body between the King and the girl. Sarah healed the dog who got up and stated barking. "WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOU!!" She screamed. For a moment Tornel questioned himself about who she was. Then his mind resolved. Too many strange goings on were happening; the girl in the dungeon, the girl before the king, the monster at the castle walls. The wizard didn't feel in control, and nothing made him angrier then not being in control. He loaded another vial into his gauntlet. "Stay back Witch! I'll not have you murder out King!" He yelled. The King had had enough. "You will stop this Tornel!" He commanded regally. Tornel turned a weary eye back, "Yo... You Highness?" "This girl is our guest, and under my Protection!" The King was furious, "you will NEVER use such weapons in my presence! I should have you beheaded!" Tornel looked abashed, his face reddened, "Your Majesty I, I only mean to protect you. She is.." "She is an Holy Oracle," The King proclaimed. "a... a holy oracle." Tornel demured. "Your Majesty," a booming voice announced from the other side of the door leading out. "It is I, Sir Gravy! I have with me two envoys from Tinkertown, apprentices of Master Minoc! They say they carry an urgent message for you!" Tornel's eyes widened in panic. "Your Highness! These individuals are precisely the reason I had to come to you to warn you about! They are monster's of Draygon, shapeshifters here to fool you. Do not..." The King slapped the Wizard, SMACK! "Do not deign to tell me what I shall and shall not do," he said quietly, "I am your King! and it is I who command you." Tornel took to his knees and bowed his head. "Forgive me Your Highness," he said, "I live only to serve." and I will dispatch of these wretches when I get the first chance. He thought privately. "ENTER Knight!" The King yelled, "and come in with the messengers." The attendant, who had made himself scarce since Tornel entered the room, opened the door to reveal Sir Gravy and Stephanie.</s>	<\|message\|>Stephanie Anderson "Greetings, your Majesty," Steph said as she entered and bowed before the king. Her eyes hardened as she took note that Tornel was also present, along with a pink-haired girl. Presumably this was the "Sarah" the fairy had mentioned. "My name is Stephanie, and this is Peter," she informed, gesturing to the young apprentice who was currently cowering behind her. "H-Hello…" the apprentice said meekly, rather overwhelmed by his current situation. First an oracle, then the leader of the wizards, and now the king himself! This was certainly the most remarkable day of his young life, and it was getting to be a bit much for the poor young man. "We came here at the request of Master Minoc," Steph continued. "He told us that we would be met by the wise wizard Tornel, but when we arrived, Tornel locked us in a chamber and called us servants of Draygon! Minoc even told us to present this weapon to him," she explained, while retrieving the sword from her backpack. "But he carelessly dismissed it without even looking at it! There's one other thing," she added in a more reserved tone. "I'm not an apprentice of Minoc. I'm actually what you people would call an oracle. I'm sorry, Sir Gravy," she told the knight, trying not to laugh as she said his ridiculous name. "I didn't want to lie to you, but we needed to see the king and explain the situation to him." "Gadzooks!" the paladin exclaimed. "Are you to tell me that I have been in the presence of one of the legendary oracles this entire time?! Truly extraordinary! It was my honor to be of service to you, my lady!" he declared, bowing to her in deference. Then, sobering, he added, "And though I bristle at your deception, I can see that it was for a worthy cause. Thus, it shall be my great pleasure to accept your apology!" "Thank you," Steph said while treating the paladin to a warm smile. "That really means a lot. Oh, and you don't need to do the whole 'my lady' thing. Just call me Steph." "Very well, young Steph," Sir Gravy acquiesced. "I shall respect your wish for modesty. And what of you young Peter," the paladin inquired. "Are you also an oracle of legend?" "N-No, sir," Peter stammered. "I-I'm just an ordinary apprentice. I-In fact, I p-probably shouldn't even be here…"</s>
<\|description\|>Stephanie Anderson Class: Oracle/Sleeper Appearance: Steph is an average looking fifteen-year-old girl, if a bit on the small side. She has short, black hair and piercing blue eyes. Personality: Steph is usually quiet and soft-spoken, preferring to silently observe a situation, rather than impetuously rush into the unknown, a trait that should serve her well in her current circumstances. When it comes to her areas of interest (science/technology/learning about the stranger facets of her new world), she can get very intense and focused. She is also quite inquisitive, but she never allows her fascination with something to compromise her sense of caution. She has always loved computers, robotics and technology in general, and is very skilled when it comes to working with it. Naturally, she is very distressed by the current, primitive, state of the world. She is very much a fish out of temporal water, and this has a major impact on how she views the world and interacts with its inhabitants. History: The brilliant daughter of two equally brilliant scientists, Stephanie's genius was recognized at an early age, and by the time she turned fifteen, she already had her first doctorate. She routinely assisted her renowned parents with their work, and was well on her way to becoming one of the world's brightest minds. Unfortunately, that world would soon come to a cataclysmic end… As the world of science and progress crumbled around her, Stephanie's parents hastily worked to ensure her survival. She was given a series of highly experimental genetic enhancements, coupled with an equally experimental cybernetic nanotech control system, and placed in a cryonic stasis chamber. Since their facility was located deep underground, and hardened against even the strongest forms of attack, her parents hoped that she would be safe until the world was once again hospitable to human life. Promising Steph that they would join her in stasis shortly, her parents sealed her chamber and hoped for the best. Abilities: Enhanced Physical Attributes- Besides her genius-level intellect, Steph has received extensive genetic enhancement, making her stronger, faster, and more resilient than a normal human. Her senses are also much more acute. Nanite Swarm- In addition, she has access to a small swarm of nanites, which she can control with the use of a cybernetic implant. These nanomachines are limited to performing minor to moderate healing on herself or others (only one person at a time), as well as providing information and manipulating anything made of metal (although in the future, they may be able to expand their capabilities further). The inhabitants of this backwards time will probably consider this to be magic. Equipment: Steph was sealed in her cryochamber with nothing other than the pictured outfit. There was a rather large supply of advanced weapons and survival equipment at the complex in which Steph's cryo chamber is located, but the state of them after the indeterminately long amount of time she has been asleep is anyone's guess… Steph has also acquired a suit of nanofluidic armor that can disguise itself to match the clothing of anyone nearby. Steph used her nanites to convert much of her cryostasis chamber into a cryostasis rifle, then a sword, and, currently, a liquid metal backpack. Steph was given the Earth Sword by Minoc. RP Notes: Steph's story is one of coming to terms with her new world and finding her place in it. She is (at least initally) completely alone in what seems to her like a primitive, alien world. At first, she is understandably overwhelmed by her situation, seeing the inhabitants of this new world as little more than backwards savages, but as she begins to learn more, she starts seeing them in a better light, and eventually comes to greatly respect them and the civilization they have built. While at the start, she might look down on the People of the Realm, she doen't do this out of hatred, but out of a mixture of pity and dissapointment. She hates the fact that the world is so primitive, and wants to do her part to restore at least some of the technology of her original time. Despite this unintentional air of suprioirity, Steph is still a kind person at heart, and one who is always willing to help others.</s> <\|message\|>Sarah Sarah When Tornel prepares a second strike, Sarah stiffens, Pip growling in her hands. For a moment, she considers drawing her sword and fighting Tornel, but then she remembers the King is still there, and she doesn't want to endanger him. She's not sure what to do about Tornel wanting to kill her, though, as he seems convinced she's a threat to the King. However, the King's angry response - and the timely arrival of another knight - seemed to defuse the situation, and forced Tornel onto the back foot. Sarah couldn't help but wince when the King smacked Tornel; even though Tornel was just threatening to kill her, she feels that it wasn't seemly of the king to get physical like that, plus she felt pity for Tornel, whose dignity was damaged by that. Even though he attacked her and Pip. Pip, however, held no sympathy, growling at Tornel until he leaves, giving an angry little snort when the Wizard had left. Sarah breathes a sigh of relief when Tornel leaves. She just wishes the whole thing hadn't escalated so badly. Why did he believe she was a servant of Draygon? What had she done wrong? When the Knight introduces his guests, Sarah waves to them. "Hello, I'm Sarah, a pleasure to meet you," she says. To Stephanie, Sarah seems to be a pink-haired girl of 18 years old, a bit tall for her age, and with bright green eyes. She's carrying a small dog, similar to a corgi with shiny bits attached, and they seem a bit scuffed up, as though they've been hit by a small explosion - which she probably heard on her way up. The dog seems in better condition than Sarah. For Sarah, seeing Stephanie in those clothes... it stirs something deep within her. A memory? More like a glimpse of one, a flash of recognition that fades away almost before it registers. She remembers the tube from her nightmare in the caverns under the influence of the miasma. She remembers vaguely seeing figures outside her tube, in similar designs. Or is she just imagining things? The memory flashed by too quickly to examine. "I'm... I'm not sure why he thought we were servants of Draygon," Sarah says with a shrug. Then she notices the dog in her arms start fidgeting. "Uh, Pip, what are you doing...? Pip?!" Pip jumps out of New Master's arms, and trots over to the newcomers. The Knight he gives a quick sniff, but more out of mild curiosity than anything. The boy with him he gives a bit more interest, circling him once or twice as he sniffs his feet and legs. Clearly an outsider, from a distant village, but any uniqueness to his scent seems to have rubbed off from the third one, a girl. Sniffing the girl gives more intriguing results. She smells... unique. Somehow it's similar to New Master's scent, but different in a way. He circles the raven-haired girl a few times, sniffing curiously, before looking up at her, tilting his head with a curious whine, then barking cheerfully and panting. "So sorry about that," Sarah says, walking over to pick up the over-eager dog. "Pip's very excitable, and I've only had him for a short while now..."</s> <\|message\|>Jabberwocky He begins laughing, untill he's howling in laughter. "Have you never heard of the Jabberwocky, child? I live for death, for war. I am the ultimate killing machine." He tilts his head. "You're a brave one. If you can hit me at all, I'll leave. Take a swing at me."</s> <\|message\|>Ayaan Tinkertown Dragon Locke looked at the dragon hopelessly, "You're up on that roof! I can't reach you up there!?"</s> <\|message\|>Jabberwocky He laughs, and jumps off the roof. The ground cracked beneath his feet, smattering like glass hit with a boulder. "The first strike is yours, little boy." He bares fangs, sharp and white.</s> <\|message\|>Ayaan Tinkertown Dragon Locke stepped forward, tears running down his face. He was only 14 but he knew he was about to die. If only he could touch the monster then the monster promised to leave his family alone and his friends and go away. Locke felt too weak to live the Sword higher than his wast. He forced his muscles to move and he swung the sword towards jabberwocky's taunting face. "Got you!" Came a tiny voice from behind jabberwocky's leg. A little girl, maybe 5 years old, had been hiding behind Locke's legs And when Jabberwocky landed she slipped around to his giant scaled foot and with a little wooden sword Hit it as hard as her little body could. From the building a woman screamed no. A voice sounded in jabberwocky's head, "Destroy them all," Draygon said inside of Jabberwocky's head, "and return to me."</s> <\|message\|>Jabberwocky He laughs, long and loud. "Not even dogs send pups to fight. Cowards, all of you." The weapons do nothing, less then nothing. They both shatter, as if smashed with a hammer. "I like you, little ones. You remind me of someone...... leave now, children. You are no threat." He looks at the adults, and walks towards them, hands clasped behind his back. His scythe scraping into the ground, rocks cracking and splitting. "Are there no honerable ones among you?"</s> <\|message\|>Ayaan Tinkertown Dragon A disheveled woman who might have been in her mid-twenties ran out of the building and picked up the five-year-old child. "There was a girl," She said holding her child to her chest, "but she disappeared, Lord Minoc took her somewhere and none of us know where. And now he's dead." The woman put herself in between the two children and Jabberwocky, "does that satisfy you beast? Or do you still lust for more blood?"</s> <\|message\|>Jabberwocky He tilts his head. "Enough? You think I've done enough? Should I drag your whole town to Draygon, let him eradicate you all? Send me your strongest warrior. If they can get through my defense, I'll leave. If not....." He bares his fangs. "You get the picture."</s> <\|message\|>Sarah Better get this thing going again, I'd imagine. Sarah "So, Stephanie, right?" Sarah asks her new acquaintance. "It's nice to meet you. And you too, Peter. I'm Sarah, this is my... my friend, Pip." Pip barks as though in confirmation. "Dear girl, please come in," says King Kovar. "It seems I've been blessed by a very unusual day; a visit by two Oracles of old! These are certainly unusual times... but perhaps they are so for a reason. Reports have been... troubling as of late. "You too, my dear boy," he says, gesturing to Peter. "It's surely been a long trip, and you've come a long way if you're Master Minoc apprentice. How is the old Master these days? "Sarah has been talking to me about her journey thus far, perhaps you can regale an old man as myself with your tales as well?"</s> <\|message\|>Stephanie Anderson "Its nice to meet you, Sarah," Steph said with a smile. "You too, Pip," she added, giggling as she gently pet the dog's head. "And I don't mind the attention. I've always loved dogs." "Thank you, your Majesty," she said after the king bid her enter. "Master Minoc was fine when we left him, although Tinkertown did suffer a monster attack a short while ago… Yeah, I suppose I should start at the beginning," she sighed after the king had inquired about her tale. "I'm originally from what I guess you would call the 'Old World', that is, the world before the cataclysm. My parents and I were scientists working at an underground complex. When the world started coming apart at the seams, they placed me in a cryostasis chamber, and, well, I just woke up about a day ago. Obviously, I was shocked by how long I had slept and by how much the world had changed, but with the town I found myself in under attack, I knew I had to figure out some way to help them. Long story short, I was able to come up with a plan and get rid of most of the monsters, including this really creepy harpy. I then met Master Minoc. He told me about Draygon, introduced me to Peter, and instructed me to take this sword to Master Tornel, here at the Castle of Solace. But for some reason," she added, casting a fierce glare at the wizard, "Tornel locked us in a chamber, claiming we were servants of Draygon."</s> <\|message\|>Sarah Sarah Pip likes this one. She knows how to pat a dog properly. "The Old World, you say?" the King muses with interest. Sarah also seems intrigued by Stephanie. "My dear girl, you must have seen such wonders, wonders I can only imagine in this darker age. Sarah says she doesn't remember anything before she woke up from her pod; do you have any idea why that is? I thought that you both being Oracles, perhaps you could enlighten us about the Ancients." Sarah shakes her head sadly. "I have... glimpses, your Majesty, but they're not exactly what you'd call visions. More... I think glimpses of the world, as though I'm still in my pod, looking out. They... they come and go, and they're not exactly clear. As I told your Majesty, I have no clear memories of my existence before waking up from the pod." "I see," King Kovar muses. "Back to Stephanie's tale, was there anything notable about the Harpy? I have my suspicions, though that comes with good news and bad if I am correct."</s>	<\|message\|>Stephanie Anderson "Yeah, I suppose I have," Steph agreed with a sigh, feeling a slight despondency at the thought of the world's current, primitive state. "The harpy?" Steph asked after the king had inquired about the creature. "Well, it appeared to be leading the attack on the village, and it could also fire some kind of blue energy beam from its mouth. To answer your question about Sarah's lack of memory," she continued, "I think I might have an idea. Back in my time, there was talk of a project to create several genetically enhanced beings, capable of manipulating something called 'biogenic energy'. It was all very cutting edge stuff," she added, while turning to face the pink-haired girl, "and I don't really know much more about it than that, but from what you've said, I think it's very likely that you were one of the prototypes. Speaking of the old world," Steph said after a moment, her voice containing more than a hint of trepidation. "There was something else I was meaning to ask you, your Majesty. Master Minoc told me that my mother's journal had been brought here. If that's the case, may I be permitted to see it?"</s>
<\|description\|>Stephanie Anderson Class: Oracle/Sleeper Appearance: Steph is an average looking fifteen-year-old girl, if a bit on the small side. She has short, black hair and piercing blue eyes. Personality: Steph is usually quiet and soft-spoken, preferring to silently observe a situation, rather than impetuously rush into the unknown, a trait that should serve her well in her current circumstances. When it comes to her areas of interest (science/technology/learning about the stranger facets of her new world), she can get very intense and focused. She is also quite inquisitive, but she never allows her fascination with something to compromise her sense of caution. She has always loved computers, robotics and technology in general, and is very skilled when it comes to working with it. Naturally, she is very distressed by the current, primitive, state of the world. She is very much a fish out of temporal water, and this has a major impact on how she views the world and interacts with its inhabitants. History: The brilliant daughter of two equally brilliant scientists, Stephanie's genius was recognized at an early age, and by the time she turned fifteen, she already had her first doctorate. She routinely assisted her renowned parents with their work, and was well on her way to becoming one of the world's brightest minds. Unfortunately, that world would soon come to a cataclysmic end… As the world of science and progress crumbled around her, Stephanie's parents hastily worked to ensure her survival. She was given a series of highly experimental genetic enhancements, coupled with an equally experimental cybernetic nanotech control system, and placed in a cryonic stasis chamber. Since their facility was located deep underground, and hardened against even the strongest forms of attack, her parents hoped that she would be safe until the world was once again hospitable to human life. Promising Steph that they would join her in stasis shortly, her parents sealed her chamber and hoped for the best. Abilities: Enhanced Physical Attributes- Besides her genius-level intellect, Steph has received extensive genetic enhancement, making her stronger, faster, and more resilient than a normal human. Her senses are also much more acute. Nanite Swarm- In addition, she has access to a small swarm of nanites, which she can control with the use of a cybernetic implant. These nanomachines are limited to performing minor to moderate healing on herself or others (only one person at a time), as well as providing information and manipulating anything made of metal (although in the future, they may be able to expand their capabilities further). The inhabitants of this backwards time will probably consider this to be magic. Equipment: Steph was sealed in her cryochamber with nothing other than the pictured outfit. There was a rather large supply of advanced weapons and survival equipment at the complex in which Steph's cryo chamber is located, but the state of them after the indeterminately long amount of time she has been asleep is anyone's guess… Steph has also acquired a suit of nanofluidic armor that can disguise itself to match the clothing of anyone nearby. Steph used her nanites to convert much of her cryostasis chamber into a cryostasis rifle, then a sword, and, currently, a liquid metal backpack. Steph was given the Earth Sword by Minoc. RP Notes: Steph's story is one of coming to terms with her new world and finding her place in it. She is (at least initally) completely alone in what seems to her like a primitive, alien world. At first, she is understandably overwhelmed by her situation, seeing the inhabitants of this new world as little more than backwards savages, but as she begins to learn more, she starts seeing them in a better light, and eventually comes to greatly respect them and the civilization they have built. While at the start, she might look down on the People of the Realm, she doen't do this out of hatred, but out of a mixture of pity and dissapointment. She hates the fact that the world is so primitive, and wants to do her part to restore at least some of the technology of her original time. Despite this unintentional air of suprioirity, Steph is still a kind person at heart, and one who is always willing to help others.</s> <\|message\|>Sarah Castle of Solace After a while, the King took his leave of the girls. He wanted to hear more from the Oracles, but alas, the state calls. Also, Bandersnatch seems to have strangely withdrawn his siege. The citizens of the castle were elated and began celebrating, but the King remains... unconvinced. "Draygon's men have a way of being cruel and cunning," he tells the Oracles. "Even if Bandersnatch had no way of ending the siege, we must remain vigilant against an attack by treachery. I'll see to the defenses and the men, in the meanwhile Sir Gravy will lead you to the royal archives so you may find what you seek there. "Take care, fair maidens, and may fortune smile upon you on your journey..." With that, the knight Sir Gravy guides the two girls to the Archives, whereupon they find endless scrolls and books, some new, others old, some even older than the castle itself. The good knight offers his aid, but he can't seem to find anything by Julie Anderson. Sarah take the opportunity to turn to Stephanie. "So what was your mother like?" Sarah asks curiously. "She seems to be a dedicated sort, if we're reading her works this long after... whatever happened..." "My sincere apologies, dear maidens," Gravy says, "it appears I cannot find the tome, though the scribes assure me it's here somewhere; Master Tornel referred to it quite a bit, so it must be here. Give me a second..." He tries looking again, in a shelf, but something small falls out. "Hmm? What is this?" he says, picking up the small object and holding it to the light. "How odd, it seems to be a gem - nay, merely a crystal. Rather shiny, but it doesn't seem to be worth much... Shouldn't this be in the Royal Treasury instead?"</s> <\|message\|>Jabberwocky He takes a deep breath, and shoots a tornado of flame from his mouth, making a massive twister in the air, punching through the clouds with the blaze. "You think my bloodlust can be sated? My lust for vilonce and death cannot be filled." He smiles with razor sharp teeth. "I won't wait all day. Send me a warrior, or I'll pick one myself."</s> <\|message\|>Stephanie Anderson "Thank you, your Majesty," Steph replied, slightly amused by having been called a 'fair maiden'. Following Sir Gravy to the Archives, Steph waited with Sarah and Peter, while the knight set off to retrieve the journal. "Yeah, I guess you could say that," Steph agreed after Sarah inquired about her mother. "She was certainly brilliant, and she worked very hard to ensure that her research would be preserved for future generations. She was also very kind," she added in a softer tone. "She was always trying to make the world a better place, and she wanted to use technology to achieve that goal. That's why she became a scientist. To see the world now, in this state… It would probably break her heart…" At this point, Sir Gravy returned and apologized for having come back empty handed. He had just begun to search one more shelf, when a small crystal fell to the ground. Picking it up, the knight seemed puzzled by its presence in the Archives, wondering if perhaps it belonged in the Royal Treasury instead. "Actually, I think that might be what we're looking for," Steph spoke up. "Yeah, this is definitely a data crystal," she confirmed after taking a closer look. "We're gonna need a device to be able to access it, but that shouldn't be a problem." With a single thought, Steph sent her nanite swarm into motion. Disassembling an unused pouch on her backpack, they reformed it into a palm-sized data crystal reader. "Just stick the crystal into this opening here," Steph instructed. "Then we should be able to access whatever information it contains."</s> <\|message\|>Sarah Sarah "Well, will wonders ever cease," chortles Sir Gravy as Stephanie not only identifies the small crystal as the mysterious tome, but transforms a mundane pouch into... something that can hold it. Peter is similarly wide-eyed and amazed. "Begging your pardons, Ms. Or- Stephanie, but that's some wondrous magic there," he manages to speak up. "How did you do it?" "It's... it's not magic," Sarah says, shaking her head, remembering something vaguely. She turns to Steph. "It's... nanotechnology, right? It's... well, it's complicated, but it's as though I know the basics of the process, as well as a lot of things I've never even seen or heard about, the moment I stepped out of my pod... Just enough to familiarize me with things, I guess..." The makeshift 'reader' powers up, and the crystal starts flickering. For a moment, one could see bright flecks and glittering objects within the tiny frame of the crystal, as though it were an image of the night sky, with the stars themselves shining within. Then a spectral geometric shape appears a foot above the crystal, slowing unfurling until it forms what Stephanie could recognize as a holographic display. It glitches out a bit, but it takes form in sharp detail rather quickly, revealing what appears to the others as a scholarly woman in the garb of the Ancients, but Stephanie can clearly recognize as Julie Anderson, her long-lost mother, in a happier time. "...date today is... December 12th, year [STATIC] and here we are, working on Project Prometheus yet again. I swear, Dr. Logan's a freaking slave driver; he wants the miniaturized reactors ready by next week. And the cryopods. And his precious 'biogenic-sensitive' circuitry prepared. Why not ask for the Sun in the palm of his hand while he's at it? "Okay, okay, I kid. Dr. Logan is... driven, and to be honest, it's hard to not get infected with his enthusiasm for the project. He just seems to tied up in his Biogenics lab and only pokes his head out once in a while, so it's hard to get across that a lot of this stuff takes time, especially at the crazy purity levels he's asking. We can make stuff sturdy, reliable, and effective, only 82% pure, and it'll last centuries, but nope, he wants his precious pieces at 95% or higher. It'll take more time, so tell him to cool it a bit. All the time we're telling him this is for just prototypes, but damn it if he isn't persistent. "Still, I know what it's like to be a perfectionist, so can't blame him for it. Hopefully Dr. Westfield will help mellow him out a bit. She's got his same spark, but I had coffee with her once; she seems like a friendly sort. "Anyways, moving on, here's the list of the facilities where the equipment is being sent. Some of it's supposed to arrive right about now, others are going to be there within the next two weeks, so tell Drake to get off our case, we're doing the best we can. The files and records will be on servers designated PANDORA-4 and higher, though as I said Bob, I always make copies of my work, so I'll be sure to send you something secure. This is Dr. Anderson, signing out." A three-dimensional map of... somewhere forms in the hologram, and Stephanie can recognize it as the land masses of old, prior to the Harbinger Incident. Several dots appear, marking what appears to be the facilities her mother was talking about, with small percentages next to them indicating completion rates of various items. "Forgive me Stephanie, but... I don't think I understood much of that," Peter apologizes. Pip similarly looks at the map, and tilts his head at Stephanie with a curious whine. It's almost as if he's curious too.</s>	<\|message\|>Stephanie Anderson "Yeah, that's right," Steph confirmed after Sarah attempted to answer Peter's question. "I guess you could say that it's a bunch of very small artificial workers reassembling the basic components of things, like someone turning a piece of wood into a table or chair." A moment later, the holographic display flicked to life, and Steph couldn't help but give voice to a small gasp. "Mom…" she whispered as she felt her eyes begin to moisten. She watched in silence, while her mother described her work on Project Prometheus. She looks so young… Steph reflected. This must have been recorded shortly after I was born… That seemed about right. After all, Prometheus was clearly still in its early stages, and Dr. Westfield was still alive… After her mother had concluded her report, a map of the world was displayed, indicating the locations of various facilities linked to Project Prometheus. "It's a report from my mom about a project she was working on," Steph explained to Peter. "And this here is a map of the world. At least, of how the world used to look… I imagine its geography is quite different now," she added, while adjusting the map so that the globe was now a flat, 2D projection, "but if we can find a more current map, we can superimpose this one on top of it. I don't suppose you know where we might find one?" she asked, turning to Sir Gravy.</s>
<\|description\|>Stephanie Anderson Class: Oracle/Sleeper Appearance: Steph is an average looking fifteen-year-old girl, if a bit on the small side. She has short, black hair and piercing blue eyes. Personality: Steph is usually quiet and soft-spoken, preferring to silently observe a situation, rather than impetuously rush into the unknown, a trait that should serve her well in her current circumstances. When it comes to her areas of interest (science/technology/learning about the stranger facets of her new world), she can get very intense and focused. She is also quite inquisitive, but she never allows her fascination with something to compromise her sense of caution. She has always loved computers, robotics and technology in general, and is very skilled when it comes to working with it. Naturally, she is very distressed by the current, primitive, state of the world. She is very much a fish out of temporal water, and this has a major impact on how she views the world and interacts with its inhabitants. History: The brilliant daughter of two equally brilliant scientists, Stephanie's genius was recognized at an early age, and by the time she turned fifteen, she already had her first doctorate. She routinely assisted her renowned parents with their work, and was well on her way to becoming one of the world's brightest minds. Unfortunately, that world would soon come to a cataclysmic end… As the world of science and progress crumbled around her, Stephanie's parents hastily worked to ensure her survival. She was given a series of highly experimental genetic enhancements, coupled with an equally experimental cybernetic nanotech control system, and placed in a cryonic stasis chamber. Since their facility was located deep underground, and hardened against even the strongest forms of attack, her parents hoped that she would be safe until the world was once again hospitable to human life. Promising Steph that they would join her in stasis shortly, her parents sealed her chamber and hoped for the best. Abilities: Enhanced Physical Attributes- Besides her genius-level intellect, Steph has received extensive genetic enhancement, making her stronger, faster, and more resilient than a normal human. Her senses are also much more acute. Nanite Swarm- In addition, she has access to a small swarm of nanites, which she can control with the use of a cybernetic implant. These nanomachines are limited to performing minor to moderate healing on herself or others (only one person at a time), as well as providing information and manipulating anything made of metal (although in the future, they may be able to expand their capabilities further). The inhabitants of this backwards time will probably consider this to be magic. Equipment: Steph was sealed in her cryochamber with nothing other than the pictured outfit. There was a rather large supply of advanced weapons and survival equipment at the complex in which Steph's cryo chamber is located, but the state of them after the indeterminately long amount of time she has been asleep is anyone's guess… Steph has also acquired a suit of nanofluidic armor that can disguise itself to match the clothing of anyone nearby. Steph used her nanites to convert much of her cryostasis chamber into a cryostasis rifle, then a sword, and, currently, a liquid metal backpack. Steph was given the Earth Sword by Minoc. RP Notes: Steph's story is one of coming to terms with her new world and finding her place in it. She is (at least initally) completely alone in what seems to her like a primitive, alien world. At first, she is understandably overwhelmed by her situation, seeing the inhabitants of this new world as little more than backwards savages, but as she begins to learn more, she starts seeing them in a better light, and eventually comes to greatly respect them and the civilization they have built. While at the start, she might look down on the People of the Realm, she doen't do this out of hatred, but out of a mixture of pity and dissapointment. She hates the fact that the world is so primitive, and wants to do her part to restore at least some of the technology of her original time. Despite this unintentional air of suprioirity, Steph is still a kind person at heart, and one who is always willing to help others.</s> <\|message\|>Stephanie Anderson "Yeah, that's right," Steph confirmed after Sarah attempted to answer Peter's question. "I guess you could say that it's a bunch of very small artificial workers reassembling the basic components of things, like someone turning a piece of wood into a table or chair." A moment later, the holographic display flicked to life, and Steph couldn't help but give voice to a small gasp. "Mom…" she whispered as she felt her eyes begin to moisten. She watched in silence, while her mother described her work on Project Prometheus. She looks so young… Steph reflected. This must have been recorded shortly after I was born… That seemed about right. After all, Prometheus was clearly still in its early stages, and Dr. Westfield was still alive… After her mother had concluded her report, a map of the world was displayed, indicating the locations of various facilities linked to Project Prometheus. "It's a report from my mom about a project she was working on," Steph explained to Peter. "And this here is a map of the world. At least, of how the world used to look… I imagine its geography is quite different now," she added, while adjusting the map so that the globe was now a flat, 2D projection, "but if we can find a more current map, we can superimpose this one on top of it. I don't suppose you know where we might find one?" she asked, turning to Sir Gravy.</s> <\|message\|>Ayaan The Library of Castle Solace @shadowsaint007 SETTING: -Sir Gravy had taken the girls to the Library where they searched the archives. -The King had gone to the Barracks to discuss with the Commander the retreat of the Bandersnatch. -Tornel had gone to the kitchens to prepare a banquet in honor of the newly arrived Oracles. In the archive the girls found a map of the world as it was known: Circles are for villages, Triangles are for Castles MAP LEGEND: * Amazon: A City of all Women Warriors. * Brynmaer: A Village in the center of a poisoned forest * Goa: A Castle of Warriors who Study the Secrets of Martial Arts. * Joel: A village of caves hidden in the sea. * Leaf: A Simple Town of Religious folks. This is where the Mystics live. * Nadare: Land of Ice, the people are fisherfolk. * Oak: Poisonous Swamp land, it's people are strange and not to be trusted. * Portoa: Land of Waterfalls, a paradise. The people there are prone to vice. * Sahara: A Dessert land. The people call themselves the "Fremen" * Shyron: The Castle of the Kingdom of Thunder. They are isolationists and their army uses strange weapons. * Swan: A Harbour Town filled with Pirates. * Castle Solace: The Capital of humanity. * Draygon's Fortress: A dark and ominous fortress. The people of Solace have no knowledge of the inner workings of the citadel. * Tinkertown: A village of Tinkerers and Archeologists who live in an excavation site where they seek to understand the mysteries of ancient technology. Jabberwocky's House: This is not actually on the map, but I didn't save a version of this map before adding his hideout, so pretend that the girls cannot see where Jabberwocky's hideout actually is. Asra blinks into existence in Sarah's eyes. "The map of the old world does not correlate to the map of the new world," she comments in her pretty voice, "I am unable to decipher any patterns between the two. The number of Oracles which were created is uncertain too, whether or not they existed in the facilities which worked on the Prometheus Project is uncertain." Asra's voice took a more serious tone, "We should follow rumors of people using incredible powers like Kensu used the lightning. He was powering the battery with Pip's electro-energy and then channeling that through the sword. Someone else may have discovered the same use of such a power. If we find another battery I can talk to Stephanie as well. Tell her that it is good to see her alive for me would you please? I was dearly worried until she picked up the sword of stone." After you guys are done planning your next steps, the knights of the castle will direct you to your rooms. There you will find lady's in waiting to assist you in dressing as well as any additional items you ask for, the King has instructed the castle attendants to see to whatever you need. Tornel has begun to plan a great feast in your honor, plan to attend the feast. There you'll get to meet some more people of the Castle and the royal family. A party should be fun.</s> <\|message\|>Ayaan Tinkertown Dragon The townsfolk of Tinkertown remain hidden. The mother of the 2 children has dragged them back into the hut and they have shut the door. The village has experienced a devastating loss in a short amount of time, it will take them long to recover. Jabberwocky makes his threat, and the villagers have chosen to hide in the hopes he will leave. They have nothing left to fight against an overpowered monster like the Jabberwocky. Suddenly, 4 giant eagles dive through the flaming tornado towards Jabberwocky! One of them strikes Jabber's back, her claws sinking deeply into his scaly flesh. Two of the others grab a wing each in their claws and try to rip him apart. The fourth goes for Jabber's tail and tries to hold it in her beak. Apparently Jabberwocky's violent outburst got the attention of the local wildlife, and they answered his call for a fight.</s> <\|message\|>Serlor Serlor already had settled on a partially collapsed house before she spotted white, shining armor, and in the blink of an eye the charred land was sent aflame in sparks of fire. She arose from the crumbling remains of the house and circled the flames once or twice, and landed in the middle of it. The flames were completely extinguished by the force. Only a small piece of the now blackened armor was left behind. She stepped on it, and doing so, the armor curled and was crushed to pieces under Serlor's claws. A snarl unexpectedly came from deep in her throat. She briefly reminded herself, that "They won't come back, because they're all dead." It didn't calm her down because the dreadful feeling was still there. As if, they were going to come back. Never.. She thought. Her wings quivered and she moved about, anxious. " If they do come back, I'll be ready." She didn't feel ready, though.</s> <\|message\|>Sarah Sarah "I think I understand?" Peter says in a tone that indicates he probably didn't, and begins trying to squint at the thing, as though expecting tiny elves taking apart things and putting them together. Sarah just giggles at him. "I don't think you can see them; it's in the name after all," she explains. "Nanotechnology is too small to be seen by the naked human eye; you'll just strain your eyes." Sarah notes Steph's sorrow, and lightly puts a hand on the other girl's shoulder, squeezing gently to reassure her and give her a warm smile. "It's nice to meet your mother," Sarah says, looking at the fading hologram. "What did she work on... back then?" Sarah wasn't expecting Asra to pop in on them like that, and looks around to see if anyone else can see her. Sir Gravy and Peter showed no reaction, which shows they probably can't see her, and Steph seems a bit busy - and maybe her 'receiver' isn't yet fully powered yet, and getting a battery will help her see Asra more easily. Still, despite what Asra tells her, maybe they can spot a pattern. Even if the facilities had shifted in the meantime, they could still follow their general locations and narrow their searches down a bit. "We should also be on the lookout for rumors of strange powers and such," Sarah speaks up, deciding to voice what Asra told her. "The Oracles and their equipment had powerful biogenic energy abilities linked to them, so we could follow such rumors on the road. I mean, some of them must have woken up already. Did every Oracle have a Wizard guarding them, or are there some Oracles still missing in the various ruins? Maybe they woke up a long time ago... and had to live by themselves." The thought of being alone in such a world saddens Sarah as she thinks about it. That could have been her; lost in the wirlderness, not even a Wizard to guide her, and trying to figure things out on her own. It would be a lonely existence.</s> <\|message\|>Jabberwocky He roars when the eagles attack, and starts lashing out, each one of his strikes powerful enough to break rock, shatter stone. When it hits a bird, it simply explodes. He spews out tongue after tongue of fire, cooking the air, and anything caught in the blaze. He begins spinning in the air, talons lashing out everywhere, blending anything that gets too close.</s>	<\|message\|>Stephanie Anderson "Indeed I do, Miss Steph!" Sir Gravy replied after Steph inquired about the possibility of finding a map. "Right this way!" As they followed the paladin, Steph returned Sarah's sympathetic smile. "Thanks, Sarah," she told the pink-haired girl. "It was really nice to see her again, even if it was just a holographic recording. Mom worked on a lot of stuff, to be perfectly honest," she added with a chuckle after Sarah had voiced her question. "As you saw, she even did some work on Project Prometheus, back in its early days, but her real focus was nanotechnology." "Aha! Here we are!" Sir Gravy declared, gesturing to a large map. Steph couldn't help but gasp at the sight. The land masses depicted looked nothing like the world she had known. Could Harbinger really have changed the world this drastically…? she thought as she scanned over the map and its legend, committing their various details to memory. "Hmmm… Even if the world's geography has been completely altered, and taking into account that this map may not be scaled correctly, we can still use it as a rough guide," Steph told them as she placed the holographic map atop the physical one. "If we use the complex my parents and I worked in as a starting point," she began, moving the holo map to place the complex's location atop where Tinkertown was displayed, "we can extrapolate where these other locations might be found." Sarah then spoke up, noting that potential Oracles might be found by following up on rumors of people exhibiting strange abilities. "Good thinking," Steph commended. "Although, I doubt such news travels all that quickly these days, unless you have some form of rapid communication I don't know about," she added, while glancing at Peter and Sir Gravy.</s>
<\|description\|>Stephanie Anderson Class: Oracle/Sleeper Appearance: Steph is an average looking fifteen-year-old girl, if a bit on the small side. She has short, black hair and piercing blue eyes. Personality: Steph is usually quiet and soft-spoken, preferring to silently observe a situation, rather than impetuously rush into the unknown, a trait that should serve her well in her current circumstances. When it comes to her areas of interest (science/technology/learning about the stranger facets of her new world), she can get very intense and focused. She is also quite inquisitive, but she never allows her fascination with something to compromise her sense of caution. She has always loved computers, robotics and technology in general, and is very skilled when it comes to working with it. Naturally, she is very distressed by the current, primitive, state of the world. She is very much a fish out of temporal water, and this has a major impact on how she views the world and interacts with its inhabitants. History: The brilliant daughter of two equally brilliant scientists, Stephanie's genius was recognized at an early age, and by the time she turned fifteen, she already had her first doctorate. She routinely assisted her renowned parents with their work, and was well on her way to becoming one of the world's brightest minds. Unfortunately, that world would soon come to a cataclysmic end… As the world of science and progress crumbled around her, Stephanie's parents hastily worked to ensure her survival. She was given a series of highly experimental genetic enhancements, coupled with an equally experimental cybernetic nanotech control system, and placed in a cryonic stasis chamber. Since their facility was located deep underground, and hardened against even the strongest forms of attack, her parents hoped that she would be safe until the world was once again hospitable to human life. Promising Steph that they would join her in stasis shortly, her parents sealed her chamber and hoped for the best. Abilities: Enhanced Physical Attributes- Besides her genius-level intellect, Steph has received extensive genetic enhancement, making her stronger, faster, and more resilient than a normal human. Her senses are also much more acute. Nanite Swarm- In addition, she has access to a small swarm of nanites, which she can control with the use of a cybernetic implant. These nanomachines are limited to performing minor to moderate healing on herself or others (only one person at a time), as well as providing information and manipulating anything made of metal (although in the future, they may be able to expand their capabilities further). The inhabitants of this backwards time will probably consider this to be magic. Equipment: Steph was sealed in her cryochamber with nothing other than the pictured outfit. There was a rather large supply of advanced weapons and survival equipment at the complex in which Steph's cryo chamber is located, but the state of them after the indeterminately long amount of time she has been asleep is anyone's guess… Steph has also acquired a suit of nanofluidic armor that can disguise itself to match the clothing of anyone nearby. Steph used her nanites to convert much of her cryostasis chamber into a cryostasis rifle, then a sword, and, currently, a liquid metal backpack. Steph was given the Earth Sword by Minoc. RP Notes: Steph's story is one of coming to terms with her new world and finding her place in it. She is (at least initally) completely alone in what seems to her like a primitive, alien world. At first, she is understandably overwhelmed by her situation, seeing the inhabitants of this new world as little more than backwards savages, but as she begins to learn more, she starts seeing them in a better light, and eventually comes to greatly respect them and the civilization they have built. While at the start, she might look down on the People of the Realm, she doen't do this out of hatred, but out of a mixture of pity and dissapointment. She hates the fact that the world is so primitive, and wants to do her part to restore at least some of the technology of her original time. Despite this unintentional air of suprioirity, Steph is still a kind person at heart, and one who is always willing to help others.</s> <\|message\|>Sarah Sarah "Well, hopefully that will make our search a little easier," Sarah says as they leave the Archives. "It's still a bit daunting to try and find the Oracles all over the map." "I'll be honest, Peter says, rubbing his head, "This is probably the furthest I've ever been from home. The idea of going even further is rather intimidating... though I have to admit, also a bit exciting." "It is, isn't it?" Sarah muses. "I mean, the view from the sky-mantas was wonderful. A bit windy, but you get used to it. The view was definitely worth it. I mean, you're way up there in the sky, and you look down and everything looks small, like doll towns. I couldn't even see individual people, I was so high up..." "I don't know, what if you fell?" Peter replies, looking a bit green at the thought. "It's an awfully long way down..." "Well, Pip almost slid off the wing, but that's because he was so small," Sarah admits. "Still, he didn't mind. Did you, Pip?" Pip barks cheerfully at the mention of his name. "Oh, I wonder what the view from the towers is like?" Sarah speaks up cheerfully. "Oh, no thanks, I'm fine around here, ma'am," Peter says nervously. "Maybe we should tour the rest of the castle first nice and slooOOOOOOOOOOWWWW!!!" Despite Peter's protests, Sarah grabs him by the arm and drags him along to get a view from the tower. Pip barks and chases after them. "Hurry up, Stephanie!" Sarah calls out cheerfully. "I bet it's a wonderful view from up there!"</s> <\|message\|>Ayaan Facilities: 1. Apalachee Facility, USA 2. Sao Paula Facility, Brazil 3. Greenland Facility 4. Antarctica Facility 5. Cape Town Facility, South Africa 6. Helsinki Facility, Finland 7. Naning Manufacturing Facility, China 8. Seoul Facility, Korea - Main Offices for Biogenic research 9. Mt. Fiji Facility, Japan 10. Sydney Facility, Australia Every facility has a research department, a pod manufacture dept, and a business office. The Naning facility manufactured the materials for building Harbinger and much of the materials used in the manufacture of the pods.</s> <\|message\|>Jabberwocky He snaps at the eagle, wings beating and stirring up smoke. He growls from all the cuts and scrapes on his leathery, scaled flesh. He roars, and the sound makes a shockwave, blasting the birds away from him. He flies higher and higher, untill the birds can't reach him at his immense altitude.</s> <\|message\|>Stephanie Anderson "Well, from what little I know of it, Project Prometheus was focused on the manipulation of something called 'Biogenic Energy'," Steph explained after Peter had inquired about the project. "That's the kind of energy harnessed by the sword Minoc gave me," she added, hoping that might make things a bit clearer. "It also had to do with the creation of beings specifically designed to make use of such energy, like Sarah here." After Steph asked about potential methods of rapid transit, Peter frowned. "W-Well… There's the train we took to get here, but, uh, like I said, it only runs between the Castle and Tinkertown…" "There are also several winged beasts upon which one can ride," Sir Gravy added. "Of course, they are not simply handed out to just anyone, but I have no doubt that two Oracles of legend, such as yourselves, would most assuredly be granted them, if requested." "You can say that again," Steph agreed, when Sarah noted the daunting task ahead of them. Then Sarah mentioned going to check out the view from the towers, practically dragging Peter along with her. "I guess it wouldn't hurt to get a look at the local the lay of the land," Steph reflected with a giggle, as she and Sir Gravy followed after them.</s> <\|message\|>Sarah Sarah Up in the tower, Sarah was looking out at the landscape, letting her pink hair dance in the wind, brushing it out of her eyes to get a clear view, a bright smile on her face. To her left is Sir Gravy, doing little more than admiring the view himself. "It's not as high up as it was on the sky-manta's back," she tells Stephanie when the other girl joins her. "But here, I can see things better. I can see the people in the towns, the farmers in the field. It makes me wonder what they're thinking of, how they're living their lives. It's just... so strange, thinking about how these people spend their lives. "To be honest... I envy them a bit," she admits, a warm smile adorning her face. Peter, by contrast, is rather green in the gills, leaning on the inner wall away from the battlements, and trying not to throw up. He's clearly not comfortable way up here. "Begging your pardon, Sarah, but I don't think I'm cut out for heights," he admits. "I've never been this high off the ground, to be honest, and I'm finding it's making me sick." "Oh don't be silly, Peter," Sarah giggles. "You just don't look down. I mean, I've been 'alive' for the past week and I already guessed that bit." "Easier said than done!" Peter says. "You told me not to look down and it got stuck in my head! You just don't tell someone that, especially if they're afraid of heights!" "Well, maybe it's dangerous if you fell from a great height-" "Exactly! And I'd rather not find out!" "But as long as you're standing on something solid, you'll be fine." Sarah stamps the stone. "See? It's safe. Even if the heights look scary, you're safe." She looks down to prove her point, but then something draws her attention. It's the scorch marks left by Bandersnatch, blasting the castle walls with fire and magic. The walls had weathered them well, but the scorched black contrasted against the majesty of the stonework, marring the appearance. The paladin notices her gaze. "It's a shame what that brute has done to the walls," Sir Gravy admits. "Fret not, dear ladies, we'll have the painters and stonemasons clean that up as best as they can. This castle's survived worse, so no need to worry." "That's nice," Sarah muses. "But it's what he tried to do. He tried to destroy the castle..." "As I said, this castle's survived worse. Trust me when I say this castle might stand for centuries more yet!" "Certainly not for his lack of trying," Sarah replies bitterly. "Why do Draygon's servants do this? They seem keen on destroying everything... why? What do they gain from this? It's bad enough the world's fallen from the days of the ancients, they're trying to destroy more of it..."</s>	<\|message\|>Stephanie Anderson Steph raised an eyebrow at Peter's terrified demeanor. "Seriously?" she asked Peter with a chuckle. "You're afraid of heights? Your home town was built on top of a mountain!" "Y-Yes, that's true," Peter conceded. "B-But I never really ventured outside all that often, and I never got close to the c-cliffs…" "I guess that explains it, then," she noted, although she still found it amusingly ironic. Steph's attention was soon drawn back to Sarah, who was asking about Draygon and his intentions. It was something that had been poking at the back of Steph's mind as well. Who was this Draygon, and how was he able to create monsters like the harpy she'd fought back at Tinkertown? From what she had been able to gather, the so-called "Wizards" were simply people who had learned how to utilize some facet of old world knowledge or technology. Was this the case for Draygon as well? If so, then he had certainly acquired a knowledge of science far in advance of that displayed by the rest of this depressingly medieval world. However, before Sir Gravy could answer Sarah's question, or Steph could give voice to one of her own, they were interrupted by the arrival of a youthful squire. "P-Please pardon the intrusion, Sir Gravy," the squire stammered, clearly out of breath. "But I come bearing a message from Master Tornel. He has instructed me to request that you…" His voice trailed off as he noticed the two young women present. "O-Oh, good heavens!" he exclaimed, prostrating himself in supplication. "Please forgive your lowly servant, mighty Oracles!" he pleaded. "I did not mean to disturb you with my presence!" "D-Don't worry," Steph told the messenger gently, more than a little taken aback by his reverence towards Sarah and herself. "You didn't do anything wrong, and there's really no need for you to be afraid of us," she added with a reassuring smile, while kneeling down and placing a hand on the squire's shoulder. "We're regular people, just like you." The young man gasped as he felt Steph touch his shoulder, but calmed slightly upon seeing her kind smile. Now that he looked at her face, she didn't appear to be any different than a normal person. And yet, she was an Oracle, a divine messenger of the Ancients! How could she be so… humble? That thought was quickly banished when Sir Gravy spoke up. "Young squire! You spoke of a message from Master Tornel! Out with it lad! What new task awaits?!" "M-My apologies, sir! M-Master Tornel wishes for you to escort the Oracles to their chambers and watch over them until the feast tomorrow. I would have informed you sooner, but I was told you would be in the library, and when you weren't there…" "Not to fret, young squire!" Sir Gravy reassured him. "Your quest to locate us was successful, and you have imparted the message entrusted to your care. You have done quite well indeed! What pray tell is your name, young squire?" "S-Squire Toast, sir." "Well, then, Squire Toast, I shall be sure to mention your exemplary service when next I speak with both Master Tornel and His Majesty, the King!" "T-Thank you, sir!" "Think nothing of it, lad!" the paladin replied with a hearty laugh. "A job well done deserves to be recognized!" "Wait, you mentioned a feast?" Steph asked. "Why, yes! Of course! Master Tornel is preparing a grand banquet in your honor! There will be music and entertainers of all kinds! Master Tornel has demanded only the best for our Mighty Oracles!" "Tornel's setting this up?" Steph asked dubiously. She tried not to scowl at the mention of the wizard, but after his earlier treatment of Sarah and herself, she found it hard not to regard all his actions as highly suspicious.</s>
<\|description\|>Stephanie Anderson Class: Oracle/Sleeper Appearance: Steph is an average looking fifteen-year-old girl, if a bit on the small side. She has short, black hair and piercing blue eyes. Personality: Steph is usually quiet and soft-spoken, preferring to silently observe a situation, rather than impetuously rush into the unknown, a trait that should serve her well in her current circumstances. When it comes to her areas of interest (science/technology/learning about the stranger facets of her new world), she can get very intense and focused. She is also quite inquisitive, but she never allows her fascination with something to compromise her sense of caution. She has always loved computers, robotics and technology in general, and is very skilled when it comes to working with it. Naturally, she is very distressed by the current, primitive, state of the world. She is very much a fish out of temporal water, and this has a major impact on how she views the world and interacts with its inhabitants. History: The brilliant daughter of two equally brilliant scientists, Stephanie's genius was recognized at an early age, and by the time she turned fifteen, she already had her first doctorate. She routinely assisted her renowned parents with their work, and was well on her way to becoming one of the world's brightest minds. Unfortunately, that world would soon come to a cataclysmic end… As the world of science and progress crumbled around her, Stephanie's parents hastily worked to ensure her survival. She was given a series of highly experimental genetic enhancements, coupled with an equally experimental cybernetic nanotech control system, and placed in a cryonic stasis chamber. Since their facility was located deep underground, and hardened against even the strongest forms of attack, her parents hoped that she would be safe until the world was once again hospitable to human life. Promising Steph that they would join her in stasis shortly, her parents sealed her chamber and hoped for the best. Abilities: Enhanced Physical Attributes- Besides her genius-level intellect, Steph has received extensive genetic enhancement, making her stronger, faster, and more resilient than a normal human. Her senses are also much more acute. Nanite Swarm- In addition, she has access to a small swarm of nanites, which she can control with the use of a cybernetic implant. These nanomachines are limited to performing minor to moderate healing on herself or others (only one person at a time), as well as providing information and manipulating anything made of metal (although in the future, they may be able to expand their capabilities further). The inhabitants of this backwards time will probably consider this to be magic. Equipment: Steph was sealed in her cryochamber with nothing other than the pictured outfit. There was a rather large supply of advanced weapons and survival equipment at the complex in which Steph's cryo chamber is located, but the state of them after the indeterminately long amount of time she has been asleep is anyone's guess… Steph has also acquired a suit of nanofluidic armor that can disguise itself to match the clothing of anyone nearby. Steph used her nanites to convert much of her cryostasis chamber into a cryostasis rifle, then a sword, and, currently, a liquid metal backpack. Steph was given the Earth Sword by Minoc. RP Notes: Steph's story is one of coming to terms with her new world and finding her place in it. She is (at least initally) completely alone in what seems to her like a primitive, alien world. At first, she is understandably overwhelmed by her situation, seeing the inhabitants of this new world as little more than backwards savages, but as she begins to learn more, she starts seeing them in a better light, and eventually comes to greatly respect them and the civilization they have built. While at the start, she might look down on the People of the Realm, she doen't do this out of hatred, but out of a mixture of pity and dissapointment. She hates the fact that the world is so primitive, and wants to do her part to restore at least some of the technology of her original time. Despite this unintentional air of suprioirity, Steph is still a kind person at heart, and one who is always willing to help others.</s> <\|message\|>Sarah Sarah "Well, the King was angry with Tornel at his actions," Sarah says. "Maybe it's his way of an apology?" She still remembers the fury in the King's eyes at Tornel's actions, and while she's still a bit upset about how Tornel had tried to kill her earlier, maybe he saw the error of his ways? She's a bit full after her brunch with the King, but she's certainly curious about the entertainment for the meal. "Either way, sounds like there's going to be quite the spectacle there, and I'm kind of curious to see what they have."</s> <\|message\|>Jabberwocky He takes a deep breath, and blasts out a wave of white hot flames, the air burning as the liquid like blaze feeds greedily on the air, and the bodies of birds. He snarls, and loops around the castle, watching Bandersnatch lay seige to the building.</s> <\|message\|>Ayaan Castle of Solace The Oracle's Banquet It was the night of the banquet in honor of the Oracles and the end of the siege. For reasons unknown Bandersnatch had left, though he did not leave empty handed. He now held in his possession one of the mythical swords of the ancients, the Sword of Fire. The people of Solace, however, did not see that as much of a loss because Tornel, the High Wizard of the Castle, only used the sword as an ornament and never learned how to channel its great power. The true inspiration of the Banquet was the arrival of the Oracles, beings of fable who were seen by many as god-like entities who have risen to lead them into the future, and by others as fake messengers created by the Wizard cult. Not much time had passed since their arrival, but like all monumentally changing events, waves of emotion swept through the population of the castle and and surrounding town. The common folk enjoyed a spectacle, and the possibility of seeing living gods was sure to be one. On the night of the Oracle's Banquet, as it was being called, the main hall of the castle was filled to the brim and people were gathered in the courtyard outside of the gates having their own celebration and listening to the music echoing from the castle interior. On a stage at the end of the hall furthest from the door was the King's thrown and his chromed and gem-inlaid table. Sitting on either side of the King sat Sarah and Stephanie, each dressed in finery that was both radiant and glowing. After the girls sat family members of the King, including his son and three daughters. At the end of the table sat Tornel, purposefully positioned so that he could conduct the orchestrations of the Banquet. Each dish was brought in and served on fine pewter plates, the wine and juices were served in plain silver goblets shined to perfection. The banquet hall was an open space between the King's table and the large double door that lead into the courtyard. There were tables against the far walls containing mountains of fresh food and servants quickly refilled trays and brought fresh munchies to the people dancing and mingling. On well lit balconies above the food tables there sat small quartets of musicians playing wind and string instruments with a drummer keeping the rhythm. To the King's left the musicians had a female singer, to his right was a male singer. They took turns but sometimes harmonized together, the affect was beautiful. The roof of the banquet hall held the visage of 8 women, each in varying stages of dress and with different symbolic images around like stalks of wheat, a boat, or a golden fleece. One of the women had pink hair. The King would note that these are images of different Oracles who were venerated by the people. The people had different names for the Oracles based on tradition, the one with Pink hair was named Laughter. There was no image to depict Stephanie. Periodically throughout the banquet people brought gifts and laid them down at the steps before the throne. There they would ask for blessings from the Oracles, flatter them with a poem or song, or confess a deep affection and vow their servitude. Every third of Fifth supplicant was a performer brought in by Tornel who performed magic tricks, acrobatics, or some other vaudevillian act meant to entertain and keep the festivities fresh. After each one the people of the banquet would applaud and the night seemed to go splendidly.</s> <\|message\|>Serlor "Ah, that's very bold! Assuming you'd try to vanquish me, you must have a team of sorts, yes? " The dragon inquired, narrowing its eyes. "And if not, I'll crush you myself."</s> <\|message\|>Sarah Sarah Given the banquet was to be thrown in their honor, Sarah expected that Stephanie and herself would have seats of honor somewhere. What she didn't expect was that they'd be seated on thrones next to the King himself, dressed in overly elaborate finery and jewelry, being approached and praised by the populace. It just feels awkward to sit before everyone like a golden idol, being praised and lavished like so - and they didn't even do anything yet! All Sarah can do is manage an awkward smile and accept the praises uneasily. If she's to be entirely honest, Sarah would have told them they didn't need to go this far. She looks up at the ceiling, studying the depiction of the eight Oracles if only to keep her from how awkward it feels to be the center of attention. For some reason, the pink-haired one depicted was representative of 'laughter'. If that's meant to be her, she doesn't feel particularly giggly or funny. Heck, she wouldn't even know how to tell a good joke. Though if by 'laughter' they meant 'joy'... well, maybe she can do that. Assuming that's even what her creators intended. She looks over to see how Stephanie is holding up through all this.</s>	<\|message\|>Stephanie Anderson To say that Steph was uncomfortable would have been the understatement of the century. She had never been one for extravagant parties, and this particular banquet was the most overblown thing she had ever attended. In large part this was because she and Sarah weren't merely treated as honored guests, but rather deities made flesh. It was all extremely unnerving to someone like Steph. While she was certainly no stranger to being lauded for her accomplishments, being elevated to the status of deity was a bit much. Although she very much wanted to protest the guests' treatment of her, she found she didn't have the heart to try to convince such a vast crowd of people that all their desperate hopes and cherished beliefs were nothing more than meaningless fairy tales. Thus, she resigned herself to politely thanking each supplicant as they lavished their gifts upon her and trying her best to keep up a pleasant demeanor. However, while her visage may have been serene, her mind was anything but. She was constantly on the lookout for any sign of Tornel's all-too-likely machinations. Although she hadn't discovered anything malicious so far, she couldn't help but worry that the wizard was plotting something sinister behind their backs, and so she had taken the precaution of employing her nanites to surreptitiously inspect each item of food presented to her. Thankfully, none of it had proven poisoned, but Steph wasn't about to take any chances. After all, if an attempt on their lives was to be made, the commotion and noise of the banquet would serve as the perfect cover for it. If there was any saving grace, it was that Sarah seemed to be attracting the lion's share of attention. This was most likely due to the fact that a depiction of her featured prominently in the vast mural painted upon the ceiling above them. Steph was thankful a rendition of herself was not included in the piece. Even if her absence offered only a slight degree of additional anonymity, she was only too happy to take it.</s>
<\|description\|>Jabberwocky Human Form Beast Form Physical Description: Human: A tall, athletic man who spends most of his time under robes, making it hard to get a good look at him. Those who do manage more than a peak would note he's strangely handsome and chiseled in appearance, but that his smile feels 'off' and disturbing somehow, particularly as it never seems to reach his eyes. He is estimated to be 6'1" and roughly 170 lbs. Under his hood, he has rust brown hair and brown eyes with a hint of either orange or red around the rim of the irises. Monster: In beast form, Jabberwocky is a monstrous draconic being with long, sharp claws, cruel fangs, and a burning wrath in his fire-orange eyes. His face is almost piscine, like some primordial beast from the depths, but the rest of him is evocative of the tales of dragons. He is 65' from tip of the tail to his muzzle, is about 9' at the shoulder, and has a wingspan of 63'. His weight is unknown, but estimated to be 10 tonnes. Class: Lieutenant (Lt.) of Draygon Abilities: Human Form: While being in human form limits the range of his abilities, he nonetheless possesses a considerable array of skills and abilities that make him a formidable opponent: * Hand to Hand Combat: Even in human form, he is a dangerous and accomplished adversary, not needing to switch to his more powerful form to dispatch most of his foolish opponents. He is equally skilled in barehanded combat and swordsmanship, and is incredibly strong and tough for a human. Approach with caution at all times. * Assassin's skills: Sometimes you need to kill a foe before he even realizes you're there. Jabberwocky is surprisingly light on his feet, and can use his dagger to silence foes in the shadows. * Healing: While the art of healing is not as gratifying as the ability to crush your foes and drink in their laments, Jabberwocky nonetheless has learned some respect for it. After all, one might need to patch oneself up after a nasty fight with a surprisingly tenacious enemy. * Fire breathing: Jabberwocky can shoot forth gouts of white hot flames from his mighty jaws, capable of liqufying steel in seconds. * Phasing: Jabberwocky can use his magic to phase through walls, allowing him to infiltrate fortresses and sanctums with impunity, and making him even more dangerous as an assassin. However, there are limits to this ability, as he cannot simply phase through a mountain or go deep underground lest he get trapped and suffocate. * Transformation: As with all of Draygon's Lieutenants, he can transform into his Beast Form, becoming an even more formidable foe. Beast Form: * Flight: Those wings of his aren't for show. They allow him to fly great distances and with considerable speed. * Immense Strength: While he is very strong in human form, he is nothing short of monstrously strong in dragon form, capable of grabbing and tossing humans and animals with minimal effort, as though they were toys. * Razor-sharp claws and teeth: With razor-sharp teeth and claws, Jabberwocky can rend and tear humans to shreds, and can even create great gashes in stone and rock. Equipment: * Assassin dagger, poisoned blade. * Alchemist's kit for poisons and chemical study * A tome of notes and secrets. RP Notes: (To be filled in.) Jabberwocky BY LEWIS CARROLL 'Twas brillig, and the slithy toves Did gyre and gimble in the wabe: All mimsy were the borogoves, And the mome raths outgrabe. "Beware the Jabberwock, my son! The jaws that bite, the claws that catch! Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun The frumious Bandersnatch!" He took his vorpal sword in hand; Long time the manxome foe he sought— So rested he by the Tumtum tree And stood awhile in thought. And, as in uffish thought he stood, The Jabberwock, with eyes of flame, Came whiffling through the tulgey wood, And burbled as it came! One, two! One, two! And through and through The vorpal blade went snicker-snack! He left it dead, and with its head He went galumphing back. "And hast thou slain the Jabberwock? Come to my arms, my beamish boy! O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!" He chortled in his joy. 'Twas brillig, and the slithy toves Did gyre and gimble in the wabe: All mimsy were the borogoves, And the mome raths outgrabe. Source: The Random House Book of Poetry for Children (1983)</s> <\|message\|>Jabberwocky Jabberwocky flies back to his hidden lair, bringing food for his daughter. He lands outside, and turns into his human form, carrying the food inside. "Ruby! Dadda's home!" He sets the food to one side, and hugs his adopted daughter. "Were you a good girl while Dadda was away?" He kisses her cheek, and starts combing her hair. "Did you understand anything of what the crystal said?"</s> <\|message\|>Ayaan The Cave of Kensu's Island \| \| Before the Apocalypse Gerty worked as a librarian. She didn't know much about the world of tech that had developed, she was a bookworm, more interested in old literature and the fables of heroes. She would spend her afternoons researching the myths and legends of the ancient world, seeing how they fit into Joseph Campbell's Hero with a Thousand Faces characterizations, it was a hobby. When the world came to an end Gerty was bringing dinner to her mother who was working in the laboratories. Her mother had been researching how to particulate the human imagination. Imaginarium it was called, and it was the new and exciting trend in home entertainment; her mother had taken to working late and spending nights at the labs, they had no idea what was about to happen. The blizzards came first and the adults shut themselves into the facility, at the time there were 28 scientists and little Gerty; they didn't have time to run out of food. The ground moved underneath them, the entire surface of the planet began to change under Harbinger's power. While the Laboratory froze and the scientists began to die from the exposure, Magma began to seep through the cracks in the floors. It was an impossible and unnatural perversion of nature's forces. Gerty's mother pushed her into the safest part of the lab, the temperature controlled room that held the Imaginarium. There Gerty was safe, for a time. The room shook and the lights went out and the world was filled with screams and crashes, Gerty was terrified. The Imaginarium containers broke open and Gerty was swept away into the world of her own dreams and hallucinations, which in the circumstances became nightmares of monsters and demons. Then Harbinger released the Atomic Payloads and began to rearrange the molecular structure of the life forms of the planet... Gerty died in one form, and was reborn in another. Gerty... became \| \| --- \| --- \| Urgrapth nestled into her web, secure, safe. Her babies surrounded her, tinkling and moving throughout the web, doing the insectoid things that spider creatures would do. Urgrapth waited, expecting her children to bring back the intruder. The smoke should have made it fall, and her children should have brought it quick, but there had been too much time. Urgrapth waited... impatiently. At a nod, she sent five more of her children to help fetch, two more than before, if the others were hurt then more would be needed. Her babies, they should not be hurt, they need to be safe. Urgrapth nervously began to pace around her web. She grabbed one of the villagers, a young one that smelled like flowers, and prepared it for food. If she had to go to fight the visitor herself she'll need food, but she will wait for her children to report back first. ******* SETTING: Kensu sat at the mouth of the sealed cave smoking his pipe and lost, deep in thought. He knew that somewhere in the caves, hidden behind walls and in secret caverns rarely seen by any eyes, is a sword mounted into stone. It has no scabbard, no lace, but it did have the power to harness the dramatic and fearful power of the Storm. The mysteries of his religion taught that the Oracles were made to speak to the swords and feel their call, and hopefully this pink haired girl would be drawn to the weapon soon. Kensu wasn't certain, but he feared that the disappearance of the villagers had something to do with this mountain. A week or so before he had peeled open some strange, metal door and inside was this pulsating black mass. Hesitantly he watched the mass pulsate faster and faster, then little spindly creatures began to leak from the sides of the mass. Disgusted, Kensu backed away and shut the door. Normally the animals and creatures of the island were of the nature to leave people alone, but maybe, maybe this one was different. The people of his island, his people were all gone, but there were no signs of violence; and the cave was not shut, but Pip was with the girl. So much had changed, so much, and so fast. Kensu smoked his pipe and watched the cave, it took much of his will power not to show his terror. There are 5 more spider monsters coming after you, Urgrapth has prepared a snack in case she needs to fight you herself. Kensu is worried he's responsible for waking up the spider monster, and you feel the call of the sword:</s> <\|message\|>Ayaan Dragon Jabberwocky's hideout Ruby hugged Jabber back, accepted the food and ate graciously, "Not yet Dadda," she said between bites, "it's all clicks and strange noises. I need to talk to the fairy again, but I'm not sure how," she chewed, "she said something about my 'biogenic energy' giving her enough strength to talk to me, but I don't know what that is or how to make it work."</s>	<\|message\|>Jabberwocky He sighs, and glances at the crystal necklace around her neck. It glimmers softly in the light. He smiles, and kisses her head gently. "We'll figure it out baby girl. Have you tried those meditation cards I got you?" He gently hands her a engraved plate with some simple steps to guided meditation. "Don't worry, we'll figure it out someday. How was your day today?" He smiles, gently brushing her hair.</s>
<\|description\|>Jabberwocky Human Form Beast Form Physical Description: Human: A tall, athletic man who spends most of his time under robes, making it hard to get a good look at him. Those who do manage more than a peak would note he's strangely handsome and chiseled in appearance, but that his smile feels 'off' and disturbing somehow, particularly as it never seems to reach his eyes. He is estimated to be 6'1" and roughly 170 lbs. Under his hood, he has rust brown hair and brown eyes with a hint of either orange or red around the rim of the irises. Monster: In beast form, Jabberwocky is a monstrous draconic being with long, sharp claws, cruel fangs, and a burning wrath in his fire-orange eyes. His face is almost piscine, like some primordial beast from the depths, but the rest of him is evocative of the tales of dragons. He is 65' from tip of the tail to his muzzle, is about 9' at the shoulder, and has a wingspan of 63'. His weight is unknown, but estimated to be 10 tonnes. Class: Lieutenant (Lt.) of Draygon Abilities: Human Form: While being in human form limits the range of his abilities, he nonetheless possesses a considerable array of skills and abilities that make him a formidable opponent: * Hand to Hand Combat: Even in human form, he is a dangerous and accomplished adversary, not needing to switch to his more powerful form to dispatch most of his foolish opponents. He is equally skilled in barehanded combat and swordsmanship, and is incredibly strong and tough for a human. Approach with caution at all times. * Assassin's skills: Sometimes you need to kill a foe before he even realizes you're there. Jabberwocky is surprisingly light on his feet, and can use his dagger to silence foes in the shadows. * Healing: While the art of healing is not as gratifying as the ability to crush your foes and drink in their laments, Jabberwocky nonetheless has learned some respect for it. After all, one might need to patch oneself up after a nasty fight with a surprisingly tenacious enemy. * Fire breathing: Jabberwocky can shoot forth gouts of white hot flames from his mighty jaws, capable of liqufying steel in seconds. * Phasing: Jabberwocky can use his magic to phase through walls, allowing him to infiltrate fortresses and sanctums with impunity, and making him even more dangerous as an assassin. However, there are limits to this ability, as he cannot simply phase through a mountain or go deep underground lest he get trapped and suffocate. * Transformation: As with all of Draygon's Lieutenants, he can transform into his Beast Form, becoming an even more formidable foe. Beast Form: * Flight: Those wings of his aren't for show. They allow him to fly great distances and with considerable speed. * Immense Strength: While he is very strong in human form, he is nothing short of monstrously strong in dragon form, capable of grabbing and tossing humans and animals with minimal effort, as though they were toys. * Razor-sharp claws and teeth: With razor-sharp teeth and claws, Jabberwocky can rend and tear humans to shreds, and can even create great gashes in stone and rock. Equipment: * Assassin dagger, poisoned blade. * Alchemist's kit for poisons and chemical study * A tome of notes and secrets. RP Notes: (To be filled in.) Jabberwocky BY LEWIS CARROLL 'Twas brillig, and the slithy toves Did gyre and gimble in the wabe: All mimsy were the borogoves, And the mome raths outgrabe. "Beware the Jabberwock, my son! The jaws that bite, the claws that catch! Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun The frumious Bandersnatch!" He took his vorpal sword in hand; Long time the manxome foe he sought— So rested he by the Tumtum tree And stood awhile in thought. And, as in uffish thought he stood, The Jabberwock, with eyes of flame, Came whiffling through the tulgey wood, And burbled as it came! One, two! One, two! And through and through The vorpal blade went snicker-snack! He left it dead, and with its head He went galumphing back. "And hast thou slain the Jabberwock? Come to my arms, my beamish boy! O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!" He chortled in his joy. 'Twas brillig, and the slithy toves Did gyre and gimble in the wabe: All mimsy were the borogoves, And the mome raths outgrabe. Source: The Random House Book of Poetry for Children (1983)</s> <\|message\|>Jabberwocky He spreads his wings, taking off, and flying out of the castle. He soars through the air, heading for Tinkertown. I wonder what he would do if he found out I was raising a Podling to overthrow him? He flies over the town, and roars out a challenge, the air vibrating from the force. He circles above the town, his massive shadow sweeping over everything, sending the villagers into a panic.</s> <\|message\|>Ayaan Urgrapth's Home The layout of Urgrapth's Home was as follows: There is a single cave entrance that leads onto a flat, circular platform. Beyond that platform is a valley of broken stone and metal, difficult to cross except by the thin wires of Urgrapth's web. A few of the villagers were webbed up close to the platform for easy access, but the majority of them were stuck higher up, closer to the ceiling and high walls. Towards the back of the domed cavern, away from the opening of the cave, is a nestled corner of metal, protected by a thickly layered steel door, where Urgrapth has her special place. This is the room with the door that Kensu opened that awoke the Spider creature, and this is where Urgrapth now hid, scrunched into a corner away from the stranger who had invaded her home and killed her babies. From the vantage point of her room she could see her spiderlings cascade down the wall nearest the intruder like a wave of clicking teeth. She had never stepped back and watched her brood like this, separate and removed from being their mom. A small, quiet part of her mind thought they looked horrific, monstrous, evil. They had too many eyes and sharp appendages and even sharper fangs, and their hunger could never be satisfied. For a moment, Urgrapth didn't feel like Urgrapth, she felt conflicted in seeing both monsters and babies in the same form. From the safety of her vantage place, she sank further and further into her consciousness. She carefully watched the young girl with the pink hair, She's about my age, she thought in a voice that didn't seem like her own. I wonder if she wants to be friends? Mama says I need more friends. Gerty took a step forward, but there was something wrong with her legs. She looked down, her legs were like hairy spikes! What happened!? What was going on!? She backed up into the corner and looked at her hands, they were wrong too, everything was wrong! She panicked, her eight legs stomping anxiously as her head swiveled in every direction, trying to understand what was going on. Her mind wasn't working, she couldn't remember! She felt her soul being twisted and torn, where was her she? Where was her mom? Something terrible had happened, and there was nothing left! There was no hope! Lightning crackled and the cave was light up for an instant, the smell of charred insect filtered through the cavern. The noise pulled the Spider Queen form her blood-shot mania and she hyper-focused on the pink hair of the intruder. Something snapped in her spider brain and the last of the rational mind of Gerty gave way and died, leaving only instinct. Urgrapth saw the intruder, and her panic became fury; she rushed out of her hole to attack! Speeding along her webs, she attacked on the side opposite of the wall where her babies were descending. Pink Hair cleaved one of the little ones in half and cut off another's arm in the back swing. The dog was unguarded. Urgrapth leaped and stabbed her spike down upon the small animal... Gerty is dead, long live Urgrapth: Queen of the Spiders!! She's about to kill Pip! You better do something quick!</s> <\|message\|>Ayaan Jabberwocky's Hideout \| \| \| --- \| \| Annabelle had been watching Jabberwocky's house for days. When Draygon's raven showed she felt like she was finally about to get her chance to find whatever secret the bastard was keeping. She had been Draygon's top lieutenant before Jabber came along, and she'd been furious ever since he took her position. She hated it that he somehow sniffed out the Crystallis sword and brought it to their master, and now they were being sent to harass those old wizards which was both annoying and dangerous, well, dangerous for some. Jabber didn't seem too hasty about finding the so called "Pod-creatures" either, and that made Annabelle suspicious. She crouched in the brush where she had been hiding and watched Jabberwocky form into the black dragon of his monstrous state and fly to the south. Annabelle smiled, he would not be coming back soon. She casually sauntered up to the house and knocked on the front door. "Housekeeping!" she called. When no one answered she pushed the door with her incredible strength and as its supports gave way the door fell flat with a dusty thud. She was humming to her self and smiling as she skipped into the old house and looked around. "Jabber Jabber," she ruminated, "ya sure don't have any taste for decoratin' do ya'? You need is a woman!" She ran a finger along a dusty shelf and made Yuck! face as she wiped it on her pants, "...or a butler." She pranced around the rooms, looking at papers and through drawers, trying to find anything incriminating or even interesting; she found nuthin! Jabber was a stubby old boring nobody who didn't even have dirty pictures lying around, some kind of villain, huh? She got to the library on the base floor. On one side it had a fire place with a rug and two chairs, across the room on the other side was a wall of books behind a large, oaken table with candelabras on either side. Annabelle slowly traipsed around the table and looked at the books, her nimble fingers gliding over the dusty bindings. She walked over to the fireplace and inspected the chairs, the embers, the floe to see if there was something hidden there, there was nothing. She walked back to the table and scrunched her face in frustration. "God, you're such an Asshole!!" She said and she stomped her boot on the wooden plank floor. The sound echoed. Her eyes went wide and the corners of her mouth turned up in a smile, "OoooOOOohhh! What have we here?" she said. She bent down and proceeded to punch her way through the floor boards, wood chips flew from her fists and got stuck in her hair; her face had taken a maniacal twist. "Well well Jabber, maybe you're more interesting than I thought." Under the floor between the oak table and the wall of books was a ladder going down into a tunnel that Annabelle was sure would lead somewhere interesting. She jumped down the shaft and let herself drop all the way to the very bottom, maybe 50 meters (150 feet) from the surface, give or take. She looked around and saw that the tunnel pointed east, towards the water. She figured she might be deep enough to be underneath the water, but there was only one way to find out; she began jogging down the tunnel. She came upon the end of the tunnel as it opened into a large cavern. At the far side of the cavern there was some sort of antique mecha panel that had blinking lights and whirling colors, and above all that was a large map on some sort of display that looked like it might've been the entire world. This was good, but not enough to get Jabber in trouble. Annabelle dropped from the edge of the tunnel and moved quietly to the shadows. Then she saw the girl. The young girl was about 20 meters (60 feet) ahead of her. She was walking around the corner near the blinking machine carrying something that might have been food. She sat down at the blinky mecha thing and began to eat, it was food. Annabelle smiled and watched for a moment, surveying the situation. The young girl's face was wrapped in some sort of bandage, Annabelle suspected that she was blind. And to top that all off, she was pretty sure that this girl, was a Podling. \| Annabelle is one of Draygon's lieutenants who is jealous of Jabber's rise. She stalked Jab's place and found Ruby. Shadow Dragon- as you prepare a post keep in mind the distances between our players and the power level of Annabelle. Ruby is a badass, but don't play her like she's the baddest mother-effer in the galaxy, if she wins this confrontation, let's make it a solid win.</s>	<\|message\|>Jabberwocky Ruby wanders around her room, and sits down with her food to eat on her bed. She happily tucks in, until she hears someone. Her head raises, and she turns her head to the noise. She swallows. "Hello? Who's there?" That's not Daddy......who is that? Did Daddy get me a Mommy?</s>
<\|description\|>Jabberwocky Human Form Beast Form Physical Description: Human: A tall, athletic man who spends most of his time under robes, making it hard to get a good look at him. Those who do manage more than a peak would note he's strangely handsome and chiseled in appearance, but that his smile feels 'off' and disturbing somehow, particularly as it never seems to reach his eyes. He is estimated to be 6'1" and roughly 170 lbs. Under his hood, he has rust brown hair and brown eyes with a hint of either orange or red around the rim of the irises. Monster: In beast form, Jabberwocky is a monstrous draconic being with long, sharp claws, cruel fangs, and a burning wrath in his fire-orange eyes. His face is almost piscine, like some primordial beast from the depths, but the rest of him is evocative of the tales of dragons. He is 65' from tip of the tail to his muzzle, is about 9' at the shoulder, and has a wingspan of 63'. His weight is unknown, but estimated to be 10 tonnes. Class: Lieutenant (Lt.) of Draygon Abilities: Human Form: While being in human form limits the range of his abilities, he nonetheless possesses a considerable array of skills and abilities that make him a formidable opponent: * Hand to Hand Combat: Even in human form, he is a dangerous and accomplished adversary, not needing to switch to his more powerful form to dispatch most of his foolish opponents. He is equally skilled in barehanded combat and swordsmanship, and is incredibly strong and tough for a human. Approach with caution at all times. * Assassin's skills: Sometimes you need to kill a foe before he even realizes you're there. Jabberwocky is surprisingly light on his feet, and can use his dagger to silence foes in the shadows. * Healing: While the art of healing is not as gratifying as the ability to crush your foes and drink in their laments, Jabberwocky nonetheless has learned some respect for it. After all, one might need to patch oneself up after a nasty fight with a surprisingly tenacious enemy. * Fire breathing: Jabberwocky can shoot forth gouts of white hot flames from his mighty jaws, capable of liqufying steel in seconds. * Phasing: Jabberwocky can use his magic to phase through walls, allowing him to infiltrate fortresses and sanctums with impunity, and making him even more dangerous as an assassin. However, there are limits to this ability, as he cannot simply phase through a mountain or go deep underground lest he get trapped and suffocate. * Transformation: As with all of Draygon's Lieutenants, he can transform into his Beast Form, becoming an even more formidable foe. Beast Form: * Flight: Those wings of his aren't for show. They allow him to fly great distances and with considerable speed. * Immense Strength: While he is very strong in human form, he is nothing short of monstrously strong in dragon form, capable of grabbing and tossing humans and animals with minimal effort, as though they were toys. * Razor-sharp claws and teeth: With razor-sharp teeth and claws, Jabberwocky can rend and tear humans to shreds, and can even create great gashes in stone and rock. Equipment: * Assassin dagger, poisoned blade. * Alchemist's kit for poisons and chemical study * A tome of notes and secrets. RP Notes: (To be filled in.) Jabberwocky BY LEWIS CARROLL 'Twas brillig, and the slithy toves Did gyre and gimble in the wabe: All mimsy were the borogoves, And the mome raths outgrabe. "Beware the Jabberwock, my son! The jaws that bite, the claws that catch! Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun The frumious Bandersnatch!" He took his vorpal sword in hand; Long time the manxome foe he sought— So rested he by the Tumtum tree And stood awhile in thought. And, as in uffish thought he stood, The Jabberwock, with eyes of flame, Came whiffling through the tulgey wood, And burbled as it came! One, two! One, two! And through and through The vorpal blade went snicker-snack! He left it dead, and with its head He went galumphing back. "And hast thou slain the Jabberwock? Come to my arms, my beamish boy! O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!" He chortled in his joy. 'Twas brillig, and the slithy toves Did gyre and gimble in the wabe: All mimsy were the borogoves, And the mome raths outgrabe. Source: The Random House Book of Poetry for Children (1983)</s> <\|message\|>Sarah Sarah utters a cry that is sharply cut off when Jabberwocky kicks her in the ribs, sending her flying. She tumbles a bit, but eventually rolls back onto her feet, slightly dirty and bruised by the experience - though the throbbing bruise in her ribs feels the wallop Jabberwocky delivers. She gets back in a combat stance, breathing hard as she tries to gather strength. However, his defense is pretty tough; she was unable to land a blow on him despite going all out. Wiping sweat mixed with grime and a bit of blood off her forehead, she continues glaring at him for a bit. She then shifts her stance, gripping the sword's hilt with both hands, before running forwards to engage again. This time, however, she tries to probe his defenses, going for flanking swings and trying to find weak points in his stance, shifting her own stance and striking with the lightning enhancement when she feels she can press an advantage. Any time he tries to counter with his scythe, she parries back, using the smaller sword and her own lighter form to get some edge in mobility over him. "Why?!" she calls out, "why did you kill Master Thunderfist?! What did he ever do to you? You attacked the villagers first!"</s> <\|message\|>Jabberwocky He raises his blade, spinning it, and swings the massive weapon around like a willow switch, making a massive web of black from his dark blade. He snarls, shuddering from the power of her electric blade. He roars, and swings his blade into the earth, making the ground explode in thousands of shards. "SILENCE!!!"</s> <\|message\|>Sarah Sarah Sarah cries out in pain as she gets blasted back, crumpling to the ground. She breathes hard with the effort, feeling tears well in her eyes at the sheer frustration of being unable to hit this bastard. The way he attacked the villagers, how he killed Master Thunderfist, and how he almost effortlessly blocks her attacks, it fills her heart with rage and sorrow. Pip snarls in fury. The Evil Man attacked the villagers, hurt New Master, and killed Old Master. He didn't care about the cost, he charges forwards to take a bite out of the man's ankle. "PIP, STAY BACK!" Sarah calls out hoarsely to Pip, who whines in surprise. "S-stay back. I can handle this, Pip..." Pip, uncertain, nonetheless obeys, whimpering uncertainly as he does. Slowly, Sarah gets back up, using her sword to prop her up. When she gets to her feet, she tiredly gets into a combat stance, and even though there's dirt and blood on her face and tears of anguish in her eyes, she stares defiantly at Jabberwocky. Once again, she shifts her feet, moving into an offensive stance. Her steps are slow and faltering at first, but then she picks up speed, running as fast as she can at Jabberwocky, charging her sword with the power of lightning itself. At first, it seems as though she's trying for another attempt to find a weakness in his defense, to try and duke it out in melee. But then, she stops running, lets the momentum drive her forwards as she slides on the soles of her boots, and swings her sword. As she moves to strike, she pours every last bit of energy inside her, every last scrap of biogenic energy she has, into the sword, charging the power of lightning within and amplifying it with the battery in the pommel. When she has the sword pointed at Jabberwocky, she gives one loud cry of defiance as she unleashes all the stored energy in the sword, firing it in a blast of elemental lightning so strong it shines even in the bright light of day. She fires the full force of the attack at Jabberwocky, the arc so powerful it causes the earth around it to crack and shudder.</s> <\|message\|>Jabberwocky He roars in fury, seeing her blade charge up, and lunges for her, but stops and starts spinning his scythe like a shield, a thick black wall of metal. The lightning arches across it, and he howls as his arms are scorched, but he keeps up his defense untill the attack ends, his body vanishing into darkness.</s> <\|message\|>Sarah Srah As the energy disspiated, Sarah stood there, breathing hard, barely able to stand up. She feels tired, exhausted, but waits to see if the attack got through. All she sees is a dark shadow dissipating. Did... did she get him? She's afraid to hope, and struggles to hold up her sword. However, it's clear the stranger had disappeared, though he left no corpse. It's... eerie. For now though, she can finally rest. It had been a long, exhausting, and stressful day, capped with the tragedy of Master Thunderfist's death. She staggers over to his body, and then drops the sword as she collapses to her knees, her body wracked with sobs as tears flowed from her eyes. Pip whimpers as he tries to comfort her. "I'm s-sorry, M-Master Thunderfist," she sobs. "I c-couldn't help you... I'm sorry..." Kensu was the first person she'd met when she came out of the capsule, the first person to break the solitude of her existence. He had the keys to finding out who she was and why she was here. And now he's dead, and she feels lost again.</s> <\|message\|>Ayaan Kensu's Island Sarah and Jabberwocky The sky was clear, the sun was bright over head and a salty breeze blew in from the sea. For a few moments the only sounds were the cawing of the birds and the soft slapping of the waves as they broke against the beach and the docks. The ground of the beachhead was scorched and ruined, sand and rock were strewn about impact craters telling a violent story of the fight which seemed to come from no where. A young pink-haired girl, tired and weak, had fallen to her knees and was propping herself up with a blacked and smoking sword. A small, blue tinted dog was on his hind legs trying to lick her face, worry etched in his body language. Solemnly the people of the village began to pick up rubble and shuffle debris, beginning to form order out of all the chaos. It was not the first time one of Draygon's followers had attacked their village, though usually they were more prepared to fight. The incursion with the spider brood left them weak and open, and it was only bad luck that Jabberwocky, one of the worst of the lot, had been close enough to take advantage of the weakened town, and now they paid for it with the death of their strongest warrior, Kensu Thunderfist. The people mourned quietly, being familiar enough with grief to understand how to cope and begin to heal. Eight older members of the village walked to Kensu's body, one of them carrying a canvas sail taken from one of their boats. They lovingly brushed the dust off his face and cleaned what blood they could to help him look presentable in his passing. They wrapped him in the canvas and took him down into the village where he would be prepared for their burial ritual. A young man walked up to Sarah and offered his hand to help her up. He was shirtless and tan, wearing some loose fitting shorts with various belts and straps. His hair was long, black, and curled into ringlets; and his body was covered in various, nautical tattoos. "Hello Oracle," he said warmly, "My name is Steven. You've been through much, I'd much rather give you a proper introduction to our village," he smiled as he helped her to her feet. "First let's get you some food, hot water for bathing, and some rest. I'll take you to Kensu's hut, follow me." He felt tired, the effects of the spider venom and the gas, as well as the adrenaline of the attack from the monster was only going to last so long, but he needed to get her to the hut and then take care of his own family. She was first priority though, she was one of the Oracles. Her kinds were worshipped almost like living deities by the people of the village. She had shown that she had great strength, compassion, and goodwill, this confirmed in Steven that their worship had not been misplaced. Kensu's hut was directly on the water, it hadn't been damaged in the recent fights. Amara, Steven's aunt, had brought some bread, cheese, and salt cured fish and left them on a plate on the table. Moana, Steven's little sister, had already filled the bath with sea water and lit the fire underneath. The people of the village were of one mind, that they needed to take care of their new visitor, their new Savior. Steven led the pink haired girl over to cot opposite to the table with the food. "There's a pull cord with a bell, if you ring it someone will come to attend to you. Please, you are home here." Steven bowed and smiled and backed out of the door, leaving Sarah alone in the quiet, peaceful room that belonged to, or used to belong to, Master Kensu. a young man led Sarah to Kensu's old room to bathe, eat, and recuperate her strength. The villagers are beginning to clean up and rebuild. SETTING: In Kensu's room there is an old computer that works! The use of the computer should come intuitively to Sarah, it doesn't have any complicated or difficult operating system, and it is touch screen. On the computer are the "Sacred Documents" that Kensu had of the island. The content of these documents we can hash out a little in the Discord so you'll have what background information you need to create your post.</s>	<\|message\|>Jabberwocky He finishes spinning his blade, deep in a dence patch of trees, and his wings retract into his back. He takes in a deep gasp of air, sinking to one knee, trying to breathe. The old man packed a wallop, and that kid was no joke either. He grins with bloody teeth, and wipes at the split on his lip with his thumb. I wonder if Ruby will grow that powerful one day. He spits on the ground, clearing out his throat of the blood. He then drags his scythe along behind him, digging a groove into the soft earth as he heads for the location of Jub Jub's death.</s>
<\|description\|>Jabberwocky Human Form Beast Form Physical Description: Human: A tall, athletic man who spends most of his time under robes, making it hard to get a good look at him. Those who do manage more than a peak would note he's strangely handsome and chiseled in appearance, but that his smile feels 'off' and disturbing somehow, particularly as it never seems to reach his eyes. He is estimated to be 6'1" and roughly 170 lbs. Under his hood, he has rust brown hair and brown eyes with a hint of either orange or red around the rim of the irises. Monster: In beast form, Jabberwocky is a monstrous draconic being with long, sharp claws, cruel fangs, and a burning wrath in his fire-orange eyes. His face is almost piscine, like some primordial beast from the depths, but the rest of him is evocative of the tales of dragons. He is 65' from tip of the tail to his muzzle, is about 9' at the shoulder, and has a wingspan of 63'. His weight is unknown, but estimated to be 10 tonnes. Class: Lieutenant (Lt.) of Draygon Abilities: Human Form: While being in human form limits the range of his abilities, he nonetheless possesses a considerable array of skills and abilities that make him a formidable opponent: * Hand to Hand Combat: Even in human form, he is a dangerous and accomplished adversary, not needing to switch to his more powerful form to dispatch most of his foolish opponents. He is equally skilled in barehanded combat and swordsmanship, and is incredibly strong and tough for a human. Approach with caution at all times. * Assassin's skills: Sometimes you need to kill a foe before he even realizes you're there. Jabberwocky is surprisingly light on his feet, and can use his dagger to silence foes in the shadows. * Healing: While the art of healing is not as gratifying as the ability to crush your foes and drink in their laments, Jabberwocky nonetheless has learned some respect for it. After all, one might need to patch oneself up after a nasty fight with a surprisingly tenacious enemy. * Fire breathing: Jabberwocky can shoot forth gouts of white hot flames from his mighty jaws, capable of liqufying steel in seconds. * Phasing: Jabberwocky can use his magic to phase through walls, allowing him to infiltrate fortresses and sanctums with impunity, and making him even more dangerous as an assassin. However, there are limits to this ability, as he cannot simply phase through a mountain or go deep underground lest he get trapped and suffocate. * Transformation: As with all of Draygon's Lieutenants, he can transform into his Beast Form, becoming an even more formidable foe. Beast Form: * Flight: Those wings of his aren't for show. They allow him to fly great distances and with considerable speed. * Immense Strength: While he is very strong in human form, he is nothing short of monstrously strong in dragon form, capable of grabbing and tossing humans and animals with minimal effort, as though they were toys. * Razor-sharp claws and teeth: With razor-sharp teeth and claws, Jabberwocky can rend and tear humans to shreds, and can even create great gashes in stone and rock. Equipment: * Assassin dagger, poisoned blade. * Alchemist's kit for poisons and chemical study * A tome of notes and secrets. RP Notes: (To be filled in.) Jabberwocky BY LEWIS CARROLL 'Twas brillig, and the slithy toves Did gyre and gimble in the wabe: All mimsy were the borogoves, And the mome raths outgrabe. "Beware the Jabberwock, my son! The jaws that bite, the claws that catch! Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun The frumious Bandersnatch!" He took his vorpal sword in hand; Long time the manxome foe he sought— So rested he by the Tumtum tree And stood awhile in thought. And, as in uffish thought he stood, The Jabberwock, with eyes of flame, Came whiffling through the tulgey wood, And burbled as it came! One, two! One, two! And through and through The vorpal blade went snicker-snack! He left it dead, and with its head He went galumphing back. "And hast thou slain the Jabberwock? Come to my arms, my beamish boy! O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!" He chortled in his joy. 'Twas brillig, and the slithy toves Did gyre and gimble in the wabe: All mimsy were the borogoves, And the mome raths outgrabe. Source: The Random House Book of Poetry for Children (1983)</s> <\|message\|>Jabberwocky He finishes spinning his blade, deep in a dence patch of trees, and his wings retract into his back. He takes in a deep gasp of air, sinking to one knee, trying to breathe. The old man packed a wallop, and that kid was no joke either. He grins with bloody teeth, and wipes at the split on his lip with his thumb. I wonder if Ruby will grow that powerful one day. He spits on the ground, clearing out his throat of the blood. He then drags his scythe along behind him, digging a groove into the soft earth as he heads for the location of Jub Jub's death.</s> <\|message\|>Sarah Sarah Sarah was still sobbing softly when Steven came up to help her. Initially, she's still upset, unresponsive, but the offer to take a bath and something to eat was greatly appreciated, given she was tired, exhausted, and stressed out. As she follows him limping into town, she notices the villagers bringing out their dead from under the rubble. She shivers, feeling sorrow and helplessness at helping them get free from the spiderlings only to die by crushing under heavy rocks. "Some Oracle I turned out to be," she mutters sadly. "I couldn't protect them - or Master Thunderfist. I'm... I'm sorry about your friends." When in Kensu's house, she looks around, her curiosity helping her come out of her sadness and shock. It's an interesting place, with some rather odd knick-knacks here and there, making her wonder what kind of man he was, and wished she had known him longer. However, all she could do now is try and honor his death and move on, try to understand her destiny. Steven draws her attention to something small and boxy, a strange thing he's seen Kensu use before but it left Steven utterly mystified. Sarah barely takes a glance at it before she somehow realizes it's a computer, a data processing machine from ancient times. It still feels strange when she recognizes something she just saw. Nonetheless, she begins to get to work on it. She's barely aware of herself typing away, it just comes to her naturally. And in the computer's storage, she finds Master Thunderfist's files. About the Ancients, the tale of Harbinger, and how and why the Oracles were created. The power of biogenic energy, the basis of the Oracle Project, and the use of genetic engineering to create Oracles from scratch because regular humans were inefficient in processing the awesome power of biogenic energy. There are some missing spots, of course; the thousands of years and the intervening calamity meant a lot of information was lost. There is a mention of a Julie Anderson, whose teachings formed the basis of current lore about the Ancients. However, it still incites a certain amount of sorrow in her. Such a mighty civilization, one brought low and to a ruinous end. So much wasted, such loss of life. What she's certain of, however, is that there are signs that Harbinger is starting up again. And this time, the people are much less prepared to face the coming apocalypse. The picture Master Thunderfist's files and records drew were incomplete, but a general picture emerged nonetheless. As Oracle, her duty is to find the Swords and their matching artefacts, and find a way to stop Harbinger once and for all. She could get a boat to the mainland; plenty of those in what is essentially a fishing village. The real question, of course, is where should she start? What should she look for? She decides to dig deeper into Kensu's files, petting Pip with one hand when he manages to get up onto the table, tail wagging. Then she finds a message... from a Dr. Logan? She opens it, curiosity overtaking her. Date: >!data missing!< "Project Prometheus is going smoothly. The genetic recoding process proposed by Dr. Sun is giving its results, and in record time too, I might add. Things are proceeding pretty well, and we'll have our first biogenic resonance test within two to three weeks. Things are promising, and we'll have the first embryo - the Galatea prototype - ready for a series of full tests within a month or two. "...Mind if I just digress here for a moment? I... I still feel a bit giddy, I can't deny. We're creating a brand new breed of humanity, something almost from scratch. Sure, we've had genetic engineering for the past century or two, but nothing really on the scale of what we're trying to achieve here. A brand new breed of humanity, free of the flaws and shortcomings of old. A new kind that could change the very fabric of reality itself at will, through the splendorous power of biogenic energy. Using it the way it's meant to be used; pure, efficient, powerful... "...but perhaps I'm getting ahead of myself here. Sometimes I frighten my colleagues with these ideas of ubermenschen created in test tubes, making them sound... inhuman. But that's not the point. If anything they should be even more human, more humane. The epitome of what makes humanity great. Empathy. Wisdom. Compassion. Wonder. "If anything, these children - and that's what they'll be, rising from the womb of scientific progress - are going to help shape the future of humanity. Above all else, they should treasure Love of their fellow humans and work with them as equals. Build a new path together. "For now, I should really check on the prototype Galatea. She's showing immense potential, and if the rest follow her footsteps, then they'll be a wonder to behold. For me, though I expect great things from Galatea - or as I like to call her, Sarah. I can't wait to meet her, the person she's destined to be, someday. "Dr. Logan, signing out." The mention of her name jolts her. Was this her, or was it another Oracle by the name of Sarah? Could there be more out there? Dr. Logan seemed to have been the mastermind of the biogenic energy research, but a lot of the files and references were missing - either corrupted or lost. She absently strokes Pip's head as she thinks this over - until her rumbling stomach makes her realize she's overdue for a bath and a meal. She ate some food earlier, but she used up so much energy she's basically running on empty. Maybe some more reading after she's properly freshened up.</s> <\|message\|>Ayaan Jabberwocky's Hideout Dragon Ruby's fiery palm smacked against Annabelle's face and burned half of it off. "OOOUUCH!!" she said, well, half said because she didn't have much of a jaw anymore. Her one eye was wide open, the other burnt off, and what was left of her mouth turned up in a smile. "You're a feisty bitch! You ruined my look!" She raised her leg and kicked the young, blind girl back into the room she came out of. "God, I can only see half of what I'm looking for. HAHAHHAHA!!" She laughed at her own joke as she turned back to the computer screen and plucked the keys trying to figure out the mechanism.</s> <\|message\|>Ayaan Kensu's Hut Date: >September 30, 2218< "Have I ever seen the sun before this day? I'm sorry, this isn't really the place for it, but I have to put it down for posterity, for my mind will allow me nothing else. My heart is a slave! Her name, her name is Sarah, a goddess among us. We met while while I was giving a lecture at the college she attended, she's almost 20 years my junior. It's true I thought she was cute, and working with her the last few years has been delightful. I had no idea how much my affection had grown though until now. She's... incredible to say the least. Agh! my scientific mind doesn't speak well the languages of love, but my heart is driving me mad! She is in all my thoughts, all my worries! My world turns at the next moment I can see her! Why WHY! do I feel this way! My work is suffering, but what matter is work when a man is in love? Let me tell you everything I know about her: Her favorite color is Pink, so typical I know, but alluring; she has porcelain skin and bright blue eyes. She has so many talents and somehow we talk about a million different things, I... I can't even remember them. I remember just her face, her beautiful face looking at me like I'm the most powerful thing in her world. I love the way she looks at me, and I love to look at her. This is my science log, I'm sorry to waste the time, I have very important things to get to. We have been manipulating physical structures monitoring the flow of biogenic energy, it doesn't work like electricity, it's more... sublime. Sublime like my heart in the presence of my angel, my muse, my Sarah..... What can I do, I'm hopelessly in love, I can only hope she loves me as much as I love her. -Dr. Logan, signing out"</s>	<\|message\|>Jabberwocky She yells in pain as she's punted away, and lands with a crunch. "Aaaah!" She stands up, and looks around, using her molten power to 'see' heat waves. She raises one hand letting magma flow over her arm, and runs forward. "Don't touch my bed!" She puts her arm through Annabelle's back, and through her heart, her arm searing through her flesh with minimal resistance.</s>
<\|description\|>Jabberwocky Human Form Beast Form Physical Description: Human: A tall, athletic man who spends most of his time under robes, making it hard to get a good look at him. Those who do manage more than a peak would note he's strangely handsome and chiseled in appearance, but that his smile feels 'off' and disturbing somehow, particularly as it never seems to reach his eyes. He is estimated to be 6'1" and roughly 170 lbs. Under his hood, he has rust brown hair and brown eyes with a hint of either orange or red around the rim of the irises. Monster: In beast form, Jabberwocky is a monstrous draconic being with long, sharp claws, cruel fangs, and a burning wrath in his fire-orange eyes. His face is almost piscine, like some primordial beast from the depths, but the rest of him is evocative of the tales of dragons. He is 65' from tip of the tail to his muzzle, is about 9' at the shoulder, and has a wingspan of 63'. His weight is unknown, but estimated to be 10 tonnes. Class: Lieutenant (Lt.) of Draygon Abilities: Human Form: While being in human form limits the range of his abilities, he nonetheless possesses a considerable array of skills and abilities that make him a formidable opponent: * Hand to Hand Combat: Even in human form, he is a dangerous and accomplished adversary, not needing to switch to his more powerful form to dispatch most of his foolish opponents. He is equally skilled in barehanded combat and swordsmanship, and is incredibly strong and tough for a human. Approach with caution at all times. * Assassin's skills: Sometimes you need to kill a foe before he even realizes you're there. Jabberwocky is surprisingly light on his feet, and can use his dagger to silence foes in the shadows. * Healing: While the art of healing is not as gratifying as the ability to crush your foes and drink in their laments, Jabberwocky nonetheless has learned some respect for it. After all, one might need to patch oneself up after a nasty fight with a surprisingly tenacious enemy. * Fire breathing: Jabberwocky can shoot forth gouts of white hot flames from his mighty jaws, capable of liqufying steel in seconds. * Phasing: Jabberwocky can use his magic to phase through walls, allowing him to infiltrate fortresses and sanctums with impunity, and making him even more dangerous as an assassin. However, there are limits to this ability, as he cannot simply phase through a mountain or go deep underground lest he get trapped and suffocate. * Transformation: As with all of Draygon's Lieutenants, he can transform into his Beast Form, becoming an even more formidable foe. Beast Form: * Flight: Those wings of his aren't for show. They allow him to fly great distances and with considerable speed. * Immense Strength: While he is very strong in human form, he is nothing short of monstrously strong in dragon form, capable of grabbing and tossing humans and animals with minimal effort, as though they were toys. * Razor-sharp claws and teeth: With razor-sharp teeth and claws, Jabberwocky can rend and tear humans to shreds, and can even create great gashes in stone and rock. Equipment: * Assassin dagger, poisoned blade. * Alchemist's kit for poisons and chemical study * A tome of notes and secrets. RP Notes: (To be filled in.) Jabberwocky BY LEWIS CARROLL 'Twas brillig, and the slithy toves Did gyre and gimble in the wabe: All mimsy were the borogoves, And the mome raths outgrabe. "Beware the Jabberwock, my son! The jaws that bite, the claws that catch! Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun The frumious Bandersnatch!" He took his vorpal sword in hand; Long time the manxome foe he sought— So rested he by the Tumtum tree And stood awhile in thought. And, as in uffish thought he stood, The Jabberwock, with eyes of flame, Came whiffling through the tulgey wood, And burbled as it came! One, two! One, two! And through and through The vorpal blade went snicker-snack! He left it dead, and with its head He went galumphing back. "And hast thou slain the Jabberwock? Come to my arms, my beamish boy! O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!" He chortled in his joy. 'Twas brillig, and the slithy toves Did gyre and gimble in the wabe: All mimsy were the borogoves, And the mome raths outgrabe. Source: The Random House Book of Poetry for Children (1983)</s> <\|message\|>Sarah Sarah Sarah nods at his kindness and cheers up a bit more. When it's time to eat, she first starts digging in; she's pretty hungry, even though it's only been a day spent riding sky-mantas. However, she soon takes note of the King's table manners, and begins to copy them accordingly. It's not that she's been eating sloppily or has poor table manners; rather, it's a fascination of studying the quiet dignity of someone eating in a more refined manner, all the while trying not to be obvious about her observation, which made her feel embarrassed and awkward whenever she feels the king catches her watching him. However, she quickly gets the gist of 'higher table manners', and privately feels elated at the achievement. Pip, meanwhile, eats like a dog should; happy the food is here, and managing not to spill a drop, which is surprisingly polite by dog standards. Sarah nods. "I have, Your Majesty," she says, pulling out the sword from her belt and handing it over carefully. "It's... well, it's as I felt the sword, rather than found it. I just followed a strong sense... it was though the sword was pulling me towards it in the cave, even in the darkness and miasma." "Those are some really wise words, Your Majesty," she says. "Makes me wish I had had more than a day to get to know Master Thunderfist." "So that's how there was a beast and a man there," Sarah muses softly. "They change forms? That's... that's an interesting power, though it's also rather terrifying, especially what they transform into." Sarah listens intently to the information about Bandersnatch. That there were more people like the one who slew Master Thunderfist clearly upset her, but she decides to pay attention so that she could be better prepared against Bandersnatch, should she ever face him too. "Wait, he uses the sword to channel energies of fire?" she asks curiously. "Where exactly did the sword come from? And did it have a strange pommel attached, like mine?" She pauses, lost in thought. If Bandersnatch was using an Oracle's sword, would that mean he's an Oracle too? Or has Draygon found a way to use the power of biogenic energy and given it to his servants? Either possibility was disturbing; the former that Oracles, chosen to help the world, would cast it aside and become monsters, or that their abilities could be used for evil - and indeed already have been. Sarah eagerly reads through the book with King Kovar, drinking in the details and secrets within. It helps her form a more complete image of why Master Thunderfist had been watching over her, and why the King seems to know so much about her when she barely knows who she is. But if the King and Master Thunderfist and the other Wizards all knew the Oracles were real, why did this Tornel regard them as mere decorations? That makes no sense; surely if the Ancients wanted to show off their power and abilities, they'd do better than creating lifeless mannequins in pods, right? Tornel's loud and sudden arrival knocks her out of her thinking and reading, and she stands up, not sure who to expect. She certainly didn't expect Tornel, though he's not what she expected from a Wizard, especially after the calm but jovial presence of Kensu Thunderfist. "Hello, Master Tornel," she says, introducing herself with a bow. "My name is Sarah, and I'm-" His angry declaration cuts her off, shocking her with his hostility. What on earth was he ranting about? She then sees a small vial flying through the air towards her, and for a split second, it seems as though time itself crawls to a halt. The explosion knocks her and Pip off their feet and knocked into a wall, their cries of pain and surprise drowned by the thunder of the explosion. Sarah feels the world spin around her, but she manages to shake off the stun and tries to get up, reaching for Pip to see if he's alright. The poor dog is badly wounded, but he'll live, so Sarah lays her hands on him and begins healing him as fast as she can. This allows Pip to get up, shake off the explosion, and start growling angrily at the man who tried to kill them both. "WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOU?!" Sarah manages to cry out once she's regained her senses.</s> <\|message\|>Stephanie Anderson Moving through the castle halls, Steph and Peter were careful to avoid attracting undue attention. Thankfully, there didn't seem to be many people around, probably due to the siege Tornel had mentioned. This did pose something of a problem, however, as neither Steph nor Peter had any idea of where the king's chambers were located. They needed directions, and for that, they needed someone to provide them. After ascending a few flights of stairs, they came to a large central chamber, at the far end of which, a figure in fancy armor was giving instructions to a group of several men-at-arms. Sir Gravy "Pardon us, sir," Steph said as she and Peter approached the group. "But would you be so kind as to tell us the way to the king's chambers? We're apprentices of Master Minoc of Tinkertown, and we have an urgent message for the king." "Do you now?" the knight who had been giving orders responded as he turned to face them. "In that case, it shall be my honor to take you to his majesty myself. I am Sir Gravy, a paladin in the king's service, and you can rest assured that you shall be safe in my care, even in the midst of this deplorable siege! Sir Snack!" he called, and a knight in substantially less elaborate armor jumped to attention. "Continue overseeing the preparations in my stead." With that, the paladin began leading the way to the king's chambers. "I must say, I find myself somewhat perplexed as to how you made your way here with the dark forces of Draygon having thoroughly surrounded us," Sir Gravy noted as they walked. "We used a secret underground passage," Steph explained. "It's only known to a select few. In fact," she added, "we didn't even know of it until Master Minoc showed us." "Ah yes, wizards and their secrets," Sir Gravy said with a chuckle. "I know, right? Anyway, Master Tornel was supposed to meet us when we arrived, but we haven't seen him anywhere." "That's most likely due to the siege," the paladin noted. "A wizard of his power is undoubtedly quite busy at a time like this, preparing mighty spells and crafting grand strategies." "Oh, of course," Steph replied, while doing her best not to roll her eyes at the paladin's high praise of Tornel. "We figured as much ourselves. That's why we were looking for someone else who could show us the way to the king." "Speaking of his majesty, we have now arrived!" Sir Gravy declared as they stopped before an ornate gilded door. "Your Majesty," he announced. "It is I, Sir Gravy! I have with me two envoys from Tinkertown, apprentices of Master Minoc! They say they carry an urgent message for you!"</s> <\|message\|>Jabberwocky A distant roar shakes the ground, and Jabber rises into the sky, eyes gleaming and hungry. He soars over the ground, the land vanishing beneath his shadow, his claws tearing apart trees and roofs. He opens his massive jaws, and roars so loudly and powerfully that animals drop dead from fright. His hungry eyes glow, and a wave of liquid-like fire bursts from his jaws, setting everything around him alight. He flies over the town hall, and lands on the tallest building, roaring, making the shingles rattle, and glass crack and shatter.</s> <\|message\|>Ayaan Tinkertown Dragon \| *********************************** \| Locke walked out onto the small ledge that was the remnants of the bridge. He beheld the Jabberwocky and was afraid. Bravely he forced himself to step forward and look the beast in the eye. "Your Harpy is dead!" He yelled in his strongest voice, "We killed it. There's nobody else here. You got what you came for, now leave us be!" His heart was beating out of control, he had never been so scared in his life, but even though he was only 14 he was the only one left to tell the dragon beast to go. \| \| --- \| --- \|</s>	<\|message\|>Jabberwocky He laughs, a deep, dark laugh, like a set of billows heating a blazing furnace. "What I came for? Listen to yourself, little boy. I don't care about the harpy. I'm here for the Oracle. Hand her over, or burn." He bares his sharp teeth, and grins at him, eyes glowing in hunger.</s>
<\|description\|>Jabberwocky Human Form Beast Form Physical Description: Human: A tall, athletic man who spends most of his time under robes, making it hard to get a good look at him. Those who do manage more than a peak would note he's strangely handsome and chiseled in appearance, but that his smile feels 'off' and disturbing somehow, particularly as it never seems to reach his eyes. He is estimated to be 6'1" and roughly 170 lbs. Under his hood, he has rust brown hair and brown eyes with a hint of either orange or red around the rim of the irises. Monster: In beast form, Jabberwocky is a monstrous draconic being with long, sharp claws, cruel fangs, and a burning wrath in his fire-orange eyes. His face is almost piscine, like some primordial beast from the depths, but the rest of him is evocative of the tales of dragons. He is 65' from tip of the tail to his muzzle, is about 9' at the shoulder, and has a wingspan of 63'. His weight is unknown, but estimated to be 10 tonnes. Class: Lieutenant (Lt.) of Draygon Abilities: Human Form: While being in human form limits the range of his abilities, he nonetheless possesses a considerable array of skills and abilities that make him a formidable opponent: * Hand to Hand Combat: Even in human form, he is a dangerous and accomplished adversary, not needing to switch to his more powerful form to dispatch most of his foolish opponents. He is equally skilled in barehanded combat and swordsmanship, and is incredibly strong and tough for a human. Approach with caution at all times. * Assassin's skills: Sometimes you need to kill a foe before he even realizes you're there. Jabberwocky is surprisingly light on his feet, and can use his dagger to silence foes in the shadows. * Healing: While the art of healing is not as gratifying as the ability to crush your foes and drink in their laments, Jabberwocky nonetheless has learned some respect for it. After all, one might need to patch oneself up after a nasty fight with a surprisingly tenacious enemy. * Fire breathing: Jabberwocky can shoot forth gouts of white hot flames from his mighty jaws, capable of liqufying steel in seconds. * Phasing: Jabberwocky can use his magic to phase through walls, allowing him to infiltrate fortresses and sanctums with impunity, and making him even more dangerous as an assassin. However, there are limits to this ability, as he cannot simply phase through a mountain or go deep underground lest he get trapped and suffocate. * Transformation: As with all of Draygon's Lieutenants, he can transform into his Beast Form, becoming an even more formidable foe. Beast Form: * Flight: Those wings of his aren't for show. They allow him to fly great distances and with considerable speed. * Immense Strength: While he is very strong in human form, he is nothing short of monstrously strong in dragon form, capable of grabbing and tossing humans and animals with minimal effort, as though they were toys. * Razor-sharp claws and teeth: With razor-sharp teeth and claws, Jabberwocky can rend and tear humans to shreds, and can even create great gashes in stone and rock. Equipment: * Assassin dagger, poisoned blade. * Alchemist's kit for poisons and chemical study * A tome of notes and secrets. RP Notes: (To be filled in.) Jabberwocky BY LEWIS CARROLL 'Twas brillig, and the slithy toves Did gyre and gimble in the wabe: All mimsy were the borogoves, And the mome raths outgrabe. "Beware the Jabberwock, my son! The jaws that bite, the claws that catch! Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun The frumious Bandersnatch!" He took his vorpal sword in hand; Long time the manxome foe he sought— So rested he by the Tumtum tree And stood awhile in thought. And, as in uffish thought he stood, The Jabberwock, with eyes of flame, Came whiffling through the tulgey wood, And burbled as it came! One, two! One, two! And through and through The vorpal blade went snicker-snack! He left it dead, and with its head He went galumphing back. "And hast thou slain the Jabberwock? Come to my arms, my beamish boy! O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!" He chortled in his joy. 'Twas brillig, and the slithy toves Did gyre and gimble in the wabe: All mimsy were the borogoves, And the mome raths outgrabe. Source: The Random House Book of Poetry for Children (1983)</s> <\|message\|>Stephanie Anderson "Greetings, your Majesty," Steph said as she entered and bowed before the king. Her eyes hardened as she took note that Tornel was also present, along with a pink-haired girl. Presumably this was the "Sarah" the fairy had mentioned. "My name is Stephanie, and this is Peter," she informed, gesturing to the young apprentice who was currently cowering behind her. "H-Hello…" the apprentice said meekly, rather overwhelmed by his current situation. First an oracle, then the leader of the wizards, and now the king himself! This was certainly the most remarkable day of his young life, and it was getting to be a bit much for the poor young man. "We came here at the request of Master Minoc," Steph continued. "He told us that we would be met by the wise wizard Tornel, but when we arrived, Tornel locked us in a chamber and called us servants of Draygon! Minoc even told us to present this weapon to him," she explained, while retrieving the sword from her backpack. "But he carelessly dismissed it without even looking at it! There's one other thing," she added in a more reserved tone. "I'm not an apprentice of Minoc. I'm actually what you people would call an oracle. I'm sorry, Sir Gravy," she told the knight, trying not to laugh as she said his ridiculous name. "I didn't want to lie to you, but we needed to see the king and explain the situation to him." "Gadzooks!" the paladin exclaimed. "Are you to tell me that I have been in the presence of one of the legendary oracles this entire time?! Truly extraordinary! It was my honor to be of service to you, my lady!" he declared, bowing to her in deference. Then, sobering, he added, "And though I bristle at your deception, I can see that it was for a worthy cause. Thus, it shall be my great pleasure to accept your apology!" "Thank you," Steph said while treating the paladin to a warm smile. "That really means a lot. Oh, and you don't need to do the whole 'my lady' thing. Just call me Steph." "Very well, young Steph," Sir Gravy acquiesced. "I shall respect your wish for modesty. And what of you young Peter," the paladin inquired. "Are you also an oracle of legend?" "N-No, sir," Peter stammered. "I-I'm just an ordinary apprentice. I-In fact, I p-probably shouldn't even be here…"</s> <\|message\|>Ayaan Tinkertown Dragon Locke stepped forward, tears in his eyes, "There's no Oracle here!" he cried, "Go AWAY! Haven't you killed enough!?"</s> <\|message\|>Sarah Sarah When Tornel prepares a second strike, Sarah stiffens, Pip growling in her hands. For a moment, she considers drawing her sword and fighting Tornel, but then she remembers the King is still there, and she doesn't want to endanger him. She's not sure what to do about Tornel wanting to kill her, though, as he seems convinced she's a threat to the King. However, the King's angry response - and the timely arrival of another knight - seemed to defuse the situation, and forced Tornel onto the back foot. Sarah couldn't help but wince when the King smacked Tornel; even though Tornel was just threatening to kill her, she feels that it wasn't seemly of the king to get physical like that, plus she felt pity for Tornel, whose dignity was damaged by that. Even though he attacked her and Pip. Pip, however, held no sympathy, growling at Tornel until he leaves, giving an angry little snort when the Wizard had left. Sarah breathes a sigh of relief when Tornel leaves. She just wishes the whole thing hadn't escalated so badly. Why did he believe she was a servant of Draygon? What had she done wrong? When the Knight introduces his guests, Sarah waves to them. "Hello, I'm Sarah, a pleasure to meet you," she says. To Stephanie, Sarah seems to be a pink-haired girl of 18 years old, a bit tall for her age, and with bright green eyes. She's carrying a small dog, similar to a corgi with shiny bits attached, and they seem a bit scuffed up, as though they've been hit by a small explosion - which she probably heard on her way up. The dog seems in better condition than Sarah. For Sarah, seeing Stephanie in those clothes... it stirs something deep within her. A memory? More like a glimpse of one, a flash of recognition that fades away almost before it registers. She remembers the tube from her nightmare in the caverns under the influence of the miasma. She remembers vaguely seeing figures outside her tube, in similar designs. Or is she just imagining things? The memory flashed by too quickly to examine. "I'm... I'm not sure why he thought we were servants of Draygon," Sarah says with a shrug. Then she notices the dog in her arms start fidgeting. "Uh, Pip, what are you doing...? Pip?!" Pip jumps out of New Master's arms, and trots over to the newcomers. The Knight he gives a quick sniff, but more out of mild curiosity than anything. The boy with him he gives a bit more interest, circling him once or twice as he sniffs his feet and legs. Clearly an outsider, from a distant village, but any uniqueness to his scent seems to have rubbed off from the third one, a girl. Sniffing the girl gives more intriguing results. She smells... unique. Somehow it's similar to New Master's scent, but different in a way. He circles the raven-haired girl a few times, sniffing curiously, before looking up at her, tilting his head with a curious whine, then barking cheerfully and panting. "So sorry about that," Sarah says, walking over to pick up the over-eager dog. "Pip's very excitable, and I've only had him for a short while now..."</s> <\|message\|>Jabberwocky He begins laughing, untill he's howling in laughter. "Have you never heard of the Jabberwocky, child? I live for death, for war. I am the ultimate killing machine." He tilts his head. "You're a brave one. If you can hit me at all, I'll leave. Take a swing at me."</s> <\|message\|>Ayaan Tinkertown Dragon Locke looked at the dragon hopelessly, "You're up on that roof! I can't reach you up there!?"</s> <\|message\|>Jabberwocky He laughs, and jumps off the roof. The ground cracked beneath his feet, smattering like glass hit with a boulder. "The first strike is yours, little boy." He bares fangs, sharp and white.</s> <\|message\|>Ayaan Tinkertown Dragon Locke stepped forward, tears running down his face. He was only 14 but he knew he was about to die. If only he could touch the monster then the monster promised to leave his family alone and his friends and go away. Locke felt too weak to live the Sword higher than his wast. He forced his muscles to move and he swung the sword towards jabberwocky's taunting face. "Got you!" Came a tiny voice from behind jabberwocky's leg. A little girl, maybe 5 years old, had been hiding behind Locke's legs And when Jabberwocky landed she slipped around to his giant scaled foot and with a little wooden sword Hit it as hard as her little body could. From the building a woman screamed no. A voice sounded in jabberwocky's head, "Destroy them all," Draygon said inside of Jabberwocky's head, "and return to me."</s> <\|message\|>Jabberwocky He laughs, long and loud. "Not even dogs send pups to fight. Cowards, all of you." The weapons do nothing, less then nothing. They both shatter, as if smashed with a hammer. "I like you, little ones. You remind me of someone...... leave now, children. You are no threat." He looks at the adults, and walks towards them, hands clasped behind his back. His scythe scraping into the ground, rocks cracking and splitting. "Are there no honerable ones among you?"</s> <\|message\|>Ayaan Tinkertown Dragon A disheveled woman who might have been in her mid-twenties ran out of the building and picked up the five-year-old child. "There was a girl," She said holding her child to her chest, "but she disappeared, Lord Minoc took her somewhere and none of us know where. And now he's dead." The woman put herself in between the two children and Jabberwocky, "does that satisfy you beast? Or do you still lust for more blood?"</s>	<\|message\|>Jabberwocky He tilts his head. "Enough? You think I've done enough? Should I drag your whole town to Draygon, let him eradicate you all? Send me your strongest warrior. If they can get through my defense, I'll leave. If not....." He bares his fangs. "You get the picture."</s>
<\|description\|>Jabberwocky Human Form Beast Form Physical Description: Human: A tall, athletic man who spends most of his time under robes, making it hard to get a good look at him. Those who do manage more than a peak would note he's strangely handsome and chiseled in appearance, but that his smile feels 'off' and disturbing somehow, particularly as it never seems to reach his eyes. He is estimated to be 6'1" and roughly 170 lbs. Under his hood, he has rust brown hair and brown eyes with a hint of either orange or red around the rim of the irises. Monster: In beast form, Jabberwocky is a monstrous draconic being with long, sharp claws, cruel fangs, and a burning wrath in his fire-orange eyes. His face is almost piscine, like some primordial beast from the depths, but the rest of him is evocative of the tales of dragons. He is 65' from tip of the tail to his muzzle, is about 9' at the shoulder, and has a wingspan of 63'. His weight is unknown, but estimated to be 10 tonnes. Class: Lieutenant (Lt.) of Draygon Abilities: Human Form: While being in human form limits the range of his abilities, he nonetheless possesses a considerable array of skills and abilities that make him a formidable opponent: * Hand to Hand Combat: Even in human form, he is a dangerous and accomplished adversary, not needing to switch to his more powerful form to dispatch most of his foolish opponents. He is equally skilled in barehanded combat and swordsmanship, and is incredibly strong and tough for a human. Approach with caution at all times. * Assassin's skills: Sometimes you need to kill a foe before he even realizes you're there. Jabberwocky is surprisingly light on his feet, and can use his dagger to silence foes in the shadows. * Healing: While the art of healing is not as gratifying as the ability to crush your foes and drink in their laments, Jabberwocky nonetheless has learned some respect for it. After all, one might need to patch oneself up after a nasty fight with a surprisingly tenacious enemy. * Fire breathing: Jabberwocky can shoot forth gouts of white hot flames from his mighty jaws, capable of liqufying steel in seconds. * Phasing: Jabberwocky can use his magic to phase through walls, allowing him to infiltrate fortresses and sanctums with impunity, and making him even more dangerous as an assassin. However, there are limits to this ability, as he cannot simply phase through a mountain or go deep underground lest he get trapped and suffocate. * Transformation: As with all of Draygon's Lieutenants, he can transform into his Beast Form, becoming an even more formidable foe. Beast Form: * Flight: Those wings of his aren't for show. They allow him to fly great distances and with considerable speed. * Immense Strength: While he is very strong in human form, he is nothing short of monstrously strong in dragon form, capable of grabbing and tossing humans and animals with minimal effort, as though they were toys. * Razor-sharp claws and teeth: With razor-sharp teeth and claws, Jabberwocky can rend and tear humans to shreds, and can even create great gashes in stone and rock. Equipment: * Assassin dagger, poisoned blade. * Alchemist's kit for poisons and chemical study * A tome of notes and secrets. RP Notes: (To be filled in.) Jabberwocky BY LEWIS CARROLL 'Twas brillig, and the slithy toves Did gyre and gimble in the wabe: All mimsy were the borogoves, And the mome raths outgrabe. "Beware the Jabberwock, my son! The jaws that bite, the claws that catch! Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun The frumious Bandersnatch!" He took his vorpal sword in hand; Long time the manxome foe he sought— So rested he by the Tumtum tree And stood awhile in thought. And, as in uffish thought he stood, The Jabberwock, with eyes of flame, Came whiffling through the tulgey wood, And burbled as it came! One, two! One, two! And through and through The vorpal blade went snicker-snack! He left it dead, and with its head He went galumphing back. "And hast thou slain the Jabberwock? Come to my arms, my beamish boy! O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!" He chortled in his joy. 'Twas brillig, and the slithy toves Did gyre and gimble in the wabe: All mimsy were the borogoves, And the mome raths outgrabe. Source: The Random House Book of Poetry for Children (1983)</s> <\|message\|>Sarah Sarah Pip likes this one. She knows how to pat a dog properly. "The Old World, you say?" the King muses with interest. Sarah also seems intrigued by Stephanie. "My dear girl, you must have seen such wonders, wonders I can only imagine in this darker age. Sarah says she doesn't remember anything before she woke up from her pod; do you have any idea why that is? I thought that you both being Oracles, perhaps you could enlighten us about the Ancients." Sarah shakes her head sadly. "I have... glimpses, your Majesty, but they're not exactly what you'd call visions. More... I think glimpses of the world, as though I'm still in my pod, looking out. They... they come and go, and they're not exactly clear. As I told your Majesty, I have no clear memories of my existence before waking up from the pod." "I see," King Kovar muses. "Back to Stephanie's tale, was there anything notable about the Harpy? I have my suspicions, though that comes with good news and bad if I am correct."</s> <\|message\|>Stephanie Anderson "Yeah, I suppose I have," Steph agreed with a sigh, feeling a slight despondency at the thought of the world's current, primitive state. "The harpy?" Steph asked after the king had inquired about the creature. "Well, it appeared to be leading the attack on the village, and it could also fire some kind of blue energy beam from its mouth. To answer your question about Sarah's lack of memory," she continued, "I think I might have an idea. Back in my time, there was talk of a project to create several genetically enhanced beings, capable of manipulating something called 'biogenic energy'. It was all very cutting edge stuff," she added, while turning to face the pink-haired girl, "and I don't really know much more about it than that, but from what you've said, I think it's very likely that you were one of the prototypes. Speaking of the old world," Steph said after a moment, her voice containing more than a hint of trepidation. "There was something else I was meaning to ask you, your Majesty. Master Minoc told me that my mother's journal had been brought here. If that's the case, may I be permitted to see it?"</s> <\|message\|>Sarah The King listens intently to the description of the harpy, his face drawn and grim. "From the description, it seems you're talking about the one known as Jubjub Bird, one of Draygon's Lieutenants," he says solemnly. "I have heard of her exploits, and she was a cruel being who reveled in the suffering of others. While I hold no love for her or her ilk, and her loss is no sorrow to the world, I fear that Draygon's interest may be drawn to the loss of one of his chosen. Be careful in the world, Stephanie. It is not only a less advanced one than your own, but dark forces stir in it, more's the pity." Stephanie's explanation of Sarah's origin is clearly interesting him, though her technical talk leaves him confused. "To hear this," he muses, "it's as if we talk about the powers of the gods themselves. To create humans from nothing, it seems so... fantastic. Then again, these are strange times, I suppose, and there are stranger things about. "Though about your mother, forgive me, but I do not think I know her name," the King continues. "And if her tome was important, it would be kept in safe-keeping. Normally, such important tomes - especially those of the Ancients - would be Master Tornel's responsibility, but I'll check to see if we have it." Sarah's response to being a person created from scratch is... conflicted. On the one hand, it does give her some idea of where she's truly from, and would explain her absent memories. On the other, it means that unlike Steph, she has no roots, no past, no identity. She might be an Oracle, but even the lowliest peasant in this world has a claim to something she would never have; family and a past. She just turns her attention to Pip even as she's deep in thought. Basically a quick response to Stephanie, feel free to put in a timeskip here.</s> <\|message\|>Ayaan Draygon's Castle Draygon's Castle Underground Lab \| \| \| \| \| --- \| --- \| --- \| \| ************************************************ \| Draygon was hiding in his lab. After living for centuries he found that his work rooms were always the most peaceful. The world was chaotic, but here, where he was god, there was only order. He picked up the head in his clawed hand. He had spent hours breaking apart the cellular tissues in an attempt to get at the biologic processors but he had had little success. If he sent a volt of energy through the head he could make it talk though, and that was at least mildly amusing. "Asra," growled his deep, inhuman voice. "Yes" sang a sweet voice plainly as a holographic fairy appeared on his desk. "Status Report," Draygon demanded as he inspected the severed head. "There are two awake, not just one. I am in full contact with the one called Sarah, she has been received by King Kovar at Castle Solace," Asra replied solemly. \| ************************************************ \| "And the other?" Draygon asked. "I.. I don't know yet," Asra said fearfully, "her name is Stephanie, I suspected she was dead but she lives. She fought the Jub Jub bird. There's something about her that is different, she is not one of the Galateans, but until she uses the battery I do not have full access. I have directed her to the castle as well, I will instruct Sarah to let her use the battery she already has." "That will not work," Draygon said, "Instruct them to find another battery, make sure they feel it is necessary." "As you wish, Lord." Asra replied. "I've instructed the Bandersnatch to return, until we know the truth behind this Stephanie she is an unpredictable variable. I do not like unpredictability. Status Report from the Harbinger." "It is still silent. The only communication has been in an unknown language. I'm sorry Lord I have made no progress..." "Do not grovel. You are a computer, you perform a function. Do not be weak, do not be human," Draygon threatened. "Yes Lord," relief creeped in Asra's sweet voice. "The Galateans are the key, my Oracles. I need more of them to awaken. Bid Sarah to find others like her, encourage her to do so. I made them to want to be with each other so it should be easy. Report to me again in a week or when I command." "Yes Lord." Asra's holographic image winked out of existance.</s> <\|message\|>Sarah Castle of Solace After a while, the King took his leave of the girls. He wanted to hear more from the Oracles, but alas, the state calls. Also, Bandersnatch seems to have strangely withdrawn his siege. The citizens of the castle were elated and began celebrating, but the King remains... unconvinced. "Draygon's men have a way of being cruel and cunning," he tells the Oracles. "Even if Bandersnatch had no way of ending the siege, we must remain vigilant against an attack by treachery. I'll see to the defenses and the men, in the meanwhile Sir Gravy will lead you to the royal archives so you may find what you seek there. "Take care, fair maidens, and may fortune smile upon you on your journey..." With that, the knight Sir Gravy guides the two girls to the Archives, whereupon they find endless scrolls and books, some new, others old, some even older than the castle itself. The good knight offers his aid, but he can't seem to find anything by Julie Anderson. Sarah take the opportunity to turn to Stephanie. "So what was your mother like?" Sarah asks curiously. "She seems to be a dedicated sort, if we're reading her works this long after... whatever happened..." "My sincere apologies, dear maidens," Gravy says, "it appears I cannot find the tome, though the scribes assure me it's here somewhere; Master Tornel referred to it quite a bit, so it must be here. Give me a second..." He tries looking again, in a shelf, but something small falls out. "Hmm? What is this?" he says, picking up the small object and holding it to the light. "How odd, it seems to be a gem - nay, merely a crystal. Rather shiny, but it doesn't seem to be worth much... Shouldn't this be in the Royal Treasury instead?"</s>	<\|message\|>Jabberwocky He takes a deep breath, and shoots a tornado of flame from his mouth, making a massive twister in the air, punching through the clouds with the blaze. "You think my bloodlust can be sated? My lust for vilonce and death cannot be filled." He smiles with razor sharp teeth. "I won't wait all day. Send me a warrior, or I'll pick one myself."</s>
<\|description\|>Jabberwocky Human Form Beast Form Physical Description: Human: A tall, athletic man who spends most of his time under robes, making it hard to get a good look at him. Those who do manage more than a peak would note he's strangely handsome and chiseled in appearance, but that his smile feels 'off' and disturbing somehow, particularly as it never seems to reach his eyes. He is estimated to be 6'1" and roughly 170 lbs. Under his hood, he has rust brown hair and brown eyes with a hint of either orange or red around the rim of the irises. Monster: In beast form, Jabberwocky is a monstrous draconic being with long, sharp claws, cruel fangs, and a burning wrath in his fire-orange eyes. His face is almost piscine, like some primordial beast from the depths, but the rest of him is evocative of the tales of dragons. He is 65' from tip of the tail to his muzzle, is about 9' at the shoulder, and has a wingspan of 63'. His weight is unknown, but estimated to be 10 tonnes. Class: Lieutenant (Lt.) of Draygon Abilities: Human Form: While being in human form limits the range of his abilities, he nonetheless possesses a considerable array of skills and abilities that make him a formidable opponent: * Hand to Hand Combat: Even in human form, he is a dangerous and accomplished adversary, not needing to switch to his more powerful form to dispatch most of his foolish opponents. He is equally skilled in barehanded combat and swordsmanship, and is incredibly strong and tough for a human. Approach with caution at all times. * Assassin's skills: Sometimes you need to kill a foe before he even realizes you're there. Jabberwocky is surprisingly light on his feet, and can use his dagger to silence foes in the shadows. * Healing: While the art of healing is not as gratifying as the ability to crush your foes and drink in their laments, Jabberwocky nonetheless has learned some respect for it. After all, one might need to patch oneself up after a nasty fight with a surprisingly tenacious enemy. * Fire breathing: Jabberwocky can shoot forth gouts of white hot flames from his mighty jaws, capable of liqufying steel in seconds. * Phasing: Jabberwocky can use his magic to phase through walls, allowing him to infiltrate fortresses and sanctums with impunity, and making him even more dangerous as an assassin. However, there are limits to this ability, as he cannot simply phase through a mountain or go deep underground lest he get trapped and suffocate. * Transformation: As with all of Draygon's Lieutenants, he can transform into his Beast Form, becoming an even more formidable foe. Beast Form: * Flight: Those wings of his aren't for show. They allow him to fly great distances and with considerable speed. * Immense Strength: While he is very strong in human form, he is nothing short of monstrously strong in dragon form, capable of grabbing and tossing humans and animals with minimal effort, as though they were toys. * Razor-sharp claws and teeth: With razor-sharp teeth and claws, Jabberwocky can rend and tear humans to shreds, and can even create great gashes in stone and rock. Equipment: * Assassin dagger, poisoned blade. * Alchemist's kit for poisons and chemical study * A tome of notes and secrets. RP Notes: (To be filled in.) Jabberwocky BY LEWIS CARROLL 'Twas brillig, and the slithy toves Did gyre and gimble in the wabe: All mimsy were the borogoves, And the mome raths outgrabe. "Beware the Jabberwock, my son! The jaws that bite, the claws that catch! Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun The frumious Bandersnatch!" He took his vorpal sword in hand; Long time the manxome foe he sought— So rested he by the Tumtum tree And stood awhile in thought. And, as in uffish thought he stood, The Jabberwock, with eyes of flame, Came whiffling through the tulgey wood, And burbled as it came! One, two! One, two! And through and through The vorpal blade went snicker-snack! He left it dead, and with its head He went galumphing back. "And hast thou slain the Jabberwock? Come to my arms, my beamish boy! O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!" He chortled in his joy. 'Twas brillig, and the slithy toves Did gyre and gimble in the wabe: All mimsy were the borogoves, And the mome raths outgrabe. Source: The Random House Book of Poetry for Children (1983)</s> <\|message\|>Stephanie Anderson "Yeah, that's right," Steph confirmed after Sarah attempted to answer Peter's question. "I guess you could say that it's a bunch of very small artificial workers reassembling the basic components of things, like someone turning a piece of wood into a table or chair." A moment later, the holographic display flicked to life, and Steph couldn't help but give voice to a small gasp. "Mom…" she whispered as she felt her eyes begin to moisten. She watched in silence, while her mother described her work on Project Prometheus. She looks so young… Steph reflected. This must have been recorded shortly after I was born… That seemed about right. After all, Prometheus was clearly still in its early stages, and Dr. Westfield was still alive… After her mother had concluded her report, a map of the world was displayed, indicating the locations of various facilities linked to Project Prometheus. "It's a report from my mom about a project she was working on," Steph explained to Peter. "And this here is a map of the world. At least, of how the world used to look… I imagine its geography is quite different now," she added, while adjusting the map so that the globe was now a flat, 2D projection, "but if we can find a more current map, we can superimpose this one on top of it. I don't suppose you know where we might find one?" she asked, turning to Sir Gravy.</s> <\|message\|>Ayaan The Library of Castle Solace @shadowsaint007 SETTING: -Sir Gravy had taken the girls to the Library where they searched the archives. -The King had gone to the Barracks to discuss with the Commander the retreat of the Bandersnatch. -Tornel had gone to the kitchens to prepare a banquet in honor of the newly arrived Oracles. In the archive the girls found a map of the world as it was known: Circles are for villages, Triangles are for Castles MAP LEGEND: * Amazon: A City of all Women Warriors. * Brynmaer: A Village in the center of a poisoned forest * Goa: A Castle of Warriors who Study the Secrets of Martial Arts. * Joel: A village of caves hidden in the sea. * Leaf: A Simple Town of Religious folks. This is where the Mystics live. * Nadare: Land of Ice, the people are fisherfolk. * Oak: Poisonous Swamp land, it's people are strange and not to be trusted. * Portoa: Land of Waterfalls, a paradise. The people there are prone to vice. * Sahara: A Dessert land. The people call themselves the "Fremen" * Shyron: The Castle of the Kingdom of Thunder. They are isolationists and their army uses strange weapons. * Swan: A Harbour Town filled with Pirates. * Castle Solace: The Capital of humanity. * Draygon's Fortress: A dark and ominous fortress. The people of Solace have no knowledge of the inner workings of the citadel. * Tinkertown: A village of Tinkerers and Archeologists who live in an excavation site where they seek to understand the mysteries of ancient technology. Jabberwocky's House: This is not actually on the map, but I didn't save a version of this map before adding his hideout, so pretend that the girls cannot see where Jabberwocky's hideout actually is. Asra blinks into existence in Sarah's eyes. "The map of the old world does not correlate to the map of the new world," she comments in her pretty voice, "I am unable to decipher any patterns between the two. The number of Oracles which were created is uncertain too, whether or not they existed in the facilities which worked on the Prometheus Project is uncertain." Asra's voice took a more serious tone, "We should follow rumors of people using incredible powers like Kensu used the lightning. He was powering the battery with Pip's electro-energy and then channeling that through the sword. Someone else may have discovered the same use of such a power. If we find another battery I can talk to Stephanie as well. Tell her that it is good to see her alive for me would you please? I was dearly worried until she picked up the sword of stone." After you guys are done planning your next steps, the knights of the castle will direct you to your rooms. There you will find lady's in waiting to assist you in dressing as well as any additional items you ask for, the King has instructed the castle attendants to see to whatever you need. Tornel has begun to plan a great feast in your honor, plan to attend the feast. There you'll get to meet some more people of the Castle and the royal family. A party should be fun.</s> <\|message\|>Ayaan Tinkertown Dragon The townsfolk of Tinkertown remain hidden. The mother of the 2 children has dragged them back into the hut and they have shut the door. The village has experienced a devastating loss in a short amount of time, it will take them long to recover. Jabberwocky makes his threat, and the villagers have chosen to hide in the hopes he will leave. They have nothing left to fight against an overpowered monster like the Jabberwocky. Suddenly, 4 giant eagles dive through the flaming tornado towards Jabberwocky! One of them strikes Jabber's back, her claws sinking deeply into his scaly flesh. Two of the others grab a wing each in their claws and try to rip him apart. The fourth goes for Jabber's tail and tries to hold it in her beak. Apparently Jabberwocky's violent outburst got the attention of the local wildlife, and they answered his call for a fight.</s> <\|message\|>Serlor Serlor already had settled on a partially collapsed house before she spotted white, shining armor, and in the blink of an eye the charred land was sent aflame in sparks of fire. She arose from the crumbling remains of the house and circled the flames once or twice, and landed in the middle of it. The flames were completely extinguished by the force. Only a small piece of the now blackened armor was left behind. She stepped on it, and doing so, the armor curled and was crushed to pieces under Serlor's claws. A snarl unexpectedly came from deep in her throat. She briefly reminded herself, that "They won't come back, because they're all dead." It didn't calm her down because the dreadful feeling was still there. As if, they were going to come back. Never.. She thought. Her wings quivered and she moved about, anxious. " If they do come back, I'll be ready." She didn't feel ready, though.</s> <\|message\|>Sarah Sarah "I think I understand?" Peter says in a tone that indicates he probably didn't, and begins trying to squint at the thing, as though expecting tiny elves taking apart things and putting them together. Sarah just giggles at him. "I don't think you can see them; it's in the name after all," she explains. "Nanotechnology is too small to be seen by the naked human eye; you'll just strain your eyes." Sarah notes Steph's sorrow, and lightly puts a hand on the other girl's shoulder, squeezing gently to reassure her and give her a warm smile. "It's nice to meet your mother," Sarah says, looking at the fading hologram. "What did she work on... back then?" Sarah wasn't expecting Asra to pop in on them like that, and looks around to see if anyone else can see her. Sir Gravy and Peter showed no reaction, which shows they probably can't see her, and Steph seems a bit busy - and maybe her 'receiver' isn't yet fully powered yet, and getting a battery will help her see Asra more easily. Still, despite what Asra tells her, maybe they can spot a pattern. Even if the facilities had shifted in the meantime, they could still follow their general locations and narrow their searches down a bit. "We should also be on the lookout for rumors of strange powers and such," Sarah speaks up, deciding to voice what Asra told her. "The Oracles and their equipment had powerful biogenic energy abilities linked to them, so we could follow such rumors on the road. I mean, some of them must have woken up already. Did every Oracle have a Wizard guarding them, or are there some Oracles still missing in the various ruins? Maybe they woke up a long time ago... and had to live by themselves." The thought of being alone in such a world saddens Sarah as she thinks about it. That could have been her; lost in the wirlderness, not even a Wizard to guide her, and trying to figure things out on her own. It would be a lonely existence.</s>	<\|message\|>Jabberwocky He roars when the eagles attack, and starts lashing out, each one of his strikes powerful enough to break rock, shatter stone. When it hits a bird, it simply explodes. He spews out tongue after tongue of fire, cooking the air, and anything caught in the blaze. He begins spinning in the air, talons lashing out everywhere, blending anything that gets too close.</s>
<\|description\|>Serlor Serlor Lily Sadlon Physical Description: Height: 55 feet Weight: 2,700 lb. Serlor is a jet black with hints of dark blue hidden in the scales, the underbelly being a slightly darker blue. The underbelly has small spikes that protect the chest area. Serlor's eyes are a glaring white that is overt in darkness. The tail has multiple spikes that protrude from the base and end of the tail. Larger spikes are also prominent that start from the base of the skull. Lily Lily. She's keen, efficient, and skillful, being trained to keep ahead of the curve. Lily had dark, gray eyes. She wore armor plates on her shoulders, ribbons and golden rings and such under a red, black, and white shirt. Her hair was a silky black, tied up with a purple ribbon into a ponytail and held back by a ninja headband that matched her clothes. Class: Fantastical Beast, Dragon Your Place in the World: Serlor met Lily at a hunt designed to shoot down and stalk dragons that had been too unfortunate to step into a trap. Serlor was one of these unfortunate dragons that landed into the web-trap. It was by Lily, stumbling upon the mammoth-sized beast, that saved Serlor. Lily quickly went to work at the ropes, being careful to not get stuck in them herself. As soon as she finished the villagers had caught her at the treachery, and therefore, despised Lily. Serlor broke free of the rest of the weakened ropes. Lily jumped upon Serlor's back and the dragon set such a bonfire that the whole town was engulfed in flames. And they both didn't stop there. Villages upon villages were almost torn to the ground, set ablaze. The fire was so bad that there are still small fires flickering through the towns. They both took ownership of the original village, until a troop of knights came to take back the land. They took Lily by surprise. As a sentence for betraying the village, they killed her. Serlor quickly found out about the death, and almost turned the town to complete ashes with anger. The knights never came back, for they were buried upon piles of ashes. Up until now, Serlor has kept full ownership of the land. Abilities: Serlor can breathe fire and ice. The biome that the dragon is currently in affects this change. Fire is with warm biomes and ice is below freezing points. Equipment: RP Notes: Could you let someone find the town that Serlor lives at? It doesn't matter who it is.</s> <\|message\|>Jabberwocky He takes a deep breath, and shoots a tornado of flame from his mouth, making a massive twister in the air, punching through the clouds with the blaze. "You think my bloodlust can be sated? My lust for vilonce and death cannot be filled." He smiles with razor sharp teeth. "I won't wait all day. Send me a warrior, or I'll pick one myself."</s> <\|message\|>Stephanie Anderson "Thank you, your Majesty," Steph replied, slightly amused by having been called a 'fair maiden'. Following Sir Gravy to the Archives, Steph waited with Sarah and Peter, while the knight set off to retrieve the journal. "Yeah, I guess you could say that," Steph agreed after Sarah inquired about her mother. "She was certainly brilliant, and she worked very hard to ensure that her research would be preserved for future generations. She was also very kind," she added in a softer tone. "She was always trying to make the world a better place, and she wanted to use technology to achieve that goal. That's why she became a scientist. To see the world now, in this state… It would probably break her heart…" At this point, Sir Gravy returned and apologized for having come back empty handed. He had just begun to search one more shelf, when a small crystal fell to the ground. Picking it up, the knight seemed puzzled by its presence in the Archives, wondering if perhaps it belonged in the Royal Treasury instead. "Actually, I think that might be what we're looking for," Steph spoke up. "Yeah, this is definitely a data crystal," she confirmed after taking a closer look. "We're gonna need a device to be able to access it, but that shouldn't be a problem." With a single thought, Steph sent her nanite swarm into motion. Disassembling an unused pouch on her backpack, they reformed it into a palm-sized data crystal reader. "Just stick the crystal into this opening here," Steph instructed. "Then we should be able to access whatever information it contains."</s> <\|message\|>Sarah Sarah "Well, will wonders ever cease," chortles Sir Gravy as Stephanie not only identifies the small crystal as the mysterious tome, but transforms a mundane pouch into... something that can hold it. Peter is similarly wide-eyed and amazed. "Begging your pardons, Ms. Or- Stephanie, but that's some wondrous magic there," he manages to speak up. "How did you do it?" "It's... it's not magic," Sarah says, shaking her head, remembering something vaguely. She turns to Steph. "It's... nanotechnology, right? It's... well, it's complicated, but it's as though I know the basics of the process, as well as a lot of things I've never even seen or heard about, the moment I stepped out of my pod... Just enough to familiarize me with things, I guess..." The makeshift 'reader' powers up, and the crystal starts flickering. For a moment, one could see bright flecks and glittering objects within the tiny frame of the crystal, as though it were an image of the night sky, with the stars themselves shining within. Then a spectral geometric shape appears a foot above the crystal, slowing unfurling until it forms what Stephanie could recognize as a holographic display. It glitches out a bit, but it takes form in sharp detail rather quickly, revealing what appears to the others as a scholarly woman in the garb of the Ancients, but Stephanie can clearly recognize as Julie Anderson, her long-lost mother, in a happier time. "...date today is... December 12th, year [STATIC] and here we are, working on Project Prometheus yet again. I swear, Dr. Logan's a freaking slave driver; he wants the miniaturized reactors ready by next week. And the cryopods. And his precious 'biogenic-sensitive' circuitry prepared. Why not ask for the Sun in the palm of his hand while he's at it? "Okay, okay, I kid. Dr. Logan is... driven, and to be honest, it's hard to not get infected with his enthusiasm for the project. He just seems to tied up in his Biogenics lab and only pokes his head out once in a while, so it's hard to get across that a lot of this stuff takes time, especially at the crazy purity levels he's asking. We can make stuff sturdy, reliable, and effective, only 82% pure, and it'll last centuries, but nope, he wants his precious pieces at 95% or higher. It'll take more time, so tell him to cool it a bit. All the time we're telling him this is for just prototypes, but damn it if he isn't persistent. "Still, I know what it's like to be a perfectionist, so can't blame him for it. Hopefully Dr. Westfield will help mellow him out a bit. She's got his same spark, but I had coffee with her once; she seems like a friendly sort. "Anyways, moving on, here's the list of the facilities where the equipment is being sent. Some of it's supposed to arrive right about now, others are going to be there within the next two weeks, so tell Drake to get off our case, we're doing the best we can. The files and records will be on servers designated PANDORA-4 and higher, though as I said Bob, I always make copies of my work, so I'll be sure to send you something secure. This is Dr. Anderson, signing out." A three-dimensional map of... somewhere forms in the hologram, and Stephanie can recognize it as the land masses of old, prior to the Harbinger Incident. Several dots appear, marking what appears to be the facilities her mother was talking about, with small percentages next to them indicating completion rates of various items. "Forgive me Stephanie, but... I don't think I understood much of that," Peter apologizes. Pip similarly looks at the map, and tilts his head at Stephanie with a curious whine. It's almost as if he's curious too.</s> <\|message\|>Stephanie Anderson "Yeah, that's right," Steph confirmed after Sarah attempted to answer Peter's question. "I guess you could say that it's a bunch of very small artificial workers reassembling the basic components of things, like someone turning a piece of wood into a table or chair." A moment later, the holographic display flicked to life, and Steph couldn't help but give voice to a small gasp. "Mom…" she whispered as she felt her eyes begin to moisten. She watched in silence, while her mother described her work on Project Prometheus. She looks so young… Steph reflected. This must have been recorded shortly after I was born… That seemed about right. After all, Prometheus was clearly still in its early stages, and Dr. Westfield was still alive… After her mother had concluded her report, a map of the world was displayed, indicating the locations of various facilities linked to Project Prometheus. "It's a report from my mom about a project she was working on," Steph explained to Peter. "And this here is a map of the world. At least, of how the world used to look… I imagine its geography is quite different now," she added, while adjusting the map so that the globe was now a flat, 2D projection, "but if we can find a more current map, we can superimpose this one on top of it. I don't suppose you know where we might find one?" she asked, turning to Sir Gravy.</s> <\|message\|>Ayaan The Library of Castle Solace @shadowsaint007 SETTING: -Sir Gravy had taken the girls to the Library where they searched the archives. -The King had gone to the Barracks to discuss with the Commander the retreat of the Bandersnatch. -Tornel had gone to the kitchens to prepare a banquet in honor of the newly arrived Oracles. In the archive the girls found a map of the world as it was known: Circles are for villages, Triangles are for Castles MAP LEGEND: * Amazon: A City of all Women Warriors. * Brynmaer: A Village in the center of a poisoned forest * Goa: A Castle of Warriors who Study the Secrets of Martial Arts. * Joel: A village of caves hidden in the sea. * Leaf: A Simple Town of Religious folks. This is where the Mystics live. * Nadare: Land of Ice, the people are fisherfolk. * Oak: Poisonous Swamp land, it's people are strange and not to be trusted. * Portoa: Land of Waterfalls, a paradise. The people there are prone to vice. * Sahara: A Dessert land. The people call themselves the "Fremen" * Shyron: The Castle of the Kingdom of Thunder. They are isolationists and their army uses strange weapons. * Swan: A Harbour Town filled with Pirates. * Castle Solace: The Capital of humanity. * Draygon's Fortress: A dark and ominous fortress. The people of Solace have no knowledge of the inner workings of the citadel. * Tinkertown: A village of Tinkerers and Archeologists who live in an excavation site where they seek to understand the mysteries of ancient technology. Jabberwocky's House: This is not actually on the map, but I didn't save a version of this map before adding his hideout, so pretend that the girls cannot see where Jabberwocky's hideout actually is. Asra blinks into existence in Sarah's eyes. "The map of the old world does not correlate to the map of the new world," she comments in her pretty voice, "I am unable to decipher any patterns between the two. The number of Oracles which were created is uncertain too, whether or not they existed in the facilities which worked on the Prometheus Project is uncertain." Asra's voice took a more serious tone, "We should follow rumors of people using incredible powers like Kensu used the lightning. He was powering the battery with Pip's electro-energy and then channeling that through the sword. Someone else may have discovered the same use of such a power. If we find another battery I can talk to Stephanie as well. Tell her that it is good to see her alive for me would you please? I was dearly worried until she picked up the sword of stone." After you guys are done planning your next steps, the knights of the castle will direct you to your rooms. There you will find lady's in waiting to assist you in dressing as well as any additional items you ask for, the King has instructed the castle attendants to see to whatever you need. Tornel has begun to plan a great feast in your honor, plan to attend the feast. There you'll get to meet some more people of the Castle and the royal family. A party should be fun.</s> <\|message\|>Ayaan Tinkertown Dragon The townsfolk of Tinkertown remain hidden. The mother of the 2 children has dragged them back into the hut and they have shut the door. The village has experienced a devastating loss in a short amount of time, it will take them long to recover. Jabberwocky makes his threat, and the villagers have chosen to hide in the hopes he will leave. They have nothing left to fight against an overpowered monster like the Jabberwocky. Suddenly, 4 giant eagles dive through the flaming tornado towards Jabberwocky! One of them strikes Jabber's back, her claws sinking deeply into his scaly flesh. Two of the others grab a wing each in their claws and try to rip him apart. The fourth goes for Jabber's tail and tries to hold it in her beak. Apparently Jabberwocky's violent outburst got the attention of the local wildlife, and they answered his call for a fight.</s>	<\|message\|>Serlor Serlor already had settled on a partially collapsed house before she spotted white, shining armor, and in the blink of an eye the charred land was sent aflame in sparks of fire. She arose from the crumbling remains of the house and circled the flames once or twice, and landed in the middle of it. The flames were completely extinguished by the force. Only a small piece of the now blackened armor was left behind. She stepped on it, and doing so, the armor curled and was crushed to pieces under Serlor's claws. A snarl unexpectedly came from deep in her throat. She briefly reminded herself, that "They won't come back, because they're all dead." It didn't calm her down because the dreadful feeling was still there. As if, they were going to come back. Never.. She thought. Her wings quivered and she moved about, anxious. " If they do come back, I'll be ready." She didn't feel ready, though.</s>
<\|description\|>Serlor Serlor Lily Sadlon Physical Description: Height: 55 feet Weight: 2,700 lb. Serlor is a jet black with hints of dark blue hidden in the scales, the underbelly being a slightly darker blue. The underbelly has small spikes that protect the chest area. Serlor's eyes are a glaring white that is overt in darkness. The tail has multiple spikes that protrude from the base and end of the tail. Larger spikes are also prominent that start from the base of the skull. Lily Lily. She's keen, efficient, and skillful, being trained to keep ahead of the curve. Lily had dark, gray eyes. She wore armor plates on her shoulders, ribbons and golden rings and such under a red, black, and white shirt. Her hair was a silky black, tied up with a purple ribbon into a ponytail and held back by a ninja headband that matched her clothes. Class: Fantastical Beast, Dragon Your Place in the World: Serlor met Lily at a hunt designed to shoot down and stalk dragons that had been too unfortunate to step into a trap. Serlor was one of these unfortunate dragons that landed into the web-trap. It was by Lily, stumbling upon the mammoth-sized beast, that saved Serlor. Lily quickly went to work at the ropes, being careful to not get stuck in them herself. As soon as she finished the villagers had caught her at the treachery, and therefore, despised Lily. Serlor broke free of the rest of the weakened ropes. Lily jumped upon Serlor's back and the dragon set such a bonfire that the whole town was engulfed in flames. And they both didn't stop there. Villages upon villages were almost torn to the ground, set ablaze. The fire was so bad that there are still small fires flickering through the towns. They both took ownership of the original village, until a troop of knights came to take back the land. They took Lily by surprise. As a sentence for betraying the village, they killed her. Serlor quickly found out about the death, and almost turned the town to complete ashes with anger. The knights never came back, for they were buried upon piles of ashes. Up until now, Serlor has kept full ownership of the land. Abilities: Serlor can breathe fire and ice. The biome that the dragon is currently in affects this change. Fire is with warm biomes and ice is below freezing points. Equipment: RP Notes: Could you let someone find the town that Serlor lives at? It doesn't matter who it is.</s> <\|message\|>Stephanie Anderson "Well, from what little I know of it, Project Prometheus was focused on the manipulation of something called 'Biogenic Energy'," Steph explained after Peter had inquired about the project. "That's the kind of energy harnessed by the sword Minoc gave me," she added, hoping that might make things a bit clearer. "It also had to do with the creation of beings specifically designed to make use of such energy, like Sarah here." After Steph asked about potential methods of rapid transit, Peter frowned. "W-Well… There's the train we took to get here, but, uh, like I said, it only runs between the Castle and Tinkertown…" "There are also several winged beasts upon which one can ride," Sir Gravy added. "Of course, they are not simply handed out to just anyone, but I have no doubt that two Oracles of legend, such as yourselves, would most assuredly be granted them, if requested." "You can say that again," Steph agreed, when Sarah noted the daunting task ahead of them. Then Sarah mentioned going to check out the view from the towers, practically dragging Peter along with her. "I guess it wouldn't hurt to get a look at the local the lay of the land," Steph reflected with a giggle, as she and Sir Gravy followed after them.</s> <\|message\|>Sarah Sarah Up in the tower, Sarah was looking out at the landscape, letting her pink hair dance in the wind, brushing it out of her eyes to get a clear view, a bright smile on her face. To her left is Sir Gravy, doing little more than admiring the view himself. "It's not as high up as it was on the sky-manta's back," she tells Stephanie when the other girl joins her. "But here, I can see things better. I can see the people in the towns, the farmers in the field. It makes me wonder what they're thinking of, how they're living their lives. It's just... so strange, thinking about how these people spend their lives. "To be honest... I envy them a bit," she admits, a warm smile adorning her face. Peter, by contrast, is rather green in the gills, leaning on the inner wall away from the battlements, and trying not to throw up. He's clearly not comfortable way up here. "Begging your pardon, Sarah, but I don't think I'm cut out for heights," he admits. "I've never been this high off the ground, to be honest, and I'm finding it's making me sick." "Oh don't be silly, Peter," Sarah giggles. "You just don't look down. I mean, I've been 'alive' for the past week and I already guessed that bit." "Easier said than done!" Peter says. "You told me not to look down and it got stuck in my head! You just don't tell someone that, especially if they're afraid of heights!" "Well, maybe it's dangerous if you fell from a great height-" "Exactly! And I'd rather not find out!" "But as long as you're standing on something solid, you'll be fine." Sarah stamps the stone. "See? It's safe. Even if the heights look scary, you're safe." She looks down to prove her point, but then something draws her attention. It's the scorch marks left by Bandersnatch, blasting the castle walls with fire and magic. The walls had weathered them well, but the scorched black contrasted against the majesty of the stonework, marring the appearance. The paladin notices her gaze. "It's a shame what that brute has done to the walls," Sir Gravy admits. "Fret not, dear ladies, we'll have the painters and stonemasons clean that up as best as they can. This castle's survived worse, so no need to worry." "That's nice," Sarah muses. "But it's what he tried to do. He tried to destroy the castle..." "As I said, this castle's survived worse. Trust me when I say this castle might stand for centuries more yet!" "Certainly not for his lack of trying," Sarah replies bitterly. "Why do Draygon's servants do this? They seem keen on destroying everything... why? What do they gain from this? It's bad enough the world's fallen from the days of the ancients, they're trying to destroy more of it..."</s> <\|message\|>Stephanie Anderson Steph raised an eyebrow at Peter's terrified demeanor. "Seriously?" she asked Peter with a chuckle. "You're afraid of heights? Your home town was built on top of a mountain!" "Y-Yes, that's true," Peter conceded. "B-But I never really ventured outside all that often, and I never got close to the c-cliffs…" "I guess that explains it, then," she noted, although she still found it amusingly ironic. Steph's attention was soon drawn back to Sarah, who was asking about Draygon and his intentions. It was something that had been poking at the back of Steph's mind as well. Who was this Draygon, and how was he able to create monsters like the harpy she'd fought back at Tinkertown? From what she had been able to gather, the so-called "Wizards" were simply people who had learned how to utilize some facet of old world knowledge or technology. Was this the case for Draygon as well? If so, then he had certainly acquired a knowledge of science far in advance of that displayed by the rest of this depressingly medieval world. However, before Sir Gravy could answer Sarah's question, or Steph could give voice to one of her own, they were interrupted by the arrival of a youthful squire. "P-Please pardon the intrusion, Sir Gravy," the squire stammered, clearly out of breath. "But I come bearing a message from Master Tornel. He has instructed me to request that you…" His voice trailed off as he noticed the two young women present. "O-Oh, good heavens!" he exclaimed, prostrating himself in supplication. "Please forgive your lowly servant, mighty Oracles!" he pleaded. "I did not mean to disturb you with my presence!" "D-Don't worry," Steph told the messenger gently, more than a little taken aback by his reverence towards Sarah and herself. "You didn't do anything wrong, and there's really no need for you to be afraid of us," she added with a reassuring smile, while kneeling down and placing a hand on the squire's shoulder. "We're regular people, just like you." The young man gasped as he felt Steph touch his shoulder, but calmed slightly upon seeing her kind smile. Now that he looked at her face, she didn't appear to be any different than a normal person. And yet, she was an Oracle, a divine messenger of the Ancients! How could she be so… humble? That thought was quickly banished when Sir Gravy spoke up. "Young squire! You spoke of a message from Master Tornel! Out with it lad! What new task awaits?!" "M-My apologies, sir! M-Master Tornel wishes for you to escort the Oracles to their chambers and watch over them until the feast tomorrow. I would have informed you sooner, but I was told you would be in the library, and when you weren't there…" "Not to fret, young squire!" Sir Gravy reassured him. "Your quest to locate us was successful, and you have imparted the message entrusted to your care. You have done quite well indeed! What pray tell is your name, young squire?" "S-Squire Toast, sir." "Well, then, Squire Toast, I shall be sure to mention your exemplary service when next I speak with both Master Tornel and His Majesty, the King!" "T-Thank you, sir!" "Think nothing of it, lad!" the paladin replied with a hearty laugh. "A job well done deserves to be recognized!" "Wait, you mentioned a feast?" Steph asked. "Why, yes! Of course! Master Tornel is preparing a grand banquet in your honor! There will be music and entertainers of all kinds! Master Tornel has demanded only the best for our Mighty Oracles!" "Tornel's setting this up?" Steph asked dubiously. She tried not to scowl at the mention of the wizard, but after his earlier treatment of Sarah and herself, she found it hard not to regard all his actions as highly suspicious.</s> <\|message\|>Sarah Sarah "Well, the King was angry with Tornel at his actions," Sarah says. "Maybe it's his way of an apology?" She still remembers the fury in the King's eyes at Tornel's actions, and while she's still a bit upset about how Tornel had tried to kill her earlier, maybe he saw the error of his ways? She's a bit full after her brunch with the King, but she's certainly curious about the entertainment for the meal. "Either way, sounds like there's going to be quite the spectacle there, and I'm kind of curious to see what they have."</s> <\|message\|>Jabberwocky He takes a deep breath, and blasts out a wave of white hot flames, the air burning as the liquid like blaze feeds greedily on the air, and the bodies of birds. He snarls, and loops around the castle, watching Bandersnatch lay seige to the building.</s> <\|message\|>Ayaan Castle of Solace The Oracle's Banquet It was the night of the banquet in honor of the Oracles and the end of the siege. For reasons unknown Bandersnatch had left, though he did not leave empty handed. He now held in his possession one of the mythical swords of the ancients, the Sword of Fire. The people of Solace, however, did not see that as much of a loss because Tornel, the High Wizard of the Castle, only used the sword as an ornament and never learned how to channel its great power. The true inspiration of the Banquet was the arrival of the Oracles, beings of fable who were seen by many as god-like entities who have risen to lead them into the future, and by others as fake messengers created by the Wizard cult. Not much time had passed since their arrival, but like all monumentally changing events, waves of emotion swept through the population of the castle and and surrounding town. The common folk enjoyed a spectacle, and the possibility of seeing living gods was sure to be one. On the night of the Oracle's Banquet, as it was being called, the main hall of the castle was filled to the brim and people were gathered in the courtyard outside of the gates having their own celebration and listening to the music echoing from the castle interior. On a stage at the end of the hall furthest from the door was the King's thrown and his chromed and gem-inlaid table. Sitting on either side of the King sat Sarah and Stephanie, each dressed in finery that was both radiant and glowing. After the girls sat family members of the King, including his son and three daughters. At the end of the table sat Tornel, purposefully positioned so that he could conduct the orchestrations of the Banquet. Each dish was brought in and served on fine pewter plates, the wine and juices were served in plain silver goblets shined to perfection. The banquet hall was an open space between the King's table and the large double door that lead into the courtyard. There were tables against the far walls containing mountains of fresh food and servants quickly refilled trays and brought fresh munchies to the people dancing and mingling. On well lit balconies above the food tables there sat small quartets of musicians playing wind and string instruments with a drummer keeping the rhythm. To the King's left the musicians had a female singer, to his right was a male singer. They took turns but sometimes harmonized together, the affect was beautiful. The roof of the banquet hall held the visage of 8 women, each in varying stages of dress and with different symbolic images around like stalks of wheat, a boat, or a golden fleece. One of the women had pink hair. The King would note that these are images of different Oracles who were venerated by the people. The people had different names for the Oracles based on tradition, the one with Pink hair was named Laughter. There was no image to depict Stephanie. Periodically throughout the banquet people brought gifts and laid them down at the steps before the throne. There they would ask for blessings from the Oracles, flatter them with a poem or song, or confess a deep affection and vow their servitude. Every third of Fifth supplicant was a performer brought in by Tornel who performed magic tricks, acrobatics, or some other vaudevillian act meant to entertain and keep the festivities fresh. After each one the people of the banquet would applaud and the night seemed to go splendidly.</s>	<\|message\|>Serlor "Ah, that's very bold! Assuming you'd try to vanquish me, you must have a team of sorts, yes? " The dragon inquired, narrowing its eyes. "And if not, I'll crush you myself."</s>
<\|description\|>Leonidas Lionheart Race: Human Gender: Male Age: 27 Appearance: 5'8" 150 lbs tanned skin, athletic build, Shoulder length blonde hair, blue eyes Bio: Born Prince to the Empire of Man Leonidas' path in life was set from the start. Every aspect seemed to be laid out before him with little choice of his own. As a boy he was subject to lots of classes and teachings on world powers, political treaties, and anything else that a prince would need to know. After he was assigned his guardian Siegfried Leonidas was given the first glimpse of a choice in his life. The young prince opted to take that choice if only to get away from his classes even for a little bit. That choice you might ask was to become a Paladin of the Silver flame like Siegfried. The Prince knew the tenets of the Silver Flame already but took to the religion in times of hardships and used his belief to strengthen himself. Leonidas became a fine young squire under Siegfried excelling in his training. After Years of service within the Order of the Silver Flame it was decided that it was time for Leonidas to leave the capital and see the land that would one day become his to rule. Given orders to investigate recent reports of orc and goblin attacks up north he has assembled a small army and marched onward looking to see to the safety of his people. Personality quirks: Traits - I can stare down a hell hound without flinching. , I don't like to sit idle. Ideal - Noble Obligation. It is my duty to protect and care for the people beneath me. Bond – My honor is my life. Flaw – My hatred of my enemies is blind and unreasoning. Friends/Rivals: Siegfried Lightbringer – Human Male, Leonidas' Mentor and Friend Lyndis Helmsguard – Human Female, Childhood Friend Fighting Style: Leonidas is a Paladin through and through, Blending Martial Prowess with Light Magic in combat. Equipment: Weapons – Warhammer, Longsword Armor – Full Plate with chainmail underlay Other – Waterskin, Holy Symbol of the Silver Flame, Pouch with 5 days rations, Skills/Abilities: Silver Tongue – Born a natural leader Leonidas uses his natural charisma to persuade others to see his way. Martial Prowess – Leonidas never skipped a day of Martial training and took the lessons to heart. He is a good fighter on the battlefield and hard to match. Light Magic – As a follower of the Silver Flame Leonidas has tempered himself in the use of Light Magic. Holy Smite: Leonidas' weapon glows with radiant light bringing down Holy Wrath against his foes. Lay on hands: By the divine power of the Silver Flame Leonidas can heal others with a touch of his hand. Aura of Light: Leonidas' presence bolsters his allies increasing their moral and protecting them from fear.</s> <\|message\|>Faira Blodwen "As do I," Faira said, taking the rein, and watching as her masked comrade vaulted up to a rooftop. "Gods' blood, she wasn't kidding." While Zatana was making her way to the meeting place, Faira dismounted, so that she stood between the two horses. When Zatana's unnamed steed made to bite her, Faira, without looking at it, kicked the horse in the shin. It was a light tap, not to hurt the beast, but just to distract it. And distracted it was, the horse started and looked at Faira in some confusion, then settled down, though still watched her from the corner of her eye. "Hold," Faira said, handing the guard both reins and ignoring him as the mare tried to snap at him, while Steak moved behind him to get away from the more aggressive horse. While this was happening, Faira began to undo straps on her armor(further distracting the guard). She loosened several around her biceps, thig, and calves. She redid the straps, and tested the new configuration by stretching. Ready now, she looked to the rooftops for Zatana's return.</s> <\|message\|>Balthazar Trevarthen Co-GM IC: The rooftops provide for an excellent way to maneuver around the city, and its use now allows for rapid movement, compared to the streets. The light of the sun shines down on the city as the battle rages all around. Most citizens and townspeople have been moved to the city's keep for safety, the streets now used by soldiers and militia to move supplies to the front quickly. Still, the odd peasant, merchant, or child lingers around, gathering their things as they prepare to move. It doesn't take long for Zatana to reach the West Gate, though, by the end of it, she's gotten quite the workout. Speed for energy, and all of that. True to Balthazar's words, the gatehouse is mostly occupied by soldiers and the occasional straggler. She spots a lone beggar near one of the alleyways next to the Gate. The decrepit-looking man is dressed in a raggedy cloak and scraps of cloth, the pewter bowl in front of him likely his greatest possession. Is this Balthazar's man? You don't see any other beggars around here. As you walk up to ask, he looks up at you. "Spare some change, good miss?"</s> <\|message\|>Zatana Aleana Were these people simply foolish? Zatana watched as a small family slowly gathering their things, to the dark elf's eye it appeared as though they had no understanding of the danger that was coming. Were they so foolishly sure in their gate against a horde of creatures that would carve them to pieces? Turning away from the scene, Zatana continued to scan the small open space. If all went well the orcs and goblins would be routed or slain one and all. Which meant she needed the package she had been sent for, and to get back over the rooftops to Faira. Seeing one beggar more on his own, she approached the pewter bowl. A contact would remain in position until the last moment. Their duty was thus and most all of them had the good sense to know multiple paths out of a dangerous situation. Those that failed to understand the meaning of an exit? They did not stay in business long. It had been one of her first jobs when her grandfather had wanted her trained to the shadow and dagger. 'First you listen and you learn. Then you strike with the tool the enemy hands you.' The old adage was useful, but it was a slight bit more complex than surface value. If someone was waiting for a message, then why group up? It would only deter any attempt of contact, and you would only join a group if you were trying to blend or avoid someone. That this beggar was not cringing away gave her a bit of hope as she adjusted her leather breastplate. "A token of value." Two coins fell into the bowl. Their clamor covering the thunk as the wooden token was dropped right after the first but before the second. Zatana had fished it out but moments before. "Gods, deliver us from this horde." Though the words would signal fear in a plea to the gods, Zatana was more interested if this beggar would pick out what she wanted.</s> <\|message\|>Balthazar Trevarthen Co-GM IC: "You are a kind soul, good miss." The beggar says as he examines the alms given to him, a knowing look shining in his eyes. Whether or not his words were simply meant to keep up the facade, or if he actually meant it, you're uncertain. The man scans the area with a practiced eye, before standing up and dusting himself up, picking up the bowl and pocketing the alms as he does so. "With luck, the Gods may deliver us yet." He says, walking closer as he reaches into his cloak. "Blessings upon you." Any less experienced eye would've missed the fact that he had quickly reached into his clothes and retrieved a rather thick-looking brown envelope, but you spot it. This drop is well-practiced-- if someone didn't know what they were looking for, they would've simply seen it as an old man moving his begging spot to another area. The man presses the parcel to your side for only a moment, subtly beckoning you to take it. You do so, and with that, he slinks deeper into the alleyway and turns a corner, disappearing from view. The envelope is sealed with wax, and shouldn't take much to open it if you so desire. Regardless of your choice, you now have the package you need. Time to head back, preferably before the Prince and his retinue arrive.</s>	<\|message\|>Leonidas Lionheart Leonidas Lead the charge and by the time the goblins noticed it was to late. The Prince came up upon one of the riders ready with one mighty blow. The goblin had seen him coming and tried to raise its shield, But it did little to help as Leoidas' Warhammer shattered the shield and embedded itself into the goblin's side. Cracking was heard as the goblin was removed from its mount dead before it even hit the floor. Leonidas quickly Spun the hammer in his hand adjusting his grip before dropping it onto the skull of the wolf mount slaying the beast as well. The rest of the charge went reasonable well. Many of the goblins found their lived ended by the spears of the Imperial Calvary and things had gone according to Leonidas' plan. That is except for Acrius... Somehow the fool ended up on foot... A fact that didn't go unnoticed by the enemy forces as well. And although he was able to kill the one that looked like the leader of the goblins he had still left himself open. Two nearby rides had seen their master die and became enraged charging Acrius from both sides. Leonidas was able to see this and quickly rushed pulled the reigns of his horse rushing over to help the boy. Wolves although fast weren't bread for war and luckily Leonidas' horse was and had the speed advantage allowing him to catch up. The end Leonidas' hammer began to have a goldish glow come from it as he swung the mighty weapon crashing into the Goblin's head nearly taking it off just before it was able to throw its spear at Acrius. As the goblin's body fell to the side The wolf continued its charge a bloody frenzy in its eyes. And with the weight of the rider gone the wolf rushed forward in a burst of speed leaping at Acrius. Balthazar shook his head in disapproval as he watched Acrius dismount, presumably to give the goblin leader a fair fight. Although he managed to dispatch of the rider with relative ease, now there were two Wolfriders moving to attack him. The Prince moved to deal with one, so the warlock decided to deal with the other. He spurred his horse forward, gripping the reins tight. With his free hand, he flipped back to the page he was once at, before firing off another shadowy ray, lancing downwards through the goblin's gut, and into the wolf's back. Both rider and mount soon curled up on the ground, presumably to die of blood loss. The rest was up to Acrius, now. After the ordeal was dealt with, the remaining 3 goblins were able to see what was going on and took the smarter option retreating and started riding away headed North. Before any of his men road off to hunt them down Leonidas held up his hand, "Let them go, We don't know where they are going and we have something more important to do than hunting down a few stragglers." He said in a commanding tone before turning to the cart that had been the target of this small force. The horses that were to pull the cart were dead pelted with arrows to ensure the cart couldn't escape. It looked like the belongings inside the cart were still intact, but it seemed there had been a cost two bodies lie in the cart an older male and what could of possibly been his daughter. But it wasn't all bad as from underneath the cart the rest of the family started to emerge. A Woman presumably the wife of the slain man in the cart, a young boy that couldn't be more than 5 and a girl who must of been around the age of 18. The knights circled up around the cart ensuring that no attack would come for the moment and the family looked around. The mother would come up to Leonidas her young son holding onto her let. "Mylord, thank you for coming to our rescue. We wouldn't of lasted long if you hadn't rushed to our aide how could we ever repay you?" The woman said giving a bow to the prince. The daughter on the other hand instantly rushed jumping at Acrius wrapping her arms around him "My hero! You were so amazing the way you leapt in to save me!" The girl said excitedly. Leonidas saw this and just sighed before turning back to the older woman. "There is no need to thank us, It is my duty as Prince to defend my people... I'm just sorry we didn't arrive sooner so we could of prevented this." He said sadly motioning to the two dead in the cart. "You have my condolences for your losses..." Leonidas continued before turning to Acrius. "Acrius since you don't seem to like your horse you are going to saddle yours up to the cart and ride with these fine people back to Bergkoff. You two stay with them as escort." He said while pointing out two of the Knights who responded with a salute. The mother smiled at the prince. "The loss of my husband and daughter will be a great one, but we will move on thanks to your actions my Lord," She says while turning to her daughter. "Elisabeth stop being rude and come show the prince some gratitude." She snapped back at her daughter who reluctantly let go of Acrius and came over giving the prince a curtsy "Thank you for saving us my lord" She said flatly before quickly turning and returning to Acrius while receiving a nasty glair from her mother. "So your name is Acrius then? I'm Liz nice to meet you." she said grabbing onto his arm. The two knights Leonidas had picked up helped wrap the dead in blankets and got things ready for the cart to move again. After everything was set the group made its way back to the infantry troops The Calvary falling in on the sides to protect the flanks and the cart falling in behind the march. Leonidas made his way to the front seeing Rudolph and Merik as he approached. "Merik what happened to your horse this time?" Was the first thing that came out of his mouth as he fell into his position at the front before turning to Rudolph "Sorry we're late had something we needed to take care of." He added knowing that Rudolph would want to get to Bergkoff as soon as possible. The rest of the march to Bergkoff was uneventful for most. Acrius on the other hand had to deal with Liz the entire ride as the girl seemed to be stuck to him, constantly asking questions. As the small force reached the southern gate the massive gate swung open and allowed them to enter the city before quickly being closed again. Leonidas would then order his troops to rest and be ready for new orders after finding out the situation within the city. Taking Balthazar and Rudolph with him as Rudolph knew the way to the town center and Balthazar would need to know where he was going to set up his desk.</s>
<\|description\|>Leonidas Lionheart Race: Human Gender: Male Age: 27 Appearance: 5'8" 150 lbs tanned skin, athletic build, Shoulder length blonde hair, blue eyes Bio: Born Prince to the Empire of Man Leonidas' path in life was set from the start. Every aspect seemed to be laid out before him with little choice of his own. As a boy he was subject to lots of classes and teachings on world powers, political treaties, and anything else that a prince would need to know. After he was assigned his guardian Siegfried Leonidas was given the first glimpse of a choice in his life. The young prince opted to take that choice if only to get away from his classes even for a little bit. That choice you might ask was to become a Paladin of the Silver flame like Siegfried. The Prince knew the tenets of the Silver Flame already but took to the religion in times of hardships and used his belief to strengthen himself. Leonidas became a fine young squire under Siegfried excelling in his training. After Years of service within the Order of the Silver Flame it was decided that it was time for Leonidas to leave the capital and see the land that would one day become his to rule. Given orders to investigate recent reports of orc and goblin attacks up north he has assembled a small army and marched onward looking to see to the safety of his people. Personality quirks: Traits - I can stare down a hell hound without flinching. , I don't like to sit idle. Ideal - Noble Obligation. It is my duty to protect and care for the people beneath me. Bond – My honor is my life. Flaw – My hatred of my enemies is blind and unreasoning. Friends/Rivals: Siegfried Lightbringer – Human Male, Leonidas' Mentor and Friend Lyndis Helmsguard – Human Female, Childhood Friend Fighting Style: Leonidas is a Paladin through and through, Blending Martial Prowess with Light Magic in combat. Equipment: Weapons – Warhammer, Longsword Armor – Full Plate with chainmail underlay Other – Waterskin, Holy Symbol of the Silver Flame, Pouch with 5 days rations, Skills/Abilities: Silver Tongue – Born a natural leader Leonidas uses his natural charisma to persuade others to see his way. Martial Prowess – Leonidas never skipped a day of Martial training and took the lessons to heart. He is a good fighter on the battlefield and hard to match. Light Magic – As a follower of the Silver Flame Leonidas has tempered himself in the use of Light Magic. Holy Smite: Leonidas' weapon glows with radiant light bringing down Holy Wrath against his foes. Lay on hands: By the divine power of the Silver Flame Leonidas can heal others with a touch of his hand. Aura of Light: Leonidas' presence bolsters his allies increasing their moral and protecting them from fear.</s> <\|message\|>Manald Halung "I know!" Manald replied, having to halfway yell at Faira in order to overcome the ubiquitous sound of firearms, arrows, arms and armor. It was an environment that would do no good to his ears, that was for sure. If they'd survive this day he'd likely end up with one hell of an headache and a ringing tone that only existed in his sensation. So far the lycanthrope had decided not to transform. It was a trait that could only be maintained for so long and thus an asset not to be wasted like the day before. Manald knew that his use on the wall was somewhat limited due to the necessity to use ranged weapons. However, now that the first siege ladders were put into place and the goblins started to reach the top of the wall here and there, this was about to change. "Give me a moment, and then try to keep the green critters away from me!" Having said this not only to Faira, but addressing all of the soliders around them as well, Manald did not retreat into some closed room where nobody could see him. Instead he merely stepped as far back as he could before starting to shift, so from down below he could probably not be seen anymore. The intent was to reappear with the element of surprise on his side. "Don't destroy that ladder! I need it!" he added with an already distorted voice, the arm he used to point at the object in question already bulging and being overgrown with even more hair. He put off his set or armor pretty much at the last moment possible before it would have become jammed around his growing body and subsequently burst. A brief moment followed where the transformation reached its climax and every soldier would be able to see Manald naked while he couldn't do anything. Then, somewhat crouching so not to reveal himself to the trolls and goblins openly, he put on his other leather armor as fast as possible. With a loud, smacking sound, Manald's claws dug into the throat of the goblin that had just reached the top of the ladder. Blood was pouring out of it and moments later the body was clearly devoid of life. Good. Manald knew he had not much experience in handling a sword, but even an idiot could use a club... And every bit of metal and other armor on that dead goblin now would only make it more useful for wiping its successors on the ladder off the latter. The wood made more than one cracking sound as Manald climbed it from above. That thing was designed for green critters, not for him in his current state. However, as long as it would hold together somehow until he was down far enough to jump everything would be fine. He now held the dead goblin at one of its ankles, trying to get as much range out of his makeshift weapon as possible before thrashing those who continued to climb upwards as he came downwards. Whether this would work out as planned ? Of course Manald couldn't tell for sure, but only hope. Unlike certain drows he had no magical ability to just disapper and reappear on top of the wall again, but maybe the soldiers there would be able to help him clear a way towards the first of the trolls. They simply could not be allowed to reach the gate and do their work. At least Manald now was at least as monstrous as they were, if not even worse.</s> <\|message\|>Merik Roak Merik Roak --- Merik nodded towards the human leader of the city when he asked about the wooden poles, "The sharp ones at the gates." He didn't really care if the man understood the lizard man just waited and listened to what the others were saying. All good points in their own right, the information about their leader was interesting almost as interesting as the proposition to strike them beyond the walls. "Merik would also like to go over wall if possible, but later defend wall first." Merik listened to the rest of the conversation until he was told where to go and with who. When it was time to leave Merik smiled and gripped Acrius's shoulder, "If you die Merik will honor you with eating your heart." The prince said he needed to work on his farewells so hopefully this was right. The west wall was abuzz with activity. Humans in armor moving wood and supplies to the gate and wall. The explosives that Merik had received from what was left from the tunnels where secured on his person. He knew what he was going to do with them but depending on how powerful they were his plan could backfire. A chance he was willing to take, if the orcs breached this wall he would become the wall. Rudolf looked rather busy ordering around the soldiers who seemed to be busy. Merik stayed in front of the gate assisting the other men with setting up the timbers to the weakened gate. Then when they started setting up the barricades Merik had them set them up a few feet back from where they were. This would allow him to use his full sword arc around him without hitting the stone walls of the gate or the wooden barricades. He was well aware that it was time to begin when the first stone made it over the wall. Merik could see some soldiers preparing a cauldron of a black viscous liquid known to him as tar. The humans used it to seal their homes from the rain but he also knew it to be used as a defense against invaders and it was flammable. The large lizard made his way to the pot where a man was stirring it, "Ready?" the commoner seemed startled by his appearance and just nodded. "Good. Bring me torch." Picking up the medium sized pot would have been a job for two humans but the beast was able to take it up himself straight to the top of the gate and set it down. Quickly he took out the explosives and set them next to him. He was crouching and looking out toward the mass of enemy's coming toward them. The ram was his target, he would wait here until it was under him then pour the tar, drop the explosives, and then the torch. Combined it should set the ram alight and hopefully disable it making another burning blocked entrance for the enemy's. "Merik is fine, how is Ruduf?" Merik called out while taking the torch from the man that brought it to him.</s> <\|message\|>Balthazar Trevarthen Co-GM IC: North Gate --- Leonidas and Zatana's continuous barrage of arrows helps keep the Orcs at bay, their precise shots putting down more than a few. Still, try as they might, the Orcs' superior toughness means that it will take more than a few arrows to stop their approach. The ones that do make it across the moat manage to reach the walls. The Orcish vanguard reach into their packs and retrieve grappling hooks and toss them skyward, the hooks catching on the crenellations. It seems they've practiced such maneuvers before, and it is clear that they intend to scale the wall! Several archers and riflemen switch priorities to try and dislodge the hooks, but those who do are picked off by opposing Orc archers who were awaiting an opportunity for people to poke their heads past the battlements. This presents a difficult situation for the defenders; there are Orcs trying to scale the wall with grappling hooks, and if they manage to climb up, then they will certainly be able to kill any archer who tries to stop them. And yet, anyone who tries to remove those hooks will be attacked by the enemy archers. To top it all off, the enemy's numbers have yet to thin. The defenders must break this stalemate soon, or the defense will certainly fail! West Gate --- With a well-placed catapult shot by Rudolph and some clever use of tar and explosives by Merik, the battering ram falls by the time it reaches the gate. The Goblins hiding within the ram quickly scatter, retreating back to their lines, but they're soon shot and killed. The gate was damaged in the defense and the fiery impromptu barricade would be certain to provide deterrence for any future gate assaults... for now. In response, the Goblins switch tactics. Soon, enemy artillery is aimed at parts of the wall. One boulder misses, harmlessly splashing on the moat below, but another crashes into the battlements. The men on that section of the wall are killed or injured, and the Goblins use that moment of pandemonium to charge the walls. Grappling hooks are used to quickly ascend the walls, and soon, Goblins are trying to scale the wall. A more perceptive individual may notice, however, the presence of several sappers near the gate-- it seems they're attempting to clear the flaming rubble to try and blast the gate open with explosives again. In the state that the gate is in... they might actually succeed if they manage to accomplish their task. The defenders must contend with Goblins atop the walls, and at the gates! East Gate --- With Faira's assistance, the soldiers manage to destroy or dislodge many of the ladders that go up... but unfortunately, they could not destroy all of them in time. A few siege ladders remain, and they were designed with volume in mind-- every few seconds, more and more Goblins appear upon the walls. Thankfully, they're not as difficult to deal with as Orcs, but their numbers threaten to destroy the defenders atop the walls! They must push towards those remaining ladders and destroy them before they are overwhelmed! Meanwhile, Manald rampages on the grounds below. Many Goblins are rightfully afraid of the enraged Beastman and stay away, but those foolish enough to challenge him are torn to shreds. The siege Trolls, however, were less intimidated. Any arrow or bullet directed at the trolls quickly bounce off their armor, and the few that strike true and hit flesh are quickly rendered useless, as the Trolls seem to regenerate from their wounds in a matter of seconds! The pair look at one another and then nod, a plan forming in their heads. The one with the giant axe goes on the attack, swinging his implement of destruction in wide arcs that are hard to evade. As the axe Troll faces off against Manald, the hammer Troll attempts to move past their engagement to try and break down the gate. With his focus split between Goblins, the Troll ahead of him, and the Troll trying to destroy the gate, the Beastman must find a way to even the tide, and quickly! Sewers --- Between the efforts of Acrius and Petyr, the enemy numbers are quickly thinned. Soon, they both manage to make it back to formation-- and just in time, too. Soon, the second wave of Goblins arrive, and this time, they've brought equalizers of their own: wolves. The beasts are not hard to deal with individually, but wolves hunt in packs and are well-accustomed to fighting alongside both other wolves and their Goblin masters. In the dark, damp corridors of the sewers, it will take more than just skill at arms... this will be a test of coordination. Whose strategies will win: the tactics of men, or the tactics of beasts?</s>	<\|message\|>Leonidas Lionheart Leonidas continues letting arrows loose felling orcs until he notices a grappling hook fly up and secure itself onto the wall. As the line goes taught he quickly rushes over trying to dislodge the hook. But with at least one orc trying to climb the rope it is to hard to dislodge it. The prince quickly draws his sword hacking into the rope easily cutting it drooping the climbing orc to the ground. But swords aren't meant to strike stone and his blade chips as it cuts through the rope hitting the stone underneath. "Get some axes cut the ropes!" he yells directing the soldiers who weren't focused on firing bows, or rifles at the orcs. After stowing the damaged blade the prince took up his bow again and tried to lean over the wall to fire an arrow at another rope down the wall. As he tries to line up his shot one arrow wizzes past his head and a second strikes his shoulder pauldron forcing him to retreat back behind cover. "Zatana you think you can deal with some of those archers?" he yelled back while tossing the bow aside picking up his Warhammer. Leonidas then started to move to the next hook and smashed his hammer into the face of the first orc up the line crushing the creature's face and sending it falling back down to the ground below.</s>
<\|description\|>Leonidas Lionheart Race: Human Gender: Male Age: 27 Appearance: 5'8" 150 lbs tanned skin, athletic build, Shoulder length blonde hair, blue eyes Bio: Born Prince to the Empire of Man Leonidas' path in life was set from the start. Every aspect seemed to be laid out before him with little choice of his own. As a boy he was subject to lots of classes and teachings on world powers, political treaties, and anything else that a prince would need to know. After he was assigned his guardian Siegfried Leonidas was given the first glimpse of a choice in his life. The young prince opted to take that choice if only to get away from his classes even for a little bit. That choice you might ask was to become a Paladin of the Silver flame like Siegfried. The Prince knew the tenets of the Silver Flame already but took to the religion in times of hardships and used his belief to strengthen himself. Leonidas became a fine young squire under Siegfried excelling in his training. After Years of service within the Order of the Silver Flame it was decided that it was time for Leonidas to leave the capital and see the land that would one day become his to rule. Given orders to investigate recent reports of orc and goblin attacks up north he has assembled a small army and marched onward looking to see to the safety of his people. Personality quirks: Traits - I can stare down a hell hound without flinching. , I don't like to sit idle. Ideal - Noble Obligation. It is my duty to protect and care for the people beneath me. Bond – My honor is my life. Flaw – My hatred of my enemies is blind and unreasoning. Friends/Rivals: Siegfried Lightbringer – Human Male, Leonidas' Mentor and Friend Lyndis Helmsguard – Human Female, Childhood Friend Fighting Style: Leonidas is a Paladin through and through, Blending Martial Prowess with Light Magic in combat. Equipment: Weapons – Warhammer, Longsword Armor – Full Plate with chainmail underlay Other – Waterskin, Holy Symbol of the Silver Flame, Pouch with 5 days rations, Skills/Abilities: Silver Tongue – Born a natural leader Leonidas uses his natural charisma to persuade others to see his way. Martial Prowess – Leonidas never skipped a day of Martial training and took the lessons to heart. He is a good fighter on the battlefield and hard to match. Light Magic – As a follower of the Silver Flame Leonidas has tempered himself in the use of Light Magic. Holy Smite: Leonidas' weapon glows with radiant light bringing down Holy Wrath against his foes. Lay on hands: By the divine power of the Silver Flame Leonidas can heal others with a touch of his hand. Aura of Light: Leonidas' presence bolsters his allies increasing their moral and protecting them from fear.</s> <\|message\|>Merik Roak Merik Roak --- The enemy was in full retreat their chief dropped some foul liquid and ran in the chaos. Merik was quick to close his nostrils but kept going in his primal state. Few goblins escaped him his rage still burning and his teeth still chomping black blood dripped from his jaws and covered the front of his armor. Finally the beast could breath as the cloud dissipated. His deep breaths helped to calm him down as the few stragglers were either killed or ran off back to the forest. Slowly the large lizard sat down on the stone wall his head easily able to see over it. The soldiers cheered and the goblins disappeared. Triumph slowly turned to exhaustion and dreary quiet. The humans now had their dead to take care of even Merik still had a couple jobs to do. Slowly he stood and stretched, the injured were being cared for or taken away and the able began to pick up bodies and debris. The goblin bodies were unceremoniously thrown off the wall while the humans were lined up along the sides of the streets. Merik knew that the humans took special care of their dead and he knew to be respectful of it. Even if to him what was dead was dead and the spirit was gone leaving just meat and personal effects. The Lizard folk retrieved his sword from the wall making his way down towards where one of the large stones had landed nearby. The area it hit was damaged but he was able to roll the stone up to the gate and leave it against it. He only did this with one more stone as a way to help brace the door. Either out of fear, exhaustion, or respect he no longer heard the men whisper about him they simply made way for him. It was an effect he had seen happen to many other humans who doubted him then fought alongside him. Action and honor spoke volumes more than some royal sigil ever could, as Acrius would say, seeing is believing. Merik still didn't quite understand what was meant by it but was able to grasp the basics. He lingered for a little while longer at the gate to assist with moving fallen debris or move the wounded. Only calling out to his friend after most of the dust had settled and the sounds of distant fighting turned to silence. "Ruduf, Merik go check rest of wall. Merik see you again later." With a wave the Lizard trotted off down the wall looking for any trouble along the way. He might have been tired, sore, and he was sure that at least some of this blood was his but he kept going. with a full belly he showed off his immense stamina and desire to continue the fight. As he jogged off toward the south end of the town.</s> <\|message\|>Drana Turash Drana smiled the entire fight. She was a cleric that constantly met the battlefield with an open mind. While she was not happy for the death that surrounded her, it was an involuntary action that had been picked up among the fields of dead that were often trying to kill the living. She did not realise that she was smiling. The only escalation she had seen was Manald's savagery upon tangling himself with a troll. She made a note to find him later and make sure that he was not hurt. Drana felt eyes fall on her as Acrius introduced her to the prince. 'So this is the man I have heard so much about.' Drana's demeanor was unchanged by her fatigue. Blood covered her clothing in a red and black mess that sullied her holy garments and fair skin. Her staff remained pristine, absent of any sign it had been on the battlefield. "Prince Leonidas," Drana did not bow, but she instead inclined her head slightly. "It is an honor to meet you on the field of battle as an ally." The drain on her stamina was catching up with her, and she wanted to inform the prince of who she was and where she came from faded quickly. Hunger gnawed at her belly and sleep called her by name. Drana felt the subtle pull of her domain's magic as her two knights, Gordon and Stephan, wished to return to the world she was in. Drana straightened herself in front of Leonidas. "I have fought with Acrius beneath the city and here on its walls. I am the Sacred Order's Cleric of the Dead." She used a full title, unsure if the prince knew the weight that it carried. In truth, Drana did not understand the weight it carried herself. "Forgive me, but I must find my knights. I will meet you for a proper introduction in the war room after I-" She hesitated, briefly forgetting that most people assumed her clerical art to be necromancy. With quick thinking, she feigned being tired. Her smile softened with embarrassment and she laughed awkwardly. "I need a nap after this." She said with her usual informal candor. She needed to find a quiet place to bring her knights back from the aether. With a second dip of her head Drana turned and started for the path down the wall. She needed to 'find' Gordon and Stephan before she returned to the war room. She needed their help to explain why she was here, as well as who she really is. Though more than that, she feared for her own skin without their protection. She was too tired to realize just what she had done.</s> <\|message\|>Leonidas Lionheart Leonidas stayed on the battlements directing the men until the goblin forces were out of range. It was only after their retreat that Leonidas would let himself rest a little. He took a little time to check his wound from earlier making sure he didn't end up opening it again since his bit of patch up healing. "I should of really payed more attention when they were teaching us those healing magics instead of just how to use magic to hurt others more..." he thought to himself as Acrius came up to him with a woman whom Leonidas had never seen before. Although she was introduced as a Cleric she moved with an air of nobility which in itself was a bit of an oddity many born into a noble house wouldn't adopt the practices of a Cleric willingly. Even the way she greeted the prince was reminiscent of the way many nobles had in the past so he assumed she must have some noble blood and greeted her in kind, "The Honor was mine Lady Drana, due to your help our young Acrius was able to quickly fell that troll." He said to her with a grin complimenting her help, although he knew full well Acrius could of used his own magic to light the arrow he wasn't going to bring it up now especially seeing the shape she was in currently. After mentioning her knights that were lost in the sewers Leonidas gave his dismissal letting the cleric go on her way and even offered Acrius as a guard to her until she found her knights if she wanted or needed. After that Leonidas would return to the war room with Zatana following behind. "I don't know if I'm ready for the chew out from Balthazar about getting injured, even if it is just a little scratch... You want to talk to him first?" He said to Zatana in a joking matter as they walked back to the Keep. As the day went on there were more waves of attacks, nothing nearly on the scale of the morning's attack and after giving the members of the Royal guard an adequate amount to rest they were cycled to the points of battle to help keep the balance in the defender's favor. All in all by the end of the day men were tired and worn out moral was good because of the victories but wavering as it seemed these orc and goblins had unending numbers. The fear and unease was what plagued Leonidas and Balthazar the most so the two decided to work out a deal with the Duke. It wasn't long until what was normally the trade square was abuzz with life, Leonidas and Balthazar were able to convince the Duke to roll out the fine wine and ale he had been storing in the keep and open it up as a means to thank and celebrate with the men. The commotion had also brought out some of the food merchants and even common folk and amidst this siege there was a celebration within the city. Leonidas sat at a table among the guards with an ale in his hand. Although he wasn't in his full battle regalia he still wore a light suit of armor as "you could never be to careful" or so Balthazar had told him while Leonidas' arm was being patched up. But he drank with his men on this night not above them as their prince but with them as a warrior. The square itself had been quickly decorated and aside from the impromptu bar that had been set up multiple food stands had also made their way around the square providing food and drink to any who wanted to partake. Naysein had found herself a few competent musicians and was using her talents to provide song for the party singing tales of heroism and bravery lightening the mood.</s> <\|message\|>Rudolph Kestrell Following the clean upon the walls, Rudolph would soon enough help out with the moving of the dead, dying and wounded, despite being relieved of his position on the wall to go and get rest. He noticed the big lizardman leave the battlements, and gave a simple wave and nod toward him. A couple of hours pass before Rudolph accepts his fatigue, and gives in. Along the way to the barracks, he bumped into Fullar, who apparently had been wounded during the siege. "Hey Rudolph." the man nodded somewhat disgruntled. "They finally got you eh?" Rudolph replied, somewhat teasing. "A bit of armour would of helped ya." he followed smirking. "You know I fight better without it." Fullar scoffed. Rudolph chuckled and gave the man a pat on the back, "Just be careful you silly bastard." he finished before turning to continue onward. Fullar simply waved him off as he did. Rudolph managed to get some rest, but decided he'd join the festivities, he could do with a break. The event itself, albeit last minute and cobbled together, was actually fun. A rare side of Rudolph came out at occasions like this, where instead of his usual grumpy exterior, he is now open and welcoming. Some of the soldiers that knew of him and his reputation were taken aback by his sudden change of persona. He spent much of the time sharing stories and jovial banter. Though Rudolph had finally relaxed, he was partly still on edge. He occasionally looked around him and watched as people went about their business. He was expecting there to be some sort of orc surprise attack, or something else entirely that he had to watch out for.</s>	<\|message\|>Leonidas Lionheart -=Somewhere inside the walls of Bergkoff=- A group of 9 hooded individuals gather on an empty side street. "Alright everyone has there targets correct?" One of the individuals said to the group and a second spoke up. "Why are we helping orcs? What is the master thinking." A second spoke up and was quickly hushed. "Don't question the master's wishes just do your job." The first snapped back. "Alright if no one has any real question then move out." A third spoke up. And the group quickly broke up into four groups. Two groups of two took to the roofs heading to their targets while the remaining 5 individuals broke into a group of 2 and a group of 3 each moving in different direction through the city.</s>
<\|description\|>Rudolph Kestrell Race: Human Gender: Male Age: 35 Appearance: (-5'6, 164ibs, White rinkled skin, Stocky build, Short black hair, Hazelnut eyes.) Bio: Rudolph Kestrell grew up in a modest home as an only child, in his homeland of the Grand Duchy of Bergkoff. His upbringing was nothing special, and hoping for something more out of his life, he joined the Bergkoff Guard, its military. Rudolph would meet a fellow soldier named Hectar Fullar, the two men would get on very well. After a few years service, they both aspired to be an officer, soon enough a friendly rivalry would occur, both competing for duties that would offer them a good rep. Rudolph and Hectar would be soon assigned to different regiments. The two not meeting again for sometime. Rudolph would be tasked later on by the Duke of Bergkoff to head to the Empire to help train its new recruits as a sign of good faith. (Grand Duchy of Bergkoff: This country was once a part of the Kingdom of Karsburg, but after a devastating invasion at the hands of a Drow warlord, the country collapsed, bringing the majority of its royal family down with it. The survivors of the aftermath however, eventually took refuge within the last standing city of Bergkoff, a prosperous merchant city. And soon enough, it became its own independent city state, hoping to one day regain what was lost. The dwarves of the neighbouring mountain side had developed good relations with the kingdom, and maintains it with the Duchy. Bergkoff helps them sell their wares whilst the dwarves provides their technological knowledge and skills.) Personality quirks: Traits: Not much disturbs him, and he'll face any adversary with equal measure. Ideals: "I'll serve my country, as is my duty and honour. I respect those who prove they have potential." Bonds: - Sergeant Fullar, a fellow soldier from his homeland, and an old rival and friend. They had joined the military and rose through the ranks side by side. - Captain Murz, Rudolphs captain whom he served under on several fronts. Both men had earned eachothers respect. During a time when Rudolph was on leave, Murz had disappeared along with his battalion during a routine patrol through the Theost forest. Flaws: Tends to zone out when he is talked at. Is often found bored when not fighting or travelling. Is often presumed to be grumpy. Fighting Style: He mainly uses a Halberd as his prefered weapon of choice, and as such, has a decent amount of skill using it. He's reasonably efficent with other weapons too due to his length in service and training. Equipment: Weapons- Halberd, Short Sword & Small Shield. A basic flintlock pistol with 12 shots. Armour- Breastplate, Padded vest and Leather vambraces & greaves. Other- A knapsack containing: Water canteen, basic rations, his personal journal, and a thick cloak. A gunpowder horn and 12 iron shots in a pouch. Skills/Abilities: - Experienced officer: Rudolph has experience in leading men into combat. He has a decent amount of strategic knowledge. - Polearm proficiency: As halberds are his go to weapons, other weapons of a similar nature are easy to use for him. - Explosives: He has some knowledge of how to create bombs and the like, as is part of his military training. - Basic tinkering: Due to a lack of magic in Bergkoff, and the occasional influence by the Dwarves, working on devices and machines that would be seen as uncommon or outright rare elsewhere is commonplace in Bergkoff. As such, Rudolph himself has had a hand in some tinkering alongside the training he recived in the military. -=Rules=- 1. Listen to the GM(s), If you have a complaint tell me. I am not an evil dictator and if I am wrong I will admit it. 2. Romance and Gore allowed, But keep it in good taste and in site rules 3. Now not all characters will play nice with each other I understand that, but keep the disputes in the RP not in OOC 4. Be civilized and polite please 5. All basic RP rules apply to this roleplay: Power playing, Meta gaming, and others are not allowed. 6. The story isn't exactly set, if you have an idea for a mission feel free to pm me the details and I'll try to work it in. 7. Copy the rules into a Hider in the "other" of your cs so I know you read them. 8. Get into your character's skin become him or her as you are playing have fun and give us insight into their thoughts. 9. Try to keep active, in both the IC and OOC pages please. And even if you don't have anything to say, at least read the OOC</s> <\|message\|>Leonidas Lionheart Leonidas nodded back at the Duke following him into the office. "Yes we do have a lot to go over. Please give me a run down of what you know? Do we know how many we are up against? What are our defenses at the moment? Is there any weak points in the city we need to know about? How long will your supplies last?" Leonidas began questioning as soon as they were in the office attempting to get a grasp on the situation of the town. "As for Siegfried, yes he and his forces will hopefully arrive in two days. Have you received anything from the dwarves will they be able to help us?" Leonidas continued adding to the list of unanswered questions. ---- Western Gate The quiet of the morning is once again broken as a bell starts to ring form on top of the gate. "Here they come boys! everyone to your positions!" a guard yelled out from the gatehouse. The soldiers instantly jumped into action. preparing for the attack. from the top of the wall a group of what looked like 200 Goblins seemed to be poring out what must of been a cave entrance hidden by a hill. Guards on the walls readied their bows with very few having rifles waiting for the Goblins to get into range before opening fire.</s> <\|message\|>Balthazar Trevarthen The warlock simply nodded as he followed along. Buildings take damage during a siege-- this much was an inevitability. However, Balthazar was still surprised to see destruction done to parts of the keep itself. He had not seen any siege weapons on the way in, which left sabotage or magic as the cause of the destroyed war room. Goblins and Orcs rarely took up the arcane arts, but their shamans are known to have knowledge of the more primal magics. Still, it was a good thing that Duke Karstilli had survived; a city can survive the loss of a building, but the death of their leader is much more difficult, especially during a siege. As the Prince asked his questions, Balthazar reached into his coat pocket, retrieving the envelope that had been delivered to him. It had likely been opened at least once before in spite of the presence of the unbroken wax seal, but he was confident that the information was not compromised. Now in a secure location, the man opened the letter, reading the battle reports and placing the map on the desk whilst keeping the letter to him within the envelope itself. There would be time to read that later. Once he was done, he placed the reports on the desk for others to review, if they wished to. The papers on this desk would prove useful for both tactical and strategic analysis of the battle to come. There are three papers within Balthazar's report: two pages of information and a single large map. It is written in a simple Imperial cipher-- one that any Imperial officer or noble would understand at a glance. These reports detail the enemy's strength: roughly a thousand soldiers strong, comprised primarily of Goblins. Two hundred of the enemy forces are made up of proper Orc Warriors, who seem to make up the army's elite. There is also word of one or two Ogres, who likely serve as impromptu siege weaponry or shock troops. Their leader is Waruk Shieldbreaker, an Orc Warlord of little renown, who seems to be attacking in an attempt to grab power in the area, and to bring glory to his name... Due to the lack of ambition in his circle of officers, it is likely that with his death, the invading army will collapse. It is difficult to pin down their exact movements, due to their use of the local mountain cave systems to traverse the region. Curiously, they've managed to avoid both Dwarven and Human patrols thanks to this tactic. The attached map lists several cave openings that can be collapsed to prevent the arrival of further reinforcements or to funnel the enemy into a single bottleneck. It appears that the enemy has mostly been attacking from the north and that the city's cannons have been holding the enemy at bay, for now. "Our scouts once reported numbers between two hundred and a thousand, but my informants say it is the latter. We can expect at least a thousand enemy combatants." He starts. It could be rude for an advisor to speak before the lord of the house can, but not only was Balthazar himself was a lord, he was also the Prince's aide. His word was to be respected and taken under heavy consideration. "Eight hundred Goblins, two hundred Orcs, and perhaps an Ogre or two, lead by Waruk Shieldbreaker, an Orc Warlord of little renown." "In addition, they've been using the underground cave systems to travel. There appear to be several prime locations for us to cut off their supply lines, but we'll need more time before we act upon that." The spymaster looked up at Duke Karstilli, an eyebrow raised. "Can you corroborate this information? I must know if my accounts are still accurate." Of course, in spite of how well-informed Balthazar can be, Duke Karstilli was indeed the lord of the house. They would have to follow his lead and not the other way around, even if the Prince was here. Still, the warlock knew that the Duke was a man of reason, and was not a man with a hot temper. If the spymaster recalled correctly, the Duke was a man of honor who appreciated it when things were simple. A man of the people. Balthazar waited politely for the Duke to answer both the Prince's questions as well as his own.</s>	<\|message\|>Rudolph Kestrell "Yes we do have a lot to go over. Please give me a run down of what you know? Do we know how many we are up against? What are our defenses at the moment? Is there any weak points in the city we need to know about? How long will your supplies last?" Leonidas began as soon as they entered the office. "As for Siegfried, yes he and his forces will hopefully arrive in two days. Have you received anything from the dwarves, will they be able to help us?" he continued. Then Balthazar spoke up soon after, "Our scouts once reported numbers between two hundred and a thousand, but my informants say it is the latter. We can expect at least a thousand enemy combatants." Balthazar reviewed his notes from the report before he continued, "Eight hundred Goblins, two hundred Orcs, and perhaps an Ogre or two, lead by Waruk Shieldbreaker, an Orc Warlord of little renown. In addition, they've been using the underground cave systems to travel. There appear to be several prime locations for us to cut off their supply lines, but we'll need more time before we act upon that." Balthazar looked up at the Duke from his report as he continue, "Can you corroborate this information? I must know if my accounts are still accurate." The Duke held up a hand before saying his piece, "Well Sir Balthazar, you certainly are well informed, as our reports say similar, though yours holds more detail.", he leaned on the desk to observe the map that Balthazar provided before looking up at the Prince. "And to answer your questions my Prince, the main areas to keep a watchful eye on, are the sewer drains. As they extend beyond the city walls." The Duke stood up and crossed his arms. "As for our defences, we have roughly four hundred of our infantry, and there is also the four cannons we recieved from the dwarves. They should be fine for use for now, but we did not have much in terms of ammunition to begin with." The Duke took a deep breath before he continued, his old weary body tiring already, "We would be better prepared, but unfortunately, these last few months have taken a toll. We have troops stationed at a couple of our watch forts further outward, and we think two may have fallen due to the orcs." he said stroking his bearded chin in thought. "We have indeed tried to contact the dwarves via carrier pigeon, but we have yet to recieve a reply. It is possible they themselves could be under threat of attack." The Duke paused for a moment. "Do you have any further information regarding this orc warlord you mentioned?" he asked Balthazar with curiosity. --------- As soon as the bell rang, Rudolph made his way up to the walls, to offer what help he could. Some rifle fire could be heard, but the majority of missles were from the bows. A few of the goblins in the assault were immediately killed from the first volley, but they were better prepared this time, as most of the arrows that hit, were blocked by their shields. However, the few shots from the rifles amongst them, blew through them with relative ease. "Keep knocking the bastards down!" yelled Captain Fenne as he walked along the wall observing the attack. Rudolph managed to get to the top of the wall just in time for the third volley. The goblins got to a certain point before stopping. "Bring the cannons 'round!" ordered the captain giving a signal with his hand. A soldier from amongst the ranged units shouted "Incoming!" as two large boulders were coming their way. "Take cover. Take cover!" ordered the captain before he hid himself behind one of the merlons. Rudolph himself hid behind one as soon as he saw the incoming projectiles. With a loud crash, one of the shots hit the side of the wall, causing a minor tremor. The other made a direct hit, killing some of the troop that took shelter. Rudolph was partially dazed by the impact, but thankfully was not in the impact zone itself. He then quickly gathered himself, "Are you alright Captain!?" he loudly asked as he staggered slightly across the broken wall using his halberd to keep him steady. There were some soldiers missing, possibly they were knocked off the wall back into the city. Others lay upon the path broken and bloodied. "Keep firing! Don't give 'em a breather!" yelled Rudolph as he went to investigate the whereabouts of the captain. He quickly found the man, buried under a mound of rubble. He then removed some of it to check if the man still lived. Captain Fenne seemed mostly dusted by the debris, despite clear minor wounds. Rudolph looked closer and noticed that the back of the mans head had been caved in. Rudolph looked down with eyes closed. Damn them!. Rudolph stood up and observed his surroundings. The ranged units were still doing their part, and trying their best at keeping the greenskins at bay. The cannoneers were still making their way over as the goblins renewed their assault against the walls. "Alright then." Rudolph said to himself. "Cannons! Get a move on!" he ordered, and they began hurrying more so with the help from other soldiers currently unoccupied with the defences. Here we go. he exhaled readying himself for the fight ahead.</s>
<\|description\|>Rudolph Kestrell Race: Human Gender: Male Age: 35 Appearance: (-5'6, 164ibs, White rinkled skin, Stocky build, Short black hair, Hazelnut eyes.) Bio: Rudolph Kestrell grew up in a modest home as an only child, in his homeland of the Grand Duchy of Bergkoff. His upbringing was nothing special, and hoping for something more out of his life, he joined the Bergkoff Guard, its military. Rudolph would meet a fellow soldier named Hectar Fullar, the two men would get on very well. After a few years service, they both aspired to be an officer, soon enough a friendly rivalry would occur, both competing for duties that would offer them a good rep. Rudolph and Hectar would be soon assigned to different regiments. The two not meeting again for sometime. Rudolph would be tasked later on by the Duke of Bergkoff to head to the Empire to help train its new recruits as a sign of good faith. (Grand Duchy of Bergkoff: This country was once a part of the Kingdom of Karsburg, but after a devastating invasion at the hands of a Drow warlord, the country collapsed, bringing the majority of its royal family down with it. The survivors of the aftermath however, eventually took refuge within the last standing city of Bergkoff, a prosperous merchant city. And soon enough, it became its own independent city state, hoping to one day regain what was lost. The dwarves of the neighbouring mountain side had developed good relations with the kingdom, and maintains it with the Duchy. Bergkoff helps them sell their wares whilst the dwarves provides their technological knowledge and skills.) Personality quirks: Traits: Not much disturbs him, and he'll face any adversary with equal measure. Ideals: "I'll serve my country, as is my duty and honour. I respect those who prove they have potential." Bonds: - Sergeant Fullar, a fellow soldier from his homeland, and an old rival and friend. They had joined the military and rose through the ranks side by side. - Captain Murz, Rudolphs captain whom he served under on several fronts. Both men had earned eachothers respect. During a time when Rudolph was on leave, Murz had disappeared along with his battalion during a routine patrol through the Theost forest. Flaws: Tends to zone out when he is talked at. Is often found bored when not fighting or travelling. Is often presumed to be grumpy. Fighting Style: He mainly uses a Halberd as his prefered weapon of choice, and as such, has a decent amount of skill using it. He's reasonably efficent with other weapons too due to his length in service and training. Equipment: Weapons- Halberd, Short Sword & Small Shield. A basic flintlock pistol with 12 shots. Armour- Breastplate, Padded vest and Leather vambraces & greaves. Other- A knapsack containing: Water canteen, basic rations, his personal journal, and a thick cloak. A gunpowder horn and 12 iron shots in a pouch. Skills/Abilities: - Experienced officer: Rudolph has experience in leading men into combat. He has a decent amount of strategic knowledge. - Polearm proficiency: As halberds are his go to weapons, other weapons of a similar nature are easy to use for him. - Explosives: He has some knowledge of how to create bombs and the like, as is part of his military training. - Basic tinkering: Due to a lack of magic in Bergkoff, and the occasional influence by the Dwarves, working on devices and machines that would be seen as uncommon or outright rare elsewhere is commonplace in Bergkoff. As such, Rudolph himself has had a hand in some tinkering alongside the training he recived in the military. -=Rules=- 1. Listen to the GM(s), If you have a complaint tell me. I am not an evil dictator and if I am wrong I will admit it. 2. Romance and Gore allowed, But keep it in good taste and in site rules 3. Now not all characters will play nice with each other I understand that, but keep the disputes in the RP not in OOC 4. Be civilized and polite please 5. All basic RP rules apply to this roleplay: Power playing, Meta gaming, and others are not allowed. 6. The story isn't exactly set, if you have an idea for a mission feel free to pm me the details and I'll try to work it in. 7. Copy the rules into a Hider in the "other" of your cs so I know you read them. 8. Get into your character's skin become him or her as you are playing have fun and give us insight into their thoughts. 9. Try to keep active, in both the IC and OOC pages please. And even if you don't have anything to say, at least read the OOC</s> <\|message\|>Manald Halung By the time the bell rang, Manald had found himself on the wall somewhere in the eastern part of the city. He couldn't tell exactly where himself for the lack of detailed knowledge of the whole place, but it didn't matter anyway. The bell's reverberating sound was loud enough to easily track it back to its origin. Running through the city itself would probably have been less of a long way, but only so at the risk of getting lost and needing even more time. Therefore Manald relocated himself to the west gate by running along the top of the wall in the south. Upon his arrival he wished for having gone through the city and gotten lost there... The lycan was unfamiliar with this dwarven invention of 'cannons'. The ongoing preparations to fire one of them were not as obvious to him as they were to many others, so he didn't care much when running past one of the crews manning them. He could hear the men beefing about him as he ran past them as one of his elbows accidentally touched one of them in the overall turmoil that was going on. Then, a moment later, there was a bang that felt next to unbelievable for him. The last bit of information he could get from his ears was that it came from behind his back. Then there was only disturbance and ringing, no further voices or other meaningful sounds to be heard. Had his hypersensitive ears just died ? Not even noticing himself anymore that he was hissing in the process, Manald turned around and looked back at the men with their cannon. A plume of smoke invaded his nostrils, too, but the slight itch it caused was nothing compared to what had happened to his hearing. He saw the soldiers returning the stare, a few of them grinning nonchalantly. The expression quickly faded from their faces once they saw Manald's threatening teeth. He was not amused! One the plus side he would not have worry much about more cannon shots, but he could no longer receive any orders or hints anymore as well. That was unless someone would dare to wield a big shield with letters on it, of course. Luckily though a quick look down the wall still told him the story about the goblins doing something at the gate's threshold. It could only be a bad thing for the smell of explosive powder and the sight of fire reached him once more. But what should he do ? Jump down the wall ? The gate wouldn't hold for long anymore this way. Manald quickly discarded the thought. Instead he retreated into the gatehouse, taking his second set of leather armor with him. At first there was nothing, but then a muffled scream could be heard by everyone closeby. It wasn't like the war shout Manald had delivered earlier, but sounded much more like the very mundane attempt to stifle intense agony with crying. It was followed by several others, albeit much smaller outbursts until there was silence again in the gatehouse. The bottom-level door on the city side of it was tossed open and clashed against the wall quite hard. Manald had no intention of damaging any of the lord's properties on purpose, but the sheer inadequacy of the exit's size almost left him no other choice. And of course he currently was flat-out unable to hear anything almost breaking. Ducking greatly and walking halfway sideways just in order to get his shoulders through somehow, the lycanthrope emerged on the street behind the gate fully shifted and clad in his much bigger armor. Manald had borrowed a two-handed sword from a rack in the gatehouse, but his confidence in the weapon's durability was as low as was his confidence in his own ability to wield it like a real swordsman. Anyway, he'd try his best to give those goblins a warm welcome should they breach the gate in any case. If they wouldn't at all... well then he wouldn't be able to pull this off a second time this day or so, but maybe he could make himself useful in other ways then.</s> <\|message\|>Faira Blodwen The cannon had arrived, and Faira ordered the crew to aim for the catapults, but it was a difficult job, as they were launching from behind the rocks at the foot of the hill. A good tactic, to be sure; the defenses on the wall didn't even know for sure how many there were. Faira stood at the wall, boldly looking out as boulders were launched, and the goblins' crude arrows flew past. She was in a good position to see when the martyr goblins with their explosive payload made their frantic run for the gate. What? Gunpowder? The implications of this tried to chase themselves around her head, but she locked them down and roared, "Off the gate! Explosive incoming!" Even as she yelled, she moved. Charging northward, toward where a staircase allowed forces on and off the wall, she grabbed Acrius about the middle, and lifted him bodily as she ran. Her other hand grabbed Rudolph by the arm and pulled him along. Him she let go of as soon as they were moving, but she was still carrying Acrius like a sack of flower, her muscles bulging as the Blood Heat coursed through her, when she jumped over the wall on the city side. She was close enough here that she landed on the stairs after a ten foot drop, her knees bending to absorb the impact. She charged down the stairs, but again jumped from them to the ground when she thought she was close enough. Manald could be seen before the gate, getting ready, clearly having seen the imminent danger. Finally, Faira dropped her comrade and made her way to join the transformed beastman. She drew her sword as she walked, deftly undoing the scabbard from her belt and letting it drop to the ground. "Come, guard of Bergkoff," she called, "Show me how you welcome goblins." She stood firm next to Manald as the gate exploded inward. @Inertia@Borosev</s>	<\|message\|>Rudolph Kestrell "I don't have too much information about him-- he seemed to be perfectly content with lording over the smaller Orc and Goblin tribes, as well as raiding the occasional caravan." said Balthazar evidently in thought. "It makes me wonder why he had such a sudden desire to besiege Bergkoff." he continued. "I see. Perhaps the beast is simply overconfident, due to its alleged triumphs." replied the Duke, becoming more curious about the Orc. Leonidas spoke up next, "We are going to need to reposition one cannon to the east gate, and one to the west. We don't know when they will attack the flanks and we can't show a weakness on our sides. If we show these beasts any chink in our armor, they will jump at it without a doubt." He said observing the map. "The goblin numbers won't be an issue if we can keep them outside those walls. If they get in though, they could be a major problem. As for the Orcs, how many of them came out to fight this morning? Were we able to dwindle those numbers at all?" "It is hard to say my Prince. As we have only the estimates provided by my and Sir Balthazars contacts. All we can do is hope these estimates are true to their strength." replied the Duke. "My fear is the longer this battle lasts the more word of this fortress' strength will spread and draw in more Orcs looking for a challenge. So any thought on how we could try to end this battle quickly?" continued the Prince. "I believe cutting off the head of the snake to be a viable option if it can be done. Alternatively, we could try to collapse the entrances to the tunnels that they are using to move around the region." said Balthazar as he explained his idea upon the map. "I suspect that it will be no easy task, but if we can do it, it would only be a matter of breaking down the remaining forces. An army without supply lines or reinforcements is certain to crumble, given time." The Duke nodded in agreement,"A good idea. But perhaps, we should start on the tunnels first. That way, it may draw their leader out into the open, hopefully providing us a better chance at removing it." said the Duke as he observed the idea presented by Balthazar. ‐------ Rudolph continued to guide the troops still atop the walls, occasionally helping some of them as they removed the dead and wounded from it. He then turned in time to see the large woman approach his position. "I just came from the cannons, the crew shouldn't be far behind me." said Faira as she viewed the situation. "If the cannon can break that catapult, we may not even need to leave the wall." "You're not wrong there." Rudolph replied simply. He then saw that the goblins had renewed their assault, bolstered with some archers of their own. He carefully observed their activity, Something doesn't feel right. he thought to himself unclear on what it was that made him anxious about the situation. Soon enough, a familiar voice snapped him out of it, "Hey Rudolph!" it was Acrius, "Do you think fire arrows would work? Gotta try something, those cannons are taking their damned sweet time. I have half a mind to jump down there and burn them myself!" Rudolph rolled his eyes at the thought and then replied, "Do what you like, as long as it involves killing the green bastards." he snapped back. He took a glance at the city behind him to see what was happening. It appeared that the majority of the civilians were within the keep now, so at least that was one less worry. He caught a glimpse of a familiar figure staggering around some troops, it was the rotund form of Captain Haart. Good to see the fool is actually doing something other than being in the bloody tavern he thought scoffing at the thought of him. When Rudolph turned his focus back to the fight at hand, he noticed the woman, Zatana had joined them, and was firing out a few arrows of her own. He also noticed further down that the lizardman had been throwing wooden beams like javelins, "Whatever." Rudolph said to himself as he sighed and turned away from the activity. "Off the gate! Explosives incoming! alerted Faira. Rudolph immediately ordered several archers and riflemen to reposition to the gate. He picked up a dropped rifle and took up a position himself. All he could see were the usual goblin warriors. He squinted trying to see what the woman was talking about, and then he noticed some of which were carrying sparking objects, Could they really be..? Rudolph pondered for a moment. "You lot! Focus your shots on the greenksins with the bombs!" he ordered soon after. How in the gods names did they get a hold of explosives!? he thought trying to wrap his mind around it. A good few shots were sent out by the troop, but many of which seemed to either hit the shields of the goblins trying to protect the runners, or just miss altogether. At least two of the runners were brought down, one of the bombs went off killing a small score of the greenskins closer to it. The other hit the ground and the wick snuffed out by the mud underfoot.</s>
<\|description\|>Rudolph Kestrell Race: Human Gender: Male Age: 35 Appearance: (-5'6, 164ibs, White rinkled skin, Stocky build, Short black hair, Hazelnut eyes.) Bio: Rudolph Kestrell grew up in a modest home as an only child, in his homeland of the Grand Duchy of Bergkoff. His upbringing was nothing special, and hoping for something more out of his life, he joined the Bergkoff Guard, its military. Rudolph would meet a fellow soldier named Hectar Fullar, the two men would get on very well. After a few years service, they both aspired to be an officer, soon enough a friendly rivalry would occur, both competing for duties that would offer them a good rep. Rudolph and Hectar would be soon assigned to different regiments. The two not meeting again for sometime. Rudolph would be tasked later on by the Duke of Bergkoff to head to the Empire to help train its new recruits as a sign of good faith. (Grand Duchy of Bergkoff: This country was once a part of the Kingdom of Karsburg, but after a devastating invasion at the hands of a Drow warlord, the country collapsed, bringing the majority of its royal family down with it. The survivors of the aftermath however, eventually took refuge within the last standing city of Bergkoff, a prosperous merchant city. And soon enough, it became its own independent city state, hoping to one day regain what was lost. The dwarves of the neighbouring mountain side had developed good relations with the kingdom, and maintains it with the Duchy. Bergkoff helps them sell their wares whilst the dwarves provides their technological knowledge and skills.) Personality quirks: Traits: Not much disturbs him, and he'll face any adversary with equal measure. Ideals: "I'll serve my country, as is my duty and honour. I respect those who prove they have potential." Bonds: - Sergeant Fullar, a fellow soldier from his homeland, and an old rival and friend. They had joined the military and rose through the ranks side by side. - Captain Murz, Rudolphs captain whom he served under on several fronts. Both men had earned eachothers respect. During a time when Rudolph was on leave, Murz had disappeared along with his battalion during a routine patrol through the Theost forest. Flaws: Tends to zone out when he is talked at. Is often found bored when not fighting or travelling. Is often presumed to be grumpy. Fighting Style: He mainly uses a Halberd as his prefered weapon of choice, and as such, has a decent amount of skill using it. He's reasonably efficent with other weapons too due to his length in service and training. Equipment: Weapons- Halberd, Short Sword & Small Shield. A basic flintlock pistol with 12 shots. Armour- Breastplate, Padded vest and Leather vambraces & greaves. Other- A knapsack containing: Water canteen, basic rations, his personal journal, and a thick cloak. A gunpowder horn and 12 iron shots in a pouch. Skills/Abilities: - Experienced officer: Rudolph has experience in leading men into combat. He has a decent amount of strategic knowledge. - Polearm proficiency: As halberds are his go to weapons, other weapons of a similar nature are easy to use for him. - Explosives: He has some knowledge of how to create bombs and the like, as is part of his military training. - Basic tinkering: Due to a lack of magic in Bergkoff, and the occasional influence by the Dwarves, working on devices and machines that would be seen as uncommon or outright rare elsewhere is commonplace in Bergkoff. As such, Rudolph himself has had a hand in some tinkering alongside the training he recived in the military. -=Rules=- 1. Listen to the GM(s), If you have a complaint tell me. I am not an evil dictator and if I am wrong I will admit it. 2. Romance and Gore allowed, But keep it in good taste and in site rules 3. Now not all characters will play nice with each other I understand that, but keep the disputes in the RP not in OOC 4. Be civilized and polite please 5. All basic RP rules apply to this roleplay: Power playing, Meta gaming, and others are not allowed. 6. The story isn't exactly set, if you have an idea for a mission feel free to pm me the details and I'll try to work it in. 7. Copy the rules into a Hider in the "other" of your cs so I know you read them. 8. Get into your character's skin become him or her as you are playing have fun and give us insight into their thoughts. 9. Try to keep active, in both the IC and OOC pages please. And even if you don't have anything to say, at least read the OOC</s> <\|message\|>Merik Roak Merik Roak --- The enemy was in full retreat their chief dropped some foul liquid and ran in the chaos. Merik was quick to close his nostrils but kept going in his primal state. Few goblins escaped him his rage still burning and his teeth still chomping black blood dripped from his jaws and covered the front of his armor. Finally the beast could breath as the cloud dissipated. His deep breaths helped to calm him down as the few stragglers were either killed or ran off back to the forest. Slowly the large lizard sat down on the stone wall his head easily able to see over it. The soldiers cheered and the goblins disappeared. Triumph slowly turned to exhaustion and dreary quiet. The humans now had their dead to take care of even Merik still had a couple jobs to do. Slowly he stood and stretched, the injured were being cared for or taken away and the able began to pick up bodies and debris. The goblin bodies were unceremoniously thrown off the wall while the humans were lined up along the sides of the streets. Merik knew that the humans took special care of their dead and he knew to be respectful of it. Even if to him what was dead was dead and the spirit was gone leaving just meat and personal effects. The Lizard folk retrieved his sword from the wall making his way down towards where one of the large stones had landed nearby. The area it hit was damaged but he was able to roll the stone up to the gate and leave it against it. He only did this with one more stone as a way to help brace the door. Either out of fear, exhaustion, or respect he no longer heard the men whisper about him they simply made way for him. It was an effect he had seen happen to many other humans who doubted him then fought alongside him. Action and honor spoke volumes more than some royal sigil ever could, as Acrius would say, seeing is believing. Merik still didn't quite understand what was meant by it but was able to grasp the basics. He lingered for a little while longer at the gate to assist with moving fallen debris or move the wounded. Only calling out to his friend after most of the dust had settled and the sounds of distant fighting turned to silence. "Ruduf, Merik go check rest of wall. Merik see you again later." With a wave the Lizard trotted off down the wall looking for any trouble along the way. He might have been tired, sore, and he was sure that at least some of this blood was his but he kept going. with a full belly he showed off his immense stamina and desire to continue the fight. As he jogged off toward the south end of the town.</s> <\|message\|>Drana Turash Drana smiled the entire fight. She was a cleric that constantly met the battlefield with an open mind. While she was not happy for the death that surrounded her, it was an involuntary action that had been picked up among the fields of dead that were often trying to kill the living. She did not realise that she was smiling. The only escalation she had seen was Manald's savagery upon tangling himself with a troll. She made a note to find him later and make sure that he was not hurt. Drana felt eyes fall on her as Acrius introduced her to the prince. 'So this is the man I have heard so much about.' Drana's demeanor was unchanged by her fatigue. Blood covered her clothing in a red and black mess that sullied her holy garments and fair skin. Her staff remained pristine, absent of any sign it had been on the battlefield. "Prince Leonidas," Drana did not bow, but she instead inclined her head slightly. "It is an honor to meet you on the field of battle as an ally." The drain on her stamina was catching up with her, and she wanted to inform the prince of who she was and where she came from faded quickly. Hunger gnawed at her belly and sleep called her by name. Drana felt the subtle pull of her domain's magic as her two knights, Gordon and Stephan, wished to return to the world she was in. Drana straightened herself in front of Leonidas. "I have fought with Acrius beneath the city and here on its walls. I am the Sacred Order's Cleric of the Dead." She used a full title, unsure if the prince knew the weight that it carried. In truth, Drana did not understand the weight it carried herself. "Forgive me, but I must find my knights. I will meet you for a proper introduction in the war room after I-" She hesitated, briefly forgetting that most people assumed her clerical art to be necromancy. With quick thinking, she feigned being tired. Her smile softened with embarrassment and she laughed awkwardly. "I need a nap after this." She said with her usual informal candor. She needed to find a quiet place to bring her knights back from the aether. With a second dip of her head Drana turned and started for the path down the wall. She needed to 'find' Gordon and Stephan before she returned to the war room. She needed their help to explain why she was here, as well as who she really is. Though more than that, she feared for her own skin without their protection. She was too tired to realize just what she had done.</s> <\|message\|>Leonidas Lionheart Leonidas stayed on the battlements directing the men until the goblin forces were out of range. It was only after their retreat that Leonidas would let himself rest a little. He took a little time to check his wound from earlier making sure he didn't end up opening it again since his bit of patch up healing. "I should of really payed more attention when they were teaching us those healing magics instead of just how to use magic to hurt others more..." he thought to himself as Acrius came up to him with a woman whom Leonidas had never seen before. Although she was introduced as a Cleric she moved with an air of nobility which in itself was a bit of an oddity many born into a noble house wouldn't adopt the practices of a Cleric willingly. Even the way she greeted the prince was reminiscent of the way many nobles had in the past so he assumed she must have some noble blood and greeted her in kind, "The Honor was mine Lady Drana, due to your help our young Acrius was able to quickly fell that troll." He said to her with a grin complimenting her help, although he knew full well Acrius could of used his own magic to light the arrow he wasn't going to bring it up now especially seeing the shape she was in currently. After mentioning her knights that were lost in the sewers Leonidas gave his dismissal letting the cleric go on her way and even offered Acrius as a guard to her until she found her knights if she wanted or needed. After that Leonidas would return to the war room with Zatana following behind. "I don't know if I'm ready for the chew out from Balthazar about getting injured, even if it is just a little scratch... You want to talk to him first?" He said to Zatana in a joking matter as they walked back to the Keep. As the day went on there were more waves of attacks, nothing nearly on the scale of the morning's attack and after giving the members of the Royal guard an adequate amount to rest they were cycled to the points of battle to help keep the balance in the defender's favor. All in all by the end of the day men were tired and worn out moral was good because of the victories but wavering as it seemed these orc and goblins had unending numbers. The fear and unease was what plagued Leonidas and Balthazar the most so the two decided to work out a deal with the Duke. It wasn't long until what was normally the trade square was abuzz with life, Leonidas and Balthazar were able to convince the Duke to roll out the fine wine and ale he had been storing in the keep and open it up as a means to thank and celebrate with the men. The commotion had also brought out some of the food merchants and even common folk and amidst this siege there was a celebration within the city. Leonidas sat at a table among the guards with an ale in his hand. Although he wasn't in his full battle regalia he still wore a light suit of armor as "you could never be to careful" or so Balthazar had told him while Leonidas' arm was being patched up. But he drank with his men on this night not above them as their prince but with them as a warrior. The square itself had been quickly decorated and aside from the impromptu bar that had been set up multiple food stands had also made their way around the square providing food and drink to any who wanted to partake. Naysein had found herself a few competent musicians and was using her talents to provide song for the party singing tales of heroism and bravery lightening the mood.</s>	<\|message\|>Rudolph Kestrell Following the clean upon the walls, Rudolph would soon enough help out with the moving of the dead, dying and wounded, despite being relieved of his position on the wall to go and get rest. He noticed the big lizardman leave the battlements, and gave a simple wave and nod toward him. A couple of hours pass before Rudolph accepts his fatigue, and gives in. Along the way to the barracks, he bumped into Fullar, who apparently had been wounded during the siege. "Hey Rudolph." the man nodded somewhat disgruntled. "They finally got you eh?" Rudolph replied, somewhat teasing. "A bit of armour would of helped ya." he followed smirking. "You know I fight better without it." Fullar scoffed. Rudolph chuckled and gave the man a pat on the back, "Just be careful you silly bastard." he finished before turning to continue onward. Fullar simply waved him off as he did. Rudolph managed to get some rest, but decided he'd join the festivities, he could do with a break. The event itself, albeit last minute and cobbled together, was actually fun. A rare side of Rudolph came out at occasions like this, where instead of his usual grumpy exterior, he is now open and welcoming. Some of the soldiers that knew of him and his reputation were taken aback by his sudden change of persona. He spent much of the time sharing stories and jovial banter. Though Rudolph had finally relaxed, he was partly still on edge. He occasionally looked around him and watched as people went about their business. He was expecting there to be some sort of orc surprise attack, or something else entirely that he had to watch out for.</s>
<\|description\|>Rudolph Kestrell Race: Human Gender: Male Age: 35 Appearance: (-5'6, 164ibs, White rinkled skin, Stocky build, Short black hair, Hazelnut eyes.) Bio: Rudolph Kestrell grew up in a modest home as an only child, in his homeland of the Grand Duchy of Bergkoff. His upbringing was nothing special, and hoping for something more out of his life, he joined the Bergkoff Guard, its military. Rudolph would meet a fellow soldier named Hectar Fullar, the two men would get on very well. After a few years service, they both aspired to be an officer, soon enough a friendly rivalry would occur, both competing for duties that would offer them a good rep. Rudolph and Hectar would be soon assigned to different regiments. The two not meeting again for sometime. Rudolph would be tasked later on by the Duke of Bergkoff to head to the Empire to help train its new recruits as a sign of good faith. (Grand Duchy of Bergkoff: This country was once a part of the Kingdom of Karsburg, but after a devastating invasion at the hands of a Drow warlord, the country collapsed, bringing the majority of its royal family down with it. The survivors of the aftermath however, eventually took refuge within the last standing city of Bergkoff, a prosperous merchant city. And soon enough, it became its own independent city state, hoping to one day regain what was lost. The dwarves of the neighbouring mountain side had developed good relations with the kingdom, and maintains it with the Duchy. Bergkoff helps them sell their wares whilst the dwarves provides their technological knowledge and skills.) Personality quirks: Traits: Not much disturbs him, and he'll face any adversary with equal measure. Ideals: "I'll serve my country, as is my duty and honour. I respect those who prove they have potential." Bonds: - Sergeant Fullar, a fellow soldier from his homeland, and an old rival and friend. They had joined the military and rose through the ranks side by side. - Captain Murz, Rudolphs captain whom he served under on several fronts. Both men had earned eachothers respect. During a time when Rudolph was on leave, Murz had disappeared along with his battalion during a routine patrol through the Theost forest. Flaws: Tends to zone out when he is talked at. Is often found bored when not fighting or travelling. Is often presumed to be grumpy. Fighting Style: He mainly uses a Halberd as his prefered weapon of choice, and as such, has a decent amount of skill using it. He's reasonably efficent with other weapons too due to his length in service and training. Equipment: Weapons- Halberd, Short Sword & Small Shield. A basic flintlock pistol with 12 shots. Armour- Breastplate, Padded vest and Leather vambraces & greaves. Other- A knapsack containing: Water canteen, basic rations, his personal journal, and a thick cloak. A gunpowder horn and 12 iron shots in a pouch. Skills/Abilities: - Experienced officer: Rudolph has experience in leading men into combat. He has a decent amount of strategic knowledge. - Polearm proficiency: As halberds are his go to weapons, other weapons of a similar nature are easy to use for him. - Explosives: He has some knowledge of how to create bombs and the like, as is part of his military training. - Basic tinkering: Due to a lack of magic in Bergkoff, and the occasional influence by the Dwarves, working on devices and machines that would be seen as uncommon or outright rare elsewhere is commonplace in Bergkoff. As such, Rudolph himself has had a hand in some tinkering alongside the training he recived in the military. -=Rules=- 1. Listen to the GM(s), If you have a complaint tell me. I am not an evil dictator and if I am wrong I will admit it. 2. Romance and Gore allowed, But keep it in good taste and in site rules 3. Now not all characters will play nice with each other I understand that, but keep the disputes in the RP not in OOC 4. Be civilized and polite please 5. All basic RP rules apply to this roleplay: Power playing, Meta gaming, and others are not allowed. 6. The story isn't exactly set, if you have an idea for a mission feel free to pm me the details and I'll try to work it in. 7. Copy the rules into a Hider in the "other" of your cs so I know you read them. 8. Get into your character's skin become him or her as you are playing have fun and give us insight into their thoughts. 9. Try to keep active, in both the IC and OOC pages please. And even if you don't have anything to say, at least read the OOC</s> <\|message\|>Zatana Aleana Zatana had been dozing, one ankle resting on her other knee. Her cowled face leaned back against the wall, before her eyes opened at the noise of feet moving across the stone. Wary about why someone might be coming to the war room, Zatana pulled herself towards wakefulness. It was not easy, the dark elf needed her rest after the battle and her little stunt. So upon seeing that it was Merik, Zatana wanted to sigh in relief. The lizard did not seem to have sought her out with news as he seemed rather more interested in where Balthazar had gone. "He went to his rooms." Which she would need to find and search at some point, but not now. For all she wanted to excel, Zatana was all too mortal. Her needs were just like any other, despite what the citizens of Bergkoff might think. They most likely had all sorts of fanciful tales about her kind. Rolling her shoulders to keep them from stiffening up, Zatana was about to uncross her legs when she saw the loaf of sweet bread Merik had placed there. The offering shocked the dark elf, though she thought herself a fool. Merik was a simple creature and did not seem to possess the innate distrust that certain others had towards her. An unwise thing, but she could not find it in herself to dismiss the bread and thus spurn the lizard. Her fingers moved and picked apart the loaf, eating it greedily. She had eaten here and there, but a full proper meal was not something she wanted at the moment. In battle, a full stomach could lead to complications. On watch, she had seen soldiers content and lazy. Hunger was a fine sharping stone to the attentiveness of those who needed it and Zatana was officially not on watch. Her surprise was soon turned to stunned disbelief as Merik nuzzled her head. Mussing the locks of pale hair, her hand fluttering up to fix the slight vanity she had after the lizard was done making a fool of them both. Watching him circle the chair, she frowned in disapproval. "You do realize I may have to get up in a hurry? You are altogether entirely too friendly for your own good, lizard." Her voice was stern, an attempt at being disapproving. Yet there was a softness to the clipped delivery and gratitude in the words. "I do appreciate the food." Absently, she wondered if he had drugged it. She looked over a piece of bread in her hand and then ate it. Merik, Zatana thought, had no reason to drug her or try to poison her. Plus, the lizard was in an incredibly odd mood. One she would ride out and use. The dark elf considered the lizard man. Her training would have had her use this time to attempt to pull Merik closer to her in his loyalties. Zatana was sorely tempted to heed her natural state as a spy and do her duty. Yet, where would that duty be if she was too tired to act in a situation where she was needed tomorrow? Merik was a simple being and a useful one. If she moved too quickly it was likely that Balthazar would notice and the old wizard would take issue with it. That wizard was nothing short of trouble and as much as Zatana wanted to, getting rid of the man would be next to impossible. Worse? She had the suspicion that if she did get rid of Balthazar she would get a reaming about her grandfather losing a potentially interesting opponent when- if she returned to the Dread Coast. That was the problem when old men liked to play games where their kind was rare.</s> <\|message\|>Drana Turash Drana made a quick exit as she felt the magic swirling in her chest. She was lucky that her knights had been caught in the collapse of the explosion as there was no doubt Acrius would have seen the knights form beneath their armor. "Lady death, let this day hold no more surprises." She said to herself as she made her way to the streets behind the walls. She had no doubts that the old man she had met was not going to overlook her sudden appearance, though that could wait for a time when she was awake. Leonidas had offered her the assistance of Acrius, but the boy had left with other thoughts on his mind. Drana could not blame the lad, and in truth was thankful he had not followed her. 'Maybe I should tell Acrius first, if I do not tell someone the secret will spill itself like it always does.' She thought wearily. Drana found a quiet spot in an alleyway further into the city. Here she took her staff and scratched a small symbol into the mud that covered the cobble. Calling on the spirits that served her, she began to speak the draconic words of power needed to call them forth. "Confn ekess ve, schakri katimai di marfedelom. Wux tepoha ti chiilipena dout geth. Wer tairais ihk ssifisv tepohaic zulf udoka vur jaka wux zklaen lleisgar tenamalo." The two knights rose out of the thin mud as though it held a depth far beneath the street. As they climbed out, the skeletons were bare and without weapons or armor. As they stood before her, the rune in the ground glowed and their armor and weapons faded into existence around them much like an apparition on a dark night. "My lady, you are exhausted. You must return to the war room and request shelter as soon as possible." Gordon spoke as though he had not left her side. Drana laughed quietly at her knight's concern, having missed it upon the battlements. Stephan remained silent as he usually did, offering nothing more than a hollow stare as he made sure his armor was fastened properly to his form. "Sir Gordon, I-" Drana did not finish as the magic had pulled the last of her power. Luckily, Her two knights were capable of taking care of her. Drana arrived at the war room near the evening with the two knights. The guards at the gates had stopped them, but moved to let them pass as Gordon explained their situation. The guards gave them instructions to the war room. Stephan held her bridal style as she slept in his arms. Her hand remained fastened around her staff despite her unconscious state.. The two men were dressed in full plate, and without magic were easily heard approaching the war room's open door. Gordon was met with the sight of Zatana and Merik. They stopped at the door, though Gordon's deep voice soon filled the room. "Good evening, might you know where I can find a bed for Lady Turash?" The two knights stopped side by side. Drana was easily seen in Stephan's arms, covered in grime and goblin blood. The two knights did not have any grime on them aside from where they had assisted Drana. "I do hope we are not interrupting anything."</s>	<\|message\|>Rudolph Kestrell Nightfall had come, and the festivities were in full swing. The Duke watched above from his bedroom window as the people enjoyed themselves, he then looked out beyond the walls, and into the darkness where the enemy rested. The Duke's mind was elsewhere however, lost in memories of happier times, back when his wife, the Duchess Livana still lived. He sighed as he took a step back and closed his window. Shortly there was a knock on his door, and the Duke answered. The visitor was a short and uninteresting looking man, dressed in the same manner as the rest of the servants and serfs that worked within the castle, "Ah Morgan, what news do you bring?" he asked the man. "I apologise for the lateness your grace, but I have recieved word of curious individuals, garbed in robes. I do not know of their intentions, but one of my eyes & ears caught wind of a few words spoken by them, it is assumed they may be allies with the orks." Morgan spoke as he handed the report to the Duke. "I see." said the Duke as he took in this information, "This is most disturbing indeed. For now however, keep a close eye on these individuals, and inform me as soon as they move. Oh and please do deliver this information to Lord Balthazar, if he himself has not already gathered this information." he finished. Morgan bowed in understanding "Of course your grace, I will do as you wish." and the man hastily left with purpose. The Duke then closed the door and sat on his bed. He let out a tired sigh, "My dear Livana, how I wish for your guidence once more. You always knew how to handle these unsavoury situations." he said before readying himself to retire for the night. ------- Some time before the end of the event, Rudolph accepted that he'd had enough to drink and it was time to call it a night. With a bid goodnight to his comrades, he made his way back to the barracks. Fullar joined him on the walk, both slightly intoxicated, but stable. Away from the crowded area, the evening had a slight chill to it. The streets weren't busy, as most of the attention was at the event, so the way ahead was technically clear besides the odd patrol making their rounds. "D-Did you hear about Brauer?" asked Rudolph with hand on head as a headache began to develop. "Yea, poor bastard. His mother will be on her own now, and she struggles as is." Fullar replied saddened at the thought, "I'll go visit her at the end of this on his behalf." he continued. Next to the entrance to the barracks, the two men noticed the drunken and sleeping form of Captain Haart, several empty bottles lay around him, and he was sat upon a chair that seemed to barely support his large frame. "Evening Captain." said Fullar without even looking at the man before heading in, the Captain barely stirred, the man was too busy snoring away. Rudolph simply shook his head and chuckled as he walked past. The barracks seemed quiet, which was pleasent for Rudolph's ever worsening headache. "Right, i'm off to bed then. See you in the morn'." Fullar waved to his friend before heading up the stairs. Rudolph sat for a moment and drew a pitcher of water, and took his time with the drink. "I'm getting too old for this." he said to himself under his breath. He sat alone for about a half hour before he could barely keep his eyes open, then surrendered himself to his bed.</s>
<\|description\|>Faira Blodwen Race: Human Gender: Female Age: 27 Faira is tall and broad, her body is covered in stretch marks like a cat's stripes, the result of her Bloodheat expanding her muscles spontaneously. Bio: Faira would love to tell people she lost her eye in battle, but she's no liar and the truth is it was injured in a shipwreck when she was small, and traveled aboard the merchant ship her father owned. She was pulled from the water near the shore of Dragon's Maw by a beastman named Erevan. He took Faira in, and taught her some of his ways. Faira got on well enough wit Erevan's natural born daughter, Arn, until they were teenagers. It was found that Faira had the same elemental affinity to Life magic as Erevan, and he took her on as an apprentice to learn his family's traditional magic. Arn, who took after her mother with Earth magic, was jealous of Faira for this, and stopped calling her a sister. Though generally thick skinned, Faira was devastated by this change, and soon left to go see the world of humans that she was born in, but could barely remember. The skills she learned in Dragon's Maw were best suited to combat, and she found work back in the Grand Empire as a mercenary. Personality quirks: Traits 1. When I set my mind to something, I follow through no matter what gets in my way. 2. I watch over my friends as if they were a litter of newborn pups. Ideals: I would rather die than betray a friend. Bond: Found Family. The blood of the covenant is thicker than the water of the womb. Flaw: I fear I do not belong, despite my loyalty. Friends/Rivals: Erevan Blodwen, a beastman who rescued Faira when she was young, and raised her as a daughter. Arn Blodwen, Faira's adopted sister. They were close once, but Arn is jealous that Faira was able to learn family magic that Arn herself could not. Fighting Style: Southclaw. A ferocious style of swordplay, utilizing a bastard sword, sometimes accompanied by a large hunting knife. Rarely using a shield or heavy armor, it is weakest to ranged attacks that it is unable to block. Equipment: A bastard sword, a wicked curved knife, fairly basic studded leather armor. The knife is called Emberclaw, and has two small soulstones set on either side of the pommel. One is fire, the other earth. The spells carved into the blade will heat the metal white hot, while the earth magic preserves the blade's integrity, and prevents the heat from expanding beyond the guard. The spells activate at once, but the fire has four charges, while the earth only has three. It is activated by tasting the weirder's own blood. She won it in an arm wrestling contest with a captain she worked under once. Skills/Abilities: Bloodheat. A special skill learned from her adopted family, in which one floods their body with life magic, strengthening it temporarily. It can take an enormous toll on the bones and ligaments, but makes the user faster and stronger than before. It also causes a fever, hence the name, and is dangerous over long periods.</s> <\|message\|>Leonidas Lionheart -=Prince Leonidas' Camp, Just after daybreak=- =5 miles outside the City-State of Bergkoff= It is late Fall and Winter is just around the corner. After weeks of marching Prince Leonidas' troop made up of his Royal Guard and a small force of 50 soldiers have finally made it to the area. Their goal is to investigate rumors of Orc and Goblin attacks coming from the Razorthorn Mountains. So far its said that 3 cities have been lost so far and it seems that Bergkoff was the next target going off of the reported movements. Things have been rough in the North lately not only has there been this recent string of attacks, but it seems that a plague has started to set into the area as well. Prince Leonidas hopes to stop these attacks and assist in curing the plague as well, and although he doesn't have many troops of his own Sir Siegfried and his troop of 500 knights are not far behind and will assist the prince when they arrive. A cold chill runs through the camp this morning, not uncommon for this time of year. As the troops start to wake up and go though their morning routine and start packing up camp Prince Leonidas stands looking down the road seeing Berkoff in the distance. "I hope we can make it in time. We can't afford to loose Berkoff and loose our main trade route with our dwarven allies..." He says to himself almost wanting to set off for the city right now leaving the troops behind. Although he was just one man, Leonidas felt that his presence could help turn the tide of battle should one come. Now Siegfried would scold him for this thought "You won't do your country any good if your dead boy!" Leonidas could hear the old man's voice in his head and brought a little grin to his face. But the day was still early, and who knows if the Orcs had even made it yet. If the cards fell happened to fall in our favor Siegfried and his Knights would arrive to bolster the defenses before the orcs arrived. After a few more moments in thought Leonidas would turn back to his camp looking over the solders entrusted to him for this mission. He knew that his father didn't want to worry the people by sending a large force, but he could of easily crushed not only the orcs, but the image of his own weakness if he had sent at least an entire battalion to crush the orcs. But that would be a discussion for another time. The first priority was the defense of Bergkoff, then maybe Leonidas could conscript some solders to join him in launching a counter attack.</s> <\|message\|>Rudolph Kestrell Two weeks. Two bloody weeks i've been away, and "Bergie" is already under attack. Rudolph thought to himself shaking his head evidently fed up. He made his way through the camp to his tent after quickly rousing his squad. He then hastily collected his belongings and packed up his tent. After sorting himself out, he walked back to his squad to check on their progress. One had finished his, two were idle and chatting, and the other two were half way through theirs. The two that were chatting eventually saw Rudolph standing there staring at them visibly irritated and quickly squabbled to get theirs sorted. Idiots. He thought to himself. He sat on a crate as his unit packed up, waiting for the next order to come in. He quickly scanned his gear to check if all was well, besides a few scratches here and there, it was in good form. He then looked down at his uniform, the dark purple and grey trims were somewhat grimey and were in need of a good wash. The rains were heavy during part of the journey, so mud was unavoidable. With a sigh Rudolph stood up and then noticed the young Prince walking by. He wandered over to join him. "Mornin' your majesty." he said bowing slightly. "I leave for five minutes and me' home town is under attack." he said gesturing to the city with a chuckle. "So how many orcs are we to be expecting 'milord?" he asks leaning on his halberd. Sooner we get home, the better. he thought.</s> <\|message\|>Leonidas Lionheart As Leonidas wandered through camp he was approached by one of the Soldiers. It took a moment for Leonidas to remember exactly who he was but it came to him quickly. "Mornin' your majesty." he said bowing slightly. "I leave for five minutes and me' home town is under attack." he said gesturing to the city with a chuckle. "Good morning Rudolph," He responded nodding to the man, "I'm sorry about that, I don't understand why my father called you and your men away from your home just to tell you it was in danger." He continued truly confused by his father's actions. "So how many orcs are we to be expecting 'milord?" he asks leaning on his halberd. "Reports are varied the numbers can be anywhere from 200 to 1000. Hopefully we will be able to bolster the defenses and hold out until Siegfried's knights can come in and charge from the sides, hell if were lucky the dwarves might just show up from behind to gun them down." Leonidas replied. He knew their 50 was nothing to 1000 but Bergkoff was a defensible city from the reports so things should go fine. "I've also head that you have managed to get a few cannons imported in from the Dwarves?" He asked sounding truly interested. "If that is the case then your home won't fall easily even to that many orcs. I have seen a test firing of one of the weapons they are defiantly an equalizer." Leonidas added on, he knew about the cannons and was sure Rudolph did as well. But bringing them up might just counteract any doubt that might have crept in after hearing the orcs numbers.</s> <\|message\|>Rudolph Kestrell "Reports are varied the numbers can be anywhere from 200 to 1000. Hopefully we will be able to bolster the defenses and hold out until Siegfried's knights can come in and charge from the sides, hell if we're lucky the dwarves might just show up from behind to gun them down." Leonidas replied. Between 200-1000 eh? Great, at least we'll be busy. Rudolph thought to himself, sighing at the thought. ""I've also heard that you have managed to get a few cannons imported in from the Dwarves? If that is the case then your home won't fall easily, even to that many orcs. I have seen a test firing of one of the weapons, they are definitley an equalizer." Leonidas added on. Rudolph straightened himself, he had forgotten that the Dwarves had gifted the city some cannons. "Aye 'milord. Before i'd left, not long after they delivered and tested them, they were already implementing them into the city's defences. They should be finished by now.", he briefly looked over towards where the city sat on the horizon before turning back, "We might not have much magic, but we manage." he followed up with a nod and smile. "If the city were under attack, we'd be hearing those new toys going off." he followed up.</s>	<\|message\|>Faira Blodwen The meager camp that Faira used was already packed and ready for the continued march. With such a short distance left to travel, she had hoped to arrive yesterday, but it had simply gotten too late. She believed Prince Leonidas did not want to arrive by night, and though she could keep going, Faira knew many of the men were exhausted. To her understanding, they would be approaching the city from the opposite side from where the invading force had come from, but she thought it possible that the orcs may have surrounded the city, maybe even sent scouts to the surrounding area. So she had made a habit of scanning ahead for any sign. Just like last night, however, there was nothing to see yet. They were simply too far. Faira approached to where the prince and another member of the guard were discussing the defenses. "If the city were under attack, we'd be hearing those new toys going off." "Unless the fighting is over," she cut in, making no allusion to which way she expected it to have gone.</s>
<\|description\|>Faira Blodwen Race: Human Gender: Female Age: 27 Faira is tall and broad, her body is covered in stretch marks like a cat's stripes, the result of her Bloodheat expanding her muscles spontaneously. Bio: Faira would love to tell people she lost her eye in battle, but she's no liar and the truth is it was injured in a shipwreck when she was small, and traveled aboard the merchant ship her father owned. She was pulled from the water near the shore of Dragon's Maw by a beastman named Erevan. He took Faira in, and taught her some of his ways. Faira got on well enough wit Erevan's natural born daughter, Arn, until they were teenagers. It was found that Faira had the same elemental affinity to Life magic as Erevan, and he took her on as an apprentice to learn his family's traditional magic. Arn, who took after her mother with Earth magic, was jealous of Faira for this, and stopped calling her a sister. Though generally thick skinned, Faira was devastated by this change, and soon left to go see the world of humans that she was born in, but could barely remember. The skills she learned in Dragon's Maw were best suited to combat, and she found work back in the Grand Empire as a mercenary. Personality quirks: Traits 1. When I set my mind to something, I follow through no matter what gets in my way. 2. I watch over my friends as if they were a litter of newborn pups. Ideals: I would rather die than betray a friend. Bond: Found Family. The blood of the covenant is thicker than the water of the womb. Flaw: I fear I do not belong, despite my loyalty. Friends/Rivals: Erevan Blodwen, a beastman who rescued Faira when she was young, and raised her as a daughter. Arn Blodwen, Faira's adopted sister. They were close once, but Arn is jealous that Faira was able to learn family magic that Arn herself could not. Fighting Style: Southclaw. A ferocious style of swordplay, utilizing a bastard sword, sometimes accompanied by a large hunting knife. Rarely using a shield or heavy armor, it is weakest to ranged attacks that it is unable to block. Equipment: A bastard sword, a wicked curved knife, fairly basic studded leather armor. The knife is called Emberclaw, and has two small soulstones set on either side of the pommel. One is fire, the other earth. The spells carved into the blade will heat the metal white hot, while the earth magic preserves the blade's integrity, and prevents the heat from expanding beyond the guard. The spells activate at once, but the fire has four charges, while the earth only has three. It is activated by tasting the weirder's own blood. She won it in an arm wrestling contest with a captain she worked under once. Skills/Abilities: Bloodheat. A special skill learned from her adopted family, in which one floods their body with life magic, strengthening it temporarily. It can take an enormous toll on the bones and ligaments, but makes the user faster and stronger than before. It also causes a fever, hence the name, and is dangerous over long periods.</s> <\|message\|>Leonidas Lionheart Leonidas Lead the charge and by the time the goblins noticed it was to late. The Prince came up upon one of the riders ready with one mighty blow. The goblin had seen him coming and tried to raise its shield, But it did little to help as Leoidas' Warhammer shattered the shield and embedded itself into the goblin's side. Cracking was heard as the goblin was removed from its mount dead before it even hit the floor. Leonidas quickly Spun the hammer in his hand adjusting his grip before dropping it onto the skull of the wolf mount slaying the beast as well. The rest of the charge went reasonable well. Many of the goblins found their lived ended by the spears of the Imperial Calvary and things had gone according to Leonidas' plan. That is except for Acrius... Somehow the fool ended up on foot... A fact that didn't go unnoticed by the enemy forces as well. And although he was able to kill the one that looked like the leader of the goblins he had still left himself open. Two nearby rides had seen their master die and became enraged charging Acrius from both sides. Leonidas was able to see this and quickly rushed pulled the reigns of his horse rushing over to help the boy. Wolves although fast weren't bread for war and luckily Leonidas' horse was and had the speed advantage allowing him to catch up. The end Leonidas' hammer began to have a goldish glow come from it as he swung the mighty weapon crashing into the Goblin's head nearly taking it off just before it was able to throw its spear at Acrius. As the goblin's body fell to the side The wolf continued its charge a bloody frenzy in its eyes. And with the weight of the rider gone the wolf rushed forward in a burst of speed leaping at Acrius. Balthazar shook his head in disapproval as he watched Acrius dismount, presumably to give the goblin leader a fair fight. Although he managed to dispatch of the rider with relative ease, now there were two Wolfriders moving to attack him. The Prince moved to deal with one, so the warlock decided to deal with the other. He spurred his horse forward, gripping the reins tight. With his free hand, he flipped back to the page he was once at, before firing off another shadowy ray, lancing downwards through the goblin's gut, and into the wolf's back. Both rider and mount soon curled up on the ground, presumably to die of blood loss. The rest was up to Acrius, now. After the ordeal was dealt with, the remaining 3 goblins were able to see what was going on and took the smarter option retreating and started riding away headed North. Before any of his men road off to hunt them down Leonidas held up his hand, "Let them go, We don't know where they are going and we have something more important to do than hunting down a few stragglers." He said in a commanding tone before turning to the cart that had been the target of this small force. The horses that were to pull the cart were dead pelted with arrows to ensure the cart couldn't escape. It looked like the belongings inside the cart were still intact, but it seemed there had been a cost two bodies lie in the cart an older male and what could of possibly been his daughter. But it wasn't all bad as from underneath the cart the rest of the family started to emerge. A Woman presumably the wife of the slain man in the cart, a young boy that couldn't be more than 5 and a girl who must of been around the age of 18. The knights circled up around the cart ensuring that no attack would come for the moment and the family looked around. The mother would come up to Leonidas her young son holding onto her let. "Mylord, thank you for coming to our rescue. We wouldn't of lasted long if you hadn't rushed to our aide how could we ever repay you?" The woman said giving a bow to the prince. The daughter on the other hand instantly rushed jumping at Acrius wrapping her arms around him "My hero! You were so amazing the way you leapt in to save me!" The girl said excitedly. Leonidas saw this and just sighed before turning back to the older woman. "There is no need to thank us, It is my duty as Prince to defend my people... I'm just sorry we didn't arrive sooner so we could of prevented this." He said sadly motioning to the two dead in the cart. "You have my condolences for your losses..." Leonidas continued before turning to Acrius. "Acrius since you don't seem to like your horse you are going to saddle yours up to the cart and ride with these fine people back to Bergkoff. You two stay with them as escort." He said while pointing out two of the Knights who responded with a salute. The mother smiled at the prince. "The loss of my husband and daughter will be a great one, but we will move on thanks to your actions my Lord," She says while turning to her daughter. "Elisabeth stop being rude and come show the prince some gratitude." She snapped back at her daughter who reluctantly let go of Acrius and came over giving the prince a curtsy "Thank you for saving us my lord" She said flatly before quickly turning and returning to Acrius while receiving a nasty glair from her mother. "So your name is Acrius then? I'm Liz nice to meet you." she said grabbing onto his arm. The two knights Leonidas had picked up helped wrap the dead in blankets and got things ready for the cart to move again. After everything was set the group made its way back to the infantry troops The Calvary falling in on the sides to protect the flanks and the cart falling in behind the march. Leonidas made his way to the front seeing Rudolph and Merik as he approached. "Merik what happened to your horse this time?" Was the first thing that came out of his mouth as he fell into his position at the front before turning to Rudolph "Sorry we're late had something we needed to take care of." He added knowing that Rudolph would want to get to Bergkoff as soon as possible. The rest of the march to Bergkoff was uneventful for most. Acrius on the other hand had to deal with Liz the entire ride as the girl seemed to be stuck to him, constantly asking questions. As the small force reached the southern gate the massive gate swung open and allowed them to enter the city before quickly being closed again. Leonidas would then order his troops to rest and be ready for new orders after finding out the situation within the city. Taking Balthazar and Rudolph with him as Rudolph knew the way to the town center and Balthazar would need to know where he was going to set up his desk.</s> <\|message\|>Zatana Aleana Zatana gripped the package as it was passed to her, her eyes glinting in interest. The parcel slipping into her leather armor as she disappeared deeper into the alley the beggar was sitting in front of. No need to waste such a potentially easy route to the rooftops. Though as she repeated the memorized spell and became wrapped about in shadows, she hoisted herself up onto a high fence and then a roof. The way back would be easy enough, rooftop walking was one of her favorite things to do after all. But Zatana was all too aware of the parcel as it pressed against her ribs. Slowing her pace for a minute, she fished out the paper and examined the seal. It was possible, she reasoned to get the seal off without ruining it. The downside was that it would take time, something she was not certain they could afford. There was always the risk of magic. Yet, she was an information gatherer and this packet held information she wanted to know. Balthazar was of the same Great Game as she and the motto 'two can keep a secret if one of them is dead' made sharing a tad bit difficult if you did not trust the person explicitly. Zatana, a known dark elf, had no belief that the wizard found her trustworthy. Pausing by a merchant's shop, she drew one of her thin throwing daggers and slid it between the shutters. Catching the latch, she flicked it out of the eye that held it and slowly opened one window. Finding a bedroom with valuables missing, she noted clothing scattered from frantic owners gathering the best of what they had. Stepping carefully she shut the window slowly behind her and closed the latch. Padding over to the door, she peered into the hall and her lips curved into a cat in the cream smile. One door was a jar and a small trail of papers led out of it. Plucking a receipt from one, she saw the ingredients needed to make soap and a seal on the letter. Good, they might have left some supplies. Shutting the door softly as she stepped into the study, she eyed the window and nodded in satisfaction. A way right at hand, that was good. Searching the desk, she plucked a small tube of wax and smiled. Luck was with her. Grabbing a candle, she stirred the small brazier that seemed to be favored by the merchant in place of a hearth. Letting the wick catch on a small spark, Zatana placed the candle on the desk, pinning the wax above with another knife and paper below to catch any drippings. Carefully she slid the knife between the wax seal and the envelope, working it free. Taking a few shavings from the bottom of the original wax seal, it wouldn't fool the wizard if he was using magic. A grim and probably true prospect, but Zatana saw no reason not to use this as a test to see if that was idea the case. There was also the added bonus Balthazar might think less of her skill which would give her an advantage. Pulling the papers out, the dark elf quickly scanned each page. If she had the time, she would have copied them out in her shorthand. But there was no time. Looking over them a second time she tried to commit a report to Balthazar himself. Ever detail was important to remember, and she took pride in getting that information fully and correctly. Nothing else was acceptable. The rogue melted the scrappings of wax from the original seal with the newer wax and allowed a dab of it on the back of the seal. Grabbing her knives and sheathing them, Zatana was about to curse. Setting things in order, blowing out the candle, pocketing the used wax and drippings in a pouch within her armor and letting the wax find it's grip, she grimance at the time she had lost. Flicking the latch open, she jumped onto a nearby lower roof and shot off at an almost reckless place. Careful to be aware of the envelope tucked away within her breastplate.</s>	<\|message\|>Faira Blodwen Faira was scanning the rooftops, her sword still sheathed but unbelted and held in her hands, when the sound of the cavalry force arriving drifted through the gate. She put her hand on the hilt, ready for a fight, but relaxed when the gate began to open. Though happy the force had arrived, Faira felt a little put off that her ride here seemed to have been wasted. Zatana could have managed fine on her own, granted they would feel quite differently if something had happened on the way. She approached the prince and his warlock right hand, "M'lord, Zatana should be back momentarily with the beggar's report." Just then, she caught sight of Acrius' "predicament," and approached the girl who had latched onto him. "I'm going to need my comrade back," she said in a low, flat voice.</s>
<\|description\|>Faira Blodwen Race: Human Gender: Female Age: 27 Faira is tall and broad, her body is covered in stretch marks like a cat's stripes, the result of her Bloodheat expanding her muscles spontaneously. Bio: Faira would love to tell people she lost her eye in battle, but she's no liar and the truth is it was injured in a shipwreck when she was small, and traveled aboard the merchant ship her father owned. She was pulled from the water near the shore of Dragon's Maw by a beastman named Erevan. He took Faira in, and taught her some of his ways. Faira got on well enough wit Erevan's natural born daughter, Arn, until they were teenagers. It was found that Faira had the same elemental affinity to Life magic as Erevan, and he took her on as an apprentice to learn his family's traditional magic. Arn, who took after her mother with Earth magic, was jealous of Faira for this, and stopped calling her a sister. Though generally thick skinned, Faira was devastated by this change, and soon left to go see the world of humans that she was born in, but could barely remember. The skills she learned in Dragon's Maw were best suited to combat, and she found work back in the Grand Empire as a mercenary. Personality quirks: Traits 1. When I set my mind to something, I follow through no matter what gets in my way. 2. I watch over my friends as if they were a litter of newborn pups. Ideals: I would rather die than betray a friend. Bond: Found Family. The blood of the covenant is thicker than the water of the womb. Flaw: I fear I do not belong, despite my loyalty. Friends/Rivals: Erevan Blodwen, a beastman who rescued Faira when she was young, and raised her as a daughter. Arn Blodwen, Faira's adopted sister. They were close once, but Arn is jealous that Faira was able to learn family magic that Arn herself could not. Fighting Style: Southclaw. A ferocious style of swordplay, utilizing a bastard sword, sometimes accompanied by a large hunting knife. Rarely using a shield or heavy armor, it is weakest to ranged attacks that it is unable to block. Equipment: A bastard sword, a wicked curved knife, fairly basic studded leather armor. The knife is called Emberclaw, and has two small soulstones set on either side of the pommel. One is fire, the other earth. The spells carved into the blade will heat the metal white hot, while the earth magic preserves the blade's integrity, and prevents the heat from expanding beyond the guard. The spells activate at once, but the fire has four charges, while the earth only has three. It is activated by tasting the weirder's own blood. She won it in an arm wrestling contest with a captain she worked under once. Skills/Abilities: Bloodheat. A special skill learned from her adopted family, in which one floods their body with life magic, strengthening it temporarily. It can take an enormous toll on the bones and ligaments, but makes the user faster and stronger than before. It also causes a fever, hence the name, and is dangerous over long periods.</s> <\|message\|>Leonidas Lionheart Leonidas nodded back at the Duke following him into the office. "Yes we do have a lot to go over. Please give me a run down of what you know? Do we know how many we are up against? What are our defenses at the moment? Is there any weak points in the city we need to know about? How long will your supplies last?" Leonidas began questioning as soon as they were in the office attempting to get a grasp on the situation of the town. "As for Siegfried, yes he and his forces will hopefully arrive in two days. Have you received anything from the dwarves will they be able to help us?" Leonidas continued adding to the list of unanswered questions. ---- Western Gate The quiet of the morning is once again broken as a bell starts to ring form on top of the gate. "Here they come boys! everyone to your positions!" a guard yelled out from the gatehouse. The soldiers instantly jumped into action. preparing for the attack. from the top of the wall a group of what looked like 200 Goblins seemed to be poring out what must of been a cave entrance hidden by a hill. Guards on the walls readied their bows with very few having rifles waiting for the Goblins to get into range before opening fire.</s> <\|message\|>Balthazar Trevarthen The warlock simply nodded as he followed along. Buildings take damage during a siege-- this much was an inevitability. However, Balthazar was still surprised to see destruction done to parts of the keep itself. He had not seen any siege weapons on the way in, which left sabotage or magic as the cause of the destroyed war room. Goblins and Orcs rarely took up the arcane arts, but their shamans are known to have knowledge of the more primal magics. Still, it was a good thing that Duke Karstilli had survived; a city can survive the loss of a building, but the death of their leader is much more difficult, especially during a siege. As the Prince asked his questions, Balthazar reached into his coat pocket, retrieving the envelope that had been delivered to him. It had likely been opened at least once before in spite of the presence of the unbroken wax seal, but he was confident that the information was not compromised. Now in a secure location, the man opened the letter, reading the battle reports and placing the map on the desk whilst keeping the letter to him within the envelope itself. There would be time to read that later. Once he was done, he placed the reports on the desk for others to review, if they wished to. The papers on this desk would prove useful for both tactical and strategic analysis of the battle to come. There are three papers within Balthazar's report: two pages of information and a single large map. It is written in a simple Imperial cipher-- one that any Imperial officer or noble would understand at a glance. These reports detail the enemy's strength: roughly a thousand soldiers strong, comprised primarily of Goblins. Two hundred of the enemy forces are made up of proper Orc Warriors, who seem to make up the army's elite. There is also word of one or two Ogres, who likely serve as impromptu siege weaponry or shock troops. Their leader is Waruk Shieldbreaker, an Orc Warlord of little renown, who seems to be attacking in an attempt to grab power in the area, and to bring glory to his name... Due to the lack of ambition in his circle of officers, it is likely that with his death, the invading army will collapse. It is difficult to pin down their exact movements, due to their use of the local mountain cave systems to traverse the region. Curiously, they've managed to avoid both Dwarven and Human patrols thanks to this tactic. The attached map lists several cave openings that can be collapsed to prevent the arrival of further reinforcements or to funnel the enemy into a single bottleneck. It appears that the enemy has mostly been attacking from the north and that the city's cannons have been holding the enemy at bay, for now. "Our scouts once reported numbers between two hundred and a thousand, but my informants say it is the latter. We can expect at least a thousand enemy combatants." He starts. It could be rude for an advisor to speak before the lord of the house can, but not only was Balthazar himself was a lord, he was also the Prince's aide. His word was to be respected and taken under heavy consideration. "Eight hundred Goblins, two hundred Orcs, and perhaps an Ogre or two, lead by Waruk Shieldbreaker, an Orc Warlord of little renown." "In addition, they've been using the underground cave systems to travel. There appear to be several prime locations for us to cut off their supply lines, but we'll need more time before we act upon that." The spymaster looked up at Duke Karstilli, an eyebrow raised. "Can you corroborate this information? I must know if my accounts are still accurate." Of course, in spite of how well-informed Balthazar can be, Duke Karstilli was indeed the lord of the house. They would have to follow his lead and not the other way around, even if the Prince was here. Still, the warlock knew that the Duke was a man of reason, and was not a man with a hot temper. If the spymaster recalled correctly, the Duke was a man of honor who appreciated it when things were simple. A man of the people. Balthazar waited politely for the Duke to answer both the Prince's questions as well as his own.</s> <\|message\|>Rudolph Kestrell "Yes we do have a lot to go over. Please give me a run down of what you know? Do we know how many we are up against? What are our defenses at the moment? Is there any weak points in the city we need to know about? How long will your supplies last?" Leonidas began as soon as they entered the office. "As for Siegfried, yes he and his forces will hopefully arrive in two days. Have you received anything from the dwarves, will they be able to help us?" he continued. Then Balthazar spoke up soon after, "Our scouts once reported numbers between two hundred and a thousand, but my informants say it is the latter. We can expect at least a thousand enemy combatants." Balthazar reviewed his notes from the report before he continued, "Eight hundred Goblins, two hundred Orcs, and perhaps an Ogre or two, lead by Waruk Shieldbreaker, an Orc Warlord of little renown. In addition, they've been using the underground cave systems to travel. There appear to be several prime locations for us to cut off their supply lines, but we'll need more time before we act upon that." Balthazar looked up at the Duke from his report as he continue, "Can you corroborate this information? I must know if my accounts are still accurate." The Duke held up a hand before saying his piece, "Well Sir Balthazar, you certainly are well informed, as our reports say similar, though yours holds more detail.", he leaned on the desk to observe the map that Balthazar provided before looking up at the Prince. "And to answer your questions my Prince, the main areas to keep a watchful eye on, are the sewer drains. As they extend beyond the city walls." The Duke stood up and crossed his arms. "As for our defences, we have roughly four hundred of our infantry, and there is also the four cannons we recieved from the dwarves. They should be fine for use for now, but we did not have much in terms of ammunition to begin with." The Duke took a deep breath before he continued, his old weary body tiring already, "We would be better prepared, but unfortunately, these last few months have taken a toll. We have troops stationed at a couple of our watch forts further outward, and we think two may have fallen due to the orcs." he said stroking his bearded chin in thought. "We have indeed tried to contact the dwarves via carrier pigeon, but we have yet to recieve a reply. It is possible they themselves could be under threat of attack." The Duke paused for a moment. "Do you have any further information regarding this orc warlord you mentioned?" he asked Balthazar with curiosity. --------- As soon as the bell rang, Rudolph made his way up to the walls, to offer what help he could. Some rifle fire could be heard, but the majority of missles were from the bows. A few of the goblins in the assault were immediately killed from the first volley, but they were better prepared this time, as most of the arrows that hit, were blocked by their shields. However, the few shots from the rifles amongst them, blew through them with relative ease. "Keep knocking the bastards down!" yelled Captain Fenne as he walked along the wall observing the attack. Rudolph managed to get to the top of the wall just in time for the third volley. The goblins got to a certain point before stopping. "Bring the cannons 'round!" ordered the captain giving a signal with his hand. A soldier from amongst the ranged units shouted "Incoming!" as two large boulders were coming their way. "Take cover. Take cover!" ordered the captain before he hid himself behind one of the merlons. Rudolph himself hid behind one as soon as he saw the incoming projectiles. With a loud crash, one of the shots hit the side of the wall, causing a minor tremor. The other made a direct hit, killing some of the troop that took shelter. Rudolph was partially dazed by the impact, but thankfully was not in the impact zone itself. He then quickly gathered himself, "Are you alright Captain!?" he loudly asked as he staggered slightly across the broken wall using his halberd to keep him steady. There were some soldiers missing, possibly they were knocked off the wall back into the city. Others lay upon the path broken and bloodied. "Keep firing! Don't give 'em a breather!" yelled Rudolph as he went to investigate the whereabouts of the captain. He quickly found the man, buried under a mound of rubble. He then removed some of it to check if the man still lived. Captain Fenne seemed mostly dusted by the debris, despite clear minor wounds. Rudolph looked closer and noticed that the back of the mans head had been caved in. Rudolph looked down with eyes closed. Damn them!. Rudolph stood up and observed his surroundings. The ranged units were still doing their part, and trying their best at keeping the greenskins at bay. The cannoneers were still making their way over as the goblins renewed their assault against the walls. "Alright then." Rudolph said to himself. "Cannons! Get a move on!" he ordered, and they began hurrying more so with the help from other soldiers currently unoccupied with the defences. Here we go. he exhaled readying himself for the fight ahead.</s>	<\|message\|>Faira Blodwen Faira was disgruntledly tightening her armor back to its usual configuration, as she walked out of the main keeps courtyard to survey the city walls. She had decided to start with the north side, since it seemed to be under the heaviest attack. The guards here were found cleaning the cannons with practiced haste. There wasn't much to see beyond the walls, the fields in front were torn and muddy from days upon days of troops marching across it. She could see ruts where whatever seige engines the orcs employed had been dragged to the field. When the watch bell rang, Faira clutched the side of the wall and stared out for a moment, scanning the horizon before realizing that the attack was from a different point on the wall. "Gods' blood!" She cursed, turning on the spot and running along the wall to get to the assaulted point. An order to move the city's only four cannons traveled along the wall towards the northern outpost, and by this time she could see the forces amassed below. She stopped one of the messengers and showed him her royal insignia. "We don't need four cannons for a bunch of goblins. Bring one, and your crew with the best aim. Leave the others, each with a full crew. They might be feinting." She reached the western outpost on the wall, and found Rudolph already there. "I just came from the cannons, the crew shouldn't be far behind me," she peeked out from behind a merlon. "If the cannon can break that catapult, we may not even need to leave the wall."</s>
<\|description\|>Faira Blodwen Race: Human Gender: Female Age: 27 Faira is tall and broad, her body is covered in stretch marks like a cat's stripes, the result of her Bloodheat expanding her muscles spontaneously. Bio: Faira would love to tell people she lost her eye in battle, but she's no liar and the truth is it was injured in a shipwreck when she was small, and traveled aboard the merchant ship her father owned. She was pulled from the water near the shore of Dragon's Maw by a beastman named Erevan. He took Faira in, and taught her some of his ways. Faira got on well enough wit Erevan's natural born daughter, Arn, until they were teenagers. It was found that Faira had the same elemental affinity to Life magic as Erevan, and he took her on as an apprentice to learn his family's traditional magic. Arn, who took after her mother with Earth magic, was jealous of Faira for this, and stopped calling her a sister. Though generally thick skinned, Faira was devastated by this change, and soon left to go see the world of humans that she was born in, but could barely remember. The skills she learned in Dragon's Maw were best suited to combat, and she found work back in the Grand Empire as a mercenary. Personality quirks: Traits 1. When I set my mind to something, I follow through no matter what gets in my way. 2. I watch over my friends as if they were a litter of newborn pups. Ideals: I would rather die than betray a friend. Bond: Found Family. The blood of the covenant is thicker than the water of the womb. Flaw: I fear I do not belong, despite my loyalty. Friends/Rivals: Erevan Blodwen, a beastman who rescued Faira when she was young, and raised her as a daughter. Arn Blodwen, Faira's adopted sister. They were close once, but Arn is jealous that Faira was able to learn family magic that Arn herself could not. Fighting Style: Southclaw. A ferocious style of swordplay, utilizing a bastard sword, sometimes accompanied by a large hunting knife. Rarely using a shield or heavy armor, it is weakest to ranged attacks that it is unable to block. Equipment: A bastard sword, a wicked curved knife, fairly basic studded leather armor. The knife is called Emberclaw, and has two small soulstones set on either side of the pommel. One is fire, the other earth. The spells carved into the blade will heat the metal white hot, while the earth magic preserves the blade's integrity, and prevents the heat from expanding beyond the guard. The spells activate at once, but the fire has four charges, while the earth only has three. It is activated by tasting the weirder's own blood. She won it in an arm wrestling contest with a captain she worked under once. Skills/Abilities: Bloodheat. A special skill learned from her adopted family, in which one floods their body with life magic, strengthening it temporarily. It can take an enormous toll on the bones and ligaments, but makes the user faster and stronger than before. It also causes a fever, hence the name, and is dangerous over long periods.</s> <\|message\|>Manald Halung It had taken a while for Manald to return into his somewhat more 'normal' shape, if one could say so at all if everybody else around him was perfectly human, but it had not helped to make anything less... boring. It was far from the beastman's intention to discount the fact that they were under a damn siege, but there also was no way to deny that his options on top of the wall had been rather limited. Pull some guts out of a goblin's belly ? None of the little squeaky things had managed to reach him and he had not been able to simply go down. Have some small talk with the soldiers around him once things had become calm and quiet again ? Maybe the prejudices and anxieties about beastmen were not as prevalent and obvious as those about Zatana's race, but they were there still. Just abandon the place clearly stating that he'd be more useful as a furry bartender in the tavern than blocking everyone else's way on top of the wall ? The prince would not have been happy about his troop's reputation being pulled into the dirt that hard. As long as the goblins did not put considerably more men and effort into more than a probing attack throwing stones down murder holes was not very entertaining either. The vast majority of the attackers had been taken out by the archers. And on top of things even one of soldiers himself had said something accusatory about Manald's lack of 'usefullness' there. So, to put it in more short words, Manald obvious had more than just a bad fur day when he ducked his way through the doorframe into a tavern he didn't even know. A good binge was in dire need, definitely! However, the place was packed to say the least. Some of the visages he saw felt oddly familiar to those whose owners had just left the same shift as he had, but what he didn't see was a free table or even just a free chair. The lycan trudged his humble self forward, people staring at him all around both in admiration about his sheer size and animalistic features and in disgust about pretty much the same. Having reached the counter, Manald slammed his flat hand on the desk in an attempt to get some attention in all this mess. A quite average-ish looking man turned away from a large fire, approaching him and picking up an empty tankard for cleaning in the process. "Ah... you. I've heard people talking." He sniffed quite pronouncedly. "You don't smell that bad. Seems like some claims are badly overrated... So. What can I serve you ?" "Beer! A lot!" The man sighed. "Why am I even asking... At this rate it'll be the first thing we'll run out of. Alright..." He put the tankard aside and grabbed a fresh one, filling it with the juice from a wooden barrel. Manald took it and now it was his turn to sniff, even though much less noticeable. He did not need to inhale a lot of air to smell something, and in this case he was quite happy about that. "It seems like you've run out of good beer already... Why don't you serve the bad stuff first if you have the unique chance to ?" The man just shrugged his shoulders, not even putting on as much as a disappointed look while polishing the tankard again. "I don't subdivide into good and bad stuff. I just have this and I didn't have any complaints about it so far. Drink it or leave, but not without paying for what you already got!" Now the beastman took a very carefully executed sip. "Just like expected... tastes like one quarter pig piss." As if this day could go any worse... "Hah! Does your kind come as pigs, too, or how can you tell how pig piss tastes ?" Manald looked at the man askantly with a facial expression that was clearly devoid of any amusement. "No, my kind only comes in shapes capable of tearing a man's head off. And the felines can't even purr, very sorry for that!" He now just stared into what felt like an abyss filled with liquid, homogenous horror in a single shade of amber. Then, with some considerable and no less visible hesitation, the beastman took a larger portion of it and let things roam around in his mouth for a little bit before swallowing. It didn't help either. Not at all. The tavern owner became a little triumphant in his words: "You will drink it, I'm sure. Simply because... you won't find anything better in Berkhoff right now. What the hell did you expect in a siege ? Very sadly though..." - and now there was nothing but sarcasm in his voice - "I don't have much of a chair left for you. So... you stay ?" It was exactly the kind of words Manald did not want to hear, simply because... The man was probably right. So maybe just focus in on the alcohol ? The lycan decided to empty his tankard in one go, rapidly washing away bad taste with more bad taste and taking the time to breathe again only after it was all over. Presenting his razor-sharp teeth, he made clear what he wanted: "More!" What else should he do this evening... He'd be capable of sleeping sonner or later anyway and his body had always been quite fast when it came to digesting liquor. ------------------------ "Ugh! I can't... lift this man. He's just too heavy!" "Then just drag him around on the floor. I don't want any drunken heaps in my main hall waking up in the middle of the night and putting on a show because they can't get out! Also I have to clean this place!" A scream was to be heard, following by a very nasty curse. Some blood noe was dripping onto the ground. "That's what you get if you're an idiot trying to hold his hands! Didn't you see those claws on them ? Now get moving!" "Where shall I go with him ?" "Just drag him to the others, around the corner where less people will see him! They'll warm each other in the night so no worries!" Manald was left asleep in a small side street, accompanied by a few other patrons who had maneuvered themselves into a similar fate. By now it was the middle of the night, but he would probably be awake long before those around him.</s> <\|message\|>Rudolph Kestrell "Sounds like an interesting group of characters. And even a Drow you say...? Tell me, do they have that Majestic Beauty that I've heard about from Elves? Think I would have a shot with her?" Fullar asked seemingly serious. Rudolph's eyes widened in surprise at his old friends comment. "You gotta set me up man, it's a once in a lifetime opportunity. Especially in the Empire. he continued. Rudolph exhaled unsure on what to say. Is he really serious? he thought. "You don't seem too phased by it though. Thought you hated Drow like everyone else around here?" Rudolph sighed, "I don't know what to say mate." he began, thinking back about what happened, "I suppose I only hated them because I were brought up with it." he shrugged, "I realised that I don't really have much of a reason, so whats the point eh?" he continued. After a moments pause. "You know it has been a while. I got a good vintage stashed at the barracks, we should sit and share the bottle, pass around some stories, how's that sound?" Fullar said as they made their way. "Sounds like a plan mate." nodded Rudolph as they just about walked in the door. "Evening Sergeants." the voice was that of Captain Helt, given how he looks and sounds, he could be seen as a stereotypical politician of this time. "Captain." Rudolph greeted in turn. There was some tension in the air as per usual, Captain Helt often exuded it as though it were an aura. Helt sat at one of the tables reading a report and occasionally sipping some of his ale. He took a glance at the two men as they made their way across the canteen. "I hear Captain Fenne died during one of the attacks this morning." Helt said pretending to read his report papers. "Aye sir, he'd been one of the casualties from one of the bombardments." replied Rudolph as he stopped by the stairs to the troop personal quarters. "And you didn't think to give word to one of the other Captains?" he asked with a somewhat condescending tone that he normally had. "I was busy trying to maintain the defences as we were under attack. We needed everyone we had at the time." Rudolph replied. "Indeed. I shall make a note of this insolence Sergeant. Make sure you make the right decision next time." followed Helt before he took another drink of his ale. Rudolph clenched his fists trying to keep his anger in check, Arrogant Prick he thought to himself as he then began ascending the stairs. The rest of the evening was reasonably relaxed compared to the rest of the day. The two men brought up old stories, and caught up with eachothers more recent news. The rest of the troop were slowly returning to the barracks themselves, some were more drunk than others. It wasn't till the early hours when Rudolph went to sleep, and it was a long needed one.</s>	<\|message\|>Faira Blodwen "You be careful, Acrius' 'teaching' has been known to leave men with broken bones," Faira actually didn't know if this was true, but it tallied with her experience of the young man. She looked the girl over, sizing her up before stepping very close and speaking to Acrius in an undertone. "Zatana and I have work outside the walls tonight. The Guard will be two short, so be extra vigilant. But don't spread that about." She clicked her tongue at Steak and made her way toward the Eastern gate. The cannon that had been moved here was quiet for the time being, but Faira was pleased to see that the guard here was as alert as ever, despite the lateness. She saw at least two who were tousled haired and had clearly gotten out of bed recently. She waited here for Zatana.</s>
<\|description\|>Faira Blodwen Race: Human Gender: Female Age: 27 Faira is tall and broad, her body is covered in stretch marks like a cat's stripes, the result of her Bloodheat expanding her muscles spontaneously. Bio: Faira would love to tell people she lost her eye in battle, but she's no liar and the truth is it was injured in a shipwreck when she was small, and traveled aboard the merchant ship her father owned. She was pulled from the water near the shore of Dragon's Maw by a beastman named Erevan. He took Faira in, and taught her some of his ways. Faira got on well enough wit Erevan's natural born daughter, Arn, until they were teenagers. It was found that Faira had the same elemental affinity to Life magic as Erevan, and he took her on as an apprentice to learn his family's traditional magic. Arn, who took after her mother with Earth magic, was jealous of Faira for this, and stopped calling her a sister. Though generally thick skinned, Faira was devastated by this change, and soon left to go see the world of humans that she was born in, but could barely remember. The skills she learned in Dragon's Maw were best suited to combat, and she found work back in the Grand Empire as a mercenary. Personality quirks: Traits 1. When I set my mind to something, I follow through no matter what gets in my way. 2. I watch over my friends as if they were a litter of newborn pups. Ideals: I would rather die than betray a friend. Bond: Found Family. The blood of the covenant is thicker than the water of the womb. Flaw: I fear I do not belong, despite my loyalty. Friends/Rivals: Erevan Blodwen, a beastman who rescued Faira when she was young, and raised her as a daughter. Arn Blodwen, Faira's adopted sister. They were close once, but Arn is jealous that Faira was able to learn family magic that Arn herself could not. Fighting Style: Southclaw. A ferocious style of swordplay, utilizing a bastard sword, sometimes accompanied by a large hunting knife. Rarely using a shield or heavy armor, it is weakest to ranged attacks that it is unable to block. Equipment: A bastard sword, a wicked curved knife, fairly basic studded leather armor. The knife is called Emberclaw, and has two small soulstones set on either side of the pommel. One is fire, the other earth. The spells carved into the blade will heat the metal white hot, while the earth magic preserves the blade's integrity, and prevents the heat from expanding beyond the guard. The spells activate at once, but the fire has four charges, while the earth only has three. It is activated by tasting the weirder's own blood. She won it in an arm wrestling contest with a captain she worked under once. Skills/Abilities: Bloodheat. A special skill learned from her adopted family, in which one floods their body with life magic, strengthening it temporarily. It can take an enormous toll on the bones and ligaments, but makes the user faster and stronger than before. It also causes a fever, hence the name, and is dangerous over long periods.</s> <\|message\|>Naysein Naysein --- Humans... She has to resist the urge to duck as she walked through some of the lower doorways. It was something she had never quite got over, the memory of how large she was in her true form and how she would have had to jam her head through the opening to blast those hiding within. The walls seemed close, even here, and she resisted the urge to touch the stone. The Imperial Palace was at least large and open, a space that anyone could find inviting. Her own nest had, no was, large enough to fit her comfortably. It had once been a palace for an Elven King who had died before she was hatched; a maze of finely carved rooms, rose shrouded pathways and thousands of arches that opened onto mountains cut deep with a thousand rivers; her home. A far cry from human settlements with all their closed in living spaces and echoing stone hallways. Her senses, barely dulled by her mortal form, were working overtime as she followed the soldier through the long corridors and up narrow stairs. She could smell him, the slightly gamey odour of a man in armour, the sausage and eggs that had been cooked for breakfast, wood smoke, the smell of thousands of folk crammed together, and above it, the sharp smell of a fresh storm. It was the same smell she herself would have made once upon a time after blasting a foe with lightening. A ripple of sorrow coursed through her as she thought of it and she pushed the memory down. Now was not the time. "In here, lady." The soldier nodded to a door on his right, a big wooden double leaf reinforced with iron. It would be a beast to try and break down, and they were already deep into the heart of the citadel. She nodded her thanks to soldier who was already hurrying back toward the wall with a clanking urgency that reminded her of a knight who had tried running from her back when she a youngling. She smiled to herself and stepped into the room. It was largely empty now save for several pages, a noble she did now know and, framed by the rooms only window and hunched over the lone table, was the tall lanky form of the Keeper of Secrets. The room was warmed by a smouldering fire and several torches that cast flickering light over the impassive faces of its occupants, all of which swivelled to look at her as she strode in. The ragged cloak she had worn to penetrate the enemy lines was gone and replaced with a simple blue-black that curled around her ankles and hugged her form. Scimitars jutted over either shoulder and her fiddle case was strapped beneath the cloak - giving her an hunchbacked appearance. Well, well... She had known Balthazar was going to be present but had hoped to find the Prince before the older man. She had a grudging respect for humans in general, but quite specifically for this man. The ability of humans to learn and master immense skills and talents in their short lifetimes was impressive and Balthazar had exceeded that of most in even less time. "My Lord Trevarthen." She stopped, placed a hand on her chest and inclined her head. The grey head came up and steel grey eyes stared into brilliant blue as they regarded each other across the table. Balthazar stared at the half-elf as she entered, raising a single eyebrow as she drew close. She had been around longer than he had, and yet, she was as young as ever. Once, she was the part of the previous Empress' handmaidens, and then she was a part of the current Empress' guard. The Empress had died in childbirth, but her son, Leonidas, lives on. This girl was there too-- having educated the Young Prince on the arts. It was no exaggeration to say that Balthazar had known this woman for most of his life. "Naysein." He returned the nod, as he stared into her eyes, the faintest hint of a smile on his face. The warlock had not seen her in months, and meeting an old friend again put him at ease. "...I was not informed of your arrival." Balthazar did not enjoy surprises, but this one was... pleasant, by all accounts. "What brings you here? A message from the Emperor?" "I will admit I did not send word. I slipped through the orcish lines not an hour ago." She allowed a smile to flow onto her own face. She liked this man, more than most mortals, and wondered what a pair they might have made had no secrets of her own to keep. "It is good to see you though. I have finally managed to convince his imperial highness to release me to serve the prince once again." "...So I see. I will not turn away your aid-- we are much better off with you at our side." Balthazar echoed the same sentiment to her, though he did not say it. He knew that she kept secrets that even he did not know of, but so long as they aligned with the goals of the Empire, then he felt no need to take action. Besides... it would be a shame to be rid of one of the few people he could truly say he trusted. Remembering his decorum, the spymaster turned to the other man in the room. "...Duke Karstilli, I would to introduce you to Naysein. She was part of the old Queensguard before I was even born." Balthazar gestured to her, before continuing. "Her skills and talents will be useful in the times to come." She bowed, hand on chest, to the Duke who gave her a curt nod and returned to his work. She did not mind. Being largely dismissed by folk had its uses. "I suspect this promised battle is likely more important than a reunion, we can do that later," A promising smile touched her lips. "Where can I best be of use, m'lord?" He simply nodded at that. "Of course." Balthazar then gestured to the map of the city and the region surrounding it. There were pieces on the board that represented the forces of both sides: red for the attackers, and blue for the defenders. There were also other pieces that represented other things, such as a block of wood to detail siege weaponry, or a smaller blue token to represent a member of the Royal Guard. "There are siege ladders to the east, Orcs to the north, battering rams to the west, and sappers in the city's sewer systems." He explained concisely, pointing to each token as he did so. "The north is where the fighting is heaviest. It is also where you will find Prince Leonidas-- I recommend you report to him and lend him your assistance." Balthazar was certain the Prince would appreciate it, and moreover, Naysein could watch over him in his absence. It was unlikely Zatana would make any moves against the royal scion, but he was more concerned that Leonidas would do something equally rash as his Drow Companion did yesterday. "...any questions?" He raised an eyebrow. This question was mostly made out of formality, rather than any real doubts to her ability. After all, if anyone could watch over the Prince, it would be his mentor during his youth. "None at all, my lord. I am, as always, impressed by your preparation." She was conscious of the pages boys gaze upon her now that they realized she was someone of importance - an attractive someone at that. "I will seek out the prince at once and lend what meager aid I can." There would be time enough later to ask Balthazar more questions but she had always enjoyed the trust that existed between them. It was a nice thing to have after so many years alone. "If you require me, or my services, send one of these handsome young lads to find me." She offered them all a final smile and a bow before turning and making her way out of the room, hips swaying ever so slightly.</s> <\|message\|>Rudolph Kestrell It didn't take long before orders were given out. Rudolph would be stationed on the western wall with Merik again. A couple of hours later, and the green-skinned horde finally poured our from their holes. Rudolph accepted that they were testing the defences the other day, so then they must be coming in full force this time. For the first few minutes in the attack, the defenders had little issue and fairly easily cut down the approaching goblins with sustained arrow volleys and rifle-fire. The defenders only suffered minimal casualties from the opposing ranged units so far. "Watch out!" a soldier yelled, Rudolph turned toward the voice's direction and quickly realised for its reason, the orcs had begun their artillary barrage and sent two boulders their way. One boulder flew over the wall and landed in the city below, but the other smashed into a catapult atop a tower. Soon after, the greenskins stormed from their lines with a battering ram. Rudolph stood up and realised this soon enough, "Take that thing out!" he ordered before turning toward the troops below down behind the gate, "Brace the gates, we have incoming!" he yelled down. The soldiers began placing wooden posts to keep it set in place, and then set up some barricades soon after. Another sergeant stationed on the otherside of the wall ordered the catapult on their sides tower to open fire upon the ram, the first shot missed, but the second one made contact, it was only slowed temporarily however. Rudolph took up a position on the wall and aimed his rifle at the ram, he took his time and picked his target out. With an exhale, he fired. The shot hit one of the ropes that kept the armour in place, some of the wooden planks and iron plates slid off revealing some of the pilots beneath. "Focus fire on the ram! kill the bastards pushing the thing!" Rudolph ordered as he reloaded. He quickly scanned the situation along the wall. Further down, he could see Merik making himself useful, "How're you faring lad!?" he asked.</s>	<\|message\|>Faira Blodwen Faira looked over the battlements as the day was still young. She leaned on the wall, and said nothing to her companions. She quite agreed with her placement here, and Manald's as well. A great deal of extra strength would be needed to dislodge any ladders that found the wall. Her armor was in its loosened state, ready for her muscles to expand when she let the blood heat flow. Suddenly, Faira stood up fully, her hands planted on the wall as she looked out to the east. "They come. Ladders and... gods damned trolls!" She couldn't do much but watch as they approached. She commanded that the rifles focus their fire on the trolls, as she trusted that the ladders could be dealt with in their turn. They had prepared for a scaling attack, but nobody had made any real consideration for defending the gate. When the first ladder arrived, Faira, having watched its path, was already in position. Her muscles bulged as she let her magic flow through her body. Immediately, she began to sweat, and her hot breath hung thickly in the air. She grabbed the ladder, and simply pushed it away. The ladder tumbled backwards, landing heavily on a few goblins in its path. The remaining goblins, however, were undeterred and began to right it again. What's more, the next ladder that went up was braced more heavily, so that it was quite immovable and Faira was forced to content herself with drawing her sword and beheading any goblin that showed its face above the wall. When she had a clear moment, she drew her dagger, and slid the blade along her wrist, leaving a small cut. Her blood activated the magic in the weapon, and it quickly began to glow as if she had pulled it from a forge. Faira thrust the dagger, halfway up the blade, into the wood of the ladder, which quickly caught fire itself, and began to burn. She moved to the next ladder to repeat this while the spell still held, her soldiers were meanwhile working with axes to splinter the ladders so that they could not be easily braced on the wall. "Manald!" She called suddenly, looking down into the mass of foes. The trolls had been slowed by the peppering of lead from the rifles, but they were far from stopped, and had nearly made it. "We need to do something about those trolls!"</s>
<\|description\|>Manald Halung Race: Beastman Gender: Male Age: 34 At almost seven feet in his non-shifted form Manald stands on the more imposing side of things, something that is underlined by the fact that he's also superbly muscular, thick boned and well fed. Overall it's more than enough weight to give those concerned with logistics a headache when they have to think about him. Also: Imagine a wolf, mix it with the shape of a human, and you get Manald. He's got long, gray hairs on many his skin, his teeth look more like those of a carnivore than those of an omnivore and his ears are as pointy as are his fingernails. For the sake of interpersonal relationships however he tries to cover most of this in at least some form of clothing as long as he doesn't sweat too much in it. Bio: Manald is the offspring of his father Setsir and his mother Feyr, a loving beastmen couple living close to the kingdom's borders. This location allowed for early contact with human culture and civilization, but still it was hardly foreseeable that he'd end up as a member of the royal guard one day. His feral features rendered him a man less sociable than the average, but a company of mercenaries discovered him and offered him to join them. He proved good, very good indeed. Everything ultimately comes to an end however. At some point the very regional affairs of his companionship no longer proved satisfying enough for the eager young man. The mercenaries did not like his decision, some of his former colleagues even call him a coward and a snob for his aspirations, but Manald left in the search for a more extensive adventure. He left his family behind with this decision as well, but it was in good mutual agreement. He could have left for the heartland of beastman territory, but out of curiosity he ventured deeper into the realm of human kingdoms instead. It didn't take long for local recruiters to turn their eyes towards the wandering man. Armies are needed always and everywhere practically, so he was consumed by one not much later and started serving as a low ranking soldier. A bit less action then with the mercenaries, but a much wider reach in terms of travels and more potential friends -- and enemies -- gave him enough thrill to stay. Manald learned only very recently whose army he actually ended up in... Personality quirks: As fierce as he might be looking, his general demeanor outside of combat does not keep up with his outer appearance so to speak. He's a calm dude and if it would be easy to provoke him he'd probably be in a lot more trouble than he currently is, but once that certain threshold he also tends to show off a high degree of tenacity and stubbornness. He loves do eat and drink, so better don't get into his way when there's the smell of free, fresh raw meat around. Bonds:* Torsten is the apprentice of one of the blacksmith's that keep the guard's equipment in working order. He's still learning and a young boy, but he's also one of those without prejudices against beastmen and shows great interest in Manald instead. It would not be the first time for Torsten to have an open ear for Manald's special needs. * Utgar was the head of the first band of mercenaries the young Manald joined and has never gotten over the fact that Manald left his men. Utgar current location or profession is unknown, but you always meet twice. Fighting style: Manald's way of handling such things can be subdivided into two different branches: The first one is what he uses most of the time -- whenever he's not shifting -- and combines a morning star and a shield into something that clearly lacks finesse, but adds strength and ferocity. The second branch is when he's shifted: No weapons, just armor, claws and teeth that can bite through some more than just flesh. It's somewhat reckless, somewhat dangerous, but also capable of striking fear into the hearts of those having to oppose him. Equipment:* Two sets of thick leather armor partially reinforced with metal plates. One for his more ordinary shape, and one that allows both for a quick exchange and for a lot more body inside. * A standard sized morning star * A round shield * A soldier's standard supply of water, dry meat, bread and basic utensils for everyday life. Skills/Abilities:* Raw strength and endurance: He's a beast after all, quite literally. * Morale booster: He has learned several warcries typical for his people while still at home. They, combined with his sheer appearance, can deteriorate an enemy's will to fight and boost that of those fighting on his own side. * Heightened senses: Even while not shifting his intrinsic lycanthropy improves his ability to see in the dark, to hear faint noises or to notice whisps of odour considerably. Other: -=Rules=- 1. Listen to the GM(s), If you have a complaint tell me. I am not an evil dictator and if I am wrong I will admit it. 2. Romance and Gore allowed, But keep it in good taste and in site rules 3. Now not all characters will play nice with each other I understand that, but keep the disputes in the RP not in OOC 4. Be civilized and polite please 5. All basic RP rules apply to this roleplay: Power playing, Meta gaming, and others are not allowed. 6. The story isn't exactly set, if you have an idea for a mission feel free to pm me the details and I'll try to work it in. 7. Copy the rules into a Hider in the "other" of your cs so I know you read them. 8. Get into your character's skin become him or her as you are playing have fun and give us insight into their thoughts. 9. Try to keep active, in both the IC and OOC pages please. And even if you don't have anything to say, at least read the OOC</s> <\|message\|>Merik Roak Merik Roak The forest was quiet and calm, most of the animals however were on edge. The fight that was to come set a gloomy mood to the trees and the earth. The deer he was feasting on was already weary and on edge when he ambushed it. Other than a few wild dog tracks in the area Merik had not found any track or scent of the Orcish and goblin hordes he knew lingered nearby. Blood would be spilled this day the reptile could feel it in his scales, in his muscles, and in his bones. Even with this feeling Merik enjoyed his time out in the forest. His instincts could run wild and he could feel at peace. The loud boom and thunder that echoed through the forest caught both himself and his horse off guard. It took some time for his warhorse to attune to him but it still wasn't used to the dwarves thunder sticks and thunder tubes. A sigh escaped the large Lizardfolk while he watched his horse run off into the forest. At the very least he knew it would run back to the camp. "Prince Leo be upset Merik lost nother horse." He spoke to himself for a moment then looked around. Merik knew which way the camp was and the way to the city, without a horse he will just have to join up with the infantry again. "Ruduf will be happy that big friend help." Again Merik spoke to himself and stood up leaving the rest of the deer for the wild dogs he knew were lurking nearby. With a huff he headed out toward the camp at a fast pace, he could double his speed while running on all fours. Almost leaping more than running. The voice of the infantry leader and the scent of man soon grew stronger and stronger. He was sure they could hear the racket and noise he was making as he moved toward them. Loud heavy foot falls and snapping of branches and toppling of small trees. Bursting from the foliage the behemoth skidded to a stop and slowly stood before the men. Some he recognized others he did not, his muscular tail was moving side to side and he smiled at his smaller human friend. "Merik find you Ruduf, (Pronounces it as Roo Doof.) Merik lose horse again, so Merik go with you." He gave the man a toothy grin and waited for him to keep going for him to follow.</s> <\|message\|>Zatana Aleana Zatana had just been about to dip a nod to the Prince when her head whipped about to peer in the direction of Bergkoff as a boom shook the ground. It would be far louder near the city, one of the few irritations the drow had with the dwarven technologic advances. In her profession, noise was kept to a minimum and her grandfather often noted that loud sound showed how uncivilized someone was. A statement that thus far rang true as far as Zatana could see. But there was little time for introspection as Leonidas barked several orders, though the ones concerning her was all she needed Zatana did hold an extra second to hear the rest of the battle plan. Knowledge was key to all things in life after all. It was just as well she had held back as the robed form of the thorn in her side spoke. She had noted Balthazar's approach but pointedly pretended she had not. Zatana was not blind to the dangers the old wizard represented to her. He was often elbows deep in paper and one of the so very few that knew what she was. If he wasn't so competent and she so in need to stay where she was, she would have slipped out of town to fish in a different harbor so to speak. Zatana watched him detail out a plan with a grim smile. That was the problem with this wizard. He was so very dangerous because of the things he knew. If she had the ability and circumstance would she dispatch him? Would he do such to her in turn? Her eyes were flint as the wizard outlined his plan to her and Faira, a good plan to be sure. Reaching out to pluck the wooden token from Balthazar, Zatana let her dark eyes soften to a wicked delight, letting the thrill of being able to do something show. Let wizard make of it what he would. Emotions that were shown was only another part of the grand game she had been born to. "Within the city, at the West Gate, contact with parcel." Her soft voice was the exact opposite of dangerous as she smiled behind the mask while she repeated the key pieces of information. For a chance to clarification and to make sure she would remember it herself. "Not a difficult task, though any information you might add on this contact? Flashing a token about a city under siege... Those as do not know its significance would find it a distraction. Impeding ourselves and their own efforts." It was not unreasonable and clarification in a city that would be fighting a coming siege would be useful. "It is reasonable to ask, is it not?" She asked in a conversational tone as she slipped the token into the breastplate of her leather armor where a pouch was for small trinkets. Zatana was curious if he would give more information, or if he was using this as a test to feel her out. It wouldn't be the first time nor would it be the last someone had tried to do so. The other option was that he sprung from the same cloth as Murdoc, she was going to be expected to figure it out, and getting the answer wrong would have all the consequences fall on her head.</s>	<\|message\|>Manald Halung Cannons ? Oh what brutal instruments of death those dwarves could develop! Death for his sensitive lycanthropic hearing that was... If he found the sound of those things deafing while still a fair bit way of them what would happen once they'd be next to them ? It was not a bright outlook Manald found, but hopefully those things would do more damage to their enemies than they did to their own troops. One could never know for sure with such inventions... When Manald heard Leonidas giving the order that involved him in leading the cavalry units he knew what to do: Make preparations. He needed not only to retrieve his shield and weapon from his tent, but also his second armor that was more suited to his alter ego -- the one that only came out on rather rare occasions and for a rather short amount of time. Five minutes was not much time for grabbing all things, putting those needed immediately on, then walking back through an entire camp of people all doing the same thing at the same time to the stables and getting one's mount ready. Still Manald was not in the mood for shoving aside those not making way for him, even in the hurry given. It was important to treat people with at least a certain degree of respect or bad things would come crashing down upon oneself one day. So what everybody caring to look would be able to see was Manald getting his fur dirty as he compensated for any necessary evasive maneuver by walking even faster, thereby transporting a fair degree of mud from his feet to other regions of his body. He barely made it in time, making his appearance in the makeshift stables while breathing considerably heavier then before. "Leonidas ? I hope your majesty is aware of the fact that horses and I are not best friends." He knew what he was talking about. Horses were sensitive beings and felt that there was something very, very predatory in Manald even if it was not directed at them in any way. And then there was the fact that the wolf-man was just very bloody heavy.</s>
<\|description\|>Manald Halung Race: Beastman Gender: Male Age: 34 At almost seven feet in his non-shifted form Manald stands on the more imposing side of things, something that is underlined by the fact that he's also superbly muscular, thick boned and well fed. Overall it's more than enough weight to give those concerned with logistics a headache when they have to think about him. Also: Imagine a wolf, mix it with the shape of a human, and you get Manald. He's got long, gray hairs on many his skin, his teeth look more like those of a carnivore than those of an omnivore and his ears are as pointy as are his fingernails. For the sake of interpersonal relationships however he tries to cover most of this in at least some form of clothing as long as he doesn't sweat too much in it. Bio: Manald is the offspring of his father Setsir and his mother Feyr, a loving beastmen couple living close to the kingdom's borders. This location allowed for early contact with human culture and civilization, but still it was hardly foreseeable that he'd end up as a member of the royal guard one day. His feral features rendered him a man less sociable than the average, but a company of mercenaries discovered him and offered him to join them. He proved good, very good indeed. Everything ultimately comes to an end however. At some point the very regional affairs of his companionship no longer proved satisfying enough for the eager young man. The mercenaries did not like his decision, some of his former colleagues even call him a coward and a snob for his aspirations, but Manald left in the search for a more extensive adventure. He left his family behind with this decision as well, but it was in good mutual agreement. He could have left for the heartland of beastman territory, but out of curiosity he ventured deeper into the realm of human kingdoms instead. It didn't take long for local recruiters to turn their eyes towards the wandering man. Armies are needed always and everywhere practically, so he was consumed by one not much later and started serving as a low ranking soldier. A bit less action then with the mercenaries, but a much wider reach in terms of travels and more potential friends -- and enemies -- gave him enough thrill to stay. Manald learned only very recently whose army he actually ended up in... Personality quirks: As fierce as he might be looking, his general demeanor outside of combat does not keep up with his outer appearance so to speak. He's a calm dude and if it would be easy to provoke him he'd probably be in a lot more trouble than he currently is, but once that certain threshold he also tends to show off a high degree of tenacity and stubbornness. He loves do eat and drink, so better don't get into his way when there's the smell of free, fresh raw meat around. Bonds:* Torsten is the apprentice of one of the blacksmith's that keep the guard's equipment in working order. He's still learning and a young boy, but he's also one of those without prejudices against beastmen and shows great interest in Manald instead. It would not be the first time for Torsten to have an open ear for Manald's special needs. * Utgar was the head of the first band of mercenaries the young Manald joined and has never gotten over the fact that Manald left his men. Utgar current location or profession is unknown, but you always meet twice. Fighting style: Manald's way of handling such things can be subdivided into two different branches: The first one is what he uses most of the time -- whenever he's not shifting -- and combines a morning star and a shield into something that clearly lacks finesse, but adds strength and ferocity. The second branch is when he's shifted: No weapons, just armor, claws and teeth that can bite through some more than just flesh. It's somewhat reckless, somewhat dangerous, but also capable of striking fear into the hearts of those having to oppose him. Equipment:* Two sets of thick leather armor partially reinforced with metal plates. One for his more ordinary shape, and one that allows both for a quick exchange and for a lot more body inside. * A standard sized morning star * A round shield * A soldier's standard supply of water, dry meat, bread and basic utensils for everyday life. Skills/Abilities:* Raw strength and endurance: He's a beast after all, quite literally. * Morale booster: He has learned several warcries typical for his people while still at home. They, combined with his sheer appearance, can deteriorate an enemy's will to fight and boost that of those fighting on his own side. * Heightened senses: Even while not shifting his intrinsic lycanthropy improves his ability to see in the dark, to hear faint noises or to notice whisps of odour considerably. Other: -=Rules=- 1. Listen to the GM(s), If you have a complaint tell me. I am not an evil dictator and if I am wrong I will admit it. 2. Romance and Gore allowed, But keep it in good taste and in site rules 3. Now not all characters will play nice with each other I understand that, but keep the disputes in the RP not in OOC 4. Be civilized and polite please 5. All basic RP rules apply to this roleplay: Power playing, Meta gaming, and others are not allowed. 6. The story isn't exactly set, if you have an idea for a mission feel free to pm me the details and I'll try to work it in. 7. Copy the rules into a Hider in the "other" of your cs so I know you read them. 8. Get into your character's skin become him or her as you are playing have fun and give us insight into their thoughts. 9. Try to keep active, in both the IC and OOC pages please. And even if you don't have anything to say, at least read the OOC</s> <\|message\|>Zatana Aleana "Merik." The soft voice returned with what most likely was a nod under the hood. Alas, Zatana's amusement at Acrius's reaction was short-lived as the peal of a bell sounded out. Bells, they told the stories of human lives. Life, death, war, alarms of fore coming disaster. The only time they did not ring was when things were quiet, sedated, and peaceful. The natural course of life within a city. Looking towards the two large boulders arching towards the wall, her arm shot out to grip a rampant while the stone beneath her shook with the impact. The other had hit and from the looks of things, there would be wounded and dead if anyone was unlucky. Twisting about she watched the goblins advance as Merik threw the poles down upon them. Reaching behind her, she flicked her cloak back from her arms the dark leather armored arm moving to pluck her bow from her back and string it. Nocking an arrow, she sighed in annoyance hearing Acrius's comment. "I am far more likely to toss him or find a way down myself to slit throats. Goblins." She complained in slight annoyance at having to use the bow and Acrius's 'probably'. Her skill with archery was nowhere near where she wanted it, but that was one of the strong points of elves. They had all the time in the world to gain whatever skill they wished. It just took time, which right now was not something she had. Nocking one arrow after another she began to sight and release on any goblin she might hit. A good few of the horrid little beings falling as she plucked them off, but not all of them. Working her way along the wall, she tried to spot any of the leaders of the goblin and orc horde. The little known Waruk Shieldbreaker. Which was someone Zatana doubted she would fare well against.</s> <\|message\|>Leonidas Lionheart Leonidas listens to the information from both Balthazar and the Duke closing his eyes to think as he takes it all in, "We are going to need to reposition one cannon to the east gate and one to the west. We don't know when they will attack the flanks and we can't show a weakness on our sides. If we show these beasts any chink in our armor they will jump at it without a doubt." He said after a bit of thought and looking down at the map. "The goblin numbers won't be an issue if we can keep them outside those walls. If they get in though they could be a major problem. As for the Orcs, how many of them came out to fight this morning? Were we able to dwindle those numbers at all?" He asked wanting to know how things had gone. "My fear is the longer this battle lasts the more word of this fortress' strength will spread and draw in more Orcs looking for a challenge. So any thought on how we could try to end this battle quickly?" He added again giving yet another question hoping one of these two men could come up with a decent idea to try and end the fight quickly. ---- Western Gate The goblins continue to charge at the gate through the incoming fire without hesitation those in the lead ranks seem to reach down pulling something out of their bags and start to light a fuse as they charge at the gate itself. It seems that ten of the goblins pull out these devices as they rush forward. Other than that the stream of goblins continue to come out from the mountains as another volley of rocks are also sent flying at the walls from the hidden catapults.</s> <\|message\|>Balthazar Trevarthen Balthazar shook his head in response to the Duke's inquiries. "I don't have too much information about him-- he seemed to be perfectly content with lording over the smaller Orc and Goblin tribes, as well as raiding the occasional caravan." The warlock says, thinking more about Waruk Shieldbreaker. "It makes me wonder why he had such a sudden desire to besiege Bergkoff." The man posited openly, before allowing the conversation to be steered towards more relevant matters. Realizing that would've been unwise to speculate too much, for now, Balthazar decided to wait for more information to come. He would have to send informants over to see what is going on with the Dwarves-- if they were able, they would have lent their assistance by now. Something... or someone must be delaying them. He would find out what. The spymaster looked over at the Prince as Leonidas spoke. Balthazar had some skill in tactics, logistics, and even naval strategy, but his main strength came from his decades of experience as an advisor, and of course, the information he receives from his network. With that being said? Emperor Graham and Siegfried were better-equipped and trained to deal with such things, and as such, the Prince received more than enough training to make tactical decisions on his own-- the warlock was simply here as an aide. Still, when the Prince asks for counsel, then it is the advisor's job to provide it. "I believe cutting off the head of the snake to be a viable option if it can be done." After all, if the Chieftain falls, the invasion will fall with him. Unless of course, this Warchief is a pawn in someone else's game. Only time would tell. "Alternatively, we could try to collapse the entrances to the tunnels that they are using to move around the region." He says, pointing to the possible locations on his map. "I suspect that it will be no easy task, but if we can do it, it would only a matter of breaking down the remaining forces. An army without supply lines or reinforcements is certain to crumble, given time." In the end, it was up to the Prince to decide what to do. He could likely even make a decision on his own if he wished. Balthazar simply stood to the side, allowing the Prince and the Duke to converse some more before speaking once more.</s>	<\|message\|>Manald Halung By the time the bell rang, Manald had found himself on the wall somewhere in the eastern part of the city. He couldn't tell exactly where himself for the lack of detailed knowledge of the whole place, but it didn't matter anyway. The bell's reverberating sound was loud enough to easily track it back to its origin. Running through the city itself would probably have been less of a long way, but only so at the risk of getting lost and needing even more time. Therefore Manald relocated himself to the west gate by running along the top of the wall in the south. Upon his arrival he wished for having gone through the city and gotten lost there... The lycan was unfamiliar with this dwarven invention of 'cannons'. The ongoing preparations to fire one of them were not as obvious to him as they were to many others, so he didn't care much when running past one of the crews manning them. He could hear the men beefing about him as he ran past them as one of his elbows accidentally touched one of them in the overall turmoil that was going on. Then, a moment later, there was a bang that felt next to unbelievable for him. The last bit of information he could get from his ears was that it came from behind his back. Then there was only disturbance and ringing, no further voices or other meaningful sounds to be heard. Had his hypersensitive ears just died ? Not even noticing himself anymore that he was hissing in the process, Manald turned around and looked back at the men with their cannon. A plume of smoke invaded his nostrils, too, but the slight itch it caused was nothing compared to what had happened to his hearing. He saw the soldiers returning the stare, a few of them grinning nonchalantly. The expression quickly faded from their faces once they saw Manald's threatening teeth. He was not amused! One the plus side he would not have worry much about more cannon shots, but he could no longer receive any orders or hints anymore as well. That was unless someone would dare to wield a big shield with letters on it, of course. Luckily though a quick look down the wall still told him the story about the goblins doing something at the gate's threshold. It could only be a bad thing for the smell of explosive powder and the sight of fire reached him once more. But what should he do ? Jump down the wall ? The gate wouldn't hold for long anymore this way. Manald quickly discarded the thought. Instead he retreated into the gatehouse, taking his second set of leather armor with him. At first there was nothing, but then a muffled scream could be heard by everyone closeby. It wasn't like the war shout Manald had delivered earlier, but sounded much more like the very mundane attempt to stifle intense agony with crying. It was followed by several others, albeit much smaller outbursts until there was silence again in the gatehouse. The bottom-level door on the city side of it was tossed open and clashed against the wall quite hard. Manald had no intention of damaging any of the lord's properties on purpose, but the sheer inadequacy of the exit's size almost left him no other choice. And of course he currently was flat-out unable to hear anything almost breaking. Ducking greatly and walking halfway sideways just in order to get his shoulders through somehow, the lycanthrope emerged on the street behind the gate fully shifted and clad in his much bigger armor. Manald had borrowed a two-handed sword from a rack in the gatehouse, but his confidence in the weapon's durability was as low as was his confidence in his own ability to wield it like a real swordsman. Anyway, he'd try his best to give those goblins a warm welcome should they breach the gate in any case. If they wouldn't at all... well then he wouldn't be able to pull this off a second time this day or so, but maybe he could make himself useful in other ways then.</s>
<\|description\|>Manald Halung Race: Beastman Gender: Male Age: 34 At almost seven feet in his non-shifted form Manald stands on the more imposing side of things, something that is underlined by the fact that he's also superbly muscular, thick boned and well fed. Overall it's more than enough weight to give those concerned with logistics a headache when they have to think about him. Also: Imagine a wolf, mix it with the shape of a human, and you get Manald. He's got long, gray hairs on many his skin, his teeth look more like those of a carnivore than those of an omnivore and his ears are as pointy as are his fingernails. For the sake of interpersonal relationships however he tries to cover most of this in at least some form of clothing as long as he doesn't sweat too much in it. Bio: Manald is the offspring of his father Setsir and his mother Feyr, a loving beastmen couple living close to the kingdom's borders. This location allowed for early contact with human culture and civilization, but still it was hardly foreseeable that he'd end up as a member of the royal guard one day. His feral features rendered him a man less sociable than the average, but a company of mercenaries discovered him and offered him to join them. He proved good, very good indeed. Everything ultimately comes to an end however. At some point the very regional affairs of his companionship no longer proved satisfying enough for the eager young man. The mercenaries did not like his decision, some of his former colleagues even call him a coward and a snob for his aspirations, but Manald left in the search for a more extensive adventure. He left his family behind with this decision as well, but it was in good mutual agreement. He could have left for the heartland of beastman territory, but out of curiosity he ventured deeper into the realm of human kingdoms instead. It didn't take long for local recruiters to turn their eyes towards the wandering man. Armies are needed always and everywhere practically, so he was consumed by one not much later and started serving as a low ranking soldier. A bit less action then with the mercenaries, but a much wider reach in terms of travels and more potential friends -- and enemies -- gave him enough thrill to stay. Manald learned only very recently whose army he actually ended up in... Personality quirks: As fierce as he might be looking, his general demeanor outside of combat does not keep up with his outer appearance so to speak. He's a calm dude and if it would be easy to provoke him he'd probably be in a lot more trouble than he currently is, but once that certain threshold he also tends to show off a high degree of tenacity and stubbornness. He loves do eat and drink, so better don't get into his way when there's the smell of free, fresh raw meat around. Bonds:* Torsten is the apprentice of one of the blacksmith's that keep the guard's equipment in working order. He's still learning and a young boy, but he's also one of those without prejudices against beastmen and shows great interest in Manald instead. It would not be the first time for Torsten to have an open ear for Manald's special needs. * Utgar was the head of the first band of mercenaries the young Manald joined and has never gotten over the fact that Manald left his men. Utgar current location or profession is unknown, but you always meet twice. Fighting style: Manald's way of handling such things can be subdivided into two different branches: The first one is what he uses most of the time -- whenever he's not shifting -- and combines a morning star and a shield into something that clearly lacks finesse, but adds strength and ferocity. The second branch is when he's shifted: No weapons, just armor, claws and teeth that can bite through some more than just flesh. It's somewhat reckless, somewhat dangerous, but also capable of striking fear into the hearts of those having to oppose him. Equipment:* Two sets of thick leather armor partially reinforced with metal plates. One for his more ordinary shape, and one that allows both for a quick exchange and for a lot more body inside. * A standard sized morning star * A round shield * A soldier's standard supply of water, dry meat, bread and basic utensils for everyday life. Skills/Abilities:* Raw strength and endurance: He's a beast after all, quite literally. * Morale booster: He has learned several warcries typical for his people while still at home. They, combined with his sheer appearance, can deteriorate an enemy's will to fight and boost that of those fighting on his own side. * Heightened senses: Even while not shifting his intrinsic lycanthropy improves his ability to see in the dark, to hear faint noises or to notice whisps of odour considerably. Other: -=Rules=- 1. Listen to the GM(s), If you have a complaint tell me. I am not an evil dictator and if I am wrong I will admit it. 2. Romance and Gore allowed, But keep it in good taste and in site rules 3. Now not all characters will play nice with each other I understand that, but keep the disputes in the RP not in OOC 4. Be civilized and polite please 5. All basic RP rules apply to this roleplay: Power playing, Meta gaming, and others are not allowed. 6. The story isn't exactly set, if you have an idea for a mission feel free to pm me the details and I'll try to work it in. 7. Copy the rules into a Hider in the "other" of your cs so I know you read them. 8. Get into your character's skin become him or her as you are playing have fun and give us insight into their thoughts. 9. Try to keep active, in both the IC and OOC pages please. And even if you don't have anything to say, at least read the OOC</s> <\|message\|>Rudolph Kestrell It didn't take long before orders were given out. Rudolph would be stationed on the western wall with Merik again. A couple of hours later, and the green-skinned horde finally poured our from their holes. Rudolph accepted that they were testing the defences the other day, so then they must be coming in full force this time. For the first few minutes in the attack, the defenders had little issue and fairly easily cut down the approaching goblins with sustained arrow volleys and rifle-fire. The defenders only suffered minimal casualties from the opposing ranged units so far. "Watch out!" a soldier yelled, Rudolph turned toward the voice's direction and quickly realised for its reason, the orcs had begun their artillary barrage and sent two boulders their way. One boulder flew over the wall and landed in the city below, but the other smashed into a catapult atop a tower. Soon after, the greenskins stormed from their lines with a battering ram. Rudolph stood up and realised this soon enough, "Take that thing out!" he ordered before turning toward the troops below down behind the gate, "Brace the gates, we have incoming!" he yelled down. The soldiers began placing wooden posts to keep it set in place, and then set up some barricades soon after. Another sergeant stationed on the otherside of the wall ordered the catapult on their sides tower to open fire upon the ram, the first shot missed, but the second one made contact, it was only slowed temporarily however. Rudolph took up a position on the wall and aimed his rifle at the ram, he took his time and picked his target out. With an exhale, he fired. The shot hit one of the ropes that kept the armour in place, some of the wooden planks and iron plates slid off revealing some of the pilots beneath. "Focus fire on the ram! kill the bastards pushing the thing!" Rudolph ordered as he reloaded. He quickly scanned the situation along the wall. Further down, he could see Merik making himself useful, "How're you faring lad!?" he asked.</s> <\|message\|>Faira Blodwen Faira looked over the battlements as the day was still young. She leaned on the wall, and said nothing to her companions. She quite agreed with her placement here, and Manald's as well. A great deal of extra strength would be needed to dislodge any ladders that found the wall. Her armor was in its loosened state, ready for her muscles to expand when she let the blood heat flow. Suddenly, Faira stood up fully, her hands planted on the wall as she looked out to the east. "They come. Ladders and... gods damned trolls!" She couldn't do much but watch as they approached. She commanded that the rifles focus their fire on the trolls, as she trusted that the ladders could be dealt with in their turn. They had prepared for a scaling attack, but nobody had made any real consideration for defending the gate. When the first ladder arrived, Faira, having watched its path, was already in position. Her muscles bulged as she let her magic flow through her body. Immediately, she began to sweat, and her hot breath hung thickly in the air. She grabbed the ladder, and simply pushed it away. The ladder tumbled backwards, landing heavily on a few goblins in its path. The remaining goblins, however, were undeterred and began to right it again. What's more, the next ladder that went up was braced more heavily, so that it was quite immovable and Faira was forced to content herself with drawing her sword and beheading any goblin that showed its face above the wall. When she had a clear moment, she drew her dagger, and slid the blade along her wrist, leaving a small cut. Her blood activated the magic in the weapon, and it quickly began to glow as if she had pulled it from a forge. Faira thrust the dagger, halfway up the blade, into the wood of the ladder, which quickly caught fire itself, and began to burn. She moved to the next ladder to repeat this while the spell still held, her soldiers were meanwhile working with axes to splinter the ladders so that they could not be easily braced on the wall. "Manald!" She called suddenly, looking down into the mass of foes. The trolls had been slowed by the peppering of lead from the rifles, but they were far from stopped, and had nearly made it. "We need to do something about those trolls!"</s>	<\|message\|>Manald Halung "I know!" Manald replied, having to halfway yell at Faira in order to overcome the ubiquitous sound of firearms, arrows, arms and armor. It was an environment that would do no good to his ears, that was for sure. If they'd survive this day he'd likely end up with one hell of an headache and a ringing tone that only existed in his sensation. So far the lycanthrope had decided not to transform. It was a trait that could only be maintained for so long and thus an asset not to be wasted like the day before. Manald knew that his use on the wall was somewhat limited due to the necessity to use ranged weapons. However, now that the first siege ladders were put into place and the goblins started to reach the top of the wall here and there, this was about to change. "Give me a moment, and then try to keep the green critters away from me!" Having said this not only to Faira, but addressing all of the soliders around them as well, Manald did not retreat into some closed room where nobody could see him. Instead he merely stepped as far back as he could before starting to shift, so from down below he could probably not be seen anymore. The intent was to reappear with the element of surprise on his side. "Don't destroy that ladder! I need it!" he added with an already distorted voice, the arm he used to point at the object in question already bulging and being overgrown with even more hair. He put off his set or armor pretty much at the last moment possible before it would have become jammed around his growing body and subsequently burst. A brief moment followed where the transformation reached its climax and every soldier would be able to see Manald naked while he couldn't do anything. Then, somewhat crouching so not to reveal himself to the trolls and goblins openly, he put on his other leather armor as fast as possible. With a loud, smacking sound, Manald's claws dug into the throat of the goblin that had just reached the top of the ladder. Blood was pouring out of it and moments later the body was clearly devoid of life. Good. Manald knew he had not much experience in handling a sword, but even an idiot could use a club... And every bit of metal and other armor on that dead goblin now would only make it more useful for wiping its successors on the ladder off the latter. The wood made more than one cracking sound as Manald climbed it from above. That thing was designed for green critters, not for him in his current state. However, as long as it would hold together somehow until he was down far enough to jump everything would be fine. He now held the dead goblin at one of its ankles, trying to get as much range out of his makeshift weapon as possible before thrashing those who continued to climb upwards as he came downwards. Whether this would work out as planned ? Of course Manald couldn't tell for sure, but only hope. Unlike certain drows he had no magical ability to just disapper and reappear on top of the wall again, but maybe the soldiers there would be able to help him clear a way towards the first of the trolls. They simply could not be allowed to reach the gate and do their work. At least Manald now was at least as monstrous as they were, if not even worse.</s>
<\|description\|>Manald Halung Race: Beastman Gender: Male Age: 34 At almost seven feet in his non-shifted form Manald stands on the more imposing side of things, something that is underlined by the fact that he's also superbly muscular, thick boned and well fed. Overall it's more than enough weight to give those concerned with logistics a headache when they have to think about him. Also: Imagine a wolf, mix it with the shape of a human, and you get Manald. He's got long, gray hairs on many his skin, his teeth look more like those of a carnivore than those of an omnivore and his ears are as pointy as are his fingernails. For the sake of interpersonal relationships however he tries to cover most of this in at least some form of clothing as long as he doesn't sweat too much in it. Bio: Manald is the offspring of his father Setsir and his mother Feyr, a loving beastmen couple living close to the kingdom's borders. This location allowed for early contact with human culture and civilization, but still it was hardly foreseeable that he'd end up as a member of the royal guard one day. His feral features rendered him a man less sociable than the average, but a company of mercenaries discovered him and offered him to join them. He proved good, very good indeed. Everything ultimately comes to an end however. At some point the very regional affairs of his companionship no longer proved satisfying enough for the eager young man. The mercenaries did not like his decision, some of his former colleagues even call him a coward and a snob for his aspirations, but Manald left in the search for a more extensive adventure. He left his family behind with this decision as well, but it was in good mutual agreement. He could have left for the heartland of beastman territory, but out of curiosity he ventured deeper into the realm of human kingdoms instead. It didn't take long for local recruiters to turn their eyes towards the wandering man. Armies are needed always and everywhere practically, so he was consumed by one not much later and started serving as a low ranking soldier. A bit less action then with the mercenaries, but a much wider reach in terms of travels and more potential friends -- and enemies -- gave him enough thrill to stay. Manald learned only very recently whose army he actually ended up in... Personality quirks: As fierce as he might be looking, his general demeanor outside of combat does not keep up with his outer appearance so to speak. He's a calm dude and if it would be easy to provoke him he'd probably be in a lot more trouble than he currently is, but once that certain threshold he also tends to show off a high degree of tenacity and stubbornness. He loves do eat and drink, so better don't get into his way when there's the smell of free, fresh raw meat around. Bonds:* Torsten is the apprentice of one of the blacksmith's that keep the guard's equipment in working order. He's still learning and a young boy, but he's also one of those without prejudices against beastmen and shows great interest in Manald instead. It would not be the first time for Torsten to have an open ear for Manald's special needs. * Utgar was the head of the first band of mercenaries the young Manald joined and has never gotten over the fact that Manald left his men. Utgar current location or profession is unknown, but you always meet twice. Fighting style: Manald's way of handling such things can be subdivided into two different branches: The first one is what he uses most of the time -- whenever he's not shifting -- and combines a morning star and a shield into something that clearly lacks finesse, but adds strength and ferocity. The second branch is when he's shifted: No weapons, just armor, claws and teeth that can bite through some more than just flesh. It's somewhat reckless, somewhat dangerous, but also capable of striking fear into the hearts of those having to oppose him. Equipment:* Two sets of thick leather armor partially reinforced with metal plates. One for his more ordinary shape, and one that allows both for a quick exchange and for a lot more body inside. * A standard sized morning star * A round shield * A soldier's standard supply of water, dry meat, bread and basic utensils for everyday life. Skills/Abilities:* Raw strength and endurance: He's a beast after all, quite literally. * Morale booster: He has learned several warcries typical for his people while still at home. They, combined with his sheer appearance, can deteriorate an enemy's will to fight and boost that of those fighting on his own side. * Heightened senses: Even while not shifting his intrinsic lycanthropy improves his ability to see in the dark, to hear faint noises or to notice whisps of odour considerably. Other: -=Rules=- 1. Listen to the GM(s), If you have a complaint tell me. I am not an evil dictator and if I am wrong I will admit it. 2. Romance and Gore allowed, But keep it in good taste and in site rules 3. Now not all characters will play nice with each other I understand that, but keep the disputes in the RP not in OOC 4. Be civilized and polite please 5. All basic RP rules apply to this roleplay: Power playing, Meta gaming, and others are not allowed. 6. The story isn't exactly set, if you have an idea for a mission feel free to pm me the details and I'll try to work it in. 7. Copy the rules into a Hider in the "other" of your cs so I know you read them. 8. Get into your character's skin become him or her as you are playing have fun and give us insight into their thoughts. 9. Try to keep active, in both the IC and OOC pages please. And even if you don't have anything to say, at least read the OOC</s> <\|message\|>Faira Blodwen Faira directed the soldiers to fight the goblins, and put the new, less trained conscripts to work splintering the remaining ladders with axes. When only one ladder remained, she commanded a halt to their world and approached. A swift thrust dispatched the lead goblin climber, sending it tumbling down to knock its fellows off the ladder. She stepped onto the siege weapon herself and kicked off the wall with the force of an angry mule, sending it tipping backward to the ground. Grabbing a goblin about the neck to catch her fall, Faira stood among the stunned enemies and set about hacking her way towards Manald and the trolls. One was down, but clearly lived, and Manald was making his bestial way towards the remaining creature. Faira stopped at the downed troll, and reactivated the spell on her dagger. She plunged it into the trolls throat with a sizzle of burningbmeat and blood, and wrenched it across the neck to sever the head. That should do it, she thought. Before the surrounding goblins could recover and swarm her, she hurled the still-blazing knife past Manald and aiming for the space between the armor on the back of the last trolls neck. Faira returned her second hand to her sword and swung for a nearby goblin, trusting the riflemen to thin the herd around her so she would not be over run.</s> <\|message\|>Merik Roak Merik Roak --- Merik was quite proud of himself while the other goblins ran off from his roar. Goblins were always a fun fight and it would seem it wasn't over. More goblins came up the wall dressed in rag tag armor and shields. Just from the look and combat ability he could tell that these ones were definitely going to be fun. One of them that seemed a bit bigger than the others proclaimed himself as the chief and said something akin to them being better than everyone else then going on about the ram he had destroyed. These goblins were definitely full of themselves, the soldiers regrouped rather quickly and formed a shield wall to oppose the goblins. This was definitely a fight he wasn't going to miss out on. With his mighty blade in his hand Merik sprinted for a moment and leapt over the soldiers and landed in front of them. Standing slowly with a growl akin to a predator he smiled at the goblins, "Finally, Food!" Merik's eyes glowed a slight red, muscles bulged, it almost seemed like he grew larger. With another deep breath and low growl Merik charged the opposing wall intent on swinging his sword in a mighty swing from right to left in an attempt to wipe the filth from the walls. It was safe to say the Lizardfolk entered into a rage.</s>	<\|message\|>Manald Halung Manald's back was aching from the bullet it had cought, but the lycan perfectly knew that the real pain that any such projectile was bound to incude would only come after shifting back. For now a single one of these things in that position did not impair his capability to carry on too much, so the solution was obvious... Manald had reached for the hopefully dead troll's axe and didn't even care to lift it on his way to the second troll at the gate. The creature was standing with its back to him and making so much noise with its hammer slamming against the gate that it probably would be unable to notice him or anyone else approaching from behind. The axe ploughed a small trench into the soft ground and, as it ran over one of many dead goblins, managed to almost split the small body in two due to its weight before continuing on as if nothing had happened. The werewolf was about to finally grab it with both hands and start his approach when something flew past him at breakneck speed and way too little distance to feel particularly comfortable. What was that ? It had looked like a knife, but not just any knife but a knife on fire before it had buried itself in the troll's flesh. Manald was not confident at all that this would be enough to bring hammer troll down, so he started running and prepared for a strike with the axe from top to bottom with only little sideways movement. The plan was to smash the thing into the troll's head, but even if he'd miss (which was not all too unlikely) that he'd hopefully still hit the shoulder and bury the thing deep enough into the troll's torso to render it incapacitated for a bunch of moments. Enough time to repeat the bite procedure. Manald clearly was counting on the troll either not noticing or just being too sluggish to turn around and defend itself properly against the danger. What the lycan did not seem to realize however was that he currently probably was by far the heaviest thing on the entire battlefield and thus, by himself, was not that unsuited to act as a battering ram against a gate already weakened by a series of troll hammer blows. He had committed onto a collission course with the troll standing right in front of it, intending to kill the creature as fast as possible.</s>
<\|description\|>Manald Halung Race: Beastman Gender: Male Age: 34 At almost seven feet in his non-shifted form Manald stands on the more imposing side of things, something that is underlined by the fact that he's also superbly muscular, thick boned and well fed. Overall it's more than enough weight to give those concerned with logistics a headache when they have to think about him. Also: Imagine a wolf, mix it with the shape of a human, and you get Manald. He's got long, gray hairs on many his skin, his teeth look more like those of a carnivore than those of an omnivore and his ears are as pointy as are his fingernails. For the sake of interpersonal relationships however he tries to cover most of this in at least some form of clothing as long as he doesn't sweat too much in it. Bio: Manald is the offspring of his father Setsir and his mother Feyr, a loving beastmen couple living close to the kingdom's borders. This location allowed for early contact with human culture and civilization, but still it was hardly foreseeable that he'd end up as a member of the royal guard one day. His feral features rendered him a man less sociable than the average, but a company of mercenaries discovered him and offered him to join them. He proved good, very good indeed. Everything ultimately comes to an end however. At some point the very regional affairs of his companionship no longer proved satisfying enough for the eager young man. The mercenaries did not like his decision, some of his former colleagues even call him a coward and a snob for his aspirations, but Manald left in the search for a more extensive adventure. He left his family behind with this decision as well, but it was in good mutual agreement. He could have left for the heartland of beastman territory, but out of curiosity he ventured deeper into the realm of human kingdoms instead. It didn't take long for local recruiters to turn their eyes towards the wandering man. Armies are needed always and everywhere practically, so he was consumed by one not much later and started serving as a low ranking soldier. A bit less action then with the mercenaries, but a much wider reach in terms of travels and more potential friends -- and enemies -- gave him enough thrill to stay. Manald learned only very recently whose army he actually ended up in... Personality quirks: As fierce as he might be looking, his general demeanor outside of combat does not keep up with his outer appearance so to speak. He's a calm dude and if it would be easy to provoke him he'd probably be in a lot more trouble than he currently is, but once that certain threshold he also tends to show off a high degree of tenacity and stubbornness. He loves do eat and drink, so better don't get into his way when there's the smell of free, fresh raw meat around. Bonds:* Torsten is the apprentice of one of the blacksmith's that keep the guard's equipment in working order. He's still learning and a young boy, but he's also one of those without prejudices against beastmen and shows great interest in Manald instead. It would not be the first time for Torsten to have an open ear for Manald's special needs. * Utgar was the head of the first band of mercenaries the young Manald joined and has never gotten over the fact that Manald left his men. Utgar current location or profession is unknown, but you always meet twice. Fighting style: Manald's way of handling such things can be subdivided into two different branches: The first one is what he uses most of the time -- whenever he's not shifting -- and combines a morning star and a shield into something that clearly lacks finesse, but adds strength and ferocity. The second branch is when he's shifted: No weapons, just armor, claws and teeth that can bite through some more than just flesh. It's somewhat reckless, somewhat dangerous, but also capable of striking fear into the hearts of those having to oppose him. Equipment:* Two sets of thick leather armor partially reinforced with metal plates. One for his more ordinary shape, and one that allows both for a quick exchange and for a lot more body inside. * A standard sized morning star * A round shield * A soldier's standard supply of water, dry meat, bread and basic utensils for everyday life. Skills/Abilities:* Raw strength and endurance: He's a beast after all, quite literally. * Morale booster: He has learned several warcries typical for his people while still at home. They, combined with his sheer appearance, can deteriorate an enemy's will to fight and boost that of those fighting on his own side. * Heightened senses: Even while not shifting his intrinsic lycanthropy improves his ability to see in the dark, to hear faint noises or to notice whisps of odour considerably. Other: -=Rules=- 1. Listen to the GM(s), If you have a complaint tell me. I am not an evil dictator and if I am wrong I will admit it. 2. Romance and Gore allowed, But keep it in good taste and in site rules 3. Now not all characters will play nice with each other I understand that, but keep the disputes in the RP not in OOC 4. Be civilized and polite please 5. All basic RP rules apply to this roleplay: Power playing, Meta gaming, and others are not allowed. 6. The story isn't exactly set, if you have an idea for a mission feel free to pm me the details and I'll try to work it in. 7. Copy the rules into a Hider in the "other" of your cs so I know you read them. 8. Get into your character's skin become him or her as you are playing have fun and give us insight into their thoughts. 9. Try to keep active, in both the IC and OOC pages please. And even if you don't have anything to say, at least read the OOC</s> <\|message\|>Zatana Aleana Forcing her heavy breathing to slow, Zatana took a moment to survey the stables then bent to the task at hand. The man would not be moving for a while and while the drow would be happy enough with that, it would be sloppy to not properly process him as would be expected per her training. It was that professionalism that kept her moving when she wanted to sit down. Snatching one of her smaller daggers, the assassin sliced the lesser's shirt and tunic along the seams carefully watching for any hidden items. Which she was does not disappointed with a set of lock picks, setting them aside upon the cloth that had been the man's cloak. The boots and socks followed. Ruthlessly Zatana checked his hair, behind his ears, and the seams and hem of his trousers. It was commonplace for a strangler's cord, poison, or some charm to be hidden away in cases such as these. Jerking his mouth open, she poked out and pulled out a cord nearly choking the man as she pulled out a small packet and flicked it onto the cloak as well. Finally satisfied that he would not be pulling a suicide attempt by her neglect, the drow gave a snarl as she ruthlessly bound his wrists together and hobbled his feet with leads from the stable. The mare within her stall gave a snort of disgust that matched her mistress's mood as the drow gathered the cloak. "Yes, I agree." Zatana spat her irritation, though she did approach the mare much to the terror of the man as he slowly began coming out of his pain-induced stun. "I should give him to you, perhaps if we do not need him the Lord will agree." She stroked the mare and offered a handful of hay. The mare took it and nearly took her fingers as well though Zatana was an old hand at the devil creature's tricks. Turning away, the drow gripped the man's scalp, hauled him to his feet, and shoved him before her. "Move and make another foolish move?" Her voice was a velvet croon as if begging the man to do something stupid. "And we shall see what body parts you do not need before your questioning even begins. Just imagine the pain I could deal you if I had a dagger to your..." She laughed a cruel sound that echoed in the night. There were some benefits to the image the drow had and this was one of those times that Zatana would abandon her silence to shamelessly intimidate the enemy. Guiding the man back into the keep, looking for the Spymaster and mage. Zatana was fingering her dagger and considering how best to butcher the man before her. Something was going on this night and if anything happened out of hand with the Prince? She was going to destroy this man as a sacrifice to her rage. Though she had left the Dread Coast behind the woman was still a drow and worse? If something had happened, it might well mean her own head or something else unpleasant. Unsatisfied with how slow the man was walking, from a mixture of pain and trying to buy time, Zatana finally gripped his neck and hauled him along. Her nails digging furrows into his skin that dripped red blood in tiny trails down his neck. "Cowardly bastard." She sneered in disgust. Spying a servant she snapped at the woman, her accent rolling harsh off her tongue. "Where is Balthazar, and the Prince?" The kitchen maid who had been awaken by the noise of people running about and now was hauling a kettle to the Duke's room with which to boul water, nearly dropped the brass kettle from the terror of a drow woman appearing out of the darkness hauling a man. Of course, everyone knew there was a drow in the Prince's Royal Guard since the seige, but this was- "Woman, where is the mage?" The maid pointed, her hand shaking as the drow strode pass hauling a shirtless and brutally beaten young man with her. "The Prince?" The question made the younger woman jump and shake her head mutely, unable to answer a question she did not know the answer to. The curse that followed would have turned a cow's milk sour. Zatana herself was past the point of caring. Spies were expected. Spies who were being such idiots as to try and steal her own horse of all horses? "Did everyone lose their senses this night?!" She demanded of the young man and jerked him along as he stumbled over the stones. She had taken a bit of time to recover and chaos had opened a door and dropped incompetents upon the castle. It only proved her point right that being on alert all the time was a good idea. The one time you relaxed even slightly the enemy would slip in and decide to cause problems. Growling Zatana snapped at a few more servants for directions, and decided if she didn't find the spymaster shortly she would butcher this particular man herself and be damned what the humans, elves, orcs, werewolves, lizardmen, priestesses, or any other being she could possibly give a single damn about thought! Then she could be rid of him in hands he would not escape from and she could go check on the Prince and stay with the Prince until this entire matter was settled!</s> <\|message\|>Merik Roak Merik Roak --- The man that smelled of orc was subdued quickly with a strong bite across the right shoulder and several hits to his abdomen. His jaw was still firmly clamped over the man's shoulder and he yelped every time either of them moved. Merik knew the man would not die with how he held him but it would be painful. With the sudden ferocity leaving his eyes and the content nature of having caught his prey, the lizard looked at his were wolf prey and pointed at the keep. With a shrug he began to make his way back to the keep, his prey doing his best to move as little as possible while trapped in the beast's jaws. The man struggled but the slight clamp of Merik's jaws dissuaded any attempts at further rebellion from his fate. It was either that or the drool pouring over their shoulder. Perhaps it was even the rough reptilian tongue that seemed to casually taste the man's blood. Although people did stare or were attracted to the cries of pain from the man Merik was carrying. Not a single citizen or guard tried to stop him as he entered the grounds of the keep with the sometimes sobbing man. Upon entering the grounds to the keep the towering hulk stopped in front of a small gathering of guards. They were discussing something serious but all turned toward the whimpers of the man still clutched in his jaw. Merik let the man drop from his mouth to the ground several trails of drool following him. "This one go to jail." He spoke sternly and to the point then crouched down to the injured man and ran his tongue over the wounds and across the assassins face. "If you run I eat you." And with that Merik waited for the man to be restrained then headed off back towards the keep and the stash of food he left in the war room.</s>	<\|message\|>Manald Halung Manald could feel a weird sensation crawling up first along the lines of his lower arm, then through his upper arm and shoulder before it started to disperse along his body and, to his fortune, became less and less noticeable. The lycanthrope hoped for it to be nothing but an imagined side effect of the poison, but it could very well be otherwise and now that stuff would be floating around in his blood for who knew how long! What would it cause ? He could not know. Manald could only hope and pay attention to the signals of his own body for the next hours and maybe even days to come. After all, at this point, the beastman was still completely oblivious to the fact that the prince himself had fallen victim to the assassins and thus had no reference for their poison's effects. He did have a reference for one of the assassins themselves though and knew what he wanted to do with the nasty, hideous man. And that definitely was not to bite into his body and having to maintain a delicate act of balance between enough force to drag him along and enough gentleness not to eat right through him! Manald was a lycanthrope, not a cat! And this wannabe killer was not his kitten that needed to be carried along in a very cat-like way! Aside from that Manald's jaws were quite a tad smaller than Merik's, at least while not in his true werewolf shape. The latter on the other hand would not have been appropriate for a task like this... there was no need to frighten the cities inhabitants in the middle of the night. So the assassin whose name Manald never felt the need to ask for was inspected thoroughly. He had little hesitation to not only look through the man's pockets and let his hands pat along his clothes, but to also use his nose and sniff along his skin. No more poison to be smelled, just the clear signs of growing anxiety. But anxious for what reason ? Manald's infernal vice grip was probably harmless compared to what could come in the castle they were now headed for! And, to Manald's slight surprise, they did not encounter the broken apart remains of Merik's cargo because the latter had failed to control his jaws with enough delicacy. Dragging the assassin along behind him, the beastman walked towards one of the guards. "Would you mind taking care of his individual ? He's tried to killed me and has poisoned me. Don't worry... the only weapon he has left is his piss!"</s>
<\|description\|>Manald Halung Race: Beastman Gender: Male Age: 34 At almost seven feet in his non-shifted form Manald stands on the more imposing side of things, something that is underlined by the fact that he's also superbly muscular, thick boned and well fed. Overall it's more than enough weight to give those concerned with logistics a headache when they have to think about him. Also: Imagine a wolf, mix it with the shape of a human, and you get Manald. He's got long, gray hairs on many his skin, his teeth look more like those of a carnivore than those of an omnivore and his ears are as pointy as are his fingernails. For the sake of interpersonal relationships however he tries to cover most of this in at least some form of clothing as long as he doesn't sweat too much in it. Bio: Manald is the offspring of his father Setsir and his mother Feyr, a loving beastmen couple living close to the kingdom's borders. This location allowed for early contact with human culture and civilization, but still it was hardly foreseeable that he'd end up as a member of the royal guard one day. His feral features rendered him a man less sociable than the average, but a company of mercenaries discovered him and offered him to join them. He proved good, very good indeed. Everything ultimately comes to an end however. At some point the very regional affairs of his companionship no longer proved satisfying enough for the eager young man. The mercenaries did not like his decision, some of his former colleagues even call him a coward and a snob for his aspirations, but Manald left in the search for a more extensive adventure. He left his family behind with this decision as well, but it was in good mutual agreement. He could have left for the heartland of beastman territory, but out of curiosity he ventured deeper into the realm of human kingdoms instead. It didn't take long for local recruiters to turn their eyes towards the wandering man. Armies are needed always and everywhere practically, so he was consumed by one not much later and started serving as a low ranking soldier. A bit less action then with the mercenaries, but a much wider reach in terms of travels and more potential friends -- and enemies -- gave him enough thrill to stay. Manald learned only very recently whose army he actually ended up in... Personality quirks: As fierce as he might be looking, his general demeanor outside of combat does not keep up with his outer appearance so to speak. He's a calm dude and if it would be easy to provoke him he'd probably be in a lot more trouble than he currently is, but once that certain threshold he also tends to show off a high degree of tenacity and stubbornness. He loves do eat and drink, so better don't get into his way when there's the smell of free, fresh raw meat around. Bonds:* Torsten is the apprentice of one of the blacksmith's that keep the guard's equipment in working order. He's still learning and a young boy, but he's also one of those without prejudices against beastmen and shows great interest in Manald instead. It would not be the first time for Torsten to have an open ear for Manald's special needs. * Utgar was the head of the first band of mercenaries the young Manald joined and has never gotten over the fact that Manald left his men. Utgar current location or profession is unknown, but you always meet twice. Fighting style: Manald's way of handling such things can be subdivided into two different branches: The first one is what he uses most of the time -- whenever he's not shifting -- and combines a morning star and a shield into something that clearly lacks finesse, but adds strength and ferocity. The second branch is when he's shifted: No weapons, just armor, claws and teeth that can bite through some more than just flesh. It's somewhat reckless, somewhat dangerous, but also capable of striking fear into the hearts of those having to oppose him. Equipment:* Two sets of thick leather armor partially reinforced with metal plates. One for his more ordinary shape, and one that allows both for a quick exchange and for a lot more body inside. * A standard sized morning star * A round shield * A soldier's standard supply of water, dry meat, bread and basic utensils for everyday life. Skills/Abilities:* Raw strength and endurance: He's a beast after all, quite literally. * Morale booster: He has learned several warcries typical for his people while still at home. They, combined with his sheer appearance, can deteriorate an enemy's will to fight and boost that of those fighting on his own side. * Heightened senses: Even while not shifting his intrinsic lycanthropy improves his ability to see in the dark, to hear faint noises or to notice whisps of odour considerably. Other: -=Rules=- 1. Listen to the GM(s), If you have a complaint tell me. I am not an evil dictator and if I am wrong I will admit it. 2. Romance and Gore allowed, But keep it in good taste and in site rules 3. Now not all characters will play nice with each other I understand that, but keep the disputes in the RP not in OOC 4. Be civilized and polite please 5. All basic RP rules apply to this roleplay: Power playing, Meta gaming, and others are not allowed. 6. The story isn't exactly set, if you have an idea for a mission feel free to pm me the details and I'll try to work it in. 7. Copy the rules into a Hider in the "other" of your cs so I know you read them. 8. Get into your character's skin become him or her as you are playing have fun and give us insight into their thoughts. 9. Try to keep active, in both the IC and OOC pages please. And even if you don't have anything to say, at least read the OOC</s> <\|message\|>Rudolph Kestrell Rudolph raised a brow as he withdrew the knife that 'Donovan' threw at 'Clarisse', "Poison eh?" Fullar stood up straight as things proceeded, and turned to Balthazar, "My lord..", he gave a brief salute, "...I and my fellow Sergeant here intercepted the woman and her comrade at a well. If these assassins were all equipped with poison, then who knows who or what else they may have already poisoned." Rudolph got up from his chair and walked over to the seasoned man as Fullar spoke, "If its any use to you." he gestured as he offered the knife that he obtained, "The woman's partner tried throwing it at her before he died. My guess is thats its poisoned too." ------------ Captain Helt was struggling with the situation at hand, many of the cities guards and soldiers had been amongst those getting merry, and a good few of them too much so. So with that, Helt had only a small portion to work with in scouring the city and keeping things in lockdown. The civilian populace had been sent back to their homes for the night, and the festival decor left to be dealt with in the morning following. Only occasional armoured footsteps and the rare barking of orders could be heard in the narrow streets of Bergkoff, otherwise though it could be considered quiet. ----------- As the doctor was about to leave and go tend to Prince Leonidas, the door to the Duke's chambers opened as Morgan had come again with news about the capturing of more assassins. He also informed her of more poison being obtained. Shortly after this, the Duke gave a pained moan, and his eyes crept open for but a moment, "Mor..gan..." The man surprised by his lords awakening quickly went the bed side, "I am here my lord. How are you feeling?" he asked with concern in his tone. The Duke's eyes opened once again and were fixated onto Morgan as though he were trying to recognise the man before him, but after a brief second or two the Duke fell unconscious again. Morgan sighed and looked toward the Doctor, "He needs rest, but the fact he awoke is a good sign. Please keep an eye on him. I must now go check on the Prince." she said before she left the Duke's chambers.</s> <\|message\|>Merik Roak Merik Roak --- Merik once again found his way back to the war room, after a quick check to see if his food was still safe the beast curled back up in the middle of the room and attempted to return to his slumber. Alas he would not find it, tossing and turning for a few minutes he let out a monstrous sigh and stood. Something still didn't feel right, something still felt like he needed to be on alert. The hunt and although successful was not filling. Merik found a piece of meat he had obtained from his stash and stepped out into the halls. His large frame patrolling the dark and seldom lit halls with ease. He passed several people and doors before ultimately finding himself outside of the duke's chambers. A few guards were posted outside and they seemed uneasy about his presence. The large reptile sat far enough away that others could get passed but otherwise just listened and ate the rest of his food. A few more people came and went some barely noticing him sitting quietly others giving him a wide birth. After a few more minutes he stood and approached the door, the guards watched him but did not stop him as he opened the door and stepped inside. A few more guards where near the door and the window with another by the Duke's bedside. Merik could feel a bit guilty for not being able to stop the assassins, his senses should have picked up on them but it seems that even he had a lot to learn. Obviously everyone was tired and on edge in that room by the way the guards fingered their weapons as he approached the bed. Sitting down at the foot of it and starring at the duke he did not pay any attention to the one watching the duke or the guards that stood quietly in the room. Using his hearing the lizard directed his attention to the duke, he could hear his labored breathing and the fast rhythm of his heart beat. Merik could tell that the man was fighting it, his body was fighting it and yet he felt that he may still be able to help. Waling on all fours to the side of the bed opposite the healer Merik again flared his nostrils and took several deep breaths over the duke. The others in the room were watching him closely. Either through his royal seal or just his intimidating size none of the others made a move until he attempted to pull the blanket off the duke's chest with one of his large claws. Merik stopped and looked at the guards who were now gripping their weapons, "it okay. Merik Help." He pulled the blanket down further and exposed the duke's chest by pushing his bed ware out of the way. The healer was watching him closely while he placed his large reptilian hand on the duke's chest. His hand easily encompassed his chest. With a deep breath Merik closed his eyes and just felt the duke's chest rise, his heart beat, and his blood surge through his body. Merik remembered what the elder had told him about magic some big words made sense while others he could not translate properly. He began to feel it, his own heart rate and breathing compared to the dukes, his own blood and energy flow through him. Merik felt the surge of magic throughout his body, his natural primal magic of a dragon touched. A beast long forgotten waiting to free itself and the natural way of things keeping order in the chaos of life. He felt the magic in him flow down his arm, he willed it from him and into the duke. The energy of life, of growth, the magic that has always been inside him shaping his strong muscles and bone. Building him into what he was. Merik pushed this energy into his palm and into the duke. The same energy that gave him his prowess, the energy gifted to him to be strong and mighty, a gift from the dragon. The dragon touched was giving a portion of his power, his magic to the duke. Not to mend wounds or send him into a rage but give his body enough energy to fix its own issues. Enough power to speed up its own recovery time and possibly make him powerful. For a moment Merik felt the different energy of himself and the duke touch, twist around each other, absorb into one another, and become one. A luminous green glow cast from his hand and then it stopped. His moment of bliss and serenity cut in an instant as he fell onto his back with a heavy thud. Merik grimaced with a sharp pain in his head accompanied with a dizzy feeling that left him unable to stand or move. The barbarian was unsure of what he just did or the repercussions that would come with it, if he did anything at all.</s>	<\|message\|>Manald Halung Down in the dungeons ? It took a mere moment for the lycanthrope to understand that this could only mean that not everything had gone according to plan this night. There simply was no reason the beastman could imagine that would make any of the persons mentioned spend his or her good night's sleep in the dungeons instead of some more comfortable place, unless something serious had happened. His own departure from the dormatory had only been caused by special circumstances as well after all. What could that special reason be ? Another open attack at night would have resulted in general alarm, but such was nowhere to be heard. Also any issues in the city not related to any attackers would probably be delegated towards the mayor and his subordinates instead of bothering the military presence here. So all that was left to think of were more assassins. It would make sense to gather in the dungeon then, a more controllable position than being spread thin throughout the entire building. A development he might have missed in the meantime! Manald hurried down the stone staircases, the claws on his feet preventing him from slipping more than once as he paid little attention to the placement of his huge feet on the steps. If the whole affair had been a big waterslide instead of a staircase... he'd have used it happily anyway. Unfortunately 'dungeons' only gave a rough indication that his destination had to be somewhere 'downstairs', but the exact path to the Captain remained unclear until he started asking the guards. Those however did not seem to be very fond of his appearance and it took a rather annoying number of presentations of his insignia to get some definite information. At least that meant that security was working here, or was it ? What if assassins had indeed managed to enter the castle as well ? Manald could not spot any more dubious persons with suspicious demeanor, clothes or behavior down there however, albeit he spared himself from looking into each and every cell. He walked through as many hallways as he could before coming to the firm belief that he had seen everything at least once. The overall situation seemed calm enough to Manald that he deemed his further presence down here unncessary. Also the whole affair had taken so long that entirely continuing on his own would have been quite inefficient. Maybe others already had more of a general idea what was going on, or at least they would be able to tell him that they had no clue so he'd be able to tell them to be careful! Also... would turning into full wolf have made the whole process a lot faster ? Just releasing an infernal howl straight from hell and scare off any intruders even if they're two levels above because they don't know that there's a 'friendly' lycanthrope around ? And many others would have gathered to investigate, so he'd have had an easy time getting an initial head count! The idea sounded tempting, but the imagination of just how disgruntled many of the castle's legitimate inhabitants could be after such a course of action did not. So, an uncomforting bunch of both minutes and guards later, Manald found himself in the spymaster's quarters on a mere two feet, as usual. Firmly believing that more had happened than just himself encountering two assassins on the open street, the beastman addressed the other person: "I want a full report! Have 'my' two assassins been the only ones ?"</s>
<\|description\|>Zatana Aleana Race: Drow Gender: Female Age: 120 Appearance: Zatana stands at a fairly average height, her form being well-muscled from the climbing and acrobatics that are part of her vocation. Wiry and flexible, but there is the hard muscle of someone having to fight for survival. With high cheekbones and delicate features, she keeps her long pale hair pinned to the back of her head in a braid to use in combination with her charms when it is needed. But that is if she allows anyone to see the ashy grey skin or get so close to determine her eyes are truly black. Keeping herself wrapped in leather armor head to toe and helped by a ragged cloak of dark material when she can be a bit more relaxed. When she does not feel the need to reveal herself, any possibility of showing skin or hair is wrapped in bandages. Bio: Her grandfather, Murdoc Do'ana, was the reason her life became even possible. A mage who tested the idea of what was possible and not, he was held in high regard in the Drowish side of the Dread Coast, though he is well known. Sly, kind, cunning and all too aware of just how to manipulate others. He does have an odd sense of justice that is strangely hard to argue against. Her mother had no want or desire to raise a child and Zatana's father only mentioned her existence to his father, Murdoc, in passing years after her birth. In all essentiality, Zartana makes no bones that her grandfather paid her mother to relinquish her claim and give the grandchild over. It happened, life moved on and at the tender age of seven, Zartana began studying the ways of shadows and secrets, and not just how to pick a pocket. She was her grandfather's left hand, the sleight of hand he needed to pass messages and arrange things and listen at street corners. She transcribed his notes later on and helped him with his experiments, learning how to draw secrets from people from talking or force. Zatana loved the mage, adored him. Finding out about a plot to kill her beloved grandfather, Zatana acted without hesitation. Killing the two assassins, using the knowledge of the body she gained studying under Murdoc. Now with a bodyguard as well as an assistant. Murdoc found himself rather pleased with the turn of events. If only for his own ends and his experiments being able to continue without interruption by the petty games his rivals played. He used his granddaughter's skill with the blade and honed it. Refusing any imperfection. Yet, he was a man who was rarely ever content. But Murdoc Do'ana was dissatisfied with the news he got from outside the Dread Coast and having the perfect person to be his eyes, he sent Zatana. Traveling for years, she finally moved to intercept an assassin her own grandfather had sent after the Prince and joined the guard. Then again, that was exactly as her grandfather had planned and ordered. Personality quirks: Traits: - Loyalty is everything to her, just as her business at gathering intel and carrying out her job. And her race makes that harder, as well as a love for cute things. Ideal - "I must survive and pay the debt of life I owe." Bond: Murdoc Do'ana; Her grandfather and the one she came to the Empire under the orders of. He raised, trained and set her out into the world. If he asks anything of her? How could she refuse? - Relon Vaugh; The lover of the assassin she killed to join the Prince's Guard. Flaw: Divided loyalties and she finds herself rather obsessed with perfection in what she does. Itchy fingers that like to slip away items. Fighting Style: She uses daggers as if she was born to them. The throwing, and stabbing kind. Zatana is decent with a bow, taking it up to get a range as getting close to the enemy is not a good idea if she isn't getting the drop on them. Equipment: She wears hardened leather armor, along with a cloak or cloth to hide her skin. She has ten daggers on her. Two in each armpit, wrist, boot, and each side of the waist as well as one on the back of the neck and one behind her back. The daggers at her waist and behind her back are heavy fighting daggers, while the one in her boots are stilettos. She has a bow and a full quiver of arrows varying from barbed headed to sleeker arrows. The last item is a small book carefully hidden usually under her armor, Zatana's Grimoire. Filled more with notes on the Empire in her meandering code than of spells. Skills/Abilities: Shadow Step - The ability to disappear into shadow, blending in and being hard to see. Poison: A good understanding of poisons and applying them to her weapons. Experienced thief/Spy- Skilled at eavesdropping, slight of hand, picking pockets, lockpicking. Assassin: Understanding the art of killing people by stabbing them from behind. Forgery: She can forge notes, or quickly transcribe information. Other Information: 1. Listen to the GM(s), If you have a complaint tell me. I am not an evil dictator and if I am wrong I will admit it. 2. Romance and Gore allowed, But keep it in good taste and in site rules 3. Now not all characters will play nice with each other I understand that, but keep the disputes in the RP not in OOC 4. Be civilized and polite please 5. All basic RP rules apply to this roleplay: Power playing, Meta gaming, and others are not allowed. 6. The story isn't exactly set, if you have an idea for a mission feel free to pm me the details and I'll try to work it in. 7. Copy the rules into a Hider in the "other" of your cs so I know you read them. 8. Get into your character's skin become him or her as you are playing have fun and give us insight into their thoughts. 9. Try to keep active, in both the IC and OOC pages please. And even if you don't have anything to say, at least read the OOC</s> <\|message\|>Zatana Aleana "I'm sorry, I didn't know the Prince would be sending anyone ahead, Are his forces almost here? What can we do for you?" Zatana merely gave a direct nod to the talking soldier, her eyes sharp as she studied the streets crowded with more fights. Well, that was excellent. "Which way is the Westgate?" As the guard began to explain then simply pointed, the cloaked woman twisted in the saddle to give Faira a sharp hiss of annoyance at the situation. "Horses can get to our destination quickly, but this crowd will risk someone getting hurt and us slowing our pace. I can go over the rooftops faster, return here and you can get parcel back." It was hardly a question of if she could do it. To Zatana it was simple. She had been given a task and her goal was to see that task done one way or the other. Between the two of them, Faira was faster on open ground and she would be faster on the rooftops. Jerking her feet out of the stirrups, Zatana tossed the reins to Faira and stood on the mare's back. The horse shifted for a second then stood still, it was not the first time she had been used as a perch for the dark elf to reach something and it was doubtful it would be the last time. Though her nearness to Steak made the sour tempered mare think about perhaps taking a sharp nip at the other horse for the indignities she suffered. "Keep my horse here, if you would? And be warned, she has a foul temper." With those words Zatana boosted herself up onto a balcony as if the plan was already agreed upon. It hadn't been and if Faira found annoyance with it as Zatana moved to swing up onto the roof, the dark elf was already gaining her rhythm of roof walking. To anyone watching it would look utterly odd in the crab like gait to scurry across the rooftops. Tuning out the chatter from the streets below, Zatana jump the small gaps heading west. It took some concentration and she had little worry about being seen. In fact, she paused for a minute in a nook out of sight of Faira or anyone else and recited the spell she knew by heart. Shadows spun about her, making her harder to see. Just another bit of soot or shadow from a bird crossing the rooftops. It was a minor precaution. Just in case someone got the idea to shoot at the odd woman hopping roofs. Spying one of the five-foot gaps, Zatana swung herself up onto the peak of the roof and thanked the luck that guided her whoever built it had not liked the studded iron wrought tops. Picking up speed, she sprung from the end that overlooked the street and landed heavily on the lower balcony of the building across the way. A minor issue those streets, she thought with annoyance as she flipped up onto the roof and continued on her way. A few more streets and a few gaps, Zatana was starting to think that all cities ought to just have their roofs be flat. The high roads were so much easier to take that way when you were in a hurry! Seeing the gate nearly before her, she slowed and kept an eye out for any beggar hovering near their pick up spot. Careful to plot her decent to the ground from an alley and to dispell the shadowy magic.</s> <\|message\|>Faira Blodwen "As do I," Faira said, taking the rein, and watching as her masked comrade vaulted up to a rooftop. "Gods' blood, she wasn't kidding." While Zatana was making her way to the meeting place, Faira dismounted, so that she stood between the two horses. When Zatana's unnamed steed made to bite her, Faira, without looking at it, kicked the horse in the shin. It was a light tap, not to hurt the beast, but just to distract it. And distracted it was, the horse started and looked at Faira in some confusion, then settled down, though still watched her from the corner of her eye. "Hold," Faira said, handing the guard both reins and ignoring him as the mare tried to snap at him, while Steak moved behind him to get away from the more aggressive horse. While this was happening, Faira began to undo straps on her armor(further distracting the guard). She loosened several around her biceps, thig, and calves. She redid the straps, and tested the new configuration by stretching. Ready now, she looked to the rooftops for Zatana's return.</s> <\|message\|>Balthazar Trevarthen Co-GM IC: The rooftops provide for an excellent way to maneuver around the city, and its use now allows for rapid movement, compared to the streets. The light of the sun shines down on the city as the battle rages all around. Most citizens and townspeople have been moved to the city's keep for safety, the streets now used by soldiers and militia to move supplies to the front quickly. Still, the odd peasant, merchant, or child lingers around, gathering their things as they prepare to move. It doesn't take long for Zatana to reach the West Gate, though, by the end of it, she's gotten quite the workout. Speed for energy, and all of that. True to Balthazar's words, the gatehouse is mostly occupied by soldiers and the occasional straggler. She spots a lone beggar near one of the alleyways next to the Gate. The decrepit-looking man is dressed in a raggedy cloak and scraps of cloth, the pewter bowl in front of him likely his greatest possession. Is this Balthazar's man? You don't see any other beggars around here. As you walk up to ask, he looks up at you. "Spare some change, good miss?"</s>	<\|message\|>Zatana Aleana Were these people simply foolish? Zatana watched as a small family slowly gathering their things, to the dark elf's eye it appeared as though they had no understanding of the danger that was coming. Were they so foolishly sure in their gate against a horde of creatures that would carve them to pieces? Turning away from the scene, Zatana continued to scan the small open space. If all went well the orcs and goblins would be routed or slain one and all. Which meant she needed the package she had been sent for, and to get back over the rooftops to Faira. Seeing one beggar more on his own, she approached the pewter bowl. A contact would remain in position until the last moment. Their duty was thus and most all of them had the good sense to know multiple paths out of a dangerous situation. Those that failed to understand the meaning of an exit? They did not stay in business long. It had been one of her first jobs when her grandfather had wanted her trained to the shadow and dagger. 'First you listen and you learn. Then you strike with the tool the enemy hands you.' The old adage was useful, but it was a slight bit more complex than surface value. If someone was waiting for a message, then why group up? It would only deter any attempt of contact, and you would only join a group if you were trying to blend or avoid someone. That this beggar was not cringing away gave her a bit of hope as she adjusted her leather breastplate. "A token of value." Two coins fell into the bowl. Their clamor covering the thunk as the wooden token was dropped right after the first but before the second. Zatana had fished it out but moments before. "Gods, deliver us from this horde." Though the words would signal fear in a plea to the gods, Zatana was more interested if this beggar would pick out what she wanted.</s>
<\|description\|>Zatana Aleana Race: Drow Gender: Female Age: 120 Appearance: Zatana stands at a fairly average height, her form being well-muscled from the climbing and acrobatics that are part of her vocation. Wiry and flexible, but there is the hard muscle of someone having to fight for survival. With high cheekbones and delicate features, she keeps her long pale hair pinned to the back of her head in a braid to use in combination with her charms when it is needed. But that is if she allows anyone to see the ashy grey skin or get so close to determine her eyes are truly black. Keeping herself wrapped in leather armor head to toe and helped by a ragged cloak of dark material when she can be a bit more relaxed. When she does not feel the need to reveal herself, any possibility of showing skin or hair is wrapped in bandages. Bio: Her grandfather, Murdoc Do'ana, was the reason her life became even possible. A mage who tested the idea of what was possible and not, he was held in high regard in the Drowish side of the Dread Coast, though he is well known. Sly, kind, cunning and all too aware of just how to manipulate others. He does have an odd sense of justice that is strangely hard to argue against. Her mother had no want or desire to raise a child and Zatana's father only mentioned her existence to his father, Murdoc, in passing years after her birth. In all essentiality, Zartana makes no bones that her grandfather paid her mother to relinquish her claim and give the grandchild over. It happened, life moved on and at the tender age of seven, Zartana began studying the ways of shadows and secrets, and not just how to pick a pocket. She was her grandfather's left hand, the sleight of hand he needed to pass messages and arrange things and listen at street corners. She transcribed his notes later on and helped him with his experiments, learning how to draw secrets from people from talking or force. Zatana loved the mage, adored him. Finding out about a plot to kill her beloved grandfather, Zatana acted without hesitation. Killing the two assassins, using the knowledge of the body she gained studying under Murdoc. Now with a bodyguard as well as an assistant. Murdoc found himself rather pleased with the turn of events. If only for his own ends and his experiments being able to continue without interruption by the petty games his rivals played. He used his granddaughter's skill with the blade and honed it. Refusing any imperfection. Yet, he was a man who was rarely ever content. But Murdoc Do'ana was dissatisfied with the news he got from outside the Dread Coast and having the perfect person to be his eyes, he sent Zatana. Traveling for years, she finally moved to intercept an assassin her own grandfather had sent after the Prince and joined the guard. Then again, that was exactly as her grandfather had planned and ordered. Personality quirks: Traits: - Loyalty is everything to her, just as her business at gathering intel and carrying out her job. And her race makes that harder, as well as a love for cute things. Ideal - "I must survive and pay the debt of life I owe." Bond: Murdoc Do'ana; Her grandfather and the one she came to the Empire under the orders of. He raised, trained and set her out into the world. If he asks anything of her? How could she refuse? - Relon Vaugh; The lover of the assassin she killed to join the Prince's Guard. Flaw: Divided loyalties and she finds herself rather obsessed with perfection in what she does. Itchy fingers that like to slip away items. Fighting Style: She uses daggers as if she was born to them. The throwing, and stabbing kind. Zatana is decent with a bow, taking it up to get a range as getting close to the enemy is not a good idea if she isn't getting the drop on them. Equipment: She wears hardened leather armor, along with a cloak or cloth to hide her skin. She has ten daggers on her. Two in each armpit, wrist, boot, and each side of the waist as well as one on the back of the neck and one behind her back. The daggers at her waist and behind her back are heavy fighting daggers, while the one in her boots are stilettos. She has a bow and a full quiver of arrows varying from barbed headed to sleeker arrows. The last item is a small book carefully hidden usually under her armor, Zatana's Grimoire. Filled more with notes on the Empire in her meandering code than of spells. Skills/Abilities: Shadow Step - The ability to disappear into shadow, blending in and being hard to see. Poison: A good understanding of poisons and applying them to her weapons. Experienced thief/Spy- Skilled at eavesdropping, slight of hand, picking pockets, lockpicking. Assassin: Understanding the art of killing people by stabbing them from behind. Forgery: She can forge notes, or quickly transcribe information. Other Information: 1. Listen to the GM(s), If you have a complaint tell me. I am not an evil dictator and if I am wrong I will admit it. 2. Romance and Gore allowed, But keep it in good taste and in site rules 3. Now not all characters will play nice with each other I understand that, but keep the disputes in the RP not in OOC 4. Be civilized and polite please 5. All basic RP rules apply to this roleplay: Power playing, Meta gaming, and others are not allowed. 6. The story isn't exactly set, if you have an idea for a mission feel free to pm me the details and I'll try to work it in. 7. Copy the rules into a Hider in the "other" of your cs so I know you read them. 8. Get into your character's skin become him or her as you are playing have fun and give us insight into their thoughts. 9. Try to keep active, in both the IC and OOC pages please. And even if you don't have anything to say, at least read the OOC</s> <\|message\|>Rudolph Kestrell "Sounds like an interesting group of characters. And even a Drow you say...? Tell me, do they have that Majestic Beauty that I've heard about from Elves? Think I would have a shot with her?" Fullar asked seemingly serious. Rudolph's eyes widened in surprise at his old friends comment. "You gotta set me up man, it's a once in a lifetime opportunity. Especially in the Empire. he continued. Rudolph exhaled unsure on what to say. Is he really serious? he thought. "You don't seem too phased by it though. Thought you hated Drow like everyone else around here?" Rudolph sighed, "I don't know what to say mate." he began, thinking back about what happened, "I suppose I only hated them because I were brought up with it." he shrugged, "I realised that I don't really have much of a reason, so whats the point eh?" he continued. After a moments pause. "You know it has been a while. I got a good vintage stashed at the barracks, we should sit and share the bottle, pass around some stories, how's that sound?" Fullar said as they made their way. "Sounds like a plan mate." nodded Rudolph as they just about walked in the door. "Evening Sergeants." the voice was that of Captain Helt, given how he looks and sounds, he could be seen as a stereotypical politician of this time. "Captain." Rudolph greeted in turn. There was some tension in the air as per usual, Captain Helt often exuded it as though it were an aura. Helt sat at one of the tables reading a report and occasionally sipping some of his ale. He took a glance at the two men as they made their way across the canteen. "I hear Captain Fenne died during one of the attacks this morning." Helt said pretending to read his report papers. "Aye sir, he'd been one of the casualties from one of the bombardments." replied Rudolph as he stopped by the stairs to the troop personal quarters. "And you didn't think to give word to one of the other Captains?" he asked with a somewhat condescending tone that he normally had. "I was busy trying to maintain the defences as we were under attack. We needed everyone we had at the time." Rudolph replied. "Indeed. I shall make a note of this insolence Sergeant. Make sure you make the right decision next time." followed Helt before he took another drink of his ale. Rudolph clenched his fists trying to keep his anger in check, Arrogant Prick he thought to himself as he then began ascending the stairs. The rest of the evening was reasonably relaxed compared to the rest of the day. The two men brought up old stories, and caught up with eachothers more recent news. The rest of the troop were slowly returning to the barracks themselves, some were more drunk than others. It wasn't till the early hours when Rudolph went to sleep, and it was a long needed one.</s> <\|message\|>Faira Blodwen "You be careful, Acrius' 'teaching' has been known to leave men with broken bones," Faira actually didn't know if this was true, but it tallied with her experience of the young man. She looked the girl over, sizing her up before stepping very close and speaking to Acrius in an undertone. "Zatana and I have work outside the walls tonight. The Guard will be two short, so be extra vigilant. But don't spread that about." She clicked her tongue at Steak and made her way toward the Eastern gate. The cannon that had been moved here was quiet for the time being, but Faira was pleased to see that the guard here was as alert as ever, despite the lateness. She saw at least two who were tousled haired and had clearly gotten out of bed recently. She waited here for Zatana.</s>	<\|message\|>Zatana Aleana Satisfied the Record Keeper was going to record things, Zatana patted the little figure on the head with a finger. "Record as much as you can, dear one. I shall bring thee more on which to record." Not bothering to wait for an answer, Zatana swung herself over the lee of the roof and kept on her way. It would be no hassle after all to retrieve the small familiar, and this would prove amusing while she went about her business. Yet, Zatana was too aware that slowing down would mean her ability would be seen as lacking something the dark elf was not keen on. It was a point of pride for Zatana that she was very good at what she did. So it was thus, she did not see Faira ride up. The roofs were easy to cross over, and she was even able to slip into a small office above a shop. Whoever thought it to be locked well, was deluded. Stepping into the room, she plucked some plain parchment from the desk and a piece of twine used to hold stacks of books together. Slipping out with just as much ease, she hung upside down from the roof while her fingers closed and locked the window. Holding the twine in her mouth through the mask, she dropped to the street. It was a straight shot to the Western Gate, and she soon found her mare. The guards were eyeing the wicked beastie with some temptation as she began saddling the horse again. The knife-like ears hidden under the cowl caught the disgusted whispers of 'drow', 'dark elf', but it was the comment 'wicked horse, wicked elf' that made her smiled from behind the mask. Swinging into the saddle, she wrapped the reins about a small loop of leather in the front and set the mare towards where she had left the squabbling couple. Urging the horse to a fast pace, and the mare delighted at the sound of her wicked staccato on the cobblestones. Guiding the mare with her knees as she rocked with the movement of the horse, Zatana set about folding the paper into a tiny little booklet, her fingers flick a knife into her hand as she carefully cut any folded page free so it would be accessible. Two holes were bored into the 'spine' and a the twine was threaded through as she slowed the mare to a walk. It was a 'book', if the tiny one-inch thing, could be considered a 'book'. Sighing, she saw the two were still at the same spot they had left them. Nodding to Acrius, she raised a brow as she paused the mare. Pressing to sidestep the horse close to the building and raising a hand for the record keeper. "Acrius." She greeted softly. Her dark eyes watching the young woman with a warning sharpness. What Zatana didn't add was the 'wench' thought she was thinking about the young girl. The drow were loose with their morals, it was true. But this girl was trouble and Zatana had seen that look before on a face. It rarely ended well for the men. Perhaps she would have some mercy and claim he was needed by the Prince's decree? Then again, she thought as the record keeper slipped into her hand and she lowered herself in the saddle, perhaps not. Offering the tiny familiar the book, she nudged the horse on.</s>
<\|description\|>Zatana Aleana Race: Drow Gender: Female Age: 120 Appearance: Zatana stands at a fairly average height, her form being well-muscled from the climbing and acrobatics that are part of her vocation. Wiry and flexible, but there is the hard muscle of someone having to fight for survival. With high cheekbones and delicate features, she keeps her long pale hair pinned to the back of her head in a braid to use in combination with her charms when it is needed. But that is if she allows anyone to see the ashy grey skin or get so close to determine her eyes are truly black. Keeping herself wrapped in leather armor head to toe and helped by a ragged cloak of dark material when she can be a bit more relaxed. When she does not feel the need to reveal herself, any possibility of showing skin or hair is wrapped in bandages. Bio: Her grandfather, Murdoc Do'ana, was the reason her life became even possible. A mage who tested the idea of what was possible and not, he was held in high regard in the Drowish side of the Dread Coast, though he is well known. Sly, kind, cunning and all too aware of just how to manipulate others. He does have an odd sense of justice that is strangely hard to argue against. Her mother had no want or desire to raise a child and Zatana's father only mentioned her existence to his father, Murdoc, in passing years after her birth. In all essentiality, Zartana makes no bones that her grandfather paid her mother to relinquish her claim and give the grandchild over. It happened, life moved on and at the tender age of seven, Zartana began studying the ways of shadows and secrets, and not just how to pick a pocket. She was her grandfather's left hand, the sleight of hand he needed to pass messages and arrange things and listen at street corners. She transcribed his notes later on and helped him with his experiments, learning how to draw secrets from people from talking or force. Zatana loved the mage, adored him. Finding out about a plot to kill her beloved grandfather, Zatana acted without hesitation. Killing the two assassins, using the knowledge of the body she gained studying under Murdoc. Now with a bodyguard as well as an assistant. Murdoc found himself rather pleased with the turn of events. If only for his own ends and his experiments being able to continue without interruption by the petty games his rivals played. He used his granddaughter's skill with the blade and honed it. Refusing any imperfection. Yet, he was a man who was rarely ever content. But Murdoc Do'ana was dissatisfied with the news he got from outside the Dread Coast and having the perfect person to be his eyes, he sent Zatana. Traveling for years, she finally moved to intercept an assassin her own grandfather had sent after the Prince and joined the guard. Then again, that was exactly as her grandfather had planned and ordered. Personality quirks: Traits: - Loyalty is everything to her, just as her business at gathering intel and carrying out her job. And her race makes that harder, as well as a love for cute things. Ideal - "I must survive and pay the debt of life I owe." Bond: Murdoc Do'ana; Her grandfather and the one she came to the Empire under the orders of. He raised, trained and set her out into the world. If he asks anything of her? How could she refuse? - Relon Vaugh; The lover of the assassin she killed to join the Prince's Guard. Flaw: Divided loyalties and she finds herself rather obsessed with perfection in what she does. Itchy fingers that like to slip away items. Fighting Style: She uses daggers as if she was born to them. The throwing, and stabbing kind. Zatana is decent with a bow, taking it up to get a range as getting close to the enemy is not a good idea if she isn't getting the drop on them. Equipment: She wears hardened leather armor, along with a cloak or cloth to hide her skin. She has ten daggers on her. Two in each armpit, wrist, boot, and each side of the waist as well as one on the back of the neck and one behind her back. The daggers at her waist and behind her back are heavy fighting daggers, while the one in her boots are stilettos. She has a bow and a full quiver of arrows varying from barbed headed to sleeker arrows. The last item is a small book carefully hidden usually under her armor, Zatana's Grimoire. Filled more with notes on the Empire in her meandering code than of spells. Skills/Abilities: Shadow Step - The ability to disappear into shadow, blending in and being hard to see. Poison: A good understanding of poisons and applying them to her weapons. Experienced thief/Spy- Skilled at eavesdropping, slight of hand, picking pockets, lockpicking. Assassin: Understanding the art of killing people by stabbing them from behind. Forgery: She can forge notes, or quickly transcribe information. Other Information: 1. Listen to the GM(s), If you have a complaint tell me. I am not an evil dictator and if I am wrong I will admit it. 2. Romance and Gore allowed, But keep it in good taste and in site rules 3. Now not all characters will play nice with each other I understand that, but keep the disputes in the RP not in OOC 4. Be civilized and polite please 5. All basic RP rules apply to this roleplay: Power playing, Meta gaming, and others are not allowed. 6. The story isn't exactly set, if you have an idea for a mission feel free to pm me the details and I'll try to work it in. 7. Copy the rules into a Hider in the "other" of your cs so I know you read them. 8. Get into your character's skin become him or her as you are playing have fun and give us insight into their thoughts. 9. Try to keep active, in both the IC and OOC pages please. And even if you don't have anything to say, at least read the OOC</s> <\|message\|>Rudolph Kestrell Rudolph gave a simple nod to Merik before he stood up and took another shot at the ram pilots, unfortunately missing this time. He soon realised that the ram began to pick up speed, and was quickly making its way to the gate. "Give that thing everything you have lads!" he said as he quickly observed the situation along the wall. Rudolph then made his way to the gatehouse, where Merik had already prepared himself for the ram's arrival. "I'll see if I can soften up that thing up a bit more." Rudolph said as he made his way past Merik, and headed toward the tower that still had a working catapult. He noticed the sergeant that had been monitoring the situation on their half of the wall had been struck in the arm by an arrow, and besides being wounded, remained in the fight. Rudolph gave the man a pat on his good arm, and passed him his rifle before nodding and continuing on. Soon enough he made it to the top of the tower to guide the soldiers controlling the weapon. He quickly directed them to aim at the lower half of the ram, just above the ground. To them, the side of the ram was now exposed as it made its way ever closer to the gate. A few seconds later the shot went out, the projectile fell just short but bounced slightly and hit the side of the ram, rocking the structure of the thing. But still, it made steady progress. By the time the next shot had gone out, the ram had basically reached the gate. The shot hit home this time, perfectly crashing into the side of the device, crushing goblins and breaking some of the structure along the way. Soon after, Merik's burning tar and explosives went off, destroying the machine completely. All that remained was a flaming wreck, and an obstacle to prevent other rams. Rudolph briefly cheered with the other soldiers on the tower when they saw the thing blow up. Soon after, another rock barrage came in, one missed but the other hit successfully. The tower shook briefly, and beyond the dust and rubble below, Rudolph saw the extent of the damage. Some men had been knocked from the wall, while others were either wounded or lay dead upon it. Rudolph hastily made his way down to help who he could. Him and a few other soldiers helped escort some of those still able to walk down from the wall, the dead couldn't be tended to for the moment. Numbers on the wall were beginning to thin out. As Rudolph made his way back up onto the wall after helping to guide the wounded away from the battle, the metallic sound of hooks appeared along the wall. Shit. Guess break is over. he thought. Rudolph pulled a soldier to the side and ordered the man to go and request reinforcements for the western wall. He then drew his short sword and went to work cutting the ropes, "Cut the ropes! Kill the bastards climbing them!" he ordered. An arrow came flying his way, though it seemed to had lost most of its power as it harmlessly pinged off his helmet, "...fuck!" he recoiled slightly, but he still continued to cut.</s> <\|message\|>Naysein Naysein took the stone stairs to the battlements two at a time, her feet making no sound as they sped over the white/black stone that muffled the roar of the army beyond. Arrows flickered overhead through the smoky air, a hissing sound marking their passage when they came to close before clattering down into the courtyard beyond. Soldiers ducked back as they loosed arrows and she noted that more than a few had been fallen in return by Orcish weapons. One young soldier, she doubted he was more than two score seasons, lay dead with a look of surprise on his face and an arrow that had driven up under his chin. A trickle of blood ran down his chin and already she could see the bruising around the throat that suggested heavy internal bleeding. She gained the top of the stairs just in time to see the Prince flinch back from an arrow that spun crazily away after striking his shoulder pauldron. As he ducked back behind a crenellation, she heard him call out to the Drow, Zatana. A brief glance registered the presence of the skilled fighter and Naysein dismissed her at once, she was more than capable of handling herself and no one expected Naysein to keep her alive. Soldiers were already rushing to do the Princes bidding and she steel flashed as they hacked through the ropes. Some of the more devious waited until the ugly heads appeared at the edge of the parapet before hacking down. The wails of the falling creatures brought a smile to her face. For her own part she drew a single blade and then, with the grace of her kind, she began to kill those orcs who could still make it to the top of their rope, a single thrust into the eye, and they would tumble away to join the growing pile at the bottom of the wall. She had missed this.</s>	<\|message\|>Zatana Aleana The orcs were a tenacious bunch which at the moment counted against them in the eyes of the defenders of the city. As the grappling hooks snared themselves on the stonework, Zatana wanted to rush forward and cut the ropes but caution held her back. The arrows flew in thick and fast to stop any who tried with fatal, or nearly so, results. The dark elf gave a snarled curse as Leonidas lunged forward to try and hack at one himself. She was supposed to be keeping him safe! Nearly stepping into an arrow she jerked back as one nearly found a landing in her dark flesh, Zatana felt some relief as an arrow bounced off the Prince's pauldron rather than embedding itself into something vital. Turning she set two arrows into the crowd of orc archers each finding a lovely green head to pierce. They needed to get those archers distracted somehow and she doubted joining the battle below would be of benefit. Her fingers plucked arrows from her quiver, from corpses, from the stonework and even one from the air. A lucky grab, Zatana would admit to no one. Firing them back on the thickest grouping of the goblins when a woman passed her. A half-elf to be precise, and someone to be careful of. The dossier she had on Neysein the Half-Elf was incomplete. Woefully so, and it bothered Zatana to no end. The rest of the dossier was set aside as the Prince called for the dark elf to deal with the archers. Dark eyes glared at the Prince as he whacked Orcs in the face with the hammer. Oh, he wasn't asking for much! Twisting herself about as she plucked arrows and sent them hurtling into the mass of cursed orcs, she looked for something better than an arrow. There were soldiers... Time to play nice. Gripping one man who had been standing near the catapult and helping to direct it, she ignored the disgusted look he shot her. "Order of Prince Leonidas, aim for the archers." She knew he heard her, he knew it when he raised his hand and she caught it as he moved to strike her. His nerves and temper fraying and his hatred taking over the good sense that one did not raise their hand to a superior. That the hatred drow, as part of the Royal Guard, did outrank him. "Drow." The man spat in disgust, despite the Prince's words the hatred bred in the city ran deep. Gripping his wrist, she applied pressure between the bone and her other hand pressed the head of an arrow under his chin. "Human, I care naught for the hatred of mine race. Your Prince Leonidas gave an order to me. Deal with archers, yes? And so dealt with they shall be. Even if I must fire you from the catapult at them. A flaming body works as well as any stone." She crooned her drowish accent coming to all it's glory as a slight cut trickled blood down the man's neck. Checking him with her body, she shoved the unbalanced guard back against the catapult as it was loaded. The man was pale under his helm, sweat shining on his face. The soldiers about her were watching warily as Zatana adjusted the insignia of the Royal Guard about her armor so the pendant was shown. They wanted to refuse, but as a member of the Royal Guard, the drow did have rank on them and orders from the Prince. The soldier, a corporal, who was in charge of the catapult snapped to his men the conditions of where the archers were gathered. Though his eyes held more hatred for the dark elf woman. Zatana to her benefit ignored it, grabbing a jug of oil she poured it on the stone and touched a torch to it. Now the simple stone was a flaming meteor as it sailed toward the archers hopefully to dislodge the foolish creatures. But if it did not? Then better it would be for the next shot to come from somewhere else. Zatana had turned on her heels, all too aware of the tight grip the soldier had on his sword. Playing nice didn't always work out. Zatana admitted it was not her job to make friends, but they did help when they suspected nothing. But she had a job to do and winning the corporal over with sweet words and such would have taken time she did not have. Let alone the insult that he might slap her! Her black eyes glittered under the hood. No man raised a hand to a woman among the dark elves. Plus, if she had played games there was the possibility he would have knifed her and hoped the battle would have covered it up, Zatana had seen and heard of such tactics happening among her own people. Putting the arrow behind a shot she took an orc through the eye when it popped it's ugly head over the wall as she repeated her orders to the cannon. The body thudding below, mute amid the raucous noise of battle.</s>
<\|description\|>Zatana Aleana Race: Drow Gender: Female Age: 120 Appearance: Zatana stands at a fairly average height, her form being well-muscled from the climbing and acrobatics that are part of her vocation. Wiry and flexible, but there is the hard muscle of someone having to fight for survival. With high cheekbones and delicate features, she keeps her long pale hair pinned to the back of her head in a braid to use in combination with her charms when it is needed. But that is if she allows anyone to see the ashy grey skin or get so close to determine her eyes are truly black. Keeping herself wrapped in leather armor head to toe and helped by a ragged cloak of dark material when she can be a bit more relaxed. When she does not feel the need to reveal herself, any possibility of showing skin or hair is wrapped in bandages. Bio: Her grandfather, Murdoc Do'ana, was the reason her life became even possible. A mage who tested the idea of what was possible and not, he was held in high regard in the Drowish side of the Dread Coast, though he is well known. Sly, kind, cunning and all too aware of just how to manipulate others. He does have an odd sense of justice that is strangely hard to argue against. Her mother had no want or desire to raise a child and Zatana's father only mentioned her existence to his father, Murdoc, in passing years after her birth. In all essentiality, Zartana makes no bones that her grandfather paid her mother to relinquish her claim and give the grandchild over. It happened, life moved on and at the tender age of seven, Zartana began studying the ways of shadows and secrets, and not just how to pick a pocket. She was her grandfather's left hand, the sleight of hand he needed to pass messages and arrange things and listen at street corners. She transcribed his notes later on and helped him with his experiments, learning how to draw secrets from people from talking or force. Zatana loved the mage, adored him. Finding out about a plot to kill her beloved grandfather, Zatana acted without hesitation. Killing the two assassins, using the knowledge of the body she gained studying under Murdoc. Now with a bodyguard as well as an assistant. Murdoc found himself rather pleased with the turn of events. If only for his own ends and his experiments being able to continue without interruption by the petty games his rivals played. He used his granddaughter's skill with the blade and honed it. Refusing any imperfection. Yet, he was a man who was rarely ever content. But Murdoc Do'ana was dissatisfied with the news he got from outside the Dread Coast and having the perfect person to be his eyes, he sent Zatana. Traveling for years, she finally moved to intercept an assassin her own grandfather had sent after the Prince and joined the guard. Then again, that was exactly as her grandfather had planned and ordered. Personality quirks: Traits: - Loyalty is everything to her, just as her business at gathering intel and carrying out her job. And her race makes that harder, as well as a love for cute things. Ideal - "I must survive and pay the debt of life I owe." Bond: Murdoc Do'ana; Her grandfather and the one she came to the Empire under the orders of. He raised, trained and set her out into the world. If he asks anything of her? How could she refuse? - Relon Vaugh; The lover of the assassin she killed to join the Prince's Guard. Flaw: Divided loyalties and she finds herself rather obsessed with perfection in what she does. Itchy fingers that like to slip away items. Fighting Style: She uses daggers as if she was born to them. The throwing, and stabbing kind. Zatana is decent with a bow, taking it up to get a range as getting close to the enemy is not a good idea if she isn't getting the drop on them. Equipment: She wears hardened leather armor, along with a cloak or cloth to hide her skin. She has ten daggers on her. Two in each armpit, wrist, boot, and each side of the waist as well as one on the back of the neck and one behind her back. The daggers at her waist and behind her back are heavy fighting daggers, while the one in her boots are stilettos. She has a bow and a full quiver of arrows varying from barbed headed to sleeker arrows. The last item is a small book carefully hidden usually under her armor, Zatana's Grimoire. Filled more with notes on the Empire in her meandering code than of spells. Skills/Abilities: Shadow Step - The ability to disappear into shadow, blending in and being hard to see. Poison: A good understanding of poisons and applying them to her weapons. Experienced thief/Spy- Skilled at eavesdropping, slight of hand, picking pockets, lockpicking. Assassin: Understanding the art of killing people by stabbing them from behind. Forgery: She can forge notes, or quickly transcribe information. Other Information: 1. Listen to the GM(s), If you have a complaint tell me. I am not an evil dictator and if I am wrong I will admit it. 2. Romance and Gore allowed, But keep it in good taste and in site rules 3. Now not all characters will play nice with each other I understand that, but keep the disputes in the RP not in OOC 4. Be civilized and polite please 5. All basic RP rules apply to this roleplay: Power playing, Meta gaming, and others are not allowed. 6. The story isn't exactly set, if you have an idea for a mission feel free to pm me the details and I'll try to work it in. 7. Copy the rules into a Hider in the "other" of your cs so I know you read them. 8. Get into your character's skin become him or her as you are playing have fun and give us insight into their thoughts. 9. Try to keep active, in both the IC and OOC pages please. And even if you don't have anything to say, at least read the OOC</s> <\|message\|>Leonidas Lionheart After taking a moment to tend to his own wounds Leonidas quickly returned to the fight. Seeing the wound on Zatana he made his way to the drow. "You really need to be more careful this is the second day in a row I've had to patch you up." He said with a sly grin knowing all to well he himself had to be healed moments before. Again his hand glowed as he moved to touch her injured arm. The wound closed itself quickly and although he wouldn't be able to fully heal them they wouldn't trouble her any longer. After the quick patch job under the cover of his troops Leonidas took up his hammer once more. With a deep breath Leonidas charged into the orcs remaining on the walls becoming a fluid tidal wave of pain as he pushed through supported by the troops and reinforced by Naysein's song. As they pushed forward Leonidas also made sure that he commanded a soldier to cut the ropes as the group passed them.</s> <\|message\|>Manald Halung Not only hammer-troll decided to drop his weapon, but so did the lycanthrope opposing him. The tremendous axe was good, but given the very close quarters they were about to engage each other in it would only not be of much use. Manald also remembered that there was armor embedded in or below that troll's skin, so as much as he'd never admit it his claws would not be of as much use as against all those goblins. The goal, again, was to hit the throat. It was the same weakpoint as with the other troll and this one hadn't even seen it happen, but this time there was no room left for a furious charge. The wolf's thighs exploded in a burst of power, catapulting the colossal creature off the ground and towards the troll without too much forward momentum. The intention ? To come crashing down on it, make it collapse to the ground with him on top of it. Yet as the troll raised his arms to protect his head from any suspected attack they collided with Manald's feet and the troll gave him a spin. Instead of transferring all of the gained momentum onto the troll almost right from above, Manald's torso toppled forwards and the lycanthrope nosedived into the mud behind the trolls back. The latter stumbled forwards, but maintained enough stablity to make a turnaround. Manald tried to get up from the ground as quickly as possible, but by the time he had recovered from the vicious downfall and turned around on all four legs the troll had already reached him and now got his hands around Manald's neck, starting to choke him from above. Now that, quite ironically, was Manald's weakpoint. The troll did not have claws like him that could rend stuff as easily, but cutting off the blood supply to one's brain would work on Manald just as well for a brief blackout during which one could do everything with the lycan. The way out of this ? Manald did not spend precious moment on trying to think about some nice maneuver, but instead raised his arms from the ground and rammed his claws into the trolls hands. There was armor, but he could search for a way beneath the metal. He had to and he had to do so very quickly. Blood poured out of the troll's hands as he continued choking Manald while his victim shredded the troll's skin, seeking the edges of the armor plates to he could lever them out of their places and get access to the muscles and sinews beneath them. He'd not have much time to just physically disable the hands around his neck, but he also hoped that the troll would just give up before that due to excessive pain and blood loss.</s>	<\|message\|>Zatana Aleana Zatana was kneeling, her breath escaping her in ragged gasps as she fought to get her breathing under control. The fight had worn on the dark elf. Looking up as a hand touched her injured arm, the woman raised a pale brow as she shook her head in disgust. "Better my arm than your life, Your Highness." Before he moved away the woman gripped his shoulder, her voice dipping low by his ear. "Be very aware, Prince Leonidas, I will do as you bid but my first concern is keeping you alive. Be careful." It was a begging plea and Zatana hated herself for doing it, showing such weakness. It was not a dark elf thing to do. A dark elf did not beg, they did not 'please'. Releasing the Prince as he rejoined the battle, the rouge let the battle push on. She had been reckless, foolish, careless. Zatana felt the words drilled into her crash once again driving at her flaws. She was to keep the Prince alive, to gather information, and to keep herself from the public eye. Well, that had just gone well. Gritting her teeth, Zatana shoved herself to the feet with fresh daggers. Whirling into the fray she knifed a fleeing orc in the back, feeling Naysien's song strengthen herself. Grateful for it, she pressed on to try and keep near the Prince of the Empire of Man. If there was anything about to threaten the Prince she could potentially keep the foolish boy from cracking his head open from senseless, though very effective, courage. That was the fate of too many brave Princes who took the field in history.</s>
<\|description\|>Zatana Aleana Race: Drow Gender: Female Age: 120 Appearance: Zatana stands at a fairly average height, her form being well-muscled from the climbing and acrobatics that are part of her vocation. Wiry and flexible, but there is the hard muscle of someone having to fight for survival. With high cheekbones and delicate features, she keeps her long pale hair pinned to the back of her head in a braid to use in combination with her charms when it is needed. But that is if she allows anyone to see the ashy grey skin or get so close to determine her eyes are truly black. Keeping herself wrapped in leather armor head to toe and helped by a ragged cloak of dark material when she can be a bit more relaxed. When she does not feel the need to reveal herself, any possibility of showing skin or hair is wrapped in bandages. Bio: Her grandfather, Murdoc Do'ana, was the reason her life became even possible. A mage who tested the idea of what was possible and not, he was held in high regard in the Drowish side of the Dread Coast, though he is well known. Sly, kind, cunning and all too aware of just how to manipulate others. He does have an odd sense of justice that is strangely hard to argue against. Her mother had no want or desire to raise a child and Zatana's father only mentioned her existence to his father, Murdoc, in passing years after her birth. In all essentiality, Zartana makes no bones that her grandfather paid her mother to relinquish her claim and give the grandchild over. It happened, life moved on and at the tender age of seven, Zartana began studying the ways of shadows and secrets, and not just how to pick a pocket. She was her grandfather's left hand, the sleight of hand he needed to pass messages and arrange things and listen at street corners. She transcribed his notes later on and helped him with his experiments, learning how to draw secrets from people from talking or force. Zatana loved the mage, adored him. Finding out about a plot to kill her beloved grandfather, Zatana acted without hesitation. Killing the two assassins, using the knowledge of the body she gained studying under Murdoc. Now with a bodyguard as well as an assistant. Murdoc found himself rather pleased with the turn of events. If only for his own ends and his experiments being able to continue without interruption by the petty games his rivals played. He used his granddaughter's skill with the blade and honed it. Refusing any imperfection. Yet, he was a man who was rarely ever content. But Murdoc Do'ana was dissatisfied with the news he got from outside the Dread Coast and having the perfect person to be his eyes, he sent Zatana. Traveling for years, she finally moved to intercept an assassin her own grandfather had sent after the Prince and joined the guard. Then again, that was exactly as her grandfather had planned and ordered. Personality quirks: Traits: - Loyalty is everything to her, just as her business at gathering intel and carrying out her job. And her race makes that harder, as well as a love for cute things. Ideal - "I must survive and pay the debt of life I owe." Bond: Murdoc Do'ana; Her grandfather and the one she came to the Empire under the orders of. He raised, trained and set her out into the world. If he asks anything of her? How could she refuse? - Relon Vaugh; The lover of the assassin she killed to join the Prince's Guard. Flaw: Divided loyalties and she finds herself rather obsessed with perfection in what she does. Itchy fingers that like to slip away items. Fighting Style: She uses daggers as if she was born to them. The throwing, and stabbing kind. Zatana is decent with a bow, taking it up to get a range as getting close to the enemy is not a good idea if she isn't getting the drop on them. Equipment: She wears hardened leather armor, along with a cloak or cloth to hide her skin. She has ten daggers on her. Two in each armpit, wrist, boot, and each side of the waist as well as one on the back of the neck and one behind her back. The daggers at her waist and behind her back are heavy fighting daggers, while the one in her boots are stilettos. She has a bow and a full quiver of arrows varying from barbed headed to sleeker arrows. The last item is a small book carefully hidden usually under her armor, Zatana's Grimoire. Filled more with notes on the Empire in her meandering code than of spells. Skills/Abilities: Shadow Step - The ability to disappear into shadow, blending in and being hard to see. Poison: A good understanding of poisons and applying them to her weapons. Experienced thief/Spy- Skilled at eavesdropping, slight of hand, picking pockets, lockpicking. Assassin: Understanding the art of killing people by stabbing them from behind. Forgery: She can forge notes, or quickly transcribe information. Other Information: 1. Listen to the GM(s), If you have a complaint tell me. I am not an evil dictator and if I am wrong I will admit it. 2. Romance and Gore allowed, But keep it in good taste and in site rules 3. Now not all characters will play nice with each other I understand that, but keep the disputes in the RP not in OOC 4. Be civilized and polite please 5. All basic RP rules apply to this roleplay: Power playing, Meta gaming, and others are not allowed. 6. The story isn't exactly set, if you have an idea for a mission feel free to pm me the details and I'll try to work it in. 7. Copy the rules into a Hider in the "other" of your cs so I know you read them. 8. Get into your character's skin become him or her as you are playing have fun and give us insight into their thoughts. 9. Try to keep active, in both the IC and OOC pages please. And even if you don't have anything to say, at least read the OOC</s> <\|message\|>Leonidas Lionheart Leonidas stayed on the battlements directing the men until the goblin forces were out of range. It was only after their retreat that Leonidas would let himself rest a little. He took a little time to check his wound from earlier making sure he didn't end up opening it again since his bit of patch up healing. "I should of really payed more attention when they were teaching us those healing magics instead of just how to use magic to hurt others more..." he thought to himself as Acrius came up to him with a woman whom Leonidas had never seen before. Although she was introduced as a Cleric she moved with an air of nobility which in itself was a bit of an oddity many born into a noble house wouldn't adopt the practices of a Cleric willingly. Even the way she greeted the prince was reminiscent of the way many nobles had in the past so he assumed she must have some noble blood and greeted her in kind, "The Honor was mine Lady Drana, due to your help our young Acrius was able to quickly fell that troll." He said to her with a grin complimenting her help, although he knew full well Acrius could of used his own magic to light the arrow he wasn't going to bring it up now especially seeing the shape she was in currently. After mentioning her knights that were lost in the sewers Leonidas gave his dismissal letting the cleric go on her way and even offered Acrius as a guard to her until she found her knights if she wanted or needed. After that Leonidas would return to the war room with Zatana following behind. "I don't know if I'm ready for the chew out from Balthazar about getting injured, even if it is just a little scratch... You want to talk to him first?" He said to Zatana in a joking matter as they walked back to the Keep. As the day went on there were more waves of attacks, nothing nearly on the scale of the morning's attack and after giving the members of the Royal guard an adequate amount to rest they were cycled to the points of battle to help keep the balance in the defender's favor. All in all by the end of the day men were tired and worn out moral was good because of the victories but wavering as it seemed these orc and goblins had unending numbers. The fear and unease was what plagued Leonidas and Balthazar the most so the two decided to work out a deal with the Duke. It wasn't long until what was normally the trade square was abuzz with life, Leonidas and Balthazar were able to convince the Duke to roll out the fine wine and ale he had been storing in the keep and open it up as a means to thank and celebrate with the men. The commotion had also brought out some of the food merchants and even common folk and amidst this siege there was a celebration within the city. Leonidas sat at a table among the guards with an ale in his hand. Although he wasn't in his full battle regalia he still wore a light suit of armor as "you could never be to careful" or so Balthazar had told him while Leonidas' arm was being patched up. But he drank with his men on this night not above them as their prince but with them as a warrior. The square itself had been quickly decorated and aside from the impromptu bar that had been set up multiple food stands had also made their way around the square providing food and drink to any who wanted to partake. Naysein had found herself a few competent musicians and was using her talents to provide song for the party singing tales of heroism and bravery lightening the mood.</s> <\|message\|>Rudolph Kestrell Following the clean upon the walls, Rudolph would soon enough help out with the moving of the dead, dying and wounded, despite being relieved of his position on the wall to go and get rest. He noticed the big lizardman leave the battlements, and gave a simple wave and nod toward him. A couple of hours pass before Rudolph accepts his fatigue, and gives in. Along the way to the barracks, he bumped into Fullar, who apparently had been wounded during the siege. "Hey Rudolph." the man nodded somewhat disgruntled. "They finally got you eh?" Rudolph replied, somewhat teasing. "A bit of armour would of helped ya." he followed smirking. "You know I fight better without it." Fullar scoffed. Rudolph chuckled and gave the man a pat on the back, "Just be careful you silly bastard." he finished before turning to continue onward. Fullar simply waved him off as he did. Rudolph managed to get some rest, but decided he'd join the festivities, he could do with a break. The event itself, albeit last minute and cobbled together, was actually fun. A rare side of Rudolph came out at occasions like this, where instead of his usual grumpy exterior, he is now open and welcoming. Some of the soldiers that knew of him and his reputation were taken aback by his sudden change of persona. He spent much of the time sharing stories and jovial banter. Though Rudolph had finally relaxed, he was partly still on edge. He occasionally looked around him and watched as people went about their business. He was expecting there to be some sort of orc surprise attack, or something else entirely that he had to watch out for.</s> <\|message\|>Leonidas Lionheart -=Somewhere inside the walls of Bergkoff=- A group of 9 hooded individuals gather on an empty side street. "Alright everyone has there targets correct?" One of the individuals said to the group and a second spoke up. "Why are we helping orcs? What is the master thinking." A second spoke up and was quickly hushed. "Don't question the master's wishes just do your job." The first snapped back. "Alright if no one has any real question then move out." A third spoke up. And the group quickly broke up into four groups. Two groups of two took to the roofs heading to their targets while the remaining 5 individuals broke into a group of 2 and a group of 3 each moving in different direction through the city.</s>	<\|message\|>Zatana Aleana Zatana watched 'Sacred Order's Cleric of the Dead', a very interesting name, as the woman left the battlements. There was something there that bothered the dark elf, and she was sorely tempted to follow the woman to uncover if a simple rest was all the woman was after. If she had not been set on seeing the Prince back to the safety of the keep, Zatana probably would have followed Drana. Tired or not, that was information she could pass onto her grandfather and use to get into Balthazar's good graces. The lack of trust from the old wizard was entirely understandable from a professional viewpoint, though it was incredibly irritating to her sensibilities of wanting to do her job well. The clashing orders of keeping the Prince alive, gathering information and then following any other orders she was given was a thankless task. One that Zatana would succeed in and complete to the utmost of her ability and achieve the outcome desired. It was merely a question of whose outcome it would be. The city itself was recovering from the first of the siege's waves. A tide of enemies that would come and go and crash against the walls until they receded for good or the walls buckled to their onslaught. A thing of beauty when it was read about and terror to behold. Her thoughts were puzzling over the poetry of war and mysteries that she had yet to solve when Prince Leonidas spoke, his tone joking. While he might not have expected a reply, he was given one. "Of course, Your Highness. I shall inform him of your injuries, including the gash to the shoulder and the stab wound to your forearm. Along with diverting your protection to covering a orc with a heavy weapon and thus leaving yourself exposed." The dark eyes locked onto Leonidas as the drow gave a polite smile that befitted the crueler of her race. It was horribly rude of her, Zatana knew, to speak thus to the Prince but she was sorely tempted to take his hammer and beat it into his skull that she was his protector. Yes, she would be whatever was needed at the time, but his safety was of the highest consideration in all of her instructions. If she had to countermand orders to be assured of it? So be it. "Unless, you would rather-?" The trade square had been given over a party, and Zatana had perched in the shadows and listened in amusement when the Prince and Balthazar wore the Duke down into hosting a celebration for the men. It was needed, the dark elf admitted, but it was not a place for one of her kind. Bergkoff's residents did not care for the drow and when they were full of drink and a siege sat on their doorstep? They would have swords and sharp opinions close at hand. Her presence would only cause problems, and Zatana was loath to sit on a roof and listen to the festivities. Surrounded by so many soldiers, what harm could the Prince come to? Her mind filled with possibilities and Zatana couldn't but grimace at what her imagination could drag up from the depths. Having remained in the war room, Zatana had attempted to allow herself to doze while listening to the absent chatter. A simple trick of catching cat naps here and there to keep yourself reasonably rested in a warzone. Her weapons cleaned and checked for when she next would have to hurry off to intercept some form of trouble. If there was any trouble, the news would reach the war room and Zatana relatively quickly. The center, the brain, of an operation was exactly where the rogue wanted to be. One dark eye opened as she surveyed the room as she shifted restlessly. This fight was not over and the enemy was still out there.</s>
<\|description\|>Zatana Aleana Race: Drow Gender: Female Age: 120 Appearance: Zatana stands at a fairly average height, her form being well-muscled from the climbing and acrobatics that are part of her vocation. Wiry and flexible, but there is the hard muscle of someone having to fight for survival. With high cheekbones and delicate features, she keeps her long pale hair pinned to the back of her head in a braid to use in combination with her charms when it is needed. But that is if she allows anyone to see the ashy grey skin or get so close to determine her eyes are truly black. Keeping herself wrapped in leather armor head to toe and helped by a ragged cloak of dark material when she can be a bit more relaxed. When she does not feel the need to reveal herself, any possibility of showing skin or hair is wrapped in bandages. Bio: Her grandfather, Murdoc Do'ana, was the reason her life became even possible. A mage who tested the idea of what was possible and not, he was held in high regard in the Drowish side of the Dread Coast, though he is well known. Sly, kind, cunning and all too aware of just how to manipulate others. He does have an odd sense of justice that is strangely hard to argue against. Her mother had no want or desire to raise a child and Zatana's father only mentioned her existence to his father, Murdoc, in passing years after her birth. In all essentiality, Zartana makes no bones that her grandfather paid her mother to relinquish her claim and give the grandchild over. It happened, life moved on and at the tender age of seven, Zartana began studying the ways of shadows and secrets, and not just how to pick a pocket. She was her grandfather's left hand, the sleight of hand he needed to pass messages and arrange things and listen at street corners. She transcribed his notes later on and helped him with his experiments, learning how to draw secrets from people from talking or force. Zatana loved the mage, adored him. Finding out about a plot to kill her beloved grandfather, Zatana acted without hesitation. Killing the two assassins, using the knowledge of the body she gained studying under Murdoc. Now with a bodyguard as well as an assistant. Murdoc found himself rather pleased with the turn of events. If only for his own ends and his experiments being able to continue without interruption by the petty games his rivals played. He used his granddaughter's skill with the blade and honed it. Refusing any imperfection. Yet, he was a man who was rarely ever content. But Murdoc Do'ana was dissatisfied with the news he got from outside the Dread Coast and having the perfect person to be his eyes, he sent Zatana. Traveling for years, she finally moved to intercept an assassin her own grandfather had sent after the Prince and joined the guard. Then again, that was exactly as her grandfather had planned and ordered. Personality quirks: Traits: - Loyalty is everything to her, just as her business at gathering intel and carrying out her job. And her race makes that harder, as well as a love for cute things. Ideal - "I must survive and pay the debt of life I owe." Bond: Murdoc Do'ana; Her grandfather and the one she came to the Empire under the orders of. He raised, trained and set her out into the world. If he asks anything of her? How could she refuse? - Relon Vaugh; The lover of the assassin she killed to join the Prince's Guard. Flaw: Divided loyalties and she finds herself rather obsessed with perfection in what she does. Itchy fingers that like to slip away items. Fighting Style: She uses daggers as if she was born to them. The throwing, and stabbing kind. Zatana is decent with a bow, taking it up to get a range as getting close to the enemy is not a good idea if she isn't getting the drop on them. Equipment: She wears hardened leather armor, along with a cloak or cloth to hide her skin. She has ten daggers on her. Two in each armpit, wrist, boot, and each side of the waist as well as one on the back of the neck and one behind her back. The daggers at her waist and behind her back are heavy fighting daggers, while the one in her boots are stilettos. She has a bow and a full quiver of arrows varying from barbed headed to sleeker arrows. The last item is a small book carefully hidden usually under her armor, Zatana's Grimoire. Filled more with notes on the Empire in her meandering code than of spells. Skills/Abilities: Shadow Step - The ability to disappear into shadow, blending in and being hard to see. Poison: A good understanding of poisons and applying them to her weapons. Experienced thief/Spy- Skilled at eavesdropping, slight of hand, picking pockets, lockpicking. Assassin: Understanding the art of killing people by stabbing them from behind. Forgery: She can forge notes, or quickly transcribe information. Other Information: 1. Listen to the GM(s), If you have a complaint tell me. I am not an evil dictator and if I am wrong I will admit it. 2. Romance and Gore allowed, But keep it in good taste and in site rules 3. Now not all characters will play nice with each other I understand that, but keep the disputes in the RP not in OOC 4. Be civilized and polite please 5. All basic RP rules apply to this roleplay: Power playing, Meta gaming, and others are not allowed. 6. The story isn't exactly set, if you have an idea for a mission feel free to pm me the details and I'll try to work it in. 7. Copy the rules into a Hider in the "other" of your cs so I know you read them. 8. Get into your character's skin become him or her as you are playing have fun and give us insight into their thoughts. 9. Try to keep active, in both the IC and OOC pages please. And even if you don't have anything to say, at least read the OOC</s> <\|message\|>Drana Turash Drana made a quick exit as she felt the magic swirling in her chest. She was lucky that her knights had been caught in the collapse of the explosion as there was no doubt Acrius would have seen the knights form beneath their armor. "Lady death, let this day hold no more surprises." She said to herself as she made her way to the streets behind the walls. She had no doubts that the old man she had met was not going to overlook her sudden appearance, though that could wait for a time when she was awake. Leonidas had offered her the assistance of Acrius, but the boy had left with other thoughts on his mind. Drana could not blame the lad, and in truth was thankful he had not followed her. 'Maybe I should tell Acrius first, if I do not tell someone the secret will spill itself like it always does.' She thought wearily. Drana found a quiet spot in an alleyway further into the city. Here she took her staff and scratched a small symbol into the mud that covered the cobble. Calling on the spirits that served her, she began to speak the draconic words of power needed to call them forth. "Confn ekess ve, schakri katimai di marfedelom. Wux tepoha ti chiilipena dout geth. Wer tairais ihk ssifisv tepohaic zulf udoka vur jaka wux zklaen lleisgar tenamalo." The two knights rose out of the thin mud as though it held a depth far beneath the street. As they climbed out, the skeletons were bare and without weapons or armor. As they stood before her, the rune in the ground glowed and their armor and weapons faded into existence around them much like an apparition on a dark night. "My lady, you are exhausted. You must return to the war room and request shelter as soon as possible." Gordon spoke as though he had not left her side. Drana laughed quietly at her knight's concern, having missed it upon the battlements. Stephan remained silent as he usually did, offering nothing more than a hollow stare as he made sure his armor was fastened properly to his form. "Sir Gordon, I-" Drana did not finish as the magic had pulled the last of her power. Luckily, Her two knights were capable of taking care of her. Drana arrived at the war room near the evening with the two knights. The guards at the gates had stopped them, but moved to let them pass as Gordon explained their situation. The guards gave them instructions to the war room. Stephan held her bridal style as she slept in his arms. Her hand remained fastened around her staff despite her unconscious state.. The two men were dressed in full plate, and without magic were easily heard approaching the war room's open door. Gordon was met with the sight of Zatana and Merik. They stopped at the door, though Gordon's deep voice soon filled the room. "Good evening, might you know where I can find a bed for Lady Turash?" The two knights stopped side by side. Drana was easily seen in Stephan's arms, covered in grime and goblin blood. The two knights did not have any grime on them aside from where they had assisted Drana. "I do hope we are not interrupting anything."</s> <\|message\|>Rudolph Kestrell Nightfall had come, and the festivities were in full swing. The Duke watched above from his bedroom window as the people enjoyed themselves, he then looked out beyond the walls, and into the darkness where the enemy rested. The Duke's mind was elsewhere however, lost in memories of happier times, back when his wife, the Duchess Livana still lived. He sighed as he took a step back and closed his window. Shortly there was a knock on his door, and the Duke answered. The visitor was a short and uninteresting looking man, dressed in the same manner as the rest of the servants and serfs that worked within the castle, "Ah Morgan, what news do you bring?" he asked the man. "I apologise for the lateness your grace, but I have recieved word of curious individuals, garbed in robes. I do not know of their intentions, but one of my eyes & ears caught wind of a few words spoken by them, it is assumed they may be allies with the orks." Morgan spoke as he handed the report to the Duke. "I see." said the Duke as he took in this information, "This is most disturbing indeed. For now however, keep a close eye on these individuals, and inform me as soon as they move. Oh and please do deliver this information to Lord Balthazar, if he himself has not already gathered this information." he finished. Morgan bowed in understanding "Of course your grace, I will do as you wish." and the man hastily left with purpose. The Duke then closed the door and sat on his bed. He let out a tired sigh, "My dear Livana, how I wish for your guidence once more. You always knew how to handle these unsavoury situations." he said before readying himself to retire for the night. ------- Some time before the end of the event, Rudolph accepted that he'd had enough to drink and it was time to call it a night. With a bid goodnight to his comrades, he made his way back to the barracks. Fullar joined him on the walk, both slightly intoxicated, but stable. Away from the crowded area, the evening had a slight chill to it. The streets weren't busy, as most of the attention was at the event, so the way ahead was technically clear besides the odd patrol making their rounds. "D-Did you hear about Brauer?" asked Rudolph with hand on head as a headache began to develop. "Yea, poor bastard. His mother will be on her own now, and she struggles as is." Fullar replied saddened at the thought, "I'll go visit her at the end of this on his behalf." he continued. Next to the entrance to the barracks, the two men noticed the drunken and sleeping form of Captain Haart, several empty bottles lay around him, and he was sat upon a chair that seemed to barely support his large frame. "Evening Captain." said Fullar without even looking at the man before heading in, the Captain barely stirred, the man was too busy snoring away. Rudolph simply shook his head and chuckled as he walked past. The barracks seemed quiet, which was pleasent for Rudolph's ever worsening headache. "Right, i'm off to bed then. See you in the morn'." Fullar waved to his friend before heading up the stairs. Rudolph sat for a moment and drew a pitcher of water, and took his time with the drink. "I'm getting too old for this." he said to himself under his breath. He sat alone for about a half hour before he could barely keep his eyes open, then surrendered himself to his bed.</s>	<\|message\|>Zatana Aleana Zatana had just finished the lovely loaf of sweetbread, her head tucked against her chest with her hood shadowing her face as she sought the doze of someone who was in a hostile city. The chair was tilted back a bit onto the rear legs, and her knee was carefully set just so. To anyone else, the posture would be uncomfortable, but then again most probably never had to sleep in a sitting position for an extended period. Having done a stint as a hall boy, the sort who waits at a door all night so that important guests need not wait, and a messenger at the behest of gathering information, Zatana was more than used to the pose. It beat sleeping on a horse. There was uncomfortable! She was interrupted by the movement of people entering the war room. Something sat wrong with them being able to enter this interior shell of the keep, or so Zatana thought. Opening her dark eyes, she had one of her long knives in her hand before she spoke, though that hand was on the far side of the strangers. Who it was surprised the dark elf. She had not been expecting the strange cleric and two knights who looked to be nothing like those who served the city or Duke. Two knights lacking the stains of battle on top of that when this woman they held in their arms was so covered in goblin gore and sewer muck? On top of that, the civilized elf grimaced privately at the thought of the woman going to sleep in a bed so soiled. Cleanliness was an underappreciated factor in her profession. Smells where there ought to be no such smell was something that could foul up an operation just as much as eating the wrong food or bringing the wrong tools. Standing from the circle of lizard man that was Merik she bowed as stately as any courtier. The knife hidden against her wrist. "Good evening, Sirs. Lady... Forgive me, I did not catch your name when last we met. Never fear, you merely disturbed my rest while I remain able to move to where His Highness Prince Leonidas of the Empire of Man requires me to be." Zatana felt her smile become somewhat sharper. She was revealing too much of her courtly graces, but these knights. They should have had some grime if they had not just thrown their cleric to the wolves- literally. Soldiers were loud as they exchanged the news. "Though I can see the Cleric is weary and since I have no need of it as of current, I offer you my own quarters should they suffice. Though..." She gave a pause to emphasize what she was saying was no request at all. "I do suspect that the Sacred Order's Cleric of the Dead would enjoy a bath before the bed, Ser Knights." A small luxury the woman looked like she dearly needed. Plus the ulterior motive of trying to figure the woman and her two knights out, then again with her being a dark elf it was a given.</s>
<\|description\|>CHARACTER SHEET OUTLINE DISCLAIMER: YOU ARE ALLOWED TO CONTROL A SINGLE CHARACTER FOR NOW. THIS MAY CHANGE WITH TIME. NAME:: SPECIES: (Human, alien, machine? You are allowed to create your own species too). AGE: (Please do not put in creepily underage characters.) FACTION ALIGNMENT: (Are they with the Gnosis Eater Sect? The Dolsilvec Regime? The Unified Celestial League? The Carnazir? The Zrovreni Solar Revolutionary Pact? An independent agent or from another faction altogether?) HEIGHT/WEIGHT (OPTIONAL): PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: (Reference images not mandatory but helpful) BACKGROUND PRIOR TO BEING SELECTED FOR THE MISSION: (A paragraph minimum. Who are they, where did they come from, why are they fighting, all that good stuff.) REASON FOR MISSION RECRUITMENT: (Why were they selected for such a dangerous mission? It is advised to include their greatest strengths here. A paragraph minimum.) WEAKNESSES: (Minimum of four. Can be physical, psychological, strategic, training-related, etc.) SKILLS AND TRAINING: (What are some things your character was taught, programmed to know, genetically inherited, etc.? Things such as first aid, hacking, survival, tracking, alien languages, demolitions, martial arts and so on are included here. Training is essentially how your character fights; are they a long range sniper, a close-in assault trooper, a sneaky saboteur?) LOADOUT: (This includes your weaponry and any equipment you are taking with you. You are allowed a maximum of three ranged weapons starting out and two melee ones. Other weapons such as grenades, timed explosives, and mines you can larger number of. In the case of gear such as portable turrets, drones, and living creatures, you are typically limited to at most two. Typically non-combat equipment such as medits, repair tools, tracking devices, and so on you are allowed more leeway with. Armour and such unsurprisingly is typically limited to one... unless say, you're some bizarre multi-bodied organism or something. Remember, you can acquire more weapons and equipment with time.) AUGMENTATIONS: (Does your character have any notable upgrades to their default bodily capabilities? These can include cybernetic, ethereal, and biological implants or devices of note as opposed to general performance enhancers that grant them additional abilities, enhance their default bodily capabilities, or even network with their gear and armour. If your character is partially cybernetic, a lab grown bio-entity, naturally possessing ethereal internal components by default and so on, these would be the last major augmentations they acquired.) ETHEREOLOGY: (Is your character capable of manipulating unearthly currents of power from the dimension known as the Abzu? Maybe even those from The Abyssic Plane? This is the series' version of magic. If so, describe how they care capable of doing such. Provide a few examples of this if possible and the role it fulfills for them.) PERKS: (Perks are special abilities that are unique to the species your character is. Each species has three and you are allowed to have all of them. They can include having certain weapons only they are capable of using, creating specialized minions to assist you in battle, or increasing your proficiency in piloting certain vehicles among others. You may also have one additional perk of your own but it must not overlap with a pre-existing one for any of the major species)</s> <\|message\|>Linus "Lin" Guiren Linus Guiren Well, they'd decimated the biomachine in a satisfying, cacophonous display of gunshots, fire, and explosive. One down, one to go. The clearer – and honestly annoyingly bossy – voice over the comms affirmed that the other construct should be put down before they'd lead it to the park. Sound advice, though with all the saying and no doing from the mysterious ally, Linus didn't appreciate it as much as they otherwise might have. Escaping through the burning forest as they were, getting to that other platform-esque machine wasn't exactly easy though. Linus managed to weave between the trees with the occasional slight boost from ether – which they'd provide to the Reclaimer as well if she were near enough – until the Celaderaka had clear line of sight. At that point, they took a hold of their energy rifle and provided support fire. This weapon was capable of the longest range out of their arsenal, so it was the most appropriate. If so many of Linus' allies hadn't already congregated near the construct, they'd might have lobed another grenade at it, but as it was, they refrained. Some of their allies looked a bit worse for wear, but at least they were all still eagerly going at it. Revenge was sweet, even if they were only able to destroy some of their enemies. But at least it would mean a nuisance, a financial cost, a failure of the enemy's mission, and a warning to them what messing with Linus and co. would lead to. All in all, a tentative success for a party who was betrayed, ambushed, and had sent a vastly superior force against them. Of course, it would only be a true success if they wrecked this remaining construct, escaped to the park, and met with what Linus really hoped wasn't another trap. To fulfill that plan, Linus contributed to the hell they were all raining down upon the thing. Especially after that vrexul ally of theirs fired their Hellhammer at it. Now, that was helpful. With a hiss of triumph, Linus ramped up their rate of fire and coated their ammo in ether, so the impact would pact more of a punch. They were still careful with their aiming, since they didn't want to hit any of the allies nearby. Despite that, they didn't doubt their combined efforts would be enough to crush the biomachine. Then, the only thing to do would be to haul it to the park asap, before the forest burned around them and trapped them into the whole mess with the remaining enemies. Simple plan, perhaps a bit of a tricky execution, but nothing that should prove unconquerable.</s> <\|message\|>Reclaimer Corsica Reclaimer Corsica Her strategy, if it could be called that, worked. Using every single mine may have been overkill, but it worked. They had one less problem to deal with. Corsica couldn't help but marvel at the how the flames danced on the trees. Truly, it was a powerful sight. One that caused her vocalizer to emit a faint, hoarse laugh. There wasn't really much time to gawk at her work. She continued to run with Linus, the occasional boost from the ether causing her to oddly stumble. Not enough to trip, but enough to make her running disjointed as she accidentally took steps either too short or too long. Like a flash of light or loud crash, the sudden usage of ether only contributed to sensory overload. A slight distraction. With Linus gaining line of sight, so too did Corsica. There wasn't actually much for Corsica to do besides shoot it. Such was the life of someone who specialized in dealing with biohazards; she could only perform in regular combat in a limited capacity. Besides her go-to plans of shoot, mine, and silicon-carbide blades, there wasn't really much strategy she could add. Under the request of another, she'd just try to fire some rounds at the target. Who knew, maybe they'd set the ground underfoot on fire and that'd mess something up. Though, her firing pace was much more relaxed than Linus'. The encroaching fires from the forest didn't pose much of a threat to Corsica. The plasma mortar certainly did, but she'd only die here if it was her fate to die. Anyways, she started firing.</s>	<\|message\|>CHARACTER SHEET OUTLINE Less like an advanced combat platform made from a fusion of synthetic biomass and shaped metallic armouring, the stomping gun-drone looked demonic, possessed by some horrific rage beyond what could simply be programmed into a machine. Its entire front had been gouged open by Zsresrinn's hellhammer, somehow not triggering its protective energy field, and a mixture of intestinal tube-wiring and sparking electronics spat and glared like a bloodied, pouring eye. As the sect team ran it was no less savage, its bullets at first a wild spray of mag-accelerated rounds but as it neared its targets began to grow specific and a high-pitched whine, audible even over the buzz-roar of its heavy machine gun, made it clear it was still targeting the team for its mortar-wielding unztadtlige controller. Like a hand wracked by traumatic tremors, its large gun jerked and swivelled on it its body as its two eye-stalks, now glowing an angry red, swept around for the retreating team. The gun itself used a separate targeting mechanism as Zsresrin would soon discover, pausing rigid to aim at their estimated centre of mass before letting fly a stream of bright gaseous light and armour shredding projectiles, identifying her by the faint cloud of supernatural particles but unable to get a direct lock on her thanks to the remnants of obfuscating evzredigor matter. It jerked away abruptly towards Linus, the residual energy on their body drawing its ire. It didn't matter an entire half cracked APC was in the way – the rounds could be heard first clattering through its layers of armour before tearing it open like a pinata, intent on shredding the softer target. Its weapon swivelled again as it charged, drawn by the sound of clinging metal and the impact of a pair of large-calibre rifle rounds slamming into its hull, Paris now becoming the object of its wrath. It hesitated at first, gravel scraping underneath its dense legs, giving Paris a lead as he charged towards the machine. Immediately, it attempted to move to the side but it was not the only fast-moving heavyweight brute. It managed to avoid a full-on collision but not before Paris shield smashed into its left leg, sending it teetering off to the side. Its now unwieldy body smashed into a crashed hover-car, crumpling its already half melted doors, and nearly slumping to down onto both legs. One of its eyes twitched, stretching on it stalk, glaring with unearthly red at Paris. That was when the sound of an angry, electrical shriek filled the air. Scanners in the area would detect a powerful discharge of plasma and wary eyes see the huge blue glob soar over the growing flames of the treeline, falling towards Paris as it descended – it wouldn't be a direct hit but within the 50 metre deadly radius, serious damage could be done – even to the machine itself. Yet it was only a few seconds before it was up on its feet, charging past Paris before a spray of plasma ripped into its side. Energy shielding flared up – the crackle of electricity around itself intensified into a semi-domal sheen of orange-yellow power, flaring as the plasma rounds slammed into it and caused it to brighten in intensity, weakening its defensive capabilities. The whine rose in intensity as its eye-mounted targeting laser swept over the treeline, wildly around where the residual heat had gathered. Another mighty roar – another unztadtlige plasma mortar glob soared through the air, aiming to annihilate the still cloaked Vin! Even the machine might be caught in its large radius – as it swivelled outwards towards the road again, it was clearly aiming for more, targeting wildly across destroyed vehicles and the nearing treeline. Another plasma-mortar report followed, this one falling roughly in front of where Linus and Corsica were located! The machine did not get a chance to keep up its wild sprint. A piercing series of beams, scorching in their intensity, hit it direct on the shields crackling wildly from the strain. Its HMG swivelled, this time locking onto Zsresrinn again, the sheer interference from its rapidly overloading shields causing its weapon to shake and shudder, firing wide from the vrexul and instead gouging open a tree a few metres behind her, sending it crashing forwards just a few metres from the arthropod. Linus and Corsica responded in kind – energy bolts swollen with unearthly power joined with armour piercing incendiaries, exploding in a radiant show of lights. Energy shielding hit its threshold and violently expelled the excess, sending out a wave of static interference, forcing the machine to stumble backwards… but not before a few of Corsica's round flew into its open wounds. Biomatter erupted into flame as soot and vaporizing internal fluids burst out of its body. The very machine gun sitting upon it shuddered before falling not backwards but into its body, crackling and sparking as its biomatter were consumed by the molten intensity boiling within. Its eyestalks rapidly twitched, blinking yellow and orange as they began to target its own crumbling body, answered by another roar of the massively powerful mortar, aiming this time directly on its position! Before it could fall there, it was up on its feet and moving aggressively towards the reclaimer and the celaderaka, intent on using its raw mass and now burning body as a living battering ram. Its unztadtlige controller was prepared to use it as the target marker itself as the burning, tortured biomachine made one final ditch effort to end at least some of the team members. "Kirvan's piss, that bastard's not giving up, forget it and run!" A familiar voice crackled over the coms. "We can't hold out for much longer, we've been here even before your crash! Any more and that floating coral bastard's going to catch wind of all of us!" The soldiers arrayed out in the ruined park were clearly on high alert, scanning over the ruined walls and some had their weapons raised. Whatever they were seeing it was getting them on high alert and the swivelling gun turrets, sweeping the sky and the roofs of the distant ruined buildings, made it clear they wouldn't be secure out here for long.</s>
<\|description\|>CHARACTER SHEET OUTLINE DISCLAIMER: YOU ARE ALLOWED TO CONTROL A SINGLE CHARACTER FOR NOW. THIS MAY CHANGE WITH TIME. NAME:: SPECIES: (Human, alien, machine? You are allowed to create your own species too). AGE: (Please do not put in creepily underage characters.) FACTION ALIGNMENT: (Are they with the Gnosis Eater Sect? The Dolsilvec Regime? The Unified Celestial League? The Carnazir? The Zrovreni Solar Revolutionary Pact? An independent agent or from another faction altogether?) HEIGHT/WEIGHT (OPTIONAL): PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: (Reference images not mandatory but helpful) BACKGROUND PRIOR TO BEING SELECTED FOR THE MISSION: (A paragraph minimum. Who are they, where did they come from, why are they fighting, all that good stuff.) REASON FOR MISSION RECRUITMENT: (Why were they selected for such a dangerous mission? It is advised to include their greatest strengths here. A paragraph minimum.) WEAKNESSES: (Minimum of four. Can be physical, psychological, strategic, training-related, etc.) SKILLS AND TRAINING: (What are some things your character was taught, programmed to know, genetically inherited, etc.? Things such as first aid, hacking, survival, tracking, alien languages, demolitions, martial arts and so on are included here. Training is essentially how your character fights; are they a long range sniper, a close-in assault trooper, a sneaky saboteur?) LOADOUT: (This includes your weaponry and any equipment you are taking with you. You are allowed a maximum of three ranged weapons starting out and two melee ones. Other weapons such as grenades, timed explosives, and mines you can larger number of. In the case of gear such as portable turrets, drones, and living creatures, you are typically limited to at most two. Typically non-combat equipment such as medits, repair tools, tracking devices, and so on you are allowed more leeway with. Armour and such unsurprisingly is typically limited to one... unless say, you're some bizarre multi-bodied organism or something. Remember, you can acquire more weapons and equipment with time.) AUGMENTATIONS: (Does your character have any notable upgrades to their default bodily capabilities? These can include cybernetic, ethereal, and biological implants or devices of note as opposed to general performance enhancers that grant them additional abilities, enhance their default bodily capabilities, or even network with their gear and armour. If your character is partially cybernetic, a lab grown bio-entity, naturally possessing ethereal internal components by default and so on, these would be the last major augmentations they acquired.) ETHEREOLOGY: (Is your character capable of manipulating unearthly currents of power from the dimension known as the Abzu? Maybe even those from The Abyssic Plane? This is the series' version of magic. If so, describe how they care capable of doing such. Provide a few examples of this if possible and the role it fulfills for them.) PERKS: (Perks are special abilities that are unique to the species your character is. Each species has three and you are allowed to have all of them. They can include having certain weapons only they are capable of using, creating specialized minions to assist you in battle, or increasing your proficiency in piloting certain vehicles among others. You may also have one additional perk of your own but it must not overlap with a pre-existing one for any of the major species)</s> <\|message\|>Rho-Hux. The Constrictor of Caddadast. Rho-Hux Survival was nothing new. War was like nature, you either learned fast and adapt, or die. Rho-Hux had waged many different wars on many alien worlds. It was in the fires of the battlefield that he realized what he was...a killer and a damn good one at that. He spent most of his career as a major and might have become more than that if it was for an I N C I D E N T that led to him being discharged. The UCL wanted nothing more to do with him. Those highborn, white-noose-collared, silver-spooned, test-tube babies that made up high command thought Rho-Hux was "unstable" and "a disgrace" for participating in "war crimes". That load of shit was so big it could be classified as a dwarf planet! There were no rules to warfare, just as there were no rules to nature. Does an Earth sea turtle cry to its mommy when the mean seagull bites its flippers? HELL, NO, that turtle gets off its ass and runs! It cares nothing for its slower siblings, they are weak and a liability. The little bastard runs all the way to the ocean, where it fights sharks, crabs, and all manner of predators just so it can bang another equally strong sea turtle. That was nature, that was war, fight, win, expand! Shit, that was just the tip of the ice burg when it came to the nature of kill or be killed that was woven into the galaxy. Point was, the UCL leadership had gone soft and had put this killer animal in the inhuman petting-zoo known as a "Psychiatric ward". Well after a couple of years wasting away in there on a diet of pills and sterilized canned food, Rho-Hux had almost forgotten who he was. When he was released from that institution, he struggled to find his place in the world. That was until some bigwigs at The Sect got word that The Constrictor of Caddadast, Rho-Hux, had been released. It didn't take them too long to remind Rho-Hux of the nature of the world, and when they told him about this secret mission of theirs, Rho-Hux remembered what he was meant to do. It was like instinct, like nature. As much as Rho-Hux hated what the UCL leadership did to him, he still considered the UCL to be his pack. He learned everything he knew from them and he thought and died by their side. So when he heard that a couple of sons a' bitches decided to go rogue and betray their brothers in arms, Rho-Hux knew he was destined to kill them. Well, it seemed these insurgents were hell-bent on pissing off Rho-Hux. Before he was even planet-bound, his team's drops malfunctioned as they entered the atmosphere. When he crashed landed did he try to call for help? Look for the other sect members? OF COURSE, NOT, HE WAS IN WAR NOW! HE RAN, HE RAN INTO THAT OCEAN OF A JUNGLE LOOKING FOR MORE! ANY WHO WERE LEFT BEHIND WERE WEAK AND DESERVED TO DIE! For the past week, he had been surviving in the planet's rainforest, hunting for his prey. He had managed to kill a few insurgents scouts, but not enough to satisfy his hunger. He needed more, but there was only so much an old beast like him could do alone. Well, a week of eating slightly poisonous bugs and strange roots does a lot of negative things to a mad man's mind. Rho-Hux was ready to throw caution to the wind can raid the insurgent's base all by his lonesome until he spotted a large multi-species group through the overgrowth. There were two humans: One covered in black and gold armor, and the other a tree trunk of a human man. With them was a Voidhanger, a Vrexul, a Celaderaka, and some sort of chimera of animals twisted to resemble a Vrexul. They didn't carry themselves like insurgents, or former UCL for that matter. Armour and weaponry were all over the place. They looked bettered repaired than the hastily assembled SECT group he had been a part of. Still, he didn't want to take too many unnecessary chances. Activating his Octopus armor, he blended into the trees and climbed from tree to tree. He kept two of his hands clasped around his guns in case he needed to go ballistic. "Well, looks like I just found the island of misfit toys!" Rho-Hux shouted in his old commanding voice. God, he missed scaring new recruits, but he doubted this group would be easy to intimidate. Good, he didn't need one else slowing down the mission. "This is Former Major Rho-Hux. My unit is on a mission to kill some back world UCL insurgents. If I thought you were the insurgents we wouldn't even be having this pleasant little chat right now. Tell me who sent ya and I might consider playing nice!"</s> <\|message\|>Zsresrinn. Forest Trails Something was still not adding up, but for the moment Zsresrinn did not see any better alternatives than following through with the plan they had and seeing if things would become clearer along the way. In the worst case, any hidden threats would eventually reveal themselves so that she could deal with them simply and straightforwardly. She took one of the comms devices given out by Yrilovan in a flexible upper limb and drew it into her shell. The carapace parted like an opening mouth before it, letting the transmitter sink into a layer of sludgy grey flesh beneath, and closed again once it had mostly submerged, with only the upper side protruding out as though it had been built into her body. The path into the Sprawls was uneven, but navigable. The many-limbed vrexul had a somewhat easier time making her way over the harsh terrain than her bipedal companions, clambering over ancient mossy roots and stones that protruded into their path. Thick trees and light fog made for good cover without clouding her own vision too much. Her finer senses could pick out the enemy moving not too far away, no doubt startled by the firefight off to the side. Better not to engage them now, not without knowing how many and how well-armed. Their camp was predictably not too distant, along with a path they must have been using. If they had not closed it, it must have had some use to them. "Scouting preferable," she scraped to Paris' question. With their heavy equipment, including her own, going in blind was too much of a risk. She released a small cloud of parasitic drones, which scattered and swept towards the less exposed path, keeping close to the ground. She could not see too far ahead through them, but it was better than nothing. A call nearby drew her focus away from the synchronised eyes. She turned, now without some annoyance, in the newcomer's direction. Camouflaged, but sounded like a gealtirocht. A Leaguer, or ex-Leaguer, no difference. Irritation gave way to wariness. For all that he claimed to be only hunting insurgents, the League were enemies of the vrexul, always and everywhere. Best be careful with this one. "Allegiance to Gnosis Eaters, currently," she snapped, "You?"</s>	<\|message\|>CHARACTER SHEET OUTLINE As Rho-Hux confronted the Sect group, the offensive through the woods raged on. Off in the distance a section of the woods burned an angry, weltering orange as vehicular weaponry and shrieking mortar shells devoured foliage and infantry forces alike. The dialogue between purple, yellow, and white weapon flashes against the blue, green and orange had momentary stalled as a partially scourged open stretch of the woods became the site of another massive firefight. Gourlan's advance had stalled but the woods weren't any less alive with activity than they were before. Through the shaded paths winding deeper into the heart of the Sprawls, the parasitic drones sent Zsresrinn found a foreboding, maze-like path where the mist hung heavy and the light barely reached. Bumpy and uneven terrain forced them to travel up and down an irregular topography defined by dense roots that crept over the path and sudden ditches in the earth. Footsteps and the scents associated with them could be detected; primarily troops from what could be discerned but a closer look revealed those of indigenous life forms – clearly making usage of a pathway that was increasingly revealing itself as a connecting pathway to other hideouts in the Sprawl. Advancing further would cause the shared sensory link with the parasites to blur; a static not electric but somatic, causing the link between creator and drone to weaken as they neared the edges of control range. It couldn't be said that was entirely the reason as to why however. A piercing, synthetic shriek roared through the thick foliage and the vision and hearing of the creatures momentarily blanked from a bright blue-white flash of light, silhouetting trees and leaves in a bright flash. Chitters, roars, and crumpling leaves could be heard in their wake as wiry, serpent-like shapes scattered through the woods, running towards and over the parasites in a wild, frenetic stampede. The sound of the unseen weapon firing was audible and visible from the distance; an angry burst of light that crept out of the depths of the Sprawl's darker pathways yet did not truly leave it. The creatures however, were unheard and unseen amidst the radiance. Most of the parasites sent out by Zsresrinn had been crushed in their frenetic stampede yet it is one that was impossible to hear over the monstrous, roar. It wasn't what most would pay attention to. Breaking from the tree cover, an enormous globule of radiant angry blue-white soared overhead. It seemed almost liquid like, a gigantic raindrop-like mass of coalescing, fleshy, warping energy not of this world. A distant chill crept across skin and carapace alike as distant waves of ethereal radiation washed over them; not enough to be dangerous but it seemed to caress them with a tender, hungry lustfulness as the globule descended towards the armoured column. An explosion just a little less radiant than the burst that had sent it forward erupted in the woods, flattening trees and swallowing the flashing lights of weaponfire in a horrific bluish-white. Drifting clouds of an algae-like foggy blue hung as sporadic, intermittent weapons fire from the insurgents kicked up. Their coms began to buzz, static washing through but not overwhelming the voice calling. <How quaint; the very void-howitzers the League sold to us are now being turned on us.> A cruel laugh broke out from Gourlan, followed by a shrieking series of weapon discharge. <I hate to demand this of our guests, but would you mind dealing with this hopefully trivial matter?> As the wash of spectrometric strangeness began to die down, the remaining two parasite-drones would have their psycho-somatic link re-established and repaired to Zsresrinn. As the stampede had ended, sight though not scent of the strange, unidentified creatures had been lost as they scattered into the woods. Yet they weren't the only ones moving; air pressure sensors and their other longer-distance detection measures would notice other shapes moving in the wood. Yet they only needed their eyes to see something larger and multi-limbed shambling across the hill over which the void-howitzer had fired. It was too dark to make out its particular shape, too well hidden even in this frenzied moment, but a particular fresh, wet smell reeked from its body. More importantly, the drones had established at least the rough general location of where the howitzer likely was and as they were still active, could keep an eye on the area for beast or soldier within the area. They hadn't been detected, at least, not the living ones.</s>
<\|description\|>Silver or Silvershot SPECIES: Voidhanger AGE: 23 in appearance, 85 in real time FACTION ALIGNMENT: Before being incorporated by the GES he worked for an independent owner of a Mega-Corporation. He has no ties to any governments and is disinterested in each faction's games. HEIGHT/WEIGHT: 6'2, 120kg's (accounting for cybernetic parts) PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: BACKGROUND PRIOR TO BEING SELECTED FOR THE MISSION: Silver was born in the Void, though where, when or to what family within the mysterious race he does not know. During a run through the edges of Pact space, his ship ran too close to a patrol for their liking. In the ensuing engagement Silver's ship was destroyed, along with a decent portion of his natural born body. Whether it was through some series of luck, ether or natural ability, Silver clung to life and was picked up by a large time scavenging corporation. Recognising the value in even a partially intact Voidhanger, they stabilised Silver and kept him alive long enough to put him on the black market. There he was bought by parties unknown with the intention to sell him as an exotic trophy in order to seal an upcoming corporate merger. The majority shareholder of the mega-corporation was known to be an eccentric trillionaire, Nolan Grimes. Though instead of adding Silver to his xenogenic collection, Nolon saw a different kind of purpose. He had heard the rumors of the Voidhangers and was well aware of their strange connection to the Ether (a subject that fascinated him more so). As a result, Silver was imbued with cybernetics, redesigning his internal structure, parts of his arms, part of his skull and completely rebuilding the lower half of his body. Why Silver was able to retain his own mind and not be constrained in any manner is a question that the Voidhanger still asks himself even today. Regardless he was brought back better and stronger than ever. He spent the next several years training and actively engaging in corporate espionage and assassinations. Always corporate and never political, Silver (Nicknamed Silvershot), stayed out of the limelight creating an infamous name for himself. Though he has never met any Voidhangers, he has grown not to care for the galaxy's politics or wars, he simply exists for the function he was brought back to do. For the longest time Silver believed himself to be without attachment and even without feeling, allowing himself to get lost in the cold calculation and logic needed to be an assassin. This was until his contract was sold. It was an odd mission, his employer tasked him with stealing documents from the GES. What the documents contained Silver didn't ask, he never did, but he infiltrated the black site with success. Not saying it was easy but he pulled it off without the operation going south, retrieving the documents and relaying them back to Nolan. It was only when Nolan's deal with unknown parties went south that the GES came knocking. Though instead of vengeful reprimand, they brought a deal, access to information about certain Archaeotech projects in exchange for Silver's contract. Nolan didn't even blink before signing him over. And there began a new life for the assassin, though how long it would last is anyone's best guess. REASON FOR MISSION RECRUITMENT: Even before his heist at the Gnosis black site, Silver's infamous reputation was well known within the corporate and even political world. Rumours swelled throughout the communities with some stating the man glides through the thickest of walls and others believing he can morph into existence through any shadow cast. In reality the Voidhanger has honed his ability to slip into the Ether and is now attempting to learn how to blink,. His preferred method of assassination is ship to ship, piloting a small stealth craft and pulling off otherwise impossible maneuvers to be able to reach his targets in the black of space using his natural space immunities. Though considering how this mission is shaping up, maybe the GES were still sore about the heist and that's why he's here. Regardless, nothing matters, not to Silver, the goals haven't changed, only the path to get there. WEAKNESSES: Unknowingly to Silver, his biggest weakness is actually psychological. Not knowing his kind, years upon years of shutting down his emotions and a final betrayal of the only father figure he ever knew has left him rattled. Everything is starting to bubble to the surface leading to a potential explosion or collapse. This, in turn, is affecting his ethereal abilities. The rush of emotion causes him to lose focus and make mistakes, either leading him to spend too long in the sub-dimension or causing real world consequences. Another weakness is working within a team. Silver has never had to co-exist or work alongside anyone, he has no experience in this area and is not overly fond of the idea. The work he produces is like an operation or a delicate artform, others detract from this. Combat wise, Silver is not built for frontal assaults or dug in grunt warfare. His armour is light and built with stealth in mind. He can slip in and through enemy lines but leading a charge across no man's land is basically suicide. Finally his immune system on planets is still subpar, though his cybernetic enhancements overcome the most severe repercussions, his natural born immunity deficiencies (planet side) still come into play now and then. If unfocused and untreated, they can become a real problem. SKILLS AND TRAINING: Silver has excellent knowledge in the following areas: Long range sniper Hand to hand combat Swordsmanship/daggers Throwing knives (and variations of) Deception skills/lying Natural born ethereal abilities He also has a decent knowledge in the following: Explosives Tracking Languages of the UCL Healing/repairing himself (and himself only) Cybernetics/robotics Programming Piloting small ships LOADOUT: Camouflage ability "invisibility cloak" more like translucent, so still partially visible Suit is solar powered AI scout drone (in built into the suit, can help with repairs to suit/cybernetics) Silenced High Impact Sniper Silenced pistol Small Ammo pack with 3 mags for the rifle and 4 mags for the pistol AUGMENTATIONS: Shoulder mounted darts (stun and poison) Cybernetic filter system "Hidden blade" wrists that can be removed and thrown, suit can manufacture more from scrap metal Right hand has an EMP charge, not powerful enough to take down full power armour but can fry vital circuits if placed in the correct spot, or override door panels etc. Knock out gas left hand HUD interface Powerful legs Thrusters for jumps or movement in space, cannot fly ETHEREOLOGY: Silver, although he had no training from other Voidhangers, has honed his natural abilities over a much longer time period. He is able to heal his flesh and fade out of existence in the physical plane. He can reach the full minute before needing to return. He's also pushing himself to learn how to blink. He has learned to do it over less than a meter but struggles to move further. PERKS: Silver has the Unearthly Resilience and Traveller of Outer Realms abilities. He has also kept a hold of his defence shield, not needing to improve it in any way.</s> <\|message\|>Rho-Hux. The Constrictor of Caddadast. "Gnosis Eaters? Well, that's better than shit-eating troglodyte insurgents." Rho-Hux was interrupted by explosions and a voice coming from the strangers' coms. "Speaking of which! I think a little bloodshed is in order." In one of his four arms, he pulled out one of his Earth-based swords. In another, he pulled out a las-pistol. "All the matters in terms of allegiances is that as of right now I am your friend. I know can help you find the base of the insurgents but first I think we better disarm these trigger-happy terrorists before they start to improve their aim." Rho-Hux used his grapple hook gun to people himself deeper into the woods. He soon felt the need to return to the group to say one last crucial detail. "Just to be clear, when I say disarm, I mean cut off their arms and show it to them before you further torture them for information. Professionals have standers and traitors need to be reminded about what happens to dishonorable deserters."</s> <\|message\|>Zsresrinn. Through the undergrowth Sounds and images flashed as Zsresrinn refocused her senses through the cycle of disruptions that came with the destruction of a number of her drones. Normally this would not have been very taxing, but the sharp bursts of sensation from the void-howitzer's shots gave her perception a slight pause as it was inundated by the blinding surges from several angles at once. In a moment, however, her briefly scrambled strands of mental input were cleared up again. She began to make her way towards the mouth of the path. "Caution," she hissed at Rho-Hux as he leapt into the thick of the jungle ahead of the group. It would have been false to say that she cared much about what happened to the gealtirocht, but, like it or not, for now they shared a common enemy. She would have to make the best of it. Perhaps more importantly, if he went in swinging he would stir up both the militias and the local fauna, which from what she had glimpsed was already dangerously agitated. Those creatures looked dangerously agile, and it was hard to tell how many of them there could be lurking around nearby. "Insurgents on alert, beasts prowling. Camouflage if you can. Direction is known." She gave a mental tug at one of the remaining symbiotes, and the eye-like drone rose into the air to indicate the way where the howitzer seemed to lie before ducking back into the undergrowth. It was best not to expose them too much as long as they were her only link to the deeper paths. As she began to make her way through the brush, trying to step carefully on the tips of her legs but still making an unavoidable amount of noise, she glanced up with a row of eyes at Rho-Hux's last words. "Interrogation not my specialty. Will disarm as I can." She brought her upper limbs forward, and wide recurve blades quietly extended from the shell along their length like unfolding palm leaves. Shooting where the trees grew so thick would be difficult, and if some feral creature decided to ambush them, she had best be ready to fight it off on its own terms.</s>	<\|message\|>Silver or Silvershot Silver Since entering the dense forest Silver had been tagging along behind the bulk of their little group. Having his paranoia confirmed by one of the troop commanders had only made the voidhanger's fretting worse, opting to engage his cloak despite being among 'comrades'. Their newest compatriot was no different to any other of the paramilitary soldiers they had met so far; full of bravado and out for blood. Silver hadn't even bothered with an introduction, attitudes like that got people killed real quick and who knows what the gealtirocht's angle was. The voidhanger grimaced as his foot sunk deep down into a flooded pothole that Zsresrinn had punched into the ground. The beast of a thing was surprisingly nimble and quiet for its size but the forest floor could only bear so much weight. Egh. Silver thought as he shook loose the mud that stuck to his leg. Note to self: never leave space again! Continuing on, the cyborg rolled his eyes as he shooed away another report from his little AI companion. There was nothing new to be gained from such things, more enemies, more threats, more carnage. The voidhanger didn't need a report to tell him how royally fucked they were. Right on time Gourlan's slimy, stomach churning voice crackled through the comms, calling the group into action. Seemingly without a second thought, the gealtirocht bounced into the tree's with talk of dismembering while Zsresrinn whirred into action mode. Silver, however, paused; instead choosing to open up their comms channel. <Guys, I'm not sure about this. Back at the outpost Yrilovan warned me that Gourlan shouldn't have known about the rendezvous spot and that he didn't know why he was there. This could be another ambush.></s>
<\|description\|>: Vin Valvoi SPECIES: Voidhanger AGE: 28 FACTION ALIGNMENT: Gnosis Eater Sect HEIGHT/WEIGHT (OPTIONAL): 6'2, 210lbs PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Voi BACKGROUND PRIOR TO BEING SELECTED FOR THE MISSION: Vin was born on a small Voidhanger fleet that had recently split from a larger Voidhanger fleet. The reason for the split was that the fleet leader had a major dispute with a small group of the fleet. Causing them to be exiled and have to survive on their own. Despite this, the fleet and Vin would rather well for themselves. However, Vin was never told what caused the exile since that topic had been considered taboo within the fleet. The fleet would face ups and lows over the years. When he was thirteen, as the fleet passed through a system, they were ambushed by a large group of pirates. In the fighting, Vin's ship was heavily damaged and made a blind jump to escape. With the idea that they can find and form up with the fleet later. Landing in a random system and the ship's damage forced it to crash land on a nearby planet. But, not before sending out a distress signal. Vin does not remember much after that and when he woke up. He was in a GES hospital with other Voidhangers, and his right arm being cybernetic. It turns out a GES ship was returning from a mission when it picked up the distress signal. It diverted course and investigated the signal. Finding the wreckage of Vin's ship and rescued the survivors. Also, his right arm was badly damaged and had to be removed. Vin found out that his family was killed in the crash, and he was rendered an orphan. He was devastated at the news and had no idea of what to do. Taking pity on the boy and after much consideration, after they could not locate Vin's fleet, the GES elected to raise him, which Vin agreed to. It took some time for Vin to adjust, and he would be brought under the care of a human named Maral Tokhta. An old GES researcher who would prove to be the right choice for him. Acting like a mother to him while teaching the ways of the GES. Vin, under Maral's care, would grow to like and respect the GES. Especially their tendency to help others in need. Eventually, when he was old enough and after thinking about how he could repay the GES for what they had done for him. With some resistance from Maral, Vin felt the best way to do so was to join the GES's military. After passing a trial, Vin went through training and would specialize in hacking, infiltration, and sabotage. Being deployed on various missions for the Sect. After a mission dealing with a threat to an allied world of Kive, Vin was assigned to an important mission to the world of Chalgheol. REASON FOR MISSION RECRUITMENT: Vin was chosen for the mission for his skill with hacking and infiltrating enemy strongholds. Being able to gain valuable information by hacking into an enemy computer, hijack it, or if needed, if a dig site is compromised. Delete all important information from its databanks. Along with hacking into robots and have them turn against their masters. In the case that the group faces a hostile bunker or fortified position. Vin's job is to eliminate it by using stealth and explosives. Along with setting traps for enemy combatant and, if needed, destroy relics from falling into enemy hands. WEAKNESSES: Fear of Additions - For personal reasons except for his cybernetic arm. Vin has a distrust of augments and chooses to go without them. Not wanting to be altered and has revulsion towards visibly heavy augmented beings. Infiltrator - Due to his armor and training, Vin is more suited to stealth operations than as a frontline soldier. His armor being light and not meant for heavy assault roles. Thus, he is at a disadvantage in frontline combat. Pained Ethereologist - For reasons unknown to him, it causes physical pain to Vin whenever he uses his Ether abilities. How much pain he feels is determined by how much Ether he uses. Thus, on low levels, he can tolerate the pain but, using a large amount of Ether can be very painful for him. So he prefers to use a low amount of Ether or not at all if possible during a mission. Ether Vulnerable - Due to the condition of it being physically painful to use Ether. Vin takes extra damage from Ether based-attacks, and Vin is less likely to use his Ether abilities if hit. To not overload himself with pain and hinders his ability to be useful on the battlefield. SKILLS AND TRAINING: Hacking Encryption Decryption Hand to Hand Demolition Infiltration Stealth Etherealist Commando Training Advanced Knowledge of Robots LOADOUT: Light Power Armor - The armor has a built-in digital interface on his left forearm that can be used wirelessly or with a wire to hack into terminals or robots. Along with the ability to cloak itself and is ether resistant. Also, being vacuum-sealed so Vin can operate in space or in hazardous conditions and has magnetic boots so it can stick to a metal surface. Plus, it has magnetic slots for carrying weapons and gear. Silenced Submachine Gun 5x Mags Silenced Pistol 3x Mags Plasma Carbine 6x Plasmas Packs Combat Knife 8 Explosives Charges with detonators 4 Frag Grenades 5 Trip Mines Small metal backpack to carry various gear AUGMENTATIONS: A cybernetic right arm that has been modified to have a concealed blade that extends from his top part of his wrist. It also has been modified to launch laser-based attacks through the palm of his hand though it has a limited amount of shots before it has to recharge. ETHEREOLOGY: Vin can manipulate Ether to form a layer of armor on himself or on another person, and the strength of the armor is dependant on how much Ether Vin uses, which he tends to use it at either low or medium cost. Another Ether ability is that Vin can use Ether to stun foes by causing Ether to form and explode like a flashbang in an area near him. PERKS: Unearthly Resilience, Traveller of Outer Realms and Choronzon Personal Defensive Shield</s> <\|message\|>Linus "Lin" Guiren Linus Guiren One moment, Linus was staring out one of the aircraft's windows, reminiscing. Well, truthfully told, that's what they've been doing during all the journey so far, only looking away at times to engage in polite chatter with some of the others. But most of the time, they observed their once home planet, spending time in quiet reflection. There were some familiar sights, some that seemed familiar, and others that were utterly unknown yet sparked a sense of distant nostalgia for this mess of a planet. In the next instance, the cockpit was destroyed, the pilot killed. Linus whipped their head to stare at the front, shocked still for a few milliseconds. Despite the impossibility of it, their vessel had been shot down and was now in the midsts of descending uncontrollably. This…should not have happened. The only way it could have was that someone in the know didn't like what they were about to do. The specifics of how, why, and who could be pondered upon later, however; right then, alarms were blaring (or rather, sputtering weakly in and out of existence), smoke and the scent of destroyed machinery was spreading, and their vehicle was loudly protesting its violent nosedive. Linus didn't need the holographic warning to know they had to brace for impact. To prepare for it, they activated nearly all of their Nerakian keys (leaving the offensive stingers dormant), and positioned four of their defensive discs around their body, covering themselves and anyone in the immediate vicinity. The other four were sent to reinforce the most vital parts of the vehicle, so as to lessen the risk of being crushed or pierced or – as had already happened to one individual when Linus wasn't paying attention – thrown out. With the yellow energy barriers engaged and ether repository orbs fueling them, all Linus could now do was hold onto their seat with one hand, and grip their backpack and weapons tightly to their body with the other. The sharp drop was nauseating and disorienting, and despite all preparations, Lin blacked out for a short while upon impact. When they opened their eyes, they had to spend a few moments blinking out dancing black-whit spots. Their head was pounding, and the Nerakian keys were barely responsive enough to clumsily fly back to their armor and integrate with it. The ether they'd stored in the orbs had been nearly exhausted. At the least Lin did not seem to be injured beyond some mild blunt trauma, which they must have suffered whenever they smacked into their ether barriers. Satisfied with their physical condition, Linus groaned, and extracted themselves from the seat. Before leaving the aircraft, they checked if anyone living was still inside, and if they were, Linus would help get them out if need be. They were wary of the dangers of the GES vessel exploding, and were eager to vacate the premises. The added incentive of approaching hostiles also helped to settle their decision. Under different circumstances, Lin would be glad to stand their ground and show the bastards what a pissed off Celaderaka could accomplish, but their team was scattered, confused, and otherwise not at all ready for such an action. Unfortunately, direct confrontation was out of the question. So was approaching Kerovnia. Linus had no idea why the city seemed as if it suddenly hosted a dedicated enemy battalion, but someone must have really opposed their mission. The sudden and unexpected voice over the coms – which had relayed nothing but static up until then – confirmed that they, whoever 'they' were, knew about their mission and were eager to prevent it being accomplished. To top it off, energy mortar fire was approaching from overhead. "We need to get out of here," Lin growled to no one in particular, then proceeded to hightail it through the woods, away from the hostiles and Kerovnia, heading approximately northwards.</s> <\|message\|>Reclaimer Corsica Reclaimer Corsica Strange. Were sect ships supposed to land this way? As the molten metal and viscera flew through the cabin, Corsica watched as the red text appeared in front of the dead man's body. Likely not, she thought to herself. She did little to brace herself from the impact. If her death would come, it would come. There would be nothing she could do to stop it. If she lived, then she lived. That's all there was to surviving catastrophic crashes. The impact shook her to the ground. Her armour prevented any serious damage. Not that she would be able to tell. Even if her bones were broken and joints dislocated, she would only be able to feel an injury if a limb gave out as she tried to walk. The ship came to a halt. Miraculously, she hadn't been thrown off. It wasn't her time after all. Quickly, she picked herself up and walked off the broken shuttle. As the mortars detonated far, she gave her arms a quick stretch. Nothing seemed to be dislocated, nor did anything seem broken. She was no worse for wear than the day before. Well, now was no time to be slacking. The high prophet gave her a mission. She'd see it though to the end. At least, unless the prophet gave her a new order. With rifle in hand, she watched as the one in the keyed armour venture into the jungle. Then she looked at the one hunkering behind the wreckage of the shuttle. After that, she looked at the distant energy mortars that slowly encroached on their location. She knew which side she'd be on. She reached for one of her solar tablets--a peculiar device that was triangular in shape and was as large as the palm of one's hand. She tossed it at his feet, with the intent that he could use it for whatever purpose he needed while hunkered down. "Good luck in the fire, brother." And she was off into the forest with one in keyed armour.</s>	<\|message\|>: Vin Valvoi How? That was what was going through Vin's mind as the cockpit was ripped open, and only half of the pilot was left. How? As he quickly went to brace himself as it was clear to him without the computer listed the warning about needing to brace. How could have this happen? Vin has never heard of a Sect ship that has been shot down before since the Sect is very good at making stealth ships. Never once had a Sect ship he had been one had the danger of being shot down, which made him feel rather safe in one but, now that has quickly changed as the rush of air-filled the ship as it descended rapidly out of control. Vin closed his eyes and waited for the eventual crash and the possible pain that comes with it. The crash ended up knocking him out, and the next thing Vin knew. He was on his back in the ruined remains of the ship. Vin groaned as the pain across his body quickly set in. Vin made himself sit upright to make an assessment of things. Everything hurt, but nothing felt like it was broken. Strained maybe, and it made him regret not having tougher power armor. Vin's armor is not made for impacts like this but, at least it kept his bones intact. Not to mention his life and his cybernetic arm seem alright. He did a quick check of his armor's systems. The digital interface still worked, luckily, along with the cloaking system. Vin sighed in relief as his armor still worked. Vin painfully got up, and that was when through the static, he heard the voice. Saying to get out and that they knew they were coming. Then cutting out, they knew that they were coming? How...how would they know that Vin thought to himself. Unless someone tipped them off, and that means someone on the inside. A traitor in the Sect then and Vin had a small fire grow in him. Someone will pay for this. Time did not let him think more about it as he turned around to and spotted the approaching hostiles. Moving to a piece of debris as cover and he could see the outlines of people coming to the wreak. That they had what looked like long guns and the sounds of mortar fire. Vin sighed again, "Of course, they were ready to wipe us out." He said bitterly as he started to move away from his cover. Unslinging his plasma carbine and turned on his cloaking. He needed to get out of here before those mortars hit and find his teammates. Looking around for any sign of his teammates, he caught one whose armor was on fire. Good, someone is alive, he thought as he chose to follow her into the forest. Hoping to find others and regroup to properly face the ones that are hunting them. And finish their mission and maybe find the one or ones that betrayed the Sect. But, that will be after they survive, that is. If they survive and Vin does not plan on dying on this world.</s>
<\|description\|>Rho-Hux. The Constrictor of Caddadast. Species: Gealtirocht. Age: 63. Faction Alignment: UCL Height: 8 ft BACKGROUND PRIOR TO BEING SELECTED FOR THE MISSION: A former Major In the UCL Military, Rho-Hux Rho-Hux devoted his existence to being a soldier. When given a mission he would spend hours researching his foes, the landscape, similar battles, and equipment that may be used on both sides. Once he became a Major, he excepted all those under his leadership to be up to par with the latest military information. His most famous mission was Operation Swamp Dragon. His battalion was to aid in taking over the city of Caddadast on the planet Omia. Omia was a planet made up mostly of dangerous swamps, and Caddadast was a well-fortified city. After trying and failing to breach the walls, Rho-Hux decided to starve the city out. He ordered his forces to poison the swamp water around the city preventing them from fishing or receiving clean water from within their home. Every time a group went out to get resupplies from elsewhere, Rho-Hux would launch a series of brutal guerilla attacks. The final nail in the coffin came when Rho-Hux received some anti-aircraft reinforcements. Soon the citizens of Caddadast found themselves trapped within their own city without food or clean water. This victory earned Rho-Hux the nickname of "The Constrictor of Caddadast." However, Rho-Hux's battalion came to an end when they came across a stray Abzu entity. It wiped out Most of Rho-Hux's battalion with only him and a few survivors seeking shelter in the wilderness. They were classified as MIA for months until Rho-Hux was found alone and half-starving in a cave. His story about what happened during his time in hiding are inconsistent, and due to his deteriorating mental health, he was discarded from the military. REASON FOR MISSION RECRUITMENT: Rho-Hux, having known nothing outside of life on the battlefield, and not wanting to grow old and be forced to spend his life in an institution, heard distant rumors about the mission and hacking into some classified files. He has gone on the run and is trying to join this mission so he may serve a higher calling again. Rho-Hux wishes to die on the battlefield for the good of the UCL. He sees himself as nothing but a soldier. Ethereology: "Ghosting" as some people call it. Rho-Hux can mute any noise he makes (like footsteps and breathing), remove his scent, and change his body temperature to match the environment around him. While this does not make him invisible; it does aid him greatly in stealth missions and when combined with his Octopus suit, he seemingly disappears from existence only to reappear behind his soon to be deceased enemies. The drawback to this power (other than the usual drawbacks to ether powers) is that if Rho-Hux were to be set on fire while using this power, his body temperature would rise dramatically, causing him to burn internally and externally." Strengths: -four arms, each can hold a weapon. -skilled swordsmen -stealthy -years of experience -loyal and respectful to allies Weaknesses: -Fire damages his gear, disrupts his Ethereology, and is extremely painful to him (as it is to most organic beings) -His mental state is fragile and is prone to fits of mania and PTSD. -His age is catching up to him. He is not as strong as he was/thinks he is. Starting Weaponry, Armor, and Equipment: Octopus armor: Blends in with the environment around it. This when combined with his ether power makes Rho-Hux nearly impossible to detect. It is light and offers more mobility for the wearing at the price of not being as sturdy for defensive as other advanced suits of armor. It also malfunctions horribly if set on fire for too long. Grapple Battle Rifle. Twin SMG guns. Daishō sword set. THEME SONG: youtube.com/watch?v=rBdQDGGNg8E</s> <\|message\|>Zsresrinn. Forest Trails Something was still not adding up, but for the moment Zsresrinn did not see any better alternatives than following through with the plan they had and seeing if things would become clearer along the way. In the worst case, any hidden threats would eventually reveal themselves so that she could deal with them simply and straightforwardly. She took one of the comms devices given out by Yrilovan in a flexible upper limb and drew it into her shell. The carapace parted like an opening mouth before it, letting the transmitter sink into a layer of sludgy grey flesh beneath, and closed again once it had mostly submerged, with only the upper side protruding out as though it had been built into her body. The path into the Sprawls was uneven, but navigable. The many-limbed vrexul had a somewhat easier time making her way over the harsh terrain than her bipedal companions, clambering over ancient mossy roots and stones that protruded into their path. Thick trees and light fog made for good cover without clouding her own vision too much. Her finer senses could pick out the enemy moving not too far away, no doubt startled by the firefight off to the side. Better not to engage them now, not without knowing how many and how well-armed. Their camp was predictably not too distant, along with a path they must have been using. If they had not closed it, it must have had some use to them. "Scouting preferable," she scraped to Paris' question. With their heavy equipment, including her own, going in blind was too much of a risk. She released a small cloud of parasitic drones, which scattered and swept towards the less exposed path, keeping close to the ground. She could not see too far ahead through them, but it was better than nothing. A call nearby drew her focus away from the synchronised eyes. She turned, now without some annoyance, in the newcomer's direction. Camouflaged, but sounded like a gealtirocht. A Leaguer, or ex-Leaguer, no difference. Irritation gave way to wariness. For all that he claimed to be only hunting insurgents, the League were enemies of the vrexul, always and everywhere. Best be careful with this one. "Allegiance to Gnosis Eaters, currently," she snapped, "You?"</s> <\|message\|>CHARACTER SHEET OUTLINE As Rho-Hux confronted the Sect group, the offensive through the woods raged on. Off in the distance a section of the woods burned an angry, weltering orange as vehicular weaponry and shrieking mortar shells devoured foliage and infantry forces alike. The dialogue between purple, yellow, and white weapon flashes against the blue, green and orange had momentary stalled as a partially scourged open stretch of the woods became the site of another massive firefight. Gourlan's advance had stalled but the woods weren't any less alive with activity than they were before. Through the shaded paths winding deeper into the heart of the Sprawls, the parasitic drones sent Zsresrinn found a foreboding, maze-like path where the mist hung heavy and the light barely reached. Bumpy and uneven terrain forced them to travel up and down an irregular topography defined by dense roots that crept over the path and sudden ditches in the earth. Footsteps and the scents associated with them could be detected; primarily troops from what could be discerned but a closer look revealed those of indigenous life forms – clearly making usage of a pathway that was increasingly revealing itself as a connecting pathway to other hideouts in the Sprawl. Advancing further would cause the shared sensory link with the parasites to blur; a static not electric but somatic, causing the link between creator and drone to weaken as they neared the edges of control range. It couldn't be said that was entirely the reason as to why however. A piercing, synthetic shriek roared through the thick foliage and the vision and hearing of the creatures momentarily blanked from a bright blue-white flash of light, silhouetting trees and leaves in a bright flash. Chitters, roars, and crumpling leaves could be heard in their wake as wiry, serpent-like shapes scattered through the woods, running towards and over the parasites in a wild, frenetic stampede. The sound of the unseen weapon firing was audible and visible from the distance; an angry burst of light that crept out of the depths of the Sprawl's darker pathways yet did not truly leave it. The creatures however, were unheard and unseen amidst the radiance. Most of the parasites sent out by Zsresrinn had been crushed in their frenetic stampede yet it is one that was impossible to hear over the monstrous, roar. It wasn't what most would pay attention to. Breaking from the tree cover, an enormous globule of radiant angry blue-white soared overhead. It seemed almost liquid like, a gigantic raindrop-like mass of coalescing, fleshy, warping energy not of this world. A distant chill crept across skin and carapace alike as distant waves of ethereal radiation washed over them; not enough to be dangerous but it seemed to caress them with a tender, hungry lustfulness as the globule descended towards the armoured column. An explosion just a little less radiant than the burst that had sent it forward erupted in the woods, flattening trees and swallowing the flashing lights of weaponfire in a horrific bluish-white. Drifting clouds of an algae-like foggy blue hung as sporadic, intermittent weapons fire from the insurgents kicked up. Their coms began to buzz, static washing through but not overwhelming the voice calling. <How quaint; the very void-howitzers the League sold to us are now being turned on us.> A cruel laugh broke out from Gourlan, followed by a shrieking series of weapon discharge. <I hate to demand this of our guests, but would you mind dealing with this hopefully trivial matter?> As the wash of spectrometric strangeness began to die down, the remaining two parasite-drones would have their psycho-somatic link re-established and repaired to Zsresrinn. As the stampede had ended, sight though not scent of the strange, unidentified creatures had been lost as they scattered into the woods. Yet they weren't the only ones moving; air pressure sensors and their other longer-distance detection measures would notice other shapes moving in the wood. Yet they only needed their eyes to see something larger and multi-limbed shambling across the hill over which the void-howitzer had fired. It was too dark to make out its particular shape, too well hidden even in this frenzied moment, but a particular fresh, wet smell reeked from its body. More importantly, the drones had established at least the rough general location of where the howitzer likely was and as they were still active, could keep an eye on the area for beast or soldier within the area. They hadn't been detected, at least, not the living ones.</s>	<\|message\|>Rho-Hux. The Constrictor of Caddadast. "Gnosis Eaters? Well, that's better than shit-eating troglodyte insurgents." Rho-Hux was interrupted by explosions and a voice coming from the strangers' coms. "Speaking of which! I think a little bloodshed is in order." In one of his four arms, he pulled out one of his Earth-based swords. In another, he pulled out a las-pistol. "All the matters in terms of allegiances is that as of right now I am your friend. I know can help you find the base of the insurgents but first I think we better disarm these trigger-happy terrorists before they start to improve their aim." Rho-Hux used his grapple hook gun to people himself deeper into the woods. He soon felt the need to return to the group to say one last crucial detail. "Just to be clear, when I say disarm, I mean cut off their arms and show it to them before you further torture them for information. Professionals have standers and traitors need to be reminded about what happens to dishonorable deserters."</s>
<\|description\|>Yew Age: Young Adult Gender: Female Species: Poochyena Ability: Rattled Appearance: Yew looks like a normal Poochyena, save for a fluffier than usual tail and a slight nick in her right ear. Her eyes are also a more earthy crimson instead of bright red. Her nose tapers to a fine point and her fur is usually always ruffled up. Personality: Yew is a rather rambunctious individual full of life and energy. She's quite adventurous, curious, and loud. Those who know her wonder how much energy she has, and if it ever ends. Those that don't know her might think she's uncivilized, filthy, and crude. She doesn't really enjoy expressing "weak" emotions such as sadness or fear, and will often express these in a furious fashion. Because of this, she doesn't have many friends, and the friendships she can claim are rather weak and fragile. It's quite obvious she doesn't know how to handle friendships-- or even relationships at all. She's also quite loud and will often speak a few pitches higher than others. Yew, of course, isn't aware of this, and will have to be told several times to quiet down. Short Biography: Unfortunately, Yew spent most of her puppy years as an orphaned nobody. She scoured the streets of Cloudgate in search of food and was often forced to rummage around in trash cans. When she had become keen enough to survive on her lonesome, she was taken in by a Salazzle named Guayana. Guayana allowed her to remain a resident of Cloudgate's resident thieves' guild with one exception-- if she helped them out during their heists. Hungry and malnourished, Yew agreed, and so began her life as a thief. She wasn't very good at sneaking around, but she was good at ambushing targets from the shadows, so the guild kept her around for her brute strength. Unluckily for her, Yew's time with Guayana didn't last long; the entire thieves' guild operation was intercepted by Cloudgate guards during one of their bigger heists. The good thing was that she had been forced to remain behind during the grand heist, and so no one suspected her of partaking in the shady guild. She had gotten off the hook with hardly a slap on the paw, but now she was homeless once again. Now an adolescent, she decided to partake in more humble work; she began to do odd jobs here and there, even though Pokemon weren't keen enough to pay her much. One day, she came across an ad announcing that Scorch had come back to train Pokemon to become future explorers. Perhaps that was what would pull her away from poverty and struggle once and for all? Move Set: Tackle Howl Bite Odor Sleuth Equipment: A leather satchel that hangs from her hip, which is usually filled with different types of meats and berries. Other: Yew likes biting things-- don't ask her why.</s> <\|message\|>Ting, after the sound metal makes when it strikes rock. Featuring: @Lucky --- As the wind whipped wildly through the streets of Cloudgate, making the ends of the bright orange cloth wrapped around Ting dance around, he wandered through the streets, his mind on autopilot. He was about halfway to his old construction job when he suddenly remembered that he needed to go to orientation for the Scorch's guild. He hadn't had any trouble getting there the first time, so it shouldn't be that hard to get back to right? Well, unfortunately, it was. With the combination of much taller pokemon blinding his sight, as well as his stubby legs not offering him much in the way of speed, he spent a good hour pacing the streets, looking for the entrance to the building. "It's supposed to look like a castle, right? Why the hell's this place so hard to find?" But finally, a bright red flag caught his attention, which he followed to see several more, right by the entrance of the guild. Now the other problem: it's right across a busy street. This would not be fun. After what felt like an eternity of trying to get through the crowd, and having to say "Excuse me!" and "Sorry!" about a thousand times, he had finally made it across the street. The structure seemed to loom on forever to him, now that he had the time to take a better look at it. It looked like it would've taken decades to build. But that was enough about the outside. It was time to head in and begin his new life. Or so he hoped. Inside the building sat several other pokemon, many of them seeming to be crowded around a buneary handing out something. Perhaps it was worth investigating? Taking a few slow steps forward he inspected further, eventually seeing that pastries of some sort were being handed out. Ting wasn't very familiar with pastries, he just knew they were sweet in flavor. Sweets were a rarity for him, as he often decided his money would be better spent on more important things. He considered for a moment about getting one. He'd really rather try to to make himself stand out. But then again, the bright orange cloth wrapped around him makes him stand out like a fire type in a lake. Standing off to the side and trying not to interact with anyone might make him stand out more since he's not with the group. But at the same time, standing around so many people is bound to draw attention to him. What a dilemma. Those pastries were starting to smell pretty good though. If he just kept his head down and his mouth shut, they might not pay him much mind. He approached the group surrounding the buneary holding the basket of sweets. Ting's eyes never met the buneary's as he reached for the sweetbread. "Thank you." he said meekishly, trying not to make too much noise. The sweet taste was somewhat foreign to him, though not unpleasant, and before he knew it, he had finished the loaf he was given. Taking another look around the room, a Sylveon sat somewhat farther away, likely some sort of official for the guild. For now though he decided to stay put however.</s> <\|message\|>Hex Jr. Hex Jr. Midday came, and Hex Jr. found himself standing outside the legendary Scorch's Guild Headquarters. Finally, a way back into the game. No more of this "it's too dangerous to venture outside Cloudgate" pussyfooting that the city officials had been spouting. Explorers, doing the thing they should've done from the start: investigating what was going on outside the city. Only took Scorch a few years to grow a pair and start recruiting, huh? The Litten sauntered into the Guild, making sure his mask was on right as he looked around. Seemed like a more or less standard setup. Scorch at least knew how to run a proper Explorer's Guild. He'd never met the old veteran in person, but hopefully he wouldn't start babbling on about his father. The last thing he wanted right now was to be reminded just how large the shadow he stood in was. A good few other Pokemon had beaten him to be the first one there, but that was fine. Just as long as he wasn't the last one. The sweet smell of baked goods hit Hex Jr.'s nostrils, and he moseyed on over to the Buneary holding the basket. "Don't mind if I do." He grinned slightly, taking a chunk of banana bread and starting to horf it down. "Mnf. Mnf. This's good!" Hex Jr. told the Buneary, nodding. "Where'd you pick these up?"</s> <\|message\|>Nyatalie Mentions: @Lucky@Polaris North Today was the single most chaotic day in the Persian household since the family had first moved to Cloudgate. Food and fur were flying all around the small main room as five meowths chased each other around the breakfast table. Their mother would normally have kicked them all out of the house by now, but it was a special occasion. Persian watched her daughters laugh and fight while she tried to finish up her meal. "It's today!" Nyatsuki shouted. "Hey! You're messing up my fur!" Meowgan cried. "You still owe me for that berry last week!" Nyacole said. "The Fearsome Fivesome becomes the Fearsome Foursome!" Meowdelyn exclaimed. The five balls of fur slowly ceased their play fighting until they were standing in a circle facing each other. Behind them the room was full of toppled stools, hairballs, and strewn about food. In front of them were four identical sisters, and one extra fuzzy - but equally beloved - Meowth. "Oh yeah..." Nyatalie started, blinking around the circle at her siblings. "I'm not just gonna miss you guys, you're gonna miss me too." "Who said anything about missing you?" Nyacole retorted, lifting her nose high into the air. "She's just playing," Meowdelyn snickered, shoving Nyacole over. The other two sisters crowded close to Nyatalie and clung to her. "It's gonna be so weird with just the four of us! Can you visit us soon?" "Yeah! I'll be part of a super famous rescue team and when I come back I'll tell you guys all about it!" Finished with her breakfast, Persian shook the mess that landed on her fur off and stood up. Poor things, Nyatalie hasn't even left yet and they're already missing her, she thought. She padded over to the group of snuggling kittens and stuck her paw into the pile, pulling Nyatalie out of the bunch. "You all say goodbye and get upstairs and clean yourselves off," she instructed. The four sisters did so, waving as they scrambled up the steps. Persian looked down at Nyatalie, giving the girl a gentle smile before she went about grooming her. "Mom! I'm not a kid, I can do it myself!" Nyatalie complained, but honestly it'd been a while since the last time her mother had taken the time to clean her up. For the feline type Pokemon like them, it was a welcome, familiar feeling. Now that Nyatalie had resolved to leave home and join and adventuring guild, she didn't know when the next time she'd be home was. The guild was in town, sure, but how busy would it be? Would they be sent on missions far away from Cloudgate for days at a time? Persian hushed her and just continued on until Nyatalie's fur was free of any imperfections. Once it was done, Nyatalie bundled up her excess fur in simple ribbons and presented herself to her mother for inspection, striking a pose as she did so. "Wonderful," Persian laughed, sitting on her haunches and clapping her paws together. "You'll be just fine, Nyatalie." "Of course!" Nyatalie beamed, her fangs shining. "I'm gonna make everybody proud!" -+-+-+- Once she'd made it to the guild, Nyatalie spent a few moments outside of the great castle-like building psyching herself up. She was a strong, independent, beautiful Meowth that didn't need no squad of troublesome sisters! Okay, let's go! The first thing she noticed was all the Pokemon milling about. To one side of the room a small crowd started to form around something that smelled delicious, so needless to say Nyatalie made a Combee-line there. Most of her own breakfast had ended up on the floor or in her fur anyway. "Good Meowning!" she said back to the Chimchar, giving him a wide smile. What a nice Pokemon! Most of the others nearby were on the quieter side it seemed though. A Poochyena, Croagunk, Bagon, Aron... Nyatalie took special note of the Shinx and Litten. Being fellow felines, maybe they would get along! The last Pokemon nearby was a Buneary, who was also the source of the nice smell. "Yay! Free food!" Nyatalie reached into the basket and immediately shoved the bread into her mouth. It was delicious, but halfway through chewing the Meowth's eyes widened. She'd forgotten something very important. Quickly swallowing the food, she fixed the Buneary with a serious gaze. "...thank you!"</s> <\|message\|>Neva --- It been ten days since Neva left her home to travel Cloudgate but Neva feels like it was yesterday. Neva look at the map that her mentor left, it has his handwriting on it and big red circle with a sign that says Guild on it, Neva sees the town of Cloudgate beyond the horizon, traveling to get here was hard but it will all be worth it soon once she find some clues for Blake disappearance. While entering Cloudgate, Neva hear some whispers from pokemon, feeling suspicious toward the young Sneasel in their town, Neva just ignore the suspicious whispers from everyone, she just need to focus on the task in hand. She hears tell from Blake saying that the guild headquarter looks like a castle, he wasn't kidding, it really goes look like a castle. The Sneasel nod her head at the Sylveon, who welcome her into the guild, Neva was surprise that were alot of Pokémon here but at the same time, this is a coronation party, everyone wants to join the guild. Neva lay against a wall while everyone is socializing with eachother, even though she want to take a bite of that Buneary breakfast, Neva needs to stay focus and serious.</s>	<\|message\|>Yew MENTIONS: Everyone Yew was about to start roaming around the place when the rest of the Pokemon started to filter into the guild. Her ears perked at the Buneary, who had brought in a basket of sweets. Too bad she spent too much time drooling over them-- before she could even take three, the rest of the Pokemon grabbed a bunch without even asking if she wanted a double serving. Her ear flicked to the side as she gave a huff. At least there were some left... like the sweetbread. She reached out to grab it and shoved it in her mouth, chewing wildly as crumbs fell to the floor. "Mmmnn," she purred, delighted with the combination of tastes. "So good! Thank yo--" "Eh-mmrm." The low growl snapped her attention away from the rest, and Yew blinked up at a looming figure. A large, raggy-furred Arcanine had stepped out from around a corner and approached them with a slow gait. She noticed that he had a slight limp; old scars ran across his body, the most gruesome one running from the tip of his nose all the way across his eye, which was clouded a misty blue. Yew stopped chewing as she gawked up at the large Pokemon. "S-so, everyone! I'm Fae, and this is..." the Sylveon's voice piped up again. "This is Scorch, your leader!" This was Scorch? He looked like he had been run over by a herd of Tauros and then eaten by a Salamence, and then the Salamence threw him up. Yew swallowed the remaining sweetbread that was in her mouth as Scorch's disinterested gaze flickered over their numbers. For a long moment, all that penetrated her ears was silence. Then, the Arcanine spoke in a low rumble. "Fae... all of these are young ones. Didn't I say I wanted adult recruits?" The Sylveon shuffled some papers in her paws for a moment. "I must've forgotten," she said in a nervous giggle. "But! Look! This bunch seems like they'd be good, too!"</s>
<\|description\|>Yew Age: Young Adult Gender: Female Species: Poochyena Ability: Rattled Appearance: Yew looks like a normal Poochyena, save for a fluffier than usual tail and a slight nick in her right ear. Her eyes are also a more earthy crimson instead of bright red. Her nose tapers to a fine point and her fur is usually always ruffled up. Personality: Yew is a rather rambunctious individual full of life and energy. She's quite adventurous, curious, and loud. Those who know her wonder how much energy she has, and if it ever ends. Those that don't know her might think she's uncivilized, filthy, and crude. She doesn't really enjoy expressing "weak" emotions such as sadness or fear, and will often express these in a furious fashion. Because of this, she doesn't have many friends, and the friendships she can claim are rather weak and fragile. It's quite obvious she doesn't know how to handle friendships-- or even relationships at all. She's also quite loud and will often speak a few pitches higher than others. Yew, of course, isn't aware of this, and will have to be told several times to quiet down. Short Biography: Unfortunately, Yew spent most of her puppy years as an orphaned nobody. She scoured the streets of Cloudgate in search of food and was often forced to rummage around in trash cans. When she had become keen enough to survive on her lonesome, she was taken in by a Salazzle named Guayana. Guayana allowed her to remain a resident of Cloudgate's resident thieves' guild with one exception-- if she helped them out during their heists. Hungry and malnourished, Yew agreed, and so began her life as a thief. She wasn't very good at sneaking around, but she was good at ambushing targets from the shadows, so the guild kept her around for her brute strength. Unluckily for her, Yew's time with Guayana didn't last long; the entire thieves' guild operation was intercepted by Cloudgate guards during one of their bigger heists. The good thing was that she had been forced to remain behind during the grand heist, and so no one suspected her of partaking in the shady guild. She had gotten off the hook with hardly a slap on the paw, but now she was homeless once again. Now an adolescent, she decided to partake in more humble work; she began to do odd jobs here and there, even though Pokemon weren't keen enough to pay her much. One day, she came across an ad announcing that Scorch had come back to train Pokemon to become future explorers. Perhaps that was what would pull her away from poverty and struggle once and for all? Move Set: Tackle Howl Bite Odor Sleuth Equipment: A leather satchel that hangs from her hip, which is usually filled with different types of meats and berries. Other: Yew likes biting things-- don't ask her why.</s> <\|message\|>Hex Jr. Hex Jr. What a douche. This prick got willing volunteers, and the first thing out of the old bastard's mouth was that none of them were adults? No wonder his dad never said much about Scorch, if this was how he was. Hex Jr. angrily horfed down the rest of his banana bread in one go, swallowing and wiping the crumbs off his mouth and mask before angrily stepping forward as he gently nudged the Bagon aside after he spoke. "No, don't kiss his ass, he just basically said we're worthless to him." The Litten hissed to Tusk, before turning to the mon in question. "There a problem, old man?" He raised his head high, meeting the rugged Arcanine's gaze in challenge. "You're disappointed we ain't evolved or experienced enough? Blame the rest of the cowards in the city for just being happy to hide behind the walls. Like it or not, we're all you got, so deal with it or kick us out. But then who're you gonna get to fight your own battles for you? Arceus, no wonder my old man never talked about you."</s> <\|message\|>Nyatalie Mentions: @Psyker Landshark@Ambra Okay, that thing Nyatalie had thought about getting along with her fellow feline recruits? That wasn't looking so likely now. That Litten was so rude! Nyatalie felt her fur bristle up in second hand embarrassment for her fellow recruits when the masked Pokemon opened his mouth. "You can't just say that to Scorch!" she hissed at the Litten. Yeah, Scorch was big... and kind of rude and more than a little ugly with all of those past wounds on his body... but he was still the guild's leader, and a local hero! Nyatalie stepped up closer to the Poochyena, Bagon, and Litten, putting her paws on her hips and glaring at the later. Didn't he know that when you didn't have something nice to say, you just thought really hard about it and then said the opposite? Sheesh, that was catty behavior number one! Rather than fume, Nyatalie cleared her throat and puffed out her chest before doing a mock curtsy in front of Scorch and Fae. "Mister Sir, you will find some of us are adults already, at least in mind... and manners!" she said, closing her eyes and smiling in the most confident way she could. Hopefully the rude remarks from that Litten didn't blow it for everyone... Nyatalie didn't think she could face her family if she got kicked out on the first day.</s> <\|message\|>Zaru Mentions: Location: Guild Lobby --- Other Pokemon had began to file in as they waited for the orientation to start. He smiled at the Meowth as she returned his greeting. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad after all, seeing how most of the Pokemon gathered in the lobby had partaken on the free food the Buneary had brought. A cough had caught his attention just as he finished the sweetbread he had gotten and looked up at the Arcanine who had certainly seen better days. Zaru acknowledged that he had probably gotten most of his injuries from exploring. After all, it was a very dangerous job. He had seen all forms of explorers back when he was traveling with his family and the Arcanine - Scorch, he learned - had certainly been through a lot. Getting as much esteem as he did, maybe these injuries were just to be expected. His attitude matched his grizzled appearance. He was very displeased by the group that had landed on their guild - a bunch of young ones. Zaru looked over at Fae who looked nervous but reassured that they were just as good too. That was a little rude of their leader, wasn't it? Evidently, there weren't many adults who wanted to participate in the guild, or else they would have been there! He really should have been thankful to get anyone at all, right? The words in his head were spoken by the Litten, indignant at the Arcanine's behavior. He could have been a little less rude about it, which the Meowth quickly rectified, but he really did have a point. "Besides, we're all willing to train to be the best we can be." Zaru pointed out. "We didn't come here to laze around and I'm sure everyone wants to help in any way they can." Maybe it's the allure of adventure, maybe it's helping people, maybe it's for the money - in the end, everyone had their own goal and he was willing to bet that none of them would drop out just because the leader of the guild didn't think they were up to par.</s> <\|message\|>Ace Mentions: @Ambra @Polaris North Ace watched as more and more new recruits filed in. There were quite a few and he felt excitement prickling across his fur at the prospect of getting to know them. He was usually too busy taking care of the house and his sister while his father was away to make many friends around the city, so this would be a new experience for him. Hopefully a good one. As everyone filed in, and picked up some of the baked goods the Buneary had brought in, there was a small amount of conversation. Mostly muffled thank yous until a much deeper voice dragged his attention to the massive Arcanine that had stepped into the room. He could feel his eyes widen at the crisscrossing scars all across the thick fur of Scorch. He knew adventuring wasn't easy, but it looked like he'd had it rougher than any of the other guild members he'd ever seen. His eyes went from wide to narrowed slits at the remarks their new leader made. So what if they were young; he wasn't about to let them be insulted because of it. It seemed like several of the others around him had similar ideas, some just expressed a bit more politely than others. He couldn't say he didn't agree with the snappish remarks of the Litten, but why did Fae even let them in if they weren't what Scorch wanted. He appreciated everyone immediately standing up for themselves and stood up from where he was sitting off to the side to position himself next to the Chimchar who had just spoken up; nodding in agreement with his assessment. "He's right. We're all here because we want to be, not because we have to. None of us would have shown up if we weren't willing to put in the effort." His tail twitched slightly in annoyance as he clenched his jaw and stared up at Scorch just waiting to see if he'd try and kick them out.</s> <\|message\|>Ting, after the sound metal makes when it strikes rock. Featuring: --- To Ting, the Arcanine stood several times taller than him. Granted, just about everybody else stood taller than him. He was only a foot and a half tall anyways. If he wasn't so used to seeing other big pokemon during his job as a miner and construction worker, he might've been a little intimidated. According to Scorch, they were supposed to all be adults. Well, he wasn't exactly a child, but he was only barely an adult by most people's standards. "Well, sorry to say but I think this is the best you're going to get. Besides, being younger just means we have more time to learn and gain experience." Unfortunately, his little comment probably ended up getting overshadowed by the others' loud antics. Something about kissing ass? The Litten certainly seemed into it. Perhaps silence would suit him better. Perhaps he'd blend into the crowd better if kept his mouth shut. Getting noticed was the best way to get dragged into unnecessary drama. Maybe things would resolve themselves if he just waited. Ting tried his best to walk to the edge of the crowd unnoticed, hoping nobody would try and stop him. The Sylveon was probably his biggest obstacle for staying anonymous. She wasn't in on the whole argument that seemed to be rising, yet she seemed aloof enough that he might not even be paying attention. Granted, it could all just be an act, and she might be significantly more perceptive than she lets on, perhaps as a way of keeping attention away from her, and to seem inconspicuous. Ting wasn't exactly all about that, and his bright orange cloth wrapped around him kind of naturally drew attention to him. A small price to pay to hide his past.</s> <\|message\|>Blue Blue furrowed his brow in frustration. He hadn't come here for sweetbread, or to have a conversation with his new guild buddies. No, he came to see if this place was up to scratch with what everyone says. He wanted to see if this was a place where he could make something of himself. Now that he was here all that mangy excuse of a leader could muster was 'I wanted adult recruits'? This wouldn't do, Blue was just about reaching that age anyway and he was going to be turned down? Blue, who had previously been hanging in the back, made his way up toward the front. He got within a distance to look confrontational with Scorch but not to close that the height difference between the two would be apparent. "I don't know about these other lot, but almost an adult and I can certainly fight like one mate. Looking around it doesn't look like you got much of a choice anyway. It looks pretty empty for a guild, don't it?" That was a bold lie, Blue had never stepped in a guild but he went on as if that worked. "You don't look in too good of a shape either. But hey mate, if you don't need the help, I'll leave. No skin of my back." Instead of immediately leaving the Croagunk stood there, not really able to move. He wasn't under some sort of paralysis, but it was as if there was a massive disconnect between what he was saying and what he really wanted.</s> <\|message\|>Neva --- Neva stands and watch as the Arcanine appeared and complain that there is no adults here, the Sneasel was puzzled by the leader comment, Blake was young when he join the guild, how come this is different? Neva then watch as the other new members stand up to the the Arcanine, even though she have a blank expression on her face, Neva heart smile a bit, seeing everyone band together, Neva finally want toward everyone. "And rather you like or not..." Neva finally spoke up from her silents "...We are not going anywhere." Neva say as she stands with the new members, staring at Scorch with determination in her eyes, if Blake was here right now, he would be proud of her and every member here.</s>	<\|message\|>Yew MENTIONS: Everyone The small room had become chock full of commotion. The Bagon and strange-looking Meowth were more than eager to receive a chance to meet Scorch, while there were others such as the Litten and Croagunk that were very rude. Yew's ears lowered slightly as she looked up at the large, scarred Arcanine. The bored look in his eye had become aglow with a muted rage, and his lips were curled in a snarl. She swore that she saw smoke curl from between his sharp teeth, and she ducked down to brush against the Buneary. Sure, she liked danger and adventure and all, but this was kind of unfair. Arceus, the size of Scorch's paw was practically the size of her entire body! Fluffy tail not included, of course. "Well!" Fae's paws clapped together a few times. Even though they looked very soft, they emitted a loud noise that made Yew jump. When she turned to face the other Pokemon, she caught sight of one of the Sylveon's bows reaching up to jab Scorch in the side. "That's enough of that. If we want to work as a team, we've all got to get along, right?" Scorch huffed out a black cloud of smoke, which rose up and disappeared into the air. A long silence passed before Fae once again spoke up. "Oh, I know, we should do introductions! That should be fun, and it'll make it easier to figure out the boarding... so, you, little Poochyena, come up and tell us your name!" Fae's paw waved towards where she sat. Yew swallowed and walked up to the front of the group. "Uhm. I'm Yew. I'm a Poochyena!" she stated. She looked over at Fae only to see that her blue eyes were wide and expecting. "I like... exploring? Yeah! Exploring! I also like to write. I write poems!" Well, that's made up. "Oooo! A writer! It's been a while since we've had an artist around," Fae chirped while Scorch sighed. "Thank you so much, Yew. Next, the little Litten. Ha! That sounds funny. Little Litten. Anyways, come, come! Tell us all about you!"</s>
<\|description\|>Ace Age: Young(older teenage) Gender: Male Species: Shinx Ability: Intimidate Appearance: A fairly regular looking Shinx though with fur a slightly darker shade of blue than average and he's, just a bit, larger than many of the other young Pokemon in Cloudgate. He also has a small split in his left ear. Personality: True to his ability Ace is a naturally intimidating figure, but he doesn't intend to be. A serious expression and proud stance give him the appearance of absolute confidence in himself. When combined with his slightly darker fur and larger size it makes him seem much more imposing than he really is at first glance. For someone who gets past that and starts a conversation with the young Shinx they will find a kind and affectionate friend who cares deeply about his friends and family. He is well known for stepping up behind, and overshadowing, bullies around Cloudgate who find it fun to pick on the younger or smaller members of their community. Since he came to the city he's always felt a faint itching for adventure, a way to get past the Shade or to help just to help out those who need it. This drive has caused him to take a growing interest in Scorch's guild and what kind of new experiences it might bring. Short Biography: Ace was born and spent his early years in Moonfall with the rest of his family, his mother, father, and younger sister. These childhood years were filled with exploration, mischief, and the joy that comes with being a young Pokemon in an every changing world. His younger sister followed him and his friends around, always interested in what they were doing. When the Shade came he and his family fled north losing his mother along the way. Since that happened his family has grown closer and he became much more protective of his sister. His father has a rough time and he helps out as best he can, knowing that his father is trying his best. Since coming to Cloudgate almost 3 years prior his father found a job that supported them well enough and Ace spent his time either helping out at home or finding jobs of his own. During his time he also became enamored with Scorch as someone he wanted to be like, but he never had the time to enter the guild. After his sister got older he found himself with more freedom to explore the city, which was similar enough to his old home for him to feel comfortable, and he was able to make a few acquaintances and get to know those who work in the market to a degree. He always felt that he wanted something more though, that itch for adventure and exploration eventually caused him to seek out Scorch's guild and try to be apart of something more. Move Set: * Spark * Charge * Leer * Bite Equipment: * A small leather bag that he keeps trinkets and treasures in * A leather bracelet with a small red gem sewn in by his mother Other: He still holds out hope that maybe his mother is still alive</s> <\|message\|>Blue Blue furrowed his brow in frustration. He hadn't come here for sweetbread, or to have a conversation with his new guild buddies. No, he came to see if this place was up to scratch with what everyone says. He wanted to see if this was a place where he could make something of himself. Now that he was here all that mangy excuse of a leader could muster was 'I wanted adult recruits'? This wouldn't do, Blue was just about reaching that age anyway and he was going to be turned down? Blue, who had previously been hanging in the back, made his way up toward the front. He got within a distance to look confrontational with Scorch but not to close that the height difference between the two would be apparent. "I don't know about these other lot, but almost an adult and I can certainly fight like one mate. Looking around it doesn't look like you got much of a choice anyway. It looks pretty empty for a guild, don't it?" That was a bold lie, Blue had never stepped in a guild but he went on as if that worked. "You don't look in too good of a shape either. But hey mate, if you don't need the help, I'll leave. No skin of my back." Instead of immediately leaving the Croagunk stood there, not really able to move. He wasn't under some sort of paralysis, but it was as if there was a massive disconnect between what he was saying and what he really wanted.</s> <\|message\|>Neva --- Neva stands and watch as the Arcanine appeared and complain that there is no adults here, the Sneasel was puzzled by the leader comment, Blake was young when he join the guild, how come this is different? Neva then watch as the other new members stand up to the the Arcanine, even though she have a blank expression on her face, Neva heart smile a bit, seeing everyone band together, Neva finally want toward everyone. "And rather you like or not..." Neva finally spoke up from her silents "...We are not going anywhere." Neva say as she stands with the new members, staring at Scorch with determination in her eyes, if Blake was here right now, he would be proud of her and every member here.</s> <\|message\|>Yew MENTIONS: Everyone The small room had become chock full of commotion. The Bagon and strange-looking Meowth were more than eager to receive a chance to meet Scorch, while there were others such as the Litten and Croagunk that were very rude. Yew's ears lowered slightly as she looked up at the large, scarred Arcanine. The bored look in his eye had become aglow with a muted rage, and his lips were curled in a snarl. She swore that she saw smoke curl from between his sharp teeth, and she ducked down to brush against the Buneary. Sure, she liked danger and adventure and all, but this was kind of unfair. Arceus, the size of Scorch's paw was practically the size of her entire body! Fluffy tail not included, of course. "Well!" Fae's paws clapped together a few times. Even though they looked very soft, they emitted a loud noise that made Yew jump. When she turned to face the other Pokemon, she caught sight of one of the Sylveon's bows reaching up to jab Scorch in the side. "That's enough of that. If we want to work as a team, we've all got to get along, right?" Scorch huffed out a black cloud of smoke, which rose up and disappeared into the air. A long silence passed before Fae once again spoke up. "Oh, I know, we should do introductions! That should be fun, and it'll make it easier to figure out the boarding... so, you, little Poochyena, come up and tell us your name!" Fae's paw waved towards where she sat. Yew swallowed and walked up to the front of the group. "Uhm. I'm Yew. I'm a Poochyena!" she stated. She looked over at Fae only to see that her blue eyes were wide and expecting. "I like... exploring? Yeah! Exploring! I also like to write. I write poems!" Well, that's made up. "Oooo! A writer! It's been a while since we've had an artist around," Fae chirped while Scorch sighed. "Thank you so much, Yew. Next, the little Litten. Ha! That sounds funny. Little Litten. Anyways, come, come! Tell us all about you!"</s> <\|message\|>Hex Jr. Hex Jr. Hex Jr. didn't flinch away from Scorch's enraged glare, despite how much his instincts screamed at him to. No, he wasn't backing down from this old-timer. Not before he conceded the point. Whatever the Sylveon was yapping about was unimportant, but he did catch bits and pieces of it in the midst of his staring match. Introductions? Ugh, icebreakers. He hated those. Of course, Scorch's damn assistant just had to pick him right after the Poochyena. For Arceus's sake, why? With a roll of his eyes, the Litten reluctantly pulled his gaze away from Scorch's, finally conceding the staredown as he looked to the rest of the other mon in the room. "Fine, fine. Name's Hex Jr." And he really hoped he wouldn't have to hear about his old man once someone recognized the name. "Did some exploring before the Shade kicked in. So I've got a bit of experience. Course, now I'm rusty after a year out of the game, just like everyone else." He said, breathing a speck of fire and sideeying Scorch at the latter portion of his sentence.</s> <\|message\|>Tusk Tusk had been too fixated on the presence of the legendary Scorch, not paying too much heed to the polarizing opinions and responses from the other Pokemon. Though, as much as the Bagon hoped that their guild leader wouldn't grow upset over the others' mild hostilities, he was quaking in his salute when it looked like Scorch was about to let loose a volley of flame. It was a little strange to see how the subject of his childhood stories was almost eerily similar to how his father carried himself; a bit gloomy, even menacing. He breathed a sigh of relief when Fae interjected before anything could possibly escalated among the recruits, listening as a few of them began to introduce themselves. "Well, I've already introduced myself, but," Tusk shrugged, tapping the center ridge on his head. "I'm definitely the strongest around town, so you can rely on me to beat up some baddies!"</s> <\|message\|>Zaru Mentions: Location: Guild Lobby --- Much like what he had expected, everyone had stood up for themselves. Tensions were rising and Zaru wondered if Scorch would just kick them all out. He wouldn't have been opposed to it; it would be a shame, sure, but if that's how the cards would fall, then he would accept it. Zaru waited for some kind of reaction from the guild leader - and it was clear that they had made him furious. Before he could make any sort of movement or talk against it, Fae quickly cut in to try and salvage the situation at hand. Introductions, huh? First was Yew, the Poochyena. A writer, that's pretty cool. Then there was Hex Jr., the Litten who had gone exploring before. Then there was Tusk who proclaimed that he was the strongest in town. "Nice to meet y'all, the name's Zaru. My family is nomadic, so I've traveled a lot and I'd like to believe I've got some experience in exploring." He said with a light chuckle, seemingly unaffected by the situation earlier. "We've settled here for the year cause of the Shade and all and I'm itching to get to see the outside again."</s> <\|message\|>Ting, after the sound metal makes when it strikes rock. Featuring: --- To Ting's surprise, the Sylveon had managed to control the situation quite nicely. Perhaps there was more to this Sylveon than she let on. She had suggested introductions from everybody, and a few had already gone ahead and introduced themselves and some of their skills. Learning about each others skillset would definitely be advantageous considering they'd likely be working together for quite some time. But then came the question: What is he good at? Well, he was good at survival, for starters. Then again, he could eat metal and survive off of it, while the others couldn't, so that certainly put a damper on his plans. Not to mention his immunity to poison from various poisonous plants and berries. What else was he good at? Loathe as he was to say it, he wasn't half bad at fighting. He could take hits and dish them out just as hard, too, provided they were physical moves. Anything else? Diligence? No, that wouldn't exactly be a skill. Maybe he would have to rely on his tenacity after all. He was good at taking hits, could survive on his own, and isn't afraid to get his "hands" dirty. "Well, my name is Ting, and I suppose my strong suit would be my survival capabilities. I can survive in the wilderness on my own, surviving off of iron or other metals, and I have a natural immunity to poison because I'm a steel type. Not to mention I've got solid defenses, and can take more than just a couple of hits." There. That wasn't so hard. Hopefully his skills would come in handy should they ever need them. Perhaps he could act as some sort of scout? He'd learned to mask his footsteps over the years, to the best of his ability, anyways. Maybe he should've included that in his little introduction? Though, looking at some of the others, like the Sneasel, their dexterity and skinnier bodies would likely make them better at stealth.</s>	<\|message\|>Ace Mentions: Ace fought to keep his fur from bristling, in fear or anger he wasn't sure, as Scorch glared and snarled at the lot of them. If this was the way the leader of the guild acted he wasn't totally sure he wanted to be a part of it anymore, but he also wouldn't let some old dog dictate what he did. Thankfully, before the situation could escalate any further the Sylveon clapped and pulled everyone's attention to her. Introductions made sense. Despite living here most of his life he couldn't say he really recognized many of the others who were in the lobby, and maybe Scorch would warm up a bit if he got to know what everyone was capable of. Some of the other's already gave their introductions. So far it seemed like they had a pretty diverse group here which would be great when they got out into the field. After the Aron, Ting, spoke he stood up straight, "I'm Ace. I can dish out some hard hits and I'm not afraid to be the first in line to fight for the rest of the team. My family moved here after The Shade started to impact Moonfall, and I've spent the past several years doing all different kinds of work and caring for my sister. Sort of a jack of all trades I suppose." He sat back down. He figured that was a quick enough summary of what he could bring to the team. He wasn't sure if they'd be split up on missions or sent out together, but he could fill in at least a few different roles if need be. That was if Scorch even wanted them to stay around after his less than pleased entrance. What were the odds that he could even find older pokemon that were willing to delve into The Shade in Cloudgate. Not super high in his opinion. Hopefully Scorch realized that this group was probably the best he was going to get.</s>
<\|description\|>Tusk Age: Young (Mid-Teens) Gender: Male Species: Bagon Ability: Rock Head Appearance: Mostly resembles the usual Bagon, but his skin tone leans towards a darker blue-green as opposed to a solid blue. The three gray ridges that cover the top of his head are also slightly smaller than normal. Personality: Tusk isn't exactly the sharpest tool in the shed. Some of his approaches to conversation can sound more like confrontations rather than small talk, as he tends to speak rather directly and loudly. He doesn't go out of his way to make hostilities, but almost always prefers to resolve any problems with his own sort of diplomacy: bashing things in with his head. He will not hesitate to charge face first into the fray, and looks to live up to his father's legacy to, one day, be able to soar the skies. That being said, despite his daring attempts to look heroic, this Hasty nature can cause a world of trouble for missions with concrete plans. He trains everyday to meet his self-imposed steep expectations, and dislikes slackers of any magnitude. Short Biography: Tusk was closely nurtured by his parents since early childhood as their second youngest child of four. He was rather insecure throughout his younger years, as he was often teased by his siblings for being the smallest one. He always looked up to his father, Skiff, a Salamence who had been a senior member of Scorch's Guild in the past before striking an early retirement after an incident led to his permanent inability to use his wings. While Skiff wanted his children to forage different paths in fear that they would suffer the same fate, Tusk was regaled by the enamored tales of his father's strength as a fighter and fame as an adventurer, wanting to make more out of his sheltered life in Cloudgate. Though he was terrified from the stories of the Shade, Tusk felt that he belonged in the way of those who would help others affected by it, much to the chagrin of his family. He began to train every day by honing the sheer force behind his head, though it was done so in secrecy, for his father did not support it in the slightest. He would still lose out in scuffles against his older siblings, but only took those losses as more reason to smash large rocks every day. When the wind brought news of the legendary Scorch's return, he would go to seek out the recruitment drive for the exploration team against his father's wishes. Move Set: * Headbutt * Bite * Rage * Leer Equipment: N/A Other: Tusk loves to be pet/nuzzled along his snout, but he refuses to admit or allow it.</s> <\|message\|>Hex Jr. Hex Jr. Midday came, and Hex Jr. found himself standing outside the legendary Scorch's Guild Headquarters. Finally, a way back into the game. No more of this "it's too dangerous to venture outside Cloudgate" pussyfooting that the city officials had been spouting. Explorers, doing the thing they should've done from the start: investigating what was going on outside the city. Only took Scorch a few years to grow a pair and start recruiting, huh? The Litten sauntered into the Guild, making sure his mask was on right as he looked around. Seemed like a more or less standard setup. Scorch at least knew how to run a proper Explorer's Guild. He'd never met the old veteran in person, but hopefully he wouldn't start babbling on about his father. The last thing he wanted right now was to be reminded just how large the shadow he stood in was. A good few other Pokemon had beaten him to be the first one there, but that was fine. Just as long as he wasn't the last one. The sweet smell of baked goods hit Hex Jr.'s nostrils, and he moseyed on over to the Buneary holding the basket. "Don't mind if I do." He grinned slightly, taking a chunk of banana bread and starting to horf it down. "Mnf. Mnf. This's good!" Hex Jr. told the Buneary, nodding. "Where'd you pick these up?"</s> <\|message\|>Nyatalie Mentions: @Lucky@Polaris North Today was the single most chaotic day in the Persian household since the family had first moved to Cloudgate. Food and fur were flying all around the small main room as five meowths chased each other around the breakfast table. Their mother would normally have kicked them all out of the house by now, but it was a special occasion. Persian watched her daughters laugh and fight while she tried to finish up her meal. "It's today!" Nyatsuki shouted. "Hey! You're messing up my fur!" Meowgan cried. "You still owe me for that berry last week!" Nyacole said. "The Fearsome Fivesome becomes the Fearsome Foursome!" Meowdelyn exclaimed. The five balls of fur slowly ceased their play fighting until they were standing in a circle facing each other. Behind them the room was full of toppled stools, hairballs, and strewn about food. In front of them were four identical sisters, and one extra fuzzy - but equally beloved - Meowth. "Oh yeah..." Nyatalie started, blinking around the circle at her siblings. "I'm not just gonna miss you guys, you're gonna miss me too." "Who said anything about missing you?" Nyacole retorted, lifting her nose high into the air. "She's just playing," Meowdelyn snickered, shoving Nyacole over. The other two sisters crowded close to Nyatalie and clung to her. "It's gonna be so weird with just the four of us! Can you visit us soon?" "Yeah! I'll be part of a super famous rescue team and when I come back I'll tell you guys all about it!" Finished with her breakfast, Persian shook the mess that landed on her fur off and stood up. Poor things, Nyatalie hasn't even left yet and they're already missing her, she thought. She padded over to the group of snuggling kittens and stuck her paw into the pile, pulling Nyatalie out of the bunch. "You all say goodbye and get upstairs and clean yourselves off," she instructed. The four sisters did so, waving as they scrambled up the steps. Persian looked down at Nyatalie, giving the girl a gentle smile before she went about grooming her. "Mom! I'm not a kid, I can do it myself!" Nyatalie complained, but honestly it'd been a while since the last time her mother had taken the time to clean her up. For the feline type Pokemon like them, it was a welcome, familiar feeling. Now that Nyatalie had resolved to leave home and join and adventuring guild, she didn't know when the next time she'd be home was. The guild was in town, sure, but how busy would it be? Would they be sent on missions far away from Cloudgate for days at a time? Persian hushed her and just continued on until Nyatalie's fur was free of any imperfections. Once it was done, Nyatalie bundled up her excess fur in simple ribbons and presented herself to her mother for inspection, striking a pose as she did so. "Wonderful," Persian laughed, sitting on her haunches and clapping her paws together. "You'll be just fine, Nyatalie." "Of course!" Nyatalie beamed, her fangs shining. "I'm gonna make everybody proud!" -+-+-+- Once she'd made it to the guild, Nyatalie spent a few moments outside of the great castle-like building psyching herself up. She was a strong, independent, beautiful Meowth that didn't need no squad of troublesome sisters! Okay, let's go! The first thing she noticed was all the Pokemon milling about. To one side of the room a small crowd started to form around something that smelled delicious, so needless to say Nyatalie made a Combee-line there. Most of her own breakfast had ended up on the floor or in her fur anyway. "Good Meowning!" she said back to the Chimchar, giving him a wide smile. What a nice Pokemon! Most of the others nearby were on the quieter side it seemed though. A Poochyena, Croagunk, Bagon, Aron... Nyatalie took special note of the Shinx and Litten. Being fellow felines, maybe they would get along! The last Pokemon nearby was a Buneary, who was also the source of the nice smell. "Yay! Free food!" Nyatalie reached into the basket and immediately shoved the bread into her mouth. It was delicious, but halfway through chewing the Meowth's eyes widened. She'd forgotten something very important. Quickly swallowing the food, she fixed the Buneary with a serious gaze. "...thank you!"</s> <\|message\|>Neva --- It been ten days since Neva left her home to travel Cloudgate but Neva feels like it was yesterday. Neva look at the map that her mentor left, it has his handwriting on it and big red circle with a sign that says Guild on it, Neva sees the town of Cloudgate beyond the horizon, traveling to get here was hard but it will all be worth it soon once she find some clues for Blake disappearance. While entering Cloudgate, Neva hear some whispers from pokemon, feeling suspicious toward the young Sneasel in their town, Neva just ignore the suspicious whispers from everyone, she just need to focus on the task in hand. She hears tell from Blake saying that the guild headquarter looks like a castle, he wasn't kidding, it really goes look like a castle. The Sneasel nod her head at the Sylveon, who welcome her into the guild, Neva was surprise that were alot of Pokémon here but at the same time, this is a coronation party, everyone wants to join the guild. Neva lay against a wall while everyone is socializing with eachother, even though she want to take a bite of that Buneary breakfast, Neva needs to stay focus and serious.</s> <\|message\|>Yew MENTIONS: Everyone Yew was about to start roaming around the place when the rest of the Pokemon started to filter into the guild. Her ears perked at the Buneary, who had brought in a basket of sweets. Too bad she spent too much time drooling over them-- before she could even take three, the rest of the Pokemon grabbed a bunch without even asking if she wanted a double serving. Her ear flicked to the side as she gave a huff. At least there were some left... like the sweetbread. She reached out to grab it and shoved it in her mouth, chewing wildly as crumbs fell to the floor. "Mmmnn," she purred, delighted with the combination of tastes. "So good! Thank yo--" "Eh-mmrm." The low growl snapped her attention away from the rest, and Yew blinked up at a looming figure. A large, raggy-furred Arcanine had stepped out from around a corner and approached them with a slow gait. She noticed that he had a slight limp; old scars ran across his body, the most gruesome one running from the tip of his nose all the way across his eye, which was clouded a misty blue. Yew stopped chewing as she gawked up at the large Pokemon. "S-so, everyone! I'm Fae, and this is..." the Sylveon's voice piped up again. "This is Scorch, your leader!" This was Scorch? He looked like he had been run over by a herd of Tauros and then eaten by a Salamence, and then the Salamence threw him up. Yew swallowed the remaining sweetbread that was in her mouth as Scorch's disinterested gaze flickered over their numbers. For a long moment, all that penetrated her ears was silence. Then, the Arcanine spoke in a low rumble. "Fae... all of these are young ones. Didn't I say I wanted adult recruits?" The Sylveon shuffled some papers in her paws for a moment. "I must've forgotten," she said in a nervous giggle. "But! Look! This bunch seems like they'd be good, too!"</s>	<\|message\|>Tusk Tusk had been too caught up in the moment of devouring the sweetbread that he had failed to notice Scorch's arrival until after the Arcanine's scope of the recruits. The Bagon flinched in awe upon the sound of the guild leader's intimidating tone, fumbling the remaining inch of sweetbread around his small arms before it fell to the ground. Trying to save face in the presence of the legendary figure before them, he quickly swiped the sweetbread from the ground and gulped the rest of it in a single swallow, straightening himself up to stand at attention. "I-i-it's an honor to meet you, sir!" Tusk did his best to reach up for a respectful gesture in a salute, his words mixed between awe and twitchiness. Scorch really was as eminent and illustrious in person as he was in all of the stories! It was hard to contain his excitement. "I'm Tusk! I'll be the best adventurer you'll ever have, just you see!"</s>
<\|description\|>Hex Jr. Age: Young Adult Gender: Male Species: Litten Ability: Intimidate Appearance: Large and well-built for a Litten. Musculature speaks of experience with physical labor. Wears a luchador mask over his head at all times. Personality: Short-tempered with a chip on his shoulder. Seems to have something to prove, in order to step out of his father and mentor's shadow. He is loud, bombastic, and flamboyant, always looking to be the center of attention. Despite this, however, he is loyal to a fault to any he befriends, ever seeking to encourage and inspire his allies through his own actions. Hex Jr.'s sole goal in life is to make a name for himself, both to honor his precedessor and surpass him, thus carrying on the honor of his lineage. However, his feelings regarding the aforementioned Hex are more complex. While he loves and respects his father both for raising him and his accomplishments, he does resent being the child of such a famous adventurer and fighter. Loves a good scrap and is eager to seek out fights, both for the sheer rush of adrenaline and to prove his might over others. Though he has no problems with playing dirty, citing that in a real battle, there is no honor, only a winner and a loser. And he ain't no loser. Short Biography: Years ago, an Incineroar by the name of Hex won fame and fortune through his exploits as an explorer. When he tired of the life, however, the veteran explorer settled down and started a family, retiring to a farmstead a few hours out from Cloudgate. Hex Jr. spent the better majority of his childhood working on the farm along with his father. In their free hours, the elder Hex trained his son in the arts of combat and adventuring, encouraging the boy to follow in his own footsteps. Once he felt his son was prepared enough, which took far too long in Hex Jr.'s eyes, Hex gave the young Litten his blessing to start making his own name. Taking up a mask similar to his father's, Hex Jr. set out as an explorer for some time, spending his teenage years trying to find his way in the world. It was only when he went out into civilization, however, that his father's shadow began looming over him. Those who knew of Hex, as well as his associates, invariably compared the adolescent to his father and his legacy. This brewed no small amount of resentment in Hex Jr., moreso at the people who couldn't see past his father for he was. Hex Jr. had the dubious fortune to be convalescing in Cloudfall when the Shade came in, forcing him to stay cooped up and stuck inside the city. Without expeditions to go out on, he spent his time earning his keep in fighting rings. This caused some friction with the guards and the law, but at this point, the Litten was desperate enough for some kind of action that he almost welcomed these additional scrapes and near-misses. When Scorch made his call, Hex Jr. jumped at it, eager for literally any way to go back on an adventure. Move Set: -Fake Out -Bite -Double Kick -Fire Fang Equipment: -Luchador mask: A simple black and white cloth mask. Adjusted to fit over a Litten's head. -Item pouch: A satchel and strap to wrap around one's body and contain items in. Other:</s> <\|message\|>Hex Jr. Hex Jr. Midday came, and Hex Jr. found himself standing outside the legendary Scorch's Guild Headquarters. Finally, a way back into the game. No more of this "it's too dangerous to venture outside Cloudgate" pussyfooting that the city officials had been spouting. Explorers, doing the thing they should've done from the start: investigating what was going on outside the city. Only took Scorch a few years to grow a pair and start recruiting, huh? The Litten sauntered into the Guild, making sure his mask was on right as he looked around. Seemed like a more or less standard setup. Scorch at least knew how to run a proper Explorer's Guild. He'd never met the old veteran in person, but hopefully he wouldn't start babbling on about his father. The last thing he wanted right now was to be reminded just how large the shadow he stood in was. A good few other Pokemon had beaten him to be the first one there, but that was fine. Just as long as he wasn't the last one. The sweet smell of baked goods hit Hex Jr.'s nostrils, and he moseyed on over to the Buneary holding the basket. "Don't mind if I do." He grinned slightly, taking a chunk of banana bread and starting to horf it down. "Mnf. Mnf. This's good!" Hex Jr. told the Buneary, nodding. "Where'd you pick these up?"</s> <\|message\|>Nyatalie Mentions: @Lucky@Polaris North Today was the single most chaotic day in the Persian household since the family had first moved to Cloudgate. Food and fur were flying all around the small main room as five meowths chased each other around the breakfast table. Their mother would normally have kicked them all out of the house by now, but it was a special occasion. Persian watched her daughters laugh and fight while she tried to finish up her meal. "It's today!" Nyatsuki shouted. "Hey! You're messing up my fur!" Meowgan cried. "You still owe me for that berry last week!" Nyacole said. "The Fearsome Fivesome becomes the Fearsome Foursome!" Meowdelyn exclaimed. The five balls of fur slowly ceased their play fighting until they were standing in a circle facing each other. Behind them the room was full of toppled stools, hairballs, and strewn about food. In front of them were four identical sisters, and one extra fuzzy - but equally beloved - Meowth. "Oh yeah..." Nyatalie started, blinking around the circle at her siblings. "I'm not just gonna miss you guys, you're gonna miss me too." "Who said anything about missing you?" Nyacole retorted, lifting her nose high into the air. "She's just playing," Meowdelyn snickered, shoving Nyacole over. The other two sisters crowded close to Nyatalie and clung to her. "It's gonna be so weird with just the four of us! Can you visit us soon?" "Yeah! I'll be part of a super famous rescue team and when I come back I'll tell you guys all about it!" Finished with her breakfast, Persian shook the mess that landed on her fur off and stood up. Poor things, Nyatalie hasn't even left yet and they're already missing her, she thought. She padded over to the group of snuggling kittens and stuck her paw into the pile, pulling Nyatalie out of the bunch. "You all say goodbye and get upstairs and clean yourselves off," she instructed. The four sisters did so, waving as they scrambled up the steps. Persian looked down at Nyatalie, giving the girl a gentle smile before she went about grooming her. "Mom! I'm not a kid, I can do it myself!" Nyatalie complained, but honestly it'd been a while since the last time her mother had taken the time to clean her up. For the feline type Pokemon like them, it was a welcome, familiar feeling. Now that Nyatalie had resolved to leave home and join and adventuring guild, she didn't know when the next time she'd be home was. The guild was in town, sure, but how busy would it be? Would they be sent on missions far away from Cloudgate for days at a time? Persian hushed her and just continued on until Nyatalie's fur was free of any imperfections. Once it was done, Nyatalie bundled up her excess fur in simple ribbons and presented herself to her mother for inspection, striking a pose as she did so. "Wonderful," Persian laughed, sitting on her haunches and clapping her paws together. "You'll be just fine, Nyatalie." "Of course!" Nyatalie beamed, her fangs shining. "I'm gonna make everybody proud!" -+-+-+- Once she'd made it to the guild, Nyatalie spent a few moments outside of the great castle-like building psyching herself up. She was a strong, independent, beautiful Meowth that didn't need no squad of troublesome sisters! Okay, let's go! The first thing she noticed was all the Pokemon milling about. To one side of the room a small crowd started to form around something that smelled delicious, so needless to say Nyatalie made a Combee-line there. Most of her own breakfast had ended up on the floor or in her fur anyway. "Good Meowning!" she said back to the Chimchar, giving him a wide smile. What a nice Pokemon! Most of the others nearby were on the quieter side it seemed though. A Poochyena, Croagunk, Bagon, Aron... Nyatalie took special note of the Shinx and Litten. Being fellow felines, maybe they would get along! The last Pokemon nearby was a Buneary, who was also the source of the nice smell. "Yay! Free food!" Nyatalie reached into the basket and immediately shoved the bread into her mouth. It was delicious, but halfway through chewing the Meowth's eyes widened. She'd forgotten something very important. Quickly swallowing the food, she fixed the Buneary with a serious gaze. "...thank you!"</s> <\|message\|>Neva --- It been ten days since Neva left her home to travel Cloudgate but Neva feels like it was yesterday. Neva look at the map that her mentor left, it has his handwriting on it and big red circle with a sign that says Guild on it, Neva sees the town of Cloudgate beyond the horizon, traveling to get here was hard but it will all be worth it soon once she find some clues for Blake disappearance. While entering Cloudgate, Neva hear some whispers from pokemon, feeling suspicious toward the young Sneasel in their town, Neva just ignore the suspicious whispers from everyone, she just need to focus on the task in hand. She hears tell from Blake saying that the guild headquarter looks like a castle, he wasn't kidding, it really goes look like a castle. The Sneasel nod her head at the Sylveon, who welcome her into the guild, Neva was surprise that were alot of Pokémon here but at the same time, this is a coronation party, everyone wants to join the guild. Neva lay against a wall while everyone is socializing with eachother, even though she want to take a bite of that Buneary breakfast, Neva needs to stay focus and serious.</s> <\|message\|>Yew MENTIONS: Everyone Yew was about to start roaming around the place when the rest of the Pokemon started to filter into the guild. Her ears perked at the Buneary, who had brought in a basket of sweets. Too bad she spent too much time drooling over them-- before she could even take three, the rest of the Pokemon grabbed a bunch without even asking if she wanted a double serving. Her ear flicked to the side as she gave a huff. At least there were some left... like the sweetbread. She reached out to grab it and shoved it in her mouth, chewing wildly as crumbs fell to the floor. "Mmmnn," she purred, delighted with the combination of tastes. "So good! Thank yo--" "Eh-mmrm." The low growl snapped her attention away from the rest, and Yew blinked up at a looming figure. A large, raggy-furred Arcanine had stepped out from around a corner and approached them with a slow gait. She noticed that he had a slight limp; old scars ran across his body, the most gruesome one running from the tip of his nose all the way across his eye, which was clouded a misty blue. Yew stopped chewing as she gawked up at the large Pokemon. "S-so, everyone! I'm Fae, and this is..." the Sylveon's voice piped up again. "This is Scorch, your leader!" This was Scorch? He looked like he had been run over by a herd of Tauros and then eaten by a Salamence, and then the Salamence threw him up. Yew swallowed the remaining sweetbread that was in her mouth as Scorch's disinterested gaze flickered over their numbers. For a long moment, all that penetrated her ears was silence. Then, the Arcanine spoke in a low rumble. "Fae... all of these are young ones. Didn't I say I wanted adult recruits?" The Sylveon shuffled some papers in her paws for a moment. "I must've forgotten," she said in a nervous giggle. "But! Look! This bunch seems like they'd be good, too!"</s> <\|message\|>Tusk Tusk had been too caught up in the moment of devouring the sweetbread that he had failed to notice Scorch's arrival until after the Arcanine's scope of the recruits. The Bagon flinched in awe upon the sound of the guild leader's intimidating tone, fumbling the remaining inch of sweetbread around his small arms before it fell to the ground. Trying to save face in the presence of the legendary figure before them, he quickly swiped the sweetbread from the ground and gulped the rest of it in a single swallow, straightening himself up to stand at attention. "I-i-it's an honor to meet you, sir!" Tusk did his best to reach up for a respectful gesture in a salute, his words mixed between awe and twitchiness. Scorch really was as eminent and illustrious in person as he was in all of the stories! It was hard to contain his excitement. "I'm Tusk! I'll be the best adventurer you'll ever have, just you see!"</s>	<\|message\|>Hex Jr. What a douche. This prick got willing volunteers, and the first thing out of the old bastard's mouth was that none of them were adults? No wonder his dad never said much about Scorch, if this was how he was. Hex Jr. angrily horfed down the rest of his banana bread in one go, swallowing and wiping the crumbs off his mouth and mask before angrily stepping forward as he gently nudged the Bagon aside after he spoke. "No, don't kiss his ass, he just basically said we're worthless to him." The Litten hissed to Tusk, before turning to the mon in question. "There a problem, old man?" He raised his head high, meeting the rugged Arcanine's gaze in challenge. "You're disappointed we ain't evolved or experienced enough? Blame the rest of the cowards in the city for just being happy to hide behind the walls. Like it or not, we're all you got, so deal with it or kick us out. But then who're you gonna get to fight your own battles for you? Arceus, no wonder my old man never talked about you."</s>
<\|description\|>Hex Jr. Age: Young Adult Gender: Male Species: Litten Ability: Intimidate Appearance: Large and well-built for a Litten. Musculature speaks of experience with physical labor. Wears a luchador mask over his head at all times. Personality: Short-tempered with a chip on his shoulder. Seems to have something to prove, in order to step out of his father and mentor's shadow. He is loud, bombastic, and flamboyant, always looking to be the center of attention. Despite this, however, he is loyal to a fault to any he befriends, ever seeking to encourage and inspire his allies through his own actions. Hex Jr.'s sole goal in life is to make a name for himself, both to honor his precedessor and surpass him, thus carrying on the honor of his lineage. However, his feelings regarding the aforementioned Hex are more complex. While he loves and respects his father both for raising him and his accomplishments, he does resent being the child of such a famous adventurer and fighter. Loves a good scrap and is eager to seek out fights, both for the sheer rush of adrenaline and to prove his might over others. Though he has no problems with playing dirty, citing that in a real battle, there is no honor, only a winner and a loser. And he ain't no loser. Short Biography: Years ago, an Incineroar by the name of Hex won fame and fortune through his exploits as an explorer. When he tired of the life, however, the veteran explorer settled down and started a family, retiring to a farmstead a few hours out from Cloudgate. Hex Jr. spent the better majority of his childhood working on the farm along with his father. In their free hours, the elder Hex trained his son in the arts of combat and adventuring, encouraging the boy to follow in his own footsteps. Once he felt his son was prepared enough, which took far too long in Hex Jr.'s eyes, Hex gave the young Litten his blessing to start making his own name. Taking up a mask similar to his father's, Hex Jr. set out as an explorer for some time, spending his teenage years trying to find his way in the world. It was only when he went out into civilization, however, that his father's shadow began looming over him. Those who knew of Hex, as well as his associates, invariably compared the adolescent to his father and his legacy. This brewed no small amount of resentment in Hex Jr., moreso at the people who couldn't see past his father for he was. Hex Jr. had the dubious fortune to be convalescing in Cloudfall when the Shade came in, forcing him to stay cooped up and stuck inside the city. Without expeditions to go out on, he spent his time earning his keep in fighting rings. This caused some friction with the guards and the law, but at this point, the Litten was desperate enough for some kind of action that he almost welcomed these additional scrapes and near-misses. When Scorch made his call, Hex Jr. jumped at it, eager for literally any way to go back on an adventure. Move Set: -Fake Out -Bite -Double Kick -Fire Fang Equipment: -Luchador mask: A simple black and white cloth mask. Adjusted to fit over a Litten's head. -Item pouch: A satchel and strap to wrap around one's body and contain items in. Other:</s> <\|message\|>Zaru Mentions: Location: Guild Lobby --- Other Pokemon had began to file in as they waited for the orientation to start. He smiled at the Meowth as she returned his greeting. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad after all, seeing how most of the Pokemon gathered in the lobby had partaken on the free food the Buneary had brought. A cough had caught his attention just as he finished the sweetbread he had gotten and looked up at the Arcanine who had certainly seen better days. Zaru acknowledged that he had probably gotten most of his injuries from exploring. After all, it was a very dangerous job. He had seen all forms of explorers back when he was traveling with his family and the Arcanine - Scorch, he learned - had certainly been through a lot. Getting as much esteem as he did, maybe these injuries were just to be expected. His attitude matched his grizzled appearance. He was very displeased by the group that had landed on their guild - a bunch of young ones. Zaru looked over at Fae who looked nervous but reassured that they were just as good too. That was a little rude of their leader, wasn't it? Evidently, there weren't many adults who wanted to participate in the guild, or else they would have been there! He really should have been thankful to get anyone at all, right? The words in his head were spoken by the Litten, indignant at the Arcanine's behavior. He could have been a little less rude about it, which the Meowth quickly rectified, but he really did have a point. "Besides, we're all willing to train to be the best we can be." Zaru pointed out. "We didn't come here to laze around and I'm sure everyone wants to help in any way they can." Maybe it's the allure of adventure, maybe it's helping people, maybe it's for the money - in the end, everyone had their own goal and he was willing to bet that none of them would drop out just because the leader of the guild didn't think they were up to par.</s> <\|message\|>Ace Mentions: @Ambra @Polaris North Ace watched as more and more new recruits filed in. There were quite a few and he felt excitement prickling across his fur at the prospect of getting to know them. He was usually too busy taking care of the house and his sister while his father was away to make many friends around the city, so this would be a new experience for him. Hopefully a good one. As everyone filed in, and picked up some of the baked goods the Buneary had brought in, there was a small amount of conversation. Mostly muffled thank yous until a much deeper voice dragged his attention to the massive Arcanine that had stepped into the room. He could feel his eyes widen at the crisscrossing scars all across the thick fur of Scorch. He knew adventuring wasn't easy, but it looked like he'd had it rougher than any of the other guild members he'd ever seen. His eyes went from wide to narrowed slits at the remarks their new leader made. So what if they were young; he wasn't about to let them be insulted because of it. It seemed like several of the others around him had similar ideas, some just expressed a bit more politely than others. He couldn't say he didn't agree with the snappish remarks of the Litten, but why did Fae even let them in if they weren't what Scorch wanted. He appreciated everyone immediately standing up for themselves and stood up from where he was sitting off to the side to position himself next to the Chimchar who had just spoken up; nodding in agreement with his assessment. "He's right. We're all here because we want to be, not because we have to. None of us would have shown up if we weren't willing to put in the effort." His tail twitched slightly in annoyance as he clenched his jaw and stared up at Scorch just waiting to see if he'd try and kick them out.</s> <\|message\|>Ting, after the sound metal makes when it strikes rock. Featuring: --- To Ting, the Arcanine stood several times taller than him. Granted, just about everybody else stood taller than him. He was only a foot and a half tall anyways. If he wasn't so used to seeing other big pokemon during his job as a miner and construction worker, he might've been a little intimidated. According to Scorch, they were supposed to all be adults. Well, he wasn't exactly a child, but he was only barely an adult by most people's standards. "Well, sorry to say but I think this is the best you're going to get. Besides, being younger just means we have more time to learn and gain experience." Unfortunately, his little comment probably ended up getting overshadowed by the others' loud antics. Something about kissing ass? The Litten certainly seemed into it. Perhaps silence would suit him better. Perhaps he'd blend into the crowd better if kept his mouth shut. Getting noticed was the best way to get dragged into unnecessary drama. Maybe things would resolve themselves if he just waited. Ting tried his best to walk to the edge of the crowd unnoticed, hoping nobody would try and stop him. The Sylveon was probably his biggest obstacle for staying anonymous. She wasn't in on the whole argument that seemed to be rising, yet she seemed aloof enough that he might not even be paying attention. Granted, it could all just be an act, and she might be significantly more perceptive than she lets on, perhaps as a way of keeping attention away from her, and to seem inconspicuous. Ting wasn't exactly all about that, and his bright orange cloth wrapped around him kind of naturally drew attention to him. A small price to pay to hide his past.</s> <\|message\|>Blue Blue furrowed his brow in frustration. He hadn't come here for sweetbread, or to have a conversation with his new guild buddies. No, he came to see if this place was up to scratch with what everyone says. He wanted to see if this was a place where he could make something of himself. Now that he was here all that mangy excuse of a leader could muster was 'I wanted adult recruits'? This wouldn't do, Blue was just about reaching that age anyway and he was going to be turned down? Blue, who had previously been hanging in the back, made his way up toward the front. He got within a distance to look confrontational with Scorch but not to close that the height difference between the two would be apparent. "I don't know about these other lot, but almost an adult and I can certainly fight like one mate. Looking around it doesn't look like you got much of a choice anyway. It looks pretty empty for a guild, don't it?" That was a bold lie, Blue had never stepped in a guild but he went on as if that worked. "You don't look in too good of a shape either. But hey mate, if you don't need the help, I'll leave. No skin of my back." Instead of immediately leaving the Croagunk stood there, not really able to move. He wasn't under some sort of paralysis, but it was as if there was a massive disconnect between what he was saying and what he really wanted.</s> <\|message\|>Neva --- Neva stands and watch as the Arcanine appeared and complain that there is no adults here, the Sneasel was puzzled by the leader comment, Blake was young when he join the guild, how come this is different? Neva then watch as the other new members stand up to the the Arcanine, even though she have a blank expression on her face, Neva heart smile a bit, seeing everyone band together, Neva finally want toward everyone. "And rather you like or not..." Neva finally spoke up from her silents "...We are not going anywhere." Neva say as she stands with the new members, staring at Scorch with determination in her eyes, if Blake was here right now, he would be proud of her and every member here.</s> <\|message\|>Yew MENTIONS: Everyone The small room had become chock full of commotion. The Bagon and strange-looking Meowth were more than eager to receive a chance to meet Scorch, while there were others such as the Litten and Croagunk that were very rude. Yew's ears lowered slightly as she looked up at the large, scarred Arcanine. The bored look in his eye had become aglow with a muted rage, and his lips were curled in a snarl. She swore that she saw smoke curl from between his sharp teeth, and she ducked down to brush against the Buneary. Sure, she liked danger and adventure and all, but this was kind of unfair. Arceus, the size of Scorch's paw was practically the size of her entire body! Fluffy tail not included, of course. "Well!" Fae's paws clapped together a few times. Even though they looked very soft, they emitted a loud noise that made Yew jump. When she turned to face the other Pokemon, she caught sight of one of the Sylveon's bows reaching up to jab Scorch in the side. "That's enough of that. If we want to work as a team, we've all got to get along, right?" Scorch huffed out a black cloud of smoke, which rose up and disappeared into the air. A long silence passed before Fae once again spoke up. "Oh, I know, we should do introductions! That should be fun, and it'll make it easier to figure out the boarding... so, you, little Poochyena, come up and tell us your name!" Fae's paw waved towards where she sat. Yew swallowed and walked up to the front of the group. "Uhm. I'm Yew. I'm a Poochyena!" she stated. She looked over at Fae only to see that her blue eyes were wide and expecting. "I like... exploring? Yeah! Exploring! I also like to write. I write poems!" Well, that's made up. "Oooo! A writer! It's been a while since we've had an artist around," Fae chirped while Scorch sighed. "Thank you so much, Yew. Next, the little Litten. Ha! That sounds funny. Little Litten. Anyways, come, come! Tell us all about you!"</s>	<\|message\|>Hex Jr. Hex Jr. didn't flinch away from Scorch's enraged glare, despite how much his instincts screamed at him to. No, he wasn't backing down from this old-timer. Not before he conceded the point. Whatever the Sylveon was yapping about was unimportant, but he did catch bits and pieces of it in the midst of his staring match. Introductions? Ugh, icebreakers. He hated those. Of course, Scorch's damn assistant just had to pick him right after the Poochyena. For Arceus's sake, why? With a roll of his eyes, the Litten reluctantly pulled his gaze away from Scorch's, finally conceding the staredown as he looked to the rest of the other mon in the room. "Fine, fine. Name's Hex Jr." And he really hoped he wouldn't have to hear about his old man once someone recognized the name. "Did some exploring before the Shade kicked in. So I've got a bit of experience. Course, now I'm rusty after a year out of the game, just like everyone else." He said, breathing a speck of fire and sideeying Scorch at the latter portion of his sentence.</s>
<\|description\|>Imogen Urswick → Legally, Imogen Sofia Goneril Age 17 → 7th Day of the Verdant Rain Moon 🌧, 1478 Country of Origin Leicester Alliance Social Standing Commoner → Technically of House Goneril, but the Duke has repudiated her mother and has no knowledge of her existence. Crest Crest of Goneril → Imogen's Crest grants her the passive ability to sense incoming danger. She currently has no idea she has this ability and mostly reacts to its warnings instinctively. Starting Class Myrmidon Weapon of Choice Sword Strengths Sword, Lance Weaknesses Heavy Armor, Authority \| --- Personality If actions speak louder than words, then hers are screaming that she's a certifiable idiot. Then again, her words are probably telling you that, too. The Imogen you first get to know is a winsome goofball who seems easily amused by anything and everything. The sound of her laughter is something you'll get acquainted with very early on, genuine and fullbellied and probably directed at you. Imogen is incapable of nuance and often broadcasts her feelings in its entirety, even though her expressive face has probably beaten her to it. If she's angry, she'll confront you; if she's sad, she'll cry her eyes out; if she's frightened, she'll be shaking in her boots and clinging onto the closest person. Beneath the general obliviousness and harebrained tendencies lies a resilient spirit unafraid to keep trudging forward, even when things seem bleak. Imogen isn't a textbook optimist in that she believes everything ends with a happily ever after. She's had a fair share of misfortunes to know it isn't always true. But what she does know is that you can't just let things happen. Where luck is concerned, what matters most is what you do with it. History Imogen is the only living child of Duke Goneril's third wife, and ninth overall. Her mother, Ophelia, was hopelessly enamored with the young general. His successes against the Almyran invasions had given him renown and set him in equal footing with the other Great Lords, despite his status as a Crestless. Although rumors swirled about his mistreatment of his previous wives, Ophelia was convinced she was destined for him. Soon enough, a chance encounter with the Duke—really a painstakingly planned endeavor—turned her dreams into reality. Her good looks and plain devotion secured his attention, and they were wed not long after getting to know each other. It became quickly apparent that fate had other plans for them. Despite her convictions, Ophelia was unable to give him what he truly wanted: an heir. Her first child was born still and silent; the second arrived too early; and the third lost to illness at infancy. Belarius' poisonous ambition had roots too deep to banish, and with nearly two years gone and no heirs to show for it, the duke had reached a tipping point. A few months after Ophelia's last miscarriage, Belarius broke things off, intending to find a more suitable wife. When Ophelia refused to leave, he banished her from the duchy, declaring her cursed. She was forced out of Goneril territory and into a small town to the east, at the base of Fódlan's Throat. Her many attempts to win back Belarius' favor were met with marked indifference at first, then hostility after desperation caused her to involve the duke's current wife. When she tried to tell him that she was months into another pregnancy, her claims were dismissed as the desperate ploys of a lovelorn lunatic. Imogen's successful birth is the first in a string of good luck that would punctuate the tragedies in her life. Born healthy, even if it's to a heartsick mother who often looked at her with disdain, as if she was at fault for arriving too late. Surrounded by kindhearted neighbors, so even when she was left alone for weeks at a time, someone was there to care for her. Saved by the gruff ex-warrior everyone in town feared, Caius Urswick, when a misstep caused her tumbling down the cliffside. While the accident caused her to be bedridden for nearly two weeks, Imogen considers it a net gain because it brought her Caius, her favorite person in the world. After her mother tried selling her to a supposed member of House Orderlia, all in exchange for an audience with Duke Goneril, Caius took her away from her wretched mother once and for all. It happened so often, these tragedies circumvented only by some stroke of luck, that Imogen quickly learned to be immune to the extreme vicissitudes of life. As a child, it helped her to imagine an unbalanced scale, always tipping over one side or the other. If something bad happens, Imogen knew the 'something good' is just around the corner. She just has to reach for it. The most recent instance of this strange phenomenon of hers happened the day a Crest scholar visited her small town. The scholar offered to test anyone willing and Imogen volunteered, thinking it would be fun. She couldn't have known that the results would be life-changing. News traveled fast through her small town, and upon hearing she carried a Major Crest of Goneril, her mother came to collect her. It had been years since she'd seen her last, but she looked more alive than ever before, a flicker of crazed hope in her eyes. Imogen knew what it meant: her mother found her way back to the duke, and she would do everything in her power to obtain it. That night, Imogen finally accepted the offer Caius had presented to her many times before: a paid enrollment at the Officer's Academy. He had said it was a chance to escape from her mother's destructive obsession. A chance to figure out her place in the world, so she wouldn't feel beholden to Duke Goneril's toxic ambitions, should he ever try to claim her. Imogen had kept refusing his offer before because she didn't want to leave him behind, especially now that he's aging. But the scale has tipped far too long in the good side; she knew in her bones that something bad was coming for her. The least she could do was spare Caius from whatever it is. Trivia ❥ Fish and Bean Soup is her favorite food. After her accident, she had a hard time eating for a while. When Caius noticed, he made her this soup and said it was sprinkled with vulnerary to make her feel better. It worked and now she believes it's some magical cure-all. ❥ Imogen is exactly 5'. She styles her hair in a high half-pony to get a couple of inches out of it. ❥ She has no idea if Duke Goneril has found out about her. Her mother would have no doubt attemped to relay the information already, but she does have a bad track record there so Imogen has her fingers crossed.</s> <\|message\|>Kellen Milo Fraldarius @Scribe of Thoth --- Even before such a grim announcement, Kellen Fraldarius' face had been a few shades too pale for a healthy youth. For a few minutes following the horrible announcement, it only got worse. Kellen looked a bit like a revenant who had failed to pass on to the next plane. The reassurances of new guards and a curfew were hardly reassuring when the archbishop seemed to have little concrete information. Though Kellen didn't know it, he arrived quickly to the same conclusion as Auberon. The Archbishop wouldn't convene the students like this if the rumours hadn't been validated in some way. The most optimistic read of this was that they had spotted an intruder. The more realistic was that someone a student had already gone missing. It hadn't been anyone from the Rose Unit. But beyond that, Kellen wasn't at all comfortable trying to determine who might have been missing in a sea of students he had hardly taken five minutes to look at, let alone speak to or learn much about. He hadn't heard or seen anything to cause alarm on the grounds, though it was no surprise given the amount of time he had been spending in his room. He turned to look at Lienna, who was visibly shaken by the news. He frowned but knew better than to try and offer any sort of reassurance. Not that he was sure he'd be able to come up with anything as it stood. After a few moments, she shot up from her seat and started off. This was becoming a bit of a habit, though Kellen didn't pay it much mind. He still recalled how their last conversation had gone. He turned to Auberon as his peer spoke a simple, yet unsettling truth. "Kellen, you're probably the most valuable hostage in the Blue Lions". Kellen didn't offer much in terms of reaction, beyond a quiet "Oh." Auberon didn't dwell on it, but Kellen would. Nevertheless, he nodded briskly at Auberon's instructions. He was still frustrated with nearly every Lion of the Rose Unit, but in the face of whatever this was, his resentment towards his classmates seemed almost trivial. Almost. "You be careful too, Auberon." He tried to look in the blonde's eyes to determine if he had reached the same conclusion Kellen had, or if the instructions were merely an attempt to secure his authority. His right leg started to bounce a bit, and Kellen rested a hand on it. Only after it stopped did Kellen stand up. As he did so, his eyes turned to the entrance of the cathedral. He could see Michail stationed there, and for half a moment he made eye contact with his professor. He was almost certain his professor would have more information on this, though he doubted getting it would bring him any sort of peace. Shaking his head, he looked back to his classmates. "If, um. If anyone needs someone to walk with them, you can knock." He didn't quite smile, but his eyes looked a bit less cloudy as he spoke. "If - rather, please, say your name or something so I know it's, well, you."</s> <\|message\|>Auberon Casimir Galatea --- If Rudolf didn't wish fervently every night that he was back at Fort Merceus before, he certainly did now. The rumors had him nervous enough, but confirmation just left him enervated and mildly annoyed. Disappearances. In Garreg Fucking Mach. Unbelievable; the Knights were a joke nowadays. If they seriously thought he might be a threat when something like this was in the works right under their noses, they must've been. Maybe Theo should've spent less time monitoring him and more time watching for infiltrators. At the very least, Rudolf should be well-protected once that silver-haired psychopath inevitably tried to name him as one of the suspects and stepped up his spying. Nothing could be worse than letting Rudolf von Bergliez, Criminal Mastermind, Serial Murderer, Peerless General, and Sorcerer Supreme run around unmonitored. He might go to the library or something - how positively dastardly. The boy's momentary grimace was wiped away along with such bitter thoughts as the prince spoke up. Right. He was probably the safest person on campus even without the Knights hovering over his shoulder, not that he ever left his room enough to try his luck. Speaking of which, that sounded like a lovely place to retire to before he was cornered and interrogated for more things he didn't do. Whatever Kayden hoped to glean from Captain Battleaxe up there didn't interest him anyway. Any guard rotation schedules they gave to a student would probably have to be changed to prevent a leak anyway, even if it was one of the House Leaders. Unfortunately, just as Rudolf went to make his escape, someone's arm slammed right into his face as he rose from the pew, which caused him to stagger into the seat in front of him. It wasn't the first time he'd been literally tripped over and it likely wouldn't be the last, but the fact that it happened so brazenly told him he must've slipped away more adeptly than he thought. His assailant - that ice magic girl from Faerghus - was nice enough to toss an apology back at him but clearly decided he wasn't worth any more of her time than that with the way she tried to scurry off. Not that he blamed her. "Yeah," The boy mumbled awkwardly as his eyes shyly drifted toward his toes, "Keep an eye out for me next time, I guess..." Why was everyone around here so full of action all of a sudden? It wasn't like they could march up to the podium and nag the administration into finding the culprit. Or was that just what successful people did; threw aside passivity at the first sign of danger and paced around like ants near spilled honey until they found something decisive to act on. Whatever it was, Rudolf wasn't that person. He didn't belong here and now he was almost in danger for it. --- Symphony@POOHEAD189</s>	<\|message\|>Imogen Urswick The cafeteria was a surprisingly fun place to work. It wasn't just because she was surrounded by delicious-smelling food that she sometimes got to taste-test after winning over the cooks, or the really fun and fascinating kitchen staff she got to know. The dining hall, Imogen learned, was a hub of information. Rampant with rumors and gossip, there wasn't a day where she didn't find out something new. Often, it would be something as trivial as two students hooking up after class. Maybe something slightly more scandalous like someone getting caught cheating on an exam. But occasionally, she'd get something meatier. Like whispers of ghosts, disappearances, and danger lurking in the dark. Ever since she'd caught wind of the gossip, Imogen had readily volunteered for the late shift at the cafeteria, which no one minded in the least. Some have gotten cagey and preferred to return to their rooms before sundown. Imogen, on the other hand, made sure to be last to leave and took the longest possible route back to the dorm, eyes and ears (and Dogberry) peeled. Sure, her heart would be drumming up a storm and she'd have to drive away a half-dozen scary stories she'd involuntarily concoct in her head. And she supposed it would be nice to have someone accompany her. But in the end, curiosity trumped fear. Imogen wanted to see if these rumors were true, and who better to investigate than someone who could sense looming danger? Io's announcement all but confirmed the rumors and indirectly enabled Imogen to continue her late-night investigations. If students really are going missing, then they wouldn't get mad at her for trying to help, right? Probably not. The new strict curfew wasn't ideal, but she was confident she could avoid the guards to some extent. She's had experience escaping authority figures back in her hometown. It's practically the same thing. Kind of. Clary offered to accompany them on errands and Imogen imagined for a second what would happen if she invited her out on her excursions—nope! Her ear burned from a phantom tug and she felt pre-chastised already. Clary was great and all, but Imogen knew better by now than to involve her in any rule-breaking shenanigans. In her mind, she had made her up to be part saint, part badass warrior, part mom. At some point, she had even learned to fear disappointing Clary. Imogen's gaze swept over to where the Blue Lions sat, watching as Kel offered a similar gesture, although he seemed far less certain than Clary. This time, she imagined asking Kel to tag along and nearly burst out laughing as she pictured the two of them cowering behind a tree, both in tears after they had just seen a ghost. It made her wonder; would she be braver or more afraid in the company of someone who is also terrified? Okay, so maybe she can just ask Jory instead.</s>
<\|description\|>Kayden Caladwarden Hresvelg (Drawn by yours truly) "All the best commanders and kings in history used audacity to great effect. Yes, I think I'll use that as my excuse." Age 21 Country of Origin Adrestian Empire Social Standing The noblest Crest Crest of Seiros: Legend has it that Saint Seiros bore this Crest and passed it down through House Hresvelg. Occasionally makes his voice compelling towards those he speaks to, gently urging them to his point of view. Starting Class Lord Weapon of Choice Sword Strengths Sword & Authority Weaknesses Faith & Flying Personality A man of two worlds, prince Kayden Hresvelg both loves and hates being the eponymous prince of the Andrestian Empire. The pomp and schedule? He could do without. The Andrestian Empire is a kingdom on the decline if his family is any indication, and he would certainly choose any other father if he could. However, he has royal blood with princely looks, a sharp mind, and a swordsman's hands. He was born to be who he is. That, and of course there are perks to being an aristocrat in social settings. Kayden enjoys making friends both high and low, and though he is no stranger to having friends at court, he finds commoners to be far more relatable and funny than the ever pompous nobles that have to simp or rival him. New things excite him, adventure being an ever present delight he wishes to explore. He's respectful and learned of his country's history, and he's proud of his kingdom even if he believes it in disarray and he has a poor opinion of his family. Despite the womanizing, the gallivanting, and the love of danger, he is actually a kind soul. He's had far too much grief in his life and seen far too many other princely assholes to ever try and lose his morality because of his station, or any reason for that matter. He finds the new thrills are more of a shield so he cannot dwell too much on the sad state of things, and though he does enjoy reading a good book or spending quiet moments of reflection and melancholy, ask him to join you in a dangerous expedition and he'll volunteer to lead it! History Born in utter squalor, Kayden was poor and destitute, meant for his name to disappear into the annals of history forever. But that's a different Kayden. We're here to speak about the fabulous, gorgeous, unrelentingly handsome Kayden of the Hresvelg dynasty, last son of the King and notable rebel in all things royal. Or at least, that's how he'd like to think of himself. Kayden Hresvelg of House Hrelsveg was the fourth son to be born to the King and Queen, so despite his pedigree, for most of his childhood he felt very unimportant. He play-fought with his siblings often and decided he wanted to be the protector of the throne, a royal knight of the realm! He was taught to be well read and learned in lore, though he never felt he was as smart or talented as his siblings. Of course, that has to be shattered when the plague swept into the Andrestian Empire, including the Imperial palace. Kayden was the second to get sick, though he survived unlike most of his family. Even their best doctors couldn't keep five of his siblings from death, his mother bed-ridden, and further complications in his family arising. Kayden was now the sole heir to the throne. The hard times coupled with Kayden being an unwilling heir put a strain on his relationship with his father. Not to mention the new mistress his father took, making him a neglectful husband to Kayden's mother, at least in Kayden's eyes. The prince would often travel around the capital, making friends with delinquents and learning swordplay in his spare time, finding solace in his exploits to keep himself busy. Though he was taught matters of state, he retained the stories of old wars and heroic quests far more easily from his father's teachers. By Kayden's twenty first birthday, his father believed he needed to be taught both discipline and the sword in a more controlled manner, and so sent him off to the Officer's Academy at Garreg Mach Monastery. Kayden surprisingly agreed wholeheartedly, wanting some new scenery and wishing more than anything to distance himself from his father. His only regret was leaving his mother, as her only company was the servants and infrequent visits from the King. Trivia * Kayden loves boardgames, particularly wargames in which he is very skilled. * Kayden stand 5'11, and weighs 172 pounds. * Kayden's first crush was on a female fencing instructor he had when he was 14. * Kayden's best friend is a a bodyguard back home named Murek. * Kayden's favorite dish is Beast Meat Teppanyaki, followed by Garreg Mach Meat Pie and Gautier Cheese Gratin.</s> <\|message\|>Lienna Orhneaht @Scribe of Thoth @ThatCharacter Lienna would never claim to be a patient woman, so it should have come as no surprise when Auberon's long-winded explanation failed to draw her attention for much longer than it took her to prompt it in the first place. But he quickly regained it with his little dining etiquette comment, her distaste for the highborn prick simmering as she shot him an icy glare. "What a shame, Derec; it seems we shall have to learn to eat at tables with the highborn now. Next they'll make us stop walking around on all fours." She offered her fellow of lower birth a thin smile, putting on her best pompous voice for Auberon's benefit. And of course he was off to tea with the saints-damned Archbishop of all people - honestly, it was as if a campfire joke of a noble had come to life before her very eyes. Lienna had a brief idea that it might bring Auberon down a few steps from his high horse to spend an afternoon with a child Archbishop, but she wouldn't hold her breath; Ianno--Annais? Whoever-- had probably been swaddled in silver and gold from the moment of his birth, he wasn't likely to be much different. The Church preached humility and understanding, sure, but they also preached mercy, and yet there was always a soldier in Hima bragging about the time his friend saw a Knight of Seiros cut a fleeing heretic in two. Suddenly, a chorus of gasps washed over the dining hall, cut short by a loud cry of pain and the heavy thump of a body falling to the ground. Lienna was on her feet in an instant, heart in her throat as a lifetime of dodging Srengese raids screamed at her to run and hide. Her chair clattered to the floor behind her, but all eyes were fixed on the interloper and the retinue of monastery guards that filed in after him, every diner shocked into silence as the green-haired thief ranted and raved about "marks" and impending doom. It was a disturbingly familiar routine to Lienna, who backed up a step before bumping into the side of Kellen's chair, and though she tried to turn her mind away, she had to wonder if that forsaken soul had the same affliction that plagued her grandmother for so long. The scene was over as quickly as it began, the guards hauling the mad thief away. The dining hall erupted in hushed conversation a moment after they were gone, and Lienna simply stood there, arms wrapped around her abdomen as she willed her heart to slow down back to normal. Realizing she was making a scene of herself, she quickly stooped to pick up her chair, pushing it back in with shaking hands before sinking into it, pallid and much less incensed than before. She'd have loved nothing more than to leave, but the way out was blocked by a million stupid chairs that her sore foot was not in the mood to navigate, and then what? She'd flee like before and leave her housemates to gawk at the scared, flighty peasant? Goddess only knew the excuses Auberon would come up with. "Well, that was something," she finally managed to say, voice quieter than before. She tried to keep her tone light, but her thousand-yard stare fixed on the tablecloth suggested otherwise. "Who knew a Monastery would attract such excitement."</s> <\|message\|>Clarissa von Edmund --- Symphony "Alright, alright. I'll promise one song but no more." Clarissa laughed, her eyes following Jorah's gesture and gave a sympathetic hum at the tension radiating off the group. "I have no doubt they all need some of your particular kind of festivities. I spoke with Lienna Orhneaht when we crossed paths at the dormitories. She's clearly feeling out of place and it's making her defensive. She's clearly behind in a number of social and academic skills but I should hope Auberon will manage to turn that into a blessing rather than a curse. Hopefully, a night of guilt free revelry will let them lower their walls for just a minute and it'll be smoother seas ahead." A man strode into the room and Clarissa quieted. It was the same man standing next to the archbishop earlier when they were let out of their house classes and again nearby during the sermon. While she might have passed him off as Ioannis' bodyguard, the ease with which he wore his authority spoke clearly of a higher station. Clarissa put down her utensils as he engaged another woman in a conversation. Well, rather a discussion. Whatever it was, it wasn't pleasant. They had enough decency to keep their conversation quiet but that was all they did. The man wasn't pleased with the outcome and she clearly didn't care. A lovers quarrel perhaps? No matter what it was, it was poor manners to have it in such a public place. Private matters ought to remain just that, private. "Saints above, the chefs here are fantastic." She sighed, taking the last bite of her food, only to jump as the horrid ruckus rang through the entrance hall. The sudden movement found her swallowing her morsel quicker than she expected and she fell into a coughing fit, reaching blindly for her cup and downing it in hasty gulps before finally, she managed to claw some air back in her lungs. She huffed irritably as her breathing steadied and scowled, searching for the source of the disruption. A man was screaming something about Marks bringing the world to its knees. She felt something cold run down her back at that declaration. It resembled the dire warnings of her mother, how the mark of the beast would bring ruination and misery to those around her. She'd sworn to prove that wrong, to rise against these absurd beliefs her mother spouted with no reason or proof, and so far she'd done just that. Everything she'd won and fought for only validated her position. But now someone else was claiming something that sounded similarly ominous and going so far as to push against the Church on its most holy grounds. Clarissa frowned and then looked sharply away, putting the whole scene out of mind for now. It was her first day and she'd managed to enjoy the entire day so far and she'd enjoy the evening too if it killed her. "I don't think I cared for that kind of excitement one bit." Clarissa muttered irritably. "How dare he have the audacity to try anything on sacred ground."</s>	<\|message\|>Kayden Caladwarden Hresvelg "Not to worry, my friend. I am just glad you're ok." Kayden said to his friend with a sweeping bow, extravagant even to those whom he was somewhat familiar with when it suited him. "Honestly I'm just as worried as your sibling I'm not certain where they are, but I'm sure they'll show up soon. A person has to eat, after all. In fact, let's head off the dining hall and see if we can grab some of that Garreg Mach food I've heard so much about. The Banquets here are said to be extravagant." With that, Kayden led his fellow Eagle down the hallowed, winding halls of the veritable fortress they found themselves in, poking around for a bit and asking servants and staff directions until they made it just to the dining hall, which did not disappoint the debonair prince. The chamber was tall expansive, with long tables and fine silverware presented for any who sought to take a seat. The scent of food wafted toward his waiting nostrils, and an exuberant 'mmmm' escaped his lips. He would go grab whatever food there was, but as he made his way to where he would serve himself, he saw Lienna, Auberon, and Kellen sitting with one another, and a strange fellow making his way off. He recognized him as Derec, but he had forgotten where he said he had come from. I'll find out later, I suppose he thought to himself. I need to keep better tabs on people. It was just at that moment that the thief that had flown under his radar sped past him into the dining hall, only to be tackled by the guards. Kayden guffawed at the spectacle, more than a little surprised at the sudden eruption of movement, and a thief at this place of worship, what's more! It was free entertainment, plus, he didn't see his fiance in sight! "I'm going to go and say hello to our fellow students over at the table, Valerian." He said, and with his plate of food now full, he walked over there with a deliberate stride, poking his head over the group that congregated about the dining table. "Why hello! Mind if I join for some good conversation with my food? Don't feel pressured..." He assured them. "It might seem a bit odd for Eagles and Lions to sit together, but I thought I'd ask regardless."</s>
<\|description\|>Kayden Caladwarden Hresvelg (Drawn by yours truly) "All the best commanders and kings in history used audacity to great effect. Yes, I think I'll use that as my excuse." Age 21 Country of Origin Adrestian Empire Social Standing The noblest Crest Crest of Seiros: Legend has it that Saint Seiros bore this Crest and passed it down through House Hresvelg. Occasionally makes his voice compelling towards those he speaks to, gently urging them to his point of view. Starting Class Lord Weapon of Choice Sword Strengths Sword & Authority Weaknesses Faith & Flying Personality A man of two worlds, prince Kayden Hresvelg both loves and hates being the eponymous prince of the Andrestian Empire. The pomp and schedule? He could do without. The Andrestian Empire is a kingdom on the decline if his family is any indication, and he would certainly choose any other father if he could. However, he has royal blood with princely looks, a sharp mind, and a swordsman's hands. He was born to be who he is. That, and of course there are perks to being an aristocrat in social settings. Kayden enjoys making friends both high and low, and though he is no stranger to having friends at court, he finds commoners to be far more relatable and funny than the ever pompous nobles that have to simp or rival him. New things excite him, adventure being an ever present delight he wishes to explore. He's respectful and learned of his country's history, and he's proud of his kingdom even if he believes it in disarray and he has a poor opinion of his family. Despite the womanizing, the gallivanting, and the love of danger, he is actually a kind soul. He's had far too much grief in his life and seen far too many other princely assholes to ever try and lose his morality because of his station, or any reason for that matter. He finds the new thrills are more of a shield so he cannot dwell too much on the sad state of things, and though he does enjoy reading a good book or spending quiet moments of reflection and melancholy, ask him to join you in a dangerous expedition and he'll volunteer to lead it! History Born in utter squalor, Kayden was poor and destitute, meant for his name to disappear into the annals of history forever. But that's a different Kayden. We're here to speak about the fabulous, gorgeous, unrelentingly handsome Kayden of the Hresvelg dynasty, last son of the King and notable rebel in all things royal. Or at least, that's how he'd like to think of himself. Kayden Hresvelg of House Hrelsveg was the fourth son to be born to the King and Queen, so despite his pedigree, for most of his childhood he felt very unimportant. He play-fought with his siblings often and decided he wanted to be the protector of the throne, a royal knight of the realm! He was taught to be well read and learned in lore, though he never felt he was as smart or talented as his siblings. Of course, that has to be shattered when the plague swept into the Andrestian Empire, including the Imperial palace. Kayden was the second to get sick, though he survived unlike most of his family. Even their best doctors couldn't keep five of his siblings from death, his mother bed-ridden, and further complications in his family arising. Kayden was now the sole heir to the throne. The hard times coupled with Kayden being an unwilling heir put a strain on his relationship with his father. Not to mention the new mistress his father took, making him a neglectful husband to Kayden's mother, at least in Kayden's eyes. The prince would often travel around the capital, making friends with delinquents and learning swordplay in his spare time, finding solace in his exploits to keep himself busy. Though he was taught matters of state, he retained the stories of old wars and heroic quests far more easily from his father's teachers. By Kayden's twenty first birthday, his father believed he needed to be taught both discipline and the sword in a more controlled manner, and so sent him off to the Officer's Academy at Garreg Mach Monastery. Kayden surprisingly agreed wholeheartedly, wanting some new scenery and wishing more than anything to distance himself from his father. His only regret was leaving his mother, as her only company was the servants and infrequent visits from the King. Trivia * Kayden loves boardgames, particularly wargames in which he is very skilled. * Kayden stand 5'11, and weighs 172 pounds. * Kayden's first crush was on a female fencing instructor he had when he was 14. * Kayden's best friend is a a bodyguard back home named Murek. * Kayden's favorite dish is Beast Meat Teppanyaki, followed by Garreg Mach Meat Pie and Gautier Cheese Gratin.</s> <\|message\|>Imogen Urswick Imogen punched and clawed at the robed mage in a frenzied display of resolve and ferocity. Whatever they were doing, it was bad and she knew they must be stopped at all cost. And so she put her all in each strike, keeping in mind the other two that still need to be dealt with. Oh, just one now! Imogen cheered, amazed at Jory's awesome timing. It had been like that throughout this whole ordeal, she noticed; Jory always coming in to finish the bad guys off. His arrows always found their mark right on time! It didn't matter that one whizzed by her face and nicked the tip of her ear; in truth, she expected a lot worse when she realized she was putting herself within target range by tackling the mage. A sudden flash of light from beside her stopped her onslaught. She braced herself for an attack that never came, pulling the mage up by their robes as she reflexively and unabashedly used them as a shield. Sorry, not sorry. When no fireballs or magic gusts of wind came flying at her, and no Dogberry warnings on top of it, Imogen took the chance to properly survey her surroundings. "Wait, what?" Imogen gasped when she caught on, scandalized. "Your friend left you!" she told the now unconscious mage she still held by the collar. She had seen these men and women pillage and destroy a whole village, yet somehow it still shocked her to see them betraying one another without a second thought. "How mean! I know you guys are evil and all, but I thought you were at least nice to each other." Professor Mik's anguished cry had her racing back to rejoin him and the others before she could fully process what was happening. From what she could see, Professor Euphie was badly hurt, although Clary had quickly swooped in to rescue her. She barely heard the call to charge, her blood pulsing too loudly in her ears as a surge of adrenaline carried her feet faster. Luckily, she'd had enough sense to pick her sword back up along the way. Was it strange that she seemed to function better when she was like this? She thought of nothing but the task at hand; keep Professor Euphie and the others safe by helping defeat this monster of a man. Aubie was already mid-swing by the time she got close, and she spied Jory positioning himself for a shot. Imogen waited until both attacks landed before she rushed in, sliding low and behind the bandit to slice at his legs, hoping to fell him and leave him vulnerable on the ground in case he somehow withstood everyone else's assault. After seeing what he was capable of, the thought hadn't seemed so impossible.</s> <\|message\|>Kellen Milo Fraldarius [@ScribeOfThoth] --- Kellen did all he could to keep the air circulating through his lungs. He could feel the invisible hand tensed around his ribcage, ready to grip and force the air out the moment he let it. His eyes were darting about madly as he tried to maintain this discipline, and they landed up Imogen throwing her blade and proceeding to tackle one of the robed figures. The strength behind her punches made Kellen wince, and he was relieved when he saw arrows fly into the other standing mage, courtesy of Jorah and Kaira. As the final standing figure beat hasty retreat via a spell that almost made Kellen regret his lack of aptitude with the arcane, he recognized in a detached way that the tide was turning. "Hold it together a little bit longer," Auberon said, facing the bandit. "I'll watch your back, but you have to calm down and watch your front too." It wasn't much, as far as comforting words went. But Kellen wasn't used to much in the best of times, nor from the devout Galatea who, based on the sparse impression Kellen had formed of him, seemed more focused on heaven than earth. Kellen's brow softened for a moment, and he let out a long shaky sigh. "I'll, umm. I can make it." A bit of colour returned to his cheeks as his eyes set on their final obstacle. The Kalonic siblings struck the large bandit, one after the other. Kellen felt hope begin to grow as he realized that they might be able to take the bandit down on their own. But it was after Euphemia's successful strike that the world seemed to tilt. As the bandit wrapped the fingers of one hand around the Golden Deer Professor's neck, Kellen felt a familiar sense of warmth and weightlessness as the edges of objects began to blur. The cry of fear from Michail, who had otherwise seemed above the danger, only reinforced the sudden softness in Kellen's knees. He could feel himself begin to buckle when he saw a rounded line of metal rise above Euphemia's hand, and plunge itself into the arm of the bandit. Not softly, she fell to the ground. Wounded, but not dead. Kellen felt his knees solidify. In the next 15 seconds, Kellen knew someone would die. He could almost guarantee it wouldn't be him, if he stayed back. But it also raised the chances that it would be one of his classmates. He thumped his chest with a small fist, trying to regain some sense of warmth in his torso. With what remained of his willpower, he would keep himself together - for those 15 seconds. As Auberon charged in, Kellen followed. His first thought was to try and extricate Euphemia, but he saw Clarissa had had the same thought and was far better equipped to tend to the professor. While the others sought to bring the brute down, looking for weak points in his admittedly failing armour, Kellen's eyes never left the axe that had nearly bisected him. If allowed time to fully swing, Kellen wasn't sure anyone, beyond the professors, would be able to parry the blow. As Auberon wound up to bring the man down, Kellen yelled out a curse and thrust his sword towards the uninjured arm of the bandit and the weapon he was wielding.</s>	<\|message\|>Kayden Caladwarden Hresvelg Kayden might be Prince of the Empire, and he flaunted it when it suited him, but he was raised to lead men in battle. To face down an opponent and slay them, riding and charging from the front. The leader aspect might be for the professors here, and truth be told the other guild leaders had more loyalty from the other students than he. They had earned it and he didn't begrudge them. But he could still make good on the 'battle' aspect of his education prior to his schooling here, and Kayden Von Hresvelg was not going to sit by while the bandit leader was still up. He charged forward to join the others despite the aches from exertion and the small stabs he felt as his clothing raked along the cuts he had received. The sensations of pain fell away when he saw Euphemia being grabbed the neck! It was as if the entirety of the students present received a boost from the Goddess with how they conducted themselves. She wasn't Kayden's professor, but he felt rage at the affront all the same. Kayden saw Auberon rush in like a bull and Jorah loosed an arrow. Even students from behind the Bandit Leader appeared and attacked! The man was built like an armored carriage; they needed all the help they could get. He sprinted as fast as he could whilst still being in control of his sword, his adrenaline pumping, his heart beat roaring in his ears. Ignoring the wheeze of his breathing, he sidestepped Auberon and redirected his blade once he reached the leader. "Die, fool!" He cried, his sword whipping in the air before he thrust it forward with all his strength. The Prince of the Empire attempted to shove his blade into the unprotected area below the armpit, now even further exposed from the strap of his armguard having been cut. He prayed to the Goddess this was enough to finally end the brute.</s>
<\|description\|>Joseph Johannes is his real name, and his stage name is Eden Steel "You think you stand a chance against Eden Steel?!" AGE: 27 GENDER: Male BIRTHPLACE: Hammerlocke GYM TYPE: Steel APPEARANCE: Sporting his favorite yellow jacket and blue jeans, Joseph stands in at "6'4, towering above most others. While the bright blonde hair and the height certainly make him stand out, nothing makes him stand out more than when he's in full costume for his TV superhero persona: Eden Steel. Eden Steel bears both the sword and the shield, both made of gleaming steel with golden trims. The shield also bears an image of an Aggron. He also wears a set of full plate armor, made of similar shining steel and gold trim, yet on the breastplate lies the face of an Arcanine, roaring defiantly. His helmet covers most of his face, yet a "T" shaped gap in it allows him to see. PERSONALITY: Joseph himself enjoys occasionally getting into character for his fans, but his real self is all about good sportsmanship, and fairness in everything. He's willing to fight however his opponent decides, singles, doubles, even no dynamaxing. He also has a bit of a knack for food, though he's found himself rambling on occasion. Eden Steel on the other hand is a vigilant warrior, who fights against all evil, and will do anything to keep the peace. He believes steel is the best type, and it will help him save the world. BIOGRAPHY: Truth be told there isn't really a whole lot that was significant about Joseph's childhood, apart from a few things. For starters, his parents didn't come from Galar, they were from Johto, and they had moved here for work related reasons. As such, Joseph grew up with a Johto accent, rather than a Galarian one. Secondly, as a child, Joseph's favorite thing growing up were Saturday morning cartoons. The hero in shining armor would always beat the villan, and the day would be saved. This would eventually shape the future of Joseph's entire life. At just the age of 14 Joseph managed to score a few acting gigs here and there, constantly trying to improve himself. And eventually, one day, he found himself playing a minor character in a tv show. He wasn't always on screen, but he was finally on TV. It's what he had always wanted. Unfortunately, due to budget cuts from higher up, the show was cut short. Deciding to take a break from acting, Joseph instead decided to travel Galar, building experience and gaining life skills. Eventually, Joseph decided that taking up a position as a trainer in a gym, would help him more, and at the age of 24, Joseph rose to the top, become a Steel type gym leader. He trained and trained, and was known for taking on any and all opponents, regardless of skill levels, eventually making several separate teams for just that. But something still nagged at Joseph. His acting career. He felt unfulfilled in his dream, despite being in a successful station. With the earnings he made over a year of battling, Joseph decided to take acting classes, and soon, was making his own TV show. He couldn't just go as himself. He'd need a persona. A new name. Some sort of inspiration. He spent week after week traveling the region looking for inspiration, before eventually, he came across the mural in Stow-on-Side. The sword, and the shield. That's it! He'd be a knight, in ancient times, wielding the sword and shield, defending against the forces of darkness with his dear pokemon. He would become... Eden Steel. The show, called Man of Steel, would go on to moderate success at first, with the second season having much more. After the years however, Joseph decided he'd take a small break before season 3, looking for a little more inspiration before starting again. Although, for Joseph, or perhaps Eden, inspiration is just around the corner. With the sudden disappearance of Galar's champion, this may be just the thing he's looking for. TEAM: Joseph has 9 teams, one for each badge, and his personal team. His ace pokemon - A Scizor named Ares An Aggron named Athena A Metagross named Dionysus An Aegislash named Hephaestus A Corviknight names Hermes (Hermes is Joseph's Gigantamax pokemon) And lastly, a Magnezone named Zeus. Gigantamax Duraldon Escavalier Aggron Galarian Stunfisk Bisharp Bronzong Gigantamax Copperajah Metagross Klingklang Forretress Lucario Exadrill Aggron Steelix Corviknight Bastiodon Perrserker Metang Magnezone Steelix Bronzong Escavalier Lairon Skarmory Larion Metang Magneton Galarian Meowth Klefki Mawile Aron Magnemite RELATIONSHIPS: None so far. He's been a little too preoccupied with his own life and his pokemon to have made many friends, but now that he's finally got some free time, he is looking forward to making some.</s> <\|message\|>Henrietta Durand There was an art to making an entrance and Henrietta, by extension, was an artist. She strode down the central street that ran through the middle of Motostoke, from the archway that led into the city to the elevator which would take her the stadium, walking as if the crowd in front of her didn't exist. With the way people cleared a path for her there might as well not have been, the throng of people parting like the Red Sea at her approach; some of that was no doubt down to the imposing Garchomp that walked behind her, but the rest was all Henrietta. She walked like she expected people to move and they did. Image and notoriety. That's what it was all about. People knew who she was, what she was, because she had worked hard to create an identity that people would recognise and a reputation that would garner respect. The clothes might change day to day but the beret? The shades? The hair? They were a brand, her brand, and she'd made sure that brand meant something to people. Add in a splash of the right attitude and the rest took care of itself. Henrietta stepped on to the elevator and hit the button for it to take her up, the whole platform rotating around a giant set of cogs and gears as it took her up to the next level. At the top she found herself face to face with a sea of fans, reporters and paparazzi. Camera's flashed, microphones were pushed into her face and fans waved at her and tried to catch her attention. It seemed her approach hadn't gone unnoticed. Good. There was something to be said for making an unstated appearance. She didn't demand attention with a flashy entrance, she simply waited for people to notice her, which they would, realise who she was, which they would, and approach her themselves, which they had. The press assaulted her with a litany of questions, barely giving each other time to finish before the next began to speak, let along giving her time to answer. "What are your hopes for this year's League?" "Do you think you stand a chance of winning the Champion's Cup this year?" "What do you have to say to the rumours that you and Joseph are romantically involved?" Henrietta weathered the storm patiently, expression unchanging and eyes an enigma behind her shades as she waited for them all to finish before she spoke. "I hope that things are more interesting than they were last year; there weren't many challengers that made it as far as my gym. I always stand a chance of winning, only time will tell if I can beat Moira this year. And Joseph wishes those rumours were true; that's all I'll say about that."</s> <\|message\|>Moira Kingsley "Hope we're not too late, Hydra." Soaring above Galar was a trio of dragons. A Noivern, a Dragonite, and a Hydreigon in the middle. Upon the Hydreigon's back was Moira, rubbing whatever sleep was left in her eyes away as she rode on the three-headed pokemon. "This is what I get for pulling a damn all-nighter, aye?" She huffed, chuckling afterwards. "I better not hear the end of it from the others." She wasn't that much of a morning person, if she was honest to herself. That, or she didn't want to deal with the crowds and the press. Too loud for her taste. But Moira didn't have time to get a quick coffee, so the wind slapping her face had to do. She petted one of Hydra's heads, and looked back out to see they were approaching Motostoke. "Finally." Moira slightly slapped herself awake, then looked to Vern and Python. "So how should we make our entrance? Normally? Or bombastic??" She asked her Pokemon. Of course, given their nature, Moira had to humor them. Just this once. As soon as they were closing in on the stadium, Moira began counting. "1, 2, 3!!" The three dragons in unison began to divebomb towards the gym. But before they reached the ground, they swiftly flew back up with mighty roars. They circled around the area a couple of times, then Moira vaulted off Hydra and landed perfectly in the middle of the crowd. She looked up to see the trio fly back up into the air to pull of a Dragon Dance, then land next to and behind her. "Whew, nailed it." she whispered, taking in the hype of the audience before marching forwards to the rest of the leaders. "Posture straight, confidence high, Press ignored." Moira thought to herself. Once she approached the group, she bowed in respect. "Greetings, everyone. I wish you all the best this season." she smiled to them. Meanwhile, Vern approached Draco to say a quick hello, making funny faces at the fellow dragon Pokemon. Python flew up next to Apollo, giving the Charizard a smug grin, while Hydra stayed by Moira.</s>	<\|message\|>Joseph Johannes is his real name, and his stage name is Eden Steel There was the distinct sound of wings beating as Joseph sat on the back of his Corviknight, Hermes. "I swear, like a billion people just crawled out of the woodwork for this gym challenge. I don't think I've ever had that many challengers." Joseph gripped the steel feathers of Hermes slightly harder, as a signal to speed up. "Well, at least there's no sky police. I imagine we'd probably be speeding right now." At last the city of Motosoke was with landing distance. There was a large group of people all gathered around the stadium, many here to see the champion. Looking closer, Liam and his bright pink outfit stuck out like a sore thumb. Looks like the other leaders were here, too. Hopefully he wasn't too late. He had considered coming as Eden, rather than as himself, but decided that for such a large event dressing up might not be the best idea. Not to mention, Hermes would probably be a lot slower if he was wearing such heavy armor. That, and he had been slightly paranoid of flying with it on after his helmet flew off during a flight. It ended up hitting someone's Wooloo, but fortunately the Wooloo barely noticed it with all of its thick wool. He let the trainer keep the helmet as a means of apology, and autographed it, just on the off chance he ever got famous. Hermes descended from the sky near the crowd, before quickly being returned to his poké ball. Approaching the crowd, Joseph spotted the group of leaders, mostly due to Liam's bright pink outfit, and Hestia's Charizard. He walked to the group with his arms out to his sides before speaking. "'Sup nerds! Guess who!" Joseph put his arms down. "Sorry I'm late, there were an innumerable number of challengers for some strange reason. Maybe I'm cursed or something." Joseph shrugged. "So, did I miss anything important?"</s>
<\|description\|>Selma Rosmarie The Mundane Age: 17. Sanctum City: Hasta, Venus Description: Selma stands out without really trying. As one of the most statuesque young women you could ever meet, her tall and robust frame likens her more to a tree walking around than a teenage girl, but her goofball demeanor quickly undercuts any potential intimidation that stature may induce. Her speech patterns are more "coarse" than "rough", and a genuine frown is hard to find on her gentle features. More often it's simply the terse, grunted scowl of hard work than true displeasure. Her straight shoulder-length hair and eyes are both the color of the pines of her ancestral home, and her casual attire consists of a seemingly endless supply of loose work shirts in dark colors and long jeans. Her most prized accessories are the small, unassuming black ribbon perched in the back of her hair, and the silver pendant upon her neck. Personality: Selma Rosmarie is first and foremost a throwback. A traditionalist raised by traditionalists, her pointedly rustic upbringing produced a girl all but convinced she'd be most at home in the thick forests and surrounded by nature rather your usual cityscapes. The family business of contributing to Hasta's agriculture is, unfortunately, as close as the towering young woman could hope to get. Her appreciation for a hard day's work, an honest character, and deep respect for innocent life permeate her to the core, plainly expressing themselves in (almost) faultless integrity, unassuming candor, and drive to protect people from any foes, be they from without or from within. While not well-read, and at times admittedly simple, she also carries with her a folksy wisdom that can only be cultivated by long days tilling what little fields mankind has left, alone with one's mind and the greenery. While technological integration is impossible to escape, she's definitely below par when it comes to utilizing it. Her honesty is the source of her unshakable self-assurance, completely willing to speak her mind and open about all that she is. Hers is the uncomplicated pride of refusing to lie to herself, or anyone else. She likes what she likes, talks as she talks, and thinks what she thinks. You have to be strong and resilient, sure, but you also have to be true to your heart. Simple pleasures like dancing to a pleasant tune, making a friend laugh, and the rush of fighting for the good of the world are food for the soul. They deserve to be shared with any who'll have them. Background: Selma was born at the outskirts of Hasta, to a humble family of farmers that emigrated during the First Void from the heavily wooded mountains of the Black Forest. Devastated by the loss of their ancestral home, the Rosmarie clan clung covetously, perhaps even desperately to every tradition they had— while they could no longer exactly be people of the countryside, they could remember it as dearly as possible. They dove into the role of agriculture as a means of both living off the land humanity had left, and recapturing what they could of their lives deep within the woodlands of what was once southern Germany. They did everything they feasibly could by hand, passed on old stories left behind in a single book of fairy tales, and spoke reverently of the old country, accounts from the past known by heart to each member. It was not easy to transmute a family from a forest of wood to the outskirts of one built from concrete, but they were mountain folk: hardy, rugged, and resilient enough to weather it. In this environment, Selma was introduced very early to work on the fields, picking root vegetables come time for harvest, sorting them by hand, and resting beneath the shade of the family oak, planted and nurtured as an acorn by the first generation of Rosmaries to find safety behind the Sanctum. Her respect for these traditions is healthy and unwavering, even in the face of the confusion of her more normal peers and friends. Over the years, the family had become just about comfortably middle-class again by a combination of frugal living and a few exceptionally good harvests after a begrudging "modernization" of their equipment. This coincided with Selma's first purchase of a phone, and perhaps more importantly her discovery of magical aptitude. Within this hardworking young woman was the potential to become one of the Ars Magi. Her family could afford to let her take this to Nova Lux Academy now. She could go out and fight for what they had lost. Their land. Their home. The ground where they were meant to live and die. They gave her their well-wishes and unconditional support. This was bigger than them all. The big girl barely hesitated. The Magical Armgaus Name: Verdant Moss Emerald Gladius: A heavy, robust axe, cheekily named 'Kleinbruder'. Its weighty head is bearded, and equally suitable for chopping down trees and Voids alike, whilst its sturdy wooden handle is curved to maximize force delivery in either one or two-handed grips. Etched into the sides of the head are fullers that form a runic pattern. Parma: Very much the same unmistakable Douglas Fir of a girl. When transformed, Selma's mistletoe eyes gain a faint, arcane luminescence, and her hair grows a truly vibrant green. As for her attire, it hearkens to an idea of almost barbarism, tanned leathers and steel replacing the usual loose work shirts. Elementum: Earth Elementum Abilities: Ripper of soil, breaker of stone, maiden of mountains. The first thing about Selma is that she is strong, large frame and a lifetime of labor bolstered by the very earth she strikes. As indomitable and everlasting as the Black Forest range her family hails from, the girl's force of will and connection to the earth manifest as seismic tremors, effectively the ability to create crevasses, violent upheavals, and even the odd localized earthquake on contact. Her bones are hard, her skin tough, and her spirit endless, she's about as easy to knock down as the Alps even when not transformed. A lifetime of feeling soil beneath her feet has given her a good sense for how it vibrates, allowing her to pick up on most land movements larger than those of a vole. Seems to have some form of kinship with all but the most violent beasts of the wild. That, or errant birds genuinely do mistake her for a tree.</s> <\|message\|>益頭知絵 --- --- "Cayman Sow..." Chie repeated inside her thoughts. An odd name to her, something unlike anything else she's heard before. She repeated it a few times in the safety of her own mind as her new partner guided the two of them through the initial steps of the dance. Chie was stiffer than when she'd danced with Selma, and this officer-to-be didn't take long to catch onto that. He commented on Chie's nerves, tried reassuring her. Didn't really help, in the end. Chie's clumsy dancing was but one of many factors leading to her continued discomfort. "Is this the first time you've been to a ball, Chie?" the boy asked of her. "Mhm... yeah," she gave as a short but clear reply. The boy went on about how most of the Ars Magi aren't used to this, prompting Chie to look up at him and tilt her head a bit. "Is that... so?" she asked. "I'm from Calcaria... I never went to something like this, there. My team all seemed familiar with it, though... so I thought I was just an exception," she explained, opening up a bit to her dance partner. Chie briefly pondered her last statement, then opened her mouth again to ask something herself. "And you officers? Are you split into teams like us Magi?" she asked of him. "I don't know much of the officer school. Could you tell me a bit about it?"</s> <\|message\|>Crystal von Caelestis --- Crystal glanced in the direction Castra had gone before slumping her shoulders just barely enough to be noticeable. "Thank you, Liam. I appreciate it. If you wish to dance, however, it would be wrong of me to refuse." She took a moment to look the boy over before continuing, regardless of whether the two began to dance or not. "Though if I may offer some advice to the one who saved me from losing my mind in public... Take those lessons." Crystal smiled softly, the first time since she got to the ball. There's practical reasons, but I assume a boy would more care about the way dancing has been made into a courting process. It's silly, but not everyone will find skipping out on the formality endearing." Her smile turned to a frown. "Apologies. I didn't intend to be as condescending as I sounded." She continued without waiting for a response, finding herself rambling now, likely to her future detriment. "I've been forbidden from using my usual coping mechanism for stress, and have more than I should for a self-imposed reason. Then there's the heat from sticking so many people in one location, the speech that went on and yet nowhere, the need to keep up appearances... Though it's selfish of me to be under such duress when everyone is experiencing those things all the same." The quiet girl was talking more than she normally would as a way to keep her mind occupied. When she noticed this, she stopped, her eyes widening slightly as she caught herself. "And now I'm rambling and making a fool of myself. Once again you have my apologies." Depending on whether the young man wished to dance regardless, Crystal would find herself in one of two realities. As Crystal took position to begin, she seemed to outsiders to be a bastion of stoicism. In truth, the familiar steps took almost no effort after having them seared into her mind from practice and helped alleviate her mind a little. Though a particularly observant partner might notice how Crystal's grip got slightly too tight when it was necessary to tighten, and slightly too loose when it wasn't; how her steps were slightly too light, as if she were stepping on ice and trying not to slip. However, as the dance wound down to a close, she was again smiling, regardless of how well her partner had faired. "That was surprisingly pleasant. Thank you once again, Liam." she curtseyed once again with her non-existent skirt and began looking for her teammates, her social obligations hopefully fulfilled for the day. Thanking Liam for his assistance, Crystal would look around at her teammates, hopeful that they were nearing the end of their own dances. She felt selfish, but she really did want to present her work to them. Though the thought of their opinions being negative towards it brought her stress levels back up. She could only hope that she'd get a chance to show them and that they'd at least have some constructive criticism.</s>	<\|message\|>Selma Rosmarie "True enough," she replied simply, subtly adjusting her steps as to account for the change in partner height and respective role. It wasn't too terribly often she got the chance to follow rather than lead— proof positive that there was some merit in taking up the offer, if for nothing else. Practicing on her weak areas was far easier when it came to dance than in her studies— speaking of which. "As for classes, well." she rode the twirl tightly, taking care to mind her close proximity with everyone else on the floor. As much as she did enjoy a good clothesline every now and again, there was a time and place— and clubbing what may well have been a noblewoman in the throat with a back elbow because one decided to get a little too samba in their waltz was a step far, even for her. Get it? If anything, this Hyun boy's confidence surprised her; albeit less so in gamely chatting up a fun-loving tree and potential future coworker (that all made a certain amount of sense), but more in his foot position and rhythm, how he comfortably lead her along in their wheel within wheels. All things considered... "I can't imagine they're that boring, if they're finding time to drill a little clean dance in as well. You'd be surprised at how much theory they throw at us with Nox concentration, diffusion, manifesting your Parma, blah blah blah..." she replied, smirking down at him, wry edge to her voice. Sounded like school was the same no matter where you went— in a way, it was comforting. While she often dreaded some of the drier lectures they'd all politely endured day in and day out together, it was a kind of stability she knew she'd one day no longer have. A bedrock block of schedule, a clear goal and task for each day. In a way, having something to throw herself towards was a part of how she stayed even-keeled. Something to fall back on. Kind of ironic, given how that choreography kept breaking every time she tried to picture it. What was the word, again? In English, it was supposed to be self-exemplary— an oxymoron, riiiiiight. That was a fun word. She ought to use it more, really keep their literature professor on her toes. Regardless, though, the charming young cadet had mentioned something that piqued the taller girl's curiosity, and a raised eyebrow atop a face that was falling back into a curious frown. Not malevolent, not discontented, but mildly puzzled. A familiar expression, given all the talk of their schooling. "So what exactly have you guys over at the Officer Academy heard, anyway?" She had to wonder. The examinations were on a video feed, and had dozens of eyewitnesses present, so the C-Class manifesting on top of poor Chie's run was probably a lost cause to cover up in full. The subway too, though? As far as she'd known, the four of them that came out of it, thick as thieves, had kept it to themselves.</s>
<\|description\|>益頭知絵 (Source) (Masuzu Chie) Age 16 Sanctum City Calcaria Personality Chie is social yet distant. She keeps a cool, collected but not unfriendly aura around her. She's willing to listen to the problems of others, but much less so to share her own. Chie likes keeping her relationships to small talk, though she isn't afraid to tease other girls. It's hard to get a read on her because of her constant, slightly playful smile. It doesn't indicate her good mood, but just acts as the veil of mystery hiding her true thoughts and emotions. It's the disposition of someone who observes before others are allowed to observe her. She just has a naturally closeted personality. Background Chie is from a middle-class family in Calcaria. She used to be an energetic child, playing and socializing with other kids until her breath gave out. Chie was a far-cry from the cool girl she would later become. A common thread through her evolution would be loss. It started small enough, only losing a pet at a young age, which would give her an initial lesson in how to cope. Chie got along great with her grandmother, who she spent a lot of time with as her parents weren't always around, but her grandmother passed before Chie could reach double digits in her age. Her mom and dad weren't home a lot of the time, so she felt lonely and distant from that point. Chie grew out of her cheery demeanor and put space between her and her friends. When her mom didn't come home again one day, and with dad refusing to tell Chie why, she completely closed off her heart to those around her. She started to listen instead of speak, to bottle up instead of cry. Chie was used to being alone, and maybe thought it was better that way. She wouldn't be tied down to people. It's that kind of unfettered disposition that made her fearless of joining Nova Lux. She promised herself that she wouldn't care for the friends she leaves behind, and that they wouldn't care for her. (Source) Armgaus Name Magnified White Quartz Gladius (Source) Chie uses a pair of ornate chakrams to fight. Parma Chie's hair loses its colour as her eyes change to gold. Her clothing is replaced by a white dress with no strings and black stocking on her thighs. Both her hands turn black, that same effect continuing a bit into her forearm, and past that spot on the left arm she has the same fabric as her dress extending out to her shoulder. Her hair is adorned with a red hair accessory housing three diamond-shaped protrusions as her neck is covered by a warmer in the same colour of her hands. Elementum Gravity Elementum Abilities Chie's control over gravity manifests itself in the modification of its pulling properties. By changing the rules of how dense an area's matter is, Chie can create a field wherein objects collide faster or slower with each-other. Designating an area, its gravitational pull will either gradually increase or decrease depending on Chie's intent. She cannot instantly make something pull harder than it did before, as her power needs to ramp up over time. However, like a snowball rolling down the mountains, the longer she keeps it going the faster and stronger the effect will increase. To reverse her own magic requires the same kind of effort in reverse. Examples of practicality are making objects collide with each-other or jumping high into the sky while coming down slowly.</s> <\|message\|>Selma Rosmarie --- It was around getting thwacked in the forehead by an errant stick of Watermelon Burst TM that Selma found herself needing to sit upright again, the brewing conversation having caught enough interest to discourage her artfully sloppy lounge. Chie's answer was much like her own, in a way. A mother's cooking and a father's smile weren't terribly far removed branches from the same root of "family", after all. "Worrying's pretty normal, I gotta agree. Just means you've got a bead on the important stuff, if you ask me." she concurred after the others had made reassurances of their own, favoring the Calcarian lass with a toothy smile that disappeared with Crystal's now-rising voice. The twintailed girl... Well, to put it in familiar terms, her hackles were raised like a spooked dog, right before they started growling or barking at something. Her eyes darting about didn't look angry, but her pupils going huge and her breath going short and shallow reminded Selma of more than a few of her brothers, imminently before an explosion. Some kinda stress that had suddenly swamped her— "Hey, you alright?" "Shit!" "Woah! Hey, what's wrong?" And there it was. The raven-haired Ars Magi to be rose to her feet quicker than her balance could keep up with, causing a momentary stumble that revealed five bright red lines upon her arm. She'd clawed through her skin that quickly? How hard of a grip did that even take? Whatever the hell had gotten into her, it was driving her towards the door without even a passing thought spared for those wounds... If Rivka hadn't stepped in and gotten (sort of) in her way, she might have already been out and into the hall by now. First things first, if she was gonna hurt herself once, Selma didn't want her to hurt herself again. She too rose, in the wake of the pair, and covered the majority of distance between them with one, two, only three steps. Not enough to crowd her while she was in this state, between her cold sweat and listening to Rivka's pointedly calming tone Selma got the distinct sense that being a physical obstruction might do more harm than good. Cornering a scared animal was one of the Five Great Mistakes she'd learned as a young'un, and while Crystal was a clearly unanimalistic sweetheart as far as Miss Rosmarie could tell, some principles extended beyond their diction. So instead, a hand fell upon the Norban's shoulder, giving what she hoped was a reassuring squeeze. Close enough to reach, in case things escalated. Not that she knew how any of this was about to go... Truthfully, a panic attack wasn't exactly in her Amazing and Varied Situational Toolbox. It wasn't lost on her that this came about right after she'd tried to make the situation less tense, less strained either. It honestly felt like her efforts had backfired completely. Maybe she wasn't too good at heart to hearts. "She's right, they've gotta have something here that can help." But if she didn't try, she'd feel like a much worse friend regardless. "We got through this much together already, didn't we? I'm sure you'll be okay. You can trust us." The lightest of pressures backwards, a coaxing suggestion more than a command back into the room. Or a hug. Whichever was better.</s> <\|message\|>Crystal von Caelestis Crystal stopped as Rivka moved in front of her. Her breathing was erratic and quick, her eyes glanced at the door as she considered busting through it. Just as soon as the thought hit she felt a hand on her shoulder and jumped slightly, but the words the other girls spoke got to her. They were right. It was foolish to put herself in danger if there was a way not to. There was no reason to go to the furthest lengths when there might still be an easier way. She tried her best to calm her breathing, but it was difficult. She carefully stepped back and started back towards the bed. "You're right." she said as she sat back down and breathed out heavily, trying to cope. "You're right. Hopefully they'll have a decent stock of medicine here, but what if they don't? I..." she shook her head. No. She was supposed to be stronger than that. She'd learned coping mechanisms, and when she needed them she simply forgot them? She clenched her fist. Unacceptable. She closed her eyes and tried to take deep breaths. "I don't know if they'll be able to requisition what I need if they don't have it on base. But I have to hope they can, right?" She wasn't over the panic attack, really, but she was slowly regaining control of herself. She looked down at her wrist and winced. That was going to hurt later. She'd just have to hope things worked out. "Sorry to worry you all like that." she managed to say, smiling somewhat grimly. She paused a moment with her eyes closed before continuing. Reaching into her pocket she brought out a tiny notepad and the very last part of a pencil, opening her eyes and writing down the names of her two medications. "If it's not to much to ask, could one of you find someone and ask them if they can get these?" She caught her breathing getting worse again and tried to calm it. "And some food for Rivka, and anyone else who's hungry, of course." She smiled again, slightly more genuine this time.</s>	<\|message\|>益頭知絵 Everyone's words of comfort set Chie's heart at ease, but she wouldn't get the chance to feel relaxed for long. Something was wrong with Crystal, clearly, as the girl shot up in a panic and scrambled over to the door. Luckily for everyone involved, the other two girls had quickly gotten a handle on the situation and made Crystal calm down. Well, at least calm enough to sit back down and talk about what bothered her rather than running off in a panic. "Oh! Please allow me to do this," Chie offered when Crystal asked the group to scour for her medicine. She pushed herself off the cot and walked over, taking the note out of the girl's hands. Chie made sure to read the two names back to Crystal, just to confirm she got it right, as well as making sure Selma didn't need anything. Just before heading out the door, she turned to the group and said: "I'll be back as quickly as I can, I promise." Stepping outside, it was no real surprise that a guard immediately came over and asked why she would leave the room. "Ah, well you see..." Chie started and quickly explained the situation. She may have exaggerated a little in how hungry Rivka was, but Chie wanted to make sure she could fulfill the duty she took upon herself to the best of her ability. The guard muttered to another soldier for a bit before agreeing to take Chie to the medical tent and ask the staff on-hand. All throughout her dealings, Chie remained as polite and soft-spoken as she could. She bowed, made sure to express her gratitude for all of their help so far; anything to win favor. Despite the stiff and professional atmosphere, everyone she spoke to greeted her with a smile and a laugh. It was a bit scary for her at first, but the more she spoke to people, the more she saw just how... normal everyone was, even in an emergency like this. It offered comfort. "...so that is why I'm terribly sorry to ask for more than what you've already done for us, but would you please grant our request?" Chie said to a different officer she was talking to, finishing it off with a bow. One of the medical staff had already agreed to send a soldier to deliver Crystal's medicine to their room, but that didn't do much to alleviate Rivka's hunger. Her request was met with a smile; hopefully that was a sign she won him over. Hearing the words that followed, then, made her eyes glisten like the morning sun. "Yes, thank you so very much!" Chie replied, bowing once more in both respect and gratitude, before being escorted back to the temporary room. Stepping back inside, Chie gave everyone her warmest smile. "I'm sorry it took so long, everyone! The soldiers on-base have agreed to temporarily open the mess hall again for us. I'm truly sorry if anyone else isn't very hungry, but I thought it would be nicer if we could all eat something together, even if it isn't much. The guards will take us there when we're ready to go," she explained.</s>
<\|description\|>益頭知絵 (Source) (Masuzu Chie) Age 16 Sanctum City Calcaria Personality Chie is social yet distant. She keeps a cool, collected but not unfriendly aura around her. She's willing to listen to the problems of others, but much less so to share her own. Chie likes keeping her relationships to small talk, though she isn't afraid to tease other girls. It's hard to get a read on her because of her constant, slightly playful smile. It doesn't indicate her good mood, but just acts as the veil of mystery hiding her true thoughts and emotions. It's the disposition of someone who observes before others are allowed to observe her. She just has a naturally closeted personality. Background Chie is from a middle-class family in Calcaria. She used to be an energetic child, playing and socializing with other kids until her breath gave out. Chie was a far-cry from the cool girl she would later become. A common thread through her evolution would be loss. It started small enough, only losing a pet at a young age, which would give her an initial lesson in how to cope. Chie got along great with her grandmother, who she spent a lot of time with as her parents weren't always around, but her grandmother passed before Chie could reach double digits in her age. Her mom and dad weren't home a lot of the time, so she felt lonely and distant from that point. Chie grew out of her cheery demeanor and put space between her and her friends. When her mom didn't come home again one day, and with dad refusing to tell Chie why, she completely closed off her heart to those around her. She started to listen instead of speak, to bottle up instead of cry. Chie was used to being alone, and maybe thought it was better that way. She wouldn't be tied down to people. It's that kind of unfettered disposition that made her fearless of joining Nova Lux. She promised herself that she wouldn't care for the friends she leaves behind, and that they wouldn't care for her. (Source) Armgaus Name Magnified White Quartz Gladius (Source) Chie uses a pair of ornate chakrams to fight. Parma Chie's hair loses its colour as her eyes change to gold. Her clothing is replaced by a white dress with no strings and black stocking on her thighs. Both her hands turn black, that same effect continuing a bit into her forearm, and past that spot on the left arm she has the same fabric as her dress extending out to her shoulder. Her hair is adorned with a red hair accessory housing three diamond-shaped protrusions as her neck is covered by a warmer in the same colour of her hands. Elementum Gravity Elementum Abilities Chie's control over gravity manifests itself in the modification of its pulling properties. By changing the rules of how dense an area's matter is, Chie can create a field wherein objects collide faster or slower with each-other. Designating an area, its gravitational pull will either gradually increase or decrease depending on Chie's intent. She cannot instantly make something pull harder than it did before, as her power needs to ramp up over time. However, like a snowball rolling down the mountains, the longer she keeps it going the faster and stronger the effect will increase. To reverse her own magic requires the same kind of effort in reverse. Examples of practicality are making objects collide with each-other or jumping high into the sky while coming down slowly.</s> <\|message\|>Aoife Sturmgaard --- Blinding speed that ill-fit the jagged spear of Earth sent erupting by Selma's will through the body of the cuboid adversary shocked Aoife. Well, if that motion had been fast, the next was the speed of sound. Selma wrenched her axe free from the ground with more force in one arm than Aoife would be able to muster in both before shooting off like a bullet fired from a gun. "Let's get cooking!" The simmer of excitement spread up Aoife's spine as the tingle met her jaw, causing it to clench. A smell of gunpowder filled Aoife's nostrils before one mech fired an entire silo of four at Selma's trajectory, but in response perfectly timed was Rivka's response. The girl's Parma appeared musically around her, and the source of that gunpowder smell became evident. Aoife's eyes lit up with excitement as she watched the burst of flame originating from a brief spark in the musician's resolve as her Gladius took aim. "Enough standing around then," Aoife said, lightly rolling her foot and stretching her shoulders. Aoife carefully stepped out into the rain, closing her eyes and letting it wash over her form. She felt each impact against her Parma, felt as each of the petals of water unfurled against her form, absorbing into her. She adopted a runner's stance, placing both hands against the soaked pavement, and thrusting her back into the air. Aoife titled her chin to get a better look at the mech that Rivka had fired upon in order to distract it. Hopefully, she could beat Selma there, she had talked a bid game after all. She spied a close by light pole, taking note of its distance from herself and the mech. Her chest tightened as her lips parted ever so minutely in order to let a long inhale hiss through the sound of the rain, which paused around her as she did. All of the water on her form spread along her body, lining her heels in coats of compressed water. "Turning up the heat," Aoife called into her headset. She burst from the ground, streams of water shooting across the pavilion near them as she was thrown through the air as if by divine action itself. She spun and flipped through the air, one hand tightly wound around Joyeuse, the other trailing through the air, collecting rain water and manipulating it as she did so. A thing razor like wire of compressed stream water flowing in sharpening spirals around itself, bound only by the girl's will. The momentum had proved to be problematic, however. So Aoife had to improvise. She created a small wave of water ahead of her that she spun into and caught with her feet, surfing along it and towards the mech. She descended upon it, sending her aqua javelin towards its primary sensors as she circled around it. She swung her blade towards the mech in tandem with the impact of the javelin but her cut was too shallow to connect. Luckily the ribbon connected to Joyeuse's hilt continued outwards towards the emotionless visage now tracking her. It wrapped itself around a nearby streetlight, pulling Aoife along as she continued to surf around it before leading herself cresting upwards above the machine. Hoping that Rivka's shot was enough to knock it off balance when combined with her javelin, she gracefully allowed the momentum of her arc to carry her, closing her eyes until she felt her position reached. When Aoife opened them once more, she was looking straight down at the top of its head. She plummeted downwards, reaching out to her Elementum to sharpen the droplets of rain, increase their velocity. She fell with them, a million translucent blades. "Fall," she said. And she, and her homemade barrage, did. She plummeted into steel carapace impacting with a heavy groan as her blade buried itself to the hilt in its body. She stood up, confidently pulling the blade from its sheathe, water and oil spraying in the arc as the blade landed flat on her shoulder. "One a piece," she offered her rival.</s> <\|message\|>Crystal von Caelestis --- Having had the, perhaps misguided, foresight to transform on the way over, Crystal had no impressive metamorphosis to dazzle the Officers with. Instead, she waited and watched as her teammates fought, using their Elementum and Gladius magnificently each. And before she could even examine the coming machines, two were down. One certainly at Selma's hand, another likely at Aoife's, with help from Rivka. She supposed she should probably act, but... "Is it really only these three? Surely not." Or rather, surely not as they were now. There was always a distinct chance with machines that there were other functions than those visible on it. You wouldn't guess most mechanical purposes without seeing them in action, after all. "Sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic." That was the quote, wasn't it? And for those with magic, the Ars Magi, that saying would be much more terrifying than it would to a normal person if true. Knowing the depths of magic only made Crystal more worried about the ease with which her teammates defeated these drones. Sure, she was proud to be on their team, to be standing alongside such wonderful Ars Magi, but perhaps it was best to simply stay in the back for now. If all five of them used up too much of their reserves, then a secondary threat would decimate them. Chie had run the dinner bell, so it was certainly time to eat, but... She doubted that this was anything more than an appetizer. And while she trusted Selma's ability to grasp the battlefield, there was always another possibility; that the drones took more from their namesake than simply their autonomy. Instead of joining the fight in an offensive manner, perhaps she could kill two birds with one stone? Distract and survey. Crystal went to the nearest building and looked up at it. It appeared to be high enough to get a good grasp on her surroundings, so she expended a small fraction of her Nox reserves to form platforms of ice alongside the building out of the falling rain. It took only a moment for her to have a path up, which she took quickly, rising to the roof where she stood and looked out upon the mission area. If there was even a single airborne drone, she would alert her team and draw its, or their, attention so that she and her team could begin the process of violently dismantling. And if not? Well, she could always use some target practice, being mostly suited for close-combat, and there were surely other threats than these three nearest.</s>	<\|message\|>益頭知絵 Chie wasn't naïve enough to think the drones wouldn't come try search and flush her out, but the random spread of bullets flying in every direction suggested the split-off drone didn't know her exact location. A good thing, one would think, except with its sights set on the general location, Chie couldn't exactly move out and fight. Not unless she wanted to be shot through the heart with a drone to blame, in any case. All the chakram-wielding girl could do was patiently wait for her allies to cover her, an opportunity that came once she saw one of Rivka's bolts soaring by. It must've hit something, because whatever the musician had done, it caused the drone to halt its fire on Chie's location. "Now!" she thought to herself, rolling out of her cover and surveying the status of the area. Selma stood over one wreckage, Aoife had engaged another in combat and that left just one unaccounted for. A slightly distracted drone, which seemed intent on re-aligning its target. Chie had to think and act quick, but finally having a clear look at her opponent, she knew exactly what to do. She de-summoned one of her chakrams, held up her now-freed hand and then violently clutched her fist, shouting: "Halt!" Two points of intense gravity rapidly formed, one each at the base of the robot's pair of feet. The intense forces exerted on its primary method of movement left the machine to be the one pinned this go around. Of course it wasn't naïve enough to let Chie do as she pleased; having detected it as an attack, the drone locked on and started firing in Chie's location. Chie, herself, was faster though: she sprinted off before even a single bullet could be fired, running with a trail of bullets firing constantly behind her. With the drone unable to fully turn, it couldn't move and realign its armaments fast enough to keep up with Chie, who had already begun the next stage of her attack. Everyone in the area could feel a tug coming from the robot's location, though more accurately, from right behind it. The Nox in the area clouded Chie's fist like a dark energy, growing more ever thicker as she increased the intensity of her third gravity well. While she'd only done the bare minimum to keep the robot's feet pinned, this new well was much more severe. The stones of the street started to crack from being compressed against each-other, and even the immediate street light next to it began to noticeably bend. Chie couldn't maintain this for long; rapidly purifying the required Nox to keep up three intense points of gravity had no small amount of strain come paired with it. It didn't need to last long, though. All Chie needed was to get it clearly off-balance, because then she knew it was intense enough. Chie slid to a halt once she'd ran off further than the drone's line of fire could follow and, while still clutching her magicked fist, gripped tightly onto her remaining Chakram. She took a split second to confirm her angle and tossed it skywards, at a bit of an angle, racing towards the sky above her target. Throwing her chakram directly would be silly; the gravity would dig it into the floor long before it'd ever reach the drone. But she could use that same downward momentum to her advantage. If her Chakram was in the sky, with the drone between its current location and her intense gravity? Well, only one result was to be expected. Once it got close enough, attracted by the forces below, the chakram rapidly accelerated towards the drone. It didn't have to hit it cleanly, coming in at a bit of an angle, but slicing right through one of the legs before burying into the ground behind. The impact from that caused the robot to soon follow suit, aggressively being slammed into the streets from Chie's meddling with forces that never should be meddled with. The chassis caved in on itself under its own massive weight, crushing the inside circuitry. Most of what kept the machine running was scrapped from the impact. It was a good thing, too; Chie was forced to release her hold on that point, the intensified gravity rapidly returning to normal. It winded Chie a bit, but she was far from exhausted; the sensation was more akin to being unable to continue lifting a weight because one's muscles were too weak than it was of fatigue. Chie took a small breath and looked over to the rest of her team. She summoned her gladius again, raised one up in the air and slightly unenthusiastically shouted that she "Got one too..." to the crew.</s>
<\|description\|>Crystal von Caelestis The Mundane Age: 16 Sanctum City: Norba Description: Crystal stands at 5 feet 7 inches and weighs 143 pounds. She has above-average musculature, built from good genes and rather extreme physical training. She has black hair usually tied in twintails and hazel eyes that seem to pierce through what they look at. She tends to be slouched somewhat when she's not taking something seriously, which is most of the time. Personality: Crystal is a mixed-bag of personality traits, according to the psychologist she visits on a monthly basis. She is not shy, but is quiet and keeps to herself. She is not outgoing, but can become overexcited by the things she enjoys. She is usually calm, and often confident, but the times when she's not she tends to reach the other extreme of hyperactive or pessimistic, respectively. She tends to spend her free time drawing or reading, often both being based around manga, though she also enjoys drawing more realistic styles as well. She is also almost always preoccupied with writing stories to go with her art. Crystal has the bad habits of chewing gum and, strangely, blowing air up from her mouth towards her forehead, usually messing up her bangs. She has the affliction of obsessive compulsive disorder, though with her medication one would never know it. When she is unable to take them, however, she becomes a nervous wreck and her habits explode in severity. Background: Crystal von Caelestis is a part of the extended family of the Jupiter family of the Duodecim. That is to say, she is a cousin of the heir to the family. Or rather, she would be if her uncle had a child. As it stands, she and her cousins are all later in line than a nonexistent relative for purposes of succession. Once her uncle marries and has children, they will be the next generation of the Jupiter family line. As such, she was raised in a very noble-esque environment in which she was given great freedom to pursue her interests while also being taught and trained at a higher level than most. She is skilled in the arts not because she wished to be, but because she must be in order to properly represent the Caelestis family. She is in good physical shape and skilled with weapons not because she has passion for it, but because she must be able to defend herself and others if necessary. She only recently discovered that she has access to magic, and was very quickly enrolled in Nova Lux Academy. As such, she feels rushed and out of place. The Magical Armgaus Name: Frozen Blue Sapphire Gladius: Parma: Elementum: Ice Elementum Abilities: Crystal can both form ice from nowhere and remove heat from an area, causing coldness to form. She is able to freeze things with a touch, or with some effort do so without physical contact. While she cannot do things like throwing spears of ice telepathically, she can certainly create them in such a way as to pierce a target without needing to be moved. Her ability to remove heat from an area usually manifests as control of the temperature surrounding her, and a distaste of heat means that she often uses this trick when she is able to use magic at all to help keep her cooled off. Somewhat strangely, her magic has minor purifying properties; freezing water with her magic will also remove most impurities from it.</s> <\|message\|>Selma Rosmarie --- "Ngaaaaaaaaah~" Whatever uncomfortable silence may have manifested between the five strangers was unceremoniously broken, as the far-and-away tallest of their number languidly streeeeeeetched her arms and back towards the roof, scraping the sky that much more before she blissfully sank in to the leather cushioning of the nearest seat. A face framed by evergreen locks bore a plainly relieved smile upon soft features, and after a moment one emerald eye popped open, taking stock of affairs. For a girl like Selma Rosmarie, travel was an entirely alien prospect. Her family were settlers, rooted to their chosen homes, and deeply connected to the land they called theirs— that had not changed even in the wake of their century-old exile from Germany, as it was known in the old world. They maintained the homesteading spirit, preferring to nurture and cultivate where others might move to greener pastures. To them, it was a rare thing to even leave the agricultural districts of Hasta. To take to the skies to cross an entire continent? Unheard of. Leaving home was all too daunting. Her world had been so small before, and now... The ride on the airship was a wondrous thing, really. To be so high up that landscapes stopped being scenic, and instead all melded into an endless canvas of woodland, steppe, meadow and mountain below had to have been every bit as magical as she and her four companions were. Even in spite of the obscuring Nox clouds, there was no way she hadn't clung to her viewport for two... eh, probably three hours, watching the earth roll by beneath her, paired with her best source of entertainment— an eclectic mix of musics piped out from her phone and into her ears. A non-insignificant number of them were far more heavy on screaming guitar than you would really expect to accompany such a gorgeous backdrop, but playlists unfortunately still eluded her. It spoke to the Concordia's luxuriant construction that the freely dancing giantess hadn't garnered any noise complaints during her portion of the trans-Eurasian flight. That she had been made aware of, anyway. Must be some sturdy walls and flooring! Flooring... Whew. All that was nice. But... It was also ethereal. In a way that didn't quite sit right with her, once the wonderment of flight had petered out some. Having worked upon soil and stone her whole life, she had to admit: it didn't feel right to not be standing on terra firma. When she had busted a move or two, it was one thing. A light, feathery step was good when you were carried by a fun rhythm. When you were walking, though? Or standing, or sitting? Or doing anything else? It was wrong to have that underlying sense of nothing beneath you. She had been reassured multiple times that she wouldn't fall through, and had definitely put the floorboards through their paces before she'd stopped to think about the matter, but she could still feel it. A nagging in the back of her head, saying "Selma, Selma, what in the Hellma?" whenever she shifted her weight and felt not the world, but a few layers of wood and steel beneath her heels. Even stepping into the rail car, another artificial mode of transport, still had its connection to the ground. It just went through an extra medium or two in the track, rather than the airship's total removal. She wondered. Did the other girls have the same problem? A few of them looked pretty classy, compared to a bumpkin like her, anyway, so she didn't regard it as too out there if they had been on an airship ride or two before... Was it as amazing for them, or had the sight of the world sliding by turned out to be something you could grow accustomed to? A routine occurrence? Was there anyone for whom uprooting and rocking over half the world's span could be normal? These kinda questions didn't get answered just by rolling them down the cliffs of the mind until they hopefully hit an answer. Selma could see that much clearly, even without the naturally high vantage point. May as well find out. Hadn't had a chance until now, so best get striking while the iron's hot! "Hallo!" she called to the rest of the assembled magical girl initiates, transitioning her remaining outstretched arm into a chipper wave at the wrist and putting on her best friendly smile. "I'm Selma! Anybody need help with any luggage? I don't know much about trains, but I'm sure I can lift whatever you need me to, so don't be shy!" Her grin drew a little wider as she flexed her bicep in jest, but her words and intent were sincere all the same. If anyone looked to be struggling, or would just appreciate the hand, all they needed to do was take her up on it. No sense being cold to the people she was gonna fight alongside, right?</s> <\|message\|>益頭知絵 April 8th, 117AV "Congratulations!!" "Huh? What? Why... huh?" "Surprise, Chie!" "We kinda sprung this on her out of nowhere..." "Don't worry, the teacher said we could use the classroom!" "Hey, come sit! This is your farewell party!" "Farewell party? I didn't think it was that important..." "Quit the modesty already Chie! It's Nova Lux you're going to! Nova Lux!" "I don't really want her to go, though..." "I know, right? I don't like goodbyes." "Come on, everyone... keep a smile on! I don't want to see Chie go either, but we should support her, right?" "..." "Hey, Chie, try these! I baked them myself!" "Oooooh... why have I never gotten some?!" "These are farewell cookies. You come to my house enough as-is." "...Huh? Hey, Chie, is something wrong?" "No... no, nothing at all. Thank you, everyone." --- --- --- The dim light coming out the screen of Chie's phone was more than enough to see with for the darkened night sky which surrounded her. It wasn't pitch-black by any means- the abundance of night lighting at both the dock and scattered through the vast city below made sure of this- but the artificiality of it all didn't comfort her any. Anticipation, nerves, fear, longing... the emotions Chie felt were complex, compounded by her incessant staring at the minutes counting down. Her escort was a rather tall, serious man and had made for a poor company. Not that Chie had tried particularly hard to strike up a conversation, but most any of her questions were answered swiftly and with no hope for a followup. She was left with nothing to entertain herself, save for the act of slowly watching time tick and tick by. It felt strange. She wasn't particularly bound to her home, but now that it was almost time to leave... "Ah!" Chie's thoughts were broken as she heard the airship dock. Naturally, it was at the station where she'd been (im)patiently waiting. She looked back up at her escort who, after a bit of hushed chatter with his earpiece, told her to wait just a little longer. It wasn't long before three girls were escorted off the airship by a slew of military personnel. Chie thought to ask some more questions, but before a word could escape her lips her escort had already begun explaining. He informed her that the airship would not be used to make the rest of the journey. Instead, she and the other three would be lead to a railcar which would be making the rest of the trip in its stead. It hardly took any time for the five to get settled, but a silence hung over them nevertheless. It was quite the... interesting group. Out of the four, Chie figured she looked the most ordinary, but maybe each of the other girls thought much the same about themselves. One girl had hair unlike everybody else's, vibrant and colourful. But even more than the colour, what stood out how well-maintained it was. It looked like it'd give the feeling of silk were you to touch it. Another one was more modest. Her hair was fashioned in twintails and what stood out most about the her was just how fidgety she seemed. She'd been fiddling with something, or otherwise had been nervously twitching her legs or fingers, all the way from the airship to here. As for the last one, well... "Hallo!" The last didn't take too long to make herself known. She introduced herself as Selma, no family name given, and was a taller woman than Chie could have imagined possible. It was no secret that the people of Calcaria were shorter than some of the more western-laid city city states, but Chie hadn't even seen a man as tall as Selma. The girl seemed nice and friendly enough, but the difference in height was going to leave Chie uncomfortable for a while longer. Selma had introduced herself, however, so it wouldn't do to not respond in kind. "My name is Masuzu Chie. I don't need help with my luggage, but I hope we can all get along from this point forwards." Chie waited to hear the names of the other three.</s>	<\|message\|>Crystal von Caelestis Crystal sat in her room on the Concordia listening to music from her phone. Rather, she was skipping songs almost constantly trying to find ones that fit her mood. Skip, skip, skip, listen, skip, listen, listen, skip. She ignored the passing scenery out of a fear of heights because she couldn't exactly draw it while it was moving by so quickly. This fidgeting with her phone went on for the entire time she was there until finally the ship landed in Calcaria. She continued sitting in her area until someone came along to bring her out of the ship. She grabbed her luggage, a simple briefcase, a backpack, and a travel bag, and headed out the ship to the docks. She turned down her music so she could hear and was taken along with the other three girls to a rail car, which they all went inside to wait to move on. Thinking back, she couldn't remember being in Calcaria before in her life. Supposedly she had been to several of the other cities when she was extremely young, but she only remembered two other than her home of Norba, those being Bellanum and Drusa, the three of which were very different than the small bit of Calcaria she could see while moving from the ship to the tracks where she was now. Looking around she saw that the other girls didn't seem to have much in common. There was an amazon woman, or so it seemed to Crystal, a plain looking girl who was eyeing the rest of them, and a girl with colorful hair who seemed a bit too stoic for her liking. She gently turned her mouth up and blew air at her bangs, causing them to float for a moment, before closing her eyes and reaching to turn her music back up. That is, before one of the other girls spoke up. "Hallo!" the tallest girl spoke up. Her name was apparently Selma, and she offered help with luggage. Were Crystal not as strong as she was, she may have even taken the girl up on that offer, but it was simple enough to carry for her. Besides, it would be wrong for a semi-noble to ask a commoner for something like that. It was part of her job to protect the common person, not make them work for her, even if they offered to do so. The plain looking girl, Chie, responded saying that she hoped the four of them could get along. Crystal sat quietly for a moment before taking out a pack of gum sticks and putting one in her mouth, holding the pack out for the others. "Thanks for the offer, but I'm fine. Anyone want some gum? It's regular bubblegum flavored, so hopefully nobody dislikes that." Crystal paused a moment. "Anyway, my name's Crystal. Pleasure to meet you all." She just hoped that her voice didn't betray her nervousness at the whole situation. It wasn't the other girls that were the problem, it was the nagging thought that she had forgotten something and the general anxiety of moving to a new place that had her on edge.</s>
<\|description\|>Crystal von Caelestis The Mundane Age: 16 Sanctum City: Norba Description: Crystal stands at 5 feet 7 inches and weighs 143 pounds. She has above-average musculature, built from good genes and rather extreme physical training. She has black hair usually tied in twintails and hazel eyes that seem to pierce through what they look at. She tends to be slouched somewhat when she's not taking something seriously, which is most of the time. Personality: Crystal is a mixed-bag of personality traits, according to the psychologist she visits on a monthly basis. She is not shy, but is quiet and keeps to herself. She is not outgoing, but can become overexcited by the things she enjoys. She is usually calm, and often confident, but the times when she's not she tends to reach the other extreme of hyperactive or pessimistic, respectively. She tends to spend her free time drawing or reading, often both being based around manga, though she also enjoys drawing more realistic styles as well. She is also almost always preoccupied with writing stories to go with her art. Crystal has the bad habits of chewing gum and, strangely, blowing air up from her mouth towards her forehead, usually messing up her bangs. She has the affliction of obsessive compulsive disorder, though with her medication one would never know it. When she is unable to take them, however, she becomes a nervous wreck and her habits explode in severity. Background: Crystal von Caelestis is a part of the extended family of the Jupiter family of the Duodecim. That is to say, she is a cousin of the heir to the family. Or rather, she would be if her uncle had a child. As it stands, she and her cousins are all later in line than a nonexistent relative for purposes of succession. Once her uncle marries and has children, they will be the next generation of the Jupiter family line. As such, she was raised in a very noble-esque environment in which she was given great freedom to pursue her interests while also being taught and trained at a higher level than most. She is skilled in the arts not because she wished to be, but because she must be in order to properly represent the Caelestis family. She is in good physical shape and skilled with weapons not because she has passion for it, but because she must be able to defend herself and others if necessary. She only recently discovered that she has access to magic, and was very quickly enrolled in Nova Lux Academy. As such, she feels rushed and out of place. The Magical Armgaus Name: Frozen Blue Sapphire Gladius: Parma: Elementum: Ice Elementum Abilities: Crystal can both form ice from nowhere and remove heat from an area, causing coldness to form. She is able to freeze things with a touch, or with some effort do so without physical contact. While she cannot do things like throwing spears of ice telepathically, she can certainly create them in such a way as to pierce a target without needing to be moved. Her ability to remove heat from an area usually manifests as control of the temperature surrounding her, and a distaste of heat means that she often uses this trick when she is able to use magic at all to help keep her cooled off. Somewhat strangely, her magic has minor purifying properties; freezing water with her magic will also remove most impurities from it.</s> <\|message\|>益頭知絵 Chie was... unsure of how to transform back. Her pain-addled mind did her no favors in figuring this out, of course, but it wasn't just that which was the problem. The Nox in the air was still so... thick, even though she wasn't aware of any other voids that spawned. It made it hard to focus. The raw power running through her armagus wouldn't let her become normal again. Chie's earpiece buzzed to life as she pondered it. "Masuzu, re--" a voice came through, but the sentence was left unfinished. "Operator?" Chie tried to answer back. No reply came. Something was wrong, she was sure of it. A queasy feeling washed over the girl. No matter how much she looked around her, though, she couldn't see anything out of the ordinary. The only thing there was this invisible miasma tickling Chie's skin. And then the explosion happened. "Nh-!" the ars-magi-in-training grunted in surprise as she shielded herself from the wind displacement. She hurriedly looked up to the source of the explosion, finding a fancy new hole in the tower awaiting her gaze. After a brief moment of shock and dread, Chie came to her senses and tried to say something through the earpiece: "Operator, is everyone-" she begun to ask, but froze up when she realised static was coming from the other side. "No..." she hushed to herself in a quiet voice. Chie looked around, trying to find anything that could've caused that shockwave, only to see a shadow in the sky diving past her and into the opening. Panicked, shaking in her boots, Chie had to think of something. She had to hurry. This was her fault, she must've missed one of them. One that was a lot more powerful if it could do that. She needed to fix her mistakes before it was too late. But when Chie took a step forward, the sharp pain in her back shot through her again. The void's mark was still ailing her. She grit her teeth and ignored it. She was wounded, it hurt, but she could still move. Just like Calcaria, the girl's mistake had caused problems for the other three. She had to hurry back and fix it. Chie took a pained step, then another. Before she knew it, she managed to push through the pain well enough for to be running back. The ars magi felt light on her feet. Chie didn't notice it before, but even a mild jog was much faster than any sprint she'd accomplished before that point. It bolstered her confidence. If she could move like this in the state she was in, then the other three should've been able to hold their ground, too. "Everyone, please be safe...!"</s> <\|message\|>Selma Rosmarie --- Rivka Sokolov, cloaked in parma and supercharged by arcane energies well past the limits of any mortal woman, was as a demigod as her leap carried her high into the air, a steep arc launched into with all the force she could muster. Much as Chie's jog carried her quicker than her former sprints, Rivka's great spring was enough to nearly carry her to the height of the rooftops even before her pyrotechnic propulsion saw her through the rest of the journey. Force enough to send a girl flying like that was bound to make for a hell of a reminder regarding Newton's Third— And yet her erstwhile springboard, once again awash with green-tinged white, barely budged. Sheesh. Could have asked. What if she had been Crystal, instead of her? "Hey Crystal? You noticing a pattern here, or is it just me?" For the second time in a week, Selma Rosmarie found herself rising to her feet in the wake of some form of catastrophic demolition, shaking the keening whine from her ears and tossing mossy locks to and fro in the process. Talk about a head start on their peers— at this rate, they'd all be aces when they rolled up to whatever inevitable "think on your feet when something goes wrong" lesson lay ahead of them. Oh man, what if her first official deployment started with an explosion to the face, too? Better hope she wasn't imagining this one being less bad, and that Rivka's painkillers were onto something when they had her ramble about "just build up a tolerance to bigger explosions by working your way up from smaller ones" two days ago... Okay, dummy. Get to work. Her head snapped upwards as she hopped to her feet, base carrying itself back under her in a motion honed by years of impromptu bouts of ringen, and zeroed in on the two most prominent threats she could find— Namely, the seven foot spindle of darkness looming over them some thirty meters away and its projectile, a sphere of black ink condensed from poisonous cloud of curse. The latter hurtled towards them faster than any would have liked, and with Rivka perched atop a ruined high-rise, that left Selma as the forefront vanguard. The first line of defense. She had no idea what shape the other two girls were in. Crystal sounded like she was readjusting as well, and at the very least nearby. She could feel motion carrying through the floor well enough to feel right in guessing such. But Chie, poor wounded Chie, she had no idea. She should have still been transformed, and her commanded element was definitely a doozy, but... the young ent still had to worry, just a bit. If nothing else, she was certainly the worst for wear. But if worry was all she could do for her right now, then she had better stick that energy somewhere productive. First things first— Whatever that thing flying at them was had to be bad news. If her guess was right, one of those being launched was how this stretched out lady-of-the-night had blown a hole into the wall they'd been facing. She needed to knock it out of the sky before it got close! Scanning the room, she quickly spotted a few larger chucks of rubble from the blast— one the size of her head, the other two roughly two-thirds of that. She didn't have the propulsion to jump across and attack the thing directly, nor could she seal this place up with more stone— it'd only explode again. So, she saw one option. Rivka may have had the right sport, but her position was all wrong. Just think of Brazil. Think of 7-1. You got this, fraulein. Nothin' TO IT! And with a whip of her long, muscular legs, her boot slammed into the largest stone, sending it flying into the path of the orb simultaneous to the mighty CRACK of Rivka's rifle. Two more thuds a moment heralded the twin concrete streaks that zipped outward from the observation tower, this time aimed towards the Void less than half a field away. They didn't need no damned goalie. They had a striker.</s>	<\|message\|>Crystal von Caelestis Crystal was knocked off her feet by the explosion, ending up against the wall opposite the newly formed hole. In the moment it took to regain her senses and her footing Rivka had already transformed and jumped off Selma's back to fight. "Hey Crystal? You noticing a pattern here, or is it just me?" Crystal gave a small smile to that, but quickly shifted her focus when Selma threw a large chunk of rubble out of the hole in the building. Which told her all she needed to know, that something was shooting at them from there. She transformed as well and took stock of the situation, walking up behind Selma to see what she saw. There was a Void there, yes, and Rivka on another building ready to shoot it. But what else? Chie seemed to be making her way back, and the officers who were with them in the room were down for the count, hopefully still alive. Crystal knew that she wouldn't be any help unless she got close, so instead she chose the other option, namely getting non-Ars Magi to safety. She picked up the nearest officer and slung them over her shoulders before shouting behind her. "Cover me, Selma! I'm going to get these two out of here!" She began her way down as quickly as she could before coming back up for the other officer. "Selma, it might be more strategically viable for us to get out of here, but if you want to stay, I won't force you. I'm going to be at ground level with these two to keep them safe, so if you stay here, good luck." Having said that, Crystal took the second officer down to the base of the tower as well. When she arrived, she carefully looked around the corner, but without the height the tower gave, she couldn't see the enemy. Still, she was on guard and ready to move if there was any movement from where she remembered the Void being.</s>
<\|description\|>Crystal von Caelestis The Mundane Age: 16 Sanctum City: Norba Description: Crystal stands at 5 feet 7 inches and weighs 143 pounds. She has above-average musculature, built from good genes and rather extreme physical training. She has black hair usually tied in twintails and hazel eyes that seem to pierce through what they look at. She tends to be slouched somewhat when she's not taking something seriously, which is most of the time. Personality: Crystal is a mixed-bag of personality traits, according to the psychologist she visits on a monthly basis. She is not shy, but is quiet and keeps to herself. She is not outgoing, but can become overexcited by the things she enjoys. She is usually calm, and often confident, but the times when she's not she tends to reach the other extreme of hyperactive or pessimistic, respectively. She tends to spend her free time drawing or reading, often both being based around manga, though she also enjoys drawing more realistic styles as well. She is also almost always preoccupied with writing stories to go with her art. Crystal has the bad habits of chewing gum and, strangely, blowing air up from her mouth towards her forehead, usually messing up her bangs. She has the affliction of obsessive compulsive disorder, though with her medication one would never know it. When she is unable to take them, however, she becomes a nervous wreck and her habits explode in severity. Background: Crystal von Caelestis is a part of the extended family of the Jupiter family of the Duodecim. That is to say, she is a cousin of the heir to the family. Or rather, she would be if her uncle had a child. As it stands, she and her cousins are all later in line than a nonexistent relative for purposes of succession. Once her uncle marries and has children, they will be the next generation of the Jupiter family line. As such, she was raised in a very noble-esque environment in which she was given great freedom to pursue her interests while also being taught and trained at a higher level than most. She is skilled in the arts not because she wished to be, but because she must be in order to properly represent the Caelestis family. She is in good physical shape and skilled with weapons not because she has passion for it, but because she must be able to defend herself and others if necessary. She only recently discovered that she has access to magic, and was very quickly enrolled in Nova Lux Academy. As such, she feels rushed and out of place. The Magical Armgaus Name: Frozen Blue Sapphire Gladius: Parma: Elementum: Ice Elementum Abilities: Crystal can both form ice from nowhere and remove heat from an area, causing coldness to form. She is able to freeze things with a touch, or with some effort do so without physical contact. While she cannot do things like throwing spears of ice telepathically, she can certainly create them in such a way as to pierce a target without needing to be moved. Her ability to remove heat from an area usually manifests as control of the temperature surrounding her, and a distaste of heat means that she often uses this trick when she is able to use magic at all to help keep her cooled off. Somewhat strangely, her magic has minor purifying properties; freezing water with her magic will also remove most impurities from it.</s> <\|message\|>Aoife Sturmgaard --- Aoife stood outside of the room in which she'd been debriefed for some time before continuing on with what was life now. The small popsicle she'd swindled from support staff had mostly melted, as she finished it off with a big bite. She thought about how she'd answered the questions they asked. About how she felt, when dealing the finishing blows to the void they'd all fought. Amongst the ruins of what life once was, to take a stand on the side of existence itself. Aoife shivered as she felt an inkling of that anticipation creep through her once more. Her grin turned acrid as she supressed a chuckle. It was all too much to bear, and yet. "I'm excited to get another opportunity to prove myself to you all," she had said. As if describing Everest as that small protrusion from the Earth near Kathmandu, or what once was. "Ms. Stuurmgard, do you need anything?" A hall monitor doing his diligence asked of her. Aoife almost didn't hear the words through the euphoric buzz that permeated her skull likes millions of swarming bees. She didn't even really know what she responded with, other than the sentiment being largely, no. Aoife buried the sensation, storing it for when she would need it. For now, it was time to eat. The cafeteria bustled, no doubt some of the excitement was part in parcel to the actions of Aoife and her fellow Ars Magi. Aoife hopped along the line to procure food, a small drink and eventually locate a table with the mountainous woman and her fiery compatriot. Aoife smiled at them as she plopped down across form them, immediately digging in and speaking at the same time. "I wanted to say," she shoved some food into her mouth. "You guysh were 'eally impressive," she swallowed. "I think you would've got on alright even if I hadn't come!" Before long another girl came and sat at the table. Aoife recognized her as the girl who was most injured during the skirmish. It was too bad, Aoife thought. She looked as though she was managing it well, however. Aoife heard the thanks offered to her and offered a toothy grin in return. "You're quite welcome!" "I saw your handiwork up close Chie; I think you could've handled that void all by yourself if you were pressed enough." Aoife's voice had taken a turn to the thoughtful, as she really seemed to believe what she was saying was true. "Earlier, they told me I cleared my test. I'm... no, we're Ars Magi now. It's almost a little surreal how fast it all went." Chie remarked. "I'm still having trouble accepting it." Aoife carefully considered what the other Ars Magi was saying, but she couldn't really relate. As soon as Aoife had begun her first transformation, everything in the universe seemed to shift ever so slightly into place. It all made sense to her. The thought of none of this making any sense was troubling, even to a rather carefree spirit such as herself. She cleared her throat, her demeanor once more shifting. "Think of it like this. If you weren't right for this role, you'd be dead, not sore," she untactfully offered. "If you're still having reservations, I'd consider speaking to a professional about it, you'll only get yourself and others hurt by hesitating." Aoife's gaze trailed across Chie's form before the seriousness drained from her expression entirely and she went back to scarfing down her meal. "We'll be dealing wif wursh than that!" she excitedly remarked, mouth still full.</s> <\|message\|>Selma Rosmarie --- "S'right," came the reply from the verdant monolith seated to the right of the pair, opposite Crystal and Rivka. A small bandage had graced her brow in the whirlwind aftermath of their initiation testing, a result of the otherwise sterling medical examination. It was telling of their newfound potential that the practitioners weren't terribly surprised that a scrape and some bruising was all she had earned for her meteoric descent— Selma had to admit, even she was a bit concerned after she'd felt her bones shake a little with the impact. "We just took our first steps today. Only goin' up the mountain from here." Biting deep and heartily into a drumstick, her emerald eyes slid over to regard the two newer arrivals as she mulled over their conversations a while longer. Rivka and Crystal weren't always terribly much for idle chatter, but she'd managed to pull them into some friendly nonsense before they'd showed up— and it had stepped away from the forefront after this had taken root. for her part, she hadn't really given too much thought to whether or not she was really ready to acknowledge herself as Ars Magi... How did it feel to use your powers, Miss Rosmarie? "It rocked. I wanna do it again. I felt like I was invincible, unstoppable. Nothing in the world could beat me." "But, hey, we did just start being 'em. They'll still be training us, y'know? It'll probably sink in more once we really put our noses to the grindstone on it. It's like, uh..." She paused momentarily, eyes floating between the two girls as she searched for the comparison. And do you, now, feel differently about yourself since the transformation? "I'm trying not to. But I gotta say, it does feel like I'm a lot closer to what I've always wanted." That being? "Protect people from the Voids. Take back home. That kinda stuff. But aside from that I wanna make sure I stay the same ol' me." Inspiration flashed as the memory faded back out, and as she swallowed, she raised the bone aloft as though a pointer finger, the classic gesture of "Eureka!" "It's like dancing. You don't really feel like a dancer after you first shuffle to a nice beat, but if you keep working at it and learning how it all works, it starts to feel right." The bone unceremoniously clattered back to the plate as she wiped her fingers. That made sense, right? It did to her— it should to the other ladies, then. For all their personal misgivings with themselves, all their uncertainties, all their needs of a good solid hug every now and again, Selma was pretty sure that if she could grok something, they could grok it too. They seemed smart. Surely they'd also needed to train stuff from the ground up before— and they probably didn't need to fight stuff like a gangly build, but the point remained. She made to clap Chie on the back, good-natured and fraternal as ever— How did you feel your peers performed, in that case? "I'm glad everyone's okay. It got a li'l touch 'n' go at the end there, but poor Chie still gritted her teeth and fought through her injury like a champ." And decided instead to venture north, tousling the smaller girl's long brunette locks in between bites of food, favoring her with a confident smile. After a moment, it graced the rest of the table in turn— Aoife, Crystal, Rivka. They'd been through a lot together in the past three days, nobody could deny them such. They'd faced the fire head on even when they weren't meant to— nobody could have predicted that train station going the way it had— and always come out swinging for the fences, even if it wasn't the perfect concertos someone like Sokolov had expected of herself. They'd always found a way. And for her, their hard work was gonna be a badge of pride. So regarding your encounter with the Void... "Heh heh heh. Kicking them around for a change was fun." That'll be all, Miss Rosmarie. Congratulations, cadet. Today, "Just watch. If we could handle all this before we start learning from the best in the business? Before you know it, we're all gonna be cracking their masks like old pros. They shoulda got us on that train when they had the chance." Her grin passed confident and into wolfish, as she returned to her food with redoubled vigor. Payback Time was a-comin', and she'd long set her clock. You are an Ars Magi.</s>	<\|message\|>Crystal von Caelestis Crystal sat, once again silent after the last two joined, and ate. She was paying much less attention to her food than the other girls, which led to her wincing slightly when Selma clapped Chie on the back. However good natured, that must have hurt. Once Selma had finished talking, however... "Aoife is right, though, Chie. Though I wouldn't base it on your survivability, it's still entirely possible that any number of us sitting here aren't actually cut out to be Ars Magi." She gestured around the room as she said this. "Just because we passed our first test doesn't make us invincible, and the mental side of things is the worst of it. If you have any doubts, now is the time to talk it over with professionals in the field of your concerns, trust me, you don't want to let it slide and have to deal with it later." Perhaps uncharacteristically talkative, but Crystal knew what a shaky mind could lead to. And in their case especially, she didn't want anything that could lead to further harm, or even death, to poke its head up. She just finished eating when she finally parsed Selma's statement and smiled. "That's right. Though that makes me wonder... Have any of you been told anything further about that incident? I almost doubt that they'll inform us unless it just so happens that we go up against the same group as part of our duties. Even so, I'd hope they'd tell us if they learn more about those things." With that, she popped in a piece of sugarfree gum. No special codeword or passphrase this time, just simple spearmint for after a meal to get any food flecks out of her teeth. She offered a piece to each of the other four girls as well. --- 'How did it feel to use your powers for the first time?' "... As well as expected, I'd think. It felt freeing. It felt like I could handle whatever was thrown at me." 'Do you feel any different since your transformation?' "No different, really. I do like the idea that I can go back into that state of freedom at will now, though." 'What are your thoughts about your encounter with the Void?' "I think that it's a lot easier to deal with them as an Ars Magi than it would be otherwise." 'What are your thoughts on how your teammates preformed?' There was a moment of silence as she thought about it. Finally, she grinned slightly. "They're fantastic."</s>
<\|description\|>Crystal von Caelestis The Mundane Age: 16 Sanctum City: Norba Description: Crystal stands at 5 feet 7 inches and weighs 143 pounds. She has above-average musculature, built from good genes and rather extreme physical training. She has black hair usually tied in twintails and hazel eyes that seem to pierce through what they look at. She tends to be slouched somewhat when she's not taking something seriously, which is most of the time. Personality: Crystal is a mixed-bag of personality traits, according to the psychologist she visits on a monthly basis. She is not shy, but is quiet and keeps to herself. She is not outgoing, but can become overexcited by the things she enjoys. She is usually calm, and often confident, but the times when she's not she tends to reach the other extreme of hyperactive or pessimistic, respectively. She tends to spend her free time drawing or reading, often both being based around manga, though she also enjoys drawing more realistic styles as well. She is also almost always preoccupied with writing stories to go with her art. Crystal has the bad habits of chewing gum and, strangely, blowing air up from her mouth towards her forehead, usually messing up her bangs. She has the affliction of obsessive compulsive disorder, though with her medication one would never know it. When she is unable to take them, however, she becomes a nervous wreck and her habits explode in severity. Background: Crystal von Caelestis is a part of the extended family of the Jupiter family of the Duodecim. That is to say, she is a cousin of the heir to the family. Or rather, she would be if her uncle had a child. As it stands, she and her cousins are all later in line than a nonexistent relative for purposes of succession. Once her uncle marries and has children, they will be the next generation of the Jupiter family line. As such, she was raised in a very noble-esque environment in which she was given great freedom to pursue her interests while also being taught and trained at a higher level than most. She is skilled in the arts not because she wished to be, but because she must be in order to properly represent the Caelestis family. She is in good physical shape and skilled with weapons not because she has passion for it, but because she must be able to defend herself and others if necessary. She only recently discovered that she has access to magic, and was very quickly enrolled in Nova Lux Academy. As such, she feels rushed and out of place. The Magical Armgaus Name: Frozen Blue Sapphire Gladius: Parma: Elementum: Ice Elementum Abilities: Crystal can both form ice from nowhere and remove heat from an area, causing coldness to form. She is able to freeze things with a touch, or with some effort do so without physical contact. While she cannot do things like throwing spears of ice telepathically, she can certainly create them in such a way as to pierce a target without needing to be moved. Her ability to remove heat from an area usually manifests as control of the temperature surrounding her, and a distaste of heat means that she often uses this trick when she is able to use magic at all to help keep her cooled off. Somewhat strangely, her magic has minor purifying properties; freezing water with her magic will also remove most impurities from it.</s> <\|message\|>Aoife Sturmgaard --- Aoife spun in and out of the crowd, each time her team had spied her, she'd be with a new partner. Both left feet in full swing as her moves were significantly jauntier than need be. Still, with this unceasing damage to her charisma unfolding for everyone to see, what a prize she was. A symbol, of an unwavering, unabashed, joy. Everyone wanted to dance with the clumsy Ars Magi, not because of her talent, but because of what her dance said, albeit with stutters and run on sentences aplenty. Even this girl, who had seen the yawning void beyond their walls, who had begun to carry the weight of a humanity who would persevere, even she, could enjoy a night of dancing, still. Eventually, a shock of blonde hair found her arms and swept her away from the drooling masses. Her hair spinning wide around her, curtailing Noel's move to dip her into a lower stance. "Hey babe," says her former partner. Aoife laughs a throaty chuckle, flicking either eyebrow up and down and puckering her lips. "Oh, hey baby," that last note hanging in the air. "It's good to see you again!" Time apart from other Ars Magi was always nebulous. Even a week-long goodbye was heavy for these girls. If you knew you'd not be there for their next mission, not there to potentially make the difference that could save someone's life. Noel lightning blitzed through a few key details of her week's past and upcoming. Aoife got caught on her general static energy. Just the nature of a girl conducive to being absolutely charged at all times. Aoife nodded in great excitement at the prospect of getting to work together once again. "Water and lightning, is there a better combination?" She giggled. The music's pace quickened, and so too did Noel's movements. "You'd think for the Ars Magi of water I'd have a better flow than this." Aoife chuckled under breath and, for a moment, she considered perhaps trying a bit harder. Perhaps, if she thought about dancing like her movements in battle, it would be easier. All of the sudden, she was fighting this strange longing. This urge to perfect the dance she so clearly was stumbling through. Aoife reached up to her hair, pulling on a small ribbon that kept the ensemble up and eloquent. It fell gracefully upon her shoulders as she tied a small knot around her and Noel's hand with the ribbon. "If you lead, I'll follow." She gave herself over to her partner, closing her eyes completely. Darkness enveloped her, the music faded and people turned towards them, but Aoife saw none of it. She braced herself, breathed deep, and then Noel began to move. Aoife felt the step through Noel's hand and into her own body, as if it was simply an extension of herself. She moved in time, stepping as well. The two began a fairly simple, yet completely elegant dance. They spun around one another, Aoife a whole new girl. Her eyes closed, hair down, still somehow moving in time with her partner. She looked like an oracle. For such an unprofessional girl, it was sometimes surprising how much she was capable of changing. Like the tides. She wondered if her team could see her, or who they had ended up dancing with. She felt her lips crack into a big, toothy grin, as the music seemed to follow Aoife and Noel on their journey around the ballroom, stepping in and around everybody with a care and ease like a river flowing around a rocky shoreline.</s> <\|message\|>益頭知絵 --- --- "Cayman Sow..." Chie repeated inside her thoughts. An odd name to her, something unlike anything else she's heard before. She repeated it a few times in the safety of her own mind as her new partner guided the two of them through the initial steps of the dance. Chie was stiffer than when she'd danced with Selma, and this officer-to-be didn't take long to catch onto that. He commented on Chie's nerves, tried reassuring her. Didn't really help, in the end. Chie's clumsy dancing was but one of many factors leading to her continued discomfort. "Is this the first time you've been to a ball, Chie?" the boy asked of her. "Mhm... yeah," she gave as a short but clear reply. The boy went on about how most of the Ars Magi aren't used to this, prompting Chie to look up at him and tilt her head a bit. "Is that... so?" she asked. "I'm from Calcaria... I never went to something like this, there. My team all seemed familiar with it, though... so I thought I was just an exception," she explained, opening up a bit to her dance partner. Chie briefly pondered her last statement, then opened her mouth again to ask something herself. "And you officers? Are you split into teams like us Magi?" she asked of him. "I don't know much of the officer school. Could you tell me a bit about it?"</s>	<\|message\|>Crystal von Caelestis Crystal glanced in the direction Castra had gone before slumping her shoulders just barely enough to be noticeable. "Thank you, Liam. I appreciate it. If you wish to dance, however, it would be wrong of me to refuse." She took a moment to look the boy over before continuing, regardless of whether the two began to dance or not. "Though if I may offer some advice to the one who saved me from losing my mind in public... Take those lessons." Crystal smiled softly, the first time since she got to the ball. There's practical reasons, but I assume a boy would more care about the way dancing has been made into a courting process. It's silly, but not everyone will find skipping out on the formality endearing." Her smile turned to a frown. "Apologies. I didn't intend to be as condescending as I sounded." She continued without waiting for a response, finding herself rambling now, likely to her future detriment. "I've been forbidden from using my usual coping mechanism for stress, and have more than I should for a self-imposed reason. Then there's the heat from sticking so many people in one location, the speech that went on and yet nowhere, the need to keep up appearances... Though it's selfish of me to be under such duress when everyone is experiencing those things all the same." The quiet girl was talking more than she normally would as a way to keep her mind occupied. When she noticed this, she stopped, her eyes widening slightly as she caught herself. "And now I'm rambling and making a fool of myself. Once again you have my apologies." Depending on whether the young man wished to dance regardless, Crystal would find herself in one of two realities. As Crystal took position to begin, she seemed to outsiders to be a bastion of stoicism. In truth, the familiar steps took almost no effort after having them seared into her mind from practice and helped alleviate her mind a little. Though a particularly observant partner might notice how Crystal's grip got slightly too tight when it was necessary to tighten, and slightly too loose when it wasn't; how her steps were slightly too light, as if she were stepping on ice and trying not to slip. However, as the dance wound down to a close, she was again smiling, regardless of how well her partner had faired. "That was surprisingly pleasant. Thank you once again, Liam." she curtseyed once again with her non-existent skirt and began looking for her teammates, her social obligations hopefully fulfilled for the day. Thanking Liam for his assistance, Crystal would look around at her teammates, hopeful that they were nearing the end of their own dances. She felt selfish, but she really did want to present her work to them. Though the thought of their opinions being negative towards it brought her stress levels back up. She could only hope that she'd get a chance to show them and that they'd at least have some constructive criticism.</s>
<\|description\|>Aoife Sturmgaard The Mundane Age: 17. Sanctum City: Danaster, Jupiter Description: Personality: An easygoing and extroverted girl, Aoife is most well defined as fairly well adjusted. She's generally content, athletic and fairly charismatic if a bit apathetic to the opinions of others. A flaw for Aoife is that she does not feel much motivation nor drive. She lives each day happy and generally without regret, and yet there is something missing from her life. A destination, perhaps a goal. And yet, above all else, Aoife is content. She does not want for much - nor does she lack pride in the work she does. She does not fear conflict nor battle, for what does it mean to be an Ars Magi if not to stand tall when others cower? To lord over the darkness, and demand once more that it is thrust back into the breach from which is leapt? Background: The Sturmgaard house is a noble one, or, they were. During the first void they thought themselves unsung heroes, poachers of evil – until that fallacy was made apparent. The patriarch of the Sturmgaard family and Aoife's grandfather was struck down unceremoniously while defending a small ensemble of aristocratic cowards. Though, Aoife's mother had told her that they weren't really cowards at all. In fact, they were quite brave for the time. The first void made cowards of humanity, pushing themselves ever further into their spires of humanity, biting back at the darkness which each opportunity like a caged rat. The Sturmgaard's, lacking a leader, fell significantly to a place of humility. They did what they could to make ends meet, often making busy work of Aoife and her three siblings as they were raised to make ends meet. That was, until one day when one of those cowards came to pay the Sturmgaard family a visit. He was a young man, no greyer than Aoife's eldest brother. He bore a sickening scar leading form somewhere below his collar all the way to his forehead. He did not come to pay homage to a dead man, nor to honour the family in particular, but to good on a promise he once swore. This man carried with him a blade he claimed had belonged to Aoife's grandfather once, it was a beautiful thing. When Aoife saw it glistening in the candlelight, it was as if seeing one's self for the first time. Her life, clarified in a single sentiment, this was what she was made for. She reached out to the blade without asking nor thinking, but to her surprise, no one stopped her. They watched in silence as she took the blade in her hands, its beautiful azure ribbon lazily dangling from the pommel. Her mother said something like 'you'll have to work hard at it', but, in fact, she was wrong. Aoife had extraordinary magical aptitude untapped and ready to be explored. Nothing had ever come to easier to her than her training to become one of the Ars Magi. It took her family a few years of saving until they could afford to let her walk the path she now saw before her. Her goodbyes were all oddly unspectacular. As if she was simply running out to pick up some food for tonight's dinner. Aoife didn't mind. The time for tears had long since passed. In front of her Aoife could see that there was a simple road that she would walk until she could no longer. The path of the Ars Magi. The Magical Armgaus Name: Lazy Spring Lazulite Gladius: A sword with an extending ribbon with a half-moon blade. named 'Joyeuse' after Charlemagne's weapon of myth. Aoife is able to use the ribbon as a whip of sorts, swinging the half-moon blade with deadly precision, while the Jian straight sword is honed to a razor's edge. Both ends are immediately deadly, and allow for off-kilter attacking patterns, Aoife relies on enemies only needing to make one misstep to end the fight. Parma: While Aoife's clothes and demeanor shift dramatically she physically stays almost exactly the same. Save for her eyes which look like swirling pools of navy. Aoife's demeanor shifts from that of a lackidasical part-girl to one of utmost confidence and unerring charisma. Even in the most dire of circumstances it is the unholy belief in herself that allows Aoife to push further than most. Her attire changes to something of a mystic's features. She wears black tights with the constellation of aquarius imprinted onto them. Her light blue bodice is wrapped delicately with silk gloves that stretch the entire length of her arms, though it's a much more durable material. A large witch's hat completes the outfit, casually flopping from one side to another, with no bearing on direction. Elementum: Water Elementum Abilities: There are many wise men who have commented on the tumultuous, often violent nature of the sea, ocean and water as a whole. Aoife takes those words to heart when she fights. Water is bending, but unbreakable, a steady stream blocked will erode even steel over time. Aoife is able to take powerful blows and shrug them off with minimal effort. She can manipulate any liquid element from water to blood. She can compress it to create a high powered jet, drain plant life of all its moisture, or use it to soften attacks. Aoife cannot control hydrogen or oxygen separately, however. Likewise, she cannot control water in its solid form, ice. Aoife is also capable of swimming at speeds far surpassing boats, as well as breath underwater. One techique she's grown quite fond of are creating bubbles that act as shields or cushions, by manipulating the water she can create extremely durable bubbles capable of catching a person falling from a building or absorbing a dangerous blow. Her highest feat of strength is that with some level of concentration she is capable of making thunderstorms by manipulating the clouds themselves. Though, this is not simply done at a whim and requires a good deal of careful exertion.</s> <\|message\|>Crystal von Caelestis --- Crystal was nearly beside herself. It was hard enough to find a pair of pants in her size, because she would most certainly not be attending a dance of any sort in a skirt, nevermind that she left on the stockings that were part of the girls' uniform underneath the borrowed pants, but she was specifically and explicitly told that chewing gum would not be allowed. Yes, she understood that the purpose of the Ball was entirely appearance, she'd of course been to similar pointless events before, but it's not as if she couldn't hide the fact that she had a piece in her mouth! She was a master of the art of making it seem like there was nothing there when she was in fact chewing gum, but the risk presented with practicing this art was too high, this time. And worse still, she was forced to let her hair down for the first time in public since being accepted to the Academy, solely because she knew that at the least a representative of her uncle would be there, and Hell would take her before she let it get back to her father that she still wore twintails when able. ... Perhaps her new teammates were a bad influence, for her to be so upset. She could feel the very air around one of those teammates radiate with metaphorical, and perhaps even literal, heat. Though the ban on her favorite coping mechanism was certainly not helping, nor was the very real raised heat from the bodies in the hall. She was very tempted to use what magic she could without transforming to cool herself down, but decided that that too was a risk too large; should it be necessary to show her magic for some likely meaningless but impressive folly, she would be remiss to have already used it up for her comfort. Though her reasoning ability was certainly wavering, likely due to a double dose of her medication that morning in preparation for this event, and the temptation was growing stronger. Still, she sat there dressed impeccably with the full outfit required of her, albeit mismatched between the tie, top, and stockings of the female uniform but the pants of the Officer Academy; she even had on a read hairbow to keep her hair tied to at least fifty-percent of the level she preferred. Unlike how she was certain her teammates felt, Crystal did not mind the tie. This presumption was proven at least partially true by Rivka nearly tearing hers in her attempt to get it off as soon as the speech ended. And the speech! As bland and pointless as any she had been forced to endure before. But at least it was something to take the attention of the other four at her table away from her, or away from anything more likely, so that they likely wouldn't notice her apprehension growing as the speech went on. It was natural; the more the speech went on the closer it was to coming to a close, and the closer she got to having to present her ideas to her team. Luckily Rivka took her earliest opportunity to leave the table and took the approaching event horizon with her. If her whole team wasn't there then she could put off the reveal until they were all together again, which she hoped would be the end of the Ball. Giving her a thumbs up in response to her smile, Crystal took an opposing position to her fiery teammate by choosing to remain seated. If there was any need for her to interact then let it be not by her own choice, especially not in the state she was in. Nervousness and manufactured calmness were fighting in her enough to not need to worry about anything other than keeping the latter at more force than the former. And so she sat.</s> <\|message\|>益頭知絵 --- --- Rivka, Selma, Crystal and Aoife were all misfits, which you'd think would make Chie an exception among them, but the general sense of feeling out-of-place at the military ball hadn't escaped her, either. Her eyes were generally found wandering during the speeches, boredom striking her as much it does any girl her age. She didn't show it on her impassive face, honed through starting to get used to her teammates, but Chie was wanting to just bolt right out of the whole endeavour. Rivka and Crystal had a harder time masking it, though. Everyone did, really. The served dinner felt less gratifying than their usual, even though it was of a higher quality. There wasn't much conversation happening between the five of them, making for a stiffer atmosphere. As not much was happening, Chie took a moment to ponder about her time at Nova Lux so far. She'd spent most of it either in training, or with Selma in their room. Selma was nice, but Chie felt like she was a bad fit- the tree of a girl was always trying to encourage Chie, who just nodded along each time without much input. While it's true Chie hadn't really gotten over her screw-up in the initial demonstrations, she'd been trying to make up for it by losing herself in the aforementioned training. Every chance she got, she'd practice and practice. Practice until she was sore all over, until her magic had been exhausted. The instructors, of course, told her not to push herself, met with a response of her saying she'd try, but she never actually did try to reel it in. Chie felt some burning drive, some obligation to live up to her peers. Even when Selma had told her she didn't need to. As much as she liked to muse, though, Chie noticed a shifting figure in the corner of her eye, which had pulled her away from the realm of dreams. "Rivka?" she muttered. It wasn't really her calling out to the other girl, mostly just a reflex. Chie noticed the music that had begun to be played and assumed Rivka wished to go dance. "Aha, I didn't think Rivka was the type for a waltz..." she said to the other four. Chie leaned forward a bit, resting her head in her hand. She gave Selma a sideway glance. "I've never actually done one before. Do you think we should try it out?" she asked. The question was aimed at everyone, but Chie's stare made it seem like she was talking directly to her roommate, asking her for a dance as opposed to one of the officers there.</s>	<\|message\|>Aoife Sturmgaard Aoife had probably gone through a dozen suits and dresses before she found something she felt worked for her. She had gone back and forth between trying to wear something that felt as though it matched her personal combat style. Something that would read wavey, free, like a river or ocean. However, she'd not found something that felt as though it'd look good on her in movement – kind of defeated the purpose to portray flow if it only looked good in a picture. She finally settled on a navy dress with a waist slit that allowed her entire left leg to emerge from its depths. It was something of a daring number, but Aoife felt that she looked a little clumsy in it. Regardless, it was her best option at the moment It didn't take a detective to suss out the fact that Aoife had two left feet and had spent even fewer hours at an affair quite like this one. She'd once been to a 16th birthday party that had some similarities to this event. In that there were some middle-aged men performing, as well as a couple teens who were trying to avoid speaking to one another. Outside of those key similarities though, there really wasn't much there for Aoife to draw on. During quite a bit of the proceedings Aoife stole glances from her teammates, each of which had somewhat unique reactions to what was happening. Rivka looked like she was contemplating turning her own weapon on herself, Crystal for what it was worth looked to be deliberating between bringing about another ice age, or toughing it out. She was walking that line like a trapeze artist, nearly tumbling to either side as the speeches carried on far past what anyone would consider to be reasonable. Chie seemed to, not unlike Aoife herself, taking stock of where the rest of the team was at. She couldn't help but wonder what Chie would read from her own decidedly blank visage. She figured most people would assume there wasn't much that Aoife would know about these kinds of situations, but she looked content enough she supposed. As soon as the final speech silenced, the band jumped to life and Rivka leapt from her seat. Chie made some kind of a quip about how Rivka didn't seem the type to waltz, but Aoife wondered if that were true. Rivka was someone who wanted to be an auteur. Aoife hadn't spent enough time with the girl to know that was true about every other aspect of her life, but it was certainly true in a fight. Aoife suspected it bled over to everything else she did as well. The waltz, Aoife assumed, was a way for Rivka to express herself like any other. Aoife spied as she ripped her neck from her tie, her hand stuffing it into a pocket of the double-breasted number she'd worn, and pulled off, excellently. Aoife watched as Chie asked Selma for a dance, or perhaps she'd been asking everyone still at the table? It wasn't clear as she made direct eye contact with their coniferous teammate. Aoife gulped down some lasting semblance of an internal monologue begging her not to get up with the rest of her teammates. She gulped down the last of her water that splashed about in a crystal glass as if it was a shot of the strongest whiskey she'd ever had and regarded her teammates, speaking for the first time in words that weren't pleasantries for the entire night. "Ladies, if I, or one of you don't make it back from this, it has been an absolute honour," she said. She strode out to the dancefloor without a single sense of rhythm in her body, and looked for some hope for salvation, whatever form that may take.</s>
<\|description\|>Axel 070705 Appearance: Long, dark brown hair, pale skin, tall for his age at 6-foot-even. He wears a black t-shirt and black denim jeans with a fishing-line string tied to 3 dark blue feathers that hang from his neck. He has no skin abnormalities. Personality: At first glance, Axel is the fun-loving, hard-headed, general class-clown/meathead/nerd who can escape his cell easily. Because he's never caused any real damage or gone overboard with his trouble, and goes back to his room when it's all said and done, he's usually just chased around and shot at with non-lethal rounds, both because they don't want to seriously hurt him and because metal bullets give him more ammo. He treats the other patients with calm respect, until they give him a reason not to, and is extremely kind to younger kids, trying to act like an older brother. He plays dumb but it's possible to see his true genius if you look hard enough. Abilities: Metal Manipulation: 30 pts Doctor: Dr. Turner Name: Hayden 050507 Appearance: He is an average height, very muscular, 16-year-old boy, with blond hair and green eyes. He keeps his hair cut high-and-tight for the military look. He wears the normal blue Trainee uniform. He has scars on his hands resembling burn marks from fire (left) and electricity (right). Personality: Hayden is a strict, no-nonsense kind of guy who would rather spend time training than goofing off. Because of his maturity and natural leadership, he has assumed the "leader" role amongst the Trainees. Abilities: Pyrokinesis: 5 pts / Elektrokinesis: 5 pts / Imbuement: 20 pts [Hayden can charge any weapon he holds with fire or electricity for additional damage.] Doctor: Dr. Sing and Dr. Hayes. Corruption: Killed a fellow subject in self-defense. Weapons:</s> <\|message\|>Axel 070705 Axel looked at each of the kids as they came out of their rooms. He knew he was about to get a lot of questions. He didn't realize which hallway he was in until he saw which kids were coming out. 'What is it that you're up to this time?' Kitty asked, seeming to lead the group. "The same as usual, just taking a breather," he answered. "I used my power to create a barrier so I could get a couple of minutes of rest before I continue on back towards my room." Axel sighed. "Is there a plan" Jain was next to ask. "Plan to get out? Not yet. This just ended up being a wrong turn." Axel frowned with a sigh. "I don't think this is a good idea," Lance said softly at first. "What if they catch you?" "If you don't want to go down with me, I suggest retreating back in your room," Axel remarked, reaching to reattach his metal limbs. "Um... does anyone know what's going on?" Felix questioned next. "Alright, I'm only gonna say this once," Axel said as he rose to his feet. "If you want to run around with me, you're welcome to join. Otherwise, return to your rooms before you get in trouble. I don't want you to get hurt because of me." He placed his right hand against the barrier he made. "You have 10 seconds." "Goddammit!" he yelled. "They already know where I am!" With his flesh arm, he punched the metal barricade, inadvertently punching a hole through it. "And there's bound to be some corrupted headed this way too!" ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ On the other side of the barricade, the guards saw Axel's fist fly through the metal. "He's trapped!" came the loud voice of the Sergeant. "Either he'll let down this barricade or he'll run into the trainees." He looked around at every person, nodding as each one held their weapons at the ready. "Either way, be ready for combat!" The guards cheered in response. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Trainees, this is Sergeant Marks. Subject 070705, codename Axel, is on the loose again. Subdue with non-lethal attacks only." Many of the young teens whooped and hollered in joy. "Finally, some action," one of them laughed. They were more than ready to charge down the halls, and that's exactly what they did. "Sergeant Marks, this is Hayden 050507. Trainees are on their way. What is his location?"</s> <\|message\|>Kathrine 040105 Kitty didn't need to turn her head to see what Axel was looking at. She could already hear them, their thoughts like an echo chamber in her own head thanks to the barriers that kept them separated having been removed by the metal manipulator in his attempt to buy time. It was annoying hearing them all, especially when Laika decided to move closer. She wasn't normal, hadn't been for a long time, and it showed from more than just her appearance. The whirling that came from her thoughts was by far the worst since the closest thing she could describe to the sound was something like a computer error being elongated into a screech that was how her thoughts, as minimal and instruction like as they were, was broadcasted to be like a voice. She would bet that had something to do with how she was more tech than person nowadays. Fearful chittering was more apparent than anything else. Lance and Felix's voices were whispering it, softly while on the outside to Axel they asked the same question all of them had without realizing it. Axel was growing more agitated the more it was asked, her gaze following him like a hawk as he sauntered away from her door and over to the barricade. Zale wanted his plants. He didn't want to be here, being outside of his room meant bad things were going to occur to him and them. Jain wanted to leave and assumed Axel had a way- More voices pierced into her skull like a siren just as Axel's arm went through his own barrier, cutting off whatever train of thought Kitty had completely from the sudden influx. The people on the other side of it were starting to be bleed through. She couldn't hear Axel's yelling over the guards on the other side, the sound causing her to lift her hand up to her head as she swayed into her doorframe for support until the loudness of the new voices ebbed away enough for her to think. 'They've called for them.' The kids in the hall could all hear her voice in their head, though she was staring right at Axel, her eyes narrowed somewhat as she walked past all the kids to stand beside him, her gaze softening when she looked behind her at the younger ones in their current makeshift group; Vale, Jain, Felix, and Lance. 'And the guards are expecting a fight.'</s> <\|message\|>Vale 020108 Vale's eyes widened as the sounds of the guards grew louder. Wrapping his arms around himself, he fidgetted nervously, his stance always shifting. Hugging himself, then his arms dropping, then hands moved to the hair that fell over his shoulder, stroking it. The anxiety was beginning to bubble up, and it was obvious as he shifted and moved. "A-a fight? Well...Well, don't give them a fight!" Swallowing, Vale shook his head as he backed away from Axel and Kitty, glancing behind him at the slowly emerging people from the other rooms. Head snapping to attention as the speakers sounded off, the young man bit his lip, before looking back towards Axel and Kitty. "If you fight them, it'll only get worse. There's no getting out of here, you know. With however many times people have tired and failed, you'd think other's would learn by now," as he looked away, there was a flash of something in his eye. Sadness? Pain? It was a foolish effort, he thought, on Axel's part, but he understood why they did it. This place...It was horrible. What they were made to do, what they were, it wasn't normal. At least, that was what he had learned from the stories he read. "You should just turn yourself in. Maybe they'll go easier on you..."</s> <\|message\|>Jain 011106 Angry that the others seemed already defeated, worried about the corrupt Jain was just thrilled to see the faces of her fellow guinea pigs. The only time her blindfold was removed was in her heated white room, a room they had cleverly done in all white and bright lights, lights two times as bright as the others endured and she was free of it. Knowing they'd all get some blame just for stepping outside of their rooms she weighed her options and smiled as she began winding up her ability into combat mode imagining people caught then released, runners released into the paths of other runners weapons vanishing, her favorite pivoted 180 zenith and appearing face first 2 feet above the hard floor where they could spend their former horizontal velocity into the hard floor. Snap, snap, snap she said as she recalled the sound of pickup implosions air rushing in to fill the void where her target once was.</s> <\|message\|>Lance 032307 Lance took a step back as Axel equipped himself. He seemed bothered by the broken record of questions, but Lance couldn't do anything about that. Usually the doors do not suddenly remove themselves the solid frames that house each of the children. It was muffled, but there was a commotion on the other side of the barrier, and Axel looked ready to tackle it head on. Perhaps his annoyance of answering the same question spurred a want to fight. With only ten seconds to make a decision, Lance started back towards his unsealed room. It was one thing to for Alex to cause trouble. While Lance had not known him personally, he knew of the antics he was capable of. This seemed a bit more on the extreme side. Lance knew not to piss off the guards, the staff, the doctors, whoever really. They took their work seriously, and Lance could not help but feel powerless. What was he going to do? He couldn't stop the guards, and he certainly couldn't stop Axel. "This is a bad idea." Lance said, using his eyes to try and urge the others to also retreat to their rooms. It didn't work as most if not all of the attention was on Axel and his barricade. He yelled and then punched the wall, penetrating the amalgam of metal clean through. It didn't take much more than Kitty to tell him the guards were ready to fight. "I told you this was a bad idea." Said Lance as he quickly turned and ducked back into his room. He looked out to see that guards were starting to break through. Lance didn't want to be a part of that fight. Axel made this mess; he should have to deal with it. Lance was sorry that he couldn't do more to help the others though. Not that they needed his help, but he was afraid they would sink with the same ship Axel was sailing.</s> <\|message\|>Laika 022805 Laika, for her own part, didn't appear very moved by the increasingly tense situation, though as Kitty was made uncomfortably aware of, there was invariably a lot more going on under the surface than was visible as a glance, even if the continual electric shriek of constant information was quite difficult to parse. By this point she had risen from her sitting position and walked into the corridor itself. No shoes on her feet, but the compression suit more of less obscured any glimpse of skin below the neck, and it wasn't especially good protection for the feet where it came to running around. "Nine currently, due to extended conversing." She tilted her head slightly to one side. "Broad stroke security techniques frequently recommended in facilitating the clearance of a corridor where all security is disabled as a means to protect security personnel." Other side. "All present subjects lacking security clearance may become potential targets for enforcement measures." Which seemed, in her roundabout way of conveying it, that as far as she was concerned, they were probably all potential targets for trainees at this point. Which was, presumably, the reason she'd not made much attempt to return to her own room, and instead was watching the barrier. Well, watching the barrier until she flicker her way back over to the cameras outside of it, looking out for what the current threat consisted of.</s>	<\|message\|>Axel 070705 "Of course they are." Axel sighed, repairing his wall as he pulled his hand out. Then Vale started going off about getting in trouble and fighting. Axel grabbed Vale with his metal arm and carried him back to his room. "Stay in your room if you don't want to get in trouble." Using the minimal amount of metal, he made a quick metal mesh that Vale would easily be able to punch through. "Trust me, you're safer in there than with us. With Lance choosing to stay in his room, Axel looked at the girls. As far as he could tell, they were all ready to fight. "Barrier's coming down," he announced, putting his hand on it. Immediately, he became armored and weaponized, wielding a pair of large swords. With the wall down, the guards opened fire with their rubber bullets. Axel blocked as many as the shots as he could, making himself a barrier for the girls to hide behind as they countered the adults. "Be glad they're using rubber," he said to the girls, a slight smirk on his face. Then running footsteps and hollering could be heard behind them. It sounded like the trainees were coming. "You girls got them," he said, leaving his armor as a small wall for them as he rushed towards the trainees to begin trying to hold them off. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ From outside their room, Brayden and David could hear the shouts of the corrupted as they ran through the halls. Many of the trainees that passed by their small window could be seen holding various weapons, though not all of them needed any. Most of the guards they passed were pressed against the walls to allow the teenagers in uniform to pass them without trouble, though a couple of guards got ran over because they were too slow to react.</s>
<\|description\|>Kathrine 040105 Appearance: Her hair is completely white and has been cut into a bob with side swept bangs to frame her heart shaped face. Her features are soft, from a button nose to Cupid's bow lips, only her grayish blue eyes are the "sharpest" feature she has that give off the vibe that she can see into people despite her long lashes giving her an innocent appearance. She's very pale, and has a few scars, like at her earlobes where earrings have been snatched from her ears to the line across her neck that people speculate as the reason she's mute. Standing at only 5'4", she is fairly small and has a violin type body with love handles on her wide hips. Her nails are slightly grown out and are normally left unpainted. Mostly wears large sweaters that engulf her frame as well as hide her shorts almost and high socks that stop at her thighs. Though she favors one hoodie in particular that has a large front pocket and cat ears attached to the hood itself, it's white with a pastel pink (left) and blue (right) sleeves. Often wears a choker of some kind around her neck to cover the scar. Is forced to wear gloves by the staff to cover her hands so it's more noticeable when she goes out of her way to have skin contact with things. Personality: Kathrine, or as she prefers to be called by anyone who listens, Kitty, is an escape artist who detests being there. The attempts seem to be something she has always done, but they might hear her voice chime in their head telling them each time the thought arises that she started doing it because they took her voice away. Not that she ever says how, but rumors spread easily when there isn't much else to do but follow the same routine day in and day out. She isn't one for joking around outside of being sarcastic, but she doesn't try to dampen other people's fun. It's rare to see her interact directly with people when she isn't forced to, but being in the general vicinity is more the norm. And those around her never seem to suffer from any accidents despite how some of the younger kids are very clumsy when they get spooked from suddenly noticing she's there. Whether it is actually her doing or not, she wouldn't say and those who dislike her privacy invading abilities never would attribute anything positive to her anyway. Her escape attempts have lessened now that she's been allowed to read new books after she finished the ones offered to the rest of the kids. She enjoys reading and puzzles, anything intellectually stimulating and distracting without requiring another person is really how she passes her time since she keeps her nose out of other people's business. Well, she tries. Abilities: Telepathy (15pts), Telekinesis (7pts), Psychometry (8pts) Doctor: Dr. Hayes</s> <\|message\|>Lance 032307 Lance was lying on the floor staring at the lights above. He had put down a blanket and pillow for comfort from the hard ground. The light would dim and then return to its proper illumination. He didn't pay much mind to the noise that was coming from the hall. It wasn't uncommon for guards to come and go moving people in and out. He leaned up from his cushion to see that his door was open, but there weren't any guards there to escort him. He looked at it with a raised eyebrow and turn over to his knees to stand himself up. People were talking outside, so he walked up to the entrance to his room to find that the door wasn't just open, but it had completely vanished. The mystery of the missing metal door quickly fell wayside as he spotted his neighbors also entering the hall. The other didn't seem all that concern about what the guards might think with them all out of their rooms. It just wasn't his door that had went missing. Now he was more confused. The missing door became his concern again. Where did all the doors go, and why wasn't anyone bothered by it? He leaned out, but kept most of his person still in the room as possible to see that Kitty and the others were gathering near what looked like a hastily made mound of metal acting like some sort of blockade. There was chatter on the other side, the noise he was hearing before, at least in part. Did one of them do that? Was it Axel? The person resting looked like Axel. Slowly, he left his room to meet the others. He gave a slight glance to Jain as he passed her to approach the others. "I don't think this is a good idea." he said softly at first. "What if they catch you?" The metal blockade looked bad. He didn't want to them to get into trouble. Then again, he wasn't sure if Axel could get out of this without getting in trouble, but at least he could help Kitty and the others.</s> <\|message\|>Felix – 040309 Felix had been struggling to understand the paper in his hands for a while now. Earlier he'd gotten curious about something scientific sounding Dr. Grey had mentioned and worked up the courage to ask what it meant, only to have been handed a paper well beyond what he could even begin to understand and promptly ignored. Still, Felix wanted to understand and as far as he was concerned surely Dr. Grey wouldn't have given him the paper if he couldn't have understood it. Finally, Felix was drawn from his impossible task by the repetitive sound of something metal striking the floor as it moved along the corridor outside his room, followed by his door seemingly melting and disappearing as said thing ran by. Was that the guy who could control metal? Probably, Felix had heard Axel do similar things before and that would explain how the door had disappeared. At first, Felix was content to leave it at that, not wanting to risk getting himself in trouble and expecting the guards to come running through at any moment like they usually did. When the guards didn't come however Felix felt his curiosity begin to rise, especially when he heard the sound of voices coming from the hallway. Still, leaving his room now was a bad idea, any number of things could go wrong if he stepped outside. What if he got in trouble? Or what if there was someone with a scary power waiting outside? Then again, he really wanted to know what was going on and it probably wouldn't hurt if he just took a peek... Sticking his head out through the now doorless doorway, Felix could see the Axel and the other occupants of the hallway talking amongst each other, most having already left their rooms. Felix recognised the older kids at least and while he couldn't say he knew any of them well, he was pretty confident none of them were particularly dangerous, at least not any more than was normal. To the other end of the hallway, Felix could see a crude metal barricade, presumably formed by Axel as he ran past earlier. That was a little frightening, it meant for now he was trapped. Had Axel trapped them in here on purpose? Probably not, Axel looked pretty tired. Then was it to keep something out? That would explain why the guards hadn't shown up. Then again, what if the barrier was to keep something else out entirely, like someone with a really scary power that had been chasing Axel? That would also explain why Axel looked tired. Or maybe this was all part of some kind of experiment or training? Finally, between his curiosity to find out just what was going on, and the somewhat irrational fear that something horrifying would burst through the barricade to terrorise them at any moment, Felix decided to approach the rest of the group where they'd gathered in the hall. "Um... does anyone know what's going on?"</s> <\|message\|>Laika 022805 Laika didn't really sleep, as such. Maintaining her intended operation made sleeping distinctly sub-optimal to performance, so part of the alterations were specifically designed to avoid that. As such, she hadn't had a bed for a while. Instead, at the time a certain other subject broke into the hallway on which here room was placed, Laika was in her default position: Sat on a mat on the floor, legs crossed, and arms in her lap. The cables that ran from the back of her skull and shoulders hung loose, straight down her back, sometimes to the floor. Her head, with angular features not really tinted from any abundance of sunlight, was tilted forwards. Her eyes were open, though at the moment displayed only an emissive white. Her actual visual was elsewhere, seeing all of this exchange from a whole different angle. That was, the security camera outside of the hall entrance. She watched a lot of things. That was, ater all, what she was made for. Escapes weren't all that statistically unusual, though it wasn't often that things came quite so close or immediate. It was only some moments after the removal of the doors that colour flooded back into Laika's eyes and she lifted her head, the silver rings of an iris moving with a quiet whirr of servos. The voice from the facility's techno monstrosity didn't come from her mouth as such, but out of anything audio capable in the vicinity. She had been provided with some speakers for this usage, though it didn't prevent it speaking right out of intercoms from time to time. It was a female voice, certainly, though far from anything natural there was a pitch-corrected artificiality about it. "There has been a subject containment breach." She tilted her head, over in Axel's direction, though it was always a little difficult to tell if Laika was actually looking at you, per se. "Conditional on actions prior to arrival in this section you are currently in violation of at least eight facility codes."</s> <\|message\|>Axel 070705 Axel looked at each of the kids as they came out of their rooms. He knew he was about to get a lot of questions. He didn't realize which hallway he was in until he saw which kids were coming out. 'What is it that you're up to this time?' Kitty asked, seeming to lead the group. "The same as usual, just taking a breather," he answered. "I used my power to create a barrier so I could get a couple of minutes of rest before I continue on back towards my room." Axel sighed. "Is there a plan" Jain was next to ask. "Plan to get out? Not yet. This just ended up being a wrong turn." Axel frowned with a sigh. "I don't think this is a good idea," Lance said softly at first. "What if they catch you?" "If you don't want to go down with me, I suggest retreating back in your room," Axel remarked, reaching to reattach his metal limbs. "Um... does anyone know what's going on?" Felix questioned next. "Alright, I'm only gonna say this once," Axel said as he rose to his feet. "If you want to run around with me, you're welcome to join. Otherwise, return to your rooms before you get in trouble. I don't want you to get hurt because of me." He placed his right hand against the barrier he made. "You have 10 seconds." "Goddammit!" he yelled. "They already know where I am!" With his flesh arm, he punched the metal barricade, inadvertently punching a hole through it. "And there's bound to be some corrupted headed this way too!" ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ On the other side of the barricade, the guards saw Axel's fist fly through the metal. "He's trapped!" came the loud voice of the Sergeant. "Either he'll let down this barricade or he'll run into the trainees." He looked around at every person, nodding as each one held their weapons at the ready. "Either way, be ready for combat!" The guards cheered in response. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Trainees, this is Sergeant Marks. Subject 070705, codename Axel, is on the loose again. Subdue with non-lethal attacks only." Many of the young teens whooped and hollered in joy. "Finally, some action," one of them laughed. They were more than ready to charge down the halls, and that's exactly what they did. "Sergeant Marks, this is Hayden 050507. Trainees are on their way. What is his location?"</s>	<\|message\|>Kathrine 040105 Kitty didn't need to turn her head to see what Axel was looking at. She could already hear them, their thoughts like an echo chamber in her own head thanks to the barriers that kept them separated having been removed by the metal manipulator in his attempt to buy time. It was annoying hearing them all, especially when Laika decided to move closer. She wasn't normal, hadn't been for a long time, and it showed from more than just her appearance. The whirling that came from her thoughts was by far the worst since the closest thing she could describe to the sound was something like a computer error being elongated into a screech that was how her thoughts, as minimal and instruction like as they were, was broadcasted to be like a voice. She would bet that had something to do with how she was more tech than person nowadays. Fearful chittering was more apparent than anything else. Lance and Felix's voices were whispering it, softly while on the outside to Axel they asked the same question all of them had without realizing it. Axel was growing more agitated the more it was asked, her gaze following him like a hawk as he sauntered away from her door and over to the barricade. Zale wanted his plants. He didn't want to be here, being outside of his room meant bad things were going to occur to him and them. Jain wanted to leave and assumed Axel had a way- More voices pierced into her skull like a siren just as Axel's arm went through his own barrier, cutting off whatever train of thought Kitty had completely from the sudden influx. The people on the other side of it were starting to be bleed through. She couldn't hear Axel's yelling over the guards on the other side, the sound causing her to lift her hand up to her head as she swayed into her doorframe for support until the loudness of the new voices ebbed away enough for her to think. 'They've called for them.' The kids in the hall could all hear her voice in their head, though she was staring right at Axel, her eyes narrowed somewhat as she walked past all the kids to stand beside him, her gaze softening when she looked behind her at the younger ones in their current makeshift group; Vale, Jain, Felix, and Lance. 'And the guards are expecting a fight.'</s>
<\|description\|>Vale 020108 Appearance: Vale is a pretty small young man, standing at about 5'5", and not going to get any taller. Skinny and small, he oftens uses his smallness to his advantage, hiding as often as he can from whoever lurks around the corner. Vale's hair is long, falling to about his mid-back when it's not tied up. It's a light blue tone, unnatural but brilliant. More often than not, it's tied into a ponytail, falling over his shoulder. Sometimes it's braided, and other times it's pulled into a bun. His left eye is covered by a black bandage, Vale never speaking of the reason why. His left eye is focused and shown, a brilliant blue color, close to the color of his hair. Personality: Vale is a very quiet boy. Preferring the company of himself, it's hard to get him to warm up to people. Really an open book though, it's hard to hide his disdain for others behind fake words. Lying was never a strong suit for the young man, and as he's grown older, it's gotten harder and harder. Often getting flustered at the smallest things, he's often seen with a red hue on his face, and an angry pout as he tries to deny the fact that he's embarrassed. He would rather tuck away with plants than with people. They're better friends than he's ever had, is his philosophy, but he also has never actually tried to connect to another human being. Humans are scary, unknown entities, while plants are exactly what they are. Abilities: Botanical Communication (10pts), Chlorokinesis (20pts) Doctor: Dr. Ward</s> <\|message\|>Axel 070705 Axel ran down the hall, the pat thunk of his feet echoing. Behind him, a bunch of yelling could be heard from the adult guards chasing him. He'd had trouble losing them and had actually lost track of where he was. He turned the corner and, upon seeing the metal doors, cheered as he stretched his metal left arm out. With his control over metal, he absorbed the doors into his arm before using all his speed to create a barrier at the end of the hallway, giving him enough of a reprieve from the running. What Axel didn't realize was the hallway held the rooms of Kitty, Laika, Vale, Jain, and Lance. He hadn't had the most interactions with them, except Kitty, but he didn't have anything bad to say about any of them. With a bit of time to rest, Axel took his metal limbs off, letting his arm and leg rest. Seeing the hallway blocked, the guards radioed in for backup. It was time to bring in the Trainees. There was no escape for the metal-boy this time.</s> <\|message\|>Kathrine 040105 Kitty was happily residing in her room reading on top of her bed whilst laying on her stomach. Using her thumb to turn the pages as she finished them, content in letting her mind be at peace with the words on the page being the only things to fill it with a voice. Her own. A rarity for her when she wasn't left to her own devices, with the silent change of her door turning to a liquid and flowing back to the teen who controlled it, a few thoughts wandered into her mind as her room became unsheltered from the hallway as well as the others down her hall. A familiar voice pinging in her mind ratherly loudly from proximity, and the white-haired girl placed her book down while she slipped off her bed. Landing on her feet, she silently walked over to the open doorway and peeked out with her head. Face deadpanned as her grayish blue eyes wandered to the figure resting on the wall next to her-- well where her door had been. The edges of her mouth twitching downward as her brows furrowed. 'Of course it would be you.' Her calm voice chimed in the metallic limbed boy's mind, clear as though she had actually whispered it in his ear despite how her lips hadn't moved at all, and she was verbally mute. Her head tilted to the side as she scanned the hallway to confirm what she had already guessed had happened. All of their doors were gone, and she was left with the whispers of their thoughts running in her head without much choice in the matter. With her own ears, she could hear the sounds of radios going behind the makeshift blockade Axel had made and rolled her eyes at the situation itself. 'What is it that you're up to this time?' She asked, without even looking back at him at first. Her question quietly placed in only his head to hear. Her gaze shifting back to him by the end, staring from the corners of her eyes at the familiar male who was taller than her despite her being older. Then again, life was rather unfair.</s>	<\|message\|>Vale 020108 It was the time of day that Vale hated the most. The time when they were all confined to their rooms, locked away from everyone else. The boy paced around the room, passed the stack of books that laid in the corner, passed his bed, around in a circle. Taking deep breaths, Vale was doing everything in his power to fight away the existential crisis that rang in his head. They were locked away again. Just like every other night. He was away from his plants, the only true friends he felt he had in his place, the only ones who really understood and heard him. The flood of light hit him. Startled, he jumped back, eye wide as he stared back at where the door to his room used to be. With some hesitation, he stepped forwards, fingers wrapping around the frame before he stuck his head out. "Uh..." Voice cracking as he spied the other two, there was another long pause from him, before he stepped out into the hallway. "...We're not supposed to leave our rooms," and yet here he was, out in the hall, going against the very thing that he said. Slowly, his gaze shifted passed the two other's, to the end of the hallway. "What did you do?" Moving his single eye from the end of the hall to the two that he now stood by, he began to wring his hands together, in a nervous motion.</s>
<\|description\|>Lance 032307 Appearance: He is about 5 ft tall weighing 98 lbs., on the slim side. He wears khakis, sneakers, and button-down shirts with different patterns (Stripes, zigzags, polka dots, etc.). He has pale skin, black hair that he lets grow out enough to cover his eyes. He has blue eyes and requires corrective lenses because he dislikes contacts. He doesn't care for or have jewelry or tattoos. He is as active as he can be. As a precaution, he has a heavy lead suit to move from room to room, so traveling without it is a privilege. Personality: He is a people pleaser who doesn't want to make those around him angry or upset to the point where he will sacrifice his own happiness and sometimes safety to achieve it. He will easily fall to peer pressure even if his personal morals would conflict with it. He'll treat everyone with respect and will accept blame justifying how his involvement might have caused the problem regardless of evidence. He enjoys walking, reading, and just being out of the room whenever that's possible. He doesn't like causing trouble. Abilities: Electromagnetic wave manipulation (15 Pt), Electromagnetic wave generation (10 Pt), Radiation immunity (5 Pt) He is capable of producing medium ranged waves easily ranging from UV, infrared, and visible light. He has to exert more effort for microwave and radio, and even more than that to reach x ray and gamma. He can increase/decrease wave length into other forms from an existing source more easily than producing them. Manipulation includes blocking waves so he can essentially create literal black out zones. This does not give him x-ray or infrared vision. Doctor: Dr. Sing</s> <\|message\|>Axel 070705 Axel ran down the hall, the pat thunk of his feet echoing. Behind him, a bunch of yelling could be heard from the adult guards chasing him. He'd had trouble losing them and had actually lost track of where he was. He turned the corner and, upon seeing the metal doors, cheered as he stretched his metal left arm out. With his control over metal, he absorbed the doors into his arm before using all his speed to create a barrier at the end of the hallway, giving him enough of a reprieve from the running. What Axel didn't realize was the hallway held the rooms of Kitty, Laika, Vale, Jain, and Lance. He hadn't had the most interactions with them, except Kitty, but he didn't have anything bad to say about any of them. With a bit of time to rest, Axel took his metal limbs off, letting his arm and leg rest. Seeing the hallway blocked, the guards radioed in for backup. It was time to bring in the Trainees. There was no escape for the metal-boy this time.</s> <\|message\|>Kathrine 040105 Kitty was happily residing in her room reading on top of her bed whilst laying on her stomach. Using her thumb to turn the pages as she finished them, content in letting her mind be at peace with the words on the page being the only things to fill it with a voice. Her own. A rarity for her when she wasn't left to her own devices, with the silent change of her door turning to a liquid and flowing back to the teen who controlled it, a few thoughts wandered into her mind as her room became unsheltered from the hallway as well as the others down her hall. A familiar voice pinging in her mind ratherly loudly from proximity, and the white-haired girl placed her book down while she slipped off her bed. Landing on her feet, she silently walked over to the open doorway and peeked out with her head. Face deadpanned as her grayish blue eyes wandered to the figure resting on the wall next to her-- well where her door had been. The edges of her mouth twitching downward as her brows furrowed. 'Of course it would be you.' Her calm voice chimed in the metallic limbed boy's mind, clear as though she had actually whispered it in his ear despite how her lips hadn't moved at all, and she was verbally mute. Her head tilted to the side as she scanned the hallway to confirm what she had already guessed had happened. All of their doors were gone, and she was left with the whispers of their thoughts running in her head without much choice in the matter. With her own ears, she could hear the sounds of radios going behind the makeshift blockade Axel had made and rolled her eyes at the situation itself. 'What is it that you're up to this time?' She asked, without even looking back at him at first. Her question quietly placed in only his head to hear. Her gaze shifting back to him by the end, staring from the corners of her eyes at the familiar male who was taller than her despite her being older. Then again, life was rather unfair.</s> <\|message\|>Vale 020108 It was the time of day that Vale hated the most. The time when they were all confined to their rooms, locked away from everyone else. The boy paced around the room, passed the stack of books that laid in the corner, passed his bed, around in a circle. Taking deep breaths, Vale was doing everything in his power to fight away the existential crisis that rang in his head. They were locked away again. Just like every other night. He was away from his plants, the only true friends he felt he had in his place, the only ones who really understood and heard him. The flood of light hit him. Startled, he jumped back, eye wide as he stared back at where the door to his room used to be. With some hesitation, he stepped forwards, fingers wrapping around the frame before he stuck his head out. "Uh..." Voice cracking as he spied the other two, there was another long pause from him, before he stepped out into the hallway. "...We're not supposed to leave our rooms," and yet here he was, out in the hall, going against the very thing that he said. Slowly, his gaze shifted passed the two other's, to the end of the hallway. "What did you do?" Moving his single eye from the end of the hall to the two that he now stood by, he began to wring his hands together, in a nervous motion.</s> <\|message\|>Jain 011106 Locked in her room Jain was without the stifling blindfold bouncing a small wad of paper around the room in rapid controlled teleports her goal precision and endurance. It was what the Doctor had been telling her that she needed to do it without concentration because most of the others saw her as a transportation type, she more than that. In her mind she saw surprised guards their weapons missing then they themselves appearing upside down on the ceiling or under the one who was falling from above. Jian had been drilled in the featureless training room till her head was pounding an overworked muscle "You must grow stronger, you must grow so we can expand your ports eventually till you can transport groups and machines 85 tons and more. demanded Dr. Schroder. The Doctor was either overconfident or thought her under control but in either case she wasn't the tame subject some of the other staff believed, Jain wasn't planning rebellion but revenge for her treatment, for the burning eye drops they put in her eyes when they locked the blindfold around her head. So it was with some surprise she saw her door vanish and who could blame her for seeing this as an opportunity to escape. So it was with caution she stepped close to the now bare door frame and looked out She spotted three people she barely knew and fixed them in her mind as she'd been drilled ready to weaponize the inertia of their movements or even just alter the direction they faced so any projective powers they had went far off target "...We're not supposed to leave our rooms,"What did you do?" said one boy to the other two They were like her and judging from the missing doors at least one was rebellious against their tormentors "Is there a plan" she asked still in the threshold of her cell ready to retreat if she felt any response more than she could handle her explanation prepared to place blame on the three first ones.</s>	<\|message\|>Lance 032307 Lance was lying on the floor staring at the lights above. He had put down a blanket and pillow for comfort from the hard ground. The light would dim and then return to its proper illumination. He didn't pay much mind to the noise that was coming from the hall. It wasn't uncommon for guards to come and go moving people in and out. He leaned up from his cushion to see that his door was open, but there weren't any guards there to escort him. He looked at it with a raised eyebrow and turn over to his knees to stand himself up. People were talking outside, so he walked up to the entrance to his room to find that the door wasn't just open, but it had completely vanished. The mystery of the missing metal door quickly fell wayside as he spotted his neighbors also entering the hall. The other didn't seem all that concern about what the guards might think with them all out of their rooms. It just wasn't his door that had went missing. Now he was more confused. The missing door became his concern again. Where did all the doors go, and why wasn't anyone bothered by it? He leaned out, but kept most of his person still in the room as possible to see that Kitty and the others were gathering near what looked like a hastily made mound of metal acting like some sort of blockade. There was chatter on the other side, the noise he was hearing before, at least in part. Did one of them do that? Was it Axel? The person resting looked like Axel. Slowly, he left his room to meet the others. He gave a slight glance to Jain as he passed her to approach the others. "I don't think this is a good idea." he said softly at first. "What if they catch you?" The metal blockade looked bad. He didn't want to them to get into trouble. Then again, he wasn't sure if Axel could get out of this without getting in trouble, but at least he could help Kitty and the others.</s>
<\|description\|>Lance 032307 Appearance: He is about 5 ft tall weighing 98 lbs., on the slim side. He wears khakis, sneakers, and button-down shirts with different patterns (Stripes, zigzags, polka dots, etc.). He has pale skin, black hair that he lets grow out enough to cover his eyes. He has blue eyes and requires corrective lenses because he dislikes contacts. He doesn't care for or have jewelry or tattoos. He is as active as he can be. As a precaution, he has a heavy lead suit to move from room to room, so traveling without it is a privilege. Personality: He is a people pleaser who doesn't want to make those around him angry or upset to the point where he will sacrifice his own happiness and sometimes safety to achieve it. He will easily fall to peer pressure even if his personal morals would conflict with it. He'll treat everyone with respect and will accept blame justifying how his involvement might have caused the problem regardless of evidence. He enjoys walking, reading, and just being out of the room whenever that's possible. He doesn't like causing trouble. Abilities: Electromagnetic wave manipulation (15 Pt), Electromagnetic wave generation (10 Pt), Radiation immunity (5 Pt) He is capable of producing medium ranged waves easily ranging from UV, infrared, and visible light. He has to exert more effort for microwave and radio, and even more than that to reach x ray and gamma. He can increase/decrease wave length into other forms from an existing source more easily than producing them. Manipulation includes blocking waves so he can essentially create literal black out zones. This does not give him x-ray or infrared vision. Doctor: Dr. Sing</s> <\|message\|>Felix – 040309 Felix had been struggling to understand the paper in his hands for a while now. Earlier he'd gotten curious about something scientific sounding Dr. Grey had mentioned and worked up the courage to ask what it meant, only to have been handed a paper well beyond what he could even begin to understand and promptly ignored. Still, Felix wanted to understand and as far as he was concerned surely Dr. Grey wouldn't have given him the paper if he couldn't have understood it. Finally, Felix was drawn from his impossible task by the repetitive sound of something metal striking the floor as it moved along the corridor outside his room, followed by his door seemingly melting and disappearing as said thing ran by. Was that the guy who could control metal? Probably, Felix had heard Axel do similar things before and that would explain how the door had disappeared. At first, Felix was content to leave it at that, not wanting to risk getting himself in trouble and expecting the guards to come running through at any moment like they usually did. When the guards didn't come however Felix felt his curiosity begin to rise, especially when he heard the sound of voices coming from the hallway. Still, leaving his room now was a bad idea, any number of things could go wrong if he stepped outside. What if he got in trouble? Or what if there was someone with a scary power waiting outside? Then again, he really wanted to know what was going on and it probably wouldn't hurt if he just took a peek... Sticking his head out through the now doorless doorway, Felix could see the Axel and the other occupants of the hallway talking amongst each other, most having already left their rooms. Felix recognised the older kids at least and while he couldn't say he knew any of them well, he was pretty confident none of them were particularly dangerous, at least not any more than was normal. To the other end of the hallway, Felix could see a crude metal barricade, presumably formed by Axel as he ran past earlier. That was a little frightening, it meant for now he was trapped. Had Axel trapped them in here on purpose? Probably not, Axel looked pretty tired. Then was it to keep something out? That would explain why the guards hadn't shown up. Then again, what if the barrier was to keep something else out entirely, like someone with a really scary power that had been chasing Axel? That would also explain why Axel looked tired. Or maybe this was all part of some kind of experiment or training? Finally, between his curiosity to find out just what was going on, and the somewhat irrational fear that something horrifying would burst through the barricade to terrorise them at any moment, Felix decided to approach the rest of the group where they'd gathered in the hall. "Um... does anyone know what's going on?"</s> <\|message\|>Laika 022805 Laika didn't really sleep, as such. Maintaining her intended operation made sleeping distinctly sub-optimal to performance, so part of the alterations were specifically designed to avoid that. As such, she hadn't had a bed for a while. Instead, at the time a certain other subject broke into the hallway on which here room was placed, Laika was in her default position: Sat on a mat on the floor, legs crossed, and arms in her lap. The cables that ran from the back of her skull and shoulders hung loose, straight down her back, sometimes to the floor. Her head, with angular features not really tinted from any abundance of sunlight, was tilted forwards. Her eyes were open, though at the moment displayed only an emissive white. Her actual visual was elsewhere, seeing all of this exchange from a whole different angle. That was, the security camera outside of the hall entrance. She watched a lot of things. That was, ater all, what she was made for. Escapes weren't all that statistically unusual, though it wasn't often that things came quite so close or immediate. It was only some moments after the removal of the doors that colour flooded back into Laika's eyes and she lifted her head, the silver rings of an iris moving with a quiet whirr of servos. The voice from the facility's techno monstrosity didn't come from her mouth as such, but out of anything audio capable in the vicinity. She had been provided with some speakers for this usage, though it didn't prevent it speaking right out of intercoms from time to time. It was a female voice, certainly, though far from anything natural there was a pitch-corrected artificiality about it. "There has been a subject containment breach." She tilted her head, over in Axel's direction, though it was always a little difficult to tell if Laika was actually looking at you, per se. "Conditional on actions prior to arrival in this section you are currently in violation of at least eight facility codes."</s> <\|message\|>Axel 070705 Axel looked at each of the kids as they came out of their rooms. He knew he was about to get a lot of questions. He didn't realize which hallway he was in until he saw which kids were coming out. 'What is it that you're up to this time?' Kitty asked, seeming to lead the group. "The same as usual, just taking a breather," he answered. "I used my power to create a barrier so I could get a couple of minutes of rest before I continue on back towards my room." Axel sighed. "Is there a plan" Jain was next to ask. "Plan to get out? Not yet. This just ended up being a wrong turn." Axel frowned with a sigh. "I don't think this is a good idea," Lance said softly at first. "What if they catch you?" "If you don't want to go down with me, I suggest retreating back in your room," Axel remarked, reaching to reattach his metal limbs. "Um... does anyone know what's going on?" Felix questioned next. "Alright, I'm only gonna say this once," Axel said as he rose to his feet. "If you want to run around with me, you're welcome to join. Otherwise, return to your rooms before you get in trouble. I don't want you to get hurt because of me." He placed his right hand against the barrier he made. "You have 10 seconds." "Goddammit!" he yelled. "They already know where I am!" With his flesh arm, he punched the metal barricade, inadvertently punching a hole through it. "And there's bound to be some corrupted headed this way too!" ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ On the other side of the barricade, the guards saw Axel's fist fly through the metal. "He's trapped!" came the loud voice of the Sergeant. "Either he'll let down this barricade or he'll run into the trainees." He looked around at every person, nodding as each one held their weapons at the ready. "Either way, be ready for combat!" The guards cheered in response. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Trainees, this is Sergeant Marks. Subject 070705, codename Axel, is on the loose again. Subdue with non-lethal attacks only." Many of the young teens whooped and hollered in joy. "Finally, some action," one of them laughed. They were more than ready to charge down the halls, and that's exactly what they did. "Sergeant Marks, this is Hayden 050507. Trainees are on their way. What is his location?"</s> <\|message\|>Kathrine 040105 Kitty didn't need to turn her head to see what Axel was looking at. She could already hear them, their thoughts like an echo chamber in her own head thanks to the barriers that kept them separated having been removed by the metal manipulator in his attempt to buy time. It was annoying hearing them all, especially when Laika decided to move closer. She wasn't normal, hadn't been for a long time, and it showed from more than just her appearance. The whirling that came from her thoughts was by far the worst since the closest thing she could describe to the sound was something like a computer error being elongated into a screech that was how her thoughts, as minimal and instruction like as they were, was broadcasted to be like a voice. She would bet that had something to do with how she was more tech than person nowadays. Fearful chittering was more apparent than anything else. Lance and Felix's voices were whispering it, softly while on the outside to Axel they asked the same question all of them had without realizing it. Axel was growing more agitated the more it was asked, her gaze following him like a hawk as he sauntered away from her door and over to the barricade. Zale wanted his plants. He didn't want to be here, being outside of his room meant bad things were going to occur to him and them. Jain wanted to leave and assumed Axel had a way- More voices pierced into her skull like a siren just as Axel's arm went through his own barrier, cutting off whatever train of thought Kitty had completely from the sudden influx. The people on the other side of it were starting to be bleed through. She couldn't hear Axel's yelling over the guards on the other side, the sound causing her to lift her hand up to her head as she swayed into her doorframe for support until the loudness of the new voices ebbed away enough for her to think. 'They've called for them.' The kids in the hall could all hear her voice in their head, though she was staring right at Axel, her eyes narrowed somewhat as she walked past all the kids to stand beside him, her gaze softening when she looked behind her at the younger ones in their current makeshift group; Vale, Jain, Felix, and Lance. 'And the guards are expecting a fight.'</s> <\|message\|>Vale 020108 Vale's eyes widened as the sounds of the guards grew louder. Wrapping his arms around himself, he fidgetted nervously, his stance always shifting. Hugging himself, then his arms dropping, then hands moved to the hair that fell over his shoulder, stroking it. The anxiety was beginning to bubble up, and it was obvious as he shifted and moved. "A-a fight? Well...Well, don't give them a fight!" Swallowing, Vale shook his head as he backed away from Axel and Kitty, glancing behind him at the slowly emerging people from the other rooms. Head snapping to attention as the speakers sounded off, the young man bit his lip, before looking back towards Axel and Kitty. "If you fight them, it'll only get worse. There's no getting out of here, you know. With however many times people have tired and failed, you'd think other's would learn by now," as he looked away, there was a flash of something in his eye. Sadness? Pain? It was a foolish effort, he thought, on Axel's part, but he understood why they did it. This place...It was horrible. What they were made to do, what they were, it wasn't normal. At least, that was what he had learned from the stories he read. "You should just turn yourself in. Maybe they'll go easier on you..."</s> <\|message\|>Jain 011106 Angry that the others seemed already defeated, worried about the corrupt Jain was just thrilled to see the faces of her fellow guinea pigs. The only time her blindfold was removed was in her heated white room, a room they had cleverly done in all white and bright lights, lights two times as bright as the others endured and she was free of it. Knowing they'd all get some blame just for stepping outside of their rooms she weighed her options and smiled as she began winding up her ability into combat mode imagining people caught then released, runners released into the paths of other runners weapons vanishing, her favorite pivoted 180 zenith and appearing face first 2 feet above the hard floor where they could spend their former horizontal velocity into the hard floor. Snap, snap, snap she said as she recalled the sound of pickup implosions air rushing in to fill the void where her target once was.</s>	<\|message\|>Lance 032307 Lance took a step back as Axel equipped himself. He seemed bothered by the broken record of questions, but Lance couldn't do anything about that. Usually the doors do not suddenly remove themselves the solid frames that house each of the children. It was muffled, but there was a commotion on the other side of the barrier, and Axel looked ready to tackle it head on. Perhaps his annoyance of answering the same question spurred a want to fight. With only ten seconds to make a decision, Lance started back towards his unsealed room. It was one thing to for Alex to cause trouble. While Lance had not known him personally, he knew of the antics he was capable of. This seemed a bit more on the extreme side. Lance knew not to piss off the guards, the staff, the doctors, whoever really. They took their work seriously, and Lance could not help but feel powerless. What was he going to do? He couldn't stop the guards, and he certainly couldn't stop Axel. "This is a bad idea." Lance said, using his eyes to try and urge the others to also retreat to their rooms. It didn't work as most if not all of the attention was on Axel and his barricade. He yelled and then punched the wall, penetrating the amalgam of metal clean through. It didn't take much more than Kitty to tell him the guards were ready to fight. "I told you this was a bad idea." Said Lance as he quickly turned and ducked back into his room. He looked out to see that guards were starting to break through. Lance didn't want to be a part of that fight. Axel made this mess; he should have to deal with it. Lance was sorry that he couldn't do more to help the others though. Not that they needed his help, but he was afraid they would sink with the same ship Axel was sailing.</s>
<\|description\|>Felix – 040309 Appearance: Felix is a young boy of Chinese-Australian descent with straight black hair and brown eyes. His physical characteristics and build are all around average for his age, if marginally smaller than average, coming in at 140cm tall and weighing 36kg. Felix's most noticeable trait is his incredibly long hair, spanning well over half his body height, and surprisingly healthy if a bit of a mess. Rather than being the product of a choice on Felix's part, his hair is the result of his ability making it impossible to cut. As far as clothing goes, Felix doesn't really understand or care about fashion and usually wears whatever's available without question so long as it's comfortable. Generally, this means that Felix ends up wearing very plain and simple clothing. Personality: Felix is very timid, the kind of kid that struggles to talk to others and prefers to keep to himself, preferably somewhere where no one will notice him. He finds it very hard to open up to people and tends to view anyone he doesn't know well as someone that might be dangerous. In the rare event where he does get to the point where he considers someone a friend he can trust he tends to anchor onto that person for support, becoming very reluctant to separate. Felix is also pretty smart, especially considering his age, he catches on to things quickly and has a nearly insatiable curiosity, one of the few things that can coax him out of his shell. Unfortunately, this intelligence also manifests itself as a nasty tendency to overthink things, often to the point of working himself into a panic over otherwise inconsequential things. Strangely, in spite of his overthinking Felix exhibits very little fear when it comes to the prospect of pain or injury, likely as a result of growing up with his ability. Thanks to growing up surrounded by superhumans, and his general lack of interactions with people in general, Felix has ended up with a very warped idea of what's normal. He's of the impression that superhuman abilities are the norm, not the exception, having a very skewed view of what falls within the range of an ordinary person being able to do or survive. Abilities: * Degeneration (5 pts): Any part of Felix's body that dies or is separated from his body, by natural processes or otherwise, will begin to decay with a half-life of about 3 seconds. As material degenerates, most of the matter is absorbed as energy to power Felix's regenerative ability, though some is lost as heat. In cases where only a small amount degenerates the heat generated is negligible, however with larger quantities the heat can quickly become more severe. As Felix possesses no abnormal resistance to heat, it is possible for his degeneration to hurt him should he sustain enough damage in a short period of time. * Regeneration (25 pts): With the exception of some natural processes, whenever Felix is damaged in any way his body immediately begins to rapidly restore itself to a healthy, undamaged state. The energy and material needed to facilitate this regeneration is provided by Felix's degeneration ability. As a side effect of his regeneration, Felix can endure a number of normally harmful conditions, like physical exhaustion or starvation, without any real consequence, though in most cases such conditions remain painful. Strangely enough, Felix's finger and toenails seem to be unaffected by his regenerative abilities, healing like a normal person's when damaged instead of regenerating. Doctor: Dr. Grey</s> <\|message\|>Axel 070705 Axel ran down the hall, the pat thunk of his feet echoing. Behind him, a bunch of yelling could be heard from the adult guards chasing him. He'd had trouble losing them and had actually lost track of where he was. He turned the corner and, upon seeing the metal doors, cheered as he stretched his metal left arm out. With his control over metal, he absorbed the doors into his arm before using all his speed to create a barrier at the end of the hallway, giving him enough of a reprieve from the running. What Axel didn't realize was the hallway held the rooms of Kitty, Laika, Vale, Jain, and Lance. He hadn't had the most interactions with them, except Kitty, but he didn't have anything bad to say about any of them. With a bit of time to rest, Axel took his metal limbs off, letting his arm and leg rest. Seeing the hallway blocked, the guards radioed in for backup. It was time to bring in the Trainees. There was no escape for the metal-boy this time.</s> <\|message\|>Kathrine 040105 Kitty was happily residing in her room reading on top of her bed whilst laying on her stomach. Using her thumb to turn the pages as she finished them, content in letting her mind be at peace with the words on the page being the only things to fill it with a voice. Her own. A rarity for her when she wasn't left to her own devices, with the silent change of her door turning to a liquid and flowing back to the teen who controlled it, a few thoughts wandered into her mind as her room became unsheltered from the hallway as well as the others down her hall. A familiar voice pinging in her mind ratherly loudly from proximity, and the white-haired girl placed her book down while she slipped off her bed. Landing on her feet, she silently walked over to the open doorway and peeked out with her head. Face deadpanned as her grayish blue eyes wandered to the figure resting on the wall next to her-- well where her door had been. The edges of her mouth twitching downward as her brows furrowed. 'Of course it would be you.' Her calm voice chimed in the metallic limbed boy's mind, clear as though she had actually whispered it in his ear despite how her lips hadn't moved at all, and she was verbally mute. Her head tilted to the side as she scanned the hallway to confirm what she had already guessed had happened. All of their doors were gone, and she was left with the whispers of their thoughts running in her head without much choice in the matter. With her own ears, she could hear the sounds of radios going behind the makeshift blockade Axel had made and rolled her eyes at the situation itself. 'What is it that you're up to this time?' She asked, without even looking back at him at first. Her question quietly placed in only his head to hear. Her gaze shifting back to him by the end, staring from the corners of her eyes at the familiar male who was taller than her despite her being older. Then again, life was rather unfair.</s> <\|message\|>Vale 020108 It was the time of day that Vale hated the most. The time when they were all confined to their rooms, locked away from everyone else. The boy paced around the room, passed the stack of books that laid in the corner, passed his bed, around in a circle. Taking deep breaths, Vale was doing everything in his power to fight away the existential crisis that rang in his head. They were locked away again. Just like every other night. He was away from his plants, the only true friends he felt he had in his place, the only ones who really understood and heard him. The flood of light hit him. Startled, he jumped back, eye wide as he stared back at where the door to his room used to be. With some hesitation, he stepped forwards, fingers wrapping around the frame before he stuck his head out. "Uh..." Voice cracking as he spied the other two, there was another long pause from him, before he stepped out into the hallway. "...We're not supposed to leave our rooms," and yet here he was, out in the hall, going against the very thing that he said. Slowly, his gaze shifted passed the two other's, to the end of the hallway. "What did you do?" Moving his single eye from the end of the hall to the two that he now stood by, he began to wring his hands together, in a nervous motion.</s> <\|message\|>Jain 011106 Locked in her room Jain was without the stifling blindfold bouncing a small wad of paper around the room in rapid controlled teleports her goal precision and endurance. It was what the Doctor had been telling her that she needed to do it without concentration because most of the others saw her as a transportation type, she more than that. In her mind she saw surprised guards their weapons missing then they themselves appearing upside down on the ceiling or under the one who was falling from above. Jian had been drilled in the featureless training room till her head was pounding an overworked muscle "You must grow stronger, you must grow so we can expand your ports eventually till you can transport groups and machines 85 tons and more. demanded Dr. Schroder. The Doctor was either overconfident or thought her under control but in either case she wasn't the tame subject some of the other staff believed, Jain wasn't planning rebellion but revenge for her treatment, for the burning eye drops they put in her eyes when they locked the blindfold around her head. So it was with some surprise she saw her door vanish and who could blame her for seeing this as an opportunity to escape. So it was with caution she stepped close to the now bare door frame and looked out She spotted three people she barely knew and fixed them in her mind as she'd been drilled ready to weaponize the inertia of their movements or even just alter the direction they faced so any projective powers they had went far off target "...We're not supposed to leave our rooms,"What did you do?" said one boy to the other two They were like her and judging from the missing doors at least one was rebellious against their tormentors "Is there a plan" she asked still in the threshold of her cell ready to retreat if she felt any response more than she could handle her explanation prepared to place blame on the three first ones.</s> <\|message\|>Lance 032307 Lance was lying on the floor staring at the lights above. He had put down a blanket and pillow for comfort from the hard ground. The light would dim and then return to its proper illumination. He didn't pay much mind to the noise that was coming from the hall. It wasn't uncommon for guards to come and go moving people in and out. He leaned up from his cushion to see that his door was open, but there weren't any guards there to escort him. He looked at it with a raised eyebrow and turn over to his knees to stand himself up. People were talking outside, so he walked up to the entrance to his room to find that the door wasn't just open, but it had completely vanished. The mystery of the missing metal door quickly fell wayside as he spotted his neighbors also entering the hall. The other didn't seem all that concern about what the guards might think with them all out of their rooms. It just wasn't his door that had went missing. Now he was more confused. The missing door became his concern again. Where did all the doors go, and why wasn't anyone bothered by it? He leaned out, but kept most of his person still in the room as possible to see that Kitty and the others were gathering near what looked like a hastily made mound of metal acting like some sort of blockade. There was chatter on the other side, the noise he was hearing before, at least in part. Did one of them do that? Was it Axel? The person resting looked like Axel. Slowly, he left his room to meet the others. He gave a slight glance to Jain as he passed her to approach the others. "I don't think this is a good idea." he said softly at first. "What if they catch you?" The metal blockade looked bad. He didn't want to them to get into trouble. Then again, he wasn't sure if Axel could get out of this without getting in trouble, but at least he could help Kitty and the others.</s>	<\|message\|>Felix – 040309 Felix had been struggling to understand the paper in his hands for a while now. Earlier he'd gotten curious about something scientific sounding Dr. Grey had mentioned and worked up the courage to ask what it meant, only to have been handed a paper well beyond what he could even begin to understand and promptly ignored. Still, Felix wanted to understand and as far as he was concerned surely Dr. Grey wouldn't have given him the paper if he couldn't have understood it. Finally, Felix was drawn from his impossible task by the repetitive sound of something metal striking the floor as it moved along the corridor outside his room, followed by his door seemingly melting and disappearing as said thing ran by. Was that the guy who could control metal? Probably, Felix had heard Axel do similar things before and that would explain how the door had disappeared. At first, Felix was content to leave it at that, not wanting to risk getting himself in trouble and expecting the guards to come running through at any moment like they usually did. When the guards didn't come however Felix felt his curiosity begin to rise, especially when he heard the sound of voices coming from the hallway. Still, leaving his room now was a bad idea, any number of things could go wrong if he stepped outside. What if he got in trouble? Or what if there was someone with a scary power waiting outside? Then again, he really wanted to know what was going on and it probably wouldn't hurt if he just took a peek... Sticking his head out through the now doorless doorway, Felix could see the Axel and the other occupants of the hallway talking amongst each other, most having already left their rooms. Felix recognised the older kids at least and while he couldn't say he knew any of them well, he was pretty confident none of them were particularly dangerous, at least not any more than was normal. To the other end of the hallway, Felix could see a crude metal barricade, presumably formed by Axel as he ran past earlier. That was a little frightening, it meant for now he was trapped. Had Axel trapped them in here on purpose? Probably not, Axel looked pretty tired. Then was it to keep something out? That would explain why the guards hadn't shown up. Then again, what if the barrier was to keep something else out entirely, like someone with a really scary power that had been chasing Axel? That would also explain why Axel looked tired. Or maybe this was all part of some kind of experiment or training? Finally, between his curiosity to find out just what was going on, and the somewhat irrational fear that something horrifying would burst through the barricade to terrorise them at any moment, Felix decided to approach the rest of the group where they'd gathered in the hall. "Um... does anyone know what's going on?"</s>
<\|description\|>Laika 022805 Appearance: Laika resembles a small, slender, rather sickly-looking individual. She is angular in figure and lacks much in way of muscle definition. Picking her up doesn't look like it would be very difficult. Her hair is dark, inky in colour and reaches down to her lower back. Thee things are a bit less immediately noticeable than the artificial aspects of Laika. Numerous cables hang down from the back of her skull and shoulders, and matte painted white plates are set into either side of her forehead. The irises of her eyes are white and glow in low light, being comprised of photoreceptive cells rather than biological material. A ridge of metal runs down her back, level with her spine. She is generally seen wearing compression garments that cover most visible skin below her neck. Sometimes other roomier clothes are worn over the top. --- Personality: Laika is, on paper, a highly intelligent subject. Her use in the project stemmed from her high IQ and capacity for handling large amounts of information. However whatever has been done to make her into what she was in the present has resulted in a person, or creation, that doesn't have a great deal or social or emotional intelligence. As far as many of the staff are concerned, Laika isn't a lot more than a machine in human shape that carries out instructions without question or comment. Any more extended interaction might reveal that that isn't quite the case. She appears very emotionally flat and often 'speaks' in stock phrases, making it quite difficult to read what she is thinking or indeed how much active thinking is going on. One could take it as a genuine mistake when she has opened gates or destroyed consoles, or one might take it as a deep-seated resentment towards her creators. It's quite hard to tell, and it probably wouldn't benefit Laika to make it clear either way. --- Abilities: Technopath (30) - An comparatively early iteration, Laika is extremely specialized in one area, designed as a form of targeted support for more physical combat projects, an all-seeing eye that is able to hack any security system, see through any camera and unlock any door. This has, largely, been successful. Laika is an extremely powerful technopath whose abilities make most any electronics in her vicinity an effective extension of her own senses. If there is a camera nearby, she is able to see through it. If there is a speaker, she can project a pitch-corrected facsimile of a voice. In theory, she could operate most machinery in her general area. However, for security reasons and inhibitor was installed that prevents Laika from gaining full control of large systems without a physical cable connection into it, something that leaves Laika static and potentially vulnerable whilst her full focus is on the work. Doctor: Dr. Hayes</s> <\|message\|>Laika 022805 Laika didn't really sleep, as such. Maintaining her intended operation made sleeping distinctly sub-optimal to performance, so part of the alterations were specifically designed to avoid that. As such, she hadn't had a bed for a while. Instead, at the time a certain other subject broke into the hallway on which here room was placed, Laika was in her default position: Sat on a mat on the floor, legs crossed, and arms in her lap. The cables that ran from the back of her skull and shoulders hung loose, straight down her back, sometimes to the floor. Her head, with angular features not really tinted from any abundance of sunlight, was tilted forwards. Her eyes were open, though at the moment displayed only an emissive white. Her actual visual was elsewhere, seeing all of this exchange from a whole different angle. That was, the security camera outside of the hall entrance. She watched a lot of things. That was, ater all, what she was made for. Escapes weren't all that statistically unusual, though it wasn't often that things came quite so close or immediate. It was only some moments after the removal of the doors that colour flooded back into Laika's eyes and she lifted her head, the silver rings of an iris moving with a quiet whirr of servos. The voice from the facility's techno monstrosity didn't come from her mouth as such, but out of anything audio capable in the vicinity. She had been provided with some speakers for this usage, though it didn't prevent it speaking right out of intercoms from time to time. It was a female voice, certainly, though far from anything natural there was a pitch-corrected artificiality about it. "There has been a subject containment breach." She tilted her head, over in Axel's direction, though it was always a little difficult to tell if Laika was actually looking at you, per se. "Conditional on actions prior to arrival in this section you are currently in violation of at least eight facility codes."</s> <\|message\|>Axel 070705 Axel looked at each of the kids as they came out of their rooms. He knew he was about to get a lot of questions. He didn't realize which hallway he was in until he saw which kids were coming out. 'What is it that you're up to this time?' Kitty asked, seeming to lead the group. "The same as usual, just taking a breather," he answered. "I used my power to create a barrier so I could get a couple of minutes of rest before I continue on back towards my room." Axel sighed. "Is there a plan" Jain was next to ask. "Plan to get out? Not yet. This just ended up being a wrong turn." Axel frowned with a sigh. "I don't think this is a good idea," Lance said softly at first. "What if they catch you?" "If you don't want to go down with me, I suggest retreating back in your room," Axel remarked, reaching to reattach his metal limbs. "Um... does anyone know what's going on?" Felix questioned next. "Alright, I'm only gonna say this once," Axel said as he rose to his feet. "If you want to run around with me, you're welcome to join. Otherwise, return to your rooms before you get in trouble. I don't want you to get hurt because of me." He placed his right hand against the barrier he made. "You have 10 seconds." "Goddammit!" he yelled. "They already know where I am!" With his flesh arm, he punched the metal barricade, inadvertently punching a hole through it. "And there's bound to be some corrupted headed this way too!" ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ On the other side of the barricade, the guards saw Axel's fist fly through the metal. "He's trapped!" came the loud voice of the Sergeant. "Either he'll let down this barricade or he'll run into the trainees." He looked around at every person, nodding as each one held their weapons at the ready. "Either way, be ready for combat!" The guards cheered in response. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Trainees, this is Sergeant Marks. Subject 070705, codename Axel, is on the loose again. Subdue with non-lethal attacks only." Many of the young teens whooped and hollered in joy. "Finally, some action," one of them laughed. They were more than ready to charge down the halls, and that's exactly what they did. "Sergeant Marks, this is Hayden 050507. Trainees are on their way. What is his location?"</s> <\|message\|>Kathrine 040105 Kitty didn't need to turn her head to see what Axel was looking at. She could already hear them, their thoughts like an echo chamber in her own head thanks to the barriers that kept them separated having been removed by the metal manipulator in his attempt to buy time. It was annoying hearing them all, especially when Laika decided to move closer. She wasn't normal, hadn't been for a long time, and it showed from more than just her appearance. The whirling that came from her thoughts was by far the worst since the closest thing she could describe to the sound was something like a computer error being elongated into a screech that was how her thoughts, as minimal and instruction like as they were, was broadcasted to be like a voice. She would bet that had something to do with how she was more tech than person nowadays. Fearful chittering was more apparent than anything else. Lance and Felix's voices were whispering it, softly while on the outside to Axel they asked the same question all of them had without realizing it. Axel was growing more agitated the more it was asked, her gaze following him like a hawk as he sauntered away from her door and over to the barricade. Zale wanted his plants. He didn't want to be here, being outside of his room meant bad things were going to occur to him and them. Jain wanted to leave and assumed Axel had a way- More voices pierced into her skull like a siren just as Axel's arm went through his own barrier, cutting off whatever train of thought Kitty had completely from the sudden influx. The people on the other side of it were starting to be bleed through. She couldn't hear Axel's yelling over the guards on the other side, the sound causing her to lift her hand up to her head as she swayed into her doorframe for support until the loudness of the new voices ebbed away enough for her to think. 'They've called for them.' The kids in the hall could all hear her voice in their head, though she was staring right at Axel, her eyes narrowed somewhat as she walked past all the kids to stand beside him, her gaze softening when she looked behind her at the younger ones in their current makeshift group; Vale, Jain, Felix, and Lance. 'And the guards are expecting a fight.'</s> <\|message\|>Vale 020108 Vale's eyes widened as the sounds of the guards grew louder. Wrapping his arms around himself, he fidgetted nervously, his stance always shifting. Hugging himself, then his arms dropping, then hands moved to the hair that fell over his shoulder, stroking it. The anxiety was beginning to bubble up, and it was obvious as he shifted and moved. "A-a fight? Well...Well, don't give them a fight!" Swallowing, Vale shook his head as he backed away from Axel and Kitty, glancing behind him at the slowly emerging people from the other rooms. Head snapping to attention as the speakers sounded off, the young man bit his lip, before looking back towards Axel and Kitty. "If you fight them, it'll only get worse. There's no getting out of here, you know. With however many times people have tired and failed, you'd think other's would learn by now," as he looked away, there was a flash of something in his eye. Sadness? Pain? It was a foolish effort, he thought, on Axel's part, but he understood why they did it. This place...It was horrible. What they were made to do, what they were, it wasn't normal. At least, that was what he had learned from the stories he read. "You should just turn yourself in. Maybe they'll go easier on you..."</s> <\|message\|>Jain 011106 Angry that the others seemed already defeated, worried about the corrupt Jain was just thrilled to see the faces of her fellow guinea pigs. The only time her blindfold was removed was in her heated white room, a room they had cleverly done in all white and bright lights, lights two times as bright as the others endured and she was free of it. Knowing they'd all get some blame just for stepping outside of their rooms she weighed her options and smiled as she began winding up her ability into combat mode imagining people caught then released, runners released into the paths of other runners weapons vanishing, her favorite pivoted 180 zenith and appearing face first 2 feet above the hard floor where they could spend their former horizontal velocity into the hard floor. Snap, snap, snap she said as she recalled the sound of pickup implosions air rushing in to fill the void where her target once was.</s> <\|message\|>Lance 032307 Lance took a step back as Axel equipped himself. He seemed bothered by the broken record of questions, but Lance couldn't do anything about that. Usually the doors do not suddenly remove themselves the solid frames that house each of the children. It was muffled, but there was a commotion on the other side of the barrier, and Axel looked ready to tackle it head on. Perhaps his annoyance of answering the same question spurred a want to fight. With only ten seconds to make a decision, Lance started back towards his unsealed room. It was one thing to for Alex to cause trouble. While Lance had not known him personally, he knew of the antics he was capable of. This seemed a bit more on the extreme side. Lance knew not to piss off the guards, the staff, the doctors, whoever really. They took their work seriously, and Lance could not help but feel powerless. What was he going to do? He couldn't stop the guards, and he certainly couldn't stop Axel. "This is a bad idea." Lance said, using his eyes to try and urge the others to also retreat to their rooms. It didn't work as most if not all of the attention was on Axel and his barricade. He yelled and then punched the wall, penetrating the amalgam of metal clean through. It didn't take much more than Kitty to tell him the guards were ready to fight. "I told you this was a bad idea." Said Lance as he quickly turned and ducked back into his room. He looked out to see that guards were starting to break through. Lance didn't want to be a part of that fight. Axel made this mess; he should have to deal with it. Lance was sorry that he couldn't do more to help the others though. Not that they needed his help, but he was afraid they would sink with the same ship Axel was sailing.</s>	<\|message\|>Laika 022805 Laika, for her own part, didn't appear very moved by the increasingly tense situation, though as Kitty was made uncomfortably aware of, there was invariably a lot more going on under the surface than was visible as a glance, even if the continual electric shriek of constant information was quite difficult to parse. By this point she had risen from her sitting position and walked into the corridor itself. No shoes on her feet, but the compression suit more of less obscured any glimpse of skin below the neck, and it wasn't especially good protection for the feet where it came to running around. "Nine currently, due to extended conversing." She tilted her head slightly to one side. "Broad stroke security techniques frequently recommended in facilitating the clearance of a corridor where all security is disabled as a means to protect security personnel." Other side. "All present subjects lacking security clearance may become potential targets for enforcement measures." Which seemed, in her roundabout way of conveying it, that as far as she was concerned, they were probably all potential targets for trainees at this point. Which was, presumably, the reason she'd not made much attempt to return to her own room, and instead was watching the barrier. Well, watching the barrier until she flicker her way back over to the cameras outside of it, looking out for what the current threat consisted of.</s>
<\|description\|>Brayden 071605 Appearance: Brayden stands at 5'10, being slightly lanky, but not completely devoid of muscle. He has short, spiked charcoal-black hair, with most of its spikiness concentrated near the back of his head. His skin is mostly of a pale complexion, though it gets darker along his arms, almost as if they were burnt. His eyes are a piercing and cold blue shade, and are partially obscured by his hair at times. For clothes, his most distinguishing piece of apparel is a torn-up, partially singed sleeveless black jacket, worn after years of living in the compound. Beyond that, he wears a white muscle shirt, deep blue jeans that are torn up and partially seared near his ankles, and thick black boots that seem a bit too big for him. Outside of testing, he is forced to wear a stainless steel mask over his mouth, a contraption of the same material made to keep his arms locked up, reaching just below his elbows, and heavy steel boots. He was forced to wear these due to 'negative behavior', putting it lightly, to ensure he doesn't endanger staff or guards. Personality: Brayden is a rather chaotic force among the children of the 'menagerie', as he tends to call the lab they rather sadly call home. Ever since his powers emerged, he opposed the hierarchy presented through the doctors and guards, rather violently in fact, and needless to say it never ended well for him. If it weren't for the impressive potential of his abilities, he likely wouldn't have been tolerated for this long. Beyond his attitude about the situation at large, in contrast to his power, Brayden seems largely cool and collected, perhaps even apathetic. He always regards the other kids the exact same; completely neutral to their existence, border-lining callousness with his attitude. However, most of the other kids know he isn't a direct threat to them, as he typically keeps others out of his attempts of revolt or escape. Whether that's out of kindness or simply not wishing to deal with others, it's hard to say... Abilities: Flame Generation: Brayden can generate excessive amounts of fire from himself, though they typically come from his mouth, hands, or feet. The flames can reach levels of heat that can melt through solid concrete and most metals, and even in more casual use can severely burn or melt through other living beings. However strong his power is though, it comes with a catch... (25 Pts) Fire/Heat Resistance: Brayden has some natural resilience to fire and heat, but the main issue is that it isn't enough for him to manage his own firepower. When he's using his power at high-capacity, he himself begins to burn up, and while he's never been forced this far, excessive use of his power at high-capacity could permanently burn or melt parts of his body. (5 Pts) Doctor: Dr. Sing Name: Melia 010208 Appearance: Melia, after years of use of her ability, is...Notably bigger than most other subjects. Standing at a menacing 6'2 even prior to activating her power, and extraordinarily muscled, she could put even some of the toughest kids in the compound to shame. Her eyes are sharp with a vibrant orange shade, typically swirling in a toxic mixture of madness and adrenaline after she gets riled up (which doesn't take much). She also has long blonde hair reaching to her midriff, though it is messy and unstyled, giving her a feral look. Her skin tone is white, though not too pale. While it seems to have no bearing on her power, her teeth are all razor-sharp, giving one the sense that she's some kind of predator through a smile alone. Speaking physically, her body is impressive, packing musculature even professional athletes would be jealous of. This is without her power, which would blow her inspiring physique to even higher heights, nearly increasing her height by a whole foot and swelling her already terrifying muscles. Clothing-wise, she keeps it simple, since she tends to need new clothes every time she uses her ability. Thus, Melia simply wears a black tank-top and grey sweatpants, and while she normally avoids footwear, if she is wearing something there, it's typically some type of heavy-duty military boots. Personality: For as long as Melia has lived here, all she has known is violence and combat...And she thrives off of it. She lives for every fight, and she only lives to fight. For her, the greatest joy she can experience is being able to dominate and destroy others through her own power, and it is this ideology that has made her needlessly ruthless...And undeniably powerful. While she is mostly known for this wild, battle-crazed persona, there is a bit more to her. Melia has a...Vague sense of honor. She never wastes time with those unwilling to fight, and if someone she's beating to a bloody pulp fighting seems ready to give up, she'll stop too. In essence, she's not going to attack or fight others who aren't willing to fight back tooth and nail just like she would (beyond orders, of course, but being ordered against this creed of hers is highly irritating for her, and could easily result in...Backlash, we'll call it). When not in a fighting mood (which is incredibly rare), or she actually manages to get her 'fix' of fighting as it were, Melia can be much more calm and collected than others would expect. When not using her free time exerting her ability or exercising, she's usually found reading or meditating, both being unexpected activities for her to have interest in. Still, she almost always comes off as stand-offish, and most aren't willing to try and interact with her due to her explosive temper that can crop up. Abilities: Muscle Augmentation (30 Pts.) - Melia is able to engorge her muscles for fairly long periods of time, around five to ten minutes if used in short bursts, or it can last for up to four hours continuously. During this time, her musculature will surge alongside her size, greatly enhancing speed and strength, as well as superficially enhancing her durability (weapons and the like will easily pierce through her skin, but usually struggle to bypass her enlarged and strengthened musculature). This ability is sometimes so strong it even causes her muscles to burst out from her body. While that process is painful, Melia is rather familiar with it, and by doing this, the overall power of her ability can continue to skyrocket without issues as her muscles grow even larger and more powerful once freed from her confining body. The user can recover from this ordeal rather fast (at least by normal human standards), but it typically takes at least a few days. Otherwise, the only other limiting factor of this ability is that extended usage over a long period of time can cause extreme muscle fatigue, leaving its user much weaker than they'd naturally be for a day or so. A byproduct of this ability is that after every use, the natural musculature of its user is always a bit stronger than it was before, meaning even without it properly activated, the user typically performs at either peak human or low-superhuman standards for physicality. Doctor: Dr. Schroder. Corruption: Originally one of the biggest thorns in the side of the Doctors due to her uncontrollable and destructive nature, they soon found out a simple answer; by making her a Trainee, it granted her the opportunity to 'stretch her legs', as it were, against other powered kids who caused trouble. Now, while she's still just as much of a wild card, that same unkempt power is now being used by the facility to subjugate the other children. She is well-known for being one of, if not the most violent and brutish of the Trainees, so having her show up is bad news. Weapons: N/A, lets her fists do the work.</s> <\|message\|>Lance 032307 Lance took a step back as Axel equipped himself. He seemed bothered by the broken record of questions, but Lance couldn't do anything about that. Usually the doors do not suddenly remove themselves the solid frames that house each of the children. It was muffled, but there was a commotion on the other side of the barrier, and Axel looked ready to tackle it head on. Perhaps his annoyance of answering the same question spurred a want to fight. With only ten seconds to make a decision, Lance started back towards his unsealed room. It was one thing to for Alex to cause trouble. While Lance had not known him personally, he knew of the antics he was capable of. This seemed a bit more on the extreme side. Lance knew not to piss off the guards, the staff, the doctors, whoever really. They took their work seriously, and Lance could not help but feel powerless. What was he going to do? He couldn't stop the guards, and he certainly couldn't stop Axel. "This is a bad idea." Lance said, using his eyes to try and urge the others to also retreat to their rooms. It didn't work as most if not all of the attention was on Axel and his barricade. He yelled and then punched the wall, penetrating the amalgam of metal clean through. It didn't take much more than Kitty to tell him the guards were ready to fight. "I told you this was a bad idea." Said Lance as he quickly turned and ducked back into his room. He looked out to see that guards were starting to break through. Lance didn't want to be a part of that fight. Axel made this mess; he should have to deal with it. Lance was sorry that he couldn't do more to help the others though. Not that they needed his help, but he was afraid they would sink with the same ship Axel was sailing.</s> <\|message\|>Laika 022805 Laika, for her own part, didn't appear very moved by the increasingly tense situation, though as Kitty was made uncomfortably aware of, there was invariably a lot more going on under the surface than was visible as a glance, even if the continual electric shriek of constant information was quite difficult to parse. By this point she had risen from her sitting position and walked into the corridor itself. No shoes on her feet, but the compression suit more of less obscured any glimpse of skin below the neck, and it wasn't especially good protection for the feet where it came to running around. "Nine currently, due to extended conversing." She tilted her head slightly to one side. "Broad stroke security techniques frequently recommended in facilitating the clearance of a corridor where all security is disabled as a means to protect security personnel." Other side. "All present subjects lacking security clearance may become potential targets for enforcement measures." Which seemed, in her roundabout way of conveying it, that as far as she was concerned, they were probably all potential targets for trainees at this point. Which was, presumably, the reason she'd not made much attempt to return to her own room, and instead was watching the barrier. Well, watching the barrier until she flicker her way back over to the cameras outside of it, looking out for what the current threat consisted of.</s> <\|message\|>Axel 070705 "Of course they are." Axel sighed, repairing his wall as he pulled his hand out. Then Vale started going off about getting in trouble and fighting. Axel grabbed Vale with his metal arm and carried him back to his room. "Stay in your room if you don't want to get in trouble." Using the minimal amount of metal, he made a quick metal mesh that Vale would easily be able to punch through. "Trust me, you're safer in there than with us. With Lance choosing to stay in his room, Axel looked at the girls. As far as he could tell, they were all ready to fight. "Barrier's coming down," he announced, putting his hand on it. Immediately, he became armored and weaponized, wielding a pair of large swords. With the wall down, the guards opened fire with their rubber bullets. Axel blocked as many as the shots as he could, making himself a barrier for the girls to hide behind as they countered the adults. "Be glad they're using rubber," he said to the girls, a slight smirk on his face. Then running footsteps and hollering could be heard behind them. It sounded like the trainees were coming. "You girls got them," he said, leaving his armor as a small wall for them as he rushed towards the trainees to begin trying to hold them off. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ From outside their room, Brayden and David could hear the shouts of the corrupted as they ran through the halls. Many of the trainees that passed by their small window could be seen holding various weapons, though not all of them needed any. Most of the guards they passed were pressed against the walls to allow the teenagers in uniform to pass them without trouble, though a couple of guards got ran over because they were too slow to react.</s> <\|message\|>David (011305) A final breath then nothing... It had been dark and young David cried because it scared him. He remembered Eli his only friend at the time comforting him with a hug but then Eli went stiff and his breathing became ragged until he heard a long sigh and then a wet feeling as the lights flashed on in their room revealing Ali as a rotten corpse in his arms. Skin and viscera flaking onto the floor and he screamed. __________________________ With a start David screamed as he awoke "Eli" tears crawling slowly down his cheeks. Wiping the tears from his eyes David heard the clatter of footfalls and shouting outside his room. Rather it was their room meaning his roommate Brayden whom was also occupying the room much to David's chagrin. The boy who seemed to be his age but he didn't really pay his roommate that much attention anyways. David slumped against the wall with a dull thud and a sigh as he tried to find a happy thought to get his mind of the panic attack he had just had.</s>	<\|message\|>Brayden 071605 David wasn't spared the time of day beyond a questioning glance towards him as he awoke with a scream, but that ended as briefly as it had began. No, Brayden's attention was to the outside of their small cell, where Trainees could be seen pouring through the hallway. He stood near their solid steel doorway, watching as those dubbed 'Corrupted' were set in dead-sprints towards the unknown...Granted, Brayden had some guesses. "Hmph. Probably just Axel causing a ruckus again, since half the other kids in this place couldn't be bothered to raise a finger without being told to..." He thought to himself, giving David a sideways glance before returning to his own thoughts. Yeah, that kid definitely fit the bill there... Still, that metal-warper must've gone over his head today to get a horde like that coming on his trail. Brayden only wished he could get involved, since this was looking to be quite the big deal, but... THUD. The sound of him lightly kicking the doorway with his heavy-metal boot echoed throughout their room and the hallway, a reminder of why he couldn't go and do exactly that. "Ugh. Damn restraints..." Was all he could be bothered to say, muttered under his breath and barely audible due to his mask, another stainless steel contraption that took up a good half of his face.</s>
<\|description\|>Laeveyla. No surname given, but when one must use something more formal, she usually goes by 'the Wanderer.' Age: 232 years. This makes her rather young by Eldar standards. Gender: Female Race: Craftworld Aeldari Appearance: Laeveyla is a tall, proud figure no matter where she finds herself. Having spent several decades in human space, the elf has adopted the clothing of the mon'keighs she works beside; outside of combat she wears a frilled blouse and waistcoat, a double-breasted jacket, tight-fitting trousers and flamboyantly buckled boots, whereas her combat dress features the far more practical mesh armour and Felarch helmet, the only real embellishment being its gold-streaked paintjob and the long bright scarlet scarf wrapped around her neck and hanging down just short of the jets of her jump pack. Underneath all of her fanciful wear, she is fairly typical for an Aeldari specimen. Six foot eleven tall, as thin as a whip, with piercing blue eyes and long, expertly tamed blonde hair, her appearance would cut a path through any dour craftworld's population, which is indeed exactly what she has designed it for. She is never seen without her curving, scimitar-like power sword and, as is common for felarchs, a fusion pistol rather than the normal shuriken. It is rare she takes her shuriken catapult into battle, preferring the more personal touch she can deliver with her other equipment, but, needs must when the dark prince drives. Personality: Like most corsairs that hail from craftworlds, Laeveyla is what most eldar would call a 'wayward soul.' Driven by a desire to see the galaxy, slash throats and consort with all kinds of foreign races, the eldar delights in breaking taboos and trying new things, something that puts her uncomfortably close to toppling off the knife's edge that all unfallen members of her race must walk. Relationship to the Dynasty: Laeveyla has journeyed with the Falcon-Cooks for some twenty years; a relatively insignificant time for her, but long enough for most members of the family to have met her at least once, especially with her unusual status as a xenos working freely as an Imperial mercenary. History: Laeveyla never knew the true glory of her craftworld; her parents fought as guardians to protect their home of Biel-Tan, and by the time she had grown into anything resembling an adult Aeldar her craftworld was shattered and her peoples were splintered into a fleet, rather than a singular, great craft. As a child she grew up being told of the winter her people were enduring, but through how force and dedication, their spring could come again. Laeveyla never really believed that. Although she walked the paths of her people; studying the ways of the dreamer and the mariner, and then under the warrior as a howling banshee, she still felt restrained. True, it was this last role that suited her best, but still something was missing, and rather than peruse it further and risk losing herself and becoming an Exarch, she instead took a very different route; her and several other young Aeldari collectively took a single vessel from Biel-Tan's great fleet and departed, joining with a corsair band that had stopped with their people for resupply and to return soul stones. It was here that she found her true home. The freedom of the life of a corsair; the ability to indulge in violence or temper it, to let herself laugh and dance and kill and take seemed much more natural to her than the rigid paths she had strode before, where she had had to temper herself to make sure she never went too far; felt too many emotions. She knew that she had to temper herself, and so far has walked the knife-edge successfully, never toppling over into the abyss of the dark prince. Yet still here, something was amiss, and she finally realised what it was when their corsair band communicated with a powerful mon'keigh fleet lead by a 'Rogue Trader.' He offered vast riches and a plentiful share of loot to any that would work for him, but the Corsair Prince of her fleet instructed that none join. She, viewing this as a pointless imposition to be shed, took a different route. As her felarch slept she pressed his soul stone into his chest and slit his throat, making sure her brethren would find his soul and keep it safe even as she took his helmet and weaponry, leaving their craft in a lifeboat that docked with the mon'keigh ship soon after. The 'Rogue Trader' was delighted, and she has now worked with their family for close to thirty years, enjoying more privileges than she ever did with her own kind, albeit with far more suspicion. Skills: * Swashbuckling Fighter: A dab hand with a sword and a fusion pistol and more than happy to use them against any foolish enough to oppose her, Laeveyla has probably killed more men than you've had hot dinners. Or, so she claims, anyway. * Aeldarin Grace: Like all of her race, Laeveyla is, to humans at least, superhumanly fast and agile, capable of weaving between bullets and cutting down a man from ten paces away before he can blink. * Psychically Attuned: Laeveyla is particularly sensitive to the winds of the Warp. Although no Warlock, her innate capabilities are useful in other ways; a split second's foresight, a tighter bond with her mesh armour and a healthy respect for the things that don't come from this side of the galaxy can all let a lone xenos survive for longer. Trust her; you don't want to see what happens when a corsair warlock loses control of their powers. * Scrappy Survivor: A corsair is already expected to have a general skillset that makes them useful on spacefaring craft, but corsairs that hire themselves out as mercenaries must have all of this and the ability to survive without any of their fellows in Imperial space for decades at a time. Any that survives their first dozen or so years usually has a good variety of mechanical and medical skills to keep themselves alive and in good condition. Equipment: * Fusion pistol * Shuriken catapult * Power sword * Mesh armour</s> <\|message\|>Laeveyla. No surname given, but when one must use something more formal, she usually goes by 'the Wanderer.' Assault Point 10/15 had a member there almost immediately. Lounging against one of the walls, a xenos helmet beneath one of her feet and a fusion pistol in her hand. "Lumberfoots," she would address individuals as they filtered in, making an explicit adaptation for the techpriest, choirmaster and, should he arrive, her employer. The first received a 'skinscared,' the second, a highly sarcastic 'highmind,' and the third a curt nod, rather than an offensive nickname. "I hope all of yous are prepared for this. I warn you, should any of you mayflies go down, I'm not risking my millenia to help your decades." She turned towards Rudyard. "You're centuries, so you I will stop for though."</s> <\|message\|>Severus Hierophox "I suppose you'd like me to adjust from repair to medicae captain?" He only suggested it because he was the best medic the ship had. He was responsible essentially for keeping everything running, including the people. A boarding party was a risky endeavor and if some of the more trigger happy ship mates were going, he would expect to turn resources away from the sword class ship to mend their feeble bodies properly. He turned off his data slate and requested for his data gear. He had arrived at 'assault point 10/15' with his custom revengence grenade launcher and bangolier in his main limbs, the others moving about for functions checks and dedicated to fixing machines, people, and rending both. He received a 'Scaredskin' from the resident xenos, a creature he would describe as a little too curvy. Not even nature had such strange contours. The insult of course, pretty much fell flat against his inorganic eyes. "Greetings Shipmate Laeveyla. I do believe it's my primary directive to aid downed personnel so you can focus on not joining them." After her declaration he moved to the rear of the group, his task was support. "Considering half life of primary make up or core elements, I'll probably be functional longer then anyone on the vessel." The techpriest seemed to add as a simple statement of fact. "But no favors needed. I can just fix myself if required. There is nothing that can't be resolved with the right amount of drugs." Speaking of, he checked some of the canister rounds, making sure there was a variety for most occasions.</s> <\|message\|>Isaiah Hussian the III Isaiah As soon as he saw the nod he turned on his heel and started his walk. Striding quickly as he felt the deck below him along the ridges of his boots. He had pretty much everything he needed at the time, shotgun was just for formalities. He walked through the bulkhead and turned once again as he started through the maze of the ship, getting close to the sides of the hall to let the ratings pass. Over his vox he listened to the captain, "I will be there shortly." he said as his strides grew longer, he paced himself some, mainly so he didn't burn his old body out before the fight even begun. But he began thinking some, he is the biggest target that screams 'For the Imperium' in the ship, and if he is going over to a ship full of things that hate even seeing something Imperial, he was going to have a fun fight. Maybe he could use that to his advantage. He reached his room and opened the door. It looked almost standard for an officer's quarters if not for the boxes. Over his bed was a shotgun mounted to the wall, he walked to it and lifted it up. Taking the sling and pulling it from the barrel. The sling was moved up his arm and around his shoulder, letting the barrel sling below his right arm. He leaned down and got another sling, and a large canister of shells putting it around his neck and left arm, sliding it under the other sling so if he needed to take the shotgun off he could easier. The box of shells wouldn't interfere with movements as much as the shotgun would where it was currently hanging. He turned back out of the hallway and headed to where he was being sent to, bending his elbow up as he took several shells from the canister, closing it behind them, and then putting one in the barrel, and the rest in the internal. Eventually, he arrived at the point and was greeted, "Oh it's nice to see you again knife ear." he stated, rolling his eyes, "But if these things are any more deadly in person then their ship is, should we not refine a plan for ourselves and ratings once we board? I have a few idea's but I don't they are beneficial to the centuries that knife ears spent learning to be sarcastic." He asked to the rest of the room.</s> <\|message\|>Tecca Nina Ah, yes. Her desirability in the assault was not unexpected - if nothing else, her presence would be suitable for enhancing the group's resolve and ensuring the boarding action's success. Bidding her Choir continue to contemplate their next message outward, and designating one to lead them in her absence, she let them be, heading on to the assault point in due course. She had everything she needed with her, of course. And yet, the Eldar still reached the location long before anybody else. She had a knack for physicality, not to mention intense arrogance and a soul that could be singled out from well across the ship. Granted, its potency compared to the others on board was significant, but it was the strange form that really stuck out when it came to seeing her. Naturally, this made her no easier to communicate with - especially with such mocking greetings as "highmind". 'Ah, and a distinct greeting to you too, xeno,' she replied , her sardonic grin cutting. Her glare would have been too, but... well. 'I certainly hope you get your fill of combat today - why, you must be raring to get to the front line ahead of us mere humans, mustn't you?' Even as she said this, she set her mind upon bolstering the group's resolve in advance of the attack, her soul reaching out to touch those of the others in the group. Severus', mostly gilded from fear already, but precise and specific in its function, and simple enough to add extra reinforcement to. Isaiah's, tired of the galaxy as it was, but proof against most fears, and yet worth proofing further. Even Laeveyla's. Eugh, like prodding grox refuse with her toe - not that Laeveyla had any relation to a grox, of course, because those were actually useful, but one could all but smell the pompous crap spewing from her mind if only one had the capacity to sense it.</s>	<\|message\|>Laeveyla. No surname given, but when one must use something more formal, she usually goes by 'the Wanderer.' "Yes, well, I'm glad I don't intend to rely on your services, Scaredskin." She shook her head in the direction of the mangled heap of metal that stubbornly still called itself human, before a crewmember calling her a 'knife ear' came in. Honestly, there was no originality with these mon'keighs. Knife ears this, knife ears that. At least she tried coming up with new insults for them. "Issac," she said, referring to the man's name for quite possibly the first time since she had boarded this ship (even if it was the wrong name.) Drawing her sabre in one smooth movement, she would swing it dangerously close to his face before bringing it back towards her with a flourish. "They are deadly to you, perhaps, but a Corsair ship would have already taken anything worth salvaging from their craft and sent it towards the nearest sun in the time it's taken for you lot to meander your way to this airlock. Considering it's putting holes in this bucket of bolts so rapidly, you'd think you lot might show some urgency." Then came her favourite memebr of the crew to mock. The psyker. She thought herself so much better than the common man for her powers, not comprehending how little it raised her from the mediocre throngs of her race. "Oh come now. The machine can't even match my insult... That man," she gestured vaguely in Isiah's direction "uses the only damn insult any of you seem to know and you can't even be bothered to think of something? What does a woman have to do around here to match her wits?" She paused for a moment to let the comedic timing work its way out. "Oh, yes, sorry, I forgot this was a mon'keigh ship, right, yes, my apologies." Turning back to the psyker, she would toss her power sabre up and behind her, gracefully catching the weapon with her other hand, giving it a twirl, and then sheathing it once more, resting both of her hands atop the hilt. "One doesn't exactly have to rare to get ahead of you lot. I don't call you lumberfoots for nothing, after all." She rolled her eyes, but then in a surprising example of what little modesty the corsair had in her, doffed her cap towards the choir-master once she felt her magics work their way across the eldar's form. "Now then, I believe that leaves us awaiting one more, and then we can be off and I can earn my rather large paycheck."</s>
<\|description\|>Severus Hierophox Age: 48 Gender: Male Race: Adeptus Mechanicus Appearance: It is difficult to really call Severus human anymore. No part of him that one sees carries the hint or scrap of human skin, wrapped as he is in the iconic robes of mars, with brown red speckled smock and golden trim. His face looks more like a squid, the dozen tubes that connect into from his skull into the various systems that are attached to his body. In front of the tubes is a plate of five glowing green eyes as his optics. His left hand actually resembles a human hand before the fingers telescopically unfold into various tools. His left hand is a series of clawed cable like tendrils capable of manual manipulations beyond that of weak flesh, and that is before one gets to the mechadendrites, three of them. One is a servo arm holding a massive hydrolic claw and phosphor blow torch for heavy repairs. One holding all the medicae tools needed for knitting and exchanging flesh and the biologus cogitators. The last another limb for more tendrils to carry weapons and other gadgets for appeasing the machine spirits. One can see the various systems hanging from satchels and mechadendrite anchor points. The scanning devices. The data slabs. Entire tool kits, and a charging station for his servo skull Cornelius. He does also carry with him a number of biological specimen jars, just in case he comes across anything particularly interesting. When expecting trouble, his hands usually have a grenade launcher and bangoliers filled with his grenades, but he commonly would switch to his shock maul and web pistol, in order to prevent unnecessary loss of organ integrity. Personality: The various attachments, wires, tubes, and connectors in his skull has affected his thought process and temperment as it had done with many of the Mechanicus. He speaks with a constant robotic inflection and doesn't appear to have any emotion aside from cold hard logic. However that is where the similarities between him and his other compatriots end. Severus seems to have an unorthodoxly open desire to converse with others. His words while monotone, always carry a playful hint about them. Something cheeky, sarcastic, with a rather morbid sense humor. He doesn't get angry, or sad, or annoyed and seems to take pleasure in doing it to others, as if his advanced state of being makes him above such emotions, and its up to him to show its superior and preferred side. He works on machines, but his passion, his hobby is in the biological form, experimenting on flesh and swapping it with stronger prosthetic components. It doesn't matter the source either, humans, xenos. All are just flesh, waiting to be processed, enhanced. That isn't to say that he is cruel. Despite his macabe fascinations, he has a rather optimistic point of view. All things are alive. Humans, Xenos have souls. Machines have their spirits. The Emperor. The Ominssiah. Their will extends like the Astranomicon across the stars. Even stars burn, live, die. He sees himself as a medicae, preserving life in unrotting metal. His rather unorthodox ideas of xenos does make some question his loyalty to the Imperium. However his faith in the Omnissiah is beyond reproach. They are the great creator. The engine of progress and creation. He believes himself an instrument of his will whenever he lays hands upon something to fix. He plays the litanies by vox cast, burns incense and lays the oils. He is friend to machine spirit as he is to flesh. If there is one thing he does have a profound hatred for, its chaos, and those that serve demonkind. Those that mix with the darker powers are a cancer, a rot that should be cut out. He hopes the infections are not so deep. Their organs can be put to better use. Relationship to the Dynasty: Hierophox was offered as a favor between the Martian Adepts and the Dynasty. The Techpriest has no personal relationship with the Dynasty. History: Vat grown on a Mechanicus ship to the Gothic Sector, Severus grew among the priest hood as an acolyte. Plying his knowledge, the trade, and all in all focusing hard to become another Engineseer, a noble profession that would see him supporting the other deparmentos of the Imperium. He knew he was not made for fame, glory, merely that his work would provide order, creation to the chaotic galaxy. His main apprenticeship would take place on Research Station X9 Artemis which would act as a harbringer force while the other planets were surveyed and colonized into the Imperiums Service. Then a Raiding force under the banner of Chaos sought to pillage and infest the system while Imperial presence was weak. The Research Station became a listening post by which the Mechnanicus could spy on the Raiders. The station had received countless attacks, and over time, communications were disrupted, and the station was considered lost. It would be years later that the Imperial Navy and Adeptus Astartes would purge the system of the Chaos Warband and the research station was rediscovered. It was a surprise when the short range radio picked up the Imperial distress voc. It was even more surprising that the gun turrets in a part of the station were still manned. It was considered impossible that a single member of the station had survived, Severus Hierophox, working frantically to maintain the core systems of the station and the hundreds of Servitors that were once its former crew, injured from the decades of repelling the attackers. Severus was rescued, but his time isolated had changed him. He became a gifted tech priest, but even under interrogation, he was considered unhinged, possibly tainted, yet he passed every test the adepts could give him. The Adeptus Mechanicus had saw his duty done as a great service to be honored, but the possible concern overrided welcoming him back to the fold. Instead, he would be given to a Rogue Trader to honor a deal. Best to continue the Great Work, far far away from Holy Terra. Skills: * Passionate Genetor- While not a true member of the order, his love and passion are for the crafting and study of the flesh. Biology has such fascinating properties and he spends every moment he can manipulating it to its true purpose, to host the metal of the machine. * Tech Priest of Mars - His Order is more in line with the Artisan. Artisans, sometimes called "Constructors," are the Tech-priests who design and oversee the construction of new devices, edifices, spacecraft, weapons, technology and other Imperial civilian and military hardware. For that, he sees to the machine of the ship and its upkeep. * Data Archivist - A life of scholarly study with numerous data slates and cogitators, allows him to have a bit of knowledge for any given situation. * Servitor Fabricator - His specialty is craft and upkeep of servitors, provided he have the time and resources. * The Flesh is Weak - His form boasts numerous augments including his extra limbs, auspex implants, and general physically robustness. Handy for survival, gathering data, or having a tool for any occasion. * Non Lethal Combat - Knows how to put something down without excess damage. * Chem Tinkerer - Numerous experiments with alternative medicines and reagents, he has an array of drugs and grenades he could provide. Equipment: * Phosphor Burner - Acts as a Hand Flamer, attached to Servo Arm * Pneumatic Claw - For bashing, lifting, crushing, attached to Servo Arm * Webber Pistol - Blasts a globual of expanding sticky foam to incapacitate foes. * Shock Maul - A cudgel with a charge of electricity that disrupts electrical signals, both biological and mechanical. * Grenade Launcher - Commonly equipped with Smoke, Stun, Hallucinogen, Neurotoxin, and a few more destructive options. * Field Medicae Kit - Has enough supplies for a proper field surgery. * Enginseer Array - All the tools needed for on the spot repairs. Attached to mechadendrite. * Data Slates - For Record Keeping. * Specimen Bottles - Just in case. * Multi Range Optical Auspice - Able to view, infrared, ultraviolet, xray, and integrity scanner * Integrated Vox Caster - A short range radio * Telescopic lasher - Acting as his hand, gives him reach and greater dexterity. * Servo Skull - Cornelius, equipped with the various religious iconography needed to appease the machine spirits, censor burner, holy oils, prayer strips, and a number of recorded songs that play from a Vox Caster. Miscellaneous: A motivation is that Severus has maintained a sample of the Poxwalker Plague among his personal items, and spends open hours trying in vein to discover a cure. This is entirely to spite the darker powers, that his medicae is superior then their vile tricks.</s> <\|message\|>Tecca Nina Ah, yes. Her desirability in the assault was not unexpected - if nothing else, her presence would be suitable for enhancing the group's resolve and ensuring the boarding action's success. Bidding her Choir continue to contemplate their next message outward, and designating one to lead them in her absence, she let them be, heading on to the assault point in due course. She had everything she needed with her, of course. And yet, the Eldar still reached the location long before anybody else. She had a knack for physicality, not to mention intense arrogance and a soul that could be singled out from well across the ship. Granted, its potency compared to the others on board was significant, but it was the strange form that really stuck out when it came to seeing her. Naturally, this made her no easier to communicate with - especially with such mocking greetings as "highmind". 'Ah, and a distinct greeting to you too, xeno,' she replied , her sardonic grin cutting. Her glare would have been too, but... well. 'I certainly hope you get your fill of combat today - why, you must be raring to get to the front line ahead of us mere humans, mustn't you?' Even as she said this, she set her mind upon bolstering the group's resolve in advance of the attack, her soul reaching out to touch those of the others in the group. Severus', mostly gilded from fear already, but precise and specific in its function, and simple enough to add extra reinforcement to. Isaiah's, tired of the galaxy as it was, but proof against most fears, and yet worth proofing further. Even Laeveyla's. Eugh, like prodding grox refuse with her toe - not that Laeveyla had any relation to a grox, of course, because those were actually useful, but one could all but smell the pompous crap spewing from her mind if only one had the capacity to sense it.</s> <\|message\|>Laeveyla. No surname given, but when one must use something more formal, she usually goes by 'the Wanderer.' "Yes, well, I'm glad I don't intend to rely on your services, Scaredskin." She shook her head in the direction of the mangled heap of metal that stubbornly still called itself human, before a crewmember calling her a 'knife ear' came in. Honestly, there was no originality with these mon'keighs. Knife ears this, knife ears that. At least she tried coming up with new insults for them. "Issac," she said, referring to the man's name for quite possibly the first time since she had boarded this ship (even if it was the wrong name.) Drawing her sabre in one smooth movement, she would swing it dangerously close to his face before bringing it back towards her with a flourish. "They are deadly to you, perhaps, but a Corsair ship would have already taken anything worth salvaging from their craft and sent it towards the nearest sun in the time it's taken for you lot to meander your way to this airlock. Considering it's putting holes in this bucket of bolts so rapidly, you'd think you lot might show some urgency." Then came her favourite memebr of the crew to mock. The psyker. She thought herself so much better than the common man for her powers, not comprehending how little it raised her from the mediocre throngs of her race. "Oh come now. The machine can't even match my insult... That man," she gestured vaguely in Isiah's direction "uses the only damn insult any of you seem to know and you can't even be bothered to think of something? What does a woman have to do around here to match her wits?" She paused for a moment to let the comedic timing work its way out. "Oh, yes, sorry, I forgot this was a mon'keigh ship, right, yes, my apologies." Turning back to the psyker, she would toss her power sabre up and behind her, gracefully catching the weapon with her other hand, giving it a twirl, and then sheathing it once more, resting both of her hands atop the hilt. "One doesn't exactly have to rare to get ahead of you lot. I don't call you lumberfoots for nothing, after all." She rolled her eyes, but then in a surprising example of what little modesty the corsair had in her, doffed her cap towards the choir-master once she felt her magics work their way across the eldar's form. "Now then, I believe that leaves us awaiting one more, and then we can be off and I can earn my rather large paycheck."</s>	<\|message\|>Severus Hierophox "Greetings Shipmate Isaiah." The techpriest had catalogued most of the names and designations of the entire crew and as they appeared, the techpriest would give them welcome like clockwork. Course some were more crucial than others, at least in terms of station. "The captain and the command staff really intend on joining a boarding action? Hardly efficient. Though should they fall in battle, I'd be happy to take impromptu emergency powers. I did maintain a research station when all others were reduced to husks of a servitor. I was always curious of the challenges of maintaining a void ship. Though of course, that would mean I shirk my duties as Medicae, which is doubtful. You'll survive. Perhaps with a few improvements. Speaking of, care for some drugs?" He held up a little syringe, the contents a clear liquid. "Oh wait, the more friendly vernacular, care for some chems?" Severus was going to offer his suggestions for a suitable plan when there was another particularly important individual. "Greeting Choirmaster Tecca. Just in time to start developing a strate-" As the psychic powers reached out from her, there was always an odd little disconnect as his mechanical components had to to find new neural pathways inorder to compensate for the energies sparking and revitalizing the organic remnants of his mind. On the outside, it looked like the Tech Priest just stopped moving, going completely still for a few seconds before there were mechanical whirling sounds and a few beeps of his various Cogitator reinitializing. "How inefficient. A few pieces left to replace it seems." He said to his various limbs and mechadendrites. "Still, some warp effects are appreciated Choirmaster. Let me return the kindness." He pointed his syringe in her direction. He stopped when he noticed the bickering between the three of them. His various green eyes seemingly telescoping and whirling as they went their back and forth. "I detect a slight increase in endorphins. Omnissiah bless this cohesive structure of mutual respect and cooperation. There is a lesson to be had here by our example."</s>
<\|description\|>Isaiah Hussian the III Age : 25 Terran Years in looks - 58 in years. Gender : Male Race : Human Appearance : Short length brown hair,(does have wigs for pony tail or curls for formal occasions), blue eyes and lighter caucasian skin, does use powder to make his skin seem more like porcelain. No mechanical implants. Rather skinny, and shorter (110-130 lbs) (5'2 ft) His shape is about average, or leaner compared to most. No scarring through most of his body, he would seem to be a track runner without thighs. Typically found wearing white pants, and Imperial Naval Jacket (blue torso with white arms) with midshipman insignia and a small pin on his collar signifying his house. (Grey and black pendant in a checkered pattern) Most of the time wearing white gloves. While on his belt is an issued laspistol, chainsword, glow-globe and data-slate. Can usually also be found with a Data-slate. Will also wear a cloak if he is on a long watch. A young man, with an aged left eye, nearly white porcelain skin, and long white hair, that is either seen in a pompous wing and ponytail or just as a long single ponytail. His left eye is missing, but it does have a replacement false eye that is similar to his old one for show, but also a large cybernetic piece that he can wear. He does have a large vein-like bulge that goes down the side of his neck under his skin, it is somewhat flush, and looks like a buff guy broke a nerve. He is taller than what he once was, at now six three. His knees having been replaced some short time ago, as well as his left shoulder blade. The synthetic skin hiding most if not all of the metallic bits. His form is still thin, but this hides the somewhat metallic strength of his somewhat rebuilt again body. His right arm though is buff compared to his other appendages. He wears either one of two suits, one which is completely white similar to that worn in a ball room. The other is a dark blue, that of the navy with the ranking of captain plastered on it along with various badges and metals that he may or may not have deserved. With his white suit, he does have a laspistol of some kind inside the chest. But his naval uniform, he wears it all, his sword on his side and laspistol on the other. His belt lined with his data-slate, his power packs, and his light. Personality : Young and extremely timid, Isaiah has yet to experience the world. Those above him he treats with utmost respect, and those below him and beside him he has no idea what to do with. Can be considered a coward in some situations, but when supported he can be valuable. He is not really adventurous, but he is someone to be in awe at some new things he finds as 'beautiful' mainly galactic bodies (suns that aren't the color of his, brightly colored gas clouds, etc) He does try to do his job the best he can, and if he doesn't know how to do something in his line of work, then he figures it out. Can be reluctant to give information out if something is wrong, i.e. someone missing from the shift or cargo missing. (kid really needs a person commissar with a fake gun) After almost forty years of being in service to several Rogue Traders, he has gain a lot of knowledge. He has seen many stars, fought demonic incursions, xenos, traitors, and many other things. He walked the void of space after venting out his cargo bay to rid it of a fungal infection. He has aged like spoiled milk, becoming a frequent alcoholic, and an overall grumpy and angry man. He is not at home with a family, sitting in some mansion. He is out in the wilds of space, being angry as all hell as looks over the stars. He has lived his life of adventure, his life in the Navy roster of a Rogue Trader, he has become a captain of nothing but cargo bays and galleys on several ships of varying levels of Imperial heresy. But, in general, he is a reliable old man. If you can bear his yelling, and complaining, you can see that most of his words have some sense and truth to them. He is a bountiful source of information and wisdom to those who can translate insane and angry drunkard. Relationship to the Dynasty : His family is of a bunch of nobles, but he really has no ties to the rogue trader or his family. History : Isaiah grew up in a kind and gentle world in his estate, he traveled the planet some. And lived in almost complete luxury due to his status. In his early years he was taught that the human body was perfect the way it was, but to preserve the family at later ages once proven a decent heir or of some importance. They would be given allowances for minor life preservation treatments. Minor due to the world being somewhat out of the way of most imperial trade routes, so not that high on the economic level. But the planet was a Feudal world, living the ways of nobles, and his family being one lower on the totem pole in the planet. In his education, he was found to be an extremely good pencil pusher, and therefor was to be inducted as one of the planets bureaucrats. But his father decided he should take a different route, and enlisted his son in the Grand Imperial Navy. It was due to other political reasons as well, such as they wanted honor and prestige from the son, as well as a chance to get him out there to other nobles who may have been enlisted into the Navy, or Astra Militarum. Once given his rank of Midshipman due to his noble status, he was quickly to be found as an Officer of the Watch while most ranking officers were off duty, and quartermaster, due to his good skills with pushing paper. Due to this, and his abilities with other people, he was found to be somewhat of an underdog. His previous Captain, deciding that it would be better for him to put his skills in paper pushing, moved his station to an actual station rather then a ship. There for he, and the pencil pushers of various creed within the Imperium at the station were to inspect ships, their contents, the crew, and the ship itself while in port and dry dock. To rot away as pencil pusher, lest a crew of adventures were to save him, or he was to be kidnapped while inspecting a ship. Because who cares about some lowly midshipman? He has been transferred around a bit by rogue traders for his ability to keep the cargo bay somewhat clean and orderly. And as a gift to a new fledgling rogue trader, his services were offered as long as the pay was similar and the title was somewhat better. He has been with rogue traders for a long period of time, mainly as a quartermaster and cargo bay controller. But he has slowly been working with command staff and even in small engagements in the bridge. Once he was even given command of the ship when a rogue trader decided he wanted a vacation. For that he was given a few days down on planet and regenerative treatment to make him look younger and to give him a new liver. In his travels he has also been trained in maybe service skills such as cooking, cleaning, being a servant, and some in the commander role of parts of the ship and as a pseudo-armsman. He is still serving in the Imperial Navy, and they have deemed him to become a Captain now, does he get his own command, no because they have no idea where he is, but they do pay him as he does check in with the Administrautum at some stops. Skills : Extremely good with numbers, organizing shifts, ordering and stocking goods, ammo, and other needed things. Knows how to use basic Imperial Weapons, chainsword, and his power sword Knows how to cook, and how to get higher quality goods for cooking. Has officer clearance Is extremely perceptive of things in stock, and can find contraband, as well as knows basic layout of most Imperial ships. Servant skills Luxury cooking Being a fledgling commander Equipment : Laspistol power sword Basic Naval Officer Garbs Naval Captain insignia Data-slate Glow-globe recorder a powerpacks for the laspistol -in quarters shotgun standard naval cloak Flak Weave shells for the shotgun Misc :</s> <\|message\|>Laeveyla. No surname given, but when one must use something more formal, she usually goes by 'the Wanderer.' To the Aeldari, a little bit of heavy fire wasn't really too much to concern herself with. She had escaped worst situations without losing a hair on her head; this was nothing unusual. Maybe to the Mon'Keighs it was something to worry themselves over, but she had hope, and when hope didn't work, she had the fact that she was superior to the rest of the crew instead. When the Rogue Trader asked his question, she shook her head. "Nae, despite the similarities t'ween the weaponry it carries and that of my Commorite kin, it's nae wraithbone and I dinnae see any Aeldari markings on it." Her hair danced about her head with every movement she made; a mesmerising display that distracted from her face. "Could be scavenged Aeldari technology. Or they nicked it from us. Either wae, nae to do with my peoples any more. Tha' being said, might be worthwhile for me to get my armour on, jus' in case we end up with some boarding actions goin' on." With a brief nod towards the owner of the vessel she would leave the bridge, heading towards where she bunked and where her armour was held. She had her weaponry on her at all times; the fusion pistol and power sabre snugly fit to her thighs, but alas, a fetching double breasted jacket and her tight fitted trousers did not deflect shuriken fire. A few moments later and she would emerge once more; although Biel-Tan's colours were white and green, the mesh armour wasn't hers, and she was fairly sure the corsair it came from had hailed from Saim-Hann with its deep crimson colour. The flecks of gold were certainly not standard though, and the felarch helmet she held underneath her arm was the same red as the armour; not the white that standardised guardian armour would be. Moving to the vox-channel that linked her to Rudyard, the smugness in her voice was palpable. "Are there any folks, me exceptin', who'll be needed if we take the fight t'them? Or, if they take the fight t'us."</s> <\|message\|>Severus Hierophox Certainly a mess they were in. The aft section of the frigate took some kind of ballistic fire. A rail gun the Tech Priest could gather. It shot right through the void shields and slammed right into the engines section. It exposed the massive compartment to void. The ship lost 3 whole teams in an instant. Servitors and Hierophox went to work while repair teams prepared their void suits to help out. If it was just a big hole in the ship, they'd be done by now. But the shell didn't just puncture, didn't just explode. The shrapnel... the projectile seemed perfectly designed to pierce metal and then rupture. Hundreds, thousands of cuts from the entry point, slicing fuel lines, coolant pipes, even as small as wires were severed. Day one, patch the holes and structural damage, make sure the ship atleast has its impulse power. Day two, evaluation and begin repairs on the Warp Engine. The myriad of small annoyances mounted to a major problem. The Warp Engine was a temperamental beast even under optimized circumstances. Now it was wounded, wounded and angry. A thousand cuts throughout its body. The entire engine block smelled of blessed oils, sanctified grease, and promethium wielders. Severus Hierophox was at the foot of the Warp Engine, near coil intake port 37. His mechadendrites a flurry of sparks, lights, and whirls as he cut, trimmed, massaged, soothed the dozens of wires, patched the hundreds of cut tubes. Cornelius flitted about him, speaking the litanies, playing the vox caster of power inspiration music that the Omnissiah good graces and glory. Through it all, the vox in his skull chirped on. "Receiving Captain Cook." Came his oddly cheery if completely robotic voice, orchestral classical music playing in the background. He knew that the captain wouldn't have the patience needed to treat the Praetorian Steel with the loving care such a noble creation required and so, moving his hands from the computer panel, he went to his data slate currently in the mechanical hands of a favored servitor. "Thank you Abigail. Aid Support Team 6 and initiate the coajicator reloading." He took the slate from her and quickly his tendrilites did their work. "Understood. We have returned functionality to the Warp Drive, but the scans and repairs to the surrounding sectors are still on going. We have structural damage being appraised in sections 12E, 18-27E, 34E, and 39E. The stress of a jump could cause fracturing and cataclysmic failure. I might also add, the micro leaks could cause the Engine to fail, which means a possibility of being stranded. I am calculating a 33.768924 percent chance of immediate termination upon activation and a 46.983291 chance of engine failure after activation. If you can give us another estimated 5.46 hours, those numbers will decrease by 9.12 percent. Extraordinary efforts considering most of your repair teams are liberated organics." He was pushing for a full servitor repair teams but so far his requisitions have not been accepted.</s>	<\|message\|>Isaiah Hussian the III "It's cause it ain't Imperial, Master Trader, the only time I had face a vessel similar to that is when I was twenty-five years old... To my remembrance, it is far more advanced then what we have, they hate anything with imperial iconography, and they like sifting through trash." Isaiah closed his eyes for a moment, "the only thing I believe can turn the situation in our favor is if we appease them, go faster than them, or if you have some weapon hidden up your leave." Thinking a bit more, "There are two other possibilities, dumping any trash compartment we have left with munitions and hoping they go for it." His eyes narrowed towards the statuette in his hands, "but the question is, do they want us dead, or do they want that thing you have in your hand. Some stupid little trinket might have some importance to them, so I believe we suit ourselves out like the knife-eared darling and prepare ourselves for a melee, and if we are daring enough today, we try a boarding action of our own to damage it." "Now, Master Trader, may I retire to my chamber, I may require my shotgun for the coming fight." he asked still looking at the idol for a moment before shifting his vision up to the traders head waiting for permission.</s>
<\|description\|>Tabaga Species: Saiyan Age: 34 Gender: Female Appearance Personality: Tabaga used to be an enthusiastic warrior who never ran from a fight. After the destruction of her home-world, she entered into a sort of catatonic state after unlocking her Super Saiyan transformation which lasted a number of days. At the moment, her grasp on mental stability is tenuous to put it mildly. Bio: Tabaga was one of the elites on Planet Vegeta. Born to a high ranking family and born with an above average power level she quickly began to rise through the ranks as she began her training. She was known for being a ruthless sparring partner and an even more ruthless warrior. The Saiyans of her universe never knew how fortunate they were, as the Freeze force did not exist in their universe. Without Freeza and his family to limit their growth, The Saiyans were able to expand beyond Planet Vegeta eventually although it took quite a bit longer. They eventually set out to conquer their home galaxy and nearly succeeded in doing so. Unknown to the war-hungry Saiyans however, another, far more ancient and vicious race had set their sights on the Saiyan's home galaxy after annihilating the inhabitants of the East, West and South Galaxies and adding them to their own Empire. Although the Saiyans attempted to do what they did best, the unknown warriors cut through them without much effort over years of bloody battle and more and more planets began to fall to the unknown warriors. Eventually, the Saiyans were beat back to Planet Vegeta and the Planet itself was wiped clean of all life after a massive battle. Tabaga, whose grip on her mental stability was already hanging by a thread after continued losses to the invaders, was forced to watch and know she could do nothing as Planet Vegeta finally fell. As she watched flames engulf her home planet, something inside her snapped. She could feel her power rising exponentially and a massive golden aura began to surround her. She didn't exactly remember what happened next, but she had flashes of memory of the invaders being cut down by the dozens and of a massive explosion that wiped out all life in Planet Vegeta's solar system. The last flash of memory she had was a rather tall unknown figure placing her in an attack ball, looking down at her and telling her everything would be fine as the hibernation sequence began to activate. What seemed like minutes for her were actually years outside of the attack ball. Unknown to Tabaga, her attack ball had been moved. It was no longer in her home universe, rather it sitting outside of a ruined temple. Techniques: Ki Sword: Dragon Cannon: Dragon's roar: Tabaga unleashes a massive Ki blast from her mouth that causes expanding waves of destruction. Not very effective in range unless she is in Super Saiyan form or above.)) Transformations: Super Saiyan: Tabaga unlocked this technique after the fall of the Saiyan Home world. It may not have allowed her to save her home-world but it allowed her to take revenge on those who aided in it's destruction. Other Info: A universal war between the Saiyan Race and a race of unknown warriors who annihilated everything in their path is what destroyed Tabaga's home galaxy. The Unknown warriors couldn't be stopped through normal means and cut down everything in front of them.</s> <\|message\|>Mia Death, destruction, pain and than darkness. These were the ingredients chosen to ruin a young girls perfect day. But than an extra ingredient was added to the concoction, space magic. And so it was that instead of falling into a crack in the ground to her doom, burning up into a crisp, having her lungs detonate, her face melt off, her skin boil, her eyes explode or meeting some similar and equally displeasing and yet altogether expected fate Mia found her self in the unusual position of lifting up her eyes in hell. Or had she? As her eyes adjusted to a sky that wasn't black and burning she couldn't but help think it didn't look like any hell she imagined. For one thing the sky wasn't burning. Although it certainly smelled like it. And she always pictured hell as having more gothic spires and lava pits and less ruins. Than again it didn't look like heaven either. Not that she knew what the two looked like. Mia newer was very religious. A week ago if someone had told her about an afterlife she'd have laughed at it. But now she wasn't so sure. After all one does not just survive the destruction of a planet least of all while having her feet planted on it. Still she simply couldn't imagine either of the big ones would let their domain go this badly. So where had she gone? Mia carefully considered her options. She wasn't evil. So hell was probably out of the question. After all she wasn't that sinful. A smirk involuntarily passed her face as she recalled her, now sadly canceled, plans for the evening. Alright, maybe just a bit. But still, her life of fighting and fun were hardly a reason to... well, what ever. Living or dead, hell or heaven might as well make the best of it. Thus she got up, dusted her self off and decided to go find some other undead to chat up and see what answers this new world had to offer.</s> <\|message\|>Dimsum AKA "Yaksha" "It has been an honor fighting alongside you, Supreme Kai Shin" "Likewise Yaksh...no, Prince Dimsum, I believe?" "Heh. I believe the odds aren't that bad. Majin Frieza and Majin Buu. Two of us remaining in this scorched planet." "I admire your optimism, human." "Defiant to the end, that's how we are. Here they come - ORYAAAA!" Yaksha's mind still throbbed, after being bereaved from probably his death in combat. A unknown yet familiar landscape appeared before him, as he tried to get his bearings to where he had ended up. Unfortunately for him, he was in freefall and as he pondered he fell in the fountain of Conton City, making one hell of a splash. The shock seemed to make him regain his senses, before he hapzardly climbed out, and eyed the wreckage of the city and its ethereal surroundings. He wanted desperatedly to go back to the battle, and try and do the impossible. Save Earth from Majin Buu. Odds were appalling, but he wasn't gonna wait it out to die. He had to stand up for those that were gone or could not. But the reality kicked in. This was in all likelyhood, Conton City, according to Shin's tales and Kami's guidance. Or whatever was left of it, anyway. Well, no use in dwelling on it, he guessed, as he snapped his fingers, revealing a quick change of clothes with Magic Materialization. He was now wearing a dry, fresh suit of a Supreme Kai's attendant. He wore it better than Kibito, that was for sure. Only one person could make sense out of tails, and he knew better than to look haggard in front of such a respectable presence. He honed his senses, and remembered the vague, distinct feeling of divine Ki. It was hard to sense, and most mortals, even those of Kami's race would forever be denied the ability to sense it, but he knew. He could. Alongside, there were other ki senses he picked, but they were mostly in disarray, it seemed...although not hostile. "Kai Kai!" He energetically said, as he vanished in an instant... ...Only to appear before the Supreme Kai of Time, inside the Time Nest, offering an elegant bow. "So it was wished, so it shall be. This one called Yaksha greets the Supreme Kai of Time. How may I be of service?" Yaksha said solemny. And you had better have a good reason from plucking me out of my timeline in the moment I was most needed.</s>	<\|message\|>Tabaga Conton City Ruins Ruins of the Academy Inside of her pod, Tabaga dreamed of a time long since passed. A time when she had been a warrior and a symbol of both hope and power to her people. A time before darkness had fallen over the entire universe. A time when she still had hope in the future. Planet Vegeta A long time ago "Hold the line!" Tabaga shouted to a number of the few remaining Saiyans in the atmosphere of Planet Vegeta as more and more of the silent and mysterious black armored troopers flew straight towards them. She looked towards the youngest of the group and tried to smile reassuringly. "It's going to be alright, Okora. We just need to keep them busy until the device is ready." The younger Saiyan tried to return the smile but failed as she looked at the few thousand remaining Saiyans doing their best to try and fight off the invaders. They were falling one by one every minute, being overwhelmed with sheer numbers. Just need to buy a little bit more time. It'll all be worth it if we buy the King enough time. There was a time Tabaga would have punished anyone for their lack of confidence but she was in no position to talk. The Saiyans had managed to create an Empire that had lasted barely ten years before whoever the hell these people were had destroyed it. Planet after Planet had fallen, thousands of her people had been slaughtered in nearly every engagement. She had lost so many friends and family in the war. Everyone had. "Here they come!" Okora's shout managed to snap her out of her memories and she focused on the battle at hand. "Let's show them what we can do! Squad five, CHARGE!" Tabaga shouted as she launched herself towards the silent enemy troops. After a few minutes of fighting, Tabaga already knew how this was going to end. Nearly all the members of her squad were barely standing and still more and more invading troops were flying towards Planet Vegeta. No matter how many of them were killed, more simply flew towards them and continued beating them down. Tabaga's rage was boiling to the surface as she watched the invaders begin targeting the weaker and injured members of the few remaining Saiyans. She was soon back to back with Okora with only around thirty of Planet Vegeta's warriors remaining in orbit and that number was rapidly diminishing. "Squad five! This is King Vegeta. The device is ready. Can anyone get to it?" The battle-worn Saiyan looked at Okora who was barely able to stay conscious at this point. It was down to just the two of them in orbit at this point and more and more of the silent warriors were approaching. "Negative, my King. It's just me and Okora left up here." She spotted a massive number of the invaders beginning to break off the attack against them and begin moving towards the planet. "I'm sorry...but it looks like they're going after the planet themselves now, my king." There was a pause. "No. I'm sorry." Tabaga and Okora both looked up in surprise at that. The King had never apologized. Never to any of his subjects. "It's just the three of us warriors left right now. I failed as King and I failed my subjects." There was another pause. "It looks like they're trying to storm the palace." The King said in a calmer voice then Tabaga expected in the face of certain death. Okora and Tabaga both looked at the silent warriors surrounding them. "We still have a few hundred up here. We'll try and take as many of them with us as we can. Die well, King Vegeta." "Die well, Tabaga. Die well, Okora." The King replied as over the scouter she heard the sound of the doors to the palace shattered and the sound of energy blasts. "Is this it?" Okora asked in a sad and quiet voice. Tabaga simply nodded. "I think it is. I'm sorry. I told you it would be alright. I was wrong." "It's okay. You've been a wonderful friend, Tabaga. Maybe we'll meet again in the next life." Tabaga simply chuckled at that. "Knowing my luck, I'll most likely find myself in hell. You on the other hand, I think your going somewhere else." "I hope s-" Okora's voice cut off in mid sentence and Tabaga slowly turned around and saw a hole blown in Okora's chest. She looked at Tabaga with the saddest expression on her fact that Tabaga had ever seen on someone. She raised a shaking hand and gently patted Tabaga's face as the light left her eyes. "Y-You..." She stared at the surrounding invaders with hatred in her eyes. That hatred turned to horror as flames began to wash across the surface of Planet Vegeta. "Why...WHY DID YOU DO THIS?!" She screamed. "WHAT DID WE DO TO YOU TO DESERVE THIS?!" The invaders surrounding her made no reply as they began to channel their energy into a final strike against the last survivor of Planet Vegeta's warrior race. "You killed my friends. You killed my family. You killed my king." Okora growled as small flashes of lighting began to appear around her. The invaders began to back away as Tabaga's eyes began to flash and the lightning began to flash brighter and brighter. "You killed my squad. You destroyed my planet." Tabaga's hair began to flash a greenish gold color as a blazing aura began to surround her. She was barely aware of the majority of the rest of the Invading army leaving Planet Vegeta and flying towards her at high speed. "YOU KILLED OKORA!" She screamed in complete and utter rage and hatred as a moment later the blazing yellowish green aura that had enveloped her erupted from her in a massive explosion that disintegrated those enemy invaders closest to her. She slowly turned towards the approaching army of enemy solders and smiled a vicious, bloodthirsty smile. "I may not have been able to save my Planet. But mark my words...I will AVENGE IT!" She screamed as she grabbed Okora's body and launched herself towards the approaching army. "DRAGON CANNON!" Conton City Ruins Ruins of the Academy "Pod damage critical. Pod Power levels critical. Hibernation sequence offline." For the first time in many years, Tabaga's eyes opened as the pod's computer voice woke her from her sleep. No...sleep wasn't the correct word. For many years she had a been a prisoner of her own mind. With a single low power energy blast, she blew the door off of the damaged pod and rose to her feet. All around her was a ruined city. Piles of ash littered the entire city. "This place..." She muttered. "Where am I?" Ruins of Conton City "So it was wished, so it shall be. This one called Yaksha greets the Supreme Kai of Time. How may I be of service?" The Supreme Kai of Time looked at the new arrival who called himself Yaksha and smiled a very sad smile. "Hello Yaksha." She spoke in a very sad voice. "I'm very sorry to tell you this but I didn't bring you here to to be of service. I brought you and the others here to rescue you."</s>
<\|description\|>Tabaga Species: Saiyan Age: 34 Gender: Female Appearance Personality: Tabaga used to be an enthusiastic warrior who never ran from a fight. After the destruction of her home-world, she entered into a sort of catatonic state after unlocking her Super Saiyan transformation which lasted a number of days. At the moment, her grasp on mental stability is tenuous to put it mildly. Bio: Tabaga was one of the elites on Planet Vegeta. Born to a high ranking family and born with an above average power level she quickly began to rise through the ranks as she began her training. She was known for being a ruthless sparring partner and an even more ruthless warrior. The Saiyans of her universe never knew how fortunate they were, as the Freeze force did not exist in their universe. Without Freeza and his family to limit their growth, The Saiyans were able to expand beyond Planet Vegeta eventually although it took quite a bit longer. They eventually set out to conquer their home galaxy and nearly succeeded in doing so. Unknown to the war-hungry Saiyans however, another, far more ancient and vicious race had set their sights on the Saiyan's home galaxy after annihilating the inhabitants of the East, West and South Galaxies and adding them to their own Empire. Although the Saiyans attempted to do what they did best, the unknown warriors cut through them without much effort over years of bloody battle and more and more planets began to fall to the unknown warriors. Eventually, the Saiyans were beat back to Planet Vegeta and the Planet itself was wiped clean of all life after a massive battle. Tabaga, whose grip on her mental stability was already hanging by a thread after continued losses to the invaders, was forced to watch and know she could do nothing as Planet Vegeta finally fell. As she watched flames engulf her home planet, something inside her snapped. She could feel her power rising exponentially and a massive golden aura began to surround her. She didn't exactly remember what happened next, but she had flashes of memory of the invaders being cut down by the dozens and of a massive explosion that wiped out all life in Planet Vegeta's solar system. The last flash of memory she had was a rather tall unknown figure placing her in an attack ball, looking down at her and telling her everything would be fine as the hibernation sequence began to activate. What seemed like minutes for her were actually years outside of the attack ball. Unknown to Tabaga, her attack ball had been moved. It was no longer in her home universe, rather it sitting outside of a ruined temple. Techniques: Ki Sword: Dragon Cannon: Dragon's roar: Tabaga unleashes a massive Ki blast from her mouth that causes expanding waves of destruction. Not very effective in range unless she is in Super Saiyan form or above.)) Transformations: Super Saiyan: Tabaga unlocked this technique after the fall of the Saiyan Home world. It may not have allowed her to save her home-world but it allowed her to take revenge on those who aided in it's destruction. Other Info: A universal war between the Saiyan Race and a race of unknown warriors who annihilated everything in their path is what destroyed Tabaga's home galaxy. The Unknown warriors couldn't be stopped through normal means and cut down everything in front of them.</s> <\|message\|>Mia Mia was following the discussion intently. Well, as intently as one can when stuffing one self with food and coffee at an alarming rate. Alarming for her calorie count that is. There was quite enough to go around. She on the other hand hadn't eaten properly in almost a day and was most assuredly making up for lost time. And besides, she'd burn it off sooner rather than later. At some point though she was finished, or close to it anyway, and the time had come to chime in. Or at the very least point out the plainly obvious. "None taken." "And somehow I think that's, like, the point." She took another sip of coffee. "I don't know about you guys but I am no detective. Not unless you count punching as an investigative skill. And this whole universe destruction stuff is frankly going over my head." She had a point. Something destroying universes was not just a physical impossibility for the most part but also just a matter of logistics. I mean, how the bloody hell do you destroy a whole universe? The energy required to do so alone would need to be... universal. Mia wasn't stupid, far from it, but it didn't take a genius to realize they were missing pieces of the puzzle here. Either that or they were going up against a literal god. She hoped it was the former. Thus, she continued "So my guess is our best bet is to go in there, find one of those whatevers that were messing the place up and hit him or her repeatedly some place soft until we get some answers. Or at least the name of the next person up to 'visit'." "And if they happen to find us first that just makes our job easier." She said this fully seriously, and with a honest smile that lacked any malice. It was just a statement of fact, nothing more. And yet it was exactly that which make the fact that she was talking about finding someone to torture for information somewhat awkward. You would expect such reasoning from most of you. But you had been through wars and done nasty things. She hadn't. Not that you knew this. But even so would any of you really said it so matter of fact and without dropping their morning coffee smile? Maybe you would. In which case this was you looking into a mirror you might not have wanted to see. Mia for her part was equally surprised. This was not exactly her usual style after all. And maybe it was this strange alien coffee speaking but honestly at this point she didn't give a bleep. She wanted some answers. And frankly some payback as well. And while she wasn't quite ready to kill for them just yet a little percussive persuasion was a line she would cross happily. As she said this she took another long and slow sip from the cup whilst casting a careful look over the team. They knew she was right. Or at least that no matter what the plan was this is how it would inevitably turn out. How they would make it turn out... You don't just take a bunch of really strong people and kill everyone they love without making it personal.</s> <\|message\|>Tabaga The Kai listened to the concerns that were brought up and did her best to answer them as best she could. She wasn't exactly sure what awaited them in Tabaga's universe since the Dimensional Scanner couldn't read into the universe itself, all it could say was that Tabaga's universe was still intact. "But we're just the victims of all this. How are we supposed to know what to look for? How are we supposed to recognize something important even if we do see it? We're going to a completely different universe," for most of them anyway, "everything is likely to seem strange to us to begin with. I do hope your plan extends beyond sending us there in the first place." "Right now, we're simply going to go into Tabaga's universe and see what we're dealing with and that's it. I don't want any of you to engage in any fighting with anyone or anything. I believe the term a few of my time patrollers often used was "Recon". As far as I'm concerned you'll be staying for less than ten minutes. The Dimensional Scanner can't look into her universe for some reason, all it's been able to say is that Tabaga's universe is intact." "I'm not especially looking forward to running into people asking me what I'm doing with saiyans for example. My people tend to be aggressive warriors in my universe, and we don't get along with saiyans. I bet Tabaga's version of my people are either completely different, or very similar. I'm just worried about the dynamics of our team. I mean no offense to those who are here." Tabaga finally spoke up after Darbin finished speaking. "Sorry to break it to you big guy, but before I was brought here I'd never seen one of your people as a threat to the saiyans before in my life. We were actually on pretty good terms with your people. One of you actually set up shop on Planet Vegeta as a shopkeeper before the end. And remember, the enemy we were fighting back in my home universe didn't leave survivors. They would just burn all life from a world and then move onto the next. I honestly doubt we'll find anything alive in my universe but I'm tempted to indulge the Kai here."</s> <\|message\|>Dimsum AKA "Yaksha" Yaksha finished sipping his coffee, paying no heed to the display of gluttony of others that had been lured by the buffet. At least that seemed to pacify some people, which was integral to building spirit. Yet to his surprise, a Saiyan out of all things, had not even tried to touch the entincing food. The same saiyan that had grabbed his neck earlier. Good grief, such a troublemaker... always standing. He took a piece of bread and gnawed it without much care and manners, eating aggressively as ideas were traded back and forth. He was annoyed by several things that had been sail. He chewed and gulped and then he spoke. "What do we know is these are a multiversal army, with enough troops to overthrow a multi-planetary regime. Even if Saiyans are known to ape it when it comes to management, they probably have enough enemies to drown us in a tide of never ending battles. We are few. They are many. And well equipped. We can't fight them on even ground." "So we will use wits and smarts, and use any piece of information we can find." Yaksha said. "Besides..." "What they have done to all of us, doesn't deserve an easy way out. I want to crush them so badly, deny their grandiose plans, and make them die, cursing in fear and confusion. Such is a fitting end for those who crush Universes worth of people. Regardless of our background, or how mismatched we are, we are avengers now. Our fists carry the conviction of trillions of deaths. We cannot afford a misstep." Yaksha said. "Our first stop should be a peculiarity of any given Universe. A place that is unbreachable, even for those who can use Instant Transmission, unless they somehow gain the ability to sense godly ki. From that place, one can sense the entire universe. " Yaksha said, taking a slurp of juice absently-minded. His throat was a little dry. "The World of the Supreme Kais. Perhaps we might find others who we can liason with." He paused. He sincerely wished more Kais were alive, but even that was doubtful. "Regardless of it, if one does know the technique that attendants of Supreme Kai learn, we could instantly move to any point of the universe back and forth, and use that place as vantage point." "Fortunately, Lady Chronoa is the second Supreme Kai I have the pleasure to work with. So I do know said technique."</s> <\|message\|>Tabaga The Kai smiled at Yaksha's words and began inputting commands into the Dimensional Scanner. The device flashed green twice and a soft beeping sound began to fill the air as a moment later, a large swirling greenish-blue portal appeared in front of the group. "As you can see, the portal is now open and the time is now." She said simply. "Remember, I just want you all to take a quick look around and if you see anything or anyone that looks hostile, Do. Not. Fight. It. Your mission here is to observe and that's it." Tabaga slowly rose to her feet and stepped towards the portal and took a deep breath. "I'm not expecting home to look like anything I remember. But at the least maybe I'll be able to put some demons to rest." She said quietly as she stepped though the portal and it shimmered slightly behind her.</s> <\|message\|>Maize Maize finished scuffing down what she could when it became clear that it was time to go. She didn't care much for the conversation before and didn't care much for the Kai's Observe Only order. She started walking towards the shimmering green-ish blue purple and turned her head to look at the Supreme Kai. "No promises. Recon missions don't typically stay recon for long. I'll at least try to punch answers out of them if it comes to it." Before Lady Chronoa could object Maize walked through the portal causing it to shimmer once more behind her.</s> <\|message\|>Titanius Titanius [M-3] Titanius drank in as much information as possible, which did include the food as well, though only a sampling of each item just to taste test everything. There was some more talking but then at last things were starting to move forward. A portal was opened by the Supreme Kai through which his sensors failed to pick up anything, no doubt the transference into another universe being the key problem. "Information is the key element we lack at the moment and so prioritizing recon is a must." He said it as a reminder, but he had no idea if anyone in the vicinity would heed his words, pure organics tended to be rather emotionally based after all. Maize's statement upon entering the portal did pose quite a few problems but there was nothing to do about it now. The main objective was to try and figure out by what mechanism the enemy was destroying universes and what was preventing them from doing so in this one. A tall order to be sure but most likely the answer would be hidden in a location not obliterated by the enemy. With his main objective firmly planted in his mind, he stepped through the portal and found himself...</s> <\|message\|>Dimsum AKA "Yaksha" Yaksha urged the temptation to facepalm. Chronoa should not have asked the help from any saiyan whatsoever. He was being proven right, as one of the uncivilized monkey girls seemed to be roused at the prospect of battle, ignoring completely the strategy. The Earthling sighed. "Monkeys..." With a tired expression, he gave a last glance at the Supreme Kai. "I will try to stop her if necessary." He then snapped his fingers, being enveloped in the telltale cloud of Transformation magic, and coming out as someone completely different. "Wish me luck, then." "She" then stepped inside the portal.</s> <\|message\|>Darbin Given the circumstances things could certainly become dire in an instant, with a whole galaxy's timeline flayed, what kind of horrors would await them in the wreck? Was there anything even there besides the destroyers? It was a quagmire of uncertainty and doubt that kept Darbin from wondering just how exactly the Kai intended to get to the bottom of this. He was no detective, or mastermind strategist he was a soldier. All the same doubt was not something he could afford. Darbin stepped through the portal with no doubt in his mind about what he was going to do once this all came to a conclusion. He hoped it would be at least one that he wouldn't find repulsive.</s>	<\|message\|>Tabaga Universe 193 Unknown Planet Tabaga had arrived in her home universe expecting some differences from what she remembered but the scale of what she was seeing horrified her beyond anything she had ever seen before. She stared up at the sky with terrified eyes as her mind tried to cope with what she was seeing. Massive black and red spheres that were large enough to fill part of the sky littered her view. Thousands upon thousands of the black armored troopers were leaving the spheres and traveling through massive red rifts that looked like massive wounds in the sky. But the thing that really caught Tabaga's attention was the large amount of bodies arriving through the rifts and being thrown carelessly on the ground before being hauled away by what appeared to be robotic spider-like creatures. The bodies were being dragged across the landscape towards massive ominous looking factories that were belching foul smelling smoke across the battle scarred landscape. "Harvesting Chamber 1731 is now operational." A loud booming voice seemed to echo across the desolate landscape as Tabaga took cover behind a large boulder next to the portal.</s>
<\|description\|>Tabaga Species: Saiyan Age: 34 Gender: Female Appearance Personality: Tabaga used to be an enthusiastic warrior who never ran from a fight. After the destruction of her home-world, she entered into a sort of catatonic state after unlocking her Super Saiyan transformation which lasted a number of days. At the moment, her grasp on mental stability is tenuous to put it mildly. Bio: Tabaga was one of the elites on Planet Vegeta. Born to a high ranking family and born with an above average power level she quickly began to rise through the ranks as she began her training. She was known for being a ruthless sparring partner and an even more ruthless warrior. The Saiyans of her universe never knew how fortunate they were, as the Freeze force did not exist in their universe. Without Freeza and his family to limit their growth, The Saiyans were able to expand beyond Planet Vegeta eventually although it took quite a bit longer. They eventually set out to conquer their home galaxy and nearly succeeded in doing so. Unknown to the war-hungry Saiyans however, another, far more ancient and vicious race had set their sights on the Saiyan's home galaxy after annihilating the inhabitants of the East, West and South Galaxies and adding them to their own Empire. Although the Saiyans attempted to do what they did best, the unknown warriors cut through them without much effort over years of bloody battle and more and more planets began to fall to the unknown warriors. Eventually, the Saiyans were beat back to Planet Vegeta and the Planet itself was wiped clean of all life after a massive battle. Tabaga, whose grip on her mental stability was already hanging by a thread after continued losses to the invaders, was forced to watch and know she could do nothing as Planet Vegeta finally fell. As she watched flames engulf her home planet, something inside her snapped. She could feel her power rising exponentially and a massive golden aura began to surround her. She didn't exactly remember what happened next, but she had flashes of memory of the invaders being cut down by the dozens and of a massive explosion that wiped out all life in Planet Vegeta's solar system. The last flash of memory she had was a rather tall unknown figure placing her in an attack ball, looking down at her and telling her everything would be fine as the hibernation sequence began to activate. What seemed like minutes for her were actually years outside of the attack ball. Unknown to Tabaga, her attack ball had been moved. It was no longer in her home universe, rather it sitting outside of a ruined temple. Techniques: Ki Sword: Dragon Cannon: Dragon's roar: Tabaga unleashes a massive Ki blast from her mouth that causes expanding waves of destruction. Not very effective in range unless she is in Super Saiyan form or above.)) Transformations: Super Saiyan: Tabaga unlocked this technique after the fall of the Saiyan Home world. It may not have allowed her to save her home-world but it allowed her to take revenge on those who aided in it's destruction. Other Info: A universal war between the Saiyan Race and a race of unknown warriors who annihilated everything in their path is what destroyed Tabaga's home galaxy. The Unknown warriors couldn't be stopped through normal means and cut down everything in front of them.</s> <\|message\|>Tabaga Tabaga took a careful look at Okora couldn't help that she seemed to have a few more scars then the last time she had seen her. As the others ran back through the portal she lost sight of Maize for a moment. Where did she go? She wondered as the Supreme Kai of the Multiverse and Okora both ran through the portal. After a brief moment she saw Maize taking potshots at some of the solders. Tabaga swore under her breath and was preparing to grab Maize and drag her through the portal when she ceased firing at the solders and went through the portal. Unfortunately, a number of the troopers were now aware of the existence of the intruders and were now heading for the location of the portal. Oh...Many things about this are not good. Tabaga though as she bolted through the portal and immediately motioned at the Supreme Kai of Time to close the portal. "Close it! Close it now!" She shouted urgently as she took careful aim at the portal as the Kai of Time began working on closing down the portal. She could only watch in horror as the image of a black armored trooper began to form where the portal was. Tabaga was preparing to power up when the portal collapsed in on itself and took the trooper with it. The Supreme Kai of Time stormed towards the group with an angry look. "I said to avoid fighting!" She shouted at Tabaga specifically. "Is it so hard to understand those simple words?!" Tabaga recoiled as if struck. She was about to try and come up with a retort when the so-called "Supreme Kai of the Multiverse" approached the Kai of Time. "I apologize. What happened was my doing. It was the only way that would allow us to get away." The shorter of the two Kais looked at him and her face went pale as she looked at the green skinned Kai "Y-You. I recognize you. We haven't seen you in centuries!" "There's a reason for that." The green skinned Kai said quietly. "I was hunted across the multiverse for quite a while before finally being captured by our enemy. My apprentice and I were held captive for a number of months before we managed to create a distraction and used the opportunity to get away." He turned to face the group and bowed. "Thank you. If any of you have questions I can answer them." He said simply as Okora looked over at Tabaga and motioned for her to follow her for a moment. "Are we the only two left?" Tabaga asked quietly. Okora simply nodded. "We were the only two left alive after Planet Vegeta. There's no one else." "How did you end up with him?" Tabaga asked as she motioned towards the Supreme Kai of the Multiverse. Okora smiled slightly. "It's a long story. I'll tell you about it later."</s> <\|message\|>Darbin "Long story or not Kais we should be aiming to either strengthen what warriors we have, or prepare to take on as weak a targets as we can get. Slowly work our way up to the snake's head as its clear we're insufficient with out current forces." comments Darbin as he looks to the kais he keeps his arms crossed. He speaks plainly, and without any intended arrogance as he looks back and forth at the group. "I sense a great amount of power within this group but we're still few, and numbers do make a difference. I've been to battles where smaller, and or weaker troops can outwit a greater threat by working with a valid strategy." Darbin says further as he starts to wonder where exactly these enemies would be weakest at...without sufficient intel they couldn't tell but in the end it would simply mean they'd need to gamble. "We can train, and ponder about the other kais, and the saiyans if we want but at the end of the day we have a duty to save the universe. And I am nothing more than a soldier. A blunt instrument I will do as told to an extent. I still will not throw away my life idly." Darbins says with his arms still crossed.</s> <\|message\|>Velona --- Get stronger? As if it were that simple. The strongest of them was still woefully insufficient. If it were otherwise, they wouldn't have been whisked away to this strange place simply to keep them alive. What could they really do? What could they hope to accomplish against something that seemed capable of erasing one's whole reality? Even these kais seemed at their mercy. But what was the alternative? "We have to assume they're after something. We know now of at least one place they didn't completely erase, so... that's one place we can fight them without them just wiping the slate clean." She wrapped her arms around herself in a vain attempt to quell her anxiety. "At least I hope so." She looked to their two newcomers, "Do you know why they're doing all this?"</s> <\|message\|>Tabaga @KillamriX88 "We can train, and ponder about the other kais, and the saiyans if we want but at the end of the day we have a duty to save the universe. And I am nothing more than a soldier. A blunt instrument I will do as told to an extent. I still will not throw away my life idly." Privately, The Supreme Kai of time disagreed with Darbin's statement. He was clearly more than a solder and should value himself as such but she didn't voice that opinion. He was right about their duty though. Aside from the group assembled here, there was seemingly no one else fighting against this unseen force. He was also correct about the getting stronger aspect. What Ovaan had found would be useful but she had something even better. It wouldn't be operation for weeks but in the meantime they could use the Gravity training chamber. "I do have something that could help you and your friends with getting stronger but unfortunately it was heavily damaged during the attack on Conton City. It can also be quite dangerous to use for people who are unfamiliar with it." She said quietly. At the rate repairs are going on it, it's going to be weeks before it can be used again." "We have to assume they're after something. We know now of at least one place they didn't completely erase, so... that's one place we can fight them without them just wiping the slate clean." The Supreme Kai of the multiverse let out a bitter laugh. "Oh, I know they were after something. Several somethings in fact. I was one of those things." He let out a bitter laugh once again. "As much as it kills me to say it, once they were able to capture me, they used my connection to the multiverse to find a way to annihilate entire universes. I was tortured, experimented on and used to wipe out countless lives once they figured out how I was able to travel between universes. That was how they were able to destroy them you see." "The one thing I was never able to figure out was why they were targeting the universes they did. Only reason I can think of as to why they spared the universe of those two ladies is because it's rich in certain resources that are extremely rare in most of the other realities I've traveled to." Okora stepped away from Tabaga and stood next to the shorter Kai. "There was one other thing." She said quietly as she looked at the Kai who nodded that she could continue. "There were a few times during my imprisonment I heard a number of the higher-ups among the troopers speak. They would speak often of "The Imprisoned One." Once they realized I was trying to listen in they stopped talking about it around the prisoners. Most of them were "Re-purposed" anyway. Is it possible this "Imprisoned one" might have something to do with these attacks against the multiverse?" She asked carefully.</s> <\|message\|>Darbin "I'd rather we try to repair our damage equipment than train with faulty, or damaged systems it could lead to a total breakdown and render our already small amount of resources even further. This is a scenario where we can't afford to be careless as we all know. But I'd like a direction kais. What exactly should we be aiming to do? If the imprisoned one is our enemy perhaps we should find a universe known for strong survivors, and try to recruit them. If not then simply aiming for the lower rank, and file is our best bet. But I am not a leader of men for the most part. All I can do is offer suggestions." Darbin states as he considers this imprisoned one. Is it just rumors from the brain washed mongrels' of the enemy? Or was there something more to it. He wasn't sure, not was he entirely capable of thinking about possible scenarios without more information which he was very much lacking in due to the circumstances of their situation.</s> <\|message\|>Ovaan "I beg your pardon?" asked Ovaan, his tone salty and his only movement being a twitch of his tail, "...'Faulty'?" he sounded rather insulted... because he was. He took some steps toward his newly acquired ship and continued to talk in a huff, "I'll have you know this ship is in near-pristine condition. I checked it myself." his tone was beginning to transition from mere saltiness to outright bitterness. "You all asked for a potential solution, and I offered one." he said with a quick, irritated gesture to his ship, "But I suppose if it's not good enough for the lot of you, then maybe I'll just keep it for myself." without any warning he pushed a button on the hatch and the ship transformed back into a capsule that he then pocketed. Thus far his irritation had been directed at the others who were mere mortals such as himself. But now, now he was becoming more willing to risk the ire of the godly figures before them. There was a preposterously simple solution staring them right in the face and if the Supreme Kai of Time refused to bring it up, then Ovaan would be the one to do it, "Now, correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe you mentioned something called a 'Time Patrol' yesterday." he said to the short girl, not quite ready to let go of his bitter mood, "That tells me that you possess a means of traveling through time. So then why, pray tell, have we not used that to go back and prevent our Universes from being destroyed? Even if you had laws regarding time travel, I imagine this is a scenario in which those laws no longer apply." he fixed his irritated glare on the small Kai. Up until now he had not dared risk the wrath of those who could be called Gods. But right now, his mood was sour and his entire Universe was gone. At this point, he decided he no longer had anything to lose. So his patience and courtesy toward these people were officially beginning to wear thin.</s>	<\|message\|>Tabaga "Now, correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe you mentioned something called a 'Time Patrol' yesterday." he said to the short girl, not quite ready to let go of his bitter mood, "That tells me that you possess a means of traveling through time. So then why, pray tell, have we not used that to go back and prevent our Universes from being destroyed? Even if you had laws regarding time travel, I imagine this is a scenario in which those laws no longer apply." The Supreme Kai of time simply stared at Ovaan for a moment before she looked at the ground. "Don't you think we tried?." She said quietly as she felt her bottled up grief and sorrow beginning to rise to the surface. "Don't you think we tried?!" She stormed towards Ovaan and was barely able to resist the urge to blast him with what remained of her strength. She didn't know if she could win against him at the moment and truth be told, she didn't care. "The universes that are destroyed are gone! We tried going back before one of the universes was destroyed and all we saw was an empty void! Whatever was destroying them wiped them out completely! They're gone! All that remains of those universes are holographic projections on the Dimensional scanner!" Chronoa's hands were glowing with what remained of her power for a brief moment before she forced herself to power down. "I'm sorry. We tried to save them, we did. My Time patrollers are all dead now. They burned themselves to ash moving Conton city beyond the reach of whatever we're fighting. It seems we've all lost everything we knew and loved. The only thing we can do is make sure that this doesn't happen to anyone else." The Supreme Kai of the Multiverse watched the exchange between Chronoa and Ovaan with a somewhat intrigued expression with Tabaga and Okora preparing to intervene if anything were to escalate.</s>
<\|description\|>Ovaan Species: Freeza Race Age: 30 Gender: Male Appearance Personality: Ovaan is surprisingly personable and charismatic, considering the reputation his species has. Perhaps it was his servitude in the Freeza Force that forged him into an efficient officer? But unsurprisingly, he is also very patient and very calculating. He's not above using what others might perceive as "dirty tactics" for the purpose of bringing down a more powerful opponent, be it in combat or even in politics. He's not averse to training himself, either, deciding long ago that doing so would aid him in his objective of not getting himself killed in Freeza's service. After a while he just sort of took to it, and has found himself in training even after he no longer had Freeza looming over his shoulder. Bio: The history of Freeza's people is muddied in rumor and hearsay. Some think the Cold family rose to power by conquering their own home planet and then simply turned their ambition to the rest of the known galaxies. Others have postulated that the Freeza Force began as a peaceful confederacy of independent worlds that simply became an empire when it was taken over by the Cold Family. Regardless, Freeza's own people ended up becoming one of two things: vassals of Lord Freeza, or dead. Naturally, Ovaan was one of the former. After rising to become a Captain of his own ship, Ovaan discovered that advancement and even basic survival was a deadly game of politics and backstabbing among the officers of the Freeza Force Fleet. He had no choice but to adapt, but it became apparent that Ovaan had a certain... talent for engineering the downfall of others should they prove a political threat to him. While he was never fond of such actions nor took real pleasure in partaking in them, Ovaan had long since resolved to do whatever was necessary to ensure his own survival and the survival of his men. He often treated his crew with a level of respect and care that was never seen in other Captains, and this made Ovaan relatively popular with the rank-and-file as a result. Of course, such would eventually earn Ovaan the ire of several rivals among the fleet. One in particular had an especially strong ire for Ovaan after the latter had out-maneuvered him, resulting in the peaceful acquisition of a planet into the Empire before he and his own crew could even launch an invasion. He had allied himself with a few similarly minded Captains, all with their own various grudges against Ovaan, and together they were able to fabricate evidence to implicate Ovaan in false charges of treason. Freeza never bothered himself with the commonplace vendettas between his officers, and this was no different. This time it was Zarbon who was dispatched to investigate the matter and deal with the supposedly traitorous Ovaan. This led to the two eventually fighting, but with the aid of his transformation, Zarbon could easily overwhelm the likes of Ovaan. What saved Ovaan in the end was intervention of his own men. Against all odds, they bravely decided that their loyalty to their Captain was greater than their loyalty to Freeza. With their aid, Ovaan was able to make his escape. But after that, he was a fugitive. He could not risk staying in any place for long lest he risk an encounter with the Freeza Force. And so his ship and now-renegade crew remained on the move, stopping long enough to refuel and resupply and little else. With so much newfound free time on his hands, Ovaan could only think of one way to keep his head clear: training. He trained as often as he could spare and even began to encourage his men to do the same. If at any point they did encounter a ship from the Imperial Fleet then they would need to be ready. These encounters did happen occasionally, and as they did, Ovaan and his crew also happened to save an increasing number of people from enslavement in the process. Over time this just sort of naturally evolved into an active insurgency against the Empire led by Ovaan and his original crew. Beforehand, most people were too terrified of Freeza to ever consider rebelling. But now? One of Freeza's own people was leading the charge, and if his strength was anything like Freeza himself then maybe there was actual hope for a change? As this was all coming to a head, Ovaan found himself leading an increasingly vast army of resistance fighters having created a small fleet of their own utilizing salvaged and captured Freeza Force vessels. But this? This was enough to get Freeza's personal attention. Before he was content to just let Zarbon, Dodoria, and the Ginyus put down what he initially thought was an insignificant rebellion. But they'd grown enough for him to treat them as a marginal threat now, and he had one tried-and-true way to deal with people he viewed as threats. As soon as he was able to discover where he was located, Freeza personally set course there with the intention of destroying the planet and all the rebels with it in one fell swoop. This was it. It was do or die. If they couldn't defeat Freeza now, then there was little hope for them to do so in the future. Freeza watched his trademark Supernova make its descent on the planet, only to raise an eyebrow when it appeared to stop. It was Ovaan, and with the help of a few of his most capable men, they were just barely able to stop the Supernova and redirect it away from the planet. Freeza was enraged, enough to begin transforming but something interrupted him. Once again, it was Ovaan. He knew all too well of Freeza's transformations, being of the same species after all. Theoretically all he needed to do was keep the heat on his enemy so that he would have no opportunity to power up and transform. It seemed to work at first, but then the Ginyu Force arrived on the scene. By this point Ovaan was confident in his ability to take on Ginyu, but the five of them together was enough of a distraction to allow Freeza the time he needed to transform. Now Ovaan found hismelf face to face with Freeza's natural-born final form, the Emperor apparently deciding that this occasion merited... special treatment. But Ovaan had one last ace. In all the training he had given himself, he discovered that his natural-born form was not the peak of strength his kind was capable of. There was a form beyond it, one that allowed them to concentrate all their power and amplify it a few-fold. Now was the time to test this theory out. To Freeza's shock, Ovaan had also transformed into what he could only surmise was a seeming fifth form, something he had always assumed was impossible. But before these two powers could clash, there was a bright flash and then, for Ovaan, everything went dark. At least for a bit. When he came to his senses, Ovaan had found his Transformation had been undone. He was in an unfamiliar place, and was being glared at by what looked like a young, diminutive girl. Techniques Death Beam (learned through a combination of independent training and observing its use by Freeza) Nova Saber (a blade of Ki summoned by the hand and briefly wielded as a weapon, capable of batting away small ki blasts and even severing some larger beams) Nova Shield (a round shield made up of ki that can be conjured on one of the arms, strong enough to block most physical attacks and weaker Ki blasts and can also be thrown as a disc attack as well) Nova Charge (lunging attack that opens with a gut punch and is followed by a powerful point-blank Ki blast) Nova Bomb (a power-packed sphere of explosive Ki, charged in two hands above the head and then hurled straight down) Transformations: Other Info: He greatly dislikes using his Fifth Form, viewing it as too hulking and brutish for his tastes. So he will only use it if forced to, and afterward will willingly revert back to his much preferred Fourth Form.</s> <\|message\|>Darbin "I'd rather we try to repair our damage equipment than train with faulty, or damaged systems it could lead to a total breakdown and render our already small amount of resources even further. This is a scenario where we can't afford to be careless as we all know. But I'd like a direction kais. What exactly should we be aiming to do? If the imprisoned one is our enemy perhaps we should find a universe known for strong survivors, and try to recruit them. If not then simply aiming for the lower rank, and file is our best bet. But I am not a leader of men for the most part. All I can do is offer suggestions." Darbin states as he considers this imprisoned one. Is it just rumors from the brain washed mongrels' of the enemy? Or was there something more to it. He wasn't sure, not was he entirely capable of thinking about possible scenarios without more information which he was very much lacking in due to the circumstances of their situation.</s> <\|message\|>Ovaan "I beg your pardon?" asked Ovaan, his tone salty and his only movement being a twitch of his tail, "...'Faulty'?" he sounded rather insulted... because he was. He took some steps toward his newly acquired ship and continued to talk in a huff, "I'll have you know this ship is in near-pristine condition. I checked it myself." his tone was beginning to transition from mere saltiness to outright bitterness. "You all asked for a potential solution, and I offered one." he said with a quick, irritated gesture to his ship, "But I suppose if it's not good enough for the lot of you, then maybe I'll just keep it for myself." without any warning he pushed a button on the hatch and the ship transformed back into a capsule that he then pocketed. Thus far his irritation had been directed at the others who were mere mortals such as himself. But now, now he was becoming more willing to risk the ire of the godly figures before them. There was a preposterously simple solution staring them right in the face and if the Supreme Kai of Time refused to bring it up, then Ovaan would be the one to do it, "Now, correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe you mentioned something called a 'Time Patrol' yesterday." he said to the short girl, not quite ready to let go of his bitter mood, "That tells me that you possess a means of traveling through time. So then why, pray tell, have we not used that to go back and prevent our Universes from being destroyed? Even if you had laws regarding time travel, I imagine this is a scenario in which those laws no longer apply." he fixed his irritated glare on the small Kai. Up until now he had not dared risk the wrath of those who could be called Gods. But right now, his mood was sour and his entire Universe was gone. At this point, he decided he no longer had anything to lose. So his patience and courtesy toward these people were officially beginning to wear thin.</s> <\|message\|>Tabaga "Now, correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe you mentioned something called a 'Time Patrol' yesterday." he said to the short girl, not quite ready to let go of his bitter mood, "That tells me that you possess a means of traveling through time. So then why, pray tell, have we not used that to go back and prevent our Universes from being destroyed? Even if you had laws regarding time travel, I imagine this is a scenario in which those laws no longer apply." The Supreme Kai of time simply stared at Ovaan for a moment before she looked at the ground. "Don't you think we tried?." She said quietly as she felt her bottled up grief and sorrow beginning to rise to the surface. "Don't you think we tried?!" She stormed towards Ovaan and was barely able to resist the urge to blast him with what remained of her strength. She didn't know if she could win against him at the moment and truth be told, she didn't care. "The universes that are destroyed are gone! We tried going back before one of the universes was destroyed and all we saw was an empty void! Whatever was destroying them wiped them out completely! They're gone! All that remains of those universes are holographic projections on the Dimensional scanner!" Chronoa's hands were glowing with what remained of her power for a brief moment before she forced herself to power down. "I'm sorry. We tried to save them, we did. My Time patrollers are all dead now. They burned themselves to ash moving Conton city beyond the reach of whatever we're fighting. It seems we've all lost everything we knew and loved. The only thing we can do is make sure that this doesn't happen to anyone else." The Supreme Kai of the Multiverse watched the exchange between Chronoa and Ovaan with a somewhat intrigued expression with Tabaga and Okora preparing to intervene if anything were to escalate.</s>	<\|message\|>Ovaan So all those dead patrollers died saving this city. And apparently time travel was already attempted. He really shouldn't have been surprised. Leave to one of the gods to think of everything. That didn't make this exchange sting any less. She looked positively livid with him, but really, what was he supposed to do? Ovaan had been largely uninformed of how all this worked from the beginning. How could he possibly have known that time travel had already been tried? Well, frankly he couldn't have. But there was something else to all of this. What had the Supreme Kai of Time known about any of them before bringing them all here? Sure, she might have peaked into their timelines and learned a bit about them that way. But clearly she hadn't learned everything. Otherwise, why save someone just as guilty of galaxy-wide atrocities as Freeza had been? Why save someone who deep down wouldn't have even wanted to be saved? Having closed his eyes in thought, Ovaan's throat twitched a bit as he swallowed down a deep breath. His arms, having been crossed over his chest, seemed to relax more as if his guard were lowering. But then his hands suddenly clenched into fists as Ovaan silently let his battle power roar upwards. Was he about to attack? His eyes shot open with a quick glare and he said a bitter, snappy tone, "You should have just let me die!" and then shot upward into the sky and off into the distance.</s>
<\|description\|>Velona Species: Zuichijin (Tentative name. Not sure I like it. Probably won't refer to it much if I can help it. And yes, it's something I made up.) She comes from a pale-skinned species with hyper-aggressive tendencies and strong bio-electric abilities. Over time, the weaker members of their race evolved away from uncontrollable aggression, but the stronger still require intense meditation and sometimes even a blindfold to control themselves. Her species has developed a sort of primitive ki-sensing ability, allowing them to mentally map the area around them in a sort of bubble, in order to make up for the blindfolds some of them wear. Age: 35 Gender: Female Appearance: Long, white hair, pale, almost pure-white skin with a delicate frame. She wears a cloth blindfold over her eyes, which are red. She wears elegant, loose fitting clothes, tied tightly to her body where it won't interfere with her range of motion. Not really 100% what I imagined, but... yeah I'm not gonna find anything closer than that. Personality: Stoic, serene, and patient, though her good nature has been tempered after recent events. She's the type to be the voice of reason in a chaotic situation. Bio: Born on a planet under Freeza's occupation. Rather than being slaughtered and their planet sold off, Freeza attempted to make use of their species for their unique abilities. A group of saiyans were used as an occupying force. A waste of their talents and power, but perhaps that was the point, considering his feelings about saiyans. One day, a young saiyan boy just appeared seemingly out of nowhere, though she would later learn he'd spent his early years growing in a tank. Neither of them fully aware of the tensions going on, they formed a sort of friendship. However, years later, she would learn of her people's plans for rebellion. She was to deal with the boy in order to steel her resolve for future conflict. She did as she was told, but her heart wasn't in it. Despite her betrayal and failure, she was spared, though badly beaten by the time the fight was over. Perhaps he too could not bring himself to finish her, or perhaps he'd been able to tell that she'd been pulling her punches. Regardless, she was left to limp away. She quickly learned that the rebellion was a total failure. With their scouters, the first attack to fail had put the occupying saiyans on alert, and soon enough their power and brutality overwhelmed the frailer of the two species. However, among those her people had slain was the leader of the saiyans -- and the boy's father. Her own parents had carried it out. While saiyans were not known for their warm, loving families, that combined with Velona's betrayal had caused his rage to explode. In the end, they were both left orphaned. In the following days, Freeza himself arrived to mete out their punishment. Since the rebellion had already failed pathetically, Freeza did not simply destroy their planet, but instead razed half its surface to volcanic rock and glass, leaving those who remained to try and survive on the ravaged planet. Velona should have been one of the unlucky ones, trapped on the doomed half of the planet. However, she was dragged away with a few others to be used as servants by the saiyans. A slave. She soon learned that she hadn't been chosen by chance. In keeping with the saiyans monarchical society, the boy with his newfound power had taken the place of his father, even if unofficially due to his age. She expected to spend many, miserable years under their heels, but it was not to be. The first few years were fearful, but over time she grew accustomed, and sometimes would even speak her mind. Her old companion would usually put her in her place, but wouldn't allow his fellow saiyans to do so. Eventually she realized that neither of them had quite truly been left alone in the wake of the disastrous rebellion. As twisted as it was, they had been left with each other. This became especially important when all saiyans were recalled their home world. Seeing what had become of Velona's people, her companion was... suspicious. He delayed all those under his command, claiming engine trouble to those who asked. News soon enough reached them of Planet Vegeta's annihilation. In shock, they all went into hiding, destroying their scouters. Thus, a group of warlike saiyans and a handful of servants were left to try and find a new way to live. They could no longer go tearing across the galaxy sowing havoc or they'd be found in short order. Over time, Velona slowly wormed her way into her old companion's life, perhaps out of desperation looking for the good in him she'd once known. In the end, it wasn't as hard to find as she'd expected. In the end, she found herself in a way... teaching him. Or perhaps, better yet, reminding him of how things could be different. Better. For the longest time, she was still barely more then a glorified assistant to him, but he had come to heed her word and wouldn't shun or silence her. They once more respected each other. When he had a child with another saiyan woman, it was Velona who insisted that he be raised "properly" and not left to incubate in some tank. It was then that she truly tested her standing in his eyes by browbeating him into being a father -- and she succeeded. It was then that she finally had a family again. It was hard to call the next few years truly the greatest of her strange, violent life, but they were happy. Until it was all burned to ash once more. Techniques: Shocking ki-blasts: Amping her natural bio-electric abilities with ki, she can launch it at her enemies. Electric Roots: She can channel her ki through the ground beneath her to lay traps or stealthily attack an enemy who is standing still and unaware. Has the same basic properties as the above, though less explosive. Projected Presence: She can project her ki signature across a fair distance, making it appear she is somewhere else. She can split it in multiple directions and the effect can be made strong enough to work almost like a visual mirage or illusion. Malefic Presence: The prior ability cranked up to 11, instilling a strong sense of danger, but cannot be split. Has been known to frighten weaker victims into unconsciousness. "The monster is right behind you." Extreme Spiral Detonator: A technique she learned through observation and her last resort. Two spinning orbs of ki are pressed together and launched, or preferably slammed into at melee range, the foe. If the victim is too weak, they will usually be sent flying and spinning into the distance. When the ki of the two orbs fully mix, it will lose all stability and explode catastrophically. Usually it is manually detonated by a subsequent ki blast once at a safe distance. Transformations: Predator: While debatably not a true transformation, she can take advantage of her species' physiology to increase the intensity and density of the ki within her. This tends to cause her bio-electric abilities to run wild, leaving her cloaked in a violent storm of electricity and ki. It also tends to bring out her more vicious inner nature.</s> <\|message\|>Maize Maize Maize arrived to see the quite beamish Eve showing her handiwork with cleaning up the city. It wasn't the most solid of work, but it was impressive for something done overnight and by someone she was sure had no background in construction or architecture. It seemed she wasn't the only one that kept busy last night. "Good morning and I see. You did great." It didn't take long for everyone to arrive. Ovaan revealed that he took the shopping excursion a bit more seriously than she did. She collected what was necessary, but he packed to be prepared for any and everything. She was glad that they had someone who was responsible with him. Things like that she left to Cibo, but he was gone. They were all gone. For the time being this was her new crew. She felt a bit insensitive to think of it that way, but she was doing this to avenge them. She wasn't going to let them get away with uprooting and destroying everyone's lives. "I collected a few capsules myself and a scouter. I don't need it, but I figured that since we'll be going on a mission it'd be good for us to be able to communicate if we get separated. I also found this sword. Never used one before last night, but I think I'm getting the hang of it." Of course she was being modest. She saw the sword as another extension of herself much like her ki was and with that in mind wielding it and training with it became sort of natural. Yaksha arrived soon after announcing his haul of senzu beans from Earth. She had heard of it during her time with Frieza's Empire. But it was so far out of the way and filled with weaklings that Frieza felt it wasn't worth his attention or resources. He was wrong as he so often was. She wondered if there was someone like Yaksha on her Earth or if they actually had strong fighters occupying the planet. She sighed in disappointment. She was never going to get the chance to find out now. Not unless there was a way to restore her universe. Her thoughts were interrupted by her nose catching a whiff of something spectacular. She glided off the ground as if she were a cartoon character following the path of the smoky aroma. She reached the spread and found herself in front of an assortment of food that she had never seen or heard of before. Was all of this from Earth? Each thing looked more delicious than the last. That was it. She was going to make it her personal mission to revive her universe and head to Earth. Maize's stomach grumbled loudly clearly not satisfied with the "breakfast" she fed it earlier. "Alright, alright. You're getting fed." She picked up two plates and started to pile food on them. She started with bacon and sausage and worked her way up to pancakes and french toast.</s> <\|message\|>Tabaga GM Post To say that Tabaga had not had a good night would be an understatement. She had spent some of the night wandering the ruined city before finally falling asleep on top of what appeared to be a very large mushroom. For a long time she had simply tossed and turned as certain thoughts continued running through her head. Entire universes were being erased but for some reason hers had been spared, albeit most likely it was devoid of life considering how much destruction those black armored troopers had caused. Eventually though she had fallen asleep and had slept through some of the noisier elements of the night. When she finally woke up she saw the someone had done some repair work on the city and she could smell food but for some reason today she found she just wasn't that hungry. The Saiyan woman followed the scent of the food and found the others already gathered together. She barely looked at the food however as she looked around for the Supreme Kai of Time. After a few moments of trying to either see her or trying to sense her he finally caught a glimpse of her coming out of a nearby building. She kept a very careful watch on the Kai as she approached. She seemed tired but at the same time there seemed to be something different about her. Her step seemed a bit lighter and despite how tired she was there was a small smile on her face. "Good morning everyone!" The Kai called out to the assembled group. "I hope everyone is well this morning." She approached the group. The Dimensional scanner on her wrist was glowing a bright green. "I told you yesterday that I may have a mission for you today. I spent most of the night trying to figure out what we could do and I will be one hundred percent honest, I have the beginning of a plan." She looked at each and everyone of the group and for a brief moment a look of fatigue crossed her face. "I believe our best best is to enter Tabaga's universe and see if we can find any clues as to what caused whatever enemy we're facing to act differently. Her Universe was spared. And hopefully we can find out why."</s>	<\|message\|>Velona There were certain times that Velona was grateful to be blindfolded. Like right now, with two strange saiyans nearby. It made it easy to resist the urge to stare. She couldn't decide if it was comforting or unnerving. OK, with Tabage it was definitely unnerving... but that didn't necessarily have anything to do with her being a saiyan. Saiyans even existing were the closest thing to normal Velona had right now, but she didn't know them any better than she knew... well... any of the other people present. It was strange how she almost felt more comfortable around Ovaan, despite him being of the same race as the person who had turned half her planet into glass. Although, on that note- No, best to just not think about it. She decided to focus on the Kai instead. "Yes, I... figured as much from our conversation yesterday," Velona said in response. "But we're just the victims of all this. How are we supposed to know what to look for? How are we supposed to recognize something important even if we do see it? We're going to a completely different universe," for most of them anyway, "everything is likely to seem strange to us to begin with. I do hope your plan extends beyond sending us there in the first place." Just because they were involved didn't mean they were any better at figuring it out than anyone else. They were just the ones who were slightly less unlucky at the end of the day.</s>
<\|description\|>Velona Species: Zuichijin (Tentative name. Not sure I like it. Probably won't refer to it much if I can help it. And yes, it's something I made up.) She comes from a pale-skinned species with hyper-aggressive tendencies and strong bio-electric abilities. Over time, the weaker members of their race evolved away from uncontrollable aggression, but the stronger still require intense meditation and sometimes even a blindfold to control themselves. Her species has developed a sort of primitive ki-sensing ability, allowing them to mentally map the area around them in a sort of bubble, in order to make up for the blindfolds some of them wear. Age: 35 Gender: Female Appearance: Long, white hair, pale, almost pure-white skin with a delicate frame. She wears a cloth blindfold over her eyes, which are red. She wears elegant, loose fitting clothes, tied tightly to her body where it won't interfere with her range of motion. Not really 100% what I imagined, but... yeah I'm not gonna find anything closer than that. Personality: Stoic, serene, and patient, though her good nature has been tempered after recent events. She's the type to be the voice of reason in a chaotic situation. Bio: Born on a planet under Freeza's occupation. Rather than being slaughtered and their planet sold off, Freeza attempted to make use of their species for their unique abilities. A group of saiyans were used as an occupying force. A waste of their talents and power, but perhaps that was the point, considering his feelings about saiyans. One day, a young saiyan boy just appeared seemingly out of nowhere, though she would later learn he'd spent his early years growing in a tank. Neither of them fully aware of the tensions going on, they formed a sort of friendship. However, years later, she would learn of her people's plans for rebellion. She was to deal with the boy in order to steel her resolve for future conflict. She did as she was told, but her heart wasn't in it. Despite her betrayal and failure, she was spared, though badly beaten by the time the fight was over. Perhaps he too could not bring himself to finish her, or perhaps he'd been able to tell that she'd been pulling her punches. Regardless, she was left to limp away. She quickly learned that the rebellion was a total failure. With their scouters, the first attack to fail had put the occupying saiyans on alert, and soon enough their power and brutality overwhelmed the frailer of the two species. However, among those her people had slain was the leader of the saiyans -- and the boy's father. Her own parents had carried it out. While saiyans were not known for their warm, loving families, that combined with Velona's betrayal had caused his rage to explode. In the end, they were both left orphaned. In the following days, Freeza himself arrived to mete out their punishment. Since the rebellion had already failed pathetically, Freeza did not simply destroy their planet, but instead razed half its surface to volcanic rock and glass, leaving those who remained to try and survive on the ravaged planet. Velona should have been one of the unlucky ones, trapped on the doomed half of the planet. However, she was dragged away with a few others to be used as servants by the saiyans. A slave. She soon learned that she hadn't been chosen by chance. In keeping with the saiyans monarchical society, the boy with his newfound power had taken the place of his father, even if unofficially due to his age. She expected to spend many, miserable years under their heels, but it was not to be. The first few years were fearful, but over time she grew accustomed, and sometimes would even speak her mind. Her old companion would usually put her in her place, but wouldn't allow his fellow saiyans to do so. Eventually she realized that neither of them had quite truly been left alone in the wake of the disastrous rebellion. As twisted as it was, they had been left with each other. This became especially important when all saiyans were recalled their home world. Seeing what had become of Velona's people, her companion was... suspicious. He delayed all those under his command, claiming engine trouble to those who asked. News soon enough reached them of Planet Vegeta's annihilation. In shock, they all went into hiding, destroying their scouters. Thus, a group of warlike saiyans and a handful of servants were left to try and find a new way to live. They could no longer go tearing across the galaxy sowing havoc or they'd be found in short order. Over time, Velona slowly wormed her way into her old companion's life, perhaps out of desperation looking for the good in him she'd once known. In the end, it wasn't as hard to find as she'd expected. In the end, she found herself in a way... teaching him. Or perhaps, better yet, reminding him of how things could be different. Better. For the longest time, she was still barely more then a glorified assistant to him, but he had come to heed her word and wouldn't shun or silence her. They once more respected each other. When he had a child with another saiyan woman, it was Velona who insisted that he be raised "properly" and not left to incubate in some tank. It was then that she truly tested her standing in his eyes by browbeating him into being a father -- and she succeeded. It was then that she finally had a family again. It was hard to call the next few years truly the greatest of her strange, violent life, but they were happy. Until it was all burned to ash once more. Techniques: Shocking ki-blasts: Amping her natural bio-electric abilities with ki, she can launch it at her enemies. Electric Roots: She can channel her ki through the ground beneath her to lay traps or stealthily attack an enemy who is standing still and unaware. Has the same basic properties as the above, though less explosive. Projected Presence: She can project her ki signature across a fair distance, making it appear she is somewhere else. She can split it in multiple directions and the effect can be made strong enough to work almost like a visual mirage or illusion. Malefic Presence: The prior ability cranked up to 11, instilling a strong sense of danger, but cannot be split. Has been known to frighten weaker victims into unconsciousness. "The monster is right behind you." Extreme Spiral Detonator: A technique she learned through observation and her last resort. Two spinning orbs of ki are pressed together and launched, or preferably slammed into at melee range, the foe. If the victim is too weak, they will usually be sent flying and spinning into the distance. When the ki of the two orbs fully mix, it will lose all stability and explode catastrophically. Usually it is manually detonated by a subsequent ki blast once at a safe distance. Transformations: Predator: While debatably not a true transformation, she can take advantage of her species' physiology to increase the intensity and density of the ki within her. This tends to cause her bio-electric abilities to run wild, leaving her cloaked in a violent storm of electricity and ki. It also tends to bring out her more vicious inner nature.</s> <\|message\|>Velona @Double --- That was... unexpected. It certainly helped put her at ease, though. At least a little. For now the majority of them seemed to have agreed to trust these two, and she saw no reason to go against the grain. And, above all else, she was happy to leave the hellscape they'd stepped into. On the other side, Mia expressed a wish to become stronger and, surprisingly, Ovaan immediately supplied them with a potential answer. A gravity chamber. "Right... I was told that the saiyan homeworld had a much higher gravity than mine... and..." And immediately she wished she hadn't said that. "Umm... w-well it could certainly help, yes... b-but I think we have more important things to worry about right now." That being, of course, the two people they'd brought back with them. "We need to tell the Kai of Time what, err, who we found." She'd opened the portal in the first place, so she should have been right there...</s> <\|message\|>Maize Maize Maize returned to the group before the two guests appeared and sulked silently behind the others. She wanted to do more than just stand around and wait for something to happen and was disappointed that no one agreed with her plan. The sound of an explosion disrupted her thoughts as it seemed that trouble found a way of happening without their intervention. From the sound of it some prisoners were escaping and making quite the spectacle of it. She was relieved to know that there were others still alive and not discarded as lifeless husks. Maybe her own crew had managed to survive and was imprisoned in one of those large spheres. She was hopeful at least. When the two cloaked figures appeared in front of them she stayed on alert. For some reason she couldn't sense one of their energies. It was the same thing that happened when she tried to sense the Supreme Kai of Time. It was as if their ki didn't exist or on a frequency she wasn't attuned to but she could tell it was there. When the shorter figured revealed himself it seemed that this was something special to that of the Supreme Kais. Was it because they were gods? The taller figure revealed themselves to be a Saiyan and a friend of Tabaga, possibly more. She couldn't quite tell yet. Maize was just glad that somewhere out there more Saiyans had survived. She may not have grown with her people, but once she encountered Vegeta and the others she did gain a true sense of connection and belonging. One that she hadn't felt her entire time under Frieza's tutelage. When the others returned back to Conton City through the portal she stayed behind for a bit. She looked up in the sky and couldn't help but be angered at the sight of the escapees fighting a doomed fight. She hoped this new Supreme Kai was worth all of the trouble and sacrifices. She felt wrong just leaving the others behind to die. In that moment she decided that she would at least offer them some assistance. She positioned herself behind the boulder Tabaga originally hid behind when they crossed through. She aimed her finger as if it were a sniper blaster. She scanned the skies to see which of the escapees needed some assistance the most. "Let's see how tough that armor is." She fired off a few Death Beams at three different troopers hitting each at least three different times before moving to the next. She wanted to give them any kind of advantage they could get in fighting against the universe destroyers and to show them that their sacrifices didn't go unnoticed or unappreciated. Before she could get herself spotted Maize blew the smoke from her finger and made her way through the portal. She reached the other side in the middle of Ovaan explaining the nature of the ship. A gravity training machine was something that truly caught her attention, but Velona was right. They had to debrief.</s> <\|message\|>Tabaga Tabaga took a careful look at Okora couldn't help that she seemed to have a few more scars then the last time she had seen her. As the others ran back through the portal she lost sight of Maize for a moment. Where did she go? She wondered as the Supreme Kai of the Multiverse and Okora both ran through the portal. After a brief moment she saw Maize taking potshots at some of the solders. Tabaga swore under her breath and was preparing to grab Maize and drag her through the portal when she ceased firing at the solders and went through the portal. Unfortunately, a number of the troopers were now aware of the existence of the intruders and were now heading for the location of the portal. Oh...Many things about this are not good. Tabaga though as she bolted through the portal and immediately motioned at the Supreme Kai of Time to close the portal. "Close it! Close it now!" She shouted urgently as she took careful aim at the portal as the Kai of Time began working on closing down the portal. She could only watch in horror as the image of a black armored trooper began to form where the portal was. Tabaga was preparing to power up when the portal collapsed in on itself and took the trooper with it. The Supreme Kai of Time stormed towards the group with an angry look. "I said to avoid fighting!" She shouted at Tabaga specifically. "Is it so hard to understand those simple words?!" Tabaga recoiled as if struck. She was about to try and come up with a retort when the so-called "Supreme Kai of the Multiverse" approached the Kai of Time. "I apologize. What happened was my doing. It was the only way that would allow us to get away." The shorter of the two Kais looked at him and her face went pale as she looked at the green skinned Kai "Y-You. I recognize you. We haven't seen you in centuries!" "There's a reason for that." The green skinned Kai said quietly. "I was hunted across the multiverse for quite a while before finally being captured by our enemy. My apprentice and I were held captive for a number of months before we managed to create a distraction and used the opportunity to get away." He turned to face the group and bowed. "Thank you. If any of you have questions I can answer them." He said simply as Okora looked over at Tabaga and motioned for her to follow her for a moment. "Are we the only two left?" Tabaga asked quietly. Okora simply nodded. "We were the only two left alive after Planet Vegeta. There's no one else." "How did you end up with him?" Tabaga asked as she motioned towards the Supreme Kai of the Multiverse. Okora smiled slightly. "It's a long story. I'll tell you about it later."</s> <\|message\|>Darbin "Long story or not Kais we should be aiming to either strengthen what warriors we have, or prepare to take on as weak a targets as we can get. Slowly work our way up to the snake's head as its clear we're insufficient with out current forces." comments Darbin as he looks to the kais he keeps his arms crossed. He speaks plainly, and without any intended arrogance as he looks back and forth at the group. "I sense a great amount of power within this group but we're still few, and numbers do make a difference. I've been to battles where smaller, and or weaker troops can outwit a greater threat by working with a valid strategy." Darbin says further as he starts to wonder where exactly these enemies would be weakest at...without sufficient intel they couldn't tell but in the end it would simply mean they'd need to gamble. "We can train, and ponder about the other kais, and the saiyans if we want but at the end of the day we have a duty to save the universe. And I am nothing more than a soldier. A blunt instrument I will do as told to an extent. I still will not throw away my life idly." Darbins says with his arms still crossed.</s>	<\|message\|>Velona Get stronger? As if it were that simple. The strongest of them was still woefully insufficient. If it were otherwise, they wouldn't have been whisked away to this strange place simply to keep them alive. What could they really do? What could they hope to accomplish against something that seemed capable of erasing one's whole reality? Even these kais seemed at their mercy. But what was the alternative? "We have to assume they're after something. We know now of at least one place they didn't completely erase, so... that's one place we can fight them without them just wiping the slate clean." She wrapped her arms around herself in a vain attempt to quell her anxiety. "At least I hope so." She looked to their two newcomers, "Do you know why they're doing all this?"</s>
<\|description\|>Mia Posting just to reserve the concept and give people an idea of what I am going for. Right now I am thinking a female, always smiling and positive, basically your good natured counterpart to the other two. Also focuses on high speed attacks. Like a barrage of punches or a bunch of energy attacks fired off machine gun style as opposed to the more conventional slow charge and fire like what Goku does. Will edit the details in in a moment. Also I just realized I posted this in the wrong subsection. Should have been in OOC. Sorry. New to this forum. How do I delete/move it? Ok, here goes nothing. Species: Oni A humanoid species known primarily for their oddly colored hair and horns which give them a demonic appearance. In terms of power they are a somewhat generic species aside from the fact that for those trained to fight and sense the fighting power of others the horn will act as an amplifier tingling and even glowing in the case of an extremely powerful presence. On their homeworld, the Oni were a peaceful but armed warrior culture preferring to practice armed neutrality (like Switzerland) and stay out of galactic affairs while keeping a core of strong fighters to protect them self from outside threats. At the heart of this was a series of martial arts tournaments culminating with the Great World Tournament held every 10 years. The winners of this tournament earned great honor and the right to join the elite protectors of their planet. A force that was, at least theoretically meant to protect their world from any would be destroyers. Unfortunately it was during the finals of the last tournament that their world was mysteriously destroyed somewhat definitively proving their approach wrong.Age: 26 Gender: Female Appearance:Young, reasonably good looking and with soft smooth skin and eyes ever so slightly larger than is comfortable for human observation she represents a well groomed female specimen of her species. A bar that, to be fair, given her current status as its only living representative isn't something she needs to try much to clear. Still, she does her best to keep her silky pink hair in order and polish her two short and mildly curved horns pointing upward to match her smile. In terms of clothing she dresses simply, preferring full length pants and short slaves for their practicality in a fight and for the same reason cutting her hair just above her shoulders. Although she absolutely refuses to tie it.Personality:She has always been the sort to smile, be cheerful and not take life too seriously. The destruction of her home and everything she knew and cared for seems not to have changed this. Although the astute might tell that these days at times the smile is only skin deep. One thing that definitively did change is that her already strong sense of justice has developed into a mean streak meaning that she is completely willing and arguably eager to kill without hesitation anyone she considers to be a "bad guy". A be it that she will do so cheerfully.Bio:Mia grew up as a normal kid with a normal, loving family. She awoke early on to her love of fighting, her earliest memories being of her self as a small child wrestling other children to the ground with the intent of subduing them. By the time her friends were in high school she was spending every free moment of her time training with her great uncle, a renowned martial arts master known widely as the Hedgehog Hermit. His techniques focusing not on strength but speed meshed well with her natural abilities she quickly mastered his mantra of striking before her foe could react and being where his strikes would not be. By her late teens she was already participating in tournaments working her way up toward the big prize and her all time dream a place in the Great World Tournament, a process that would last her over a decade. Sadly her moment of triumph would also be that of her greatest tragedy. For it was during the finals of this tournament that everything was destroyed. What happened on that day is a haze. She fought in the tournament and lost. But that was to be expected of a new contender. Just being in the event was a great honor. Beyond that however she remembers little. Unusually for the contest, she recalls, an alien fighter was participating. This was not unheard of or forbidden but it was very rare. The alien, whom she remembers poorly managed to fight his way to the final round and earn the right to face last years champion. Everything after that is a blur. Unsurprisingly perhaps for it is at some point after or maybe during that fight that the world ended. Just what happened or for that matter why and how she survived is a mystery for she has no recollection of the events. The memories lost or perhaps repressed by her own mind. But she does remember some things vividly. Images, sounds, the ground disappearing before her eyes. Just the sort of fun thing that make little girls wake up at night screaming and clawing at their eyes. Not that she does mind you, but that's a testament to her strength more than anything. Beyond those however there is nothing. Nothing but the cold, unrelenting certainty of her loneliness and a strong if undefined feeling that the mysterious stranger had something to do with the destruction of her world and her survival, both, leaving her somewhat unsure if she should feel infatuated or vengeful.Techniques:Pulse bomb: She strikes the air with an open hand punch to fire off a fist sized ki projectile. Although not as powerful as some ki attacks (example Kamehameha) it requires no charging time or preparation and can be delivered safely at any range, even in a melee. Pulse barrage: Same as above only delivered at a very high rate of speed through rapid relentless punching with the intent of drowning an enemy in a machinegun like barrage of projectiles. This is her primary high power destruction attack. Ki-Speed: She is train to funnel her ki into moving and fighting faster than mere physical ability would allow. She can deliver strikes really fast or fire off a barrage of punches that puts other fighters to shame. She can also run fast enough to walk on water should the need arise. Mirror attack: Using the full power of her ki speed she moves so quickly as to appear to be at multiple places at once. This technique is typically used in the form of surrounding an enemy by illusory duplicates (by running around in a circle) and attacking from a seemingly random direction or all at once with only one being real. But other uses exist as well. Flight: She can fly using ki. Although I imagine this might be a default thing for us. Super: Kaio-ken: This technique is the last and most powerful one she learned from her master who told her about it being something past down from master to student for many generations ever since their ancestor one of the original planetary defenders, traveled to an unknown world to train with an alien master. He also told her not to use it unless her life was on the line.Transformations:Her species has at least two known and possibly more levels of transformation. However she is yet to achieve any of them. And she really does not know the details, aside from the fact they have something to do with their horns, as these are closely guarded secrets of martial arts masters just above her pay grade. And asking them is going to be a problem seeing as they are all dead. But they are a possibility for a dramatic level up at some point should the plot demand it.Other Info:</s> <\|message\|>Mia Although it didn't show on the outside Mia was feeling pretty useless at this point. She didn't like feeling useless. She wasn't used to feeling useless. And yet here she was. The whole thing would have been aggravating if it hadn't been so funny. Seriously, just a short while ago she was awake, hyped and feeling pretty good about her self. And now the blue guy was here with enough supplies for an army and pinkie literally rebuilt the entire city while they were asleep. Again... she rebuilt the city. Compared to those two all Mia had to bring to the table was tetanus. A short muffled giggle left her mouth at the thought. Seriously, now all it took was for someone to show up with a barbecue and a keg and the day would be complete. And thus her smile was genuine.</s> <\|message\|>Dimsum AKA "Yaksha" @IceHeart @Chev @KillamriX88 @PPQ Purple @Double @NacNak @King Kindred Yaksha's first night in the Time nest... had been bittersweet. Sleeping in a ruining place was quite a challenge on his own, but nothing he could not fix by focusing a little and setting up a tent worth of a Prince with what was left of his magical power. Confident it was snug and and warm enough, he set out to find supplies. He pondered... What kind of supply would be needed the most considering half of the team was battle freaks? Healing items. The supreme Kai, Chronoa, had set quite a lot of stores, but something among them caught his attention. "No way, they could grow this many Senzu Beans?" He said, as he weighed the storage dispositive. A capsule. From Capsule Corp. He recognized the craft. Probably Dr Briefs and Bulma of many timelines had made a killing with these kinds of devices, being exclusive sellers to the Time Patrol? Yes, that was the name of Chronoa's taskforce, according to Supreme Kai Shin. He scratched his head. He was not going to look a gifted horse in the mouth, and they would provide a good backup should they run out of magical healing. So he set to hoard all of these seeds he could find. He was thankful none of the invaders ever realized the importance of these seeds, or else his fights would have dragged a lot longer. Now, if someone could fix the cackling pink maniac remodelling the city rubble in modern art, he could sleep at peace. He resigned himself to the evident. This was such a makeshift team, as he entered the tent. They would need to do some team bonding, perhaps even before they set out from the first mission. The Supreme Kai had warned him about the volatileness and liability of Saiyans, and something needed to be done. Yaksha smiled. He was sure he knew one major weakness a lot of these fighters had, and stood all night meditating to gather energy and concocting his plan. --- The wafting smell of coffee, freshly brewed invaded his nostrils as he set towards the place they were gathering, and eyed those gathered. "Hm. Freeza-kin, you really do outdo yourself. These will be handy on the future. Also good job, Majin... I guess" he said, taking one set of capsules for himself. "I also stocked up on Senzu beans. If you haven't heard of them, it's an Earth speciality and one of the best healing items of the universe." He added, producing a small hoard of these capsules. "It will be a boon." He then grinned, unleashing the plan. He had woken up earlier for this. "By the way, I am going to get some breakfast, if you do not mind." He said, while pointing at the buffet that had appeared not further away from their position. Saiyans could be easily tamed with enough food. And none of these species seemed namekians, who thrived on water. It would also prevent accidental poisoning from the Supreme of Kai's Universe destroying cooking. He had heard that much. "I made a buffet. We should fast, for we are undertaking missions of great importance." The earthling said, as he gazed upon his handiwork of magic, gathering materials and ingredients, and cooking. There were all sorts of breakfast foods in there, but Yaksha was partial to fresh pancakes. It reminded him of his princely meals, once upon a time.</s>	<\|message\|>Mia Well that just happened. Seriously, Mia was impressed. Seriously, fully impressed. In the past 24 hours she had witnessed omnicide, interdimensional travel, explosive planetary disassembly, hell, proof of intelligent alien life not descended from cows, proof of existence of the legendary kai and a strange pink girl literally reassembling a giant city in an evening... But you couldn't exactly eat any of those. And after last nights "sleep" and her adventure this morning with a can of cold, scorched baked beans she would have given her horns for a cup of hot coffee. And boy did that kid deliver. Now this didn't mean she had to like him. The brutal way he stepped on poor monkey girls feelings back yesterday was just inexcusable no matter his mental state. And she was sure he was in one just as they all were. It just didn't excuse things. But right now was not the time for such thoughts. Rather it was time for coffee...</s>
<\|description\|>Mia Posting just to reserve the concept and give people an idea of what I am going for. Right now I am thinking a female, always smiling and positive, basically your good natured counterpart to the other two. Also focuses on high speed attacks. Like a barrage of punches or a bunch of energy attacks fired off machine gun style as opposed to the more conventional slow charge and fire like what Goku does. Will edit the details in in a moment. Also I just realized I posted this in the wrong subsection. Should have been in OOC. Sorry. New to this forum. How do I delete/move it? Ok, here goes nothing. Species: Oni A humanoid species known primarily for their oddly colored hair and horns which give them a demonic appearance. In terms of power they are a somewhat generic species aside from the fact that for those trained to fight and sense the fighting power of others the horn will act as an amplifier tingling and even glowing in the case of an extremely powerful presence. On their homeworld, the Oni were a peaceful but armed warrior culture preferring to practice armed neutrality (like Switzerland) and stay out of galactic affairs while keeping a core of strong fighters to protect them self from outside threats. At the heart of this was a series of martial arts tournaments culminating with the Great World Tournament held every 10 years. The winners of this tournament earned great honor and the right to join the elite protectors of their planet. A force that was, at least theoretically meant to protect their world from any would be destroyers. Unfortunately it was during the finals of the last tournament that their world was mysteriously destroyed somewhat definitively proving their approach wrong.Age: 26 Gender: Female Appearance:Young, reasonably good looking and with soft smooth skin and eyes ever so slightly larger than is comfortable for human observation she represents a well groomed female specimen of her species. A bar that, to be fair, given her current status as its only living representative isn't something she needs to try much to clear. Still, she does her best to keep her silky pink hair in order and polish her two short and mildly curved horns pointing upward to match her smile. In terms of clothing she dresses simply, preferring full length pants and short slaves for their practicality in a fight and for the same reason cutting her hair just above her shoulders. Although she absolutely refuses to tie it.Personality:She has always been the sort to smile, be cheerful and not take life too seriously. The destruction of her home and everything she knew and cared for seems not to have changed this. Although the astute might tell that these days at times the smile is only skin deep. One thing that definitively did change is that her already strong sense of justice has developed into a mean streak meaning that she is completely willing and arguably eager to kill without hesitation anyone she considers to be a "bad guy". A be it that she will do so cheerfully.Bio:Mia grew up as a normal kid with a normal, loving family. She awoke early on to her love of fighting, her earliest memories being of her self as a small child wrestling other children to the ground with the intent of subduing them. By the time her friends were in high school she was spending every free moment of her time training with her great uncle, a renowned martial arts master known widely as the Hedgehog Hermit. His techniques focusing not on strength but speed meshed well with her natural abilities she quickly mastered his mantra of striking before her foe could react and being where his strikes would not be. By her late teens she was already participating in tournaments working her way up toward the big prize and her all time dream a place in the Great World Tournament, a process that would last her over a decade. Sadly her moment of triumph would also be that of her greatest tragedy. For it was during the finals of this tournament that everything was destroyed. What happened on that day is a haze. She fought in the tournament and lost. But that was to be expected of a new contender. Just being in the event was a great honor. Beyond that however she remembers little. Unusually for the contest, she recalls, an alien fighter was participating. This was not unheard of or forbidden but it was very rare. The alien, whom she remembers poorly managed to fight his way to the final round and earn the right to face last years champion. Everything after that is a blur. Unsurprisingly perhaps for it is at some point after or maybe during that fight that the world ended. Just what happened or for that matter why and how she survived is a mystery for she has no recollection of the events. The memories lost or perhaps repressed by her own mind. But she does remember some things vividly. Images, sounds, the ground disappearing before her eyes. Just the sort of fun thing that make little girls wake up at night screaming and clawing at their eyes. Not that she does mind you, but that's a testament to her strength more than anything. Beyond those however there is nothing. Nothing but the cold, unrelenting certainty of her loneliness and a strong if undefined feeling that the mysterious stranger had something to do with the destruction of her world and her survival, both, leaving her somewhat unsure if she should feel infatuated or vengeful.Techniques:Pulse bomb: She strikes the air with an open hand punch to fire off a fist sized ki projectile. Although not as powerful as some ki attacks (example Kamehameha) it requires no charging time or preparation and can be delivered safely at any range, even in a melee. Pulse barrage: Same as above only delivered at a very high rate of speed through rapid relentless punching with the intent of drowning an enemy in a machinegun like barrage of projectiles. This is her primary high power destruction attack. Ki-Speed: She is train to funnel her ki into moving and fighting faster than mere physical ability would allow. She can deliver strikes really fast or fire off a barrage of punches that puts other fighters to shame. She can also run fast enough to walk on water should the need arise. Mirror attack: Using the full power of her ki speed she moves so quickly as to appear to be at multiple places at once. This technique is typically used in the form of surrounding an enemy by illusory duplicates (by running around in a circle) and attacking from a seemingly random direction or all at once with only one being real. But other uses exist as well. Flight: She can fly using ki. Although I imagine this might be a default thing for us. Super: Kaio-ken: This technique is the last and most powerful one she learned from her master who told her about it being something past down from master to student for many generations ever since their ancestor one of the original planetary defenders, traveled to an unknown world to train with an alien master. He also told her not to use it unless her life was on the line.Transformations:Her species has at least two known and possibly more levels of transformation. However she is yet to achieve any of them. And she really does not know the details, aside from the fact they have something to do with their horns, as these are closely guarded secrets of martial arts masters just above her pay grade. And asking them is going to be a problem seeing as they are all dead. But they are a possibility for a dramatic level up at some point should the plot demand it.Other Info:</s> <\|message\|>Tabaga GM Post To say that Tabaga had not had a good night would be an understatement. She had spent some of the night wandering the ruined city before finally falling asleep on top of what appeared to be a very large mushroom. For a long time she had simply tossed and turned as certain thoughts continued running through her head. Entire universes were being erased but for some reason hers had been spared, albeit most likely it was devoid of life considering how much destruction those black armored troopers had caused. Eventually though she had fallen asleep and had slept through some of the noisier elements of the night. When she finally woke up she saw the someone had done some repair work on the city and she could smell food but for some reason today she found she just wasn't that hungry. The Saiyan woman followed the scent of the food and found the others already gathered together. She barely looked at the food however as she looked around for the Supreme Kai of Time. After a few moments of trying to either see her or trying to sense her he finally caught a glimpse of her coming out of a nearby building. She kept a very careful watch on the Kai as she approached. She seemed tired but at the same time there seemed to be something different about her. Her step seemed a bit lighter and despite how tired she was there was a small smile on her face. "Good morning everyone!" The Kai called out to the assembled group. "I hope everyone is well this morning." She approached the group. The Dimensional scanner on her wrist was glowing a bright green. "I told you yesterday that I may have a mission for you today. I spent most of the night trying to figure out what we could do and I will be one hundred percent honest, I have the beginning of a plan." She looked at each and everyone of the group and for a brief moment a look of fatigue crossed her face. "I believe our best best is to enter Tabaga's universe and see if we can find any clues as to what caused whatever enemy we're facing to act differently. Her Universe was spared. And hopefully we can find out why."</s> <\|message\|>Velona --- There were certain times that Velona was grateful to be blindfolded. Like right now, with two strange saiyans nearby. It made it easy to resist the urge to stare. She couldn't decide if it was comforting or unnerving. OK, with Tabage it was definitely unnerving... but that didn't necessarily have anything to do with her being a saiyan. Saiyans even existing were the closest thing to normal Velona had right now, but she didn't know them any better than she knew... well... any of the other people present. It was strange how she almost felt more comfortable around Ovaan, despite him being of the same race as the person who had turned half her planet into glass. Although, on that note- No, best to just not think about it. She decided to focus on the Kai instead. "Yes, I... figured as much from our conversation yesterday," Velona said in response. "But we're just the victims of all this. How are we supposed to know what to look for? How are we supposed to recognize something important even if we do see it? We're going to a completely different universe," for most of them anyway, "everything is likely to seem strange to us to begin with. I do hope your plan extends beyond sending us there in the first place." Just because they were involved didn't mean they were any better at figuring it out than anyone else. They were just the ones who were slightly less unlucky at the end of the day.</s> <\|message\|>Darbin "How are we going to handle such a mission anyways? We splitting into groups, or are we all forming a singular cohesive unit? A group this big may attract unwanted attention especially if people here aren't common in Tabaga's universe." comments Darbin as he cracks his neck. He considers the people around him, and those who have yet to arrive. He wonders if this whole group would just be one big giant eyesore, and an obvious sign that whoever ruined this city made a huge mess in the first place. "I'm not especially looking forward to running into people asking me what I'm doing with saiyans for example. My people tend to be aggressive warriors in my universe, and we don't get along with saiyans. I bet Tabaga's version of my people are either completely different, or very similar. I'm just worried about the dynamics of our team. I mean no offense to those who are here." Darbin says promptly, a bit slowly but calmly as he looks at the strange green beans he didn't know what they were but food was food.</s>	<\|message\|>Mia Mia was following the discussion intently. Well, as intently as one can when stuffing one self with food and coffee at an alarming rate. Alarming for her calorie count that is. There was quite enough to go around. She on the other hand hadn't eaten properly in almost a day and was most assuredly making up for lost time. And besides, she'd burn it off sooner rather than later. At some point though she was finished, or close to it anyway, and the time had come to chime in. Or at the very least point out the plainly obvious. "None taken." "And somehow I think that's, like, the point." She took another sip of coffee. "I don't know about you guys but I am no detective. Not unless you count punching as an investigative skill. And this whole universe destruction stuff is frankly going over my head." She had a point. Something destroying universes was not just a physical impossibility for the most part but also just a matter of logistics. I mean, how the bloody hell do you destroy a whole universe? The energy required to do so alone would need to be... universal. Mia wasn't stupid, far from it, but it didn't take a genius to realize they were missing pieces of the puzzle here. Either that or they were going up against a literal god. She hoped it was the former. Thus, she continued "So my guess is our best bet is to go in there, find one of those whatevers that were messing the place up and hit him or her repeatedly some place soft until we get some answers. Or at least the name of the next person up to 'visit'." "And if they happen to find us first that just makes our job easier." She said this fully seriously, and with a honest smile that lacked any malice. It was just a statement of fact, nothing more. And yet it was exactly that which make the fact that she was talking about finding someone to torture for information somewhat awkward. You would expect such reasoning from most of you. But you had been through wars and done nasty things. She hadn't. Not that you knew this. But even so would any of you really said it so matter of fact and without dropping their morning coffee smile? Maybe you would. In which case this was you looking into a mirror you might not have wanted to see. Mia for her part was equally surprised. This was not exactly her usual style after all. And maybe it was this strange alien coffee speaking but honestly at this point she didn't give a bleep. She wanted some answers. And frankly some payback as well. And while she wasn't quite ready to kill for them just yet a little percussive persuasion was a line she would cross happily. As she said this she took another long and slow sip from the cup whilst casting a careful look over the team. They knew she was right. Or at least that no matter what the plan was this is how it would inevitably turn out. How they would make it turn out... You don't just take a bunch of really strong people and kill everyone they love without making it personal.</s>
<\|description\|>Mia Posting just to reserve the concept and give people an idea of what I am going for. Right now I am thinking a female, always smiling and positive, basically your good natured counterpart to the other two. Also focuses on high speed attacks. Like a barrage of punches or a bunch of energy attacks fired off machine gun style as opposed to the more conventional slow charge and fire like what Goku does. Will edit the details in in a moment. Also I just realized I posted this in the wrong subsection. Should have been in OOC. Sorry. New to this forum. How do I delete/move it? Ok, here goes nothing. Species: Oni A humanoid species known primarily for their oddly colored hair and horns which give them a demonic appearance. In terms of power they are a somewhat generic species aside from the fact that for those trained to fight and sense the fighting power of others the horn will act as an amplifier tingling and even glowing in the case of an extremely powerful presence. On their homeworld, the Oni were a peaceful but armed warrior culture preferring to practice armed neutrality (like Switzerland) and stay out of galactic affairs while keeping a core of strong fighters to protect them self from outside threats. At the heart of this was a series of martial arts tournaments culminating with the Great World Tournament held every 10 years. The winners of this tournament earned great honor and the right to join the elite protectors of their planet. A force that was, at least theoretically meant to protect their world from any would be destroyers. Unfortunately it was during the finals of the last tournament that their world was mysteriously destroyed somewhat definitively proving their approach wrong.Age: 26 Gender: Female Appearance:Young, reasonably good looking and with soft smooth skin and eyes ever so slightly larger than is comfortable for human observation she represents a well groomed female specimen of her species. A bar that, to be fair, given her current status as its only living representative isn't something she needs to try much to clear. Still, she does her best to keep her silky pink hair in order and polish her two short and mildly curved horns pointing upward to match her smile. In terms of clothing she dresses simply, preferring full length pants and short slaves for their practicality in a fight and for the same reason cutting her hair just above her shoulders. Although she absolutely refuses to tie it.Personality:She has always been the sort to smile, be cheerful and not take life too seriously. The destruction of her home and everything she knew and cared for seems not to have changed this. Although the astute might tell that these days at times the smile is only skin deep. One thing that definitively did change is that her already strong sense of justice has developed into a mean streak meaning that she is completely willing and arguably eager to kill without hesitation anyone she considers to be a "bad guy". A be it that she will do so cheerfully.Bio:Mia grew up as a normal kid with a normal, loving family. She awoke early on to her love of fighting, her earliest memories being of her self as a small child wrestling other children to the ground with the intent of subduing them. By the time her friends were in high school she was spending every free moment of her time training with her great uncle, a renowned martial arts master known widely as the Hedgehog Hermit. His techniques focusing not on strength but speed meshed well with her natural abilities she quickly mastered his mantra of striking before her foe could react and being where his strikes would not be. By her late teens she was already participating in tournaments working her way up toward the big prize and her all time dream a place in the Great World Tournament, a process that would last her over a decade. Sadly her moment of triumph would also be that of her greatest tragedy. For it was during the finals of this tournament that everything was destroyed. What happened on that day is a haze. She fought in the tournament and lost. But that was to be expected of a new contender. Just being in the event was a great honor. Beyond that however she remembers little. Unusually for the contest, she recalls, an alien fighter was participating. This was not unheard of or forbidden but it was very rare. The alien, whom she remembers poorly managed to fight his way to the final round and earn the right to face last years champion. Everything after that is a blur. Unsurprisingly perhaps for it is at some point after or maybe during that fight that the world ended. Just what happened or for that matter why and how she survived is a mystery for she has no recollection of the events. The memories lost or perhaps repressed by her own mind. But she does remember some things vividly. Images, sounds, the ground disappearing before her eyes. Just the sort of fun thing that make little girls wake up at night screaming and clawing at their eyes. Not that she does mind you, but that's a testament to her strength more than anything. Beyond those however there is nothing. Nothing but the cold, unrelenting certainty of her loneliness and a strong if undefined feeling that the mysterious stranger had something to do with the destruction of her world and her survival, both, leaving her somewhat unsure if she should feel infatuated or vengeful.Techniques:Pulse bomb: She strikes the air with an open hand punch to fire off a fist sized ki projectile. Although not as powerful as some ki attacks (example Kamehameha) it requires no charging time or preparation and can be delivered safely at any range, even in a melee. Pulse barrage: Same as above only delivered at a very high rate of speed through rapid relentless punching with the intent of drowning an enemy in a machinegun like barrage of projectiles. This is her primary high power destruction attack. Ki-Speed: She is train to funnel her ki into moving and fighting faster than mere physical ability would allow. She can deliver strikes really fast or fire off a barrage of punches that puts other fighters to shame. She can also run fast enough to walk on water should the need arise. Mirror attack: Using the full power of her ki speed she moves so quickly as to appear to be at multiple places at once. This technique is typically used in the form of surrounding an enemy by illusory duplicates (by running around in a circle) and attacking from a seemingly random direction or all at once with only one being real. But other uses exist as well. Flight: She can fly using ki. Although I imagine this might be a default thing for us. Super: Kaio-ken: This technique is the last and most powerful one she learned from her master who told her about it being something past down from master to student for many generations ever since their ancestor one of the original planetary defenders, traveled to an unknown world to train with an alien master. He also told her not to use it unless her life was on the line.Transformations:Her species has at least two known and possibly more levels of transformation. However she is yet to achieve any of them. And she really does not know the details, aside from the fact they have something to do with their horns, as these are closely guarded secrets of martial arts masters just above her pay grade. And asking them is going to be a problem seeing as they are all dead. But they are a possibility for a dramatic level up at some point should the plot demand it.Other Info:</s> <\|message\|>Ovaan Ovaan @IceHeart @Chev @KillamriX88 @PPQ Purple @AtomicNut @NacNak @King Kindred Everyone was voicing their concerns, and rightfully so. In truth, Ovaan was not without concerns of his own regarding this mission objective. For all they knew, this universe had been rendered completely uninhabitable and they could die mere moments after arrival due to any number of unforeseen hazards. Granted, that was a worst-case scenario. But still valid, nonetheless. Ovaan decided to keep those concerns to himself, being too busy gathering the capsule cases he had brought to verbally voice any of them for the time being. Well, there was one thing he decided to provide a verbal response to. "Payback is all well and good, but I for one would appreciate us not allowing such things to cloud our judgement. Thank you." he had seen his fair share of would-be "heroes", both in and outside his time in the Freeza Force. And in his experience, it never ended well. Heroes had a bad habit of acting on emotional impulse, resulting in poor decisions being made that only served to get people killed. His own crew had tended to make a point of avoiding such mistakes at all costs. Which of course required them to make decisions that often seemed rather callous to those observing from afar. But if the choice was between doing something one might feel guilty about later and getting everyone including one's own self killed outright? Ovaan would choose the former every time. He remained quiet after that. Instead he focused on steeling himself for whatever waited for them on the other side of that portal. No matter what, it probably wasn't going to be pleasant. And so, with a hardened resolved, the former Captain stepped through the portal. And what awaited on the other side was... exactly as he had mentally predicted, and then some. Crimson spheres filling out the skies. Bodies dumped in truly immeasurable numbers, only to be scooped up and hauled away by 8-legged machines. It was enough to make Ovaan want to puke on the spot. He took another breath, reaffirming his resolve and maintaining his composure for the most part. But he still looked visibly uncomfortable at what he was seeing. He couldn't recall a single instance of the Freeza Force doing anything even remotely on this level. They at least maintained some kind of governmental order. This? This just looked like pure horror. And yet, a certain question nagged its way into his mind. One that every single person likely wondered as well. And it looked like Ovaan would have to be the one to ask what they were all probably thinking. "Harvesting? What could they possibly be harvesting these... remains... for?" he asked in a hushed, low voice. The truth was they probably didn't want to know. And yet, he had the distinct feeling they would need to find out, anyway.</s> <\|message\|>Darbin "The question is do we stop this, or do we simply try to observe sometimes information can be more valuable then action. Harvesting, or not we should try to be careful until we have an idea of what exactly we're messing with here if entire universes are gone then we may be a bit over our head in terms of power levels." comments Darbin in response to the Frost Demon's confused reply. Darbin knew it was likely a futile endeavor to try and stop some of the saiyans from doing something dumb but the others may be willing to listen. Years of hard work in the fields of combat, and war made it quite clear to him that war was not something you took lightly in any regard. You had to have the right knowledge or else you would lose. Things quite simply put they couldn't afford to be reckless and cause more damage unintentionally.</s> <\|message\|>Maize Maize @vancexentan@AtomicNut@IceHeart@PPQ Purple@KillamriX88@Double@NacNak Maize couldn't believe her eyes when she stepped out of the portal behind Tabaga. This was something she had never seen before. She had seen murder, she had seen destruction, but this was insane. It took everything in her to contain her anger and her breakfast. Where did those rifts lead? Different universes? Maybe this universe wasn't the only remaining one left. She hoped her squad was okay. She whipped them into shape, they were survivors. She had to hold onto that thought to stay sane. She decided not to hide and stayed out in the open. The ones that could potentially sense them weren't even paying attention and the harvesting spiders were focused on their specific job. "I've never known a Saiyan to hide. They're not even looking our way." Ovaan asked the question she and the others were likely thinking. Darbin even seemed to confirm that fact. She knew a direct conflict wasn't the right way to go about this. Not now at least. They had to get some answers and she believed she knew exactly how to do it. "There's only one way to find out what they're harvesting them for." She paused for a moment to focus on her ki and drastically lowered her power level output as low as she could. If they had those who could sense ki on their side it'd be in their best interest to make it difficult for them to find them. "We get harvested ourselves. If you can lower your ki level I suggest you do it." For now it was the only plan they had and if she could say so herself it was a pretty damn good one. A bit reckless maybe, but it was better than busting down doors or trying to sneak in themselves. Being carried inside just made things easier for them. Maize jumped across the field taking several leaps instead of flying over until she got to a suitable pile where she could hide among the dead.</s>	<\|message\|>Mia Well that's dismaying... She didn't really think those words in particular, but she might as well have. For that was the overall feeling she had toward the realization of just what they were getting into. Like... seriously. Forget it... And forget she did, except she didn't. For even as the shimmering portal drew her attention to it like you would expect from a shiny doubt began creeping into the back of her head. Just what would they find there? Mia had newer been to a war zone. Indeed her species had all but abandoned war for a thousand years. And between that and their isolation her only reference for what she could expect to find there were, aside from yesterday of course, ancient paintings and dried up history books that she failed to pay attention to in class. So right now the only thing she knew for sure was that these "Sayans" were more powerful than her and that there was something out there, just beyond that door that was more powerful than a whole galaxy spanning empire of them. And she wouldn't even get to fight one of them. At least not if these spoilsports had anything to say about it. Well at least not if things went well. Which for all intents and purposes meant that even if she won she would loose. Not that she had too much confidence in the plan, mind you. Between her and the others here they weren't exactly a stealthy bunch. Not unless you count stealth as beating up everything that can possibly spot you. And this was all assuming that the universe wasn't left not destroyed explicitly as a trap for them to walk into. A possibility that absolutely could not be discounted. In fact if she was a universe destroying badgirl that is exactly the kind of trap she would lay. By the time all this went around her head and she completed making that mental note, just in case she ever chose to turn evil, most of the others had gone through. So she did what she had to, took a big breath and stepped through the portal. Not in the least ready for what ever she was about to find there. ... ... ... Seconds later... "Well fuck." Those were her exact thoughts this time. And those were the only ones she thought as her will was entirely spent desperately trying to keep her brain from shutting down. This wasn't a trap. It wasn't the ruins of a dead universe. It wasn't even a war. It was a slaughterhouse. All color drained from her face, the bravado she exhibited just a moment ago gone along with a non insignificant chunk of her sanity. And any thoughts of payback or fighting or even just anything vanished from her mind as she just stood there, silent and completely frozen in place. And the narrator couldn't even come up with a witty remark for the end.</s>

Subsets and Splits

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<\|description\|>Sarah Physical Description: Sarah is a slender girl with bright green eyes and soft, shoulder-length pink hair and pale, almost alabaster skin. She stand at about 5'4" (162.6 cm) and weighs 100 lbs (45.3 kg). She has a curious glint in her eyes, and tends to see everything as though for the first time. Class: Oracle Personality: Sarah is a warm, compassionate soul, always worried about other peoples' welfare and willing to go to any length to protect them. Despite her lack of social experience with the world, she can tell when people are being hurt or abused, and will try and ease their suffering any way she can. Due to mostly being a blank state, the world around her entices her curiosity, and she will try to learn as much about it as possible. She will try and know more any new sensations or experiences she might encounter, giving her the feeling of a wide-eyed newborn child eagerly gawping at the beautiful world around them. Her lack of experience with the world means she's also very naïve and clueless about current events or about certain social cues or behaviors that more worldly people would pick up easily. She does have a general sense of social decency and behavior, but the nuances or subtler plays are a bit beyond her experience, and a cunning operator can out-think her until she catches on. However, despite this, one should not push her too far. She is still an Oracle, and programmed with combat skills and powerful abilities, and can end up fighting back rather tenaciously when she or those she cares about are threatened. History: Sarah recalls nothing of her past, practically having been 'born' to the world with the opening of her case. Abilities: * Enhanced physical attributes: As an Oracle and genetically engineered being, Sarah possesses a certain amount of enhanced strength, increased agility, and improved durability and stamina, as well as a small measure of enhanced senses. However, the emphasis are on stamina and agility, making her a poor choice for a heavy fighter. * Healing: Aside from no small skill at normal healing, she possesses the ability to heal injuries and wounds almost instantly. Currently, she's still learning how to use this power, so she can heal mild injuries and cuts. * Protective 'magic': Sarah can use her 'magic' to protect her allies by casting a small, protective halo to absorb some of the damage that hits them. Equipment: Sarah barely has anything beyond the shirt on her back and a few items and supplies given to her by her mysterious caretaker. RP Notes: Sarah is basically a blank slate, one with little to no knowledge of the outside world, and must learn more about it to survive and complete her destined mission. Fortunately, she does have a certain amount of combat skills programmed into her, allowing her to fight competently and survive long enough to get stronger. Sarah's main virtues are compassion and empathy, the ability to feel for those around her, and a strong desire to reduce their suffering and help them find happiness. Role-wise, Sarah would lean towards a mage-knight with an emphasis on magic and healing. While she is still an Oracle, she prefers to use magic and healing to support her allies in battle and help them out of battle.</s> <\|message\|>Ayaan Jabberwocky's Hideout Annabelle watched the blind girl walk with her food into one of the back rooms. She walked confidently, like someone who knew all the steps and had traveled them many, many times. Annabelle crept up to the mecha with the map and began to touch the keys. Something beeped, "Oops!" she said. "Hello? Who's there?" came a voice from the room. Oh, shoot, she thought, but she smiled like she enjoyed being caught. She pushed more buttons on the mecha device and tried to read the display, the map over her head began to turn, it had pin points showing the location of the hideout, some major cities, and the big castle the wizards think is so impressive. It also had little blips with the names Bandersnatch and Draygon. That's kinda useful, she thought. Absently, Annabelle started whistling. Annabelle doesn't care that Ruby knows she's there, she's looking at your stuff and playing with your toys.</s> <\|message\|>Sarah Sarah The final blow leaves Sarah breathless and gasping for air amid the ever-present miasma and the acrid smell of roasted spider-monster, fully aware that she's covered in the gunk, and might have even gotten some of it in her mouth. She feels very sick right now, and retches and coughs in disgust. She slumps back against a wall, relieved that the fight is over and the surviving spiderlings had run for cover, hopefully never to return. She notices Pip running up to a pedestal with a button on it, and watches with curiosity as he activates... something. Not long after, the miasma begins to recede, allowing Sarah the taste of wondrous fresh air. Soon, the hallucinatory effects would stop, and Sarah is glad for that. She picks up Pip when he gets back to her and she strokes his fur lovingly. She's not sure what happened, but if she is to venture a guess, there might be some old machinery in this cave, and that may be the source of the miasma. She'd need to make sure it's destroyed or disabled so nobody else could use it. Once she's recovered enough from the miasma and the fight, she gets up, and tries to find a way to help the villagers. She starts with the poor girl the spiderling queen was feasting on, trying to heal her with her powers, and praying she's alright. Once she's sure the girl's recovering, she tries to cut down the villagers from the spiderwebs - while not hurting any of them, of course. She soon hears steps coming from the cave, so she cautiously pulls out the sword, worried if it's more trouble, but to her relief it's Master Thunderfist coming in. "Oh, Master Thunderfist," she says with a bow. "I've found the sword - and more importantly, I found where the villagers disappeared to. I hope they're all alright... And Pip was a great help, I couldn't have done it without him..." She kneels down to stroke Pip's ears, who barks back in gratitude.</s> <\|message\|>Jabberwocky She frowns. "You're not Daddy. Go away. I want you to leave!" Her hands begin glowing a deep red, flowing over her wrists and up her arms, a thick red substance that makes the whole cave start heating up. She runs forward and slaps Annabelle, the magma on her hands searing away at her flesh and muscles.</s> <\|message\|>Ayaan Urgrapth's Home Sarah Kensu came trotting in, huffing a little from the exertion. He looked at her and then looked at the surroundings. Pip came over and began licking his hand, earning himself a scratch. "Oh, Master Thunderfist," she says with a bow. "I've found the sword - and more importantly, I found where the villagers disappeared to. I hope they're all alright... And Pip was a great help, I couldn't have done it without him..." "I see," said Kensu, taken aback. The cave was filled with shiny, metal like threads. When he had come here previously it was empty, open. He felt amazed that it had all changed so quickly since he opened that damn door. The young Oracle was covered in black gore, but she didn't look severely injured. "You could certainly use a dip in the ocean." He said smiling. "..master... Kensu..." came a weak voice. Kensu looked down and it was the little girl who used to pick flowers and sell them in the village. He ran over to her and kneeled to cradle her head. "..the lady saved us.. she was amazing.. she's one of the special people isn't she master?.." the little girl said softly. "Yes dear girl," Kensu replied, his heart filled with pride, "yes she is a special one." He smiled reassuringly. He placed her down and let her fall back asleep. Kensu stood up and looked around. He felt a wave of guilt wash over him as he saw all the people strung up, but many of them seemed to be stirring and Sarah had already cut a few down who seemed to be able to stand. "Let's get everyone back to the village, then, well, then we'll talk." He turned to Sarah, "Thank you for what you have done this day, I know the ordeal has been more than extreme, and doubly so for one who just awoke. You are a special person Sarah, more than I think you know. Let us work quickly, there is much to discuss." Kensu pulled out his own knife and together they began to free as many villagers as possible. When the people seemed to be moving along well enough Kensu fought through the spider webs back into the little room near the back of the cavern, the room he opened that let the spider queen out. "To think all this came from one small decision," he said looking around. There on the floor were a set of steel containers, unopened and marked with a blue tag. They looked, important somehow, so Kensu grabbed them. They were heavy, but they had a strap made for carrying them and so with Kensu's strong arms it was not that difficult. Together the villagers, the old Master, and our hero made their way to the homes near the beach for a moment of respite, rest, and food.</s> <\|message\|>Jabberwocky Jabber sees a large group of villagers walking down a mountain from a cave, and roars, making the livestock flee, and the people scream, thrown into a panic. He swoops nearby, his talons tearing into the rock, sending debris flying through the air, a small avalanche of rocks and boulders tumbling down towards the village, and his flaming breath sets the buildings alight.</s> <\|message\|>Ayaan For clarification, this is on Kensu's Island, Jabberwocky has diverted his course and is attacking the Island for fun, as any good villain should do. SETUP: The tired and battered villagers have just awoke from a cave of nightmares at the hand of a spider queen and her spiderlings. The villagers were saved by Sarah, a young lady with pink hair and a sword that fires lightning bolts. Sarah is accompanied by Pip, a small dog-like creature, and Kensu, a warrior Wizard who has also studied the power of Lightning. Play fair guys, and focus on the goal of making the other person's roleplay experience the most fun it can be.</s>	<\|message\|>Sarah Sarah is glad the villagers are all alright, and helps them leave the cave as quickly and orderly as possible, reassuring them along the way. She wants nothing more than a bath and a rest, but she's certain these people have had a worse day, being kidnapped by monsters and webbed up, exposed to nightmare-inducing miasma and almost made monster food. "Special?" she says softly to herself, as though trying to get a feel of the word. "I don't even know who I really am." When she gets out into the sunlight, she stops. It feels like years since she's been out in the sun; the dank, dark caves full of foul mist almost made her forget how the sun feels so nice and warm. She's just glad to be outside. That's when she sees something in the sky, descending towards them. At first she thinks it's a bird... but then realizes it's far too big and moving far too fast to be a bird. In fact, she realizes it's some sort of monster, heading straight for them. At first she feels a burst of panic and anxiety; she's barely recovered from the fight with the spiderlings, and she's still a bit shaky from the effects of the miasma. Then she realizes to her horror that the villagers are still in danger. It's the thought of the poor people escaping one threat only to face an even monstrous one galvanizes her into action. "Run!" she calls out to the village folk. "Run! Head for the forest! Take cover! Hurry! Please!" The ensuing panic feels like it's going to break her heart, what with the villagers running amok and pushing and hurting each other in their blind terror. However, the torrent of rocks rolling down from above where the monster struck the mountain drives her to try and get them away from danger, trying to help people who fell or got knocked over in the commotion. She tries to make sure everyone gets to cover as quickly as possible, all the while trying to shield the people from the falling rocks. The villagers were still streaming out of the cave. Right now, Sarah is trying to figure whether the beast is going to keep attacking them, or if it was just passing by. Either way, she can't ignore it; if it comes around for another pass... She grabs one of the more lucid villagers. "Please, listen to me, we don't have much time," she implores him. "Tell everyone to stay hidden in the forest and nearby caves. Please stay hidden until Master Thunderfist finds you and tells you it's safe to come out. Tell Master Thunderfist... tell him it was an honor to meet him, and I had to distract the monster before it hurt or killed anyone. "Tell him I'll be back, I promise..." The villager nods, and starts helping by herding his fellows to safety. Part of her wonders if she'll ever fulfill that promise. She prepares herself, and pulls out the sword. Taking measure, she then aims the sword and focuses her energy through it. A bolt of lightning fires from the tip, flying through the air, passing right in front of the flying beast to get its attention. "Hey!" she calls out to the beast, running south towards the beach. "Over here! This way!" She prepares to fire more bolts from the sword if the beast ignores her, trying to force it to follow her and away from the poor townsfolk. Once it follows her, she runs. She runs as fast as she can, wind rushing in her face, feeling her heart pound away in her chest. Using the map in this post: roleplayerguild.com/posts/5184875</s>
<\|description\|>Sarah Physical Description: Sarah is a slender girl with bright green eyes and soft, shoulder-length pink hair and pale, almost alabaster skin. She stand at about 5'4" (162.6 cm) and weighs 100 lbs (45.3 kg). She has a curious glint in her eyes, and tends to see everything as though for the first time. Class: Oracle Personality: Sarah is a warm, compassionate soul, always worried about other peoples' welfare and willing to go to any length to protect them. Despite her lack of social experience with the world, she can tell when people are being hurt or abused, and will try and ease their suffering any way she can. Due to mostly being a blank state, the world around her entices her curiosity, and she will try to learn as much about it as possible. She will try and know more any new sensations or experiences she might encounter, giving her the feeling of a wide-eyed newborn child eagerly gawping at the beautiful world around them. Her lack of experience with the world means she's also very naïve and clueless about current events or about certain social cues or behaviors that more worldly people would pick up easily. She does have a general sense of social decency and behavior, but the nuances or subtler plays are a bit beyond her experience, and a cunning operator can out-think her until she catches on. However, despite this, one should not push her too far. She is still an Oracle, and programmed with combat skills and powerful abilities, and can end up fighting back rather tenaciously when she or those she cares about are threatened. History: Sarah recalls nothing of her past, practically having been 'born' to the world with the opening of her case. Abilities: * Enhanced physical attributes: As an Oracle and genetically engineered being, Sarah possesses a certain amount of enhanced strength, increased agility, and improved durability and stamina, as well as a small measure of enhanced senses. However, the emphasis are on stamina and agility, making her a poor choice for a heavy fighter. * Healing: Aside from no small skill at normal healing, she possesses the ability to heal injuries and wounds almost instantly. Currently, she's still learning how to use this power, so she can heal mild injuries and cuts. * Protective 'magic': Sarah can use her 'magic' to protect her allies by casting a small, protective halo to absorb some of the damage that hits them. Equipment: Sarah barely has anything beyond the shirt on her back and a few items and supplies given to her by her mysterious caretaker. RP Notes: Sarah is basically a blank slate, one with little to no knowledge of the outside world, and must learn more about it to survive and complete her destined mission. Fortunately, she does have a certain amount of combat skills programmed into her, allowing her to fight competently and survive long enough to get stronger. Sarah's main virtues are compassion and empathy, the ability to feel for those around her, and a strong desire to reduce their suffering and help them find happiness. Role-wise, Sarah would lean towards a mage-knight with an emphasis on magic and healing. While she is still an Oracle, she prefers to use magic and healing to support her allies in battle and help them out of battle.</s> <\|message\|>Ayaan Kensu The demon monster was chasing Sarah, just like she planned, and he had changed into his human form. Kensu jumped up from his location behind a rock and began running after the black robed creature with the scythe. "NOOOOO!!" He yelled and raised his mighty hammer. Through his hammer he channeled a thick volt of lightning and aimed for the ground beneath Jabberwocky's feet. The ground exploded in a rain shower of rock and smoke.</s> <\|message\|>Sarah Sarah Sarah manages to run into the village, and stops to take a breather. At her heels, Pip barks at her in encouragement, then turns around, growling at... something. Sarah braces herself, wondering if the dragon had flown away; she can't hear its wings, and something that big would make a lot of noise stomping around, right? To her surprise, she sees a man in a hooded cloak, carrying an oversize scythe that was almost rippling with dark energies. A chill shoots up her spine, though she doesn't understand why. Besides her, Pip seems to have gotten even more agitated, actively snarling at the man. Sparks were forming around the electric dog, as though he's charging up for an attack. "Uh, s-sir?" she says cautiously. "I don't know how to put this, but... there's a flying monster around here somewhere. You might want to take cover someplace before it comes back..."</s> <\|message\|>Jabberwocky He grins, baring sharp teeth. "Oh, I know about the monster." He stops when the ground blows up in a bolt of lightning. He turns, enraged, and snarls deep in his throat. "That foolish priest followed me?" He hisses, a thin, animalistic sound. He roars, the ground trembling from the force. He then uproots a small tree, and swings it like a hammer on the priest. "Silence!"</s> <\|message\|>Sarah Sarah To her surprise, Master Thunderfist appears and used a hammer to create a bolt of lightning, attacking the stranger. The stranger's response was no less startling; he lifts a small tree and tries to crush Thunderfist under it. Pip needs no invitation, and is already charging the stranger, shooting a bolt of lightning at him. Finding no other option, Sarah raises her sword and moves in to join the fray. She tries to cover Pip so he doesn't get crushed under the stranger's attacks.</s> <\|message\|>Ayaan Kensu Kensu wakes up near the tree, luckily for him it wasn't a direct hit. His leg and his left arm are broken though. He props himself up using his right hand, the tree had knocked him about 3 or so meters from the fight. He could see Pip charging up and Sarah raise her sword. He raised his Hammer, it had maybe one more charge in it before it was just a hammer again, it began to spark.... poof he had used up all the hammer's energy with his last bolt. He screamed at Jabberwocky, "YOU'RE A PATHETIC PIECE OF DOG SCAT!! YOU KNOW THAT! NOTHING BUT A WEAK LACKY! TELL ME, DO YOU WIPE DRAYGON'S ASS TOO?" then he collapsed back down, breathing heavily.</s> <\|message\|>Jabberwocky He snarls, and spitefully kicks Pip aside, sending him flying into Sarah, bowling her over. He then walks towards the fallen priest, and his pupils narrow into slits. "A lacky? Oh no no no, you don't get it, do you? I have Draygon in my pocket." He laughs, a deep, evil cackle. He looks over at Sarah and dismisses her as no threat. He then looks at the broken, battered priest. "What I want? I want to watch this world burn. For all it's evils, all it's suffering. It's just justice."</s> <\|message\|>Sarah Sarah "Master Kensu!" Sarah cries out as she sees the old wizard crumple to the ground. She rushes forwards to save Kensu, giving a loud cry as she swings her sword. However, she gets caught off-guard by the man throwing a yelping Pip at her, knocking her onto her ass. She grunts in surprise, but she quickly gets up, putting Pip aside. "Stay here!" she orders the dog. She charges her sword with lightning and fires it at the stranger once she has a clear shot. Once she has his attention again, she resumes taking a fighting stance. "Leave Master Thunderfist alone," Sarah demands. "Who are you, and what do you want? And why did that monster attack the villagers?! They've done nothing!"</s> <\|message\|>Ayaan Kensu When Jabber turns to look at Sarah Kensu takes advantage of the moment. He had unscrewed a small bulb from the bottom of his hammer handle and was able to toss it to Sarah. It landed at her feet. "Attach it to the sword, kill this pretender!" He yelled, somewhat weakly</s> <\|message\|>Jabberwocky He hisses. "Die." He swings his scythe into his ribs, silencing the annoying priest with a nasty squish. He wipes off his blade, and picks up the mans hammer, spinning it. "A powerful weapon....hum....." He points the hammer, and frowns. "It's empty. Strange...." He tosses it aside.</s> <\|message\|>Sarah Sarah "NO!" Sarah screams as Jabber kills Kensu before her eyes. She sinks to her knees in shock as she watches Kensu's body hit the floor lifelessly. Pip whimpers and lays down, ears drooping, whining mournfully. Sarah's gaze turns to something Kensu threw her way; a small bulblike object. Through her tears, she notices that there's a strange slot at the hilt of her sword, just matching the bulb. Practically instinctively, she snaps the bulb into the socket, and slowly rises up to her feet. The sword starts crackling in her hand. "Y-you... monster," she hisses in anger, feeling a burning hatred in her heart for the first time. She then raises the sword and charges him, profile low, muscles tense. This time, she swings with full lethal intent, a red-hot flare of hate rising up through her against the man who murdered Master Thunderfist. The sword hums with menacing power, strong arcs of lightning sparking from the blade, giving the air a distinct, ionized smell. She moves swiftly, the sword practically leaving afterimages as it swings through the air directly at the stranger. Once the first blow is blocked, however, she doesn't relent. If anything, she attacks even more furiously. The sword glows even in the bright light of day, moving so fast in the girl's hands it almost appears to be flashes of lightning on a clear day. Rapid slashes and strikes rain down on the stranger, hammering away at his defenses, trying to break through his guard. With every stroke, the sword hisses with barely contained power, sparks bursting into being and crackling menacingly where the blades meet, sound even above the clanging and screeching sounds of metal striking metal. Sarah is barely aware of how she's doing this, just striking out with pure instinct and some half-remembered ability, all driven with a relentless fury against this man who came to this island with nothing but ruin and death in his wake.</s> <\|message\|>Jabberwocky He spins his scythe in a complicated weave, deflecting her blade so it only hits air, his eyes alight in battle fury. He hisses, his teeth sharp and white like a snakes. He backflips over her sword, and uses the shaft of his pole to spin himself around, his feet slamming into her ribs, sending her flying off.</s> <\|message\|>Sarah Sarah utters a cry that is sharply cut off when Jabberwocky kicks her in the ribs, sending her flying. She tumbles a bit, but eventually rolls back onto her feet, slightly dirty and bruised by the experience - though the throbbing bruise in her ribs feels the wallop Jabberwocky delivers. She gets back in a combat stance, breathing hard as she tries to gather strength. However, his defense is pretty tough; she was unable to land a blow on him despite going all out. Wiping sweat mixed with grime and a bit of blood off her forehead, she continues glaring at him for a bit. She then shifts her stance, gripping the sword's hilt with both hands, before running forwards to engage again. This time, however, she tries to probe his defenses, going for flanking swings and trying to find weak points in his stance, shifting her own stance and striking with the lightning enhancement when she feels she can press an advantage. Any time he tries to counter with his scythe, she parries back, using the smaller sword and her own lighter form to get some edge in mobility over him. "Why?!" she calls out, "why did you kill Master Thunderfist?! What did he ever do to you? You attacked the villagers first!"</s> <\|message\|>Jabberwocky He raises his blade, spinning it, and swings the massive weapon around like a willow switch, making a massive web of black from his dark blade. He snarls, shuddering from the power of her electric blade. He roars, and swings his blade into the earth, making the ground explode in thousands of shards. "SILENCE!!!"</s>	<\|message\|>Sarah Sarah cries out in pain as she gets blasted back, crumpling to the ground. She breathes hard with the effort, feeling tears well in her eyes at the sheer frustration of being unable to hit this bastard. The way he attacked the villagers, how he killed Master Thunderfist, and how he almost effortlessly blocks her attacks, it fills her heart with rage and sorrow. Pip snarls in fury. The Evil Man attacked the villagers, hurt New Master, and killed Old Master. He didn't care about the cost, he charges forwards to take a bite out of the man's ankle. "PIP, STAY BACK!" Sarah calls out hoarsely to Pip, who whines in surprise. "S-stay back. I can handle this, Pip..." Pip, uncertain, nonetheless obeys, whimpering uncertainly as he does. Slowly, Sarah gets back up, using her sword to prop her up. When she gets to her feet, she tiredly gets into a combat stance, and even though there's dirt and blood on her face and tears of anguish in her eyes, she stares defiantly at Jabberwocky. Once again, she shifts her feet, moving into an offensive stance. Her steps are slow and faltering at first, but then she picks up speed, running as fast as she can at Jabberwocky, charging her sword with the power of lightning itself. At first, it seems as though she's trying for another attempt to find a weakness in his defense, to try and duke it out in melee. But then, she stops running, lets the momentum drive her forwards as she slides on the soles of her boots, and swings her sword. As she moves to strike, she pours every last bit of energy inside her, every last scrap of biogenic energy she has, into the sword, charging the power of lightning within and amplifying it with the battery in the pommel. When she has the sword pointed at Jabberwocky, she gives one loud cry of defiance as she unleashes all the stored energy in the sword, firing it in a blast of elemental lightning so strong it shines even in the bright light of day. She fires the full force of the attack at Jabberwocky, the arc so powerful it causes the earth around it to crack and shudder.</s>
<\|description\|>Sarah Physical Description: Sarah is a slender girl with bright green eyes and soft, shoulder-length pink hair and pale, almost alabaster skin. She stand at about 5'4" (162.6 cm) and weighs 100 lbs (45.3 kg). She has a curious glint in her eyes, and tends to see everything as though for the first time. Class: Oracle Personality: Sarah is a warm, compassionate soul, always worried about other peoples' welfare and willing to go to any length to protect them. Despite her lack of social experience with the world, she can tell when people are being hurt or abused, and will try and ease their suffering any way she can. Due to mostly being a blank state, the world around her entices her curiosity, and she will try to learn as much about it as possible. She will try and know more any new sensations or experiences she might encounter, giving her the feeling of a wide-eyed newborn child eagerly gawping at the beautiful world around them. Her lack of experience with the world means she's also very naïve and clueless about current events or about certain social cues or behaviors that more worldly people would pick up easily. She does have a general sense of social decency and behavior, but the nuances or subtler plays are a bit beyond her experience, and a cunning operator can out-think her until she catches on. However, despite this, one should not push her too far. She is still an Oracle, and programmed with combat skills and powerful abilities, and can end up fighting back rather tenaciously when she or those she cares about are threatened. History: Sarah recalls nothing of her past, practically having been 'born' to the world with the opening of her case. Abilities: * Enhanced physical attributes: As an Oracle and genetically engineered being, Sarah possesses a certain amount of enhanced strength, increased agility, and improved durability and stamina, as well as a small measure of enhanced senses. However, the emphasis are on stamina and agility, making her a poor choice for a heavy fighter. * Healing: Aside from no small skill at normal healing, she possesses the ability to heal injuries and wounds almost instantly. Currently, she's still learning how to use this power, so she can heal mild injuries and cuts. * Protective 'magic': Sarah can use her 'magic' to protect her allies by casting a small, protective halo to absorb some of the damage that hits them. Equipment: Sarah barely has anything beyond the shirt on her back and a few items and supplies given to her by her mysterious caretaker. RP Notes: Sarah is basically a blank slate, one with little to no knowledge of the outside world, and must learn more about it to survive and complete her destined mission. Fortunately, she does have a certain amount of combat skills programmed into her, allowing her to fight competently and survive long enough to get stronger. Sarah's main virtues are compassion and empathy, the ability to feel for those around her, and a strong desire to reduce their suffering and help them find happiness. Role-wise, Sarah would lean towards a mage-knight with an emphasis on magic and healing. While she is still an Oracle, she prefers to use magic and healing to support her allies in battle and help them out of battle.</s> <\|message\|>Jabberwocky He roars in fury, seeing her blade charge up, and lunges for her, but stops and starts spinning his scythe like a shield, a thick black wall of metal. The lightning arches across it, and he howls as his arms are scorched, but he keeps up his defense untill the attack ends, his body vanishing into darkness.</s> <\|message\|>Sarah Srah As the energy disspiated, Sarah stood there, breathing hard, barely able to stand up. She feels tired, exhausted, but waits to see if the attack got through. All she sees is a dark shadow dissipating. Did... did she get him? She's afraid to hope, and struggles to hold up her sword. However, it's clear the stranger had disappeared, though he left no corpse. It's... eerie. For now though, she can finally rest. It had been a long, exhausting, and stressful day, capped with the tragedy of Master Thunderfist's death. She staggers over to his body, and then drops the sword as she collapses to her knees, her body wracked with sobs as tears flowed from her eyes. Pip whimpers as he tries to comfort her. "I'm s-sorry, M-Master Thunderfist," she sobs. "I c-couldn't help you... I'm sorry..." Kensu was the first person she'd met when she came out of the capsule, the first person to break the solitude of her existence. He had the keys to finding out who she was and why she was here. And now he's dead, and she feels lost again.</s> <\|message\|>Ayaan Kensu's Island Sarah and Jabberwocky The sky was clear, the sun was bright over head and a salty breeze blew in from the sea. For a few moments the only sounds were the cawing of the birds and the soft slapping of the waves as they broke against the beach and the docks. The ground of the beachhead was scorched and ruined, sand and rock were strewn about impact craters telling a violent story of the fight which seemed to come from no where. A young pink-haired girl, tired and weak, had fallen to her knees and was propping herself up with a blacked and smoking sword. A small, blue tinted dog was on his hind legs trying to lick her face, worry etched in his body language. Solemnly the people of the village began to pick up rubble and shuffle debris, beginning to form order out of all the chaos. It was not the first time one of Draygon's followers had attacked their village, though usually they were more prepared to fight. The incursion with the spider brood left them weak and open, and it was only bad luck that Jabberwocky, one of the worst of the lot, had been close enough to take advantage of the weakened town, and now they paid for it with the death of their strongest warrior, Kensu Thunderfist. The people mourned quietly, being familiar enough with grief to understand how to cope and begin to heal. Eight older members of the village walked to Kensu's body, one of them carrying a canvas sail taken from one of their boats. They lovingly brushed the dust off his face and cleaned what blood they could to help him look presentable in his passing. They wrapped him in the canvas and took him down into the village where he would be prepared for their burial ritual. A young man walked up to Sarah and offered his hand to help her up. He was shirtless and tan, wearing some loose fitting shorts with various belts and straps. His hair was long, black, and curled into ringlets; and his body was covered in various, nautical tattoos. "Hello Oracle," he said warmly, "My name is Steven. You've been through much, I'd much rather give you a proper introduction to our village," he smiled as he helped her to her feet. "First let's get you some food, hot water for bathing, and some rest. I'll take you to Kensu's hut, follow me." He felt tired, the effects of the spider venom and the gas, as well as the adrenaline of the attack from the monster was only going to last so long, but he needed to get her to the hut and then take care of his own family. She was first priority though, she was one of the Oracles. Her kinds were worshipped almost like living deities by the people of the village. She had shown that she had great strength, compassion, and goodwill, this confirmed in Steven that their worship had not been misplaced. Kensu's hut was directly on the water, it hadn't been damaged in the recent fights. Amara, Steven's aunt, had brought some bread, cheese, and salt cured fish and left them on a plate on the table. Moana, Steven's little sister, had already filled the bath with sea water and lit the fire underneath. The people of the village were of one mind, that they needed to take care of their new visitor, their new Savior. Steven led the pink haired girl over to cot opposite to the table with the food. "There's a pull cord with a bell, if you ring it someone will come to attend to you. Please, you are home here." Steven bowed and smiled and backed out of the door, leaving Sarah alone in the quiet, peaceful room that belonged to, or used to belong to, Master Kensu. a young man led Sarah to Kensu's old room to bathe, eat, and recuperate her strength. The villagers are beginning to clean up and rebuild. SETTING: In Kensu's room there is an old computer that works! The use of the computer should come intuitively to Sarah, it doesn't have any complicated or difficult operating system, and it is touch screen. On the computer are the "Sacred Documents" that Kensu had of the island. The content of these documents we can hash out a little in the Discord so you'll have what background information you need to create your post.</s> <\|message\|>Jabberwocky He finishes spinning his blade, deep in a dence patch of trees, and his wings retract into his back. He takes in a deep gasp of air, sinking to one knee, trying to breathe. The old man packed a wallop, and that kid was no joke either. He grins with bloody teeth, and wipes at the split on his lip with his thumb. I wonder if Ruby will grow that powerful one day. He spits on the ground, clearing out his throat of the blood. He then drags his scythe along behind him, digging a groove into the soft earth as he heads for the location of Jub Jub's death.</s>	<\|message\|>Sarah Sarah was still sobbing softly when Steven came up to help her. Initially, she's still upset, unresponsive, but the offer to take a bath and something to eat was greatly appreciated, given she was tired, exhausted, and stressed out. As she follows him limping into town, she notices the villagers bringing out their dead from under the rubble. She shivers, feeling sorrow and helplessness at helping them get free from the spiderlings only to die by crushing under heavy rocks. "Some Oracle I turned out to be," she mutters sadly. "I couldn't protect them - or Master Thunderfist. I'm... I'm sorry about your friends." When in Kensu's house, she looks around, her curiosity helping her come out of her sadness and shock. It's an interesting place, with some rather odd knick-knacks here and there, making her wonder what kind of man he was, and wished she had known him longer. However, all she could do now is try and honor his death and move on, try to understand her destiny. Steven draws her attention to something small and boxy, a strange thing he's seen Kensu use before but it left Steven utterly mystified. Sarah barely takes a glance at it before she somehow realizes it's a computer, a data processing machine from ancient times. It still feels strange when she recognizes something she just saw. Nonetheless, she begins to get to work on it. She's barely aware of herself typing away, it just comes to her naturally. And in the computer's storage, she finds Master Thunderfist's files. About the Ancients, the tale of Harbinger, and how and why the Oracles were created. The power of biogenic energy, the basis of the Oracle Project, and the use of genetic engineering to create Oracles from scratch because regular humans were inefficient in processing the awesome power of biogenic energy. There are some missing spots, of course; the thousands of years and the intervening calamity meant a lot of information was lost. There is a mention of a Julie Anderson, whose teachings formed the basis of current lore about the Ancients. However, it still incites a certain amount of sorrow in her. Such a mighty civilization, one brought low and to a ruinous end. So much wasted, such loss of life. What she's certain of, however, is that there are signs that Harbinger is starting up again. And this time, the people are much less prepared to face the coming apocalypse. The picture Master Thunderfist's files and records drew were incomplete, but a general picture emerged nonetheless. As Oracle, her duty is to find the Swords and their matching artefacts, and find a way to stop Harbinger once and for all. She could get a boat to the mainland; plenty of those in what is essentially a fishing village. The real question, of course, is where should she start? What should she look for? She decides to dig deeper into Kensu's files, petting Pip with one hand when he manages to get up onto the table, tail wagging. Then she finds a message... from a Dr. Logan? She opens it, curiosity overtaking her. Date: >!data missing!< "Project Prometheus is going smoothly. The genetic recoding process proposed by Dr. Sun is giving its results, and in record time too, I might add. Things are proceeding pretty well, and we'll have our first biogenic resonance test within two to three weeks. Things are promising, and we'll have the first embryo - the Galatea prototype - ready for a series of full tests within a month or two. "...Mind if I just digress here for a moment? I... I still feel a bit giddy, I can't deny. We're creating a brand new breed of humanity, something almost from scratch. Sure, we've had genetic engineering for the past century or two, but nothing really on the scale of what we're trying to achieve here. A brand new breed of humanity, free of the flaws and shortcomings of old. A new kind that could change the very fabric of reality itself at will, through the splendorous power of biogenic energy. Using it the way it's meant to be used; pure, efficient, powerful... "...but perhaps I'm getting ahead of myself here. Sometimes I frighten my colleagues with these ideas of ubermenschen created in test tubes, making them sound... inhuman. But that's not the point. If anything they should be even more human, more humane. The epitome of what makes humanity great. Empathy. Wisdom. Compassion. Wonder. "If anything, these children - and that's what they'll be, rising from the womb of scientific progress - are going to help shape the future of humanity. Above all else, they should treasure Love of their fellow humans and work with them as equals. Build a new path together. "For now, I should really check on the prototype Galatea. She's showing immense potential, and if the rest follow her footsteps, then they'll be a wonder to behold. For me, though I expect great things from Galatea - or as I like to call her, Sarah. I can't wait to meet her, the person she's destined to be, someday. "Dr. Logan, signing out." The mention of her name jolts her. Was this her, or was it another Oracle by the name of Sarah? Could there be more out there? Dr. Logan seemed to have been the mastermind of the biogenic energy research, but a lot of the files and references were missing - either corrupted or lost. She absently strokes Pip's head as she thinks this over - until her rumbling stomach makes her realize she's overdue for a bath and a meal. She ate some food earlier, but she used up so much energy she's basically running on empty. Maybe some more reading after she's properly freshened up.</s>
<\|description\|>Sarah Physical Description: Sarah is a slender girl with bright green eyes and soft, shoulder-length pink hair and pale, almost alabaster skin. She stand at about 5'4" (162.6 cm) and weighs 100 lbs (45.3 kg). She has a curious glint in her eyes, and tends to see everything as though for the first time. Class: Oracle Personality: Sarah is a warm, compassionate soul, always worried about other peoples' welfare and willing to go to any length to protect them. Despite her lack of social experience with the world, she can tell when people are being hurt or abused, and will try and ease their suffering any way she can. Due to mostly being a blank state, the world around her entices her curiosity, and she will try to learn as much about it as possible. She will try and know more any new sensations or experiences she might encounter, giving her the feeling of a wide-eyed newborn child eagerly gawping at the beautiful world around them. Her lack of experience with the world means she's also very naïve and clueless about current events or about certain social cues or behaviors that more worldly people would pick up easily. She does have a general sense of social decency and behavior, but the nuances or subtler plays are a bit beyond her experience, and a cunning operator can out-think her until she catches on. However, despite this, one should not push her too far. She is still an Oracle, and programmed with combat skills and powerful abilities, and can end up fighting back rather tenaciously when she or those she cares about are threatened. History: Sarah recalls nothing of her past, practically having been 'born' to the world with the opening of her case. Abilities: * Enhanced physical attributes: As an Oracle and genetically engineered being, Sarah possesses a certain amount of enhanced strength, increased agility, and improved durability and stamina, as well as a small measure of enhanced senses. However, the emphasis are on stamina and agility, making her a poor choice for a heavy fighter. * Healing: Aside from no small skill at normal healing, she possesses the ability to heal injuries and wounds almost instantly. Currently, she's still learning how to use this power, so she can heal mild injuries and cuts. * Protective 'magic': Sarah can use her 'magic' to protect her allies by casting a small, protective halo to absorb some of the damage that hits them. Equipment: Sarah barely has anything beyond the shirt on her back and a few items and supplies given to her by her mysterious caretaker. RP Notes: Sarah is basically a blank slate, one with little to no knowledge of the outside world, and must learn more about it to survive and complete her destined mission. Fortunately, she does have a certain amount of combat skills programmed into her, allowing her to fight competently and survive long enough to get stronger. Sarah's main virtues are compassion and empathy, the ability to feel for those around her, and a strong desire to reduce their suffering and help them find happiness. Role-wise, Sarah would lean towards a mage-knight with an emphasis on magic and healing. While she is still an Oracle, she prefers to use magic and healing to support her allies in battle and help them out of battle.</s> <\|message\|>Jabberwocky He finishes spinning his blade, deep in a dence patch of trees, and his wings retract into his back. He takes in a deep gasp of air, sinking to one knee, trying to breathe. The old man packed a wallop, and that kid was no joke either. He grins with bloody teeth, and wipes at the split on his lip with his thumb. I wonder if Ruby will grow that powerful one day. He spits on the ground, clearing out his throat of the blood. He then drags his scythe along behind him, digging a groove into the soft earth as he heads for the location of Jub Jub's death.</s> <\|message\|>Sarah Sarah Sarah was still sobbing softly when Steven came up to help her. Initially, she's still upset, unresponsive, but the offer to take a bath and something to eat was greatly appreciated, given she was tired, exhausted, and stressed out. As she follows him limping into town, she notices the villagers bringing out their dead from under the rubble. She shivers, feeling sorrow and helplessness at helping them get free from the spiderlings only to die by crushing under heavy rocks. "Some Oracle I turned out to be," she mutters sadly. "I couldn't protect them - or Master Thunderfist. I'm... I'm sorry about your friends." When in Kensu's house, she looks around, her curiosity helping her come out of her sadness and shock. It's an interesting place, with some rather odd knick-knacks here and there, making her wonder what kind of man he was, and wished she had known him longer. However, all she could do now is try and honor his death and move on, try to understand her destiny. Steven draws her attention to something small and boxy, a strange thing he's seen Kensu use before but it left Steven utterly mystified. Sarah barely takes a glance at it before she somehow realizes it's a computer, a data processing machine from ancient times. It still feels strange when she recognizes something she just saw. Nonetheless, she begins to get to work on it. She's barely aware of herself typing away, it just comes to her naturally. And in the computer's storage, she finds Master Thunderfist's files. About the Ancients, the tale of Harbinger, and how and why the Oracles were created. The power of biogenic energy, the basis of the Oracle Project, and the use of genetic engineering to create Oracles from scratch because regular humans were inefficient in processing the awesome power of biogenic energy. There are some missing spots, of course; the thousands of years and the intervening calamity meant a lot of information was lost. There is a mention of a Julie Anderson, whose teachings formed the basis of current lore about the Ancients. However, it still incites a certain amount of sorrow in her. Such a mighty civilization, one brought low and to a ruinous end. So much wasted, such loss of life. What she's certain of, however, is that there are signs that Harbinger is starting up again. And this time, the people are much less prepared to face the coming apocalypse. The picture Master Thunderfist's files and records drew were incomplete, but a general picture emerged nonetheless. As Oracle, her duty is to find the Swords and their matching artefacts, and find a way to stop Harbinger once and for all. She could get a boat to the mainland; plenty of those in what is essentially a fishing village. The real question, of course, is where should she start? What should she look for? She decides to dig deeper into Kensu's files, petting Pip with one hand when he manages to get up onto the table, tail wagging. Then she finds a message... from a Dr. Logan? She opens it, curiosity overtaking her. Date: >!data missing!< "Project Prometheus is going smoothly. The genetic recoding process proposed by Dr. Sun is giving its results, and in record time too, I might add. Things are proceeding pretty well, and we'll have our first biogenic resonance test within two to three weeks. Things are promising, and we'll have the first embryo - the Galatea prototype - ready for a series of full tests within a month or two. "...Mind if I just digress here for a moment? I... I still feel a bit giddy, I can't deny. We're creating a brand new breed of humanity, something almost from scratch. Sure, we've had genetic engineering for the past century or two, but nothing really on the scale of what we're trying to achieve here. A brand new breed of humanity, free of the flaws and shortcomings of old. A new kind that could change the very fabric of reality itself at will, through the splendorous power of biogenic energy. Using it the way it's meant to be used; pure, efficient, powerful... "...but perhaps I'm getting ahead of myself here. Sometimes I frighten my colleagues with these ideas of ubermenschen created in test tubes, making them sound... inhuman. But that's not the point. If anything they should be even more human, more humane. The epitome of what makes humanity great. Empathy. Wisdom. Compassion. Wonder. "If anything, these children - and that's what they'll be, rising from the womb of scientific progress - are going to help shape the future of humanity. Above all else, they should treasure Love of their fellow humans and work with them as equals. Build a new path together. "For now, I should really check on the prototype Galatea. She's showing immense potential, and if the rest follow her footsteps, then they'll be a wonder to behold. For me, though I expect great things from Galatea - or as I like to call her, Sarah. I can't wait to meet her, the person she's destined to be, someday. "Dr. Logan, signing out." The mention of her name jolts her. Was this her, or was it another Oracle by the name of Sarah? Could there be more out there? Dr. Logan seemed to have been the mastermind of the biogenic energy research, but a lot of the files and references were missing - either corrupted or lost. She absently strokes Pip's head as she thinks this over - until her rumbling stomach makes her realize she's overdue for a bath and a meal. She ate some food earlier, but she used up so much energy she's basically running on empty. Maybe some more reading after she's properly freshened up.</s> <\|message\|>Ayaan Jabberwocky's Hideout Dragon Ruby's fiery palm smacked against Annabelle's face and burned half of it off. "OOOUUCH!!" she said, well, half said because she didn't have much of a jaw anymore. Her one eye was wide open, the other burnt off, and what was left of her mouth turned up in a smile. "You're a feisty bitch! You ruined my look!" She raised her leg and kicked the young, blind girl back into the room she came out of. "God, I can only see half of what I'm looking for. HAHAHHAHA!!" She laughed at her own joke as she turned back to the computer screen and plucked the keys trying to figure out the mechanism.</s> <\|message\|>Ayaan Kensu's Hut Date: >September 30, 2218< "Have I ever seen the sun before this day? I'm sorry, this isn't really the place for it, but I have to put it down for posterity, for my mind will allow me nothing else. My heart is a slave! Her name, her name is Sarah, a goddess among us. We met while while I was giving a lecture at the college she attended, she's almost 20 years my junior. It's true I thought she was cute, and working with her the last few years has been delightful. I had no idea how much my affection had grown though until now. She's... incredible to say the least. Agh! my scientific mind doesn't speak well the languages of love, but my heart is driving me mad! She is in all my thoughts, all my worries! My world turns at the next moment I can see her! Why WHY! do I feel this way! My work is suffering, but what matter is work when a man is in love? Let me tell you everything I know about her: Her favorite color is Pink, so typical I know, but alluring; she has porcelain skin and bright blue eyes. She has so many talents and somehow we talk about a million different things, I... I can't even remember them. I remember just her face, her beautiful face looking at me like I'm the most powerful thing in her world. I love the way she looks at me, and I love to look at her. This is my science log, I'm sorry to waste the time, I have very important things to get to. We have been manipulating physical structures monitoring the flow of biogenic energy, it doesn't work like electricity, it's more... sublime. Sublime like my heart in the presence of my angel, my muse, my Sarah..... What can I do, I'm hopelessly in love, I can only hope she loves me as much as I love her. -Dr. Logan, signing out"</s> <\|message\|>Jabberwocky She yells in pain as she's punted away, and lands with a crunch. "Aaaah!" She stands up, and looks around, using her molten power to 'see' heat waves. She raises one hand letting magma flow over her arm, and runs forward. "Don't touch my bed!" She puts her arm through Annabelle's back, and through her heart, her arm searing through her flesh with minimal resistance.</s>	<\|message\|>Sarah Sarah pauses. Wait, Dr. Logan named one of the Oracles Sarah... and he had written a love letter to a girl named Sarah? Was she named after her? If she's as charming and intelligent as Dr. Logan made her seem, she's actually rather honored, and wishes she had known the girl. Given the circumstances, it was impossible; that other Sarah must have perished hundreds of years ago, if not by the Cataclysm then by sheer old age. For what it was worth, she hopes Dr. Logan and this other Sarah had been happy together. Once she's done with Master Thunderfist's files, she goes to take a shower and sit down to eat. She's hungry, and it's been a rather busy day.</s>
<\|description\|>Sarah Physical Description: Sarah is a slender girl with bright green eyes and soft, shoulder-length pink hair and pale, almost alabaster skin. She stand at about 5'4" (162.6 cm) and weighs 100 lbs (45.3 kg). She has a curious glint in her eyes, and tends to see everything as though for the first time. Class: Oracle Personality: Sarah is a warm, compassionate soul, always worried about other peoples' welfare and willing to go to any length to protect them. Despite her lack of social experience with the world, she can tell when people are being hurt or abused, and will try and ease their suffering any way she can. Due to mostly being a blank state, the world around her entices her curiosity, and she will try to learn as much about it as possible. She will try and know more any new sensations or experiences she might encounter, giving her the feeling of a wide-eyed newborn child eagerly gawping at the beautiful world around them. Her lack of experience with the world means she's also very naïve and clueless about current events or about certain social cues or behaviors that more worldly people would pick up easily. She does have a general sense of social decency and behavior, but the nuances or subtler plays are a bit beyond her experience, and a cunning operator can out-think her until she catches on. However, despite this, one should not push her too far. She is still an Oracle, and programmed with combat skills and powerful abilities, and can end up fighting back rather tenaciously when she or those she cares about are threatened. History: Sarah recalls nothing of her past, practically having been 'born' to the world with the opening of her case. Abilities: * Enhanced physical attributes: As an Oracle and genetically engineered being, Sarah possesses a certain amount of enhanced strength, increased agility, and improved durability and stamina, as well as a small measure of enhanced senses. However, the emphasis are on stamina and agility, making her a poor choice for a heavy fighter. * Healing: Aside from no small skill at normal healing, she possesses the ability to heal injuries and wounds almost instantly. Currently, she's still learning how to use this power, so she can heal mild injuries and cuts. * Protective 'magic': Sarah can use her 'magic' to protect her allies by casting a small, protective halo to absorb some of the damage that hits them. Equipment: Sarah barely has anything beyond the shirt on her back and a few items and supplies given to her by her mysterious caretaker. RP Notes: Sarah is basically a blank slate, one with little to no knowledge of the outside world, and must learn more about it to survive and complete her destined mission. Fortunately, she does have a certain amount of combat skills programmed into her, allowing her to fight competently and survive long enough to get stronger. Sarah's main virtues are compassion and empathy, the ability to feel for those around her, and a strong desire to reduce their suffering and help them find happiness. Role-wise, Sarah would lean towards a mage-knight with an emphasis on magic and healing. While she is still an Oracle, she prefers to use magic and healing to support her allies in battle and help them out of battle.</s> <\|message\|>Ayaan Jabberwocky's Hideout Dragon As Ruby's hand crashed through Annabelle's chest she let out a guttural scream! Then her body began to molt and form into paste as it melted and fell to the ground. After a moment Annabelle's body was nothing but a heap of greyish burnt clay. Ruby pulled her hand back and realized that she was clutching a Gemstone of some sort, if she could see she would notice that it was red and faceted. "AAAHAHAHHHAAA!!" Came a high, whinnying laugh echoing through the cavern, "Your fun!" Annabelle said, "I like you! Did you know, they call me the Puppet master?" Another harlequin clothed woman stepped from behind a rock, it looked exactly like the one that Ruby had just destroyed, "We could help each other you know, you and me, a couple of young, hot ladies lookin for trouble? Whaddya think?" She smiled and raised her hands in an open gesture. ******* Tinkertown The storm had blown in suddenly and without warning. In the intense thunder and lightening Jabberwocky had snuck up on the town in the mountains and was not in their streets. Minoc could see him from his humble apartment. "Who killed the Harpy?" Jabber screamed form the street, his dagger toothed maw frothing. "Maybe he'll leave if we tell him?" said Jimmy, one of Minoc's assistants, hopefully. Minoc gave himself a moment to consider, "No," he finally said, "no I don't think he will that one. Jabberwocky has always been blood thirsty, we're going to have to give him a fight. Tell me, where are the people?" He turned to Jimmy. Jimmy frowned, "in the house just across the way there. Jabberwocky is between us." "Oh, dear," said Minoc. He stood up shakily but attempted to look strong, "Well then, let us get to the fight, shall we?" As he turned to look he saw that the others were already armed and ready to go. They made their ways to their locations, Minoc to the front door and the others along flanking positions. Minoc looked Jabberwocky in the eye and yelled over the storm, "The Harpy met the fate of all those who give violence to the world, a violent death!" and one his word 6 crossbow went off and hurled their payload towards Jabberwocky's scales.</s> <\|message\|>Sarah Sarah Sarah was just enjoying the view, though she finds the stamina of these sky-mantas remarkable. Do they ever sleep? Or perhaps they stay awake for long, long times and just hibernate every once in a while? She made a mental note to ask about that when she could. Just then, something sparkled and shone in her peripheral vision. "A-Asra?" Sarah asks in surprise. "What are you doing here? "Well, I'm doing alright. It's... it's been a rough day yesterday. First my awakening, then the trial to find the sword... then..." She trails off, unable to continue. Pip, sensing her returning sadness, rubs against her, whining softly. "Well, that seems... convenient," Sarah says, rubbing her head as though trying to feel whatever is connected to Asra in there. It feels a bit weird to have something in her head she has no knowledge of. "It's... it's alright," Sarah says softly, though she doesn't smile. "Yesterday's been a bit rough, and I would have been too distracted to talk anyways." Sarah looks at her sword, tucked away under her belt and under her cloak. "I'll try and think of something," she says. "Can't think of anything right now..." "Wait, what happened to the Oracle in Leaf?!" Sarah asks in concern. The idea of others like her oddly gave her hope, something to look forwards to in this world, and the idea of one of them being dead was distressful. It feels like losing a sibling you never knew about. She's also worried if the other Oracles might similarly get killed off... That was quite an infodump Asra had given her, and Sarah tries to memorize all that. It feels a little overwhelming, especially since she was only 'awake' starting yesterday. Some of it somehow 'clicks' with her, as though reaffirming some knowledge implanted in her mind during her long sleep. Other facts are new, and she makes a note to remember them. "So, first scan the source of the ability, then put the battery on a metal object, and touch it? Can I use the sword, or does it have to be a different metal object?" She shakes her head. "Sounds a bit complex to me..." The idea of another agent of Draygon assaulting a poor town or castle has her simultaneously revolted and shivering. She'd seen one of these dreaded lieutenants before, and he killed Kensu in front of her eyes. She has no idea whether she can even face this next one. She wants to jump in and help, but the fight with the stranger made her worry if she'll be able to even do anything to him. She frowns as she slides deep in thought that she almost misses Asra's next bit. "Oh, that's good," Sarah says. "At least I'll have company, right? "So, Asra, can I ask you something?" she continues. "What exactly are you? You're the first entity I met since my hibernation, and yet you have answers I'm trying to find. I'm beginning to understand the duty of the Oracles thanks to Master Thunderfists' documents, but if the Ancients made you to help the Oracles, why weren't they better prepared for... well, all this?"</s> <\|message\|>Jabberwocky She frowns, and looks at the gem. "Who are you? I feel like Daddy told me about you...Anny? Annabelle?" She smiles. "You make copies, right?" She tilts her head. "Why did you want my bed? That's mine." Jabberwocky He roars as the bolts shatter on his scales. "Who dares to attack me?" He spins, and hisses, staring at the house. "Tell me, or I will burn this town to the ground, and sow the ground with your blood."</s> <\|message\|>Ayaan On the Back of the Manta Ray Asra blipped and fluttered in Sarah's peripheral vision, happy to be a part of a conversation. "Every new configuration requires a new metal vessel, so the sword is configured to channel your Biogenic energy into lightning and it cannot be restructred to channel anything else. For a demonstration what I'm talking about let's take a look at those canisters you brought. Now, take the pressure tapping mechanism that's on the container rack and allow the battery to attach to the bottom, it has a powerful electro-magnet built into the battery so now that it's charged it should stick easily to any conductive metal. I'm sorry if you don't understand all of that, I know this is all very new to you. Please trust me, there was much knowledge built into your mind while you were being formed and with a little practice you should be able to understand basic math, science, and physics...." Sarah did as she was instructed, "There you go, now that you've attached the battery to the wand hold it close to the canister and I will scan the materials within." >.....analysis complete "The canister contains Imaginarium, a chemical compound that is gaseous at room temperature and similar in composition to Dimethyltryptamine, a neuro-hallucinogenic hormone released by the brain shortly before death. Now, give me a second, I haven't done this in a while..." Over the next few moments the rod in Sarah's hand jerked and vibrated and made electrical cutting noises. >.......configuration complete "There," Asra's voice returned, "now if you channel your energy through this wand it'll spray a gas that will cause any humanoid creature to hallucinate. I don't know if it works on animals or if different species of humanoids experience different effects. You'll have to experiment." Her musical voiced flittered happily inside of Sarah's head. "As you use the implements, you don't have to keep the battery on there to use it, it'll only double the strength of the implement, your body will grow neurons in the same configuration as the element so in time you'll be able to use the power of the implement without the aid of the device." "That's a very good question, and I'll try to answer as best as I can. I am something called an 'Artificial Intelligence,'" her voice sounded sad saying it, "I'm a computer who is alive and thinking. In the time before the Apocalypse I was designed to link the Oracles, though they were called something else then, and allow them to communicate with each other and with the Harbinger. I was also attached to Satellites, which are machines in space that can see everything in the world, and the World Net, which is like an electronic library of humanoid intelligence. And I was created to scan and manufacture implements for you to use after you awoke. You see, the Oracles were made to Rule. You were created to be perfect in every way, and more powerful than any being alive; Dr. Logan said he designed you to hold the 'Scepter and the Switch.'" "When Harbinger malfunctioned and began to attack the world the scientists changed my programming. I was put offline so I don't know what happened, but when I came back online it was over, there was nothing left. My program was saved in the pods and eventually I ran out of power and went into stasis myself. When you woke up, it gave me enough power to come back online, but only for a short time. So far I've communicated with yourself, a boy in Leaf village who I lost contact with, a child who burned to death in a fire, and another named Stephanie, though my contact with her was very brief and I don't know what happened." Asra's voice became very somber, "We are in very unsure times now, there's much I don't know. The world has changed and adapted, and now Harbinger has awoken again. I don't know what's going to happen, but I know we have to stop Harbinger before it destroys everything in the world... again."</s>	<\|message\|>Sarah "Oh!" Sarah gasps in understanding as she completes the process Asra outlines. "In which case, I'm not copying the ability to the sword, I'm basically transferring those qualities to a suitable focus. Using biogenic energy to apply specific properties on certain objects and rendering them into complex tools or weapons. Very useful..." She's still not used to knowing the basics of this stuff without any prior experience, but she supposes it makes it easier for her to grasp the concept. As for Asra's description of herself, it was certainly interesting - and sorrowful. All that marvel, all that ability and creativity, wasted. "I... I watched a recording of Dr. Logan, talking about me - that is, me or another Oracle called Sarah, but he called her a 'Galatea prototype'. He seemed... very proud of us. That we'd help lead the way to a better world. But he said we were to help 'normal' humans, not rule over them. That's weird... "And if you're an AI, what was Harbinger... what drove it to malfunction?" Don't give Sarah all the details just yet :P she's just being curious and asking questions. It's okay if she has to find more data on her own.</s>
<\|description\|>Sarah Physical Description: Sarah is a slender girl with bright green eyes and soft, shoulder-length pink hair and pale, almost alabaster skin. She stand at about 5'4" (162.6 cm) and weighs 100 lbs (45.3 kg). She has a curious glint in her eyes, and tends to see everything as though for the first time. Class: Oracle Personality: Sarah is a warm, compassionate soul, always worried about other peoples' welfare and willing to go to any length to protect them. Despite her lack of social experience with the world, she can tell when people are being hurt or abused, and will try and ease their suffering any way she can. Due to mostly being a blank state, the world around her entices her curiosity, and she will try to learn as much about it as possible. She will try and know more any new sensations or experiences she might encounter, giving her the feeling of a wide-eyed newborn child eagerly gawping at the beautiful world around them. Her lack of experience with the world means she's also very naïve and clueless about current events or about certain social cues or behaviors that more worldly people would pick up easily. She does have a general sense of social decency and behavior, but the nuances or subtler plays are a bit beyond her experience, and a cunning operator can out-think her until she catches on. However, despite this, one should not push her too far. She is still an Oracle, and programmed with combat skills and powerful abilities, and can end up fighting back rather tenaciously when she or those she cares about are threatened. History: Sarah recalls nothing of her past, practically having been 'born' to the world with the opening of her case. Abilities: * Enhanced physical attributes: As an Oracle and genetically engineered being, Sarah possesses a certain amount of enhanced strength, increased agility, and improved durability and stamina, as well as a small measure of enhanced senses. However, the emphasis are on stamina and agility, making her a poor choice for a heavy fighter. * Healing: Aside from no small skill at normal healing, she possesses the ability to heal injuries and wounds almost instantly. Currently, she's still learning how to use this power, so she can heal mild injuries and cuts. * Protective 'magic': Sarah can use her 'magic' to protect her allies by casting a small, protective halo to absorb some of the damage that hits them. Equipment: Sarah barely has anything beyond the shirt on her back and a few items and supplies given to her by her mysterious caretaker. RP Notes: Sarah is basically a blank slate, one with little to no knowledge of the outside world, and must learn more about it to survive and complete her destined mission. Fortunately, she does have a certain amount of combat skills programmed into her, allowing her to fight competently and survive long enough to get stronger. Sarah's main virtues are compassion and empathy, the ability to feel for those around her, and a strong desire to reduce their suffering and help them find happiness. Role-wise, Sarah would lean towards a mage-knight with an emphasis on magic and healing. While she is still an Oracle, she prefers to use magic and healing to support her allies in battle and help them out of battle.</s> <\|message\|>Ayaan 𝕮𝖆𝓼𝓽𝓵𝒆 𝓸𝓯 𝓢𝓸𝓵𝓪𝓬𝒆 @shadowsaint007 Tornel and Stephanie "Yes, well..." Tornel said as he took the parcel from Stephanie. Suddenly he dropped it, surprised by its heft. "My God girl! How have you handled such a ridiculously heavy thing! This will not due, not due at all, no weapon could possibly be so.. unwieldy." He picked up the item with two hands and handed it over to Peter. "Take this servant, we'll examine it later." "Y... yes sir." Peter said, reverently taking the wrapped package from the Fire Mage and grunting from the weight. He put his hands together and leaned towards Stephanie, BOOM!!! loud impact rocked the underground chamber as if on cue. "So, Steph, you are to be brought to the King for an immediate audience. An Oracle coming to life well that's... that's the most significant event of the last decade!" He turned and led the other two up the stone staircase, another loud boom shook the chamber, "I do so apologize for the inconvenient noise, you'll never believe how frustrating a siege can be. I might have to personally intervene if the King does not send the Bandersnatch yelping back to Draygon's den." The stopped at the top of the step and opened a large, oaken double door. The door opened to an ornate and gelded hallway with a polished golden floor and bright white walls. The torchlight flickered so brilliantly off the shining surface it was like walking on the surface of a diamond. There were three heavily armored guards waiting for them as they walked through the door. "Sorry for the mess," Tornel said, smiling venomously, "but we don't keep the dungeons as clean as the upper floors. Please, walk this way." "If this is your dungeon I can't imagine the splendor of.. ." Peter spoke, still carrying the heavy package. Tornel raised his finger to silence the talk. "No need to be distracted by the beauty of our city, we know, and you should be silent to appreciate it." Peter fell silent. "Here is your room," Tonel stopped and opened the door to a room at the end of the long hall they had just walked down. The room had the shining floors, white walls, and gelding along the ceiling just like the rest of the hall. It had a large decorative rug on the floor, a single bed with an ornate quilt, a small desk with a mirror, and a wash basin and sink as well as a small enclosed area for using the toilet. "Please, step inside, our ladies in waiting will bring you appropriate clothing for your audience with His Highness." Tornel bowed deeply and motioned them into the room. As soon as Steph and Peter stepped in Tornel shut the door and they heard a loud click as the door was locked. "Fools!" Tornel yelled through the doorway, "I know you are servants of Draygon! You've fallen right into my trap!! Now stay in your room until I decide what to do with you, and don't try to pick the lock, I've booby trapped the door so if you so much as TRY to break out it'll explode and kill you and your little underling!" Steph and Peter could hear Tornel's footsteps click on the solid floor as he walked away from their cell. [hider=SYNOPSIS] Oh No! you've been trapped in a cell and Tornel thinks you work for Draygon! What are you going to do? If you try to pry open the door it'll explode, dare you risk it? Of course, you could always unwrap the gift you brought from Tinkertown, Tornel didn't seem to think it was important enough to confiscate...[hider] The King and Sarah The Manta Rays approached the Castle from the North. From her perch on the back of the Manta Sarah could see Bandersnatch as a little dot on the south side of the castle shooting balls of fire over the outer wall and hitting the stone of the towers. Directly underneath her she could see the top of a large square parapet lined pavilion built atop one of the towers. There were maybe twenty guards standing on the pavilion looking up at the Manta's. "It appears we are expected," Asra's voice chimed in Sarah's ear. The Manta's landed and the soldiers began to unload their goods. One of them walked up to Sarah and helped her down. "Miss," he said chivalrously, "we weren't expecting a lady in attendance. Welcome, to Castle Solace! From whence do you come?" --- King Kovar looked out the window from his study. He could hear Bandersnatch yelling a challenge. Give up the Oracle and Wizard and no one has to die. Over and over again he yelled before blasting the castle again. Kovar felt sad, he didn't know what to do. There was no Oracle at the Castle, it had been sent away as a gift for some cousin or another's wedding. Tornel had told the king that they weren't valuable, just decoration. But now one of Draygon's lieutenants was banging down his door looking for one. Why now? he thought, why after all this time we've been left alone do they now harass us? And why do they want the Oracles? The King was at a lost. The door banged loudly. "Your Highness!" A Paladin's voice called though the thick door, "The Rays from the Islands have brought their load, and they brought a passenger sir." The King motioned for his attendant to open the door. When the Knight saw the King he fell to his knee. "And why is that my concern?" The King asked. "She has Pink hair sir," The Paladin said, looking down. The King stroked his long beard. He remembered that one of the Oracle renderings had pink hair, maybe the Rays had brought them a way out of this mess. "Bring her to me, and good work young Knight. What is your name?" "Sir Brunch, Your Highness." The knight said. He snapped up at the King's command and went to fetch the young girl to see the King. Sorry, I had to write this out quick, so there may be errors. Sarah has landed at Solace and the King has requested an Audience. Not bad, waking up one day and seeing a King shortly after. You just landed, I hope you're not overwhelmed :)</s> <\|message\|>Ayaan Tinkertown Dragon this is a rough and ugly representation so you can know where everything is. You are on a bridge, Minoc is in front of you, the circles are soldiers who are hidden in buildings and shooting bolts at you. The building behind you has civilians and the Scorpion is a weapon that hurts. "You'll do that anyways you evil Monster!" Minoc shouted back. "Jub Jub came here and murdered many of our people! She dropped wild animals on our village and tried to murder us! Our bold fighters killed her and threw her body off the mountain. No go Monster! Go before we kill you too!" Minoc held his arm up, waiting for Jabberwocky to move. If Jabber made a move to attack then Minoc will drop his arm and an arrow from the Scorpion will be fired on him. Make your move Jabber, but if you move aggressively you have to deal with a giant, dragon killing arrow being shot at you.</s> <\|message\|>Jabberwocky He snarls, eyeing the xbow. He growls, and tilts his head, turing into his human form in a swirl of darkness, scythe spinning in his hands. "And where, pray tell, would I go? What's to stop me from just tearing this town apart in the dead of night. You only have so many bolts. Dragon killers or not, only one thing can pierce my hide." He grins. "And how do you plan on killing a creature that can move faster then the speed of sound?" There's a sudden boom, and a shockwave splits the air, his body vanishing, and reappearing on top of the monster crossbow.</s> <\|message\|>Ayaan Tinkertown Dragon "HURRY!!" Minoc yelled and began running across the bridge towards the building where the civilians were hiding. At the site of the Scorpion, where Jabberwocky ran too, a net sticky web shot out of the ground from underneath the roof tangling the man/monster, there were no Tinkertown soldiers manning the Scorpion. The web was designed specifically for individuals who could phase through matter, it has a coagulation effect that bunched and stuck to the person caught in it. If they tried to phase through it it would bunch up in the person's center of mass and not allow them to unphase. Minoc ran into the building while the other soldiers tried to fire their crossbows at Jabberwocky. Minoc closed the door and barred it tightly. Once he was inside he tried to organize the people inside and lead them towards a back door that would take them down the mountain.</s> <\|message\|>Jabberwocky He roars, turning back into his dragon form, and tears his claws through the sticky mesh, shredding great chunks of it with his talons. Jets of fire gush from his jaws, burning the net slowly but surely away from his scales. "INSOLENT MORTALS!" A wave of flame blasts towards the houses, setting them ablaze. "DRAYGON WILL WIPE YOUR RACE OFF THE FACE OF THIS PLANET! ONCE HE HAS THE WEAPON, THIS WORLD WILL BE CLEANSED OF YOUR PATHETIC PEOPLE!'</s>	<\|message\|>Sarah "Oh," Sarah gasps as they approach the castle. "That's a bit surprising... I don't think Master Thunderfist had time to mention me to anyone..." Stepping off the Manta, she straightens her cloak, pulling back the hood, and gives a polite bow. "Forgive my sudden intrusion," she speaks up. "My name is Sarah, and I've come from Master Thunderfist's island. The villagers were kind enough to allow me onto these majestic sky-mantas, so forgive my sudden appearance. "However, I have... sad news. M-Master Kensu Th-Thunderfist... is dead. He was slain by an agent of Draygon. I... I'm sorry." --- Sarah is quite surprised by the stares and the gawking; she suspects something about her appearance isn't very common around these parts. It's probably the pink hair; none of the villagers on the island had pink hair either. "L-look, Master Kensu wanted to dispose of these cannisters, whom should I talk to about-" She then realizes they're leading her... somewhere. She takes the opportunity to look around. The place is certainly a lot bigger and grander than the village she was in, and it has a lot more people. Still, after the claustrophobia of the caverns, it's welcome, even if the size can be a bit intimidating. Meanwhile, Pip kept trotting along, panting happily at being able to walk around after being forced to stay in one spot during the long flight to the castle. She finds herself in front of an old man with a dignified air and commanding presence, someone she realizes is the King - though partially because Sir Brunch announced him to her, making her do a double take. "Ah! Forgive me, m- your majesty!" she says hurriedly, giving an equally hurried bow. "M-my name is Sarah, and I'm most honored to meet you! I... I've come from the island where the Wizard Thunderfist lives... or rather... where he lived..."</s>
<\|description\|>Sarah Physical Description: Sarah is a slender girl with bright green eyes and soft, shoulder-length pink hair and pale, almost alabaster skin. She stand at about 5'4" (162.6 cm) and weighs 100 lbs (45.3 kg). She has a curious glint in her eyes, and tends to see everything as though for the first time. Class: Oracle Personality: Sarah is a warm, compassionate soul, always worried about other peoples' welfare and willing to go to any length to protect them. Despite her lack of social experience with the world, she can tell when people are being hurt or abused, and will try and ease their suffering any way she can. Due to mostly being a blank state, the world around her entices her curiosity, and she will try to learn as much about it as possible. She will try and know more any new sensations or experiences she might encounter, giving her the feeling of a wide-eyed newborn child eagerly gawping at the beautiful world around them. Her lack of experience with the world means she's also very naïve and clueless about current events or about certain social cues or behaviors that more worldly people would pick up easily. She does have a general sense of social decency and behavior, but the nuances or subtler plays are a bit beyond her experience, and a cunning operator can out-think her until she catches on. However, despite this, one should not push her too far. She is still an Oracle, and programmed with combat skills and powerful abilities, and can end up fighting back rather tenaciously when she or those she cares about are threatened. History: Sarah recalls nothing of her past, practically having been 'born' to the world with the opening of her case. Abilities: * Enhanced physical attributes: As an Oracle and genetically engineered being, Sarah possesses a certain amount of enhanced strength, increased agility, and improved durability and stamina, as well as a small measure of enhanced senses. However, the emphasis are on stamina and agility, making her a poor choice for a heavy fighter. * Healing: Aside from no small skill at normal healing, she possesses the ability to heal injuries and wounds almost instantly. Currently, she's still learning how to use this power, so she can heal mild injuries and cuts. * Protective 'magic': Sarah can use her 'magic' to protect her allies by casting a small, protective halo to absorb some of the damage that hits them. Equipment: Sarah barely has anything beyond the shirt on her back and a few items and supplies given to her by her mysterious caretaker. RP Notes: Sarah is basically a blank slate, one with little to no knowledge of the outside world, and must learn more about it to survive and complete her destined mission. Fortunately, she does have a certain amount of combat skills programmed into her, allowing her to fight competently and survive long enough to get stronger. Sarah's main virtues are compassion and empathy, the ability to feel for those around her, and a strong desire to reduce their suffering and help them find happiness. Role-wise, Sarah would lean towards a mage-knight with an emphasis on magic and healing. While she is still an Oracle, she prefers to use magic and healing to support her allies in battle and help them out of battle.</s> <\|message\|>Ayaan Tinkertown Dragon Locke stepped forward, tears in his eyes, "There's no Oracle here!" he cried, "Go AWAY! Haven't you killed enough!?"</s> <\|message\|>Sarah Sarah When Tornel prepares a second strike, Sarah stiffens, Pip growling in her hands. For a moment, she considers drawing her sword and fighting Tornel, but then she remembers the King is still there, and she doesn't want to endanger him. She's not sure what to do about Tornel wanting to kill her, though, as he seems convinced she's a threat to the King. However, the King's angry response - and the timely arrival of another knight - seemed to defuse the situation, and forced Tornel onto the back foot. Sarah couldn't help but wince when the King smacked Tornel; even though Tornel was just threatening to kill her, she feels that it wasn't seemly of the king to get physical like that, plus she felt pity for Tornel, whose dignity was damaged by that. Even though he attacked her and Pip. Pip, however, held no sympathy, growling at Tornel until he leaves, giving an angry little snort when the Wizard had left. Sarah breathes a sigh of relief when Tornel leaves. She just wishes the whole thing hadn't escalated so badly. Why did he believe she was a servant of Draygon? What had she done wrong? When the Knight introduces his guests, Sarah waves to them. "Hello, I'm Sarah, a pleasure to meet you," she says. To Stephanie, Sarah seems to be a pink-haired girl of 18 years old, a bit tall for her age, and with bright green eyes. She's carrying a small dog, similar to a corgi with shiny bits attached, and they seem a bit scuffed up, as though they've been hit by a small explosion - which she probably heard on her way up. The dog seems in better condition than Sarah. For Sarah, seeing Stephanie in those clothes... it stirs something deep within her. A memory? More like a glimpse of one, a flash of recognition that fades away almost before it registers. She remembers the tube from her nightmare in the caverns under the influence of the miasma. She remembers vaguely seeing figures outside her tube, in similar designs. Or is she just imagining things? The memory flashed by too quickly to examine. "I'm... I'm not sure why he thought we were servants of Draygon," Sarah says with a shrug. Then she notices the dog in her arms start fidgeting. "Uh, Pip, what are you doing...? Pip?!" Pip jumps out of New Master's arms, and trots over to the newcomers. The Knight he gives a quick sniff, but more out of mild curiosity than anything. The boy with him he gives a bit more interest, circling him once or twice as he sniffs his feet and legs. Clearly an outsider, from a distant village, but any uniqueness to his scent seems to have rubbed off from the third one, a girl. Sniffing the girl gives more intriguing results. She smells... unique. Somehow it's similar to New Master's scent, but different in a way. He circles the raven-haired girl a few times, sniffing curiously, before looking up at her, tilting his head with a curious whine, then barking cheerfully and panting. "So sorry about that," Sarah says, walking over to pick up the over-eager dog. "Pip's very excitable, and I've only had him for a short while now..."</s> <\|message\|>Jabberwocky He begins laughing, untill he's howling in laughter. "Have you never heard of the Jabberwocky, child? I live for death, for war. I am the ultimate killing machine." He tilts his head. "You're a brave one. If you can hit me at all, I'll leave. Take a swing at me."</s> <\|message\|>Ayaan Tinkertown Dragon Locke looked at the dragon hopelessly, "You're up on that roof! I can't reach you up there!?"</s> <\|message\|>Jabberwocky He laughs, and jumps off the roof. The ground cracked beneath his feet, smattering like glass hit with a boulder. "The first strike is yours, little boy." He bares fangs, sharp and white.</s> <\|message\|>Ayaan Tinkertown Dragon Locke stepped forward, tears running down his face. He was only 14 but he knew he was about to die. If only he could touch the monster then the monster promised to leave his family alone and his friends and go away. Locke felt too weak to live the Sword higher than his wast. He forced his muscles to move and he swung the sword towards jabberwocky's taunting face. "Got you!" Came a tiny voice from behind jabberwocky's leg. A little girl, maybe 5 years old, had been hiding behind Locke's legs And when Jabberwocky landed she slipped around to his giant scaled foot and with a little wooden sword Hit it as hard as her little body could. From the building a woman screamed no. A voice sounded in jabberwocky's head, "Destroy them all," Draygon said inside of Jabberwocky's head, "and return to me."</s> <\|message\|>Jabberwocky He laughs, long and loud. "Not even dogs send pups to fight. Cowards, all of you." The weapons do nothing, less then nothing. They both shatter, as if smashed with a hammer. "I like you, little ones. You remind me of someone...... leave now, children. You are no threat." He looks at the adults, and walks towards them, hands clasped behind his back. His scythe scraping into the ground, rocks cracking and splitting. "Are there no honerable ones among you?"</s> <\|message\|>Ayaan Tinkertown Dragon A disheveled woman who might have been in her mid-twenties ran out of the building and picked up the five-year-old child. "There was a girl," She said holding her child to her chest, "but she disappeared, Lord Minoc took her somewhere and none of us know where. And now he's dead." The woman put herself in between the two children and Jabberwocky, "does that satisfy you beast? Or do you still lust for more blood?"</s> <\|message\|>Jabberwocky He tilts his head. "Enough? You think I've done enough? Should I drag your whole town to Draygon, let him eradicate you all? Send me your strongest warrior. If they can get through my defense, I'll leave. If not....." He bares his fangs. "You get the picture."</s> <\|message\|>Sarah Better get this thing going again, I'd imagine. Sarah "So, Stephanie, right?" Sarah asks her new acquaintance. "It's nice to meet you. And you too, Peter. I'm Sarah, this is my... my friend, Pip." Pip barks as though in confirmation. "Dear girl, please come in," says King Kovar. "It seems I've been blessed by a very unusual day; a visit by two Oracles of old! These are certainly unusual times... but perhaps they are so for a reason. Reports have been... troubling as of late. "You too, my dear boy," he says, gesturing to Peter. "It's surely been a long trip, and you've come a long way if you're Master Minoc apprentice. How is the old Master these days? "Sarah has been talking to me about her journey thus far, perhaps you can regale an old man as myself with your tales as well?"</s> <\|message\|>Stephanie Anderson "Its nice to meet you, Sarah," Steph said with a smile. "You too, Pip," she added, giggling as she gently pet the dog's head. "And I don't mind the attention. I've always loved dogs." "Thank you, your Majesty," she said after the king bid her enter. "Master Minoc was fine when we left him, although Tinkertown did suffer a monster attack a short while ago… Yeah, I suppose I should start at the beginning," she sighed after the king had inquired about her tale. "I'm originally from what I guess you would call the 'Old World', that is, the world before the cataclysm. My parents and I were scientists working at an underground complex. When the world started coming apart at the seams, they placed me in a cryostasis chamber, and, well, I just woke up about a day ago. Obviously, I was shocked by how long I had slept and by how much the world had changed, but with the town I found myself in under attack, I knew I had to figure out some way to help them. Long story short, I was able to come up with a plan and get rid of most of the monsters, including this really creepy harpy. I then met Master Minoc. He told me about Draygon, introduced me to Peter, and instructed me to take this sword to Master Tornel, here at the Castle of Solace. But for some reason," she added, casting a fierce glare at the wizard, "Tornel locked us in a chamber, claiming we were servants of Draygon."</s>	<\|message\|>Sarah Pip likes this one. She knows how to pat a dog properly. "The Old World, you say?" the King muses with interest. Sarah also seems intrigued by Stephanie. "My dear girl, you must have seen such wonders, wonders I can only imagine in this darker age. Sarah says she doesn't remember anything before she woke up from her pod; do you have any idea why that is? I thought that you both being Oracles, perhaps you could enlighten us about the Ancients." Sarah shakes her head sadly. "I have... glimpses, your Majesty, but they're not exactly what you'd call visions. More... I think glimpses of the world, as though I'm still in my pod, looking out. They... they come and go, and they're not exactly clear. As I told your Majesty, I have no clear memories of my existence before waking up from the pod." "I see," King Kovar muses. "Back to Stephanie's tale, was there anything notable about the Harpy? I have my suspicions, though that comes with good news and bad if I am correct."</s>
<\|description\|>Sarah Physical Description: Sarah is a slender girl with bright green eyes and soft, shoulder-length pink hair and pale, almost alabaster skin. She stand at about 5'4" (162.6 cm) and weighs 100 lbs (45.3 kg). She has a curious glint in her eyes, and tends to see everything as though for the first time. Class: Oracle Personality: Sarah is a warm, compassionate soul, always worried about other peoples' welfare and willing to go to any length to protect them. Despite her lack of social experience with the world, she can tell when people are being hurt or abused, and will try and ease their suffering any way she can. Due to mostly being a blank state, the world around her entices her curiosity, and she will try to learn as much about it as possible. She will try and know more any new sensations or experiences she might encounter, giving her the feeling of a wide-eyed newborn child eagerly gawping at the beautiful world around them. Her lack of experience with the world means she's also very naïve and clueless about current events or about certain social cues or behaviors that more worldly people would pick up easily. She does have a general sense of social decency and behavior, but the nuances or subtler plays are a bit beyond her experience, and a cunning operator can out-think her until she catches on. However, despite this, one should not push her too far. She is still an Oracle, and programmed with combat skills and powerful abilities, and can end up fighting back rather tenaciously when she or those she cares about are threatened. History: Sarah recalls nothing of her past, practically having been 'born' to the world with the opening of her case. Abilities: * Enhanced physical attributes: As an Oracle and genetically engineered being, Sarah possesses a certain amount of enhanced strength, increased agility, and improved durability and stamina, as well as a small measure of enhanced senses. However, the emphasis are on stamina and agility, making her a poor choice for a heavy fighter. * Healing: Aside from no small skill at normal healing, she possesses the ability to heal injuries and wounds almost instantly. Currently, she's still learning how to use this power, so she can heal mild injuries and cuts. * Protective 'magic': Sarah can use her 'magic' to protect her allies by casting a small, protective halo to absorb some of the damage that hits them. Equipment: Sarah barely has anything beyond the shirt on her back and a few items and supplies given to her by her mysterious caretaker. RP Notes: Sarah is basically a blank slate, one with little to no knowledge of the outside world, and must learn more about it to survive and complete her destined mission. Fortunately, she does have a certain amount of combat skills programmed into her, allowing her to fight competently and survive long enough to get stronger. Sarah's main virtues are compassion and empathy, the ability to feel for those around her, and a strong desire to reduce their suffering and help them find happiness. Role-wise, Sarah would lean towards a mage-knight with an emphasis on magic and healing. While she is still an Oracle, she prefers to use magic and healing to support her allies in battle and help them out of battle.</s> <\|message\|>Ayaan Draygon's Castle Draygon's Castle Underground Lab \| \| \| \| \| --- \| --- \| --- \| \| ************************************************ \| Draygon was hiding in his lab. After living for centuries he found that his work rooms were always the most peaceful. The world was chaotic, but here, where he was god, there was only order. He picked up the head in his clawed hand. He had spent hours breaking apart the cellular tissues in an attempt to get at the biologic processors but he had had little success. If he sent a volt of energy through the head he could make it talk though, and that was at least mildly amusing. "Asra," growled his deep, inhuman voice. "Yes" sang a sweet voice plainly as a holographic fairy appeared on his desk. "Status Report," Draygon demanded as he inspected the severed head. "There are two awake, not just one. I am in full contact with the one called Sarah, she has been received by King Kovar at Castle Solace," Asra replied solemly. \| ************************************************ \| "And the other?" Draygon asked. "I.. I don't know yet," Asra said fearfully, "her name is Stephanie, I suspected she was dead but she lives. She fought the Jub Jub bird. There's something about her that is different, she is not one of the Galateans, but until she uses the battery I do not have full access. I have directed her to the castle as well, I will instruct Sarah to let her use the battery she already has." "That will not work," Draygon said, "Instruct them to find another battery, make sure they feel it is necessary." "As you wish, Lord." Asra replied. "I've instructed the Bandersnatch to return, until we know the truth behind this Stephanie she is an unpredictable variable. I do not like unpredictability. Status Report from the Harbinger." "It is still silent. The only communication has been in an unknown language. I'm sorry Lord I have made no progress..." "Do not grovel. You are a computer, you perform a function. Do not be weak, do not be human," Draygon threatened. "Yes Lord," relief creeped in Asra's sweet voice. "The Galateans are the key, my Oracles. I need more of them to awaken. Bid Sarah to find others like her, encourage her to do so. I made them to want to be with each other so it should be easy. Report to me again in a week or when I command." "Yes Lord." Asra's holographic image winked out of existance.</s> <\|message\|>Sarah Castle of Solace After a while, the King took his leave of the girls. He wanted to hear more from the Oracles, but alas, the state calls. Also, Bandersnatch seems to have strangely withdrawn his siege. The citizens of the castle were elated and began celebrating, but the King remains... unconvinced. "Draygon's men have a way of being cruel and cunning," he tells the Oracles. "Even if Bandersnatch had no way of ending the siege, we must remain vigilant against an attack by treachery. I'll see to the defenses and the men, in the meanwhile Sir Gravy will lead you to the royal archives so you may find what you seek there. "Take care, fair maidens, and may fortune smile upon you on your journey..." With that, the knight Sir Gravy guides the two girls to the Archives, whereupon they find endless scrolls and books, some new, others old, some even older than the castle itself. The good knight offers his aid, but he can't seem to find anything by Julie Anderson. Sarah take the opportunity to turn to Stephanie. "So what was your mother like?" Sarah asks curiously. "She seems to be a dedicated sort, if we're reading her works this long after... whatever happened..." "My sincere apologies, dear maidens," Gravy says, "it appears I cannot find the tome, though the scribes assure me it's here somewhere; Master Tornel referred to it quite a bit, so it must be here. Give me a second..." He tries looking again, in a shelf, but something small falls out. "Hmm? What is this?" he says, picking up the small object and holding it to the light. "How odd, it seems to be a gem - nay, merely a crystal. Rather shiny, but it doesn't seem to be worth much... Shouldn't this be in the Royal Treasury instead?"</s> <\|message\|>Jabberwocky He takes a deep breath, and shoots a tornado of flame from his mouth, making a massive twister in the air, punching through the clouds with the blaze. "You think my bloodlust can be sated? My lust for vilonce and death cannot be filled." He smiles with razor sharp teeth. "I won't wait all day. Send me a warrior, or I'll pick one myself."</s> <\|message\|>Stephanie Anderson "Thank you, your Majesty," Steph replied, slightly amused by having been called a 'fair maiden'. Following Sir Gravy to the Archives, Steph waited with Sarah and Peter, while the knight set off to retrieve the journal. "Yeah, I guess you could say that," Steph agreed after Sarah inquired about her mother. "She was certainly brilliant, and she worked very hard to ensure that her research would be preserved for future generations. She was also very kind," she added in a softer tone. "She was always trying to make the world a better place, and she wanted to use technology to achieve that goal. That's why she became a scientist. To see the world now, in this state… It would probably break her heart…" At this point, Sir Gravy returned and apologized for having come back empty handed. He had just begun to search one more shelf, when a small crystal fell to the ground. Picking it up, the knight seemed puzzled by its presence in the Archives, wondering if perhaps it belonged in the Royal Treasury instead. "Actually, I think that might be what we're looking for," Steph spoke up. "Yeah, this is definitely a data crystal," she confirmed after taking a closer look. "We're gonna need a device to be able to access it, but that shouldn't be a problem." With a single thought, Steph sent her nanite swarm into motion. Disassembling an unused pouch on her backpack, they reformed it into a palm-sized data crystal reader. "Just stick the crystal into this opening here," Steph instructed. "Then we should be able to access whatever information it contains."</s>	<\|message\|>Sarah "Well, will wonders ever cease," chortles Sir Gravy as Stephanie not only identifies the small crystal as the mysterious tome, but transforms a mundane pouch into... something that can hold it. Peter is similarly wide-eyed and amazed. "Begging your pardons, Ms. Or- Stephanie, but that's some wondrous magic there," he manages to speak up. "How did you do it?" "It's... it's not magic," Sarah says, shaking her head, remembering something vaguely. She turns to Steph. "It's... nanotechnology, right? It's... well, it's complicated, but it's as though I know the basics of the process, as well as a lot of things I've never even seen or heard about, the moment I stepped out of my pod... Just enough to familiarize me with things, I guess..." The makeshift 'reader' powers up, and the crystal starts flickering. For a moment, one could see bright flecks and glittering objects within the tiny frame of the crystal, as though it were an image of the night sky, with the stars themselves shining within. Then a spectral geometric shape appears a foot above the crystal, slowing unfurling until it forms what Stephanie could recognize as a holographic display. It glitches out a bit, but it takes form in sharp detail rather quickly, revealing what appears to the others as a scholarly woman in the garb of the Ancients, but Stephanie can clearly recognize as Julie Anderson, her long-lost mother, in a happier time. "...date today is... December 12th, year [STATIC] and here we are, working on Project Prometheus yet again. I swear, Dr. Logan's a freaking slave driver; he wants the miniaturized reactors ready by next week. And the cryopods. And his precious 'biogenic-sensitive' circuitry prepared. Why not ask for the Sun in the palm of his hand while he's at it? "Okay, okay, I kid. Dr. Logan is... driven, and to be honest, it's hard to not get infected with his enthusiasm for the project. He just seems to tied up in his Biogenics lab and only pokes his head out once in a while, so it's hard to get across that a lot of this stuff takes time, especially at the crazy purity levels he's asking. We can make stuff sturdy, reliable, and effective, only 82% pure, and it'll last centuries, but nope, he wants his precious pieces at 95% or higher. It'll take more time, so tell him to cool it a bit. All the time we're telling him this is for just prototypes, but damn it if he isn't persistent. "Still, I know what it's like to be a perfectionist, so can't blame him for it. Hopefully Dr. Westfield will help mellow him out a bit. She's got his same spark, but I had coffee with her once; she seems like a friendly sort. "Anyways, moving on, here's the list of the facilities where the equipment is being sent. Some of it's supposed to arrive right about now, others are going to be there within the next two weeks, so tell Drake to get off our case, we're doing the best we can. The files and records will be on servers designated PANDORA-4 and higher, though as I said Bob, I always make copies of my work, so I'll be sure to send you something secure. This is Dr. Anderson, signing out." A three-dimensional map of... somewhere forms in the hologram, and Stephanie can recognize it as the land masses of old, prior to the Harbinger Incident. Several dots appear, marking what appears to be the facilities her mother was talking about, with small percentages next to them indicating completion rates of various items. "Forgive me Stephanie, but... I don't think I understood much of that," Peter apologizes. Pip similarly looks at the map, and tilts his head at Stephanie with a curious whine. It's almost as if he's curious too.</s>
<\|description\|>Sarah Physical Description: Sarah is a slender girl with bright green eyes and soft, shoulder-length pink hair and pale, almost alabaster skin. She stand at about 5'4" (162.6 cm) and weighs 100 lbs (45.3 kg). She has a curious glint in her eyes, and tends to see everything as though for the first time. Class: Oracle Personality: Sarah is a warm, compassionate soul, always worried about other peoples' welfare and willing to go to any length to protect them. Despite her lack of social experience with the world, she can tell when people are being hurt or abused, and will try and ease their suffering any way she can. Due to mostly being a blank state, the world around her entices her curiosity, and she will try to learn as much about it as possible. She will try and know more any new sensations or experiences she might encounter, giving her the feeling of a wide-eyed newborn child eagerly gawping at the beautiful world around them. Her lack of experience with the world means she's also very naïve and clueless about current events or about certain social cues or behaviors that more worldly people would pick up easily. She does have a general sense of social decency and behavior, but the nuances or subtler plays are a bit beyond her experience, and a cunning operator can out-think her until she catches on. However, despite this, one should not push her too far. She is still an Oracle, and programmed with combat skills and powerful abilities, and can end up fighting back rather tenaciously when she or those she cares about are threatened. History: Sarah recalls nothing of her past, practically having been 'born' to the world with the opening of her case. Abilities: * Enhanced physical attributes: As an Oracle and genetically engineered being, Sarah possesses a certain amount of enhanced strength, increased agility, and improved durability and stamina, as well as a small measure of enhanced senses. However, the emphasis are on stamina and agility, making her a poor choice for a heavy fighter. * Healing: Aside from no small skill at normal healing, she possesses the ability to heal injuries and wounds almost instantly. Currently, she's still learning how to use this power, so she can heal mild injuries and cuts. * Protective 'magic': Sarah can use her 'magic' to protect her allies by casting a small, protective halo to absorb some of the damage that hits them. Equipment: Sarah barely has anything beyond the shirt on her back and a few items and supplies given to her by her mysterious caretaker. RP Notes: Sarah is basically a blank slate, one with little to no knowledge of the outside world, and must learn more about it to survive and complete her destined mission. Fortunately, she does have a certain amount of combat skills programmed into her, allowing her to fight competently and survive long enough to get stronger. Sarah's main virtues are compassion and empathy, the ability to feel for those around her, and a strong desire to reduce their suffering and help them find happiness. Role-wise, Sarah would lean towards a mage-knight with an emphasis on magic and healing. While she is still an Oracle, she prefers to use magic and healing to support her allies in battle and help them out of battle.</s> <\|message\|>Sarah Sarah "Well, hopefully that will make our search a little easier," Sarah says as they leave the Archives. "It's still a bit daunting to try and find the Oracles all over the map." "I'll be honest, Peter says, rubbing his head, "This is probably the furthest I've ever been from home. The idea of going even further is rather intimidating... though I have to admit, also a bit exciting." "It is, isn't it?" Sarah muses. "I mean, the view from the sky-mantas was wonderful. A bit windy, but you get used to it. The view was definitely worth it. I mean, you're way up there in the sky, and you look down and everything looks small, like doll towns. I couldn't even see individual people, I was so high up..." "I don't know, what if you fell?" Peter replies, looking a bit green at the thought. "It's an awfully long way down..." "Well, Pip almost slid off the wing, but that's because he was so small," Sarah admits. "Still, he didn't mind. Did you, Pip?" Pip barks cheerfully at the mention of his name. "Oh, I wonder what the view from the towers is like?" Sarah speaks up cheerfully. "Oh, no thanks, I'm fine around here, ma'am," Peter says nervously. "Maybe we should tour the rest of the castle first nice and slooOOOOOOOOOOWWWW!!!" Despite Peter's protests, Sarah grabs him by the arm and drags him along to get a view from the tower. Pip barks and chases after them. "Hurry up, Stephanie!" Sarah calls out cheerfully. "I bet it's a wonderful view from up there!"</s> <\|message\|>Ayaan Facilities: 1. Apalachee Facility, USA 2. Sao Paula Facility, Brazil 3. Greenland Facility 4. Antarctica Facility 5. Cape Town Facility, South Africa 6. Helsinki Facility, Finland 7. Naning Manufacturing Facility, China 8. Seoul Facility, Korea - Main Offices for Biogenic research 9. Mt. Fiji Facility, Japan 10. Sydney Facility, Australia Every facility has a research department, a pod manufacture dept, and a business office. The Naning facility manufactured the materials for building Harbinger and much of the materials used in the manufacture of the pods.</s> <\|message\|>Jabberwocky He snaps at the eagle, wings beating and stirring up smoke. He growls from all the cuts and scrapes on his leathery, scaled flesh. He roars, and the sound makes a shockwave, blasting the birds away from him. He flies higher and higher, untill the birds can't reach him at his immense altitude.</s> <\|message\|>Stephanie Anderson "Well, from what little I know of it, Project Prometheus was focused on the manipulation of something called 'Biogenic Energy'," Steph explained after Peter had inquired about the project. "That's the kind of energy harnessed by the sword Minoc gave me," she added, hoping that might make things a bit clearer. "It also had to do with the creation of beings specifically designed to make use of such energy, like Sarah here." After Steph asked about potential methods of rapid transit, Peter frowned. "W-Well… There's the train we took to get here, but, uh, like I said, it only runs between the Castle and Tinkertown…" "There are also several winged beasts upon which one can ride," Sir Gravy added. "Of course, they are not simply handed out to just anyone, but I have no doubt that two Oracles of legend, such as yourselves, would most assuredly be granted them, if requested." "You can say that again," Steph agreed, when Sarah noted the daunting task ahead of them. Then Sarah mentioned going to check out the view from the towers, practically dragging Peter along with her. "I guess it wouldn't hurt to get a look at the local the lay of the land," Steph reflected with a giggle, as she and Sir Gravy followed after them.</s> <\|message\|>Sarah Sarah Up in the tower, Sarah was looking out at the landscape, letting her pink hair dance in the wind, brushing it out of her eyes to get a clear view, a bright smile on her face. To her left is Sir Gravy, doing little more than admiring the view himself. "It's not as high up as it was on the sky-manta's back," she tells Stephanie when the other girl joins her. "But here, I can see things better. I can see the people in the towns, the farmers in the field. It makes me wonder what they're thinking of, how they're living their lives. It's just... so strange, thinking about how these people spend their lives. "To be honest... I envy them a bit," she admits, a warm smile adorning her face. Peter, by contrast, is rather green in the gills, leaning on the inner wall away from the battlements, and trying not to throw up. He's clearly not comfortable way up here. "Begging your pardon, Sarah, but I don't think I'm cut out for heights," he admits. "I've never been this high off the ground, to be honest, and I'm finding it's making me sick." "Oh don't be silly, Peter," Sarah giggles. "You just don't look down. I mean, I've been 'alive' for the past week and I already guessed that bit." "Easier said than done!" Peter says. "You told me not to look down and it got stuck in my head! You just don't tell someone that, especially if they're afraid of heights!" "Well, maybe it's dangerous if you fell from a great height-" "Exactly! And I'd rather not find out!" "But as long as you're standing on something solid, you'll be fine." Sarah stamps the stone. "See? It's safe. Even if the heights look scary, you're safe." She looks down to prove her point, but then something draws her attention. It's the scorch marks left by Bandersnatch, blasting the castle walls with fire and magic. The walls had weathered them well, but the scorched black contrasted against the majesty of the stonework, marring the appearance. The paladin notices her gaze. "It's a shame what that brute has done to the walls," Sir Gravy admits. "Fret not, dear ladies, we'll have the painters and stonemasons clean that up as best as they can. This castle's survived worse, so no need to worry." "That's nice," Sarah muses. "But it's what he tried to do. He tried to destroy the castle..." "As I said, this castle's survived worse. Trust me when I say this castle might stand for centuries more yet!" "Certainly not for his lack of trying," Sarah replies bitterly. "Why do Draygon's servants do this? They seem keen on destroying everything... why? What do they gain from this? It's bad enough the world's fallen from the days of the ancients, they're trying to destroy more of it..."</s> <\|message\|>Stephanie Anderson Steph raised an eyebrow at Peter's terrified demeanor. "Seriously?" she asked Peter with a chuckle. "You're afraid of heights? Your home town was built on top of a mountain!" "Y-Yes, that's true," Peter conceded. "B-But I never really ventured outside all that often, and I never got close to the c-cliffs…" "I guess that explains it, then," she noted, although she still found it amusingly ironic. Steph's attention was soon drawn back to Sarah, who was asking about Draygon and his intentions. It was something that had been poking at the back of Steph's mind as well. Who was this Draygon, and how was he able to create monsters like the harpy she'd fought back at Tinkertown? From what she had been able to gather, the so-called "Wizards" were simply people who had learned how to utilize some facet of old world knowledge or technology. Was this the case for Draygon as well? If so, then he had certainly acquired a knowledge of science far in advance of that displayed by the rest of this depressingly medieval world. However, before Sir Gravy could answer Sarah's question, or Steph could give voice to one of her own, they were interrupted by the arrival of a youthful squire. "P-Please pardon the intrusion, Sir Gravy," the squire stammered, clearly out of breath. "But I come bearing a message from Master Tornel. He has instructed me to request that you…" His voice trailed off as he noticed the two young women present. "O-Oh, good heavens!" he exclaimed, prostrating himself in supplication. "Please forgive your lowly servant, mighty Oracles!" he pleaded. "I did not mean to disturb you with my presence!" "D-Don't worry," Steph told the messenger gently, more than a little taken aback by his reverence towards Sarah and herself. "You didn't do anything wrong, and there's really no need for you to be afraid of us," she added with a reassuring smile, while kneeling down and placing a hand on the squire's shoulder. "We're regular people, just like you." The young man gasped as he felt Steph touch his shoulder, but calmed slightly upon seeing her kind smile. Now that he looked at her face, she didn't appear to be any different than a normal person. And yet, she was an Oracle, a divine messenger of the Ancients! How could she be so… humble? That thought was quickly banished when Sir Gravy spoke up. "Young squire! You spoke of a message from Master Tornel! Out with it lad! What new task awaits?!" "M-My apologies, sir! M-Master Tornel wishes for you to escort the Oracles to their chambers and watch over them until the feast tomorrow. I would have informed you sooner, but I was told you would be in the library, and when you weren't there…" "Not to fret, young squire!" Sir Gravy reassured him. "Your quest to locate us was successful, and you have imparted the message entrusted to your care. You have done quite well indeed! What pray tell is your name, young squire?" "S-Squire Toast, sir." "Well, then, Squire Toast, I shall be sure to mention your exemplary service when next I speak with both Master Tornel and His Majesty, the King!" "T-Thank you, sir!" "Think nothing of it, lad!" the paladin replied with a hearty laugh. "A job well done deserves to be recognized!" "Wait, you mentioned a feast?" Steph asked. "Why, yes! Of course! Master Tornel is preparing a grand banquet in your honor! There will be music and entertainers of all kinds! Master Tornel has demanded only the best for our Mighty Oracles!" "Tornel's setting this up?" Steph asked dubiously. She tried not to scowl at the mention of the wizard, but after his earlier treatment of Sarah and herself, she found it hard not to regard all his actions as highly suspicious.</s>	<\|message\|>Sarah "Well, the King was angry with Tornel at his actions," Sarah says. "Maybe it's his way of an apology?" She still remembers the fury in the King's eyes at Tornel's actions, and while she's still a bit upset about how Tornel had tried to kill her earlier, maybe he saw the error of his ways? She's a bit full after her brunch with the King, but she's certainly curious about the entertainment for the meal. "Either way, sounds like there's going to be quite the spectacle there, and I'm kind of curious to see what they have."</s>
<\|description\|>Sarah Physical Description: Sarah is a slender girl with bright green eyes and soft, shoulder-length pink hair and pale, almost alabaster skin. She stand at about 5'4" (162.6 cm) and weighs 100 lbs (45.3 kg). She has a curious glint in her eyes, and tends to see everything as though for the first time. Class: Oracle Personality: Sarah is a warm, compassionate soul, always worried about other peoples' welfare and willing to go to any length to protect them. Despite her lack of social experience with the world, she can tell when people are being hurt or abused, and will try and ease their suffering any way she can. Due to mostly being a blank state, the world around her entices her curiosity, and she will try to learn as much about it as possible. She will try and know more any new sensations or experiences she might encounter, giving her the feeling of a wide-eyed newborn child eagerly gawping at the beautiful world around them. Her lack of experience with the world means she's also very naïve and clueless about current events or about certain social cues or behaviors that more worldly people would pick up easily. She does have a general sense of social decency and behavior, but the nuances or subtler plays are a bit beyond her experience, and a cunning operator can out-think her until she catches on. However, despite this, one should not push her too far. She is still an Oracle, and programmed with combat skills and powerful abilities, and can end up fighting back rather tenaciously when she or those she cares about are threatened. History: Sarah recalls nothing of her past, practically having been 'born' to the world with the opening of her case. Abilities: * Enhanced physical attributes: As an Oracle and genetically engineered being, Sarah possesses a certain amount of enhanced strength, increased agility, and improved durability and stamina, as well as a small measure of enhanced senses. However, the emphasis are on stamina and agility, making her a poor choice for a heavy fighter. * Healing: Aside from no small skill at normal healing, she possesses the ability to heal injuries and wounds almost instantly. Currently, she's still learning how to use this power, so she can heal mild injuries and cuts. * Protective 'magic': Sarah can use her 'magic' to protect her allies by casting a small, protective halo to absorb some of the damage that hits them. Equipment: Sarah barely has anything beyond the shirt on her back and a few items and supplies given to her by her mysterious caretaker. RP Notes: Sarah is basically a blank slate, one with little to no knowledge of the outside world, and must learn more about it to survive and complete her destined mission. Fortunately, she does have a certain amount of combat skills programmed into her, allowing her to fight competently and survive long enough to get stronger. Sarah's main virtues are compassion and empathy, the ability to feel for those around her, and a strong desire to reduce their suffering and help them find happiness. Role-wise, Sarah would lean towards a mage-knight with an emphasis on magic and healing. While she is still an Oracle, she prefers to use magic and healing to support her allies in battle and help them out of battle.</s> <\|message\|>Stephanie Anderson Steph raised an eyebrow at Peter's terrified demeanor. "Seriously?" she asked Peter with a chuckle. "You're afraid of heights? Your home town was built on top of a mountain!" "Y-Yes, that's true," Peter conceded. "B-But I never really ventured outside all that often, and I never got close to the c-cliffs…" "I guess that explains it, then," she noted, although she still found it amusingly ironic. Steph's attention was soon drawn back to Sarah, who was asking about Draygon and his intentions. It was something that had been poking at the back of Steph's mind as well. Who was this Draygon, and how was he able to create monsters like the harpy she'd fought back at Tinkertown? From what she had been able to gather, the so-called "Wizards" were simply people who had learned how to utilize some facet of old world knowledge or technology. Was this the case for Draygon as well? If so, then he had certainly acquired a knowledge of science far in advance of that displayed by the rest of this depressingly medieval world. However, before Sir Gravy could answer Sarah's question, or Steph could give voice to one of her own, they were interrupted by the arrival of a youthful squire. "P-Please pardon the intrusion, Sir Gravy," the squire stammered, clearly out of breath. "But I come bearing a message from Master Tornel. He has instructed me to request that you…" His voice trailed off as he noticed the two young women present. "O-Oh, good heavens!" he exclaimed, prostrating himself in supplication. "Please forgive your lowly servant, mighty Oracles!" he pleaded. "I did not mean to disturb you with my presence!" "D-Don't worry," Steph told the messenger gently, more than a little taken aback by his reverence towards Sarah and herself. "You didn't do anything wrong, and there's really no need for you to be afraid of us," she added with a reassuring smile, while kneeling down and placing a hand on the squire's shoulder. "We're regular people, just like you." The young man gasped as he felt Steph touch his shoulder, but calmed slightly upon seeing her kind smile. Now that he looked at her face, she didn't appear to be any different than a normal person. And yet, she was an Oracle, a divine messenger of the Ancients! How could she be so… humble? That thought was quickly banished when Sir Gravy spoke up. "Young squire! You spoke of a message from Master Tornel! Out with it lad! What new task awaits?!" "M-My apologies, sir! M-Master Tornel wishes for you to escort the Oracles to their chambers and watch over them until the feast tomorrow. I would have informed you sooner, but I was told you would be in the library, and when you weren't there…" "Not to fret, young squire!" Sir Gravy reassured him. "Your quest to locate us was successful, and you have imparted the message entrusted to your care. You have done quite well indeed! What pray tell is your name, young squire?" "S-Squire Toast, sir." "Well, then, Squire Toast, I shall be sure to mention your exemplary service when next I speak with both Master Tornel and His Majesty, the King!" "T-Thank you, sir!" "Think nothing of it, lad!" the paladin replied with a hearty laugh. "A job well done deserves to be recognized!" "Wait, you mentioned a feast?" Steph asked. "Why, yes! Of course! Master Tornel is preparing a grand banquet in your honor! There will be music and entertainers of all kinds! Master Tornel has demanded only the best for our Mighty Oracles!" "Tornel's setting this up?" Steph asked dubiously. She tried not to scowl at the mention of the wizard, but after his earlier treatment of Sarah and herself, she found it hard not to regard all his actions as highly suspicious.</s> <\|message\|>Sarah Sarah "Well, the King was angry with Tornel at his actions," Sarah says. "Maybe it's his way of an apology?" She still remembers the fury in the King's eyes at Tornel's actions, and while she's still a bit upset about how Tornel had tried to kill her earlier, maybe he saw the error of his ways? She's a bit full after her brunch with the King, but she's certainly curious about the entertainment for the meal. "Either way, sounds like there's going to be quite the spectacle there, and I'm kind of curious to see what they have."</s> <\|message\|>Jabberwocky He takes a deep breath, and blasts out a wave of white hot flames, the air burning as the liquid like blaze feeds greedily on the air, and the bodies of birds. He snarls, and loops around the castle, watching Bandersnatch lay seige to the building.</s> <\|message\|>Ayaan Castle of Solace The Oracle's Banquet It was the night of the banquet in honor of the Oracles and the end of the siege. For reasons unknown Bandersnatch had left, though he did not leave empty handed. He now held in his possession one of the mythical swords of the ancients, the Sword of Fire. The people of Solace, however, did not see that as much of a loss because Tornel, the High Wizard of the Castle, only used the sword as an ornament and never learned how to channel its great power. The true inspiration of the Banquet was the arrival of the Oracles, beings of fable who were seen by many as god-like entities who have risen to lead them into the future, and by others as fake messengers created by the Wizard cult. Not much time had passed since their arrival, but like all monumentally changing events, waves of emotion swept through the population of the castle and and surrounding town. The common folk enjoyed a spectacle, and the possibility of seeing living gods was sure to be one. On the night of the Oracle's Banquet, as it was being called, the main hall of the castle was filled to the brim and people were gathered in the courtyard outside of the gates having their own celebration and listening to the music echoing from the castle interior. On a stage at the end of the hall furthest from the door was the King's thrown and his chromed and gem-inlaid table. Sitting on either side of the King sat Sarah and Stephanie, each dressed in finery that was both radiant and glowing. After the girls sat family members of the King, including his son and three daughters. At the end of the table sat Tornel, purposefully positioned so that he could conduct the orchestrations of the Banquet. Each dish was brought in and served on fine pewter plates, the wine and juices were served in plain silver goblets shined to perfection. The banquet hall was an open space between the King's table and the large double door that lead into the courtyard. There were tables against the far walls containing mountains of fresh food and servants quickly refilled trays and brought fresh munchies to the people dancing and mingling. On well lit balconies above the food tables there sat small quartets of musicians playing wind and string instruments with a drummer keeping the rhythm. To the King's left the musicians had a female singer, to his right was a male singer. They took turns but sometimes harmonized together, the affect was beautiful. The roof of the banquet hall held the visage of 8 women, each in varying stages of dress and with different symbolic images around like stalks of wheat, a boat, or a golden fleece. One of the women had pink hair. The King would note that these are images of different Oracles who were venerated by the people. The people had different names for the Oracles based on tradition, the one with Pink hair was named Laughter. There was no image to depict Stephanie. Periodically throughout the banquet people brought gifts and laid them down at the steps before the throne. There they would ask for blessings from the Oracles, flatter them with a poem or song, or confess a deep affection and vow their servitude. Every third of Fifth supplicant was a performer brought in by Tornel who performed magic tricks, acrobatics, or some other vaudevillian act meant to entertain and keep the festivities fresh. After each one the people of the banquet would applaud and the night seemed to go splendidly.</s> <\|message\|>Serlor "Ah, that's very bold! Assuming you'd try to vanquish me, you must have a team of sorts, yes? " The dragon inquired, narrowing its eyes. "And if not, I'll crush you myself."</s>	<\|message\|>Sarah Given the banquet was to be thrown in their honor, Sarah expected that Stephanie and herself would have seats of honor somewhere. What she didn't expect was that they'd be seated on thrones next to the King himself, dressed in overly elaborate finery and jewelry, being approached and praised by the populace. It just feels awkward to sit before everyone like a golden idol, being praised and lavished like so - and they didn't even do anything yet! All Sarah can do is manage an awkward smile and accept the praises uneasily. If she's to be entirely honest, Sarah would have told them they didn't need to go this far. She looks up at the ceiling, studying the depiction of the eight Oracles if only to keep her from how awkward it feels to be the center of attention. For some reason, the pink-haired one depicted was representative of 'laughter'. If that's meant to be her, she doesn't feel particularly giggly or funny. Heck, she wouldn't even know how to tell a good joke. Though if by 'laughter' they meant 'joy'... well, maybe she can do that. Assuming that's even what her creators intended. She looks over to see how Stephanie is holding up through all this.</s>
<\|description\|>Stephanie Anderson Class: Oracle/Sleeper Appearance: Steph is an average looking fifteen-year-old girl, if a bit on the small side. She has short, black hair and piercing blue eyes. Personality: Steph is usually quiet and soft-spoken, preferring to silently observe a situation, rather than impetuously rush into the unknown, a trait that should serve her well in her current circumstances. When it comes to her areas of interest (science/technology/learning about the stranger facets of her new world), she can get very intense and focused. She is also quite inquisitive, but she never allows her fascination with something to compromise her sense of caution. She has always loved computers, robotics and technology in general, and is very skilled when it comes to working with it. Naturally, she is very distressed by the current, primitive, state of the world. She is very much a fish out of temporal water, and this has a major impact on how she views the world and interacts with its inhabitants. History: The brilliant daughter of two equally brilliant scientists, Stephanie's genius was recognized at an early age, and by the time she turned fifteen, she already had her first doctorate. She routinely assisted her renowned parents with their work, and was well on her way to becoming one of the world's brightest minds. Unfortunately, that world would soon come to a cataclysmic end… As the world of science and progress crumbled around her, Stephanie's parents hastily worked to ensure her survival. She was given a series of highly experimental genetic enhancements, coupled with an equally experimental cybernetic nanotech control system, and placed in a cryonic stasis chamber. Since their facility was located deep underground, and hardened against even the strongest forms of attack, her parents hoped that she would be safe until the world was once again hospitable to human life. Promising Steph that they would join her in stasis shortly, her parents sealed her chamber and hoped for the best. Abilities: Enhanced Physical Attributes- Besides her genius-level intellect, Steph has received extensive genetic enhancement, making her stronger, faster, and more resilient than a normal human. Her senses are also much more acute. Nanite Swarm- In addition, she has access to a small swarm of nanites, which she can control with the use of a cybernetic implant. These nanomachines are limited to performing minor to moderate healing on herself or others (only one person at a time), as well as providing information and manipulating anything made of metal (although in the future, they may be able to expand their capabilities further). The inhabitants of this backwards time will probably consider this to be magic. Equipment: Steph was sealed in her cryochamber with nothing other than the pictured outfit. There was a rather large supply of advanced weapons and survival equipment at the complex in which Steph's cryo chamber is located, but the state of them after the indeterminately long amount of time she has been asleep is anyone's guess… Steph has also acquired a suit of nanofluidic armor that can disguise itself to match the clothing of anyone nearby. Steph used her nanites to convert much of her cryostasis chamber into a cryostasis rifle, then a sword, and, currently, a liquid metal backpack. Steph was given the Earth Sword by Minoc. RP Notes: Steph's story is one of coming to terms with her new world and finding her place in it. She is (at least initally) completely alone in what seems to her like a primitive, alien world. At first, she is understandably overwhelmed by her situation, seeing the inhabitants of this new world as little more than backwards savages, but as she begins to learn more, she starts seeing them in a better light, and eventually comes to greatly respect them and the civilization they have built. While at the start, she might look down on the People of the Realm, she doen't do this out of hatred, but out of a mixture of pity and dissapointment. She hates the fact that the world is so primitive, and wants to do her part to restore at least some of the technology of her original time. Despite this unintentional air of suprioirity, Steph is still a kind person at heart, and one who is always willing to help others.</s> <\|message\|>Jabberwocky He sighs, and glances at the crystal necklace around her neck. It glimmers softly in the light. He smiles, and kisses her head gently. "We'll figure it out baby girl. Have you tried those meditation cards I got you?" He gently hands her a engraved plate with some simple steps to guided meditation. "Don't worry, we'll figure it out someday. How was your day today?" He smiles, gently brushing her hair.</s> <\|message\|>Ayaan Dragon Ruby set aside her food and ran her hands over the indented cards, scanning their contents with her fingers, they involved breathing exercises and sitting in silence, which was something she was good at anyways. "I'll be honest Dadda I haven't looked at these since you brought them," he started to brush her hair, "there are some disruptions the mecha has reported from the Sat-lites," she stumbled over the word, "Jub Jub is attacking some village of Tinkers in the mountains, and Bandersnatch is heading towards Castle of Solace. I don't think Bander is going to have much luck though, he's only one lieutenant against a huge castle with knights and soldiers and who knows what else." Ruby picked up her food again and took another bite, "I don't understand what your boss wants you guys to do," she spoke with a mouthful of food, "I mean..chew.. what good is randomly destroying things?"</s> <\|message\|>Sarah Sarah The further she goes down the caverns, the more Sarah finds it harder to breathe. The shadows, which only just flickered and shifted, now seem to form malevolent faces, gaining demonic forms and always seeming to reach out for her, clutching with long, spindly claws. She would startle, only to stop and realize Pip was looking at her funny, as though wondering if she's alright. She realizes that Pip isn't affected by the miasma, meaning she could at least trust his senses if not her own. She coughs into the crook of her arm as the bitter, pungent miasma fills her nose and mouth, her eyes watering. She's certain this miasma is the source of these hallucinations; get rid of it, and she'll be able to trust her senses again - for that matter, she'll just settle for being able to breathe clean air again! Pausing for breath, she notes the spiderling claw resting in one hand. She realizes that the claw is much smaller than she thought it was, and the things that had harried her earlier were much smaller than she imagined. It must be the miasma's work too. The sooner she's done here, the better. Fortunately, the deeper she goes, the closer she can sense the sword. It's as though this particular sense, this feeling, is uncorrupted by whatever hallucinations inflicted upon her, allowing her to at least navigate the tight, winding corridors with some reliability. The sooner she finds that sword, the sooner she can begin to understand her past, and the thought drives her onwards, battling her thick, palpable terror. Pip, for his part, is worried about the path they're taking. The miasma is thicker here, and it's hurting his nose and eyes, causing him to whimper in protest. He could still smell the fear on New Master, even as she continues to walk forwards. The paths here are new and uncertain to him, and he can smell the spider-things more and more; this is their territory. And yet, New Master seems persistent in the path they're taking. Then he smells something... close. More Spider-things. He stops and growls threateningly, and New Master takes a few moments to realize the threat too. "W-what is it, Pip...?" Sarah asks anxiously, only too aware that her skin is clammy with sweat and she's breaking out in goosebumps. "Is... is it more of those things...?" She hears something skitter closeby, and prays it's only another hallucination. However, the sound comes closer, and she she grips her makeshift weapon, she realizes the sound is undeniably real. Before she realizes it, there's another patrol of spiderlings here, one bigger than the previous one. It takes a considerable effort of will to not bolt; there's more of them this time, and she's still suffering from shakes and nausea. However, she reminds herself that these things, while still dangerous, aren't as big as she thought, and that this time, she's armed. If they want to kill her, she'll put up a better fight this time. And she knows she can at least heal Pip if he gets hurt... The spiderlings emerge from the winding tunnel, not sure what to expect, but ready to fight. They see a human girl and a strange, furred creature, the human girl holding what seems to be a claw from one of their brothers. They collectively hiss in anger, the combined hissing echoing in the caves menacingly. Apparently, those two managed to overcome the previous patrol, and for some reason this particular human is immune to the miasma. They skitter forwards quickly, intending to put these foes down quickly. Pip strikes first, the crest on his back lighting up again before filling the cave with a bright light, striking one of the spiderlings in front with a powerful bolt of lightning. The sudden blast and the surprised screeching of their ally surprises the spiderlings, causing them to panic and try to split up, backing away from another possible attack. Sarah, finding her chance, swings with the claw, only to realize she attacked a hallucination. In retaliation, the closest spiderling cuts her arm with an opportunistic strike, wounding her. Despite the pain, she doesn't let go of the claw. She tries to kick in revenge, but misses as she stumbles, barely managing to keep her balance. The spiderlings try to capitalize on her weakness, trying to swarm the duo with superior numbers. They swing their razor-sharp claws, slashing and stabbing, but Pip dodges deftly using his surprisingly strong legs to dodge and weave their strikes. He'd felt their sting once, he's in no hurry to get hit again. Sarah dodges a swipe by stepping back out of harm's way, but knows that they need to end this quickly. She sidesteps another attack, then sends one flying with a swift kick, smacking it against the cave walls. Pip avoids another slash, and finds an opening as the spiderling had overcommitted, leaving its flank open. He lunges forwards, snarling, before clamping on the thing's throat with sharp teeth. The spiderling panics and tries to throw him off, managing to inflict a slash while one of its brothers assisted by managing to stab Pip in the flank. Pip yips in pain but doesn't let go, not dropping the spiderling until it flops lifelessly to the ground. It whirls with a snarl and a snap at the spiderling that wounded it. Its brother moves to flank, forcing Pip to hobble around to avoid getting attacked from two sides at once. Sarah, meanwhile tries to cut down the last spiderling still standing, but it uses its smaller stature and great agility to dodge attacks. However, it miscalculates and finds itself cornered right in the path of a frenzied swing, and blocks by raising its claws to block. It manages, but Sarah's greater strength shakes it, and it would have gotten stabbed had not its dazed comrade recovered, and moved forwards to jump onto Sarah's back. It starts clawing and slashing, causing Sarah to cry out in pain and reach for the thing. Unable to reach the blind spot on her back, she resorts to slamming herself, back-first, into the nearby wall several times. The spiderling ultimately lets go after one too many hits, allowing Sarah to crush it under her boot. Its enraged brother jumps at her leg and stabs her in the calf, causing her to grunt in pain and drop to one knee, but she manages to bring the claw down sharply, impaling it in the back and twisting the blade to ensure it stays down this time. She clutches her wounded leg in pain. Pip snarls and barks at the surviving spiderlings, trying to keep them back while he charges another lightning attack. The spiderlings sense it too, and try to at least finish this furry threat before the human recovers from her injuries enough to help. One of them skitters sideways, claws raised, but it's a feint to draw Pip's attention while its partner attacks Pip's exposed and injured flank. However, it barely manages to get close before Sarah's boot comes down, crushing it with brutal intent. Sarah had managed to heal herself so she could move sufficiently to help Pip. Surprised by this turn of events, the surviving Spiderling turns and tries to run away, but Pip catches with a strong jolt of lightning, frying it and putting it down for good. For a moment, the noise in the hall quiets down, as Sarah pants heavily trying to recover her breath and the spiderling's scorched corpse sizzles audibly. Pip limps over to the corpses, sniffs them to make sure, then barks at them tauntingly, as though to gloat about winning. Limping, Pip turns to Sarah, panting happily as he's glad to see she's alright. Sarah returns his grin by kneeling down, petting him gently, and healing his wounds. "There," she says. "Let's hurry, we're almost at the sword now. Let's find it and get out already." She stumbles along, trying to heal her wounds, Pip walking along, lighting the way. This time, Sarah's stumble is a bit rushed; even as dizzy as she is from the fight and the miasma, she can feel the sword close. If she finds it, maybe she'll have an easier time in here.</s> <\|message\|>Jabberwocky He smiles. "It's not random. It's all planned out. We're just looking for information, and they threaten us when we don't ask nicely. So we defend ourselves, that's all." He sighs. "Do you know why I have to hide you away? Why you can't leave the cave without me? The world is a dangerous place now. Monsters are everywhere. It's the only way to protect you."</s>	<\|message\|>Stephanie Anderson Steph's aim was true, and she grinned as her cryostasis bolt struck the harpy's wing, blowing it clean off. The creature fell from the sky, wounded, but not killed… Guess these bolts don't have enough juice to affect an entire creature in one shot… Steph reflected. This would be more difficult than she'd first thought, but she was up for the challenge. Her determination was put to the test a moment later, when her hyperaware senses detected a flash of light. She dropped to the floor less than a second before a beam of bluish energy shot through the space she had just been occupying. Holy crap! That was close! Quickly regaining her bearings, Steph utilized her superhuman perceptive abilities to locate the source of the beam. Not wasting a moment, she snapped off another shot, this time, aiming for the creature's head…</s>
<\|description\|>Stephanie Anderson Class: Oracle/Sleeper Appearance: Steph is an average looking fifteen-year-old girl, if a bit on the small side. She has short, black hair and piercing blue eyes. Personality: Steph is usually quiet and soft-spoken, preferring to silently observe a situation, rather than impetuously rush into the unknown, a trait that should serve her well in her current circumstances. When it comes to her areas of interest (science/technology/learning about the stranger facets of her new world), she can get very intense and focused. She is also quite inquisitive, but she never allows her fascination with something to compromise her sense of caution. She has always loved computers, robotics and technology in general, and is very skilled when it comes to working with it. Naturally, she is very distressed by the current, primitive, state of the world. She is very much a fish out of temporal water, and this has a major impact on how she views the world and interacts with its inhabitants. History: The brilliant daughter of two equally brilliant scientists, Stephanie's genius was recognized at an early age, and by the time she turned fifteen, she already had her first doctorate. She routinely assisted her renowned parents with their work, and was well on her way to becoming one of the world's brightest minds. Unfortunately, that world would soon come to a cataclysmic end… As the world of science and progress crumbled around her, Stephanie's parents hastily worked to ensure her survival. She was given a series of highly experimental genetic enhancements, coupled with an equally experimental cybernetic nanotech control system, and placed in a cryonic stasis chamber. Since their facility was located deep underground, and hardened against even the strongest forms of attack, her parents hoped that she would be safe until the world was once again hospitable to human life. Promising Steph that they would join her in stasis shortly, her parents sealed her chamber and hoped for the best. Abilities: Enhanced Physical Attributes- Besides her genius-level intellect, Steph has received extensive genetic enhancement, making her stronger, faster, and more resilient than a normal human. Her senses are also much more acute. Nanite Swarm- In addition, she has access to a small swarm of nanites, which she can control with the use of a cybernetic implant. These nanomachines are limited to performing minor to moderate healing on herself or others (only one person at a time), as well as providing information and manipulating anything made of metal (although in the future, they may be able to expand their capabilities further). The inhabitants of this backwards time will probably consider this to be magic. Equipment: Steph was sealed in her cryochamber with nothing other than the pictured outfit. There was a rather large supply of advanced weapons and survival equipment at the complex in which Steph's cryo chamber is located, but the state of them after the indeterminately long amount of time she has been asleep is anyone's guess… Steph has also acquired a suit of nanofluidic armor that can disguise itself to match the clothing of anyone nearby. Steph used her nanites to convert much of her cryostasis chamber into a cryostasis rifle, then a sword, and, currently, a liquid metal backpack. Steph was given the Earth Sword by Minoc. RP Notes: Steph's story is one of coming to terms with her new world and finding her place in it. She is (at least initally) completely alone in what seems to her like a primitive, alien world. At first, she is understandably overwhelmed by her situation, seeing the inhabitants of this new world as little more than backwards savages, but as she begins to learn more, she starts seeing them in a better light, and eventually comes to greatly respect them and the civilization they have built. While at the start, she might look down on the People of the Realm, she doen't do this out of hatred, but out of a mixture of pity and dissapointment. She hates the fact that the world is so primitive, and wants to do her part to restore at least some of the technology of her original time. Despite this unintentional air of suprioirity, Steph is still a kind person at heart, and one who is always willing to help others.</s> <\|message\|>Jabberwocky Sir Breakfast draws his flaming blade, and mounts his horse, riding out to battle. He stares out of the visor slits in his helmet, and charges toward the vast army in his path, eyes fixed on the one called Bander. He pulls his steed to a stop, glaring out of his helm. "Bandersnatch! Fight me in a knight's duel, one on one!"</s> <\|message\|>Ayaan Bandersnatch got off his horse and walked up to the challenger. "I accept Fool!" he said, "Prepare to die!" The Shadow Servants formed a circle around the fighters, giving them plenty of room to maneuver. Bander didn't hesitate, he walked forward and swung his sword his heavy sword in an arch over his head, aiming to crush his opponent's skull in one blow.</s> <\|message\|>Sarah Sarah As she walks deeper and deeper into the catacombs, Sarah feels the miasma thicken around her. Her lungs burn even as they develop some tolerance for the substance, seeing becomes difficult as she has a hard time telling what's real from what isn't. The only thing keeping her fevered mind going is the growing certainty that the sword is nearby, that there's an end to this maze. She pauses to cough, her coughing dry and chest-wracking, her lungs protesting the foul mist filling the cave. She has to find it soon, she thinks. It doesn't take her long to realize the growing gut feeling inside her, the sense that's she's arrived somehow. If she hadn't been following said sense to lead her to the sword, she would say she's hallucinating. Instead, she lifts her head, and looks around. Sure enough, there on a dais, is a sword embedded hilt-deep. She's almost tempted to call this a hallucination too, if she isn't so glad to finally get here after all the trouble in the cave. She takes a moment to check her surroundings, to be sure that this is indeed where she needs to be. She can feel the stone dais, the strangely warm metal of the sword, and the pulls her finger when she feels a spark of its Thunder affinity. She looks at Pip, and realizes he's curiously sniffing the stone dais, then barks at her as to confirm it. She takes a deep breath before casting aside the used and broken claw she was carrying around as a makeshift weapon. "Here goes," she says, grasping the hilt with both hands and pulls as hard as she can, trying to gather all her strength to try and get the sword out. She grunts and hisses at the effort. "Come on..." Suddenly, she jolts backwards as the sword seems to free itself from its prison, and she feels a surge of electricity surge through her body. This sensation is strangely warm and good, filling her being with confidence and calm amidst her weariness. It feels as if the very sword itself was reaching into her with its power, filling her with newfound resolve. She feels its power washing over her, reaching deep into her mind and heart, as though to awaken something sleeping within. When she opens her eyes again, the hallucination seem to have receded. She still sees things vibrating, the shadows shifting and twitching, and faint echos that aren't there, but her mind is no longer trap in feverish visions and fearsome illusions. She could see and feel more clearly, and the miasma isn't affecting her as strongly. Is this the power of the sword, or did it merely heal her of the worst of the effects. Either way, she's going to need her wits to get out of this place. She takes a couple of practice swings with the sword, feeling it in her hands. It feels balanced, the grip natural, as though it had been forged just for her. She grips it tightly to reassure herself, feeling as though she could take on the world. "Come on, Pip," she calls to the dog, "we need to get out of here and back to Master Thunderfist." Pip barks eagerly, pleased to see New Master snapping out of whatever fear had been controlling her.</s> <\|message\|>Ayaan Caves of Kensu's Island "Sarah.." a familiar, singsong voice chimes into existence, "Sarah, are you there?" An image of Asra appears in Sarah's peripheral vision. "I'm back, oh good, I'm back!" The Fairy giggled in happiness. "You must've found the sword then, good, that is so good. I was worried the Wizards had failed. There is so much to tell you, so many things have happened. Where do I start? From the beginning I suppose. I'm going to run out of time, so I'll tell you everything I can before my power runs out, you had better sit down." "A long time ago, long before you existed, there was a great man, a scientist, named Drake Logan. Dr. Logan had discovered something no one ever knew before, the use of Biogenic energy. It is the energy of life force, but it is so much more. It is the equal sign of Einstein's formula, Energy = mass times the speed of light squared. Of course, you don't know what that is, I'm sorry, I will focus on what's most important." "Dr. Logan's research allowed him to understand how the energy within living things worked with the energy in the matter all around you. He discovered a method for channeling that energy into circuits and through doing so create or rearrange physical matter. It was the potential within his discovery which led to all the people of the world laying down their weapons for the sake of peace and scientific progress. It was the beginning of the evolution of the species..." "What you don't know, this was hundreds of years ago. The people allowed a single entity to carry the weapons of the world, it is called the Harbinger, for it was supposed to warn of consequences. It was programmed to keep people in line, but never to kill. It's weapon systems were primarily those of weather using Dr. Logan's science. For some reason it... for some reason it destroyed the world..." Asra paused for a moment. "Before I went offline I was part of a protocol knows as the Oracle program. You see, for Dr. Logan's science to work perfectly the human body needed to be perfected, just like having a clean circuit within a computer. Oh, you don't know what a computer is, well, that's okay, believe me when I tell you, human's have bodies full of dirtiness. You, however, you were made perfect, in the image of a god. You were grown to channel Biogenic energy through your body without resistance, so what you channel is pure." "You need the circuits to aid you, until you learn for yourself. The circuits are the Swords. They were designed to link to your body and allow you to channel your internal life energy into matter. This sword will allow you to channel your energy into lightning, as you can already feel. Every sword has two boosters that you can find, a battery which will double the amount of power you can focus into the weapon, and a bracelet, which will allow you to pull from Harbinger itself and release destruction 100 fold of what you could normally. Your kind alone are made to be trusted with this power. "I've run out of time, find others like yourself Sarah, find others, and find more of the swords. Learn to use their power. The wizards will help you, they...." SCHZITZ "...an evil has reached out to Harbinger..." S@CT!$ZCH... "deeper in the caves you will find... "!SK$#ZTCH@%$. . ... As suddenly as she appeared, Asra was gone, and Sarah was once again left alone in the caves with her companion Pip. ********* Urgrapth waited and waited, but none of her babies returned. The visitor must be strong, the visitor must be terrible. Urgrapth would fight, for herself and her babies, Urgrapth would suvive. She rolled up the morsel in her front legs and brought it to her mouth, it smelt like flowers. She bit into the soft flesh tightly woven in the wiry threads of her webbing and began to suck, suck, suck the life from it. She could feel her strength grow as warmth spread through her body. Sarah has learned about the history of the Oracles and the swords. Now she has an understanding of how to use the sword and why it works. She also has a hint as to the fact that she was created in the pod to be a perfect, god-like creature. Also, Our lady spider is chomping down on some poor towns person, I recommend you hurry, you may be able to save the little person from their death, maybe. Good luck!!</s>	<\|message\|>Stephanie Anderson Steph exhaled in relief after the harpy's partially decapitated body crashed to the floor in front of her. Welp, I guess that takes care of that… Now I just have to deal with those creatures out there… Moving to a better position, Steph saw that several of the beasts were gathered around a centrally located building, attempting to get inside. She only had three, perhaps four, shots left, so she needed to make each one count. Taking careful aim on the first creature's head, she squeezed the trigger, snapping off a quick shot, before moving on to the next. One. Two. Three… Four. A quartet of corpses now lay upon the ground surrounding the building, but there were still six of the creatures left, and Steph's rifle was now completely out of energy. She needed a new plan… Thinking fast, she instructed her nanites to reassemble her rifle into a sword. Although she was reluctant to engage the creatures in close combat, she knew her enhanced body was fully capable of doing so. She took a deep breath. Okay… Here goes nothing! Leaping from her balcony, Steph used the momentum she had generated to bring her blade down hard upon her first target's neck. This, coupled with her superhuman strength, allowed her weapon to slice clean through, neatly decapitating the creature. Wasting no time, she swiftly jumped over to the next beast and repeated the process. She kept this up until the area around the central structure was completely free of the beasts. This didn't mean Steph was about to let down her guard, though. She had been keeping count, and she was well aware that there were a few beasts still unaccounted for. Not wishing to hunt them down, and potentially be caught unawares, she opted to take up a defensive position in front of the structure's entrance and wait for them to come to her…</s>
<\|description\|>Stephanie Anderson Class: Oracle/Sleeper Appearance: Steph is an average looking fifteen-year-old girl, if a bit on the small side. She has short, black hair and piercing blue eyes. Personality: Steph is usually quiet and soft-spoken, preferring to silently observe a situation, rather than impetuously rush into the unknown, a trait that should serve her well in her current circumstances. When it comes to her areas of interest (science/technology/learning about the stranger facets of her new world), she can get very intense and focused. She is also quite inquisitive, but she never allows her fascination with something to compromise her sense of caution. She has always loved computers, robotics and technology in general, and is very skilled when it comes to working with it. Naturally, she is very distressed by the current, primitive, state of the world. She is very much a fish out of temporal water, and this has a major impact on how she views the world and interacts with its inhabitants. History: The brilliant daughter of two equally brilliant scientists, Stephanie's genius was recognized at an early age, and by the time she turned fifteen, she already had her first doctorate. She routinely assisted her renowned parents with their work, and was well on her way to becoming one of the world's brightest minds. Unfortunately, that world would soon come to a cataclysmic end… As the world of science and progress crumbled around her, Stephanie's parents hastily worked to ensure her survival. She was given a series of highly experimental genetic enhancements, coupled with an equally experimental cybernetic nanotech control system, and placed in a cryonic stasis chamber. Since their facility was located deep underground, and hardened against even the strongest forms of attack, her parents hoped that she would be safe until the world was once again hospitable to human life. Promising Steph that they would join her in stasis shortly, her parents sealed her chamber and hoped for the best. Abilities: Enhanced Physical Attributes- Besides her genius-level intellect, Steph has received extensive genetic enhancement, making her stronger, faster, and more resilient than a normal human. Her senses are also much more acute. Nanite Swarm- In addition, she has access to a small swarm of nanites, which she can control with the use of a cybernetic implant. These nanomachines are limited to performing minor to moderate healing on herself or others (only one person at a time), as well as providing information and manipulating anything made of metal (although in the future, they may be able to expand their capabilities further). The inhabitants of this backwards time will probably consider this to be magic. Equipment: Steph was sealed in her cryochamber with nothing other than the pictured outfit. There was a rather large supply of advanced weapons and survival equipment at the complex in which Steph's cryo chamber is located, but the state of them after the indeterminately long amount of time she has been asleep is anyone's guess… Steph has also acquired a suit of nanofluidic armor that can disguise itself to match the clothing of anyone nearby. Steph used her nanites to convert much of her cryostasis chamber into a cryostasis rifle, then a sword, and, currently, a liquid metal backpack. Steph was given the Earth Sword by Minoc. RP Notes: Steph's story is one of coming to terms with her new world and finding her place in it. She is (at least initally) completely alone in what seems to her like a primitive, alien world. At first, she is understandably overwhelmed by her situation, seeing the inhabitants of this new world as little more than backwards savages, but as she begins to learn more, she starts seeing them in a better light, and eventually comes to greatly respect them and the civilization they have built. While at the start, she might look down on the People of the Realm, she doen't do this out of hatred, but out of a mixture of pity and dissapointment. She hates the fact that the world is so primitive, and wants to do her part to restore at least some of the technology of her original time. Despite this unintentional air of suprioirity, Steph is still a kind person at heart, and one who is always willing to help others.</s> <\|message\|>Jabberwocky Ruby wanders around her room, and sits down with her food to eat on her bed. She happily tucks in, until she hears someone. Her head raises, and she turns her head to the noise. She swallows. "Hello? Who's there?" That's not Daddy......who is that? Did Daddy get me a Mommy?</s> <\|message\|>Sarah Sarah Sarah continues cutting away at the spiderling horde attacking her, managing to cut another in half when she saw something dance in her peripheral vision. She's half-tempted to ignore it as yet another hallucination, but something makes her turn around and notice in horror as the spiderling queen is coming down hard - and aiming for Pip, who is too busy snarling and snapping at a couple spiderlings to notice. For a second, it seems as though everything was floating in water, a moment suspended in time. It takes every inch of will and strength for Sarah to force her whole body to move, trying to cover Pip before he gets fatally skewered. "NO!" By some miracle, she manages to block the tip of the spiky foreleg with the flat of her sword, placing herself between an angry spiderling queen and a surprised Pip who yelps and jumps back. However, by doing so, she left her back exposed, and one spiderling stabs her in the calf with a claw. Giving a pained grunt, Sarah tries to push back, but is slowly driven to her knees by the force of the queen's push, spiderleg scratching against unbreakable ancient steel. Pip, mortified that his carelessness caused New Master to get hurt, turns around in a snarl and goes after the spiderling that just hurt New Master's leg. He bites but misses, the spiderlings falling back to avoid his wrath. This time, Pip doesn't pursue, trying to cover Sarah's back while she struggles with the queen. For a moment, Sarah feels as though she'll be smacked down the ground, unable to keep up the effort against the queen's pressing leg. However, she takes a deep breath, and takes a gamble by changing the sword grip, causing the leg to slip off to the side, allowing Sarah to force the queen off balance with a twist of the sword. With the sword free, Sarah takes her moment to strike. She charges the sword with the biogenic power of lightning, lighting the cave around her with a brilliant azure flash, and swung as hard as she can at the queen in an upwards stroke.</s>	<\|message\|>Stephanie Anderson "Huh," Steph noted, as the last of the strange beasts simply turned and left, following what looked like a bear. "Well, okay then," she added, while giving voice to a relived sigh. She was a little shocked by how easily she had managed to dispatch the creatures, as well as how natural and effortless it had felt. It was almost like she was some character in a video game, and for a moment she thought that perhaps she was dreaming, or stuck in some kind of VR world, but no. Now that she had a moment to catch her breath and refocus, she quickly became convinced that the world around her was all too real… It was about then that she heard a voice coming from the building behind her. Turning around, she was greeted with the sight of a small, elderly man. He had a long grey beard and a pair of orange goggles over his eyes. "Oh, uh, hi," Steph said somewhat shakily. "I-It's okay," she added, trying her best to sound reassuring. "I'm not gonna hurt you. My name's Stephanie. I'm kinda… new around here…" --- A few minutes later, and Steph found herself in a cozy home. It belonged to Minoc, as the elderly man was called. He offered her some food and a drink, which Steph graciously accepted. She listened in silence as he went on to somewhat awkwardly explain her current situation. The fact that Minoc's grandfather had watched over her pod confirmed that she had been asleep for a very long time indeed… Minoc then went on to ask if she was familiar with the creature she had killed. She shook her head. After telling her that the harpy was named Jub Jub, Minoc explained that he was a member of a society of wizards, alchemists, and archeologists who discovered the various cryostasis pods scattered across the world. It sounded as though the world had experienced a drastic technological decline, as if what her own eyes told her wasn't proof enough, and she couldn't help but allow a sullen sigh to escape her lips. Minoc then asked about her own pod, which was now nowhere to be found. "Oh, yeah…" Steph replied hesitantly. "I needed a weapon to fight those things, so I had my nanites reassemble it," she explained, holding out her sword. "Just basic nanotech, really." Minoc was quite impressed. As an archeologist, he had spent many long years unearthing the technology of the past, but he had never encountered anything like what Steph possessed. He had, however, found information on biogenic technology, which caused Steph to noticeably perk up. Her uncle had been a pioneer in that field, and while Steph was far from an expert herself, she was well aware of the amazing possibilities such technology presented. She was glad that at least this remnant of her world's knowledge had survived to be of use to this vastly more primitive age. Minoc was getting more excited too, as apparently, some of his fellow wizards/researchers/or whatever had unlocked some of the technology's incredible potential. His comment about "the enemy", however, made Steph a bit uneasy. "Enemy?" Steph asked. Minoc then proceeded to tell her of Lord Draygon, a being who was apparently some kind of monstrous dark lord, like the kind found in old stories. It sounded a bit ridiculous to Steph, but if the harpy she had killed was anything to go by, the situation was no laughing matter. Draygon had many powerful creatures in his service, Minoc went on to explain, but the forces opposing him had access to the works of the "ancients", and that included her… If they could trust her. The village she had just saved was a pretty pacifistic place, Minoc informed her, and he was wary of her incredible potential for violence. "Hey, I completely agree!" Steph protested. "I'm a scientist, not a fighter. I-It's just… I saw those things attacking your village, so I wanted to try and help in whatever way I could. I-In fact," she added after a moment's thought. "Didn't you kill one of those creatures yourself?" Conceding her point, Minoc said that he wanted to trust her, but that the decision was not his to make. For that, she would need to travel to someplace called the "Castle of Solace". Minoc then asked if she could turn her sword into a backpack. "Uh, yeah, sure," Steph replied, before instructing her nanites to reassemble her sword into the item in question. Minoc handed her a tightly woven bundle of cloth, which she placed in the backpack, before sealing it up. The wizard instructed her to present the bundle to someone named Tornell once she had arrived at the castle. Apparently, he was the leader of Minoc's order of wizards/scientists/archeologists/or whatever, being the "wisest and strongest" of them all. As for how she'd get there, Minoc actually had a pleasant surprise in store. Somehow, he had access to a functioning segment of the global subsurface transit network, which led directly to the castle. This meant that no matter where in the world the castle was located, they would be able to reach it in a relatively short time, and in relative safety as well. But that wasn't the only surprise. Insisting that she shouldn't make the trip alone, Minoc told Steph that his young apprentice, Peter, would be accompanying her. "Oh, wow… The Oracle…" Peter said in hushed awe upon entering the room. "I-It's very nice to meet you!" he added with a great deal more enthusiasm. "And it will be my great honor to accompany you on your journey!" "L-Likewise," Steph replied with a smile, a little taken aback by the young apprentice's reverence. Before they departed, Minoc inquired if Steph had any questions. Well, yes. She had a LOT of questions… Still, she figured that most of them would hopefully be answered upon meeting Tornell. Therefore, she decided to stick to the ones weighing most heavily upon her mind. "Uh, you wouldn't happen to know how long I've been asleep, would you?" Steph asked. "Or what happened to my parents? They were in the same complex as me. That's to say, the same place you found my pod," she clarified.</s>
<\|description\|>Stephanie Anderson Class: Oracle/Sleeper Appearance: Steph is an average looking fifteen-year-old girl, if a bit on the small side. She has short, black hair and piercing blue eyes. Personality: Steph is usually quiet and soft-spoken, preferring to silently observe a situation, rather than impetuously rush into the unknown, a trait that should serve her well in her current circumstances. When it comes to her areas of interest (science/technology/learning about the stranger facets of her new world), she can get very intense and focused. She is also quite inquisitive, but she never allows her fascination with something to compromise her sense of caution. She has always loved computers, robotics and technology in general, and is very skilled when it comes to working with it. Naturally, she is very distressed by the current, primitive, state of the world. She is very much a fish out of temporal water, and this has a major impact on how she views the world and interacts with its inhabitants. History: The brilliant daughter of two equally brilliant scientists, Stephanie's genius was recognized at an early age, and by the time she turned fifteen, she already had her first doctorate. She routinely assisted her renowned parents with their work, and was well on her way to becoming one of the world's brightest minds. Unfortunately, that world would soon come to a cataclysmic end… As the world of science and progress crumbled around her, Stephanie's parents hastily worked to ensure her survival. She was given a series of highly experimental genetic enhancements, coupled with an equally experimental cybernetic nanotech control system, and placed in a cryonic stasis chamber. Since their facility was located deep underground, and hardened against even the strongest forms of attack, her parents hoped that she would be safe until the world was once again hospitable to human life. Promising Steph that they would join her in stasis shortly, her parents sealed her chamber and hoped for the best. Abilities: Enhanced Physical Attributes- Besides her genius-level intellect, Steph has received extensive genetic enhancement, making her stronger, faster, and more resilient than a normal human. Her senses are also much more acute. Nanite Swarm- In addition, she has access to a small swarm of nanites, which she can control with the use of a cybernetic implant. These nanomachines are limited to performing minor to moderate healing on herself or others (only one person at a time), as well as providing information and manipulating anything made of metal (although in the future, they may be able to expand their capabilities further). The inhabitants of this backwards time will probably consider this to be magic. Equipment: Steph was sealed in her cryochamber with nothing other than the pictured outfit. There was a rather large supply of advanced weapons and survival equipment at the complex in which Steph's cryo chamber is located, but the state of them after the indeterminately long amount of time she has been asleep is anyone's guess… Steph has also acquired a suit of nanofluidic armor that can disguise itself to match the clothing of anyone nearby. Steph used her nanites to convert much of her cryostasis chamber into a cryostasis rifle, then a sword, and, currently, a liquid metal backpack. Steph was given the Earth Sword by Minoc. RP Notes: Steph's story is one of coming to terms with her new world and finding her place in it. She is (at least initally) completely alone in what seems to her like a primitive, alien world. At first, she is understandably overwhelmed by her situation, seeing the inhabitants of this new world as little more than backwards savages, but as she begins to learn more, she starts seeing them in a better light, and eventually comes to greatly respect them and the civilization they have built. While at the start, she might look down on the People of the Realm, she doen't do this out of hatred, but out of a mixture of pity and dissapointment. She hates the fact that the world is so primitive, and wants to do her part to restore at least some of the technology of her original time. Despite this unintentional air of suprioirity, Steph is still a kind person at heart, and one who is always willing to help others.</s> <\|message\|>Jabberwocky She frowns. "You're not Daddy. Go away. I want you to leave!" Her hands begin glowing a deep red, flowing over her wrists and up her arms, a thick red substance that makes the whole cave start heating up. She runs forward and slaps Annabelle, the magma on her hands searing away at her flesh and muscles.</s> <\|message\|>Ayaan Urgrapth's Home Sarah Kensu came trotting in, huffing a little from the exertion. He looked at her and then looked at the surroundings. Pip came over and began licking his hand, earning himself a scratch. "Oh, Master Thunderfist," she says with a bow. "I've found the sword - and more importantly, I found where the villagers disappeared to. I hope they're all alright... And Pip was a great help, I couldn't have done it without him..." "I see," said Kensu, taken aback. The cave was filled with shiny, metal like threads. When he had come here previously it was empty, open. He felt amazed that it had all changed so quickly since he opened that damn door. The young Oracle was covered in black gore, but she didn't look severely injured. "You could certainly use a dip in the ocean." He said smiling. "..master... Kensu..." came a weak voice. Kensu looked down and it was the little girl who used to pick flowers and sell them in the village. He ran over to her and kneeled to cradle her head. "..the lady saved us.. she was amazing.. she's one of the special people isn't she master?.." the little girl said softly. "Yes dear girl," Kensu replied, his heart filled with pride, "yes she is a special one." He smiled reassuringly. He placed her down and let her fall back asleep. Kensu stood up and looked around. He felt a wave of guilt wash over him as he saw all the people strung up, but many of them seemed to be stirring and Sarah had already cut a few down who seemed to be able to stand. "Let's get everyone back to the village, then, well, then we'll talk." He turned to Sarah, "Thank you for what you have done this day, I know the ordeal has been more than extreme, and doubly so for one who just awoke. You are a special person Sarah, more than I think you know. Let us work quickly, there is much to discuss." Kensu pulled out his own knife and together they began to free as many villagers as possible. When the people seemed to be moving along well enough Kensu fought through the spider webs back into the little room near the back of the cavern, the room he opened that let the spider queen out. "To think all this came from one small decision," he said looking around. There on the floor were a set of steel containers, unopened and marked with a blue tag. They looked, important somehow, so Kensu grabbed them. They were heavy, but they had a strap made for carrying them and so with Kensu's strong arms it was not that difficult. Together the villagers, the old Master, and our hero made their way to the homes near the beach for a moment of respite, rest, and food.</s> <\|message\|>Jabberwocky Jabber sees a large group of villagers walking down a mountain from a cave, and roars, making the livestock flee, and the people scream, thrown into a panic. He swoops nearby, his talons tearing into the rock, sending debris flying through the air, a small avalanche of rocks and boulders tumbling down towards the village, and his flaming breath sets the buildings alight.</s> <\|message\|>Ayaan For clarification, this is on Kensu's Island, Jabberwocky has diverted his course and is attacking the Island for fun, as any good villain should do. SETUP: The tired and battered villagers have just awoke from a cave of nightmares at the hand of a spider queen and her spiderlings. The villagers were saved by Sarah, a young lady with pink hair and a sword that fires lightning bolts. Sarah is accompanied by Pip, a small dog-like creature, and Kensu, a warrior Wizard who has also studied the power of Lightning. Play fair guys, and focus on the goal of making the other person's roleplay experience the most fun it can be.</s> <\|message\|>Sarah Sarah Sarah is glad the villagers are all alright, and helps them leave the cave as quickly and orderly as possible, reassuring them along the way. She wants nothing more than a bath and a rest, but she's certain these people have had a worse day, being kidnapped by monsters and webbed up, exposed to nightmare-inducing miasma and almost made monster food. "Special?" she says softly to herself, as though trying to get a feel of the word. "I don't even know who I really am." When she gets out into the sunlight, she stops. It feels like years since she's been out in the sun; the dank, dark caves full of foul mist almost made her forget how the sun feels so nice and warm. She's just glad to be outside. That's when she sees something in the sky, descending towards them. At first she thinks it's a bird... but then realizes it's far too big and moving far too fast to be a bird. In fact, she realizes it's some sort of monster, heading straight for them. At first she feels a burst of panic and anxiety; she's barely recovered from the fight with the spiderlings, and she's still a bit shaky from the effects of the miasma. Then she realizes to her horror that the villagers are still in danger. It's the thought of the poor people escaping one threat only to face an even monstrous one galvanizes her into action. "Run!" she calls out to the village folk. "Run! Head for the forest! Take cover! Hurry! Please!" The ensuing panic feels like it's going to break her heart, what with the villagers running amok and pushing and hurting each other in their blind terror. However, the torrent of rocks rolling down from above where the monster struck the mountain drives her to try and get them away from danger, trying to help people who fell or got knocked over in the commotion. She tries to make sure everyone gets to cover as quickly as possible, all the while trying to shield the people from the falling rocks. The villagers were still streaming out of the cave. Right now, Sarah is trying to figure whether the beast is going to keep attacking them, or if it was just passing by. Either way, she can't ignore it; if it comes around for another pass... She grabs one of the more lucid villagers. "Please, listen to me, we don't have much time," she implores him. "Tell everyone to stay hidden in the forest and nearby caves. Please stay hidden until Master Thunderfist finds you and tells you it's safe to come out. Tell Master Thunderfist... tell him it was an honor to meet him, and I had to distract the monster before it hurt or killed anyone. "Tell him I'll be back, I promise..." The villager nods, and starts helping by herding his fellows to safety. Part of her wonders if she'll ever fulfill that promise. She prepares herself, and pulls out the sword. Taking measure, she then aims the sword and focuses her energy through it. A bolt of lightning fires from the tip, flying through the air, passing right in front of the flying beast to get its attention. "Hey!" she calls out to the beast, running south towards the beach. "Over here! This way!" She prepares to fire more bolts from the sword if the beast ignores her, trying to force it to follow her and away from the poor townsfolk. Once it follows her, she runs. She runs as fast as she can, wind rushing in her face, feeling her heart pound away in her chest. Using the map in this post: roleplayerguild.com/posts/5184875</s> <\|message\|>Jabberwocky Jabberwocky roars out a challenge, the rocks trembling from the force. "JABBERWOCKY!" That sends everything into a panic, and the cliffside starts shaking. He flies over the group, his dragging talons tearing into the stone like a knife in butter. He lands on the side of the cliff, and watches the group, eyes slits. He starts growling, and a red light kindles in the back of his throat, hot and deadly.</s> <\|message\|>Ayaan Kensu's Island Sarah * Jabberwocky Kensu heard loud bangs and felt tremors in the ground like the mountain was collapsing into itself. Up ahead he heard his people begin to scream. Sarah said something in her high voice but Kensu couldn't make out what she said. He dropped the containers that held the gas and ran to the cave entrance. What he saw was bedlam. People were running to the forest near the cave entrance and flailing their hands. Kensu could see that at least a few people had been smashed by falling rock. He would come back later to identify the bodies. Sarah fired a lightning bolt into the sky and screamed, Kensu followed the bolt and located the flying, black wyvern. "Jabberwocky", he said, "that lowly, no good, damn lizard!" Sarah was running in the direction of the waterfall, she was trying to lead the dragon away from them, good girl. Kensu made to follow behind, his little legs working hard on the stone to catch up to the younger, taller girl. He looked for Pip and saw the dog running beside her. He stopped a bit up the path and took a defensive position behind a rock. He had dealt with Jabberwocky before, and he had something in store for the creature, but he was going to have to get to the watchtower cabin near the village.</s> <\|message\|>Jabberwocky He hisses in anger as the bolt strikes his chest, and starts crawling down the mountain, disappearing into the shadows. He sniffs at the ground, and hisses, slithering along the ground like a snake. He vanishes into the darkness, and walks out in his human form, carrying a massive black scythe on his hands. The weapon pulses with dark power, rippling like it's underwater. He heads straight for the village, eyes glowing a bloody red. Where's the one who shot me?</s>	<\|message\|>Stephanie Anderson Steph listened in silence as Minoc answered her questions as best he could. She felt her chest tighten when he told her that over 150 years had passed, and she couldn't help but give voice to a small gasp when he said the name Julie Anderson. "Julie Anderson…" Steph whispered after Minoc had finished. "T-That's my mom…" With the knowledge that her mother's journal now resided at the Castle of Solace, Steph found herself even more eager to begin her journey there. Perhaps it would have information on her parents' fate. If they were still alive somewhere, or… She felt her eyes begin to moisten. No, she chided herself. Now's not the time for that. Focus on the task at hand, that's the most important thing. But first… "Thank you, Minoc," she said after a moment, while taking his hand and giving it a gentle squeeze. "For the food, for your help, for watching over me all those years… For everything." Steph smiled as she gave the old wizard a hug. "Okay, Peter," she announced with renewed determination once the embrace had concluded. "Lead the way!"</s>
<\|description\|>Stephanie Anderson Class: Oracle/Sleeper Appearance: Steph is an average looking fifteen-year-old girl, if a bit on the small side. She has short, black hair and piercing blue eyes. Personality: Steph is usually quiet and soft-spoken, preferring to silently observe a situation, rather than impetuously rush into the unknown, a trait that should serve her well in her current circumstances. When it comes to her areas of interest (science/technology/learning about the stranger facets of her new world), she can get very intense and focused. She is also quite inquisitive, but she never allows her fascination with something to compromise her sense of caution. She has always loved computers, robotics and technology in general, and is very skilled when it comes to working with it. Naturally, she is very distressed by the current, primitive, state of the world. She is very much a fish out of temporal water, and this has a major impact on how she views the world and interacts with its inhabitants. History: The brilliant daughter of two equally brilliant scientists, Stephanie's genius was recognized at an early age, and by the time she turned fifteen, she already had her first doctorate. She routinely assisted her renowned parents with their work, and was well on her way to becoming one of the world's brightest minds. Unfortunately, that world would soon come to a cataclysmic end… As the world of science and progress crumbled around her, Stephanie's parents hastily worked to ensure her survival. She was given a series of highly experimental genetic enhancements, coupled with an equally experimental cybernetic nanotech control system, and placed in a cryonic stasis chamber. Since their facility was located deep underground, and hardened against even the strongest forms of attack, her parents hoped that she would be safe until the world was once again hospitable to human life. Promising Steph that they would join her in stasis shortly, her parents sealed her chamber and hoped for the best. Abilities: Enhanced Physical Attributes- Besides her genius-level intellect, Steph has received extensive genetic enhancement, making her stronger, faster, and more resilient than a normal human. Her senses are also much more acute. Nanite Swarm- In addition, she has access to a small swarm of nanites, which she can control with the use of a cybernetic implant. These nanomachines are limited to performing minor to moderate healing on herself or others (only one person at a time), as well as providing information and manipulating anything made of metal (although in the future, they may be able to expand their capabilities further). The inhabitants of this backwards time will probably consider this to be magic. Equipment: Steph was sealed in her cryochamber with nothing other than the pictured outfit. There was a rather large supply of advanced weapons and survival equipment at the complex in which Steph's cryo chamber is located, but the state of them after the indeterminately long amount of time she has been asleep is anyone's guess… Steph has also acquired a suit of nanofluidic armor that can disguise itself to match the clothing of anyone nearby. Steph used her nanites to convert much of her cryostasis chamber into a cryostasis rifle, then a sword, and, currently, a liquid metal backpack. Steph was given the Earth Sword by Minoc. RP Notes: Steph's story is one of coming to terms with her new world and finding her place in it. She is (at least initally) completely alone in what seems to her like a primitive, alien world. At first, she is understandably overwhelmed by her situation, seeing the inhabitants of this new world as little more than backwards savages, but as she begins to learn more, she starts seeing them in a better light, and eventually comes to greatly respect them and the civilization they have built. While at the start, she might look down on the People of the Realm, she doen't do this out of hatred, but out of a mixture of pity and dissapointment. She hates the fact that the world is so primitive, and wants to do her part to restore at least some of the technology of her original time. Despite this unintentional air of suprioirity, Steph is still a kind person at heart, and one who is always willing to help others.</s> <\|message\|>Ayaan Jabberwocky's Hideout Dragon Ruby's fiery palm smacked against Annabelle's face and burned half of it off. "OOOUUCH!!" she said, well, half said because she didn't have much of a jaw anymore. Her one eye was wide open, the other burnt off, and what was left of her mouth turned up in a smile. "You're a feisty bitch! You ruined my look!" She raised her leg and kicked the young, blind girl back into the room she came out of. "God, I can only see half of what I'm looking for. HAHAHHAHA!!" She laughed at her own joke as she turned back to the computer screen and plucked the keys trying to figure out the mechanism.</s> <\|message\|>Ayaan Kensu's Hut Date: >September 30, 2218< "Have I ever seen the sun before this day? I'm sorry, this isn't really the place for it, but I have to put it down for posterity, for my mind will allow me nothing else. My heart is a slave! Her name, her name is Sarah, a goddess among us. We met while while I was giving a lecture at the college she attended, she's almost 20 years my junior. It's true I thought she was cute, and working with her the last few years has been delightful. I had no idea how much my affection had grown though until now. She's... incredible to say the least. Agh! my scientific mind doesn't speak well the languages of love, but my heart is driving me mad! She is in all my thoughts, all my worries! My world turns at the next moment I can see her! Why WHY! do I feel this way! My work is suffering, but what matter is work when a man is in love? Let me tell you everything I know about her: Her favorite color is Pink, so typical I know, but alluring; she has porcelain skin and bright blue eyes. She has so many talents and somehow we talk about a million different things, I... I can't even remember them. I remember just her face, her beautiful face looking at me like I'm the most powerful thing in her world. I love the way she looks at me, and I love to look at her. This is my science log, I'm sorry to waste the time, I have very important things to get to. We have been manipulating physical structures monitoring the flow of biogenic energy, it doesn't work like electricity, it's more... sublime. Sublime like my heart in the presence of my angel, my muse, my Sarah..... What can I do, I'm hopelessly in love, I can only hope she loves me as much as I love her. -Dr. Logan, signing out"</s> <\|message\|>Jabberwocky She yells in pain as she's punted away, and lands with a crunch. "Aaaah!" She stands up, and looks around, using her molten power to 'see' heat waves. She raises one hand letting magma flow over her arm, and runs forward. "Don't touch my bed!" She puts her arm through Annabelle's back, and through her heart, her arm searing through her flesh with minimal resistance.</s> <\|message\|>Sarah Sarah Sarah pauses. Wait, Dr. Logan named one of the Oracles Sarah... and he had written a love letter to a girl named Sarah? Was she named after her? If she's as charming and intelligent as Dr. Logan made her seem, she's actually rather honored, and wishes she had known the girl. Given the circumstances, it was impossible; that other Sarah must have perished hundreds of years ago, if not by the Cataclysm then by sheer old age. For what it was worth, she hopes Dr. Logan and this other Sarah had been happy together. Once she's done with Master Thunderfist's files, she goes to take a shower and sit down to eat. She's hungry, and it's been a rather busy day.</s>	<\|message\|>Stephanie Anderson Steph allowed Peter to lead her deep beneath the mountain, to where the transit tunnel was located. Along the way, she both despaired at how much of the technological infrastructure of her time had been lost, and marveled at how much had still managed to be preserved. It gave her a sliver of hope that, with enough effort, the world she knew might be restored. "Here we are, Miss Stephanie!" Peter announced excitedly. "Master Minoc's greatest achievement, the Sub-Surface Railway! It's only one segment of a vast network, which it is believed once spanned the entire world, but it is hoped that one day we can reactivate the other segments as well!" "That's great to hear," Steph told him with a smile. Despite being so primitive, at least when compared to what Steph was familiar with, it was actually rather amazing what these people had been able to accomplish. From what she had seen so far, the planet's geography had been drastically altered. The fact that they had managed to get even a single segment of the transit network up and running was nothing short of miraculous. "In fact, I'd be more than happy to help you with that project. At least, after all this is taken care of," she added, while patting her backpack. She had a fair idea of what it contained, but she wasn't about to open Minoc's package until they had safely arrived at the Castle of Solace. "Oh, and, uh, just call me Steph. I've never really been too big on formality." "Oh! My apologies!" the apprentice stammered. "It's just that, well, you're something of a living legend to us. I mean, to be part of the generation honored to see you awaken, to accompany you on this journey… I-It's more than I could have ever imagined!" "Hey, relax," Steph told him, becoming more than a little unnerved by all the hero-worship being directed towards her. "I'm just a regular person, same as you. I'm certainly not some mystic 'Oracle' or whatever." "B-But, your powers…!" Peter protested. "I can only do that stuff because of technology," she explained. "Just like the technology you used to get this train up and running. It's not magic," she added as they boarded the train. "Just science." "Well, it's still amazing," Peter said as he sat down across from her. "After all, it's not like anyone around here can do stuff like that." A low hum filled the car, and neon lights glowed, as the train's various systems came online. For a moment, Steph felt like she was back in her own time, the events of the past few hours little more than a dream. Unsurprisingly, Peter quickly brought her back to reality. "Looks like we're on our way," he observed as the lights outside the window began to pass by at an increasingly faster pace, before disappearing completely. "It's incredible how this train doesn't even need a crew. A machine-mind takes care of everything!" "It's called a computer," Steph pointed out. "And that's nothing compared to a full AI." "AI?" Peter asked. "Artificial intelligence," Steph clarified. "A machine that can think and reason just like a human." Peter gasped. "Such a thing existed in your time?!" "Yeah, a lot of them did." "Incredible…" --- The journey was a remarkably swift one, thanks in no small part to the train's inertialess propulsion system. Steph was very grateful for this, for a number of reasons. Bringing an end to Peter's incessant barrage of questions foremost among them. The young apprentice was just about to ask for more information about pre-cataclysmic space travel, when a tone sounded, followed by an artificial voice informing them that they had reached their destination. "Ah!" Peter gasped, having been broken out of his awe-inspired fixation on Steph. "It look's like we've arrived! Welcome to the Castle of Solace!"</s>
<\|description\|>Stephanie Anderson Class: Oracle/Sleeper Appearance: Steph is an average looking fifteen-year-old girl, if a bit on the small side. She has short, black hair and piercing blue eyes. Personality: Steph is usually quiet and soft-spoken, preferring to silently observe a situation, rather than impetuously rush into the unknown, a trait that should serve her well in her current circumstances. When it comes to her areas of interest (science/technology/learning about the stranger facets of her new world), she can get very intense and focused. She is also quite inquisitive, but she never allows her fascination with something to compromise her sense of caution. She has always loved computers, robotics and technology in general, and is very skilled when it comes to working with it. Naturally, she is very distressed by the current, primitive, state of the world. She is very much a fish out of temporal water, and this has a major impact on how she views the world and interacts with its inhabitants. History: The brilliant daughter of two equally brilliant scientists, Stephanie's genius was recognized at an early age, and by the time she turned fifteen, she already had her first doctorate. She routinely assisted her renowned parents with their work, and was well on her way to becoming one of the world's brightest minds. Unfortunately, that world would soon come to a cataclysmic end… As the world of science and progress crumbled around her, Stephanie's parents hastily worked to ensure her survival. She was given a series of highly experimental genetic enhancements, coupled with an equally experimental cybernetic nanotech control system, and placed in a cryonic stasis chamber. Since their facility was located deep underground, and hardened against even the strongest forms of attack, her parents hoped that she would be safe until the world was once again hospitable to human life. Promising Steph that they would join her in stasis shortly, her parents sealed her chamber and hoped for the best. Abilities: Enhanced Physical Attributes- Besides her genius-level intellect, Steph has received extensive genetic enhancement, making her stronger, faster, and more resilient than a normal human. Her senses are also much more acute. Nanite Swarm- In addition, she has access to a small swarm of nanites, which she can control with the use of a cybernetic implant. These nanomachines are limited to performing minor to moderate healing on herself or others (only one person at a time), as well as providing information and manipulating anything made of metal (although in the future, they may be able to expand their capabilities further). The inhabitants of this backwards time will probably consider this to be magic. Equipment: Steph was sealed in her cryochamber with nothing other than the pictured outfit. There was a rather large supply of advanced weapons and survival equipment at the complex in which Steph's cryo chamber is located, but the state of them after the indeterminately long amount of time she has been asleep is anyone's guess… Steph has also acquired a suit of nanofluidic armor that can disguise itself to match the clothing of anyone nearby. Steph used her nanites to convert much of her cryostasis chamber into a cryostasis rifle, then a sword, and, currently, a liquid metal backpack. Steph was given the Earth Sword by Minoc. RP Notes: Steph's story is one of coming to terms with her new world and finding her place in it. She is (at least initally) completely alone in what seems to her like a primitive, alien world. At first, she is understandably overwhelmed by her situation, seeing the inhabitants of this new world as little more than backwards savages, but as she begins to learn more, she starts seeing them in a better light, and eventually comes to greatly respect them and the civilization they have built. While at the start, she might look down on the People of the Realm, she doen't do this out of hatred, but out of a mixture of pity and dissapointment. She hates the fact that the world is so primitive, and wants to do her part to restore at least some of the technology of her original time. Despite this unintentional air of suprioirity, Steph is still a kind person at heart, and one who is always willing to help others.</s> <\|message\|>Sarah Sarah Sarah was just enjoying the view, though she finds the stamina of these sky-mantas remarkable. Do they ever sleep? Or perhaps they stay awake for long, long times and just hibernate every once in a while? She made a mental note to ask about that when she could. Just then, something sparkled and shone in her peripheral vision. "A-Asra?" Sarah asks in surprise. "What are you doing here? "Well, I'm doing alright. It's... it's been a rough day yesterday. First my awakening, then the trial to find the sword... then..." She trails off, unable to continue. Pip, sensing her returning sadness, rubs against her, whining softly. "Well, that seems... convenient," Sarah says, rubbing her head as though trying to feel whatever is connected to Asra in there. It feels a bit weird to have something in her head she has no knowledge of. "It's... it's alright," Sarah says softly, though she doesn't smile. "Yesterday's been a bit rough, and I would have been too distracted to talk anyways." Sarah looks at her sword, tucked away under her belt and under her cloak. "I'll try and think of something," she says. "Can't think of anything right now..." "Wait, what happened to the Oracle in Leaf?!" Sarah asks in concern. The idea of others like her oddly gave her hope, something to look forwards to in this world, and the idea of one of them being dead was distressful. It feels like losing a sibling you never knew about. She's also worried if the other Oracles might similarly get killed off... That was quite an infodump Asra had given her, and Sarah tries to memorize all that. It feels a little overwhelming, especially since she was only 'awake' starting yesterday. Some of it somehow 'clicks' with her, as though reaffirming some knowledge implanted in her mind during her long sleep. Other facts are new, and she makes a note to remember them. "So, first scan the source of the ability, then put the battery on a metal object, and touch it? Can I use the sword, or does it have to be a different metal object?" She shakes her head. "Sounds a bit complex to me..." The idea of another agent of Draygon assaulting a poor town or castle has her simultaneously revolted and shivering. She'd seen one of these dreaded lieutenants before, and he killed Kensu in front of her eyes. She has no idea whether she can even face this next one. She wants to jump in and help, but the fight with the stranger made her worry if she'll be able to even do anything to him. She frowns as she slides deep in thought that she almost misses Asra's next bit. "Oh, that's good," Sarah says. "At least I'll have company, right? "So, Asra, can I ask you something?" she continues. "What exactly are you? You're the first entity I met since my hibernation, and yet you have answers I'm trying to find. I'm beginning to understand the duty of the Oracles thanks to Master Thunderfists' documents, but if the Ancients made you to help the Oracles, why weren't they better prepared for... well, all this?"</s> <\|message\|>Jabberwocky She frowns, and looks at the gem. "Who are you? I feel like Daddy told me about you...Anny? Annabelle?" She smiles. "You make copies, right?" She tilts her head. "Why did you want my bed? That's mine." Jabberwocky He roars as the bolts shatter on his scales. "Who dares to attack me?" He spins, and hisses, staring at the house. "Tell me, or I will burn this town to the ground, and sow the ground with your blood."</s> <\|message\|>Ayaan On the Back of the Manta Ray Asra blipped and fluttered in Sarah's peripheral vision, happy to be a part of a conversation. "Every new configuration requires a new metal vessel, so the sword is configured to channel your Biogenic energy into lightning and it cannot be restructred to channel anything else. For a demonstration what I'm talking about let's take a look at those canisters you brought. Now, take the pressure tapping mechanism that's on the container rack and allow the battery to attach to the bottom, it has a powerful electro-magnet built into the battery so now that it's charged it should stick easily to any conductive metal. I'm sorry if you don't understand all of that, I know this is all very new to you. Please trust me, there was much knowledge built into your mind while you were being formed and with a little practice you should be able to understand basic math, science, and physics...." Sarah did as she was instructed, "There you go, now that you've attached the battery to the wand hold it close to the canister and I will scan the materials within." >.....analysis complete "The canister contains Imaginarium, a chemical compound that is gaseous at room temperature and similar in composition to Dimethyltryptamine, a neuro-hallucinogenic hormone released by the brain shortly before death. Now, give me a second, I haven't done this in a while..." Over the next few moments the rod in Sarah's hand jerked and vibrated and made electrical cutting noises. >.......configuration complete "There," Asra's voice returned, "now if you channel your energy through this wand it'll spray a gas that will cause any humanoid creature to hallucinate. I don't know if it works on animals or if different species of humanoids experience different effects. You'll have to experiment." Her musical voiced flittered happily inside of Sarah's head. "As you use the implements, you don't have to keep the battery on there to use it, it'll only double the strength of the implement, your body will grow neurons in the same configuration as the element so in time you'll be able to use the power of the implement without the aid of the device." "That's a very good question, and I'll try to answer as best as I can. I am something called an 'Artificial Intelligence,'" her voice sounded sad saying it, "I'm a computer who is alive and thinking. In the time before the Apocalypse I was designed to link the Oracles, though they were called something else then, and allow them to communicate with each other and with the Harbinger. I was also attached to Satellites, which are machines in space that can see everything in the world, and the World Net, which is like an electronic library of humanoid intelligence. And I was created to scan and manufacture implements for you to use after you awoke. You see, the Oracles were made to Rule. You were created to be perfect in every way, and more powerful than any being alive; Dr. Logan said he designed you to hold the 'Scepter and the Switch.'" "When Harbinger malfunctioned and began to attack the world the scientists changed my programming. I was put offline so I don't know what happened, but when I came back online it was over, there was nothing left. My program was saved in the pods and eventually I ran out of power and went into stasis myself. When you woke up, it gave me enough power to come back online, but only for a short time. So far I've communicated with yourself, a boy in Leaf village who I lost contact with, a child who burned to death in a fire, and another named Stephanie, though my contact with her was very brief and I don't know what happened." Asra's voice became very somber, "We are in very unsure times now, there's much I don't know. The world has changed and adapted, and now Harbinger has awoken again. I don't know what's going to happen, but I know we have to stop Harbinger before it destroys everything in the world... again."</s> <\|message\|>Sarah Sarah "Oh!" Sarah gasps in understanding as she completes the process Asra outlines. "In which case, I'm not copying the ability to the sword, I'm basically transferring those qualities to a suitable focus. Using biogenic energy to apply specific properties on certain objects and rendering them into complex tools or weapons. Very useful..." She's still not used to knowing the basics of this stuff without any prior experience, but she supposes it makes it easier for her to grasp the concept. As for Asra's description of herself, it was certainly interesting - and sorrowful. All that marvel, all that ability and creativity, wasted. "I... I watched a recording of Dr. Logan, talking about me - that is, me or another Oracle called Sarah, but he called her a 'Galatea prototype'. He seemed... very proud of us. That we'd help lead the way to a better world. But he said we were to help 'normal' humans, not rule over them. That's weird... "And if you're an AI, what was Harbinger... what drove it to malfunction?" Don't give Sarah all the details just yet :P she's just being curious and asking questions. It's okay if she has to find more data on her own.</s> <\|message\|>Ayaan "I can't say for sure," Asra said, "everything fell apart before I the program was fully initiated, I just... I just don't know." no worries, tonight when I'm able to make a thorough post I'll set up Bandersnatch and give you a good place to land. The landing spot is at a point north of the castle, the Manta's are going to swim the materials the rest of the way but you might have to walk, we will see.</s>	<\|message\|>Stephanie Anderson As the train's doors slid open, Steph found herself facing a bearded man with fiery red hair. "Greetings, young Oracle!" He declared with a welcoming smile as Steph and Peter disembarked. "I am Tornel, leader of the Brotherhood of Wizards and advisor to the King of Solace. It is my great honor to welcome you to the Castle of Solace," he added. "Please, right this way," the wizard instructed, while gesturing to a flight of stairs. "There is much to discuss." "Thank you," Steph replied with a smile of her own. "But please, just call me Steph." "A-And I'm Peter," her companion added shakily, awed to be in the presence of not just an Oracle, but the leader of the Brotherhood of Wizards as well. "I-I'm an apprentice to Master Minoc." "I see…" the wizard said thoughtfully, before the sound of a distant rumbling caught their attention. "I regret to say that you have found us in the midst of a siege at the moment," Tornel explained. "A vile servant of the Dark Lord Draygon has chosen to do battle with us. I would have swiftly put an end to him with my magic, but I am loath to reveal my true power unless absolutely necessary. Thus, one of the king's strongest paladins was sent out to slay the fiend, but it would appear he was unsuccessful… To make matters worse, the magical sword the paladin wielded is now in our foe's possession, and he is using its power to great effect. That sword was the most powerful weapon in the royal armory," the wizard continued. "Aside from my mightiest spells, I know of nothing that could stand against it, especially when wielded by such an inhumanly skilled hand..." "Perhaps this might help," Steph suggested as she retrieved Minoc's package from her backpack. "Minoc told me to give you this. I think it might be a weapon of some kind."</s>
<\|description\|>Stephanie Anderson Class: Oracle/Sleeper Appearance: Steph is an average looking fifteen-year-old girl, if a bit on the small side. She has short, black hair and piercing blue eyes. Personality: Steph is usually quiet and soft-spoken, preferring to silently observe a situation, rather than impetuously rush into the unknown, a trait that should serve her well in her current circumstances. When it comes to her areas of interest (science/technology/learning about the stranger facets of her new world), she can get very intense and focused. She is also quite inquisitive, but she never allows her fascination with something to compromise her sense of caution. She has always loved computers, robotics and technology in general, and is very skilled when it comes to working with it. Naturally, she is very distressed by the current, primitive, state of the world. She is very much a fish out of temporal water, and this has a major impact on how she views the world and interacts with its inhabitants. History: The brilliant daughter of two equally brilliant scientists, Stephanie's genius was recognized at an early age, and by the time she turned fifteen, she already had her first doctorate. She routinely assisted her renowned parents with their work, and was well on her way to becoming one of the world's brightest minds. Unfortunately, that world would soon come to a cataclysmic end… As the world of science and progress crumbled around her, Stephanie's parents hastily worked to ensure her survival. She was given a series of highly experimental genetic enhancements, coupled with an equally experimental cybernetic nanotech control system, and placed in a cryonic stasis chamber. Since their facility was located deep underground, and hardened against even the strongest forms of attack, her parents hoped that she would be safe until the world was once again hospitable to human life. Promising Steph that they would join her in stasis shortly, her parents sealed her chamber and hoped for the best. Abilities: Enhanced Physical Attributes- Besides her genius-level intellect, Steph has received extensive genetic enhancement, making her stronger, faster, and more resilient than a normal human. Her senses are also much more acute. Nanite Swarm- In addition, she has access to a small swarm of nanites, which she can control with the use of a cybernetic implant. These nanomachines are limited to performing minor to moderate healing on herself or others (only one person at a time), as well as providing information and manipulating anything made of metal (although in the future, they may be able to expand their capabilities further). The inhabitants of this backwards time will probably consider this to be magic. Equipment: Steph was sealed in her cryochamber with nothing other than the pictured outfit. There was a rather large supply of advanced weapons and survival equipment at the complex in which Steph's cryo chamber is located, but the state of them after the indeterminately long amount of time she has been asleep is anyone's guess… Steph has also acquired a suit of nanofluidic armor that can disguise itself to match the clothing of anyone nearby. Steph used her nanites to convert much of her cryostasis chamber into a cryostasis rifle, then a sword, and, currently, a liquid metal backpack. Steph was given the Earth Sword by Minoc. RP Notes: Steph's story is one of coming to terms with her new world and finding her place in it. She is (at least initally) completely alone in what seems to her like a primitive, alien world. At first, she is understandably overwhelmed by her situation, seeing the inhabitants of this new world as little more than backwards savages, but as she begins to learn more, she starts seeing them in a better light, and eventually comes to greatly respect them and the civilization they have built. While at the start, she might look down on the People of the Realm, she doen't do this out of hatred, but out of a mixture of pity and dissapointment. She hates the fact that the world is so primitive, and wants to do her part to restore at least some of the technology of her original time. Despite this unintentional air of suprioirity, Steph is still a kind person at heart, and one who is always willing to help others.</s> <\|message\|>Jabberwocky He hisses and growls, biting out the weapons, and tossing them aside. He folds his wings in, and folds into himself, his wings turning into a cape, and he draws a long scythe. "I only want the girl. Give me the Oracle, and I'll let you and your people live. Refuse, and you all die."</s> <\|message\|>Ayaan Tinkertown Dragon "I don't know what you're talking about, there is no girl. We killed the harpy, report that to your boss!" Minoc yelled as he threw a last lever and the hut they were in broke free from its supports and began plunging down the mountain! When Minoc designed the buildings of Tinkertown he put in a system to be able to easily move and disassemble some of the structures in case of a fire or landslide. It was originally a safety feature, he never expected that he'd be in one of the buildings as he threw the lever to send it racing to its destruction. He looked into the eyes of Jabberwocky as he felt the building begin to fall, "I'll see you in hell!" He slammed another button and the hurricane shutters of the building closed, sealing the two of them into the falling room.</s> <\|message\|>Jabberwocky He snarls, and jumps over the falling building, sprouting wings, and taking to the sky for a moment, his feet just brushing over the falling building. "You think simple tricks will slay one such as I? I've never lost a target I set my eyes on. I'll hunt it to the ends of the earth!"</s> <\|message\|>Stephanie Anderson Steph was utterly stunned as Tornel locked them inside the chamber and made his accusations. Servants of Draygon?! What the hell?! I thought this guy was supposed to help us, not imprison us! "W-Wait!" Peter cried franticly. "We don't serve Draygon! There's been a terrible mistake!" "Don't waste your breath, Peter," Steph advised. "I doubt he can hear you." "B-But he has to let us out!" the apprentice protested. "With the castle under attack, he needs our help! Well, your help," he added after a moment. "A-And why does he think we work for Draygon, anyway?! Master Minoc always talked of how wise and powerful Master Tornel was. How could he not know who we really are?!" "You know how I said I wasn't anything supernatural, just a normal person? Well, I kinda think that applies double to him." "S-So, what are we going to do?" Peter asked. "Escape, obviously," Steph replied. "B-But the door is booby trapped!" "Somehow, I doubt that will be much of a problem for my nanites," Steph noted with a small grin, before focusing her attention on the package Tornel had so carelessly dismissed. "But first, I'd like to see if my suspicions are right about this thing." Picking it up from where Peter had dropped it on the floor, Steph held it in her hands for a moment, feeling its weight. "Huh. I don't see what Tornel was complaining about. I mean, it doesn't feel all that heavy…" she observed, before smiling and shaking her head. "That's right… I keep forgetting that I'm a lot stronger than I used to be…" Carefully unfastening the wrapping, she allowed it to fall to the ground, revealing what Minoc had tasked her with delivering…</s> <\|message\|>Sarah Sarah Sarah startles at the sound of the fireball crashing into the walls. She remembers what Asra said about one of Draygon's minions assaulting the castle, and her fair, soft features harden as she glares out the window angrily. She's seen what one of these monsters could do, and she barely beat that one back. Asra was hesitant to let her engage this one, meaning he must be equally dangerous. It's only the king's calm reaction that calms her down in return. She sighs and turns back to the King. "How long has this one been assaulting the castle, Your Majesty?" she asks. "Is there anything I can do to help?" Sarah sits down, and takes a deep breath. "Well, you see Your Majesty," she begins, "it began with waking up from my capsule in a cave. I... I have no recollections before that, just knowledge implanted during my long sleep, which is why I'm able to talk to people and understand things, but beyond that, I was just... sleeping. All I know was I had to find someone, and not because I had woken up with nobody around..." She decides to keep Asra to herself for now. She's not entirely sure the King would believe her about a flying fairy that was actually the holosense avatar of an artificial intelligence living in orbital space platforms. She's not entirely sure she believes it herself, despite her own implanted knowledge. "When I walked to the village... there was nobody there. It was... strange. Eerie. I had to explore some more before I found anyone - Master Kensu Thunderfist. He had been exploring a cave on the island, one shaped like a skull, so he missed my awakening and whatever had happened at the village. He greeted me, told me more about my purpose, and that I had to retrieve a sword from the cave. He had tried to find it, but never could, so it was up to me." She pauses to take a sip of wine to wet her throat, but flinches at the sharp taste of alcohol, despite the wine's overall sweetness. "Sorry, is wine supposed to taste like that, Your Majesty?" she asks. "It's sweet, but there's this sharp, strong flavor underneath. I've... I've never had wine before, to be honest. Sorry if I've offended in any way. "Anyways, as I explored the cave, however, I found out what had happened to the villagers." she says with a shudder at the memory. "Turns out a monstrous spider-queen... thing had settled in the cave, and had had her children use a poison gas to incapacitate the villagers and took them into the cave as... as food. The gas made my journey into the cave more difficult, as it was impairing my progress. If Pip weren't with me... well, I don't know what would have happened. I managed to find the villagers, find the sword and fight the spider-queen. The queen had somehow closed the cave entrance, so her death meant Master Thunderfist could finally help me with getting the villagers out, but then..." She silent for a bit, trying to gather the strength to continue. She's on the verge of tears, hands clenched tightly into fists. "T-then a giant, flying monster arrived, and began smashing into the cliffside," she says, her voice trembling. "I... I managed to get most of the v-villagers out, b-but some... some still got crushed under the rocks... I... I couldn't help them, all I could do was try and get the others to safety, get the monster away from... "I-I managed to draw its attention, intending to throw off its attention, but then I s-saw a hooded man in a cloak. I didn't realize it at first b-but that may have been the monster in disguise. I tried to fight him, but he was too strong... then Master K-Kensu tried to help me b-but... but he..." She stopped, and started sobbing quietly, tears dripping onto the table. "I'm s-sorry, M-Master Kensu," she cries softly into her brunch. "I c-couldn't save you..."</s> <\|message\|>Ayaan In the Gilded Dungeon When Stephanie took out the sword of stone she felt a pulse of energy vibrate up her spine. The runic symbols on the sword glowed blue as if with electric light. Stephanie turned the sword over in her hand as she examined it. "OOhhh," Peter let out with wide eyes, "It never did that before?!" Suddenly something sparked in Stephanie's peripheral vision and Asra appeared with a flutter. "Oh My!" she said in her sweet voice, "Stephanie! I'm so happy to talk to you again! I didn't know what happened! Are you okay?" The fairy fluttered around her vision excitedly. "Wait, scratch that, I don't have much time before I run out of power again. There is another in the castle, her name is Sarah, you must find her! She is with the King, and she will tell you much. You will be the first of those who have awoken to... KZ!JC%... ogeth... BRR^&$ZZT!!" and suddenly the fairy vanished. "What? What is it?" Peter asked tentively after seeing Stephanie appear to zone out and look off into nothing. "Are you okay Miss?" Steph nodded that she was okay, "Oh good, you looked like you saw a ghost or something for a second and I was worried. Young Mistress, Steph, I don't know if you realized but Master Minoc was able to use this sword to move stone. I.. I don't know how he did it, but maybe you could.." his voice trailed off.</s>	<\|message\|>Stephanie Anderson "So it is a sword…" Steph said softly as she examined the weapon. She had only held it for a few seconds, before the fairy that had appeared to her just after she'd awoken winked into existence. The tiny creature talked at a rapid pace as it excitedly fluttered around her. Steph tried her best to make sense of what it was saying. Something about finding a girl named Sarah who was currently with the king. She supposed she could do that. After all, she was already planning on paying the king a visit. But who was this girl anyway? And who, or what, was this fairy? Before she could ask, the fairy winked out of existence as swiftly as it had arrived. She mentioned running out of power… Steph thought to herself. Maybe she's an AI of some sort? Peter's voice dissolved her musings. He was asking if she was okay. "Yeah, I'm fine," Steph told him. "So there's nothing to worry yourself about." He went on to tell her how Minoc had used the sword to move stone, and suggested that she might be able to do the same. "Move stone, huh?" she asked with a raised eyebrow. "Well, let's give it a shot." Pointing the sword at the wall next to the door, Steph closed her eyes and concentrated, focusing on linking her mind to the weapon and visualizing the wall opening to create a passage for them to walk through, before sealing back up again. "O-Oh my goodness!" she heard Peter exclaim after a moment. "Y-You're actually doing it!" Opening her eyes, Steph saw that the apprentice was right. The sword had caused an opening to form in the wall just as she had envisioned. "Come on, Peter," she instructed, while slinging her backpack over her shoulder. "Let's get out of here!" After the two had passed through the opening, it swiftly sealed itself, so that no one would realize they had escaped, unless they checked inside the room itself. Wishing to avoid suspicion, Steph retuned the sword to her backpack. "Okay, now to find Sarah…"</s>
<\|description\|>Stephanie Anderson Class: Oracle/Sleeper Appearance: Steph is an average looking fifteen-year-old girl, if a bit on the small side. She has short, black hair and piercing blue eyes. Personality: Steph is usually quiet and soft-spoken, preferring to silently observe a situation, rather than impetuously rush into the unknown, a trait that should serve her well in her current circumstances. When it comes to her areas of interest (science/technology/learning about the stranger facets of her new world), she can get very intense and focused. She is also quite inquisitive, but she never allows her fascination with something to compromise her sense of caution. She has always loved computers, robotics and technology in general, and is very skilled when it comes to working with it. Naturally, she is very distressed by the current, primitive, state of the world. She is very much a fish out of temporal water, and this has a major impact on how she views the world and interacts with its inhabitants. History: The brilliant daughter of two equally brilliant scientists, Stephanie's genius was recognized at an early age, and by the time she turned fifteen, she already had her first doctorate. She routinely assisted her renowned parents with their work, and was well on her way to becoming one of the world's brightest minds. Unfortunately, that world would soon come to a cataclysmic end… As the world of science and progress crumbled around her, Stephanie's parents hastily worked to ensure her survival. She was given a series of highly experimental genetic enhancements, coupled with an equally experimental cybernetic nanotech control system, and placed in a cryonic stasis chamber. Since their facility was located deep underground, and hardened against even the strongest forms of attack, her parents hoped that she would be safe until the world was once again hospitable to human life. Promising Steph that they would join her in stasis shortly, her parents sealed her chamber and hoped for the best. Abilities: Enhanced Physical Attributes- Besides her genius-level intellect, Steph has received extensive genetic enhancement, making her stronger, faster, and more resilient than a normal human. Her senses are also much more acute. Nanite Swarm- In addition, she has access to a small swarm of nanites, which she can control with the use of a cybernetic implant. These nanomachines are limited to performing minor to moderate healing on herself or others (only one person at a time), as well as providing information and manipulating anything made of metal (although in the future, they may be able to expand their capabilities further). The inhabitants of this backwards time will probably consider this to be magic. Equipment: Steph was sealed in her cryochamber with nothing other than the pictured outfit. There was a rather large supply of advanced weapons and survival equipment at the complex in which Steph's cryo chamber is located, but the state of them after the indeterminately long amount of time she has been asleep is anyone's guess… Steph has also acquired a suit of nanofluidic armor that can disguise itself to match the clothing of anyone nearby. Steph used her nanites to convert much of her cryostasis chamber into a cryostasis rifle, then a sword, and, currently, a liquid metal backpack. Steph was given the Earth Sword by Minoc. RP Notes: Steph's story is one of coming to terms with her new world and finding her place in it. She is (at least initally) completely alone in what seems to her like a primitive, alien world. At first, she is understandably overwhelmed by her situation, seeing the inhabitants of this new world as little more than backwards savages, but as she begins to learn more, she starts seeing them in a better light, and eventually comes to greatly respect them and the civilization they have built. While at the start, she might look down on the People of the Realm, she doen't do this out of hatred, but out of a mixture of pity and dissapointment. She hates the fact that the world is so primitive, and wants to do her part to restore at least some of the technology of her original time. Despite this unintentional air of suprioirity, Steph is still a kind person at heart, and one who is always willing to help others.</s> <\|message\|>Stephanie Anderson Moving through the castle halls, Steph and Peter were careful to avoid attracting undue attention. Thankfully, there didn't seem to be many people around, probably due to the siege Tornel had mentioned. This did pose something of a problem, however, as neither Steph nor Peter had any idea of where the king's chambers were located. They needed directions, and for that, they needed someone to provide them. After ascending a few flights of stairs, they came to a large central chamber, at the far end of which, a figure in fancy armor was giving instructions to a group of several men-at-arms. Sir Gravy "Pardon us, sir," Steph said as she and Peter approached the group. "But would you be so kind as to tell us the way to the king's chambers? We're apprentices of Master Minoc of Tinkertown, and we have an urgent message for the king." "Do you now?" the knight who had been giving orders responded as he turned to face them. "In that case, it shall be my honor to take you to his majesty myself. I am Sir Gravy, a paladin in the king's service, and you can rest assured that you shall be safe in my care, even in the midst of this deplorable siege! Sir Snack!" he called, and a knight in substantially less elaborate armor jumped to attention. "Continue overseeing the preparations in my stead." With that, the paladin began leading the way to the king's chambers. "I must say, I find myself somewhat perplexed as to how you made your way here with the dark forces of Draygon having thoroughly surrounded us," Sir Gravy noted as they walked. "We used a secret underground passage," Steph explained. "It's only known to a select few. In fact," she added, "we didn't even know of it until Master Minoc showed us." "Ah yes, wizards and their secrets," Sir Gravy said with a chuckle. "I know, right? Anyway, Master Tornel was supposed to meet us when we arrived, but we haven't seen him anywhere." "That's most likely due to the siege," the paladin noted. "A wizard of his power is undoubtedly quite busy at a time like this, preparing mighty spells and crafting grand strategies." "Oh, of course," Steph replied, while doing her best not to roll her eyes at the paladin's high praise of Tornel. "We figured as much ourselves. That's why we were looking for someone else who could show us the way to the king." "Speaking of his majesty, we have now arrived!" Sir Gravy declared as they stopped before an ornate gilded door. "Your Majesty," he announced. "It is I, Sir Gravy! I have with me two envoys from Tinkertown, apprentices of Master Minoc! They say they carry an urgent message for you!"</s> <\|message\|>Jabberwocky A distant roar shakes the ground, and Jabber rises into the sky, eyes gleaming and hungry. He soars over the ground, the land vanishing beneath his shadow, his claws tearing apart trees and roofs. He opens his massive jaws, and roars so loudly and powerfully that animals drop dead from fright. His hungry eyes glow, and a wave of liquid-like fire bursts from his jaws, setting everything around him alight. He flies over the town hall, and lands on the tallest building, roaring, making the shingles rattle, and glass crack and shatter.</s> <\|message\|>Ayaan Tinkertown Dragon \| *********************************** \| Locke walked out onto the small ledge that was the remnants of the bridge. He beheld the Jabberwocky and was afraid. Bravely he forced himself to step forward and look the beast in the eye. "Your Harpy is dead!" He yelled in his strongest voice, "We killed it. There's nobody else here. You got what you came for, now leave us be!" His heart was beating out of control, he had never been so scared in his life, but even though he was only 14 he was the only one left to tell the dragon beast to go. \| \| --- \| --- \|</s> <\|message\|>Jabberwocky He laughs, a deep, dark laugh, like a set of billows heating a blazing furnace. "What I came for? Listen to yourself, little boy. I don't care about the harpy. I'm here for the Oracle. Hand her over, or burn." He bares his sharp teeth, and grins at him, eyes glowing in hunger.</s> <\|message\|>Ayaan The Castle of Solace @shadowsaint007 The King stood up at the explosion, slightly befuddled. His ears hurt from the noise and his eyes hurt from the bright light. "Tornel what are you..." Before he could answer Tornel pushed him to the wall and placed his body between the King and the girl. Sarah healed the dog who got up and stated barking. "WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOU!!" She screamed. For a moment Tornel questioned himself about who she was. Then his mind resolved. Too many strange goings on were happening; the girl in the dungeon, the girl before the king, the monster at the castle walls. The wizard didn't feel in control, and nothing made him angrier then not being in control. He loaded another vial into his gauntlet. "Stay back Witch! I'll not have you murder out King!" He yelled. The King had had enough. "You will stop this Tornel!" He commanded regally. Tornel turned a weary eye back, "Yo... You Highness?" "This girl is our guest, and under my Protection!" The King was furious, "you will NEVER use such weapons in my presence! I should have you beheaded!" Tornel looked abashed, his face reddened, "Your Majesty I, I only mean to protect you. She is.." "She is an Holy Oracle," The King proclaimed. "a... a holy oracle." Tornel demured. "Your Majesty," a booming voice announced from the other side of the door leading out. "It is I, Sir Gravy! I have with me two envoys from Tinkertown, apprentices of Master Minoc! They say they carry an urgent message for you!" Tornel's eyes widened in panic. "Your Highness! These individuals are precisely the reason I had to come to you to warn you about! They are monster's of Draygon, shapeshifters here to fool you. Do not..." The King slapped the Wizard, SMACK! "Do not deign to tell me what I shall and shall not do," he said quietly, "I am your King! and it is I who command you." Tornel took to his knees and bowed his head. "Forgive me Your Highness," he said, "I live only to serve." and I will dispatch of these wretches when I get the first chance. He thought privately. "ENTER Knight!" The King yelled, "and come in with the messengers." The attendant, who had made himself scarce since Tornel entered the room, opened the door to reveal Sir Gravy and Stephanie.</s>	<\|message\|>Stephanie Anderson "Greetings, your Majesty," Steph said as she entered and bowed before the king. Her eyes hardened as she took note that Tornel was also present, along with a pink-haired girl. Presumably this was the "Sarah" the fairy had mentioned. "My name is Stephanie, and this is Peter," she informed, gesturing to the young apprentice who was currently cowering behind her. "H-Hello…" the apprentice said meekly, rather overwhelmed by his current situation. First an oracle, then the leader of the wizards, and now the king himself! This was certainly the most remarkable day of his young life, and it was getting to be a bit much for the poor young man. "We came here at the request of Master Minoc," Steph continued. "He told us that we would be met by the wise wizard Tornel, but when we arrived, Tornel locked us in a chamber and called us servants of Draygon! Minoc even told us to present this weapon to him," she explained, while retrieving the sword from her backpack. "But he carelessly dismissed it without even looking at it! There's one other thing," she added in a more reserved tone. "I'm not an apprentice of Minoc. I'm actually what you people would call an oracle. I'm sorry, Sir Gravy," she told the knight, trying not to laugh as she said his ridiculous name. "I didn't want to lie to you, but we needed to see the king and explain the situation to him." "Gadzooks!" the paladin exclaimed. "Are you to tell me that I have been in the presence of one of the legendary oracles this entire time?! Truly extraordinary! It was my honor to be of service to you, my lady!" he declared, bowing to her in deference. Then, sobering, he added, "And though I bristle at your deception, I can see that it was for a worthy cause. Thus, it shall be my great pleasure to accept your apology!" "Thank you," Steph said while treating the paladin to a warm smile. "That really means a lot. Oh, and you don't need to do the whole 'my lady' thing. Just call me Steph." "Very well, young Steph," Sir Gravy acquiesced. "I shall respect your wish for modesty. And what of you young Peter," the paladin inquired. "Are you also an oracle of legend?" "N-No, sir," Peter stammered. "I-I'm just an ordinary apprentice. I-In fact, I p-probably shouldn't even be here…"</s>
<\|description\|>Stephanie Anderson Class: Oracle/Sleeper Appearance: Steph is an average looking fifteen-year-old girl, if a bit on the small side. She has short, black hair and piercing blue eyes. Personality: Steph is usually quiet and soft-spoken, preferring to silently observe a situation, rather than impetuously rush into the unknown, a trait that should serve her well in her current circumstances. When it comes to her areas of interest (science/technology/learning about the stranger facets of her new world), she can get very intense and focused. She is also quite inquisitive, but she never allows her fascination with something to compromise her sense of caution. She has always loved computers, robotics and technology in general, and is very skilled when it comes to working with it. Naturally, she is very distressed by the current, primitive, state of the world. She is very much a fish out of temporal water, and this has a major impact on how she views the world and interacts with its inhabitants. History: The brilliant daughter of two equally brilliant scientists, Stephanie's genius was recognized at an early age, and by the time she turned fifteen, she already had her first doctorate. She routinely assisted her renowned parents with their work, and was well on her way to becoming one of the world's brightest minds. Unfortunately, that world would soon come to a cataclysmic end… As the world of science and progress crumbled around her, Stephanie's parents hastily worked to ensure her survival. She was given a series of highly experimental genetic enhancements, coupled with an equally experimental cybernetic nanotech control system, and placed in a cryonic stasis chamber. Since their facility was located deep underground, and hardened against even the strongest forms of attack, her parents hoped that she would be safe until the world was once again hospitable to human life. Promising Steph that they would join her in stasis shortly, her parents sealed her chamber and hoped for the best. Abilities: Enhanced Physical Attributes- Besides her genius-level intellect, Steph has received extensive genetic enhancement, making her stronger, faster, and more resilient than a normal human. Her senses are also much more acute. Nanite Swarm- In addition, she has access to a small swarm of nanites, which she can control with the use of a cybernetic implant. These nanomachines are limited to performing minor to moderate healing on herself or others (only one person at a time), as well as providing information and manipulating anything made of metal (although in the future, they may be able to expand their capabilities further). The inhabitants of this backwards time will probably consider this to be magic. Equipment: Steph was sealed in her cryochamber with nothing other than the pictured outfit. There was a rather large supply of advanced weapons and survival equipment at the complex in which Steph's cryo chamber is located, but the state of them after the indeterminately long amount of time she has been asleep is anyone's guess… Steph has also acquired a suit of nanofluidic armor that can disguise itself to match the clothing of anyone nearby. Steph used her nanites to convert much of her cryostasis chamber into a cryostasis rifle, then a sword, and, currently, a liquid metal backpack. Steph was given the Earth Sword by Minoc. RP Notes: Steph's story is one of coming to terms with her new world and finding her place in it. She is (at least initally) completely alone in what seems to her like a primitive, alien world. At first, she is understandably overwhelmed by her situation, seeing the inhabitants of this new world as little more than backwards savages, but as she begins to learn more, she starts seeing them in a better light, and eventually comes to greatly respect them and the civilization they have built. While at the start, she might look down on the People of the Realm, she doen't do this out of hatred, but out of a mixture of pity and dissapointment. She hates the fact that the world is so primitive, and wants to do her part to restore at least some of the technology of her original time. Despite this unintentional air of suprioirity, Steph is still a kind person at heart, and one who is always willing to help others.</s> <\|message\|>Sarah Sarah When Tornel prepares a second strike, Sarah stiffens, Pip growling in her hands. For a moment, she considers drawing her sword and fighting Tornel, but then she remembers the King is still there, and she doesn't want to endanger him. She's not sure what to do about Tornel wanting to kill her, though, as he seems convinced she's a threat to the King. However, the King's angry response - and the timely arrival of another knight - seemed to defuse the situation, and forced Tornel onto the back foot. Sarah couldn't help but wince when the King smacked Tornel; even though Tornel was just threatening to kill her, she feels that it wasn't seemly of the king to get physical like that, plus she felt pity for Tornel, whose dignity was damaged by that. Even though he attacked her and Pip. Pip, however, held no sympathy, growling at Tornel until he leaves, giving an angry little snort when the Wizard had left. Sarah breathes a sigh of relief when Tornel leaves. She just wishes the whole thing hadn't escalated so badly. Why did he believe she was a servant of Draygon? What had she done wrong? When the Knight introduces his guests, Sarah waves to them. "Hello, I'm Sarah, a pleasure to meet you," she says. To Stephanie, Sarah seems to be a pink-haired girl of 18 years old, a bit tall for her age, and with bright green eyes. She's carrying a small dog, similar to a corgi with shiny bits attached, and they seem a bit scuffed up, as though they've been hit by a small explosion - which she probably heard on her way up. The dog seems in better condition than Sarah. For Sarah, seeing Stephanie in those clothes... it stirs something deep within her. A memory? More like a glimpse of one, a flash of recognition that fades away almost before it registers. She remembers the tube from her nightmare in the caverns under the influence of the miasma. She remembers vaguely seeing figures outside her tube, in similar designs. Or is she just imagining things? The memory flashed by too quickly to examine. "I'm... I'm not sure why he thought we were servants of Draygon," Sarah says with a shrug. Then she notices the dog in her arms start fidgeting. "Uh, Pip, what are you doing...? Pip?!" Pip jumps out of New Master's arms, and trots over to the newcomers. The Knight he gives a quick sniff, but more out of mild curiosity than anything. The boy with him he gives a bit more interest, circling him once or twice as he sniffs his feet and legs. Clearly an outsider, from a distant village, but any uniqueness to his scent seems to have rubbed off from the third one, a girl. Sniffing the girl gives more intriguing results. She smells... unique. Somehow it's similar to New Master's scent, but different in a way. He circles the raven-haired girl a few times, sniffing curiously, before looking up at her, tilting his head with a curious whine, then barking cheerfully and panting. "So sorry about that," Sarah says, walking over to pick up the over-eager dog. "Pip's very excitable, and I've only had him for a short while now..."</s> <\|message\|>Jabberwocky He begins laughing, untill he's howling in laughter. "Have you never heard of the Jabberwocky, child? I live for death, for war. I am the ultimate killing machine." He tilts his head. "You're a brave one. If you can hit me at all, I'll leave. Take a swing at me."</s> <\|message\|>Ayaan Tinkertown Dragon Locke looked at the dragon hopelessly, "You're up on that roof! I can't reach you up there!?"</s> <\|message\|>Jabberwocky He laughs, and jumps off the roof. The ground cracked beneath his feet, smattering like glass hit with a boulder. "The first strike is yours, little boy." He bares fangs, sharp and white.</s> <\|message\|>Ayaan Tinkertown Dragon Locke stepped forward, tears running down his face. He was only 14 but he knew he was about to die. If only he could touch the monster then the monster promised to leave his family alone and his friends and go away. Locke felt too weak to live the Sword higher than his wast. He forced his muscles to move and he swung the sword towards jabberwocky's taunting face. "Got you!" Came a tiny voice from behind jabberwocky's leg. A little girl, maybe 5 years old, had been hiding behind Locke's legs And when Jabberwocky landed she slipped around to his giant scaled foot and with a little wooden sword Hit it as hard as her little body could. From the building a woman screamed no. A voice sounded in jabberwocky's head, "Destroy them all," Draygon said inside of Jabberwocky's head, "and return to me."</s> <\|message\|>Jabberwocky He laughs, long and loud. "Not even dogs send pups to fight. Cowards, all of you." The weapons do nothing, less then nothing. They both shatter, as if smashed with a hammer. "I like you, little ones. You remind me of someone...... leave now, children. You are no threat." He looks at the adults, and walks towards them, hands clasped behind his back. His scythe scraping into the ground, rocks cracking and splitting. "Are there no honerable ones among you?"</s> <\|message\|>Ayaan Tinkertown Dragon A disheveled woman who might have been in her mid-twenties ran out of the building and picked up the five-year-old child. "There was a girl," She said holding her child to her chest, "but she disappeared, Lord Minoc took her somewhere and none of us know where. And now he's dead." The woman put herself in between the two children and Jabberwocky, "does that satisfy you beast? Or do you still lust for more blood?"</s> <\|message\|>Jabberwocky He tilts his head. "Enough? You think I've done enough? Should I drag your whole town to Draygon, let him eradicate you all? Send me your strongest warrior. If they can get through my defense, I'll leave. If not....." He bares his fangs. "You get the picture."</s> <\|message\|>Sarah Better get this thing going again, I'd imagine. Sarah "So, Stephanie, right?" Sarah asks her new acquaintance. "It's nice to meet you. And you too, Peter. I'm Sarah, this is my... my friend, Pip." Pip barks as though in confirmation. "Dear girl, please come in," says King Kovar. "It seems I've been blessed by a very unusual day; a visit by two Oracles of old! These are certainly unusual times... but perhaps they are so for a reason. Reports have been... troubling as of late. "You too, my dear boy," he says, gesturing to Peter. "It's surely been a long trip, and you've come a long way if you're Master Minoc apprentice. How is the old Master these days? "Sarah has been talking to me about her journey thus far, perhaps you can regale an old man as myself with your tales as well?"</s> <\|message\|>Stephanie Anderson "Its nice to meet you, Sarah," Steph said with a smile. "You too, Pip," she added, giggling as she gently pet the dog's head. "And I don't mind the attention. I've always loved dogs." "Thank you, your Majesty," she said after the king bid her enter. "Master Minoc was fine when we left him, although Tinkertown did suffer a monster attack a short while ago… Yeah, I suppose I should start at the beginning," she sighed after the king had inquired about her tale. "I'm originally from what I guess you would call the 'Old World', that is, the world before the cataclysm. My parents and I were scientists working at an underground complex. When the world started coming apart at the seams, they placed me in a cryostasis chamber, and, well, I just woke up about a day ago. Obviously, I was shocked by how long I had slept and by how much the world had changed, but with the town I found myself in under attack, I knew I had to figure out some way to help them. Long story short, I was able to come up with a plan and get rid of most of the monsters, including this really creepy harpy. I then met Master Minoc. He told me about Draygon, introduced me to Peter, and instructed me to take this sword to Master Tornel, here at the Castle of Solace. But for some reason," she added, casting a fierce glare at the wizard, "Tornel locked us in a chamber, claiming we were servants of Draygon."</s> <\|message\|>Sarah Sarah Pip likes this one. She knows how to pat a dog properly. "The Old World, you say?" the King muses with interest. Sarah also seems intrigued by Stephanie. "My dear girl, you must have seen such wonders, wonders I can only imagine in this darker age. Sarah says she doesn't remember anything before she woke up from her pod; do you have any idea why that is? I thought that you both being Oracles, perhaps you could enlighten us about the Ancients." Sarah shakes her head sadly. "I have... glimpses, your Majesty, but they're not exactly what you'd call visions. More... I think glimpses of the world, as though I'm still in my pod, looking out. They... they come and go, and they're not exactly clear. As I told your Majesty, I have no clear memories of my existence before waking up from the pod." "I see," King Kovar muses. "Back to Stephanie's tale, was there anything notable about the Harpy? I have my suspicions, though that comes with good news and bad if I am correct."</s>	<\|message\|>Stephanie Anderson "Yeah, I suppose I have," Steph agreed with a sigh, feeling a slight despondency at the thought of the world's current, primitive state. "The harpy?" Steph asked after the king had inquired about the creature. "Well, it appeared to be leading the attack on the village, and it could also fire some kind of blue energy beam from its mouth. To answer your question about Sarah's lack of memory," she continued, "I think I might have an idea. Back in my time, there was talk of a project to create several genetically enhanced beings, capable of manipulating something called 'biogenic energy'. It was all very cutting edge stuff," she added, while turning to face the pink-haired girl, "and I don't really know much more about it than that, but from what you've said, I think it's very likely that you were one of the prototypes. Speaking of the old world," Steph said after a moment, her voice containing more than a hint of trepidation. "There was something else I was meaning to ask you, your Majesty. Master Minoc told me that my mother's journal had been brought here. If that's the case, may I be permitted to see it?"</s>
<\|description\|>Stephanie Anderson Class: Oracle/Sleeper Appearance: Steph is an average looking fifteen-year-old girl, if a bit on the small side. She has short, black hair and piercing blue eyes. Personality: Steph is usually quiet and soft-spoken, preferring to silently observe a situation, rather than impetuously rush into the unknown, a trait that should serve her well in her current circumstances. When it comes to her areas of interest (science/technology/learning about the stranger facets of her new world), she can get very intense and focused. She is also quite inquisitive, but she never allows her fascination with something to compromise her sense of caution. She has always loved computers, robotics and technology in general, and is very skilled when it comes to working with it. Naturally, she is very distressed by the current, primitive, state of the world. She is very much a fish out of temporal water, and this has a major impact on how she views the world and interacts with its inhabitants. History: The brilliant daughter of two equally brilliant scientists, Stephanie's genius was recognized at an early age, and by the time she turned fifteen, she already had her first doctorate. She routinely assisted her renowned parents with their work, and was well on her way to becoming one of the world's brightest minds. Unfortunately, that world would soon come to a cataclysmic end… As the world of science and progress crumbled around her, Stephanie's parents hastily worked to ensure her survival. She was given a series of highly experimental genetic enhancements, coupled with an equally experimental cybernetic nanotech control system, and placed in a cryonic stasis chamber. Since their facility was located deep underground, and hardened against even the strongest forms of attack, her parents hoped that she would be safe until the world was once again hospitable to human life. Promising Steph that they would join her in stasis shortly, her parents sealed her chamber and hoped for the best. Abilities: Enhanced Physical Attributes- Besides her genius-level intellect, Steph has received extensive genetic enhancement, making her stronger, faster, and more resilient than a normal human. Her senses are also much more acute. Nanite Swarm- In addition, she has access to a small swarm of nanites, which she can control with the use of a cybernetic implant. These nanomachines are limited to performing minor to moderate healing on herself or others (only one person at a time), as well as providing information and manipulating anything made of metal (although in the future, they may be able to expand their capabilities further). The inhabitants of this backwards time will probably consider this to be magic. Equipment: Steph was sealed in her cryochamber with nothing other than the pictured outfit. There was a rather large supply of advanced weapons and survival equipment at the complex in which Steph's cryo chamber is located, but the state of them after the indeterminately long amount of time she has been asleep is anyone's guess… Steph has also acquired a suit of nanofluidic armor that can disguise itself to match the clothing of anyone nearby. Steph used her nanites to convert much of her cryostasis chamber into a cryostasis rifle, then a sword, and, currently, a liquid metal backpack. Steph was given the Earth Sword by Minoc. RP Notes: Steph's story is one of coming to terms with her new world and finding her place in it. She is (at least initally) completely alone in what seems to her like a primitive, alien world. At first, she is understandably overwhelmed by her situation, seeing the inhabitants of this new world as little more than backwards savages, but as she begins to learn more, she starts seeing them in a better light, and eventually comes to greatly respect them and the civilization they have built. While at the start, she might look down on the People of the Realm, she doen't do this out of hatred, but out of a mixture of pity and dissapointment. She hates the fact that the world is so primitive, and wants to do her part to restore at least some of the technology of her original time. Despite this unintentional air of suprioirity, Steph is still a kind person at heart, and one who is always willing to help others.</s> <\|message\|>Sarah Castle of Solace After a while, the King took his leave of the girls. He wanted to hear more from the Oracles, but alas, the state calls. Also, Bandersnatch seems to have strangely withdrawn his siege. The citizens of the castle were elated and began celebrating, but the King remains... unconvinced. "Draygon's men have a way of being cruel and cunning," he tells the Oracles. "Even if Bandersnatch had no way of ending the siege, we must remain vigilant against an attack by treachery. I'll see to the defenses and the men, in the meanwhile Sir Gravy will lead you to the royal archives so you may find what you seek there. "Take care, fair maidens, and may fortune smile upon you on your journey..." With that, the knight Sir Gravy guides the two girls to the Archives, whereupon they find endless scrolls and books, some new, others old, some even older than the castle itself. The good knight offers his aid, but he can't seem to find anything by Julie Anderson. Sarah take the opportunity to turn to Stephanie. "So what was your mother like?" Sarah asks curiously. "She seems to be a dedicated sort, if we're reading her works this long after... whatever happened..." "My sincere apologies, dear maidens," Gravy says, "it appears I cannot find the tome, though the scribes assure me it's here somewhere; Master Tornel referred to it quite a bit, so it must be here. Give me a second..." He tries looking again, in a shelf, but something small falls out. "Hmm? What is this?" he says, picking up the small object and holding it to the light. "How odd, it seems to be a gem - nay, merely a crystal. Rather shiny, but it doesn't seem to be worth much... Shouldn't this be in the Royal Treasury instead?"</s> <\|message\|>Jabberwocky He takes a deep breath, and shoots a tornado of flame from his mouth, making a massive twister in the air, punching through the clouds with the blaze. "You think my bloodlust can be sated? My lust for vilonce and death cannot be filled." He smiles with razor sharp teeth. "I won't wait all day. Send me a warrior, or I'll pick one myself."</s> <\|message\|>Stephanie Anderson "Thank you, your Majesty," Steph replied, slightly amused by having been called a 'fair maiden'. Following Sir Gravy to the Archives, Steph waited with Sarah and Peter, while the knight set off to retrieve the journal. "Yeah, I guess you could say that," Steph agreed after Sarah inquired about her mother. "She was certainly brilliant, and she worked very hard to ensure that her research would be preserved for future generations. She was also very kind," she added in a softer tone. "She was always trying to make the world a better place, and she wanted to use technology to achieve that goal. That's why she became a scientist. To see the world now, in this state… It would probably break her heart…" At this point, Sir Gravy returned and apologized for having come back empty handed. He had just begun to search one more shelf, when a small crystal fell to the ground. Picking it up, the knight seemed puzzled by its presence in the Archives, wondering if perhaps it belonged in the Royal Treasury instead. "Actually, I think that might be what we're looking for," Steph spoke up. "Yeah, this is definitely a data crystal," she confirmed after taking a closer look. "We're gonna need a device to be able to access it, but that shouldn't be a problem." With a single thought, Steph sent her nanite swarm into motion. Disassembling an unused pouch on her backpack, they reformed it into a palm-sized data crystal reader. "Just stick the crystal into this opening here," Steph instructed. "Then we should be able to access whatever information it contains."</s> <\|message\|>Sarah Sarah "Well, will wonders ever cease," chortles Sir Gravy as Stephanie not only identifies the small crystal as the mysterious tome, but transforms a mundane pouch into... something that can hold it. Peter is similarly wide-eyed and amazed. "Begging your pardons, Ms. Or- Stephanie, but that's some wondrous magic there," he manages to speak up. "How did you do it?" "It's... it's not magic," Sarah says, shaking her head, remembering something vaguely. She turns to Steph. "It's... nanotechnology, right? It's... well, it's complicated, but it's as though I know the basics of the process, as well as a lot of things I've never even seen or heard about, the moment I stepped out of my pod... Just enough to familiarize me with things, I guess..." The makeshift 'reader' powers up, and the crystal starts flickering. For a moment, one could see bright flecks and glittering objects within the tiny frame of the crystal, as though it were an image of the night sky, with the stars themselves shining within. Then a spectral geometric shape appears a foot above the crystal, slowing unfurling until it forms what Stephanie could recognize as a holographic display. It glitches out a bit, but it takes form in sharp detail rather quickly, revealing what appears to the others as a scholarly woman in the garb of the Ancients, but Stephanie can clearly recognize as Julie Anderson, her long-lost mother, in a happier time. "...date today is... December 12th, year [STATIC] and here we are, working on Project Prometheus yet again. I swear, Dr. Logan's a freaking slave driver; he wants the miniaturized reactors ready by next week. And the cryopods. And his precious 'biogenic-sensitive' circuitry prepared. Why not ask for the Sun in the palm of his hand while he's at it? "Okay, okay, I kid. Dr. Logan is... driven, and to be honest, it's hard to not get infected with his enthusiasm for the project. He just seems to tied up in his Biogenics lab and only pokes his head out once in a while, so it's hard to get across that a lot of this stuff takes time, especially at the crazy purity levels he's asking. We can make stuff sturdy, reliable, and effective, only 82% pure, and it'll last centuries, but nope, he wants his precious pieces at 95% or higher. It'll take more time, so tell him to cool it a bit. All the time we're telling him this is for just prototypes, but damn it if he isn't persistent. "Still, I know what it's like to be a perfectionist, so can't blame him for it. Hopefully Dr. Westfield will help mellow him out a bit. She's got his same spark, but I had coffee with her once; she seems like a friendly sort. "Anyways, moving on, here's the list of the facilities where the equipment is being sent. Some of it's supposed to arrive right about now, others are going to be there within the next two weeks, so tell Drake to get off our case, we're doing the best we can. The files and records will be on servers designated PANDORA-4 and higher, though as I said Bob, I always make copies of my work, so I'll be sure to send you something secure. This is Dr. Anderson, signing out." A three-dimensional map of... somewhere forms in the hologram, and Stephanie can recognize it as the land masses of old, prior to the Harbinger Incident. Several dots appear, marking what appears to be the facilities her mother was talking about, with small percentages next to them indicating completion rates of various items. "Forgive me Stephanie, but... I don't think I understood much of that," Peter apologizes. Pip similarly looks at the map, and tilts his head at Stephanie with a curious whine. It's almost as if he's curious too.</s>	<\|message\|>Stephanie Anderson "Yeah, that's right," Steph confirmed after Sarah attempted to answer Peter's question. "I guess you could say that it's a bunch of very small artificial workers reassembling the basic components of things, like someone turning a piece of wood into a table or chair." A moment later, the holographic display flicked to life, and Steph couldn't help but give voice to a small gasp. "Mom…" she whispered as she felt her eyes begin to moisten. She watched in silence, while her mother described her work on Project Prometheus. She looks so young… Steph reflected. This must have been recorded shortly after I was born… That seemed about right. After all, Prometheus was clearly still in its early stages, and Dr. Westfield was still alive… After her mother had concluded her report, a map of the world was displayed, indicating the locations of various facilities linked to Project Prometheus. "It's a report from my mom about a project she was working on," Steph explained to Peter. "And this here is a map of the world. At least, of how the world used to look… I imagine its geography is quite different now," she added, while adjusting the map so that the globe was now a flat, 2D projection, "but if we can find a more current map, we can superimpose this one on top of it. I don't suppose you know where we might find one?" she asked, turning to Sir Gravy.</s>
<\|description\|>Stephanie Anderson Class: Oracle/Sleeper Appearance: Steph is an average looking fifteen-year-old girl, if a bit on the small side. She has short, black hair and piercing blue eyes. Personality: Steph is usually quiet and soft-spoken, preferring to silently observe a situation, rather than impetuously rush into the unknown, a trait that should serve her well in her current circumstances. When it comes to her areas of interest (science/technology/learning about the stranger facets of her new world), she can get very intense and focused. She is also quite inquisitive, but she never allows her fascination with something to compromise her sense of caution. She has always loved computers, robotics and technology in general, and is very skilled when it comes to working with it. Naturally, she is very distressed by the current, primitive, state of the world. She is very much a fish out of temporal water, and this has a major impact on how she views the world and interacts with its inhabitants. History: The brilliant daughter of two equally brilliant scientists, Stephanie's genius was recognized at an early age, and by the time she turned fifteen, she already had her first doctorate. She routinely assisted her renowned parents with their work, and was well on her way to becoming one of the world's brightest minds. Unfortunately, that world would soon come to a cataclysmic end… As the world of science and progress crumbled around her, Stephanie's parents hastily worked to ensure her survival. She was given a series of highly experimental genetic enhancements, coupled with an equally experimental cybernetic nanotech control system, and placed in a cryonic stasis chamber. Since their facility was located deep underground, and hardened against even the strongest forms of attack, her parents hoped that she would be safe until the world was once again hospitable to human life. Promising Steph that they would join her in stasis shortly, her parents sealed her chamber and hoped for the best. Abilities: Enhanced Physical Attributes- Besides her genius-level intellect, Steph has received extensive genetic enhancement, making her stronger, faster, and more resilient than a normal human. Her senses are also much more acute. Nanite Swarm- In addition, she has access to a small swarm of nanites, which she can control with the use of a cybernetic implant. These nanomachines are limited to performing minor to moderate healing on herself or others (only one person at a time), as well as providing information and manipulating anything made of metal (although in the future, they may be able to expand their capabilities further). The inhabitants of this backwards time will probably consider this to be magic. Equipment: Steph was sealed in her cryochamber with nothing other than the pictured outfit. There was a rather large supply of advanced weapons and survival equipment at the complex in which Steph's cryo chamber is located, but the state of them after the indeterminately long amount of time she has been asleep is anyone's guess… Steph has also acquired a suit of nanofluidic armor that can disguise itself to match the clothing of anyone nearby. Steph used her nanites to convert much of her cryostasis chamber into a cryostasis rifle, then a sword, and, currently, a liquid metal backpack. Steph was given the Earth Sword by Minoc. RP Notes: Steph's story is one of coming to terms with her new world and finding her place in it. She is (at least initally) completely alone in what seems to her like a primitive, alien world. At first, she is understandably overwhelmed by her situation, seeing the inhabitants of this new world as little more than backwards savages, but as she begins to learn more, she starts seeing them in a better light, and eventually comes to greatly respect them and the civilization they have built. While at the start, she might look down on the People of the Realm, she doen't do this out of hatred, but out of a mixture of pity and dissapointment. She hates the fact that the world is so primitive, and wants to do her part to restore at least some of the technology of her original time. Despite this unintentional air of suprioirity, Steph is still a kind person at heart, and one who is always willing to help others.</s> <\|message\|>Stephanie Anderson "Yeah, that's right," Steph confirmed after Sarah attempted to answer Peter's question. "I guess you could say that it's a bunch of very small artificial workers reassembling the basic components of things, like someone turning a piece of wood into a table or chair." A moment later, the holographic display flicked to life, and Steph couldn't help but give voice to a small gasp. "Mom…" she whispered as she felt her eyes begin to moisten. She watched in silence, while her mother described her work on Project Prometheus. She looks so young… Steph reflected. This must have been recorded shortly after I was born… That seemed about right. After all, Prometheus was clearly still in its early stages, and Dr. Westfield was still alive… After her mother had concluded her report, a map of the world was displayed, indicating the locations of various facilities linked to Project Prometheus. "It's a report from my mom about a project she was working on," Steph explained to Peter. "And this here is a map of the world. At least, of how the world used to look… I imagine its geography is quite different now," she added, while adjusting the map so that the globe was now a flat, 2D projection, "but if we can find a more current map, we can superimpose this one on top of it. I don't suppose you know where we might find one?" she asked, turning to Sir Gravy.</s> <\|message\|>Ayaan The Library of Castle Solace @shadowsaint007 SETTING: -Sir Gravy had taken the girls to the Library where they searched the archives. -The King had gone to the Barracks to discuss with the Commander the retreat of the Bandersnatch. -Tornel had gone to the kitchens to prepare a banquet in honor of the newly arrived Oracles. In the archive the girls found a map of the world as it was known: Circles are for villages, Triangles are for Castles MAP LEGEND: * Amazon: A City of all Women Warriors. * Brynmaer: A Village in the center of a poisoned forest * Goa: A Castle of Warriors who Study the Secrets of Martial Arts. * Joel: A village of caves hidden in the sea. * Leaf: A Simple Town of Religious folks. This is where the Mystics live. * Nadare: Land of Ice, the people are fisherfolk. * Oak: Poisonous Swamp land, it's people are strange and not to be trusted. * Portoa: Land of Waterfalls, a paradise. The people there are prone to vice. * Sahara: A Dessert land. The people call themselves the "Fremen" * Shyron: The Castle of the Kingdom of Thunder. They are isolationists and their army uses strange weapons. * Swan: A Harbour Town filled with Pirates. * Castle Solace: The Capital of humanity. * Draygon's Fortress: A dark and ominous fortress. The people of Solace have no knowledge of the inner workings of the citadel. * Tinkertown: A village of Tinkerers and Archeologists who live in an excavation site where they seek to understand the mysteries of ancient technology. Jabberwocky's House: This is not actually on the map, but I didn't save a version of this map before adding his hideout, so pretend that the girls cannot see where Jabberwocky's hideout actually is. Asra blinks into existence in Sarah's eyes. "The map of the old world does not correlate to the map of the new world," she comments in her pretty voice, "I am unable to decipher any patterns between the two. The number of Oracles which were created is uncertain too, whether or not they existed in the facilities which worked on the Prometheus Project is uncertain." Asra's voice took a more serious tone, "We should follow rumors of people using incredible powers like Kensu used the lightning. He was powering the battery with Pip's electro-energy and then channeling that through the sword. Someone else may have discovered the same use of such a power. If we find another battery I can talk to Stephanie as well. Tell her that it is good to see her alive for me would you please? I was dearly worried until she picked up the sword of stone." After you guys are done planning your next steps, the knights of the castle will direct you to your rooms. There you will find lady's in waiting to assist you in dressing as well as any additional items you ask for, the King has instructed the castle attendants to see to whatever you need. Tornel has begun to plan a great feast in your honor, plan to attend the feast. There you'll get to meet some more people of the Castle and the royal family. A party should be fun.</s> <\|message\|>Ayaan Tinkertown Dragon The townsfolk of Tinkertown remain hidden. The mother of the 2 children has dragged them back into the hut and they have shut the door. The village has experienced a devastating loss in a short amount of time, it will take them long to recover. Jabberwocky makes his threat, and the villagers have chosen to hide in the hopes he will leave. They have nothing left to fight against an overpowered monster like the Jabberwocky. Suddenly, 4 giant eagles dive through the flaming tornado towards Jabberwocky! One of them strikes Jabber's back, her claws sinking deeply into his scaly flesh. Two of the others grab a wing each in their claws and try to rip him apart. The fourth goes for Jabber's tail and tries to hold it in her beak. Apparently Jabberwocky's violent outburst got the attention of the local wildlife, and they answered his call for a fight.</s> <\|message\|>Serlor Serlor already had settled on a partially collapsed house before she spotted white, shining armor, and in the blink of an eye the charred land was sent aflame in sparks of fire. She arose from the crumbling remains of the house and circled the flames once or twice, and landed in the middle of it. The flames were completely extinguished by the force. Only a small piece of the now blackened armor was left behind. She stepped on it, and doing so, the armor curled and was crushed to pieces under Serlor's claws. A snarl unexpectedly came from deep in her throat. She briefly reminded herself, that "They won't come back, because they're all dead." It didn't calm her down because the dreadful feeling was still there. As if, they were going to come back. Never.. She thought. Her wings quivered and she moved about, anxious. " If they do come back, I'll be ready." She didn't feel ready, though.</s> <\|message\|>Sarah Sarah "I think I understand?" Peter says in a tone that indicates he probably didn't, and begins trying to squint at the thing, as though expecting tiny elves taking apart things and putting them together. Sarah just giggles at him. "I don't think you can see them; it's in the name after all," she explains. "Nanotechnology is too small to be seen by the naked human eye; you'll just strain your eyes." Sarah notes Steph's sorrow, and lightly puts a hand on the other girl's shoulder, squeezing gently to reassure her and give her a warm smile. "It's nice to meet your mother," Sarah says, looking at the fading hologram. "What did she work on... back then?" Sarah wasn't expecting Asra to pop in on them like that, and looks around to see if anyone else can see her. Sir Gravy and Peter showed no reaction, which shows they probably can't see her, and Steph seems a bit busy - and maybe her 'receiver' isn't yet fully powered yet, and getting a battery will help her see Asra more easily. Still, despite what Asra tells her, maybe they can spot a pattern. Even if the facilities had shifted in the meantime, they could still follow their general locations and narrow their searches down a bit. "We should also be on the lookout for rumors of strange powers and such," Sarah speaks up, deciding to voice what Asra told her. "The Oracles and their equipment had powerful biogenic energy abilities linked to them, so we could follow such rumors on the road. I mean, some of them must have woken up already. Did every Oracle have a Wizard guarding them, or are there some Oracles still missing in the various ruins? Maybe they woke up a long time ago... and had to live by themselves." The thought of being alone in such a world saddens Sarah as she thinks about it. That could have been her; lost in the wirlderness, not even a Wizard to guide her, and trying to figure things out on her own. It would be a lonely existence.</s> <\|message\|>Jabberwocky He roars when the eagles attack, and starts lashing out, each one of his strikes powerful enough to break rock, shatter stone. When it hits a bird, it simply explodes. He spews out tongue after tongue of fire, cooking the air, and anything caught in the blaze. He begins spinning in the air, talons lashing out everywhere, blending anything that gets too close.</s>	<\|message\|>Stephanie Anderson "Indeed I do, Miss Steph!" Sir Gravy replied after Steph inquired about the possibility of finding a map. "Right this way!" As they followed the paladin, Steph returned Sarah's sympathetic smile. "Thanks, Sarah," she told the pink-haired girl. "It was really nice to see her again, even if it was just a holographic recording. Mom worked on a lot of stuff, to be perfectly honest," she added with a chuckle after Sarah had voiced her question. "As you saw, she even did some work on Project Prometheus, back in its early days, but her real focus was nanotechnology." "Aha! Here we are!" Sir Gravy declared, gesturing to a large map. Steph couldn't help but gasp at the sight. The land masses depicted looked nothing like the world she had known. Could Harbinger really have changed the world this drastically…? she thought as she scanned over the map and its legend, committing their various details to memory. "Hmmm… Even if the world's geography has been completely altered, and taking into account that this map may not be scaled correctly, we can still use it as a rough guide," Steph told them as she placed the holographic map atop the physical one. "If we use the complex my parents and I worked in as a starting point," she began, moving the holo map to place the complex's location atop where Tinkertown was displayed, "we can extrapolate where these other locations might be found." Sarah then spoke up, noting that potential Oracles might be found by following up on rumors of people exhibiting strange abilities. "Good thinking," Steph commended. "Although, I doubt such news travels all that quickly these days, unless you have some form of rapid communication I don't know about," she added, while glancing at Peter and Sir Gravy.</s>
<\|description\|>Stephanie Anderson Class: Oracle/Sleeper Appearance: Steph is an average looking fifteen-year-old girl, if a bit on the small side. She has short, black hair and piercing blue eyes. Personality: Steph is usually quiet and soft-spoken, preferring to silently observe a situation, rather than impetuously rush into the unknown, a trait that should serve her well in her current circumstances. When it comes to her areas of interest (science/technology/learning about the stranger facets of her new world), she can get very intense and focused. She is also quite inquisitive, but she never allows her fascination with something to compromise her sense of caution. She has always loved computers, robotics and technology in general, and is very skilled when it comes to working with it. Naturally, she is very distressed by the current, primitive, state of the world. She is very much a fish out of temporal water, and this has a major impact on how she views the world and interacts with its inhabitants. History: The brilliant daughter of two equally brilliant scientists, Stephanie's genius was recognized at an early age, and by the time she turned fifteen, she already had her first doctorate. She routinely assisted her renowned parents with their work, and was well on her way to becoming one of the world's brightest minds. Unfortunately, that world would soon come to a cataclysmic end… As the world of science and progress crumbled around her, Stephanie's parents hastily worked to ensure her survival. She was given a series of highly experimental genetic enhancements, coupled with an equally experimental cybernetic nanotech control system, and placed in a cryonic stasis chamber. Since their facility was located deep underground, and hardened against even the strongest forms of attack, her parents hoped that she would be safe until the world was once again hospitable to human life. Promising Steph that they would join her in stasis shortly, her parents sealed her chamber and hoped for the best. Abilities: Enhanced Physical Attributes- Besides her genius-level intellect, Steph has received extensive genetic enhancement, making her stronger, faster, and more resilient than a normal human. Her senses are also much more acute. Nanite Swarm- In addition, she has access to a small swarm of nanites, which she can control with the use of a cybernetic implant. These nanomachines are limited to performing minor to moderate healing on herself or others (only one person at a time), as well as providing information and manipulating anything made of metal (although in the future, they may be able to expand their capabilities further). The inhabitants of this backwards time will probably consider this to be magic. Equipment: Steph was sealed in her cryochamber with nothing other than the pictured outfit. There was a rather large supply of advanced weapons and survival equipment at the complex in which Steph's cryo chamber is located, but the state of them after the indeterminately long amount of time she has been asleep is anyone's guess… Steph has also acquired a suit of nanofluidic armor that can disguise itself to match the clothing of anyone nearby. Steph used her nanites to convert much of her cryostasis chamber into a cryostasis rifle, then a sword, and, currently, a liquid metal backpack. Steph was given the Earth Sword by Minoc. RP Notes: Steph's story is one of coming to terms with her new world and finding her place in it. She is (at least initally) completely alone in what seems to her like a primitive, alien world. At first, she is understandably overwhelmed by her situation, seeing the inhabitants of this new world as little more than backwards savages, but as she begins to learn more, she starts seeing them in a better light, and eventually comes to greatly respect them and the civilization they have built. While at the start, she might look down on the People of the Realm, she doen't do this out of hatred, but out of a mixture of pity and dissapointment. She hates the fact that the world is so primitive, and wants to do her part to restore at least some of the technology of her original time. Despite this unintentional air of suprioirity, Steph is still a kind person at heart, and one who is always willing to help others.</s> <\|message\|>Sarah Sarah "Well, hopefully that will make our search a little easier," Sarah says as they leave the Archives. "It's still a bit daunting to try and find the Oracles all over the map." "I'll be honest, Peter says, rubbing his head, "This is probably the furthest I've ever been from home. The idea of going even further is rather intimidating... though I have to admit, also a bit exciting." "It is, isn't it?" Sarah muses. "I mean, the view from the sky-mantas was wonderful. A bit windy, but you get used to it. The view was definitely worth it. I mean, you're way up there in the sky, and you look down and everything looks small, like doll towns. I couldn't even see individual people, I was so high up..." "I don't know, what if you fell?" Peter replies, looking a bit green at the thought. "It's an awfully long way down..." "Well, Pip almost slid off the wing, but that's because he was so small," Sarah admits. "Still, he didn't mind. Did you, Pip?" Pip barks cheerfully at the mention of his name. "Oh, I wonder what the view from the towers is like?" Sarah speaks up cheerfully. "Oh, no thanks, I'm fine around here, ma'am," Peter says nervously. "Maybe we should tour the rest of the castle first nice and slooOOOOOOOOOOWWWW!!!" Despite Peter's protests, Sarah grabs him by the arm and drags him along to get a view from the tower. Pip barks and chases after them. "Hurry up, Stephanie!" Sarah calls out cheerfully. "I bet it's a wonderful view from up there!"</s> <\|message\|>Ayaan Facilities: 1. Apalachee Facility, USA 2. Sao Paula Facility, Brazil 3. Greenland Facility 4. Antarctica Facility 5. Cape Town Facility, South Africa 6. Helsinki Facility, Finland 7. Naning Manufacturing Facility, China 8. Seoul Facility, Korea - Main Offices for Biogenic research 9. Mt. Fiji Facility, Japan 10. Sydney Facility, Australia Every facility has a research department, a pod manufacture dept, and a business office. The Naning facility manufactured the materials for building Harbinger and much of the materials used in the manufacture of the pods.</s> <\|message\|>Jabberwocky He snaps at the eagle, wings beating and stirring up smoke. He growls from all the cuts and scrapes on his leathery, scaled flesh. He roars, and the sound makes a shockwave, blasting the birds away from him. He flies higher and higher, untill the birds can't reach him at his immense altitude.</s> <\|message\|>Stephanie Anderson "Well, from what little I know of it, Project Prometheus was focused on the manipulation of something called 'Biogenic Energy'," Steph explained after Peter had inquired about the project. "That's the kind of energy harnessed by the sword Minoc gave me," she added, hoping that might make things a bit clearer. "It also had to do with the creation of beings specifically designed to make use of such energy, like Sarah here." After Steph asked about potential methods of rapid transit, Peter frowned. "W-Well… There's the train we took to get here, but, uh, like I said, it only runs between the Castle and Tinkertown…" "There are also several winged beasts upon which one can ride," Sir Gravy added. "Of course, they are not simply handed out to just anyone, but I have no doubt that two Oracles of legend, such as yourselves, would most assuredly be granted them, if requested." "You can say that again," Steph agreed, when Sarah noted the daunting task ahead of them. Then Sarah mentioned going to check out the view from the towers, practically dragging Peter along with her. "I guess it wouldn't hurt to get a look at the local the lay of the land," Steph reflected with a giggle, as she and Sir Gravy followed after them.</s> <\|message\|>Sarah Sarah Up in the tower, Sarah was looking out at the landscape, letting her pink hair dance in the wind, brushing it out of her eyes to get a clear view, a bright smile on her face. To her left is Sir Gravy, doing little more than admiring the view himself. "It's not as high up as it was on the sky-manta's back," she tells Stephanie when the other girl joins her. "But here, I can see things better. I can see the people in the towns, the farmers in the field. It makes me wonder what they're thinking of, how they're living their lives. It's just... so strange, thinking about how these people spend their lives. "To be honest... I envy them a bit," she admits, a warm smile adorning her face. Peter, by contrast, is rather green in the gills, leaning on the inner wall away from the battlements, and trying not to throw up. He's clearly not comfortable way up here. "Begging your pardon, Sarah, but I don't think I'm cut out for heights," he admits. "I've never been this high off the ground, to be honest, and I'm finding it's making me sick." "Oh don't be silly, Peter," Sarah giggles. "You just don't look down. I mean, I've been 'alive' for the past week and I already guessed that bit." "Easier said than done!" Peter says. "You told me not to look down and it got stuck in my head! You just don't tell someone that, especially if they're afraid of heights!" "Well, maybe it's dangerous if you fell from a great height-" "Exactly! And I'd rather not find out!" "But as long as you're standing on something solid, you'll be fine." Sarah stamps the stone. "See? It's safe. Even if the heights look scary, you're safe." She looks down to prove her point, but then something draws her attention. It's the scorch marks left by Bandersnatch, blasting the castle walls with fire and magic. The walls had weathered them well, but the scorched black contrasted against the majesty of the stonework, marring the appearance. The paladin notices her gaze. "It's a shame what that brute has done to the walls," Sir Gravy admits. "Fret not, dear ladies, we'll have the painters and stonemasons clean that up as best as they can. This castle's survived worse, so no need to worry." "That's nice," Sarah muses. "But it's what he tried to do. He tried to destroy the castle..." "As I said, this castle's survived worse. Trust me when I say this castle might stand for centuries more yet!" "Certainly not for his lack of trying," Sarah replies bitterly. "Why do Draygon's servants do this? They seem keen on destroying everything... why? What do they gain from this? It's bad enough the world's fallen from the days of the ancients, they're trying to destroy more of it..."</s>	<\|message\|>Stephanie Anderson Steph raised an eyebrow at Peter's terrified demeanor. "Seriously?" she asked Peter with a chuckle. "You're afraid of heights? Your home town was built on top of a mountain!" "Y-Yes, that's true," Peter conceded. "B-But I never really ventured outside all that often, and I never got close to the c-cliffs…" "I guess that explains it, then," she noted, although she still found it amusingly ironic. Steph's attention was soon drawn back to Sarah, who was asking about Draygon and his intentions. It was something that had been poking at the back of Steph's mind as well. Who was this Draygon, and how was he able to create monsters like the harpy she'd fought back at Tinkertown? From what she had been able to gather, the so-called "Wizards" were simply people who had learned how to utilize some facet of old world knowledge or technology. Was this the case for Draygon as well? If so, then he had certainly acquired a knowledge of science far in advance of that displayed by the rest of this depressingly medieval world. However, before Sir Gravy could answer Sarah's question, or Steph could give voice to one of her own, they were interrupted by the arrival of a youthful squire. "P-Please pardon the intrusion, Sir Gravy," the squire stammered, clearly out of breath. "But I come bearing a message from Master Tornel. He has instructed me to request that you…" His voice trailed off as he noticed the two young women present. "O-Oh, good heavens!" he exclaimed, prostrating himself in supplication. "Please forgive your lowly servant, mighty Oracles!" he pleaded. "I did not mean to disturb you with my presence!" "D-Don't worry," Steph told the messenger gently, more than a little taken aback by his reverence towards Sarah and herself. "You didn't do anything wrong, and there's really no need for you to be afraid of us," she added with a reassuring smile, while kneeling down and placing a hand on the squire's shoulder. "We're regular people, just like you." The young man gasped as he felt Steph touch his shoulder, but calmed slightly upon seeing her kind smile. Now that he looked at her face, she didn't appear to be any different than a normal person. And yet, she was an Oracle, a divine messenger of the Ancients! How could she be so… humble? That thought was quickly banished when Sir Gravy spoke up. "Young squire! You spoke of a message from Master Tornel! Out with it lad! What new task awaits?!" "M-My apologies, sir! M-Master Tornel wishes for you to escort the Oracles to their chambers and watch over them until the feast tomorrow. I would have informed you sooner, but I was told you would be in the library, and when you weren't there…" "Not to fret, young squire!" Sir Gravy reassured him. "Your quest to locate us was successful, and you have imparted the message entrusted to your care. You have done quite well indeed! What pray tell is your name, young squire?" "S-Squire Toast, sir." "Well, then, Squire Toast, I shall be sure to mention your exemplary service when next I speak with both Master Tornel and His Majesty, the King!" "T-Thank you, sir!" "Think nothing of it, lad!" the paladin replied with a hearty laugh. "A job well done deserves to be recognized!" "Wait, you mentioned a feast?" Steph asked. "Why, yes! Of course! Master Tornel is preparing a grand banquet in your honor! There will be music and entertainers of all kinds! Master Tornel has demanded only the best for our Mighty Oracles!" "Tornel's setting this up?" Steph asked dubiously. She tried not to scowl at the mention of the wizard, but after his earlier treatment of Sarah and herself, she found it hard not to regard all his actions as highly suspicious.</s>
<\|description\|>Stephanie Anderson Class: Oracle/Sleeper Appearance: Steph is an average looking fifteen-year-old girl, if a bit on the small side. She has short, black hair and piercing blue eyes. Personality: Steph is usually quiet and soft-spoken, preferring to silently observe a situation, rather than impetuously rush into the unknown, a trait that should serve her well in her current circumstances. When it comes to her areas of interest (science/technology/learning about the stranger facets of her new world), she can get very intense and focused. She is also quite inquisitive, but she never allows her fascination with something to compromise her sense of caution. She has always loved computers, robotics and technology in general, and is very skilled when it comes to working with it. Naturally, she is very distressed by the current, primitive, state of the world. She is very much a fish out of temporal water, and this has a major impact on how she views the world and interacts with its inhabitants. History: The brilliant daughter of two equally brilliant scientists, Stephanie's genius was recognized at an early age, and by the time she turned fifteen, she already had her first doctorate. She routinely assisted her renowned parents with their work, and was well on her way to becoming one of the world's brightest minds. Unfortunately, that world would soon come to a cataclysmic end… As the world of science and progress crumbled around her, Stephanie's parents hastily worked to ensure her survival. She was given a series of highly experimental genetic enhancements, coupled with an equally experimental cybernetic nanotech control system, and placed in a cryonic stasis chamber. Since their facility was located deep underground, and hardened against even the strongest forms of attack, her parents hoped that she would be safe until the world was once again hospitable to human life. Promising Steph that they would join her in stasis shortly, her parents sealed her chamber and hoped for the best. Abilities: Enhanced Physical Attributes- Besides her genius-level intellect, Steph has received extensive genetic enhancement, making her stronger, faster, and more resilient than a normal human. Her senses are also much more acute. Nanite Swarm- In addition, she has access to a small swarm of nanites, which she can control with the use of a cybernetic implant. These nanomachines are limited to performing minor to moderate healing on herself or others (only one person at a time), as well as providing information and manipulating anything made of metal (although in the future, they may be able to expand their capabilities further). The inhabitants of this backwards time will probably consider this to be magic. Equipment: Steph was sealed in her cryochamber with nothing other than the pictured outfit. There was a rather large supply of advanced weapons and survival equipment at the complex in which Steph's cryo chamber is located, but the state of them after the indeterminately long amount of time she has been asleep is anyone's guess… Steph has also acquired a suit of nanofluidic armor that can disguise itself to match the clothing of anyone nearby. Steph used her nanites to convert much of her cryostasis chamber into a cryostasis rifle, then a sword, and, currently, a liquid metal backpack. Steph was given the Earth Sword by Minoc. RP Notes: Steph's story is one of coming to terms with her new world and finding her place in it. She is (at least initally) completely alone in what seems to her like a primitive, alien world. At first, she is understandably overwhelmed by her situation, seeing the inhabitants of this new world as little more than backwards savages, but as she begins to learn more, she starts seeing them in a better light, and eventually comes to greatly respect them and the civilization they have built. While at the start, she might look down on the People of the Realm, she doen't do this out of hatred, but out of a mixture of pity and dissapointment. She hates the fact that the world is so primitive, and wants to do her part to restore at least some of the technology of her original time. Despite this unintentional air of suprioirity, Steph is still a kind person at heart, and one who is always willing to help others.</s> <\|message\|>Sarah Sarah "Well, the King was angry with Tornel at his actions," Sarah says. "Maybe it's his way of an apology?" She still remembers the fury in the King's eyes at Tornel's actions, and while she's still a bit upset about how Tornel had tried to kill her earlier, maybe he saw the error of his ways? She's a bit full after her brunch with the King, but she's certainly curious about the entertainment for the meal. "Either way, sounds like there's going to be quite the spectacle there, and I'm kind of curious to see what they have."</s> <\|message\|>Jabberwocky He takes a deep breath, and blasts out a wave of white hot flames, the air burning as the liquid like blaze feeds greedily on the air, and the bodies of birds. He snarls, and loops around the castle, watching Bandersnatch lay seige to the building.</s> <\|message\|>Ayaan Castle of Solace The Oracle's Banquet It was the night of the banquet in honor of the Oracles and the end of the siege. For reasons unknown Bandersnatch had left, though he did not leave empty handed. He now held in his possession one of the mythical swords of the ancients, the Sword of Fire. The people of Solace, however, did not see that as much of a loss because Tornel, the High Wizard of the Castle, only used the sword as an ornament and never learned how to channel its great power. The true inspiration of the Banquet was the arrival of the Oracles, beings of fable who were seen by many as god-like entities who have risen to lead them into the future, and by others as fake messengers created by the Wizard cult. Not much time had passed since their arrival, but like all monumentally changing events, waves of emotion swept through the population of the castle and and surrounding town. The common folk enjoyed a spectacle, and the possibility of seeing living gods was sure to be one. On the night of the Oracle's Banquet, as it was being called, the main hall of the castle was filled to the brim and people were gathered in the courtyard outside of the gates having their own celebration and listening to the music echoing from the castle interior. On a stage at the end of the hall furthest from the door was the King's thrown and his chromed and gem-inlaid table. Sitting on either side of the King sat Sarah and Stephanie, each dressed in finery that was both radiant and glowing. After the girls sat family members of the King, including his son and three daughters. At the end of the table sat Tornel, purposefully positioned so that he could conduct the orchestrations of the Banquet. Each dish was brought in and served on fine pewter plates, the wine and juices were served in plain silver goblets shined to perfection. The banquet hall was an open space between the King's table and the large double door that lead into the courtyard. There were tables against the far walls containing mountains of fresh food and servants quickly refilled trays and brought fresh munchies to the people dancing and mingling. On well lit balconies above the food tables there sat small quartets of musicians playing wind and string instruments with a drummer keeping the rhythm. To the King's left the musicians had a female singer, to his right was a male singer. They took turns but sometimes harmonized together, the affect was beautiful. The roof of the banquet hall held the visage of 8 women, each in varying stages of dress and with different symbolic images around like stalks of wheat, a boat, or a golden fleece. One of the women had pink hair. The King would note that these are images of different Oracles who were venerated by the people. The people had different names for the Oracles based on tradition, the one with Pink hair was named Laughter. There was no image to depict Stephanie. Periodically throughout the banquet people brought gifts and laid them down at the steps before the throne. There they would ask for blessings from the Oracles, flatter them with a poem or song, or confess a deep affection and vow their servitude. Every third of Fifth supplicant was a performer brought in by Tornel who performed magic tricks, acrobatics, or some other vaudevillian act meant to entertain and keep the festivities fresh. After each one the people of the banquet would applaud and the night seemed to go splendidly.</s> <\|message\|>Serlor "Ah, that's very bold! Assuming you'd try to vanquish me, you must have a team of sorts, yes? " The dragon inquired, narrowing its eyes. "And if not, I'll crush you myself."</s> <\|message\|>Sarah Sarah Given the banquet was to be thrown in their honor, Sarah expected that Stephanie and herself would have seats of honor somewhere. What she didn't expect was that they'd be seated on thrones next to the King himself, dressed in overly elaborate finery and jewelry, being approached and praised by the populace. It just feels awkward to sit before everyone like a golden idol, being praised and lavished like so - and they didn't even do anything yet! All Sarah can do is manage an awkward smile and accept the praises uneasily. If she's to be entirely honest, Sarah would have told them they didn't need to go this far. She looks up at the ceiling, studying the depiction of the eight Oracles if only to keep her from how awkward it feels to be the center of attention. For some reason, the pink-haired one depicted was representative of 'laughter'. If that's meant to be her, she doesn't feel particularly giggly or funny. Heck, she wouldn't even know how to tell a good joke. Though if by 'laughter' they meant 'joy'... well, maybe she can do that. Assuming that's even what her creators intended. She looks over to see how Stephanie is holding up through all this.</s>	<\|message\|>Stephanie Anderson To say that Steph was uncomfortable would have been the understatement of the century. She had never been one for extravagant parties, and this particular banquet was the most overblown thing she had ever attended. In large part this was because she and Sarah weren't merely treated as honored guests, but rather deities made flesh. It was all extremely unnerving to someone like Steph. While she was certainly no stranger to being lauded for her accomplishments, being elevated to the status of deity was a bit much. Although she very much wanted to protest the guests' treatment of her, she found she didn't have the heart to try to convince such a vast crowd of people that all their desperate hopes and cherished beliefs were nothing more than meaningless fairy tales. Thus, she resigned herself to politely thanking each supplicant as they lavished their gifts upon her and trying her best to keep up a pleasant demeanor. However, while her visage may have been serene, her mind was anything but. She was constantly on the lookout for any sign of Tornel's all-too-likely machinations. Although she hadn't discovered anything malicious so far, she couldn't help but worry that the wizard was plotting something sinister behind their backs, and so she had taken the precaution of employing her nanites to surreptitiously inspect each item of food presented to her. Thankfully, none of it had proven poisoned, but Steph wasn't about to take any chances. After all, if an attempt on their lives was to be made, the commotion and noise of the banquet would serve as the perfect cover for it. If there was any saving grace, it was that Sarah seemed to be attracting the lion's share of attention. This was most likely due to the fact that a depiction of her featured prominently in the vast mural painted upon the ceiling above them. Steph was thankful a rendition of herself was not included in the piece. Even if her absence offered only a slight degree of additional anonymity, she was only too happy to take it.</s>
<\|description\|>Jabberwocky Human Form Beast Form Physical Description: Human: A tall, athletic man who spends most of his time under robes, making it hard to get a good look at him. Those who do manage more than a peak would note he's strangely handsome and chiseled in appearance, but that his smile feels 'off' and disturbing somehow, particularly as it never seems to reach his eyes. He is estimated to be 6'1" and roughly 170 lbs. Under his hood, he has rust brown hair and brown eyes with a hint of either orange or red around the rim of the irises. Monster: In beast form, Jabberwocky is a monstrous draconic being with long, sharp claws, cruel fangs, and a burning wrath in his fire-orange eyes. His face is almost piscine, like some primordial beast from the depths, but the rest of him is evocative of the tales of dragons. He is 65' from tip of the tail to his muzzle, is about 9' at the shoulder, and has a wingspan of 63'. His weight is unknown, but estimated to be 10 tonnes. Class: Lieutenant (Lt.) of Draygon Abilities: Human Form: While being in human form limits the range of his abilities, he nonetheless possesses a considerable array of skills and abilities that make him a formidable opponent: * Hand to Hand Combat: Even in human form, he is a dangerous and accomplished adversary, not needing to switch to his more powerful form to dispatch most of his foolish opponents. He is equally skilled in barehanded combat and swordsmanship, and is incredibly strong and tough for a human. Approach with caution at all times. * Assassin's skills: Sometimes you need to kill a foe before he even realizes you're there. Jabberwocky is surprisingly light on his feet, and can use his dagger to silence foes in the shadows. * Healing: While the art of healing is not as gratifying as the ability to crush your foes and drink in their laments, Jabberwocky nonetheless has learned some respect for it. After all, one might need to patch oneself up after a nasty fight with a surprisingly tenacious enemy. * Fire breathing: Jabberwocky can shoot forth gouts of white hot flames from his mighty jaws, capable of liqufying steel in seconds. * Phasing: Jabberwocky can use his magic to phase through walls, allowing him to infiltrate fortresses and sanctums with impunity, and making him even more dangerous as an assassin. However, there are limits to this ability, as he cannot simply phase through a mountain or go deep underground lest he get trapped and suffocate. * Transformation: As with all of Draygon's Lieutenants, he can transform into his Beast Form, becoming an even more formidable foe. Beast Form: * Flight: Those wings of his aren't for show. They allow him to fly great distances and with considerable speed. * Immense Strength: While he is very strong in human form, he is nothing short of monstrously strong in dragon form, capable of grabbing and tossing humans and animals with minimal effort, as though they were toys. * Razor-sharp claws and teeth: With razor-sharp teeth and claws, Jabberwocky can rend and tear humans to shreds, and can even create great gashes in stone and rock. Equipment: * Assassin dagger, poisoned blade. * Alchemist's kit for poisons and chemical study * A tome of notes and secrets. RP Notes: (To be filled in.) Jabberwocky BY LEWIS CARROLL 'Twas brillig, and the slithy toves Did gyre and gimble in the wabe: All mimsy were the borogoves, And the mome raths outgrabe. "Beware the Jabberwock, my son! The jaws that bite, the claws that catch! Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun The frumious Bandersnatch!" He took his vorpal sword in hand; Long time the manxome foe he sought— So rested he by the Tumtum tree And stood awhile in thought. And, as in uffish thought he stood, The Jabberwock, with eyes of flame, Came whiffling through the tulgey wood, And burbled as it came! One, two! One, two! And through and through The vorpal blade went snicker-snack! He left it dead, and with its head He went galumphing back. "And hast thou slain the Jabberwock? Come to my arms, my beamish boy! O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!" He chortled in his joy. 'Twas brillig, and the slithy toves Did gyre and gimble in the wabe: All mimsy were the borogoves, And the mome raths outgrabe. Source: The Random House Book of Poetry for Children (1983)</s> <\|message\|>Jabberwocky Jabberwocky flies back to his hidden lair, bringing food for his daughter. He lands outside, and turns into his human form, carrying the food inside. "Ruby! Dadda's home!" He sets the food to one side, and hugs his adopted daughter. "Were you a good girl while Dadda was away?" He kisses her cheek, and starts combing her hair. "Did you understand anything of what the crystal said?"</s> <\|message\|>Ayaan The Cave of Kensu's Island \| \| Before the Apocalypse Gerty worked as a librarian. She didn't know much about the world of tech that had developed, she was a bookworm, more interested in old literature and the fables of heroes. She would spend her afternoons researching the myths and legends of the ancient world, seeing how they fit into Joseph Campbell's Hero with a Thousand Faces characterizations, it was a hobby. When the world came to an end Gerty was bringing dinner to her mother who was working in the laboratories. Her mother had been researching how to particulate the human imagination. Imaginarium it was called, and it was the new and exciting trend in home entertainment; her mother had taken to working late and spending nights at the labs, they had no idea what was about to happen. The blizzards came first and the adults shut themselves into the facility, at the time there were 28 scientists and little Gerty; they didn't have time to run out of food. The ground moved underneath them, the entire surface of the planet began to change under Harbinger's power. While the Laboratory froze and the scientists began to die from the exposure, Magma began to seep through the cracks in the floors. It was an impossible and unnatural perversion of nature's forces. Gerty's mother pushed her into the safest part of the lab, the temperature controlled room that held the Imaginarium. There Gerty was safe, for a time. The room shook and the lights went out and the world was filled with screams and crashes, Gerty was terrified. The Imaginarium containers broke open and Gerty was swept away into the world of her own dreams and hallucinations, which in the circumstances became nightmares of monsters and demons. Then Harbinger released the Atomic Payloads and began to rearrange the molecular structure of the life forms of the planet... Gerty died in one form, and was reborn in another. Gerty... became \| \| --- \| --- \| Urgrapth nestled into her web, secure, safe. Her babies surrounded her, tinkling and moving throughout the web, doing the insectoid things that spider creatures would do. Urgrapth waited, expecting her children to bring back the intruder. The smoke should have made it fall, and her children should have brought it quick, but there had been too much time. Urgrapth waited... impatiently. At a nod, she sent five more of her children to help fetch, two more than before, if the others were hurt then more would be needed. Her babies, they should not be hurt, they need to be safe. Urgrapth nervously began to pace around her web. She grabbed one of the villagers, a young one that smelled like flowers, and prepared it for food. If she had to go to fight the visitor herself she'll need food, but she will wait for her children to report back first. ******* SETTING: Kensu sat at the mouth of the sealed cave smoking his pipe and lost, deep in thought. He knew that somewhere in the caves, hidden behind walls and in secret caverns rarely seen by any eyes, is a sword mounted into stone. It has no scabbard, no lace, but it did have the power to harness the dramatic and fearful power of the Storm. The mysteries of his religion taught that the Oracles were made to speak to the swords and feel their call, and hopefully this pink haired girl would be drawn to the weapon soon. Kensu wasn't certain, but he feared that the disappearance of the villagers had something to do with this mountain. A week or so before he had peeled open some strange, metal door and inside was this pulsating black mass. Hesitantly he watched the mass pulsate faster and faster, then little spindly creatures began to leak from the sides of the mass. Disgusted, Kensu backed away and shut the door. Normally the animals and creatures of the island were of the nature to leave people alone, but maybe, maybe this one was different. The people of his island, his people were all gone, but there were no signs of violence; and the cave was not shut, but Pip was with the girl. So much had changed, so much, and so fast. Kensu smoked his pipe and watched the cave, it took much of his will power not to show his terror. There are 5 more spider monsters coming after you, Urgrapth has prepared a snack in case she needs to fight you herself. Kensu is worried he's responsible for waking up the spider monster, and you feel the call of the sword:</s> <\|message\|>Ayaan Dragon Jabberwocky's hideout Ruby hugged Jabber back, accepted the food and ate graciously, "Not yet Dadda," she said between bites, "it's all clicks and strange noises. I need to talk to the fairy again, but I'm not sure how," she chewed, "she said something about my 'biogenic energy' giving her enough strength to talk to me, but I don't know what that is or how to make it work."</s>	<\|message\|>Jabberwocky He sighs, and glances at the crystal necklace around her neck. It glimmers softly in the light. He smiles, and kisses her head gently. "We'll figure it out baby girl. Have you tried those meditation cards I got you?" He gently hands her a engraved plate with some simple steps to guided meditation. "Don't worry, we'll figure it out someday. How was your day today?" He smiles, gently brushing her hair.</s>
<\|description\|>Jabberwocky Human Form Beast Form Physical Description: Human: A tall, athletic man who spends most of his time under robes, making it hard to get a good look at him. Those who do manage more than a peak would note he's strangely handsome and chiseled in appearance, but that his smile feels 'off' and disturbing somehow, particularly as it never seems to reach his eyes. He is estimated to be 6'1" and roughly 170 lbs. Under his hood, he has rust brown hair and brown eyes with a hint of either orange or red around the rim of the irises. Monster: In beast form, Jabberwocky is a monstrous draconic being with long, sharp claws, cruel fangs, and a burning wrath in his fire-orange eyes. His face is almost piscine, like some primordial beast from the depths, but the rest of him is evocative of the tales of dragons. He is 65' from tip of the tail to his muzzle, is about 9' at the shoulder, and has a wingspan of 63'. His weight is unknown, but estimated to be 10 tonnes. Class: Lieutenant (Lt.) of Draygon Abilities: Human Form: While being in human form limits the range of his abilities, he nonetheless possesses a considerable array of skills and abilities that make him a formidable opponent: * Hand to Hand Combat: Even in human form, he is a dangerous and accomplished adversary, not needing to switch to his more powerful form to dispatch most of his foolish opponents. He is equally skilled in barehanded combat and swordsmanship, and is incredibly strong and tough for a human. Approach with caution at all times. * Assassin's skills: Sometimes you need to kill a foe before he even realizes you're there. Jabberwocky is surprisingly light on his feet, and can use his dagger to silence foes in the shadows. * Healing: While the art of healing is not as gratifying as the ability to crush your foes and drink in their laments, Jabberwocky nonetheless has learned some respect for it. After all, one might need to patch oneself up after a nasty fight with a surprisingly tenacious enemy. * Fire breathing: Jabberwocky can shoot forth gouts of white hot flames from his mighty jaws, capable of liqufying steel in seconds. * Phasing: Jabberwocky can use his magic to phase through walls, allowing him to infiltrate fortresses and sanctums with impunity, and making him even more dangerous as an assassin. However, there are limits to this ability, as he cannot simply phase through a mountain or go deep underground lest he get trapped and suffocate. * Transformation: As with all of Draygon's Lieutenants, he can transform into his Beast Form, becoming an even more formidable foe. Beast Form: * Flight: Those wings of his aren't for show. They allow him to fly great distances and with considerable speed. * Immense Strength: While he is very strong in human form, he is nothing short of monstrously strong in dragon form, capable of grabbing and tossing humans and animals with minimal effort, as though they were toys. * Razor-sharp claws and teeth: With razor-sharp teeth and claws, Jabberwocky can rend and tear humans to shreds, and can even create great gashes in stone and rock. Equipment: * Assassin dagger, poisoned blade. * Alchemist's kit for poisons and chemical study * A tome of notes and secrets. RP Notes: (To be filled in.) Jabberwocky BY LEWIS CARROLL 'Twas brillig, and the slithy toves Did gyre and gimble in the wabe: All mimsy were the borogoves, And the mome raths outgrabe. "Beware the Jabberwock, my son! The jaws that bite, the claws that catch! Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun The frumious Bandersnatch!" He took his vorpal sword in hand; Long time the manxome foe he sought— So rested he by the Tumtum tree And stood awhile in thought. And, as in uffish thought he stood, The Jabberwock, with eyes of flame, Came whiffling through the tulgey wood, And burbled as it came! One, two! One, two! And through and through The vorpal blade went snicker-snack! He left it dead, and with its head He went galumphing back. "And hast thou slain the Jabberwock? Come to my arms, my beamish boy! O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!" He chortled in his joy. 'Twas brillig, and the slithy toves Did gyre and gimble in the wabe: All mimsy were the borogoves, And the mome raths outgrabe. Source: The Random House Book of Poetry for Children (1983)</s> <\|message\|>Jabberwocky He spreads his wings, taking off, and flying out of the castle. He soars through the air, heading for Tinkertown. I wonder what he would do if he found out I was raising a Podling to overthrow him? He flies over the town, and roars out a challenge, the air vibrating from the force. He circles above the town, his massive shadow sweeping over everything, sending the villagers into a panic.</s> <\|message\|>Ayaan Urgrapth's Home The layout of Urgrapth's Home was as follows: There is a single cave entrance that leads onto a flat, circular platform. Beyond that platform is a valley of broken stone and metal, difficult to cross except by the thin wires of Urgrapth's web. A few of the villagers were webbed up close to the platform for easy access, but the majority of them were stuck higher up, closer to the ceiling and high walls. Towards the back of the domed cavern, away from the opening of the cave, is a nestled corner of metal, protected by a thickly layered steel door, where Urgrapth has her special place. This is the room with the door that Kensu opened that awoke the Spider creature, and this is where Urgrapth now hid, scrunched into a corner away from the stranger who had invaded her home and killed her babies. From the vantage point of her room she could see her spiderlings cascade down the wall nearest the intruder like a wave of clicking teeth. She had never stepped back and watched her brood like this, separate and removed from being their mom. A small, quiet part of her mind thought they looked horrific, monstrous, evil. They had too many eyes and sharp appendages and even sharper fangs, and their hunger could never be satisfied. For a moment, Urgrapth didn't feel like Urgrapth, she felt conflicted in seeing both monsters and babies in the same form. From the safety of her vantage place, she sank further and further into her consciousness. She carefully watched the young girl with the pink hair, She's about my age, she thought in a voice that didn't seem like her own. I wonder if she wants to be friends? Mama says I need more friends. Gerty took a step forward, but there was something wrong with her legs. She looked down, her legs were like hairy spikes! What happened!? What was going on!? She backed up into the corner and looked at her hands, they were wrong too, everything was wrong! She panicked, her eight legs stomping anxiously as her head swiveled in every direction, trying to understand what was going on. Her mind wasn't working, she couldn't remember! She felt her soul being twisted and torn, where was her she? Where was her mom? Something terrible had happened, and there was nothing left! There was no hope! Lightning crackled and the cave was light up for an instant, the smell of charred insect filtered through the cavern. The noise pulled the Spider Queen form her blood-shot mania and she hyper-focused on the pink hair of the intruder. Something snapped in her spider brain and the last of the rational mind of Gerty gave way and died, leaving only instinct. Urgrapth saw the intruder, and her panic became fury; she rushed out of her hole to attack! Speeding along her webs, she attacked on the side opposite of the wall where her babies were descending. Pink Hair cleaved one of the little ones in half and cut off another's arm in the back swing. The dog was unguarded. Urgrapth leaped and stabbed her spike down upon the small animal... Gerty is dead, long live Urgrapth: Queen of the Spiders!! She's about to kill Pip! You better do something quick!</s> <\|message\|>Ayaan Jabberwocky's Hideout \| \| \| --- \| \| Annabelle had been watching Jabberwocky's house for days. When Draygon's raven showed she felt like she was finally about to get her chance to find whatever secret the bastard was keeping. She had been Draygon's top lieutenant before Jabber came along, and she'd been furious ever since he took her position. She hated it that he somehow sniffed out the Crystallis sword and brought it to their master, and now they were being sent to harass those old wizards which was both annoying and dangerous, well, dangerous for some. Jabber didn't seem too hasty about finding the so called "Pod-creatures" either, and that made Annabelle suspicious. She crouched in the brush where she had been hiding and watched Jabberwocky form into the black dragon of his monstrous state and fly to the south. Annabelle smiled, he would not be coming back soon. She casually sauntered up to the house and knocked on the front door. "Housekeeping!" she called. When no one answered she pushed the door with her incredible strength and as its supports gave way the door fell flat with a dusty thud. She was humming to her self and smiling as she skipped into the old house and looked around. "Jabber Jabber," she ruminated, "ya sure don't have any taste for decoratin' do ya'? You need is a woman!" She ran a finger along a dusty shelf and made Yuck! face as she wiped it on her pants, "...or a butler." She pranced around the rooms, looking at papers and through drawers, trying to find anything incriminating or even interesting; she found nuthin! Jabber was a stubby old boring nobody who didn't even have dirty pictures lying around, some kind of villain, huh? She got to the library on the base floor. On one side it had a fire place with a rug and two chairs, across the room on the other side was a wall of books behind a large, oaken table with candelabras on either side. Annabelle slowly traipsed around the table and looked at the books, her nimble fingers gliding over the dusty bindings. She walked over to the fireplace and inspected the chairs, the embers, the floe to see if there was something hidden there, there was nothing. She walked back to the table and scrunched her face in frustration. "God, you're such an Asshole!!" She said and she stomped her boot on the wooden plank floor. The sound echoed. Her eyes went wide and the corners of her mouth turned up in a smile, "OoooOOOohhh! What have we here?" she said. She bent down and proceeded to punch her way through the floor boards, wood chips flew from her fists and got stuck in her hair; her face had taken a maniacal twist. "Well well Jabber, maybe you're more interesting than I thought." Under the floor between the oak table and the wall of books was a ladder going down into a tunnel that Annabelle was sure would lead somewhere interesting. She jumped down the shaft and let herself drop all the way to the very bottom, maybe 50 meters (150 feet) from the surface, give or take. She looked around and saw that the tunnel pointed east, towards the water. She figured she might be deep enough to be underneath the water, but there was only one way to find out; she began jogging down the tunnel. She came upon the end of the tunnel as it opened into a large cavern. At the far side of the cavern there was some sort of antique mecha panel that had blinking lights and whirling colors, and above all that was a large map on some sort of display that looked like it might've been the entire world. This was good, but not enough to get Jabber in trouble. Annabelle dropped from the edge of the tunnel and moved quietly to the shadows. Then she saw the girl. The young girl was about 20 meters (60 feet) ahead of her. She was walking around the corner near the blinking machine carrying something that might have been food. She sat down at the blinky mecha thing and began to eat, it was food. Annabelle smiled and watched for a moment, surveying the situation. The young girl's face was wrapped in some sort of bandage, Annabelle suspected that she was blind. And to top that all off, she was pretty sure that this girl, was a Podling. \| Annabelle is one of Draygon's lieutenants who is jealous of Jabber's rise. She stalked Jab's place and found Ruby. Shadow Dragon- as you prepare a post keep in mind the distances between our players and the power level of Annabelle. Ruby is a badass, but don't play her like she's the baddest mother-effer in the galaxy, if she wins this confrontation, let's make it a solid win.</s>	<\|message\|>Jabberwocky Ruby wanders around her room, and sits down with her food to eat on her bed. She happily tucks in, until she hears someone. Her head raises, and she turns her head to the noise. She swallows. "Hello? Who's there?" That's not Daddy......who is that? Did Daddy get me a Mommy?</s>
<\|description\|>Jabberwocky Human Form Beast Form Physical Description: Human: A tall, athletic man who spends most of his time under robes, making it hard to get a good look at him. Those who do manage more than a peak would note he's strangely handsome and chiseled in appearance, but that his smile feels 'off' and disturbing somehow, particularly as it never seems to reach his eyes. He is estimated to be 6'1" and roughly 170 lbs. Under his hood, he has rust brown hair and brown eyes with a hint of either orange or red around the rim of the irises. Monster: In beast form, Jabberwocky is a monstrous draconic being with long, sharp claws, cruel fangs, and a burning wrath in his fire-orange eyes. His face is almost piscine, like some primordial beast from the depths, but the rest of him is evocative of the tales of dragons. He is 65' from tip of the tail to his muzzle, is about 9' at the shoulder, and has a wingspan of 63'. His weight is unknown, but estimated to be 10 tonnes. Class: Lieutenant (Lt.) of Draygon Abilities: Human Form: While being in human form limits the range of his abilities, he nonetheless possesses a considerable array of skills and abilities that make him a formidable opponent: * Hand to Hand Combat: Even in human form, he is a dangerous and accomplished adversary, not needing to switch to his more powerful form to dispatch most of his foolish opponents. He is equally skilled in barehanded combat and swordsmanship, and is incredibly strong and tough for a human. Approach with caution at all times. * Assassin's skills: Sometimes you need to kill a foe before he even realizes you're there. Jabberwocky is surprisingly light on his feet, and can use his dagger to silence foes in the shadows. * Healing: While the art of healing is not as gratifying as the ability to crush your foes and drink in their laments, Jabberwocky nonetheless has learned some respect for it. After all, one might need to patch oneself up after a nasty fight with a surprisingly tenacious enemy. * Fire breathing: Jabberwocky can shoot forth gouts of white hot flames from his mighty jaws, capable of liqufying steel in seconds. * Phasing: Jabberwocky can use his magic to phase through walls, allowing him to infiltrate fortresses and sanctums with impunity, and making him even more dangerous as an assassin. However, there are limits to this ability, as he cannot simply phase through a mountain or go deep underground lest he get trapped and suffocate. * Transformation: As with all of Draygon's Lieutenants, he can transform into his Beast Form, becoming an even more formidable foe. Beast Form: * Flight: Those wings of his aren't for show. They allow him to fly great distances and with considerable speed. * Immense Strength: While he is very strong in human form, he is nothing short of monstrously strong in dragon form, capable of grabbing and tossing humans and animals with minimal effort, as though they were toys. * Razor-sharp claws and teeth: With razor-sharp teeth and claws, Jabberwocky can rend and tear humans to shreds, and can even create great gashes in stone and rock. Equipment: * Assassin dagger, poisoned blade. * Alchemist's kit for poisons and chemical study * A tome of notes and secrets. RP Notes: (To be filled in.) Jabberwocky BY LEWIS CARROLL 'Twas brillig, and the slithy toves Did gyre and gimble in the wabe: All mimsy were the borogoves, And the mome raths outgrabe. "Beware the Jabberwock, my son! The jaws that bite, the claws that catch! Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun The frumious Bandersnatch!" He took his vorpal sword in hand; Long time the manxome foe he sought— So rested he by the Tumtum tree And stood awhile in thought. And, as in uffish thought he stood, The Jabberwock, with eyes of flame, Came whiffling through the tulgey wood, And burbled as it came! One, two! One, two! And through and through The vorpal blade went snicker-snack! He left it dead, and with its head He went galumphing back. "And hast thou slain the Jabberwock? Come to my arms, my beamish boy! O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!" He chortled in his joy. 'Twas brillig, and the slithy toves Did gyre and gimble in the wabe: All mimsy were the borogoves, And the mome raths outgrabe. Source: The Random House Book of Poetry for Children (1983)</s> <\|message\|>Sarah Sarah utters a cry that is sharply cut off when Jabberwocky kicks her in the ribs, sending her flying. She tumbles a bit, but eventually rolls back onto her feet, slightly dirty and bruised by the experience - though the throbbing bruise in her ribs feels the wallop Jabberwocky delivers. She gets back in a combat stance, breathing hard as she tries to gather strength. However, his defense is pretty tough; she was unable to land a blow on him despite going all out. Wiping sweat mixed with grime and a bit of blood off her forehead, she continues glaring at him for a bit. She then shifts her stance, gripping the sword's hilt with both hands, before running forwards to engage again. This time, however, she tries to probe his defenses, going for flanking swings and trying to find weak points in his stance, shifting her own stance and striking with the lightning enhancement when she feels she can press an advantage. Any time he tries to counter with his scythe, she parries back, using the smaller sword and her own lighter form to get some edge in mobility over him. "Why?!" she calls out, "why did you kill Master Thunderfist?! What did he ever do to you? You attacked the villagers first!"</s> <\|message\|>Jabberwocky He raises his blade, spinning it, and swings the massive weapon around like a willow switch, making a massive web of black from his dark blade. He snarls, shuddering from the power of her electric blade. He roars, and swings his blade into the earth, making the ground explode in thousands of shards. "SILENCE!!!"</s> <\|message\|>Sarah Sarah Sarah cries out in pain as she gets blasted back, crumpling to the ground. She breathes hard with the effort, feeling tears well in her eyes at the sheer frustration of being unable to hit this bastard. The way he attacked the villagers, how he killed Master Thunderfist, and how he almost effortlessly blocks her attacks, it fills her heart with rage and sorrow. Pip snarls in fury. The Evil Man attacked the villagers, hurt New Master, and killed Old Master. He didn't care about the cost, he charges forwards to take a bite out of the man's ankle. "PIP, STAY BACK!" Sarah calls out hoarsely to Pip, who whines in surprise. "S-stay back. I can handle this, Pip..." Pip, uncertain, nonetheless obeys, whimpering uncertainly as he does. Slowly, Sarah gets back up, using her sword to prop her up. When she gets to her feet, she tiredly gets into a combat stance, and even though there's dirt and blood on her face and tears of anguish in her eyes, she stares defiantly at Jabberwocky. Once again, she shifts her feet, moving into an offensive stance. Her steps are slow and faltering at first, but then she picks up speed, running as fast as she can at Jabberwocky, charging her sword with the power of lightning itself. At first, it seems as though she's trying for another attempt to find a weakness in his defense, to try and duke it out in melee. But then, she stops running, lets the momentum drive her forwards as she slides on the soles of her boots, and swings her sword. As she moves to strike, she pours every last bit of energy inside her, every last scrap of biogenic energy she has, into the sword, charging the power of lightning within and amplifying it with the battery in the pommel. When she has the sword pointed at Jabberwocky, she gives one loud cry of defiance as she unleashes all the stored energy in the sword, firing it in a blast of elemental lightning so strong it shines even in the bright light of day. She fires the full force of the attack at Jabberwocky, the arc so powerful it causes the earth around it to crack and shudder.</s> <\|message\|>Jabberwocky He roars in fury, seeing her blade charge up, and lunges for her, but stops and starts spinning his scythe like a shield, a thick black wall of metal. The lightning arches across it, and he howls as his arms are scorched, but he keeps up his defense untill the attack ends, his body vanishing into darkness.</s> <\|message\|>Sarah Srah As the energy disspiated, Sarah stood there, breathing hard, barely able to stand up. She feels tired, exhausted, but waits to see if the attack got through. All she sees is a dark shadow dissipating. Did... did she get him? She's afraid to hope, and struggles to hold up her sword. However, it's clear the stranger had disappeared, though he left no corpse. It's... eerie. For now though, she can finally rest. It had been a long, exhausting, and stressful day, capped with the tragedy of Master Thunderfist's death. She staggers over to his body, and then drops the sword as she collapses to her knees, her body wracked with sobs as tears flowed from her eyes. Pip whimpers as he tries to comfort her. "I'm s-sorry, M-Master Thunderfist," she sobs. "I c-couldn't help you... I'm sorry..." Kensu was the first person she'd met when she came out of the capsule, the first person to break the solitude of her existence. He had the keys to finding out who she was and why she was here. And now he's dead, and she feels lost again.</s> <\|message\|>Ayaan Kensu's Island Sarah and Jabberwocky The sky was clear, the sun was bright over head and a salty breeze blew in from the sea. For a few moments the only sounds were the cawing of the birds and the soft slapping of the waves as they broke against the beach and the docks. The ground of the beachhead was scorched and ruined, sand and rock were strewn about impact craters telling a violent story of the fight which seemed to come from no where. A young pink-haired girl, tired and weak, had fallen to her knees and was propping herself up with a blacked and smoking sword. A small, blue tinted dog was on his hind legs trying to lick her face, worry etched in his body language. Solemnly the people of the village began to pick up rubble and shuffle debris, beginning to form order out of all the chaos. It was not the first time one of Draygon's followers had attacked their village, though usually they were more prepared to fight. The incursion with the spider brood left them weak and open, and it was only bad luck that Jabberwocky, one of the worst of the lot, had been close enough to take advantage of the weakened town, and now they paid for it with the death of their strongest warrior, Kensu Thunderfist. The people mourned quietly, being familiar enough with grief to understand how to cope and begin to heal. Eight older members of the village walked to Kensu's body, one of them carrying a canvas sail taken from one of their boats. They lovingly brushed the dust off his face and cleaned what blood they could to help him look presentable in his passing. They wrapped him in the canvas and took him down into the village where he would be prepared for their burial ritual. A young man walked up to Sarah and offered his hand to help her up. He was shirtless and tan, wearing some loose fitting shorts with various belts and straps. His hair was long, black, and curled into ringlets; and his body was covered in various, nautical tattoos. "Hello Oracle," he said warmly, "My name is Steven. You've been through much, I'd much rather give you a proper introduction to our village," he smiled as he helped her to her feet. "First let's get you some food, hot water for bathing, and some rest. I'll take you to Kensu's hut, follow me." He felt tired, the effects of the spider venom and the gas, as well as the adrenaline of the attack from the monster was only going to last so long, but he needed to get her to the hut and then take care of his own family. She was first priority though, she was one of the Oracles. Her kinds were worshipped almost like living deities by the people of the village. She had shown that she had great strength, compassion, and goodwill, this confirmed in Steven that their worship had not been misplaced. Kensu's hut was directly on the water, it hadn't been damaged in the recent fights. Amara, Steven's aunt, had brought some bread, cheese, and salt cured fish and left them on a plate on the table. Moana, Steven's little sister, had already filled the bath with sea water and lit the fire underneath. The people of the village were of one mind, that they needed to take care of their new visitor, their new Savior. Steven led the pink haired girl over to cot opposite to the table with the food. "There's a pull cord with a bell, if you ring it someone will come to attend to you. Please, you are home here." Steven bowed and smiled and backed out of the door, leaving Sarah alone in the quiet, peaceful room that belonged to, or used to belong to, Master Kensu. a young man led Sarah to Kensu's old room to bathe, eat, and recuperate her strength. The villagers are beginning to clean up and rebuild. SETTING: In Kensu's room there is an old computer that works! The use of the computer should come intuitively to Sarah, it doesn't have any complicated or difficult operating system, and it is touch screen. On the computer are the "Sacred Documents" that Kensu had of the island. The content of these documents we can hash out a little in the Discord so you'll have what background information you need to create your post.</s>	<\|message\|>Jabberwocky He finishes spinning his blade, deep in a dence patch of trees, and his wings retract into his back. He takes in a deep gasp of air, sinking to one knee, trying to breathe. The old man packed a wallop, and that kid was no joke either. He grins with bloody teeth, and wipes at the split on his lip with his thumb. I wonder if Ruby will grow that powerful one day. He spits on the ground, clearing out his throat of the blood. He then drags his scythe along behind him, digging a groove into the soft earth as he heads for the location of Jub Jub's death.</s>
<\|description\|>Jabberwocky Human Form Beast Form Physical Description: Human: A tall, athletic man who spends most of his time under robes, making it hard to get a good look at him. Those who do manage more than a peak would note he's strangely handsome and chiseled in appearance, but that his smile feels 'off' and disturbing somehow, particularly as it never seems to reach his eyes. He is estimated to be 6'1" and roughly 170 lbs. Under his hood, he has rust brown hair and brown eyes with a hint of either orange or red around the rim of the irises. Monster: In beast form, Jabberwocky is a monstrous draconic being with long, sharp claws, cruel fangs, and a burning wrath in his fire-orange eyes. His face is almost piscine, like some primordial beast from the depths, but the rest of him is evocative of the tales of dragons. He is 65' from tip of the tail to his muzzle, is about 9' at the shoulder, and has a wingspan of 63'. His weight is unknown, but estimated to be 10 tonnes. Class: Lieutenant (Lt.) of Draygon Abilities: Human Form: While being in human form limits the range of his abilities, he nonetheless possesses a considerable array of skills and abilities that make him a formidable opponent: * Hand to Hand Combat: Even in human form, he is a dangerous and accomplished adversary, not needing to switch to his more powerful form to dispatch most of his foolish opponents. He is equally skilled in barehanded combat and swordsmanship, and is incredibly strong and tough for a human. Approach with caution at all times. * Assassin's skills: Sometimes you need to kill a foe before he even realizes you're there. Jabberwocky is surprisingly light on his feet, and can use his dagger to silence foes in the shadows. * Healing: While the art of healing is not as gratifying as the ability to crush your foes and drink in their laments, Jabberwocky nonetheless has learned some respect for it. After all, one might need to patch oneself up after a nasty fight with a surprisingly tenacious enemy. * Fire breathing: Jabberwocky can shoot forth gouts of white hot flames from his mighty jaws, capable of liqufying steel in seconds. * Phasing: Jabberwocky can use his magic to phase through walls, allowing him to infiltrate fortresses and sanctums with impunity, and making him even more dangerous as an assassin. However, there are limits to this ability, as he cannot simply phase through a mountain or go deep underground lest he get trapped and suffocate. * Transformation: As with all of Draygon's Lieutenants, he can transform into his Beast Form, becoming an even more formidable foe. Beast Form: * Flight: Those wings of his aren't for show. They allow him to fly great distances and with considerable speed. * Immense Strength: While he is very strong in human form, he is nothing short of monstrously strong in dragon form, capable of grabbing and tossing humans and animals with minimal effort, as though they were toys. * Razor-sharp claws and teeth: With razor-sharp teeth and claws, Jabberwocky can rend and tear humans to shreds, and can even create great gashes in stone and rock. Equipment: * Assassin dagger, poisoned blade. * Alchemist's kit for poisons and chemical study * A tome of notes and secrets. RP Notes: (To be filled in.) Jabberwocky BY LEWIS CARROLL 'Twas brillig, and the slithy toves Did gyre and gimble in the wabe: All mimsy were the borogoves, And the mome raths outgrabe. "Beware the Jabberwock, my son! The jaws that bite, the claws that catch! Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun The frumious Bandersnatch!" He took his vorpal sword in hand; Long time the manxome foe he sought— So rested he by the Tumtum tree And stood awhile in thought. And, as in uffish thought he stood, The Jabberwock, with eyes of flame, Came whiffling through the tulgey wood, And burbled as it came! One, two! One, two! And through and through The vorpal blade went snicker-snack! He left it dead, and with its head He went galumphing back. "And hast thou slain the Jabberwock? Come to my arms, my beamish boy! O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!" He chortled in his joy. 'Twas brillig, and the slithy toves Did gyre and gimble in the wabe: All mimsy were the borogoves, And the mome raths outgrabe. Source: The Random House Book of Poetry for Children (1983)</s> <\|message\|>Jabberwocky He finishes spinning his blade, deep in a dence patch of trees, and his wings retract into his back. He takes in a deep gasp of air, sinking to one knee, trying to breathe. The old man packed a wallop, and that kid was no joke either. He grins with bloody teeth, and wipes at the split on his lip with his thumb. I wonder if Ruby will grow that powerful one day. He spits on the ground, clearing out his throat of the blood. He then drags his scythe along behind him, digging a groove into the soft earth as he heads for the location of Jub Jub's death.</s> <\|message\|>Sarah Sarah Sarah was still sobbing softly when Steven came up to help her. Initially, she's still upset, unresponsive, but the offer to take a bath and something to eat was greatly appreciated, given she was tired, exhausted, and stressed out. As she follows him limping into town, she notices the villagers bringing out their dead from under the rubble. She shivers, feeling sorrow and helplessness at helping them get free from the spiderlings only to die by crushing under heavy rocks. "Some Oracle I turned out to be," she mutters sadly. "I couldn't protect them - or Master Thunderfist. I'm... I'm sorry about your friends." When in Kensu's house, she looks around, her curiosity helping her come out of her sadness and shock. It's an interesting place, with some rather odd knick-knacks here and there, making her wonder what kind of man he was, and wished she had known him longer. However, all she could do now is try and honor his death and move on, try to understand her destiny. Steven draws her attention to something small and boxy, a strange thing he's seen Kensu use before but it left Steven utterly mystified. Sarah barely takes a glance at it before she somehow realizes it's a computer, a data processing machine from ancient times. It still feels strange when she recognizes something she just saw. Nonetheless, she begins to get to work on it. She's barely aware of herself typing away, it just comes to her naturally. And in the computer's storage, she finds Master Thunderfist's files. About the Ancients, the tale of Harbinger, and how and why the Oracles were created. The power of biogenic energy, the basis of the Oracle Project, and the use of genetic engineering to create Oracles from scratch because regular humans were inefficient in processing the awesome power of biogenic energy. There are some missing spots, of course; the thousands of years and the intervening calamity meant a lot of information was lost. There is a mention of a Julie Anderson, whose teachings formed the basis of current lore about the Ancients. However, it still incites a certain amount of sorrow in her. Such a mighty civilization, one brought low and to a ruinous end. So much wasted, such loss of life. What she's certain of, however, is that there are signs that Harbinger is starting up again. And this time, the people are much less prepared to face the coming apocalypse. The picture Master Thunderfist's files and records drew were incomplete, but a general picture emerged nonetheless. As Oracle, her duty is to find the Swords and their matching artefacts, and find a way to stop Harbinger once and for all. She could get a boat to the mainland; plenty of those in what is essentially a fishing village. The real question, of course, is where should she start? What should she look for? She decides to dig deeper into Kensu's files, petting Pip with one hand when he manages to get up onto the table, tail wagging. Then she finds a message... from a Dr. Logan? She opens it, curiosity overtaking her. Date: >!data missing!< "Project Prometheus is going smoothly. The genetic recoding process proposed by Dr. Sun is giving its results, and in record time too, I might add. Things are proceeding pretty well, and we'll have our first biogenic resonance test within two to three weeks. Things are promising, and we'll have the first embryo - the Galatea prototype - ready for a series of full tests within a month or two. "...Mind if I just digress here for a moment? I... I still feel a bit giddy, I can't deny. We're creating a brand new breed of humanity, something almost from scratch. Sure, we've had genetic engineering for the past century or two, but nothing really on the scale of what we're trying to achieve here. A brand new breed of humanity, free of the flaws and shortcomings of old. A new kind that could change the very fabric of reality itself at will, through the splendorous power of biogenic energy. Using it the way it's meant to be used; pure, efficient, powerful... "...but perhaps I'm getting ahead of myself here. Sometimes I frighten my colleagues with these ideas of ubermenschen created in test tubes, making them sound... inhuman. But that's not the point. If anything they should be even more human, more humane. The epitome of what makes humanity great. Empathy. Wisdom. Compassion. Wonder. "If anything, these children - and that's what they'll be, rising from the womb of scientific progress - are going to help shape the future of humanity. Above all else, they should treasure Love of their fellow humans and work with them as equals. Build a new path together. "For now, I should really check on the prototype Galatea. She's showing immense potential, and if the rest follow her footsteps, then they'll be a wonder to behold. For me, though I expect great things from Galatea - or as I like to call her, Sarah. I can't wait to meet her, the person she's destined to be, someday. "Dr. Logan, signing out." The mention of her name jolts her. Was this her, or was it another Oracle by the name of Sarah? Could there be more out there? Dr. Logan seemed to have been the mastermind of the biogenic energy research, but a lot of the files and references were missing - either corrupted or lost. She absently strokes Pip's head as she thinks this over - until her rumbling stomach makes her realize she's overdue for a bath and a meal. She ate some food earlier, but she used up so much energy she's basically running on empty. Maybe some more reading after she's properly freshened up.</s> <\|message\|>Ayaan Jabberwocky's Hideout Dragon Ruby's fiery palm smacked against Annabelle's face and burned half of it off. "OOOUUCH!!" she said, well, half said because she didn't have much of a jaw anymore. Her one eye was wide open, the other burnt off, and what was left of her mouth turned up in a smile. "You're a feisty bitch! You ruined my look!" She raised her leg and kicked the young, blind girl back into the room she came out of. "God, I can only see half of what I'm looking for. HAHAHHAHA!!" She laughed at her own joke as she turned back to the computer screen and plucked the keys trying to figure out the mechanism.</s> <\|message\|>Ayaan Kensu's Hut Date: >September 30, 2218< "Have I ever seen the sun before this day? I'm sorry, this isn't really the place for it, but I have to put it down for posterity, for my mind will allow me nothing else. My heart is a slave! Her name, her name is Sarah, a goddess among us. We met while while I was giving a lecture at the college she attended, she's almost 20 years my junior. It's true I thought she was cute, and working with her the last few years has been delightful. I had no idea how much my affection had grown though until now. She's... incredible to say the least. Agh! my scientific mind doesn't speak well the languages of love, but my heart is driving me mad! She is in all my thoughts, all my worries! My world turns at the next moment I can see her! Why WHY! do I feel this way! My work is suffering, but what matter is work when a man is in love? Let me tell you everything I know about her: Her favorite color is Pink, so typical I know, but alluring; she has porcelain skin and bright blue eyes. She has so many talents and somehow we talk about a million different things, I... I can't even remember them. I remember just her face, her beautiful face looking at me like I'm the most powerful thing in her world. I love the way she looks at me, and I love to look at her. This is my science log, I'm sorry to waste the time, I have very important things to get to. We have been manipulating physical structures monitoring the flow of biogenic energy, it doesn't work like electricity, it's more... sublime. Sublime like my heart in the presence of my angel, my muse, my Sarah..... What can I do, I'm hopelessly in love, I can only hope she loves me as much as I love her. -Dr. Logan, signing out"</s>	<\|message\|>Jabberwocky She yells in pain as she's punted away, and lands with a crunch. "Aaaah!" She stands up, and looks around, using her molten power to 'see' heat waves. She raises one hand letting magma flow over her arm, and runs forward. "Don't touch my bed!" She puts her arm through Annabelle's back, and through her heart, her arm searing through her flesh with minimal resistance.</s>
<\|description\|>Jabberwocky Human Form Beast Form Physical Description: Human: A tall, athletic man who spends most of his time under robes, making it hard to get a good look at him. Those who do manage more than a peak would note he's strangely handsome and chiseled in appearance, but that his smile feels 'off' and disturbing somehow, particularly as it never seems to reach his eyes. He is estimated to be 6'1" and roughly 170 lbs. Under his hood, he has rust brown hair and brown eyes with a hint of either orange or red around the rim of the irises. Monster: In beast form, Jabberwocky is a monstrous draconic being with long, sharp claws, cruel fangs, and a burning wrath in his fire-orange eyes. His face is almost piscine, like some primordial beast from the depths, but the rest of him is evocative of the tales of dragons. He is 65' from tip of the tail to his muzzle, is about 9' at the shoulder, and has a wingspan of 63'. His weight is unknown, but estimated to be 10 tonnes. Class: Lieutenant (Lt.) of Draygon Abilities: Human Form: While being in human form limits the range of his abilities, he nonetheless possesses a considerable array of skills and abilities that make him a formidable opponent: * Hand to Hand Combat: Even in human form, he is a dangerous and accomplished adversary, not needing to switch to his more powerful form to dispatch most of his foolish opponents. He is equally skilled in barehanded combat and swordsmanship, and is incredibly strong and tough for a human. Approach with caution at all times. * Assassin's skills: Sometimes you need to kill a foe before he even realizes you're there. Jabberwocky is surprisingly light on his feet, and can use his dagger to silence foes in the shadows. * Healing: While the art of healing is not as gratifying as the ability to crush your foes and drink in their laments, Jabberwocky nonetheless has learned some respect for it. After all, one might need to patch oneself up after a nasty fight with a surprisingly tenacious enemy. * Fire breathing: Jabberwocky can shoot forth gouts of white hot flames from his mighty jaws, capable of liqufying steel in seconds. * Phasing: Jabberwocky can use his magic to phase through walls, allowing him to infiltrate fortresses and sanctums with impunity, and making him even more dangerous as an assassin. However, there are limits to this ability, as he cannot simply phase through a mountain or go deep underground lest he get trapped and suffocate. * Transformation: As with all of Draygon's Lieutenants, he can transform into his Beast Form, becoming an even more formidable foe. Beast Form: * Flight: Those wings of his aren't for show. They allow him to fly great distances and with considerable speed. * Immense Strength: While he is very strong in human form, he is nothing short of monstrously strong in dragon form, capable of grabbing and tossing humans and animals with minimal effort, as though they were toys. * Razor-sharp claws and teeth: With razor-sharp teeth and claws, Jabberwocky can rend and tear humans to shreds, and can even create great gashes in stone and rock. Equipment: * Assassin dagger, poisoned blade. * Alchemist's kit for poisons and chemical study * A tome of notes and secrets. RP Notes: (To be filled in.) Jabberwocky BY LEWIS CARROLL 'Twas brillig, and the slithy toves Did gyre and gimble in the wabe: All mimsy were the borogoves, And the mome raths outgrabe. "Beware the Jabberwock, my son! The jaws that bite, the claws that catch! Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun The frumious Bandersnatch!" He took his vorpal sword in hand; Long time the manxome foe he sought— So rested he by the Tumtum tree And stood awhile in thought. And, as in uffish thought he stood, The Jabberwock, with eyes of flame, Came whiffling through the tulgey wood, And burbled as it came! One, two! One, two! And through and through The vorpal blade went snicker-snack! He left it dead, and with its head He went galumphing back. "And hast thou slain the Jabberwock? Come to my arms, my beamish boy! O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!" He chortled in his joy. 'Twas brillig, and the slithy toves Did gyre and gimble in the wabe: All mimsy were the borogoves, And the mome raths outgrabe. Source: The Random House Book of Poetry for Children (1983)</s> <\|message\|>Sarah Sarah Sarah nods at his kindness and cheers up a bit more. When it's time to eat, she first starts digging in; she's pretty hungry, even though it's only been a day spent riding sky-mantas. However, she soon takes note of the King's table manners, and begins to copy them accordingly. It's not that she's been eating sloppily or has poor table manners; rather, it's a fascination of studying the quiet dignity of someone eating in a more refined manner, all the while trying not to be obvious about her observation, which made her feel embarrassed and awkward whenever she feels the king catches her watching him. However, she quickly gets the gist of 'higher table manners', and privately feels elated at the achievement. Pip, meanwhile, eats like a dog should; happy the food is here, and managing not to spill a drop, which is surprisingly polite by dog standards. Sarah nods. "I have, Your Majesty," she says, pulling out the sword from her belt and handing it over carefully. "It's... well, it's as I felt the sword, rather than found it. I just followed a strong sense... it was though the sword was pulling me towards it in the cave, even in the darkness and miasma." "Those are some really wise words, Your Majesty," she says. "Makes me wish I had had more than a day to get to know Master Thunderfist." "So that's how there was a beast and a man there," Sarah muses softly. "They change forms? That's... that's an interesting power, though it's also rather terrifying, especially what they transform into." Sarah listens intently to the information about Bandersnatch. That there were more people like the one who slew Master Thunderfist clearly upset her, but she decides to pay attention so that she could be better prepared against Bandersnatch, should she ever face him too. "Wait, he uses the sword to channel energies of fire?" she asks curiously. "Where exactly did the sword come from? And did it have a strange pommel attached, like mine?" She pauses, lost in thought. If Bandersnatch was using an Oracle's sword, would that mean he's an Oracle too? Or has Draygon found a way to use the power of biogenic energy and given it to his servants? Either possibility was disturbing; the former that Oracles, chosen to help the world, would cast it aside and become monsters, or that their abilities could be used for evil - and indeed already have been. Sarah eagerly reads through the book with King Kovar, drinking in the details and secrets within. It helps her form a more complete image of why Master Thunderfist had been watching over her, and why the King seems to know so much about her when she barely knows who she is. But if the King and Master Thunderfist and the other Wizards all knew the Oracles were real, why did this Tornel regard them as mere decorations? That makes no sense; surely if the Ancients wanted to show off their power and abilities, they'd do better than creating lifeless mannequins in pods, right? Tornel's loud and sudden arrival knocks her out of her thinking and reading, and she stands up, not sure who to expect. She certainly didn't expect Tornel, though he's not what she expected from a Wizard, especially after the calm but jovial presence of Kensu Thunderfist. "Hello, Master Tornel," she says, introducing herself with a bow. "My name is Sarah, and I'm-" His angry declaration cuts her off, shocking her with his hostility. What on earth was he ranting about? She then sees a small vial flying through the air towards her, and for a split second, it seems as though time itself crawls to a halt. The explosion knocks her and Pip off their feet and knocked into a wall, their cries of pain and surprise drowned by the thunder of the explosion. Sarah feels the world spin around her, but she manages to shake off the stun and tries to get up, reaching for Pip to see if he's alright. The poor dog is badly wounded, but he'll live, so Sarah lays her hands on him and begins healing him as fast as she can. This allows Pip to get up, shake off the explosion, and start growling angrily at the man who tried to kill them both. "WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOU?!" Sarah manages to cry out once she's regained her senses.</s> <\|message\|>Stephanie Anderson Moving through the castle halls, Steph and Peter were careful to avoid attracting undue attention. Thankfully, there didn't seem to be many people around, probably due to the siege Tornel had mentioned. This did pose something of a problem, however, as neither Steph nor Peter had any idea of where the king's chambers were located. They needed directions, and for that, they needed someone to provide them. After ascending a few flights of stairs, they came to a large central chamber, at the far end of which, a figure in fancy armor was giving instructions to a group of several men-at-arms. Sir Gravy "Pardon us, sir," Steph said as she and Peter approached the group. "But would you be so kind as to tell us the way to the king's chambers? We're apprentices of Master Minoc of Tinkertown, and we have an urgent message for the king." "Do you now?" the knight who had been giving orders responded as he turned to face them. "In that case, it shall be my honor to take you to his majesty myself. I am Sir Gravy, a paladin in the king's service, and you can rest assured that you shall be safe in my care, even in the midst of this deplorable siege! Sir Snack!" he called, and a knight in substantially less elaborate armor jumped to attention. "Continue overseeing the preparations in my stead." With that, the paladin began leading the way to the king's chambers. "I must say, I find myself somewhat perplexed as to how you made your way here with the dark forces of Draygon having thoroughly surrounded us," Sir Gravy noted as they walked. "We used a secret underground passage," Steph explained. "It's only known to a select few. In fact," she added, "we didn't even know of it until Master Minoc showed us." "Ah yes, wizards and their secrets," Sir Gravy said with a chuckle. "I know, right? Anyway, Master Tornel was supposed to meet us when we arrived, but we haven't seen him anywhere." "That's most likely due to the siege," the paladin noted. "A wizard of his power is undoubtedly quite busy at a time like this, preparing mighty spells and crafting grand strategies." "Oh, of course," Steph replied, while doing her best not to roll her eyes at the paladin's high praise of Tornel. "We figured as much ourselves. That's why we were looking for someone else who could show us the way to the king." "Speaking of his majesty, we have now arrived!" Sir Gravy declared as they stopped before an ornate gilded door. "Your Majesty," he announced. "It is I, Sir Gravy! I have with me two envoys from Tinkertown, apprentices of Master Minoc! They say they carry an urgent message for you!"</s> <\|message\|>Jabberwocky A distant roar shakes the ground, and Jabber rises into the sky, eyes gleaming and hungry. He soars over the ground, the land vanishing beneath his shadow, his claws tearing apart trees and roofs. He opens his massive jaws, and roars so loudly and powerfully that animals drop dead from fright. His hungry eyes glow, and a wave of liquid-like fire bursts from his jaws, setting everything around him alight. He flies over the town hall, and lands on the tallest building, roaring, making the shingles rattle, and glass crack and shatter.</s> <\|message\|>Ayaan Tinkertown Dragon \| *********************************** \| Locke walked out onto the small ledge that was the remnants of the bridge. He beheld the Jabberwocky and was afraid. Bravely he forced himself to step forward and look the beast in the eye. "Your Harpy is dead!" He yelled in his strongest voice, "We killed it. There's nobody else here. You got what you came for, now leave us be!" His heart was beating out of control, he had never been so scared in his life, but even though he was only 14 he was the only one left to tell the dragon beast to go. \| \| --- \| --- \|</s>	<\|message\|>Jabberwocky He laughs, a deep, dark laugh, like a set of billows heating a blazing furnace. "What I came for? Listen to yourself, little boy. I don't care about the harpy. I'm here for the Oracle. Hand her over, or burn." He bares his sharp teeth, and grins at him, eyes glowing in hunger.</s>
<\|description\|>Jabberwocky Human Form Beast Form Physical Description: Human: A tall, athletic man who spends most of his time under robes, making it hard to get a good look at him. Those who do manage more than a peak would note he's strangely handsome and chiseled in appearance, but that his smile feels 'off' and disturbing somehow, particularly as it never seems to reach his eyes. He is estimated to be 6'1" and roughly 170 lbs. Under his hood, he has rust brown hair and brown eyes with a hint of either orange or red around the rim of the irises. Monster: In beast form, Jabberwocky is a monstrous draconic being with long, sharp claws, cruel fangs, and a burning wrath in his fire-orange eyes. His face is almost piscine, like some primordial beast from the depths, but the rest of him is evocative of the tales of dragons. He is 65' from tip of the tail to his muzzle, is about 9' at the shoulder, and has a wingspan of 63'. His weight is unknown, but estimated to be 10 tonnes. Class: Lieutenant (Lt.) of Draygon Abilities: Human Form: While being in human form limits the range of his abilities, he nonetheless possesses a considerable array of skills and abilities that make him a formidable opponent: * Hand to Hand Combat: Even in human form, he is a dangerous and accomplished adversary, not needing to switch to his more powerful form to dispatch most of his foolish opponents. He is equally skilled in barehanded combat and swordsmanship, and is incredibly strong and tough for a human. Approach with caution at all times. * Assassin's skills: Sometimes you need to kill a foe before he even realizes you're there. Jabberwocky is surprisingly light on his feet, and can use his dagger to silence foes in the shadows. * Healing: While the art of healing is not as gratifying as the ability to crush your foes and drink in their laments, Jabberwocky nonetheless has learned some respect for it. After all, one might need to patch oneself up after a nasty fight with a surprisingly tenacious enemy. * Fire breathing: Jabberwocky can shoot forth gouts of white hot flames from his mighty jaws, capable of liqufying steel in seconds. * Phasing: Jabberwocky can use his magic to phase through walls, allowing him to infiltrate fortresses and sanctums with impunity, and making him even more dangerous as an assassin. However, there are limits to this ability, as he cannot simply phase through a mountain or go deep underground lest he get trapped and suffocate. * Transformation: As with all of Draygon's Lieutenants, he can transform into his Beast Form, becoming an even more formidable foe. Beast Form: * Flight: Those wings of his aren't for show. They allow him to fly great distances and with considerable speed. * Immense Strength: While he is very strong in human form, he is nothing short of monstrously strong in dragon form, capable of grabbing and tossing humans and animals with minimal effort, as though they were toys. * Razor-sharp claws and teeth: With razor-sharp teeth and claws, Jabberwocky can rend and tear humans to shreds, and can even create great gashes in stone and rock. Equipment: * Assassin dagger, poisoned blade. * Alchemist's kit for poisons and chemical study * A tome of notes and secrets. RP Notes: (To be filled in.) Jabberwocky BY LEWIS CARROLL 'Twas brillig, and the slithy toves Did gyre and gimble in the wabe: All mimsy were the borogoves, And the mome raths outgrabe. "Beware the Jabberwock, my son! The jaws that bite, the claws that catch! Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun The frumious Bandersnatch!" He took his vorpal sword in hand; Long time the manxome foe he sought— So rested he by the Tumtum tree And stood awhile in thought. And, as in uffish thought he stood, The Jabberwock, with eyes of flame, Came whiffling through the tulgey wood, And burbled as it came! One, two! One, two! And through and through The vorpal blade went snicker-snack! He left it dead, and with its head He went galumphing back. "And hast thou slain the Jabberwock? Come to my arms, my beamish boy! O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!" He chortled in his joy. 'Twas brillig, and the slithy toves Did gyre and gimble in the wabe: All mimsy were the borogoves, And the mome raths outgrabe. Source: The Random House Book of Poetry for Children (1983)</s> <\|message\|>Stephanie Anderson "Greetings, your Majesty," Steph said as she entered and bowed before the king. Her eyes hardened as she took note that Tornel was also present, along with a pink-haired girl. Presumably this was the "Sarah" the fairy had mentioned. "My name is Stephanie, and this is Peter," she informed, gesturing to the young apprentice who was currently cowering behind her. "H-Hello…" the apprentice said meekly, rather overwhelmed by his current situation. First an oracle, then the leader of the wizards, and now the king himself! This was certainly the most remarkable day of his young life, and it was getting to be a bit much for the poor young man. "We came here at the request of Master Minoc," Steph continued. "He told us that we would be met by the wise wizard Tornel, but when we arrived, Tornel locked us in a chamber and called us servants of Draygon! Minoc even told us to present this weapon to him," she explained, while retrieving the sword from her backpack. "But he carelessly dismissed it without even looking at it! There's one other thing," she added in a more reserved tone. "I'm not an apprentice of Minoc. I'm actually what you people would call an oracle. I'm sorry, Sir Gravy," she told the knight, trying not to laugh as she said his ridiculous name. "I didn't want to lie to you, but we needed to see the king and explain the situation to him." "Gadzooks!" the paladin exclaimed. "Are you to tell me that I have been in the presence of one of the legendary oracles this entire time?! Truly extraordinary! It was my honor to be of service to you, my lady!" he declared, bowing to her in deference. Then, sobering, he added, "And though I bristle at your deception, I can see that it was for a worthy cause. Thus, it shall be my great pleasure to accept your apology!" "Thank you," Steph said while treating the paladin to a warm smile. "That really means a lot. Oh, and you don't need to do the whole 'my lady' thing. Just call me Steph." "Very well, young Steph," Sir Gravy acquiesced. "I shall respect your wish for modesty. And what of you young Peter," the paladin inquired. "Are you also an oracle of legend?" "N-No, sir," Peter stammered. "I-I'm just an ordinary apprentice. I-In fact, I p-probably shouldn't even be here…"</s> <\|message\|>Ayaan Tinkertown Dragon Locke stepped forward, tears in his eyes, "There's no Oracle here!" he cried, "Go AWAY! Haven't you killed enough!?"</s> <\|message\|>Sarah Sarah When Tornel prepares a second strike, Sarah stiffens, Pip growling in her hands. For a moment, she considers drawing her sword and fighting Tornel, but then she remembers the King is still there, and she doesn't want to endanger him. She's not sure what to do about Tornel wanting to kill her, though, as he seems convinced she's a threat to the King. However, the King's angry response - and the timely arrival of another knight - seemed to defuse the situation, and forced Tornel onto the back foot. Sarah couldn't help but wince when the King smacked Tornel; even though Tornel was just threatening to kill her, she feels that it wasn't seemly of the king to get physical like that, plus she felt pity for Tornel, whose dignity was damaged by that. Even though he attacked her and Pip. Pip, however, held no sympathy, growling at Tornel until he leaves, giving an angry little snort when the Wizard had left. Sarah breathes a sigh of relief when Tornel leaves. She just wishes the whole thing hadn't escalated so badly. Why did he believe she was a servant of Draygon? What had she done wrong? When the Knight introduces his guests, Sarah waves to them. "Hello, I'm Sarah, a pleasure to meet you," she says. To Stephanie, Sarah seems to be a pink-haired girl of 18 years old, a bit tall for her age, and with bright green eyes. She's carrying a small dog, similar to a corgi with shiny bits attached, and they seem a bit scuffed up, as though they've been hit by a small explosion - which she probably heard on her way up. The dog seems in better condition than Sarah. For Sarah, seeing Stephanie in those clothes... it stirs something deep within her. A memory? More like a glimpse of one, a flash of recognition that fades away almost before it registers. She remembers the tube from her nightmare in the caverns under the influence of the miasma. She remembers vaguely seeing figures outside her tube, in similar designs. Or is she just imagining things? The memory flashed by too quickly to examine. "I'm... I'm not sure why he thought we were servants of Draygon," Sarah says with a shrug. Then she notices the dog in her arms start fidgeting. "Uh, Pip, what are you doing...? Pip?!" Pip jumps out of New Master's arms, and trots over to the newcomers. The Knight he gives a quick sniff, but more out of mild curiosity than anything. The boy with him he gives a bit more interest, circling him once or twice as he sniffs his feet and legs. Clearly an outsider, from a distant village, but any uniqueness to his scent seems to have rubbed off from the third one, a girl. Sniffing the girl gives more intriguing results. She smells... unique. Somehow it's similar to New Master's scent, but different in a way. He circles the raven-haired girl a few times, sniffing curiously, before looking up at her, tilting his head with a curious whine, then barking cheerfully and panting. "So sorry about that," Sarah says, walking over to pick up the over-eager dog. "Pip's very excitable, and I've only had him for a short while now..."</s> <\|message\|>Jabberwocky He begins laughing, untill he's howling in laughter. "Have you never heard of the Jabberwocky, child? I live for death, for war. I am the ultimate killing machine." He tilts his head. "You're a brave one. If you can hit me at all, I'll leave. Take a swing at me."</s> <\|message\|>Ayaan Tinkertown Dragon Locke looked at the dragon hopelessly, "You're up on that roof! I can't reach you up there!?"</s> <\|message\|>Jabberwocky He laughs, and jumps off the roof. The ground cracked beneath his feet, smattering like glass hit with a boulder. "The first strike is yours, little boy." He bares fangs, sharp and white.</s> <\|message\|>Ayaan Tinkertown Dragon Locke stepped forward, tears running down his face. He was only 14 but he knew he was about to die. If only he could touch the monster then the monster promised to leave his family alone and his friends and go away. Locke felt too weak to live the Sword higher than his wast. He forced his muscles to move and he swung the sword towards jabberwocky's taunting face. "Got you!" Came a tiny voice from behind jabberwocky's leg. A little girl, maybe 5 years old, had been hiding behind Locke's legs And when Jabberwocky landed she slipped around to his giant scaled foot and with a little wooden sword Hit it as hard as her little body could. From the building a woman screamed no. A voice sounded in jabberwocky's head, "Destroy them all," Draygon said inside of Jabberwocky's head, "and return to me."</s> <\|message\|>Jabberwocky He laughs, long and loud. "Not even dogs send pups to fight. Cowards, all of you." The weapons do nothing, less then nothing. They both shatter, as if smashed with a hammer. "I like you, little ones. You remind me of someone...... leave now, children. You are no threat." He looks at the adults, and walks towards them, hands clasped behind his back. His scythe scraping into the ground, rocks cracking and splitting. "Are there no honerable ones among you?"</s> <\|message\|>Ayaan Tinkertown Dragon A disheveled woman who might have been in her mid-twenties ran out of the building and picked up the five-year-old child. "There was a girl," She said holding her child to her chest, "but she disappeared, Lord Minoc took her somewhere and none of us know where. And now he's dead." The woman put herself in between the two children and Jabberwocky, "does that satisfy you beast? Or do you still lust for more blood?"</s>	<\|message\|>Jabberwocky He tilts his head. "Enough? You think I've done enough? Should I drag your whole town to Draygon, let him eradicate you all? Send me your strongest warrior. If they can get through my defense, I'll leave. If not....." He bares his fangs. "You get the picture."</s>
<\|description\|>Jabberwocky Human Form Beast Form Physical Description: Human: A tall, athletic man who spends most of his time under robes, making it hard to get a good look at him. Those who do manage more than a peak would note he's strangely handsome and chiseled in appearance, but that his smile feels 'off' and disturbing somehow, particularly as it never seems to reach his eyes. He is estimated to be 6'1" and roughly 170 lbs. Under his hood, he has rust brown hair and brown eyes with a hint of either orange or red around the rim of the irises. Monster: In beast form, Jabberwocky is a monstrous draconic being with long, sharp claws, cruel fangs, and a burning wrath in his fire-orange eyes. His face is almost piscine, like some primordial beast from the depths, but the rest of him is evocative of the tales of dragons. He is 65' from tip of the tail to his muzzle, is about 9' at the shoulder, and has a wingspan of 63'. His weight is unknown, but estimated to be 10 tonnes. Class: Lieutenant (Lt.) of Draygon Abilities: Human Form: While being in human form limits the range of his abilities, he nonetheless possesses a considerable array of skills and abilities that make him a formidable opponent: * Hand to Hand Combat: Even in human form, he is a dangerous and accomplished adversary, not needing to switch to his more powerful form to dispatch most of his foolish opponents. He is equally skilled in barehanded combat and swordsmanship, and is incredibly strong and tough for a human. Approach with caution at all times. * Assassin's skills: Sometimes you need to kill a foe before he even realizes you're there. Jabberwocky is surprisingly light on his feet, and can use his dagger to silence foes in the shadows. * Healing: While the art of healing is not as gratifying as the ability to crush your foes and drink in their laments, Jabberwocky nonetheless has learned some respect for it. After all, one might need to patch oneself up after a nasty fight with a surprisingly tenacious enemy. * Fire breathing: Jabberwocky can shoot forth gouts of white hot flames from his mighty jaws, capable of liqufying steel in seconds. * Phasing: Jabberwocky can use his magic to phase through walls, allowing him to infiltrate fortresses and sanctums with impunity, and making him even more dangerous as an assassin. However, there are limits to this ability, as he cannot simply phase through a mountain or go deep underground lest he get trapped and suffocate. * Transformation: As with all of Draygon's Lieutenants, he can transform into his Beast Form, becoming an even more formidable foe. Beast Form: * Flight: Those wings of his aren't for show. They allow him to fly great distances and with considerable speed. * Immense Strength: While he is very strong in human form, he is nothing short of monstrously strong in dragon form, capable of grabbing and tossing humans and animals with minimal effort, as though they were toys. * Razor-sharp claws and teeth: With razor-sharp teeth and claws, Jabberwocky can rend and tear humans to shreds, and can even create great gashes in stone and rock. Equipment: * Assassin dagger, poisoned blade. * Alchemist's kit for poisons and chemical study * A tome of notes and secrets. RP Notes: (To be filled in.) Jabberwocky BY LEWIS CARROLL 'Twas brillig, and the slithy toves Did gyre and gimble in the wabe: All mimsy were the borogoves, And the mome raths outgrabe. "Beware the Jabberwock, my son! The jaws that bite, the claws that catch! Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun The frumious Bandersnatch!" He took his vorpal sword in hand; Long time the manxome foe he sought— So rested he by the Tumtum tree And stood awhile in thought. And, as in uffish thought he stood, The Jabberwock, with eyes of flame, Came whiffling through the tulgey wood, And burbled as it came! One, two! One, two! And through and through The vorpal blade went snicker-snack! He left it dead, and with its head He went galumphing back. "And hast thou slain the Jabberwock? Come to my arms, my beamish boy! O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!" He chortled in his joy. 'Twas brillig, and the slithy toves Did gyre and gimble in the wabe: All mimsy were the borogoves, And the mome raths outgrabe. Source: The Random House Book of Poetry for Children (1983)</s> <\|message\|>Sarah Sarah Pip likes this one. She knows how to pat a dog properly. "The Old World, you say?" the King muses with interest. Sarah also seems intrigued by Stephanie. "My dear girl, you must have seen such wonders, wonders I can only imagine in this darker age. Sarah says she doesn't remember anything before she woke up from her pod; do you have any idea why that is? I thought that you both being Oracles, perhaps you could enlighten us about the Ancients." Sarah shakes her head sadly. "I have... glimpses, your Majesty, but they're not exactly what you'd call visions. More... I think glimpses of the world, as though I'm still in my pod, looking out. They... they come and go, and they're not exactly clear. As I told your Majesty, I have no clear memories of my existence before waking up from the pod." "I see," King Kovar muses. "Back to Stephanie's tale, was there anything notable about the Harpy? I have my suspicions, though that comes with good news and bad if I am correct."</s> <\|message\|>Stephanie Anderson "Yeah, I suppose I have," Steph agreed with a sigh, feeling a slight despondency at the thought of the world's current, primitive state. "The harpy?" Steph asked after the king had inquired about the creature. "Well, it appeared to be leading the attack on the village, and it could also fire some kind of blue energy beam from its mouth. To answer your question about Sarah's lack of memory," she continued, "I think I might have an idea. Back in my time, there was talk of a project to create several genetically enhanced beings, capable of manipulating something called 'biogenic energy'. It was all very cutting edge stuff," she added, while turning to face the pink-haired girl, "and I don't really know much more about it than that, but from what you've said, I think it's very likely that you were one of the prototypes. Speaking of the old world," Steph said after a moment, her voice containing more than a hint of trepidation. "There was something else I was meaning to ask you, your Majesty. Master Minoc told me that my mother's journal had been brought here. If that's the case, may I be permitted to see it?"</s> <\|message\|>Sarah The King listens intently to the description of the harpy, his face drawn and grim. "From the description, it seems you're talking about the one known as Jubjub Bird, one of Draygon's Lieutenants," he says solemnly. "I have heard of her exploits, and she was a cruel being who reveled in the suffering of others. While I hold no love for her or her ilk, and her loss is no sorrow to the world, I fear that Draygon's interest may be drawn to the loss of one of his chosen. Be careful in the world, Stephanie. It is not only a less advanced one than your own, but dark forces stir in it, more's the pity." Stephanie's explanation of Sarah's origin is clearly interesting him, though her technical talk leaves him confused. "To hear this," he muses, "it's as if we talk about the powers of the gods themselves. To create humans from nothing, it seems so... fantastic. Then again, these are strange times, I suppose, and there are stranger things about. "Though about your mother, forgive me, but I do not think I know her name," the King continues. "And if her tome was important, it would be kept in safe-keeping. Normally, such important tomes - especially those of the Ancients - would be Master Tornel's responsibility, but I'll check to see if we have it." Sarah's response to being a person created from scratch is... conflicted. On the one hand, it does give her some idea of where she's truly from, and would explain her absent memories. On the other, it means that unlike Steph, she has no roots, no past, no identity. She might be an Oracle, but even the lowliest peasant in this world has a claim to something she would never have; family and a past. She just turns her attention to Pip even as she's deep in thought. Basically a quick response to Stephanie, feel free to put in a timeskip here.</s> <\|message\|>Ayaan Draygon's Castle Draygon's Castle Underground Lab \| \| \| \| \| --- \| --- \| --- \| \| ************************************************ \| Draygon was hiding in his lab. After living for centuries he found that his work rooms were always the most peaceful. The world was chaotic, but here, where he was god, there was only order. He picked up the head in his clawed hand. He had spent hours breaking apart the cellular tissues in an attempt to get at the biologic processors but he had had little success. If he sent a volt of energy through the head he could make it talk though, and that was at least mildly amusing. "Asra," growled his deep, inhuman voice. "Yes" sang a sweet voice plainly as a holographic fairy appeared on his desk. "Status Report," Draygon demanded as he inspected the severed head. "There are two awake, not just one. I am in full contact with the one called Sarah, she has been received by King Kovar at Castle Solace," Asra replied solemly. \| ************************************************ \| "And the other?" Draygon asked. "I.. I don't know yet," Asra said fearfully, "her name is Stephanie, I suspected she was dead but she lives. She fought the Jub Jub bird. There's something about her that is different, she is not one of the Galateans, but until she uses the battery I do not have full access. I have directed her to the castle as well, I will instruct Sarah to let her use the battery she already has." "That will not work," Draygon said, "Instruct them to find another battery, make sure they feel it is necessary." "As you wish, Lord." Asra replied. "I've instructed the Bandersnatch to return, until we know the truth behind this Stephanie she is an unpredictable variable. I do not like unpredictability. Status Report from the Harbinger." "It is still silent. The only communication has been in an unknown language. I'm sorry Lord I have made no progress..." "Do not grovel. You are a computer, you perform a function. Do not be weak, do not be human," Draygon threatened. "Yes Lord," relief creeped in Asra's sweet voice. "The Galateans are the key, my Oracles. I need more of them to awaken. Bid Sarah to find others like her, encourage her to do so. I made them to want to be with each other so it should be easy. Report to me again in a week or when I command." "Yes Lord." Asra's holographic image winked out of existance.</s> <\|message\|>Sarah Castle of Solace After a while, the King took his leave of the girls. He wanted to hear more from the Oracles, but alas, the state calls. Also, Bandersnatch seems to have strangely withdrawn his siege. The citizens of the castle were elated and began celebrating, but the King remains... unconvinced. "Draygon's men have a way of being cruel and cunning," he tells the Oracles. "Even if Bandersnatch had no way of ending the siege, we must remain vigilant against an attack by treachery. I'll see to the defenses and the men, in the meanwhile Sir Gravy will lead you to the royal archives so you may find what you seek there. "Take care, fair maidens, and may fortune smile upon you on your journey..." With that, the knight Sir Gravy guides the two girls to the Archives, whereupon they find endless scrolls and books, some new, others old, some even older than the castle itself. The good knight offers his aid, but he can't seem to find anything by Julie Anderson. Sarah take the opportunity to turn to Stephanie. "So what was your mother like?" Sarah asks curiously. "She seems to be a dedicated sort, if we're reading her works this long after... whatever happened..." "My sincere apologies, dear maidens," Gravy says, "it appears I cannot find the tome, though the scribes assure me it's here somewhere; Master Tornel referred to it quite a bit, so it must be here. Give me a second..." He tries looking again, in a shelf, but something small falls out. "Hmm? What is this?" he says, picking up the small object and holding it to the light. "How odd, it seems to be a gem - nay, merely a crystal. Rather shiny, but it doesn't seem to be worth much... Shouldn't this be in the Royal Treasury instead?"</s>	<\|message\|>Jabberwocky He takes a deep breath, and shoots a tornado of flame from his mouth, making a massive twister in the air, punching through the clouds with the blaze. "You think my bloodlust can be sated? My lust for vilonce and death cannot be filled." He smiles with razor sharp teeth. "I won't wait all day. Send me a warrior, or I'll pick one myself."</s>
<\|description\|>Jabberwocky Human Form Beast Form Physical Description: Human: A tall, athletic man who spends most of his time under robes, making it hard to get a good look at him. Those who do manage more than a peak would note he's strangely handsome and chiseled in appearance, but that his smile feels 'off' and disturbing somehow, particularly as it never seems to reach his eyes. He is estimated to be 6'1" and roughly 170 lbs. Under his hood, he has rust brown hair and brown eyes with a hint of either orange or red around the rim of the irises. Monster: In beast form, Jabberwocky is a monstrous draconic being with long, sharp claws, cruel fangs, and a burning wrath in his fire-orange eyes. His face is almost piscine, like some primordial beast from the depths, but the rest of him is evocative of the tales of dragons. He is 65' from tip of the tail to his muzzle, is about 9' at the shoulder, and has a wingspan of 63'. His weight is unknown, but estimated to be 10 tonnes. Class: Lieutenant (Lt.) of Draygon Abilities: Human Form: While being in human form limits the range of his abilities, he nonetheless possesses a considerable array of skills and abilities that make him a formidable opponent: * Hand to Hand Combat: Even in human form, he is a dangerous and accomplished adversary, not needing to switch to his more powerful form to dispatch most of his foolish opponents. He is equally skilled in barehanded combat and swordsmanship, and is incredibly strong and tough for a human. Approach with caution at all times. * Assassin's skills: Sometimes you need to kill a foe before he even realizes you're there. Jabberwocky is surprisingly light on his feet, and can use his dagger to silence foes in the shadows. * Healing: While the art of healing is not as gratifying as the ability to crush your foes and drink in their laments, Jabberwocky nonetheless has learned some respect for it. After all, one might need to patch oneself up after a nasty fight with a surprisingly tenacious enemy. * Fire breathing: Jabberwocky can shoot forth gouts of white hot flames from his mighty jaws, capable of liqufying steel in seconds. * Phasing: Jabberwocky can use his magic to phase through walls, allowing him to infiltrate fortresses and sanctums with impunity, and making him even more dangerous as an assassin. However, there are limits to this ability, as he cannot simply phase through a mountain or go deep underground lest he get trapped and suffocate. * Transformation: As with all of Draygon's Lieutenants, he can transform into his Beast Form, becoming an even more formidable foe. Beast Form: * Flight: Those wings of his aren't for show. They allow him to fly great distances and with considerable speed. * Immense Strength: While he is very strong in human form, he is nothing short of monstrously strong in dragon form, capable of grabbing and tossing humans and animals with minimal effort, as though they were toys. * Razor-sharp claws and teeth: With razor-sharp teeth and claws, Jabberwocky can rend and tear humans to shreds, and can even create great gashes in stone and rock. Equipment: * Assassin dagger, poisoned blade. * Alchemist's kit for poisons and chemical study * A tome of notes and secrets. RP Notes: (To be filled in.) Jabberwocky BY LEWIS CARROLL 'Twas brillig, and the slithy toves Did gyre and gimble in the wabe: All mimsy were the borogoves, And the mome raths outgrabe. "Beware the Jabberwock, my son! The jaws that bite, the claws that catch! Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun The frumious Bandersnatch!" He took his vorpal sword in hand; Long time the manxome foe he sought— So rested he by the Tumtum tree And stood awhile in thought. And, as in uffish thought he stood, The Jabberwock, with eyes of flame, Came whiffling through the tulgey wood, And burbled as it came! One, two! One, two! And through and through The vorpal blade went snicker-snack! He left it dead, and with its head He went galumphing back. "And hast thou slain the Jabberwock? Come to my arms, my beamish boy! O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!" He chortled in his joy. 'Twas brillig, and the slithy toves Did gyre and gimble in the wabe: All mimsy were the borogoves, And the mome raths outgrabe. Source: The Random House Book of Poetry for Children (1983)</s> <\|message\|>Stephanie Anderson "Yeah, that's right," Steph confirmed after Sarah attempted to answer Peter's question. "I guess you could say that it's a bunch of very small artificial workers reassembling the basic components of things, like someone turning a piece of wood into a table or chair." A moment later, the holographic display flicked to life, and Steph couldn't help but give voice to a small gasp. "Mom…" she whispered as she felt her eyes begin to moisten. She watched in silence, while her mother described her work on Project Prometheus. She looks so young… Steph reflected. This must have been recorded shortly after I was born… That seemed about right. After all, Prometheus was clearly still in its early stages, and Dr. Westfield was still alive… After her mother had concluded her report, a map of the world was displayed, indicating the locations of various facilities linked to Project Prometheus. "It's a report from my mom about a project she was working on," Steph explained to Peter. "And this here is a map of the world. At least, of how the world used to look… I imagine its geography is quite different now," she added, while adjusting the map so that the globe was now a flat, 2D projection, "but if we can find a more current map, we can superimpose this one on top of it. I don't suppose you know where we might find one?" she asked, turning to Sir Gravy.</s> <\|message\|>Ayaan The Library of Castle Solace @shadowsaint007 SETTING: -Sir Gravy had taken the girls to the Library where they searched the archives. -The King had gone to the Barracks to discuss with the Commander the retreat of the Bandersnatch. -Tornel had gone to the kitchens to prepare a banquet in honor of the newly arrived Oracles. In the archive the girls found a map of the world as it was known: Circles are for villages, Triangles are for Castles MAP LEGEND: * Amazon: A City of all Women Warriors. * Brynmaer: A Village in the center of a poisoned forest * Goa: A Castle of Warriors who Study the Secrets of Martial Arts. * Joel: A village of caves hidden in the sea. * Leaf: A Simple Town of Religious folks. This is where the Mystics live. * Nadare: Land of Ice, the people are fisherfolk. * Oak: Poisonous Swamp land, it's people are strange and not to be trusted. * Portoa: Land of Waterfalls, a paradise. The people there are prone to vice. * Sahara: A Dessert land. The people call themselves the "Fremen" * Shyron: The Castle of the Kingdom of Thunder. They are isolationists and their army uses strange weapons. * Swan: A Harbour Town filled with Pirates. * Castle Solace: The Capital of humanity. * Draygon's Fortress: A dark and ominous fortress. The people of Solace have no knowledge of the inner workings of the citadel. * Tinkertown: A village of Tinkerers and Archeologists who live in an excavation site where they seek to understand the mysteries of ancient technology. Jabberwocky's House: This is not actually on the map, but I didn't save a version of this map before adding his hideout, so pretend that the girls cannot see where Jabberwocky's hideout actually is. Asra blinks into existence in Sarah's eyes. "The map of the old world does not correlate to the map of the new world," she comments in her pretty voice, "I am unable to decipher any patterns between the two. The number of Oracles which were created is uncertain too, whether or not they existed in the facilities which worked on the Prometheus Project is uncertain." Asra's voice took a more serious tone, "We should follow rumors of people using incredible powers like Kensu used the lightning. He was powering the battery with Pip's electro-energy and then channeling that through the sword. Someone else may have discovered the same use of such a power. If we find another battery I can talk to Stephanie as well. Tell her that it is good to see her alive for me would you please? I was dearly worried until she picked up the sword of stone." After you guys are done planning your next steps, the knights of the castle will direct you to your rooms. There you will find lady's in waiting to assist you in dressing as well as any additional items you ask for, the King has instructed the castle attendants to see to whatever you need. Tornel has begun to plan a great feast in your honor, plan to attend the feast. There you'll get to meet some more people of the Castle and the royal family. A party should be fun.</s> <\|message\|>Ayaan Tinkertown Dragon The townsfolk of Tinkertown remain hidden. The mother of the 2 children has dragged them back into the hut and they have shut the door. The village has experienced a devastating loss in a short amount of time, it will take them long to recover. Jabberwocky makes his threat, and the villagers have chosen to hide in the hopes he will leave. They have nothing left to fight against an overpowered monster like the Jabberwocky. Suddenly, 4 giant eagles dive through the flaming tornado towards Jabberwocky! One of them strikes Jabber's back, her claws sinking deeply into his scaly flesh. Two of the others grab a wing each in their claws and try to rip him apart. The fourth goes for Jabber's tail and tries to hold it in her beak. Apparently Jabberwocky's violent outburst got the attention of the local wildlife, and they answered his call for a fight.</s> <\|message\|>Serlor Serlor already had settled on a partially collapsed house before she spotted white, shining armor, and in the blink of an eye the charred land was sent aflame in sparks of fire. She arose from the crumbling remains of the house and circled the flames once or twice, and landed in the middle of it. The flames were completely extinguished by the force. Only a small piece of the now blackened armor was left behind. She stepped on it, and doing so, the armor curled and was crushed to pieces under Serlor's claws. A snarl unexpectedly came from deep in her throat. She briefly reminded herself, that "They won't come back, because they're all dead." It didn't calm her down because the dreadful feeling was still there. As if, they were going to come back. Never.. She thought. Her wings quivered and she moved about, anxious. " If they do come back, I'll be ready." She didn't feel ready, though.</s> <\|message\|>Sarah Sarah "I think I understand?" Peter says in a tone that indicates he probably didn't, and begins trying to squint at the thing, as though expecting tiny elves taking apart things and putting them together. Sarah just giggles at him. "I don't think you can see them; it's in the name after all," she explains. "Nanotechnology is too small to be seen by the naked human eye; you'll just strain your eyes." Sarah notes Steph's sorrow, and lightly puts a hand on the other girl's shoulder, squeezing gently to reassure her and give her a warm smile. "It's nice to meet your mother," Sarah says, looking at the fading hologram. "What did she work on... back then?" Sarah wasn't expecting Asra to pop in on them like that, and looks around to see if anyone else can see her. Sir Gravy and Peter showed no reaction, which shows they probably can't see her, and Steph seems a bit busy - and maybe her 'receiver' isn't yet fully powered yet, and getting a battery will help her see Asra more easily. Still, despite what Asra tells her, maybe they can spot a pattern. Even if the facilities had shifted in the meantime, they could still follow their general locations and narrow their searches down a bit. "We should also be on the lookout for rumors of strange powers and such," Sarah speaks up, deciding to voice what Asra told her. "The Oracles and their equipment had powerful biogenic energy abilities linked to them, so we could follow such rumors on the road. I mean, some of them must have woken up already. Did every Oracle have a Wizard guarding them, or are there some Oracles still missing in the various ruins? Maybe they woke up a long time ago... and had to live by themselves." The thought of being alone in such a world saddens Sarah as she thinks about it. That could have been her; lost in the wirlderness, not even a Wizard to guide her, and trying to figure things out on her own. It would be a lonely existence.</s>	<\|message\|>Jabberwocky He roars when the eagles attack, and starts lashing out, each one of his strikes powerful enough to break rock, shatter stone. When it hits a bird, it simply explodes. He spews out tongue after tongue of fire, cooking the air, and anything caught in the blaze. He begins spinning in the air, talons lashing out everywhere, blending anything that gets too close.</s>
<\|description\|>Serlor Serlor Lily Sadlon Physical Description: Height: 55 feet Weight: 2,700 lb. Serlor is a jet black with hints of dark blue hidden in the scales, the underbelly being a slightly darker blue. The underbelly has small spikes that protect the chest area. Serlor's eyes are a glaring white that is overt in darkness. The tail has multiple spikes that protrude from the base and end of the tail. Larger spikes are also prominent that start from the base of the skull. Lily Lily. She's keen, efficient, and skillful, being trained to keep ahead of the curve. Lily had dark, gray eyes. She wore armor plates on her shoulders, ribbons and golden rings and such under a red, black, and white shirt. Her hair was a silky black, tied up with a purple ribbon into a ponytail and held back by a ninja headband that matched her clothes. Class: Fantastical Beast, Dragon Your Place in the World: Serlor met Lily at a hunt designed to shoot down and stalk dragons that had been too unfortunate to step into a trap. Serlor was one of these unfortunate dragons that landed into the web-trap. It was by Lily, stumbling upon the mammoth-sized beast, that saved Serlor. Lily quickly went to work at the ropes, being careful to not get stuck in them herself. As soon as she finished the villagers had caught her at the treachery, and therefore, despised Lily. Serlor broke free of the rest of the weakened ropes. Lily jumped upon Serlor's back and the dragon set such a bonfire that the whole town was engulfed in flames. And they both didn't stop there. Villages upon villages were almost torn to the ground, set ablaze. The fire was so bad that there are still small fires flickering through the towns. They both took ownership of the original village, until a troop of knights came to take back the land. They took Lily by surprise. As a sentence for betraying the village, they killed her. Serlor quickly found out about the death, and almost turned the town to complete ashes with anger. The knights never came back, for they were buried upon piles of ashes. Up until now, Serlor has kept full ownership of the land. Abilities: Serlor can breathe fire and ice. The biome that the dragon is currently in affects this change. Fire is with warm biomes and ice is below freezing points. Equipment: RP Notes: Could you let someone find the town that Serlor lives at? It doesn't matter who it is.</s> <\|message\|>Jabberwocky He takes a deep breath, and shoots a tornado of flame from his mouth, making a massive twister in the air, punching through the clouds with the blaze. "You think my bloodlust can be sated? My lust for vilonce and death cannot be filled." He smiles with razor sharp teeth. "I won't wait all day. Send me a warrior, or I'll pick one myself."</s> <\|message\|>Stephanie Anderson "Thank you, your Majesty," Steph replied, slightly amused by having been called a 'fair maiden'. Following Sir Gravy to the Archives, Steph waited with Sarah and Peter, while the knight set off to retrieve the journal. "Yeah, I guess you could say that," Steph agreed after Sarah inquired about her mother. "She was certainly brilliant, and she worked very hard to ensure that her research would be preserved for future generations. She was also very kind," she added in a softer tone. "She was always trying to make the world a better place, and she wanted to use technology to achieve that goal. That's why she became a scientist. To see the world now, in this state… It would probably break her heart…" At this point, Sir Gravy returned and apologized for having come back empty handed. He had just begun to search one more shelf, when a small crystal fell to the ground. Picking it up, the knight seemed puzzled by its presence in the Archives, wondering if perhaps it belonged in the Royal Treasury instead. "Actually, I think that might be what we're looking for," Steph spoke up. "Yeah, this is definitely a data crystal," she confirmed after taking a closer look. "We're gonna need a device to be able to access it, but that shouldn't be a problem." With a single thought, Steph sent her nanite swarm into motion. Disassembling an unused pouch on her backpack, they reformed it into a palm-sized data crystal reader. "Just stick the crystal into this opening here," Steph instructed. "Then we should be able to access whatever information it contains."</s> <\|message\|>Sarah Sarah "Well, will wonders ever cease," chortles Sir Gravy as Stephanie not only identifies the small crystal as the mysterious tome, but transforms a mundane pouch into... something that can hold it. Peter is similarly wide-eyed and amazed. "Begging your pardons, Ms. Or- Stephanie, but that's some wondrous magic there," he manages to speak up. "How did you do it?" "It's... it's not magic," Sarah says, shaking her head, remembering something vaguely. She turns to Steph. "It's... nanotechnology, right? It's... well, it's complicated, but it's as though I know the basics of the process, as well as a lot of things I've never even seen or heard about, the moment I stepped out of my pod... Just enough to familiarize me with things, I guess..." The makeshift 'reader' powers up, and the crystal starts flickering. For a moment, one could see bright flecks and glittering objects within the tiny frame of the crystal, as though it were an image of the night sky, with the stars themselves shining within. Then a spectral geometric shape appears a foot above the crystal, slowing unfurling until it forms what Stephanie could recognize as a holographic display. It glitches out a bit, but it takes form in sharp detail rather quickly, revealing what appears to the others as a scholarly woman in the garb of the Ancients, but Stephanie can clearly recognize as Julie Anderson, her long-lost mother, in a happier time. "...date today is... December 12th, year [STATIC] and here we are, working on Project Prometheus yet again. I swear, Dr. Logan's a freaking slave driver; he wants the miniaturized reactors ready by next week. And the cryopods. And his precious 'biogenic-sensitive' circuitry prepared. Why not ask for the Sun in the palm of his hand while he's at it? "Okay, okay, I kid. Dr. Logan is... driven, and to be honest, it's hard to not get infected with his enthusiasm for the project. He just seems to tied up in his Biogenics lab and only pokes his head out once in a while, so it's hard to get across that a lot of this stuff takes time, especially at the crazy purity levels he's asking. We can make stuff sturdy, reliable, and effective, only 82% pure, and it'll last centuries, but nope, he wants his precious pieces at 95% or higher. It'll take more time, so tell him to cool it a bit. All the time we're telling him this is for just prototypes, but damn it if he isn't persistent. "Still, I know what it's like to be a perfectionist, so can't blame him for it. Hopefully Dr. Westfield will help mellow him out a bit. She's got his same spark, but I had coffee with her once; she seems like a friendly sort. "Anyways, moving on, here's the list of the facilities where the equipment is being sent. Some of it's supposed to arrive right about now, others are going to be there within the next two weeks, so tell Drake to get off our case, we're doing the best we can. The files and records will be on servers designated PANDORA-4 and higher, though as I said Bob, I always make copies of my work, so I'll be sure to send you something secure. This is Dr. Anderson, signing out." A three-dimensional map of... somewhere forms in the hologram, and Stephanie can recognize it as the land masses of old, prior to the Harbinger Incident. Several dots appear, marking what appears to be the facilities her mother was talking about, with small percentages next to them indicating completion rates of various items. "Forgive me Stephanie, but... I don't think I understood much of that," Peter apologizes. Pip similarly looks at the map, and tilts his head at Stephanie with a curious whine. It's almost as if he's curious too.</s> <\|message\|>Stephanie Anderson "Yeah, that's right," Steph confirmed after Sarah attempted to answer Peter's question. "I guess you could say that it's a bunch of very small artificial workers reassembling the basic components of things, like someone turning a piece of wood into a table or chair." A moment later, the holographic display flicked to life, and Steph couldn't help but give voice to a small gasp. "Mom…" she whispered as she felt her eyes begin to moisten. She watched in silence, while her mother described her work on Project Prometheus. She looks so young… Steph reflected. This must have been recorded shortly after I was born… That seemed about right. After all, Prometheus was clearly still in its early stages, and Dr. Westfield was still alive… After her mother had concluded her report, a map of the world was displayed, indicating the locations of various facilities linked to Project Prometheus. "It's a report from my mom about a project she was working on," Steph explained to Peter. "And this here is a map of the world. At least, of how the world used to look… I imagine its geography is quite different now," she added, while adjusting the map so that the globe was now a flat, 2D projection, "but if we can find a more current map, we can superimpose this one on top of it. I don't suppose you know where we might find one?" she asked, turning to Sir Gravy.</s> <\|message\|>Ayaan The Library of Castle Solace @shadowsaint007 SETTING: -Sir Gravy had taken the girls to the Library where they searched the archives. -The King had gone to the Barracks to discuss with the Commander the retreat of the Bandersnatch. -Tornel had gone to the kitchens to prepare a banquet in honor of the newly arrived Oracles. In the archive the girls found a map of the world as it was known: Circles are for villages, Triangles are for Castles MAP LEGEND: * Amazon: A City of all Women Warriors. * Brynmaer: A Village in the center of a poisoned forest * Goa: A Castle of Warriors who Study the Secrets of Martial Arts. * Joel: A village of caves hidden in the sea. * Leaf: A Simple Town of Religious folks. This is where the Mystics live. * Nadare: Land of Ice, the people are fisherfolk. * Oak: Poisonous Swamp land, it's people are strange and not to be trusted. * Portoa: Land of Waterfalls, a paradise. The people there are prone to vice. * Sahara: A Dessert land. The people call themselves the "Fremen" * Shyron: The Castle of the Kingdom of Thunder. They are isolationists and their army uses strange weapons. * Swan: A Harbour Town filled with Pirates. * Castle Solace: The Capital of humanity. * Draygon's Fortress: A dark and ominous fortress. The people of Solace have no knowledge of the inner workings of the citadel. * Tinkertown: A village of Tinkerers and Archeologists who live in an excavation site where they seek to understand the mysteries of ancient technology. Jabberwocky's House: This is not actually on the map, but I didn't save a version of this map before adding his hideout, so pretend that the girls cannot see where Jabberwocky's hideout actually is. Asra blinks into existence in Sarah's eyes. "The map of the old world does not correlate to the map of the new world," she comments in her pretty voice, "I am unable to decipher any patterns between the two. The number of Oracles which were created is uncertain too, whether or not they existed in the facilities which worked on the Prometheus Project is uncertain." Asra's voice took a more serious tone, "We should follow rumors of people using incredible powers like Kensu used the lightning. He was powering the battery with Pip's electro-energy and then channeling that through the sword. Someone else may have discovered the same use of such a power. If we find another battery I can talk to Stephanie as well. Tell her that it is good to see her alive for me would you please? I was dearly worried until she picked up the sword of stone." After you guys are done planning your next steps, the knights of the castle will direct you to your rooms. There you will find lady's in waiting to assist you in dressing as well as any additional items you ask for, the King has instructed the castle attendants to see to whatever you need. Tornel has begun to plan a great feast in your honor, plan to attend the feast. There you'll get to meet some more people of the Castle and the royal family. A party should be fun.</s> <\|message\|>Ayaan Tinkertown Dragon The townsfolk of Tinkertown remain hidden. The mother of the 2 children has dragged them back into the hut and they have shut the door. The village has experienced a devastating loss in a short amount of time, it will take them long to recover. Jabberwocky makes his threat, and the villagers have chosen to hide in the hopes he will leave. They have nothing left to fight against an overpowered monster like the Jabberwocky. Suddenly, 4 giant eagles dive through the flaming tornado towards Jabberwocky! One of them strikes Jabber's back, her claws sinking deeply into his scaly flesh. Two of the others grab a wing each in their claws and try to rip him apart. The fourth goes for Jabber's tail and tries to hold it in her beak. Apparently Jabberwocky's violent outburst got the attention of the local wildlife, and they answered his call for a fight.</s>	<\|message\|>Serlor Serlor already had settled on a partially collapsed house before she spotted white, shining armor, and in the blink of an eye the charred land was sent aflame in sparks of fire. She arose from the crumbling remains of the house and circled the flames once or twice, and landed in the middle of it. The flames were completely extinguished by the force. Only a small piece of the now blackened armor was left behind. She stepped on it, and doing so, the armor curled and was crushed to pieces under Serlor's claws. A snarl unexpectedly came from deep in her throat. She briefly reminded herself, that "They won't come back, because they're all dead." It didn't calm her down because the dreadful feeling was still there. As if, they were going to come back. Never.. She thought. Her wings quivered and she moved about, anxious. " If they do come back, I'll be ready." She didn't feel ready, though.</s>
<\|description\|>Serlor Serlor Lily Sadlon Physical Description: Height: 55 feet Weight: 2,700 lb. Serlor is a jet black with hints of dark blue hidden in the scales, the underbelly being a slightly darker blue. The underbelly has small spikes that protect the chest area. Serlor's eyes are a glaring white that is overt in darkness. The tail has multiple spikes that protrude from the base and end of the tail. Larger spikes are also prominent that start from the base of the skull. Lily Lily. She's keen, efficient, and skillful, being trained to keep ahead of the curve. Lily had dark, gray eyes. She wore armor plates on her shoulders, ribbons and golden rings and such under a red, black, and white shirt. Her hair was a silky black, tied up with a purple ribbon into a ponytail and held back by a ninja headband that matched her clothes. Class: Fantastical Beast, Dragon Your Place in the World: Serlor met Lily at a hunt designed to shoot down and stalk dragons that had been too unfortunate to step into a trap. Serlor was one of these unfortunate dragons that landed into the web-trap. It was by Lily, stumbling upon the mammoth-sized beast, that saved Serlor. Lily quickly went to work at the ropes, being careful to not get stuck in them herself. As soon as she finished the villagers had caught her at the treachery, and therefore, despised Lily. Serlor broke free of the rest of the weakened ropes. Lily jumped upon Serlor's back and the dragon set such a bonfire that the whole town was engulfed in flames. And they both didn't stop there. Villages upon villages were almost torn to the ground, set ablaze. The fire was so bad that there are still small fires flickering through the towns. They both took ownership of the original village, until a troop of knights came to take back the land. They took Lily by surprise. As a sentence for betraying the village, they killed her. Serlor quickly found out about the death, and almost turned the town to complete ashes with anger. The knights never came back, for they were buried upon piles of ashes. Up until now, Serlor has kept full ownership of the land. Abilities: Serlor can breathe fire and ice. The biome that the dragon is currently in affects this change. Fire is with warm biomes and ice is below freezing points. Equipment: RP Notes: Could you let someone find the town that Serlor lives at? It doesn't matter who it is.</s> <\|message\|>Stephanie Anderson "Well, from what little I know of it, Project Prometheus was focused on the manipulation of something called 'Biogenic Energy'," Steph explained after Peter had inquired about the project. "That's the kind of energy harnessed by the sword Minoc gave me," she added, hoping that might make things a bit clearer. "It also had to do with the creation of beings specifically designed to make use of such energy, like Sarah here." After Steph asked about potential methods of rapid transit, Peter frowned. "W-Well… There's the train we took to get here, but, uh, like I said, it only runs between the Castle and Tinkertown…" "There are also several winged beasts upon which one can ride," Sir Gravy added. "Of course, they are not simply handed out to just anyone, but I have no doubt that two Oracles of legend, such as yourselves, would most assuredly be granted them, if requested." "You can say that again," Steph agreed, when Sarah noted the daunting task ahead of them. Then Sarah mentioned going to check out the view from the towers, practically dragging Peter along with her. "I guess it wouldn't hurt to get a look at the local the lay of the land," Steph reflected with a giggle, as she and Sir Gravy followed after them.</s> <\|message\|>Sarah Sarah Up in the tower, Sarah was looking out at the landscape, letting her pink hair dance in the wind, brushing it out of her eyes to get a clear view, a bright smile on her face. To her left is Sir Gravy, doing little more than admiring the view himself. "It's not as high up as it was on the sky-manta's back," she tells Stephanie when the other girl joins her. "But here, I can see things better. I can see the people in the towns, the farmers in the field. It makes me wonder what they're thinking of, how they're living their lives. It's just... so strange, thinking about how these people spend their lives. "To be honest... I envy them a bit," she admits, a warm smile adorning her face. Peter, by contrast, is rather green in the gills, leaning on the inner wall away from the battlements, and trying not to throw up. He's clearly not comfortable way up here. "Begging your pardon, Sarah, but I don't think I'm cut out for heights," he admits. "I've never been this high off the ground, to be honest, and I'm finding it's making me sick." "Oh don't be silly, Peter," Sarah giggles. "You just don't look down. I mean, I've been 'alive' for the past week and I already guessed that bit." "Easier said than done!" Peter says. "You told me not to look down and it got stuck in my head! You just don't tell someone that, especially if they're afraid of heights!" "Well, maybe it's dangerous if you fell from a great height-" "Exactly! And I'd rather not find out!" "But as long as you're standing on something solid, you'll be fine." Sarah stamps the stone. "See? It's safe. Even if the heights look scary, you're safe." She looks down to prove her point, but then something draws her attention. It's the scorch marks left by Bandersnatch, blasting the castle walls with fire and magic. The walls had weathered them well, but the scorched black contrasted against the majesty of the stonework, marring the appearance. The paladin notices her gaze. "It's a shame what that brute has done to the walls," Sir Gravy admits. "Fret not, dear ladies, we'll have the painters and stonemasons clean that up as best as they can. This castle's survived worse, so no need to worry." "That's nice," Sarah muses. "But it's what he tried to do. He tried to destroy the castle..." "As I said, this castle's survived worse. Trust me when I say this castle might stand for centuries more yet!" "Certainly not for his lack of trying," Sarah replies bitterly. "Why do Draygon's servants do this? They seem keen on destroying everything... why? What do they gain from this? It's bad enough the world's fallen from the days of the ancients, they're trying to destroy more of it..."</s> <\|message\|>Stephanie Anderson Steph raised an eyebrow at Peter's terrified demeanor. "Seriously?" she asked Peter with a chuckle. "You're afraid of heights? Your home town was built on top of a mountain!" "Y-Yes, that's true," Peter conceded. "B-But I never really ventured outside all that often, and I never got close to the c-cliffs…" "I guess that explains it, then," she noted, although she still found it amusingly ironic. Steph's attention was soon drawn back to Sarah, who was asking about Draygon and his intentions. It was something that had been poking at the back of Steph's mind as well. Who was this Draygon, and how was he able to create monsters like the harpy she'd fought back at Tinkertown? From what she had been able to gather, the so-called "Wizards" were simply people who had learned how to utilize some facet of old world knowledge or technology. Was this the case for Draygon as well? If so, then he had certainly acquired a knowledge of science far in advance of that displayed by the rest of this depressingly medieval world. However, before Sir Gravy could answer Sarah's question, or Steph could give voice to one of her own, they were interrupted by the arrival of a youthful squire. "P-Please pardon the intrusion, Sir Gravy," the squire stammered, clearly out of breath. "But I come bearing a message from Master Tornel. He has instructed me to request that you…" His voice trailed off as he noticed the two young women present. "O-Oh, good heavens!" he exclaimed, prostrating himself in supplication. "Please forgive your lowly servant, mighty Oracles!" he pleaded. "I did not mean to disturb you with my presence!" "D-Don't worry," Steph told the messenger gently, more than a little taken aback by his reverence towards Sarah and herself. "You didn't do anything wrong, and there's really no need for you to be afraid of us," she added with a reassuring smile, while kneeling down and placing a hand on the squire's shoulder. "We're regular people, just like you." The young man gasped as he felt Steph touch his shoulder, but calmed slightly upon seeing her kind smile. Now that he looked at her face, she didn't appear to be any different than a normal person. And yet, she was an Oracle, a divine messenger of the Ancients! How could she be so… humble? That thought was quickly banished when Sir Gravy spoke up. "Young squire! You spoke of a message from Master Tornel! Out with it lad! What new task awaits?!" "M-My apologies, sir! M-Master Tornel wishes for you to escort the Oracles to their chambers and watch over them until the feast tomorrow. I would have informed you sooner, but I was told you would be in the library, and when you weren't there…" "Not to fret, young squire!" Sir Gravy reassured him. "Your quest to locate us was successful, and you have imparted the message entrusted to your care. You have done quite well indeed! What pray tell is your name, young squire?" "S-Squire Toast, sir." "Well, then, Squire Toast, I shall be sure to mention your exemplary service when next I speak with both Master Tornel and His Majesty, the King!" "T-Thank you, sir!" "Think nothing of it, lad!" the paladin replied with a hearty laugh. "A job well done deserves to be recognized!" "Wait, you mentioned a feast?" Steph asked. "Why, yes! Of course! Master Tornel is preparing a grand banquet in your honor! There will be music and entertainers of all kinds! Master Tornel has demanded only the best for our Mighty Oracles!" "Tornel's setting this up?" Steph asked dubiously. She tried not to scowl at the mention of the wizard, but after his earlier treatment of Sarah and herself, she found it hard not to regard all his actions as highly suspicious.</s> <\|message\|>Sarah Sarah "Well, the King was angry with Tornel at his actions," Sarah says. "Maybe it's his way of an apology?" She still remembers the fury in the King's eyes at Tornel's actions, and while she's still a bit upset about how Tornel had tried to kill her earlier, maybe he saw the error of his ways? She's a bit full after her brunch with the King, but she's certainly curious about the entertainment for the meal. "Either way, sounds like there's going to be quite the spectacle there, and I'm kind of curious to see what they have."</s> <\|message\|>Jabberwocky He takes a deep breath, and blasts out a wave of white hot flames, the air burning as the liquid like blaze feeds greedily on the air, and the bodies of birds. He snarls, and loops around the castle, watching Bandersnatch lay seige to the building.</s> <\|message\|>Ayaan Castle of Solace The Oracle's Banquet It was the night of the banquet in honor of the Oracles and the end of the siege. For reasons unknown Bandersnatch had left, though he did not leave empty handed. He now held in his possession one of the mythical swords of the ancients, the Sword of Fire. The people of Solace, however, did not see that as much of a loss because Tornel, the High Wizard of the Castle, only used the sword as an ornament and never learned how to channel its great power. The true inspiration of the Banquet was the arrival of the Oracles, beings of fable who were seen by many as god-like entities who have risen to lead them into the future, and by others as fake messengers created by the Wizard cult. Not much time had passed since their arrival, but like all monumentally changing events, waves of emotion swept through the population of the castle and and surrounding town. The common folk enjoyed a spectacle, and the possibility of seeing living gods was sure to be one. On the night of the Oracle's Banquet, as it was being called, the main hall of the castle was filled to the brim and people were gathered in the courtyard outside of the gates having their own celebration and listening to the music echoing from the castle interior. On a stage at the end of the hall furthest from the door was the King's thrown and his chromed and gem-inlaid table. Sitting on either side of the King sat Sarah and Stephanie, each dressed in finery that was both radiant and glowing. After the girls sat family members of the King, including his son and three daughters. At the end of the table sat Tornel, purposefully positioned so that he could conduct the orchestrations of the Banquet. Each dish was brought in and served on fine pewter plates, the wine and juices were served in plain silver goblets shined to perfection. The banquet hall was an open space between the King's table and the large double door that lead into the courtyard. There were tables against the far walls containing mountains of fresh food and servants quickly refilled trays and brought fresh munchies to the people dancing and mingling. On well lit balconies above the food tables there sat small quartets of musicians playing wind and string instruments with a drummer keeping the rhythm. To the King's left the musicians had a female singer, to his right was a male singer. They took turns but sometimes harmonized together, the affect was beautiful. The roof of the banquet hall held the visage of 8 women, each in varying stages of dress and with different symbolic images around like stalks of wheat, a boat, or a golden fleece. One of the women had pink hair. The King would note that these are images of different Oracles who were venerated by the people. The people had different names for the Oracles based on tradition, the one with Pink hair was named Laughter. There was no image to depict Stephanie. Periodically throughout the banquet people brought gifts and laid them down at the steps before the throne. There they would ask for blessings from the Oracles, flatter them with a poem or song, or confess a deep affection and vow their servitude. Every third of Fifth supplicant was a performer brought in by Tornel who performed magic tricks, acrobatics, or some other vaudevillian act meant to entertain and keep the festivities fresh. After each one the people of the banquet would applaud and the night seemed to go splendidly.</s>	<\|message\|>Serlor "Ah, that's very bold! Assuming you'd try to vanquish me, you must have a team of sorts, yes? " The dragon inquired, narrowing its eyes. "And if not, I'll crush you myself."</s>
<\|description\|>Leonidas Lionheart Race: Human Gender: Male Age: 27 Appearance: 5'8" 150 lbs tanned skin, athletic build, Shoulder length blonde hair, blue eyes Bio: Born Prince to the Empire of Man Leonidas' path in life was set from the start. Every aspect seemed to be laid out before him with little choice of his own. As a boy he was subject to lots of classes and teachings on world powers, political treaties, and anything else that a prince would need to know. After he was assigned his guardian Siegfried Leonidas was given the first glimpse of a choice in his life. The young prince opted to take that choice if only to get away from his classes even for a little bit. That choice you might ask was to become a Paladin of the Silver flame like Siegfried. The Prince knew the tenets of the Silver Flame already but took to the religion in times of hardships and used his belief to strengthen himself. Leonidas became a fine young squire under Siegfried excelling in his training. After Years of service within the Order of the Silver Flame it was decided that it was time for Leonidas to leave the capital and see the land that would one day become his to rule. Given orders to investigate recent reports of orc and goblin attacks up north he has assembled a small army and marched onward looking to see to the safety of his people. Personality quirks: Traits - I can stare down a hell hound without flinching. , I don't like to sit idle. Ideal - Noble Obligation. It is my duty to protect and care for the people beneath me. Bond – My honor is my life. Flaw – My hatred of my enemies is blind and unreasoning. Friends/Rivals: Siegfried Lightbringer – Human Male, Leonidas' Mentor and Friend Lyndis Helmsguard – Human Female, Childhood Friend Fighting Style: Leonidas is a Paladin through and through, Blending Martial Prowess with Light Magic in combat. Equipment: Weapons – Warhammer, Longsword Armor – Full Plate with chainmail underlay Other – Waterskin, Holy Symbol of the Silver Flame, Pouch with 5 days rations, Skills/Abilities: Silver Tongue – Born a natural leader Leonidas uses his natural charisma to persuade others to see his way. Martial Prowess – Leonidas never skipped a day of Martial training and took the lessons to heart. He is a good fighter on the battlefield and hard to match. Light Magic – As a follower of the Silver Flame Leonidas has tempered himself in the use of Light Magic. Holy Smite: Leonidas' weapon glows with radiant light bringing down Holy Wrath against his foes. Lay on hands: By the divine power of the Silver Flame Leonidas can heal others with a touch of his hand. Aura of Light: Leonidas' presence bolsters his allies increasing their moral and protecting them from fear.</s> <\|message\|>Faira Blodwen "As do I," Faira said, taking the rein, and watching as her masked comrade vaulted up to a rooftop. "Gods' blood, she wasn't kidding." While Zatana was making her way to the meeting place, Faira dismounted, so that she stood between the two horses. When Zatana's unnamed steed made to bite her, Faira, without looking at it, kicked the horse in the shin. It was a light tap, not to hurt the beast, but just to distract it. And distracted it was, the horse started and looked at Faira in some confusion, then settled down, though still watched her from the corner of her eye. "Hold," Faira said, handing the guard both reins and ignoring him as the mare tried to snap at him, while Steak moved behind him to get away from the more aggressive horse. While this was happening, Faira began to undo straps on her armor(further distracting the guard). She loosened several around her biceps, thig, and calves. She redid the straps, and tested the new configuration by stretching. Ready now, she looked to the rooftops for Zatana's return.</s> <\|message\|>Balthazar Trevarthen Co-GM IC: The rooftops provide for an excellent way to maneuver around the city, and its use now allows for rapid movement, compared to the streets. The light of the sun shines down on the city as the battle rages all around. Most citizens and townspeople have been moved to the city's keep for safety, the streets now used by soldiers and militia to move supplies to the front quickly. Still, the odd peasant, merchant, or child lingers around, gathering their things as they prepare to move. It doesn't take long for Zatana to reach the West Gate, though, by the end of it, she's gotten quite the workout. Speed for energy, and all of that. True to Balthazar's words, the gatehouse is mostly occupied by soldiers and the occasional straggler. She spots a lone beggar near one of the alleyways next to the Gate. The decrepit-looking man is dressed in a raggedy cloak and scraps of cloth, the pewter bowl in front of him likely his greatest possession. Is this Balthazar's man? You don't see any other beggars around here. As you walk up to ask, he looks up at you. "Spare some change, good miss?"</s> <\|message\|>Zatana Aleana Were these people simply foolish? Zatana watched as a small family slowly gathering their things, to the dark elf's eye it appeared as though they had no understanding of the danger that was coming. Were they so foolishly sure in their gate against a horde of creatures that would carve them to pieces? Turning away from the scene, Zatana continued to scan the small open space. If all went well the orcs and goblins would be routed or slain one and all. Which meant she needed the package she had been sent for, and to get back over the rooftops to Faira. Seeing one beggar more on his own, she approached the pewter bowl. A contact would remain in position until the last moment. Their duty was thus and most all of them had the good sense to know multiple paths out of a dangerous situation. Those that failed to understand the meaning of an exit? They did not stay in business long. It had been one of her first jobs when her grandfather had wanted her trained to the shadow and dagger. 'First you listen and you learn. Then you strike with the tool the enemy hands you.' The old adage was useful, but it was a slight bit more complex than surface value. If someone was waiting for a message, then why group up? It would only deter any attempt of contact, and you would only join a group if you were trying to blend or avoid someone. That this beggar was not cringing away gave her a bit of hope as she adjusted her leather breastplate. "A token of value." Two coins fell into the bowl. Their clamor covering the thunk as the wooden token was dropped right after the first but before the second. Zatana had fished it out but moments before. "Gods, deliver us from this horde." Though the words would signal fear in a plea to the gods, Zatana was more interested if this beggar would pick out what she wanted.</s> <\|message\|>Balthazar Trevarthen Co-GM IC: "You are a kind soul, good miss." The beggar says as he examines the alms given to him, a knowing look shining in his eyes. Whether or not his words were simply meant to keep up the facade, or if he actually meant it, you're uncertain. The man scans the area with a practiced eye, before standing up and dusting himself up, picking up the bowl and pocketing the alms as he does so. "With luck, the Gods may deliver us yet." He says, walking closer as he reaches into his cloak. "Blessings upon you." Any less experienced eye would've missed the fact that he had quickly reached into his clothes and retrieved a rather thick-looking brown envelope, but you spot it. This drop is well-practiced-- if someone didn't know what they were looking for, they would've simply seen it as an old man moving his begging spot to another area. The man presses the parcel to your side for only a moment, subtly beckoning you to take it. You do so, and with that, he slinks deeper into the alleyway and turns a corner, disappearing from view. The envelope is sealed with wax, and shouldn't take much to open it if you so desire. Regardless of your choice, you now have the package you need. Time to head back, preferably before the Prince and his retinue arrive.</s>	<\|message\|>Leonidas Lionheart Leonidas Lead the charge and by the time the goblins noticed it was to late. The Prince came up upon one of the riders ready with one mighty blow. The goblin had seen him coming and tried to raise its shield, But it did little to help as Leoidas' Warhammer shattered the shield and embedded itself into the goblin's side. Cracking was heard as the goblin was removed from its mount dead before it even hit the floor. Leonidas quickly Spun the hammer in his hand adjusting his grip before dropping it onto the skull of the wolf mount slaying the beast as well. The rest of the charge went reasonable well. Many of the goblins found their lived ended by the spears of the Imperial Calvary and things had gone according to Leonidas' plan. That is except for Acrius... Somehow the fool ended up on foot... A fact that didn't go unnoticed by the enemy forces as well. And although he was able to kill the one that looked like the leader of the goblins he had still left himself open. Two nearby rides had seen their master die and became enraged charging Acrius from both sides. Leonidas was able to see this and quickly rushed pulled the reigns of his horse rushing over to help the boy. Wolves although fast weren't bread for war and luckily Leonidas' horse was and had the speed advantage allowing him to catch up. The end Leonidas' hammer began to have a goldish glow come from it as he swung the mighty weapon crashing into the Goblin's head nearly taking it off just before it was able to throw its spear at Acrius. As the goblin's body fell to the side The wolf continued its charge a bloody frenzy in its eyes. And with the weight of the rider gone the wolf rushed forward in a burst of speed leaping at Acrius. Balthazar shook his head in disapproval as he watched Acrius dismount, presumably to give the goblin leader a fair fight. Although he managed to dispatch of the rider with relative ease, now there were two Wolfriders moving to attack him. The Prince moved to deal with one, so the warlock decided to deal with the other. He spurred his horse forward, gripping the reins tight. With his free hand, he flipped back to the page he was once at, before firing off another shadowy ray, lancing downwards through the goblin's gut, and into the wolf's back. Both rider and mount soon curled up on the ground, presumably to die of blood loss. The rest was up to Acrius, now. After the ordeal was dealt with, the remaining 3 goblins were able to see what was going on and took the smarter option retreating and started riding away headed North. Before any of his men road off to hunt them down Leonidas held up his hand, "Let them go, We don't know where they are going and we have something more important to do than hunting down a few stragglers." He said in a commanding tone before turning to the cart that had been the target of this small force. The horses that were to pull the cart were dead pelted with arrows to ensure the cart couldn't escape. It looked like the belongings inside the cart were still intact, but it seemed there had been a cost two bodies lie in the cart an older male and what could of possibly been his daughter. But it wasn't all bad as from underneath the cart the rest of the family started to emerge. A Woman presumably the wife of the slain man in the cart, a young boy that couldn't be more than 5 and a girl who must of been around the age of 18. The knights circled up around the cart ensuring that no attack would come for the moment and the family looked around. The mother would come up to Leonidas her young son holding onto her let. "Mylord, thank you for coming to our rescue. We wouldn't of lasted long if you hadn't rushed to our aide how could we ever repay you?" The woman said giving a bow to the prince. The daughter on the other hand instantly rushed jumping at Acrius wrapping her arms around him "My hero! You were so amazing the way you leapt in to save me!" The girl said excitedly. Leonidas saw this and just sighed before turning back to the older woman. "There is no need to thank us, It is my duty as Prince to defend my people... I'm just sorry we didn't arrive sooner so we could of prevented this." He said sadly motioning to the two dead in the cart. "You have my condolences for your losses..." Leonidas continued before turning to Acrius. "Acrius since you don't seem to like your horse you are going to saddle yours up to the cart and ride with these fine people back to Bergkoff. You two stay with them as escort." He said while pointing out two of the Knights who responded with a salute. The mother smiled at the prince. "The loss of my husband and daughter will be a great one, but we will move on thanks to your actions my Lord," She says while turning to her daughter. "Elisabeth stop being rude and come show the prince some gratitude." She snapped back at her daughter who reluctantly let go of Acrius and came over giving the prince a curtsy "Thank you for saving us my lord" She said flatly before quickly turning and returning to Acrius while receiving a nasty glair from her mother. "So your name is Acrius then? I'm Liz nice to meet you." she said grabbing onto his arm. The two knights Leonidas had picked up helped wrap the dead in blankets and got things ready for the cart to move again. After everything was set the group made its way back to the infantry troops The Calvary falling in on the sides to protect the flanks and the cart falling in behind the march. Leonidas made his way to the front seeing Rudolph and Merik as he approached. "Merik what happened to your horse this time?" Was the first thing that came out of his mouth as he fell into his position at the front before turning to Rudolph "Sorry we're late had something we needed to take care of." He added knowing that Rudolph would want to get to Bergkoff as soon as possible. The rest of the march to Bergkoff was uneventful for most. Acrius on the other hand had to deal with Liz the entire ride as the girl seemed to be stuck to him, constantly asking questions. As the small force reached the southern gate the massive gate swung open and allowed them to enter the city before quickly being closed again. Leonidas would then order his troops to rest and be ready for new orders after finding out the situation within the city. Taking Balthazar and Rudolph with him as Rudolph knew the way to the town center and Balthazar would need to know where he was going to set up his desk.</s>
<\|description\|>Leonidas Lionheart Race: Human Gender: Male Age: 27 Appearance: 5'8" 150 lbs tanned skin, athletic build, Shoulder length blonde hair, blue eyes Bio: Born Prince to the Empire of Man Leonidas' path in life was set from the start. Every aspect seemed to be laid out before him with little choice of his own. As a boy he was subject to lots of classes and teachings on world powers, political treaties, and anything else that a prince would need to know. After he was assigned his guardian Siegfried Leonidas was given the first glimpse of a choice in his life. The young prince opted to take that choice if only to get away from his classes even for a little bit. That choice you might ask was to become a Paladin of the Silver flame like Siegfried. The Prince knew the tenets of the Silver Flame already but took to the religion in times of hardships and used his belief to strengthen himself. Leonidas became a fine young squire under Siegfried excelling in his training. After Years of service within the Order of the Silver Flame it was decided that it was time for Leonidas to leave the capital and see the land that would one day become his to rule. Given orders to investigate recent reports of orc and goblin attacks up north he has assembled a small army and marched onward looking to see to the safety of his people. Personality quirks: Traits - I can stare down a hell hound without flinching. , I don't like to sit idle. Ideal - Noble Obligation. It is my duty to protect and care for the people beneath me. Bond – My honor is my life. Flaw – My hatred of my enemies is blind and unreasoning. Friends/Rivals: Siegfried Lightbringer – Human Male, Leonidas' Mentor and Friend Lyndis Helmsguard – Human Female, Childhood Friend Fighting Style: Leonidas is a Paladin through and through, Blending Martial Prowess with Light Magic in combat. Equipment: Weapons – Warhammer, Longsword Armor – Full Plate with chainmail underlay Other – Waterskin, Holy Symbol of the Silver Flame, Pouch with 5 days rations, Skills/Abilities: Silver Tongue – Born a natural leader Leonidas uses his natural charisma to persuade others to see his way. Martial Prowess – Leonidas never skipped a day of Martial training and took the lessons to heart. He is a good fighter on the battlefield and hard to match. Light Magic – As a follower of the Silver Flame Leonidas has tempered himself in the use of Light Magic. Holy Smite: Leonidas' weapon glows with radiant light bringing down Holy Wrath against his foes. Lay on hands: By the divine power of the Silver Flame Leonidas can heal others with a touch of his hand. Aura of Light: Leonidas' presence bolsters his allies increasing their moral and protecting them from fear.</s> <\|message\|>Manald Halung "I know!" Manald replied, having to halfway yell at Faira in order to overcome the ubiquitous sound of firearms, arrows, arms and armor. It was an environment that would do no good to his ears, that was for sure. If they'd survive this day he'd likely end up with one hell of an headache and a ringing tone that only existed in his sensation. So far the lycanthrope had decided not to transform. It was a trait that could only be maintained for so long and thus an asset not to be wasted like the day before. Manald knew that his use on the wall was somewhat limited due to the necessity to use ranged weapons. However, now that the first siege ladders were put into place and the goblins started to reach the top of the wall here and there, this was about to change. "Give me a moment, and then try to keep the green critters away from me!" Having said this not only to Faira, but addressing all of the soliders around them as well, Manald did not retreat into some closed room where nobody could see him. Instead he merely stepped as far back as he could before starting to shift, so from down below he could probably not be seen anymore. The intent was to reappear with the element of surprise on his side. "Don't destroy that ladder! I need it!" he added with an already distorted voice, the arm he used to point at the object in question already bulging and being overgrown with even more hair. He put off his set or armor pretty much at the last moment possible before it would have become jammed around his growing body and subsequently burst. A brief moment followed where the transformation reached its climax and every soldier would be able to see Manald naked while he couldn't do anything. Then, somewhat crouching so not to reveal himself to the trolls and goblins openly, he put on his other leather armor as fast as possible. With a loud, smacking sound, Manald's claws dug into the throat of the goblin that had just reached the top of the ladder. Blood was pouring out of it and moments later the body was clearly devoid of life. Good. Manald knew he had not much experience in handling a sword, but even an idiot could use a club... And every bit of metal and other armor on that dead goblin now would only make it more useful for wiping its successors on the ladder off the latter. The wood made more than one cracking sound as Manald climbed it from above. That thing was designed for green critters, not for him in his current state. However, as long as it would hold together somehow until he was down far enough to jump everything would be fine. He now held the dead goblin at one of its ankles, trying to get as much range out of his makeshift weapon as possible before thrashing those who continued to climb upwards as he came downwards. Whether this would work out as planned ? Of course Manald couldn't tell for sure, but only hope. Unlike certain drows he had no magical ability to just disapper and reappear on top of the wall again, but maybe the soldiers there would be able to help him clear a way towards the first of the trolls. They simply could not be allowed to reach the gate and do their work. At least Manald now was at least as monstrous as they were, if not even worse.</s> <\|message\|>Merik Roak Merik Roak --- Merik nodded towards the human leader of the city when he asked about the wooden poles, "The sharp ones at the gates." He didn't really care if the man understood the lizard man just waited and listened to what the others were saying. All good points in their own right, the information about their leader was interesting almost as interesting as the proposition to strike them beyond the walls. "Merik would also like to go over wall if possible, but later defend wall first." Merik listened to the rest of the conversation until he was told where to go and with who. When it was time to leave Merik smiled and gripped Acrius's shoulder, "If you die Merik will honor you with eating your heart." The prince said he needed to work on his farewells so hopefully this was right. The west wall was abuzz with activity. Humans in armor moving wood and supplies to the gate and wall. The explosives that Merik had received from what was left from the tunnels where secured on his person. He knew what he was going to do with them but depending on how powerful they were his plan could backfire. A chance he was willing to take, if the orcs breached this wall he would become the wall. Rudolf looked rather busy ordering around the soldiers who seemed to be busy. Merik stayed in front of the gate assisting the other men with setting up the timbers to the weakened gate. Then when they started setting up the barricades Merik had them set them up a few feet back from where they were. This would allow him to use his full sword arc around him without hitting the stone walls of the gate or the wooden barricades. He was well aware that it was time to begin when the first stone made it over the wall. Merik could see some soldiers preparing a cauldron of a black viscous liquid known to him as tar. The humans used it to seal their homes from the rain but he also knew it to be used as a defense against invaders and it was flammable. The large lizard made his way to the pot where a man was stirring it, "Ready?" the commoner seemed startled by his appearance and just nodded. "Good. Bring me torch." Picking up the medium sized pot would have been a job for two humans but the beast was able to take it up himself straight to the top of the gate and set it down. Quickly he took out the explosives and set them next to him. He was crouching and looking out toward the mass of enemy's coming toward them. The ram was his target, he would wait here until it was under him then pour the tar, drop the explosives, and then the torch. Combined it should set the ram alight and hopefully disable it making another burning blocked entrance for the enemy's. "Merik is fine, how is Ruduf?" Merik called out while taking the torch from the man that brought it to him.</s> <\|message\|>Balthazar Trevarthen Co-GM IC: North Gate --- Leonidas and Zatana's continuous barrage of arrows helps keep the Orcs at bay, their precise shots putting down more than a few. Still, try as they might, the Orcs' superior toughness means that it will take more than a few arrows to stop their approach. The ones that do make it across the moat manage to reach the walls. The Orcish vanguard reach into their packs and retrieve grappling hooks and toss them skyward, the hooks catching on the crenellations. It seems they've practiced such maneuvers before, and it is clear that they intend to scale the wall! Several archers and riflemen switch priorities to try and dislodge the hooks, but those who do are picked off by opposing Orc archers who were awaiting an opportunity for people to poke their heads past the battlements. This presents a difficult situation for the defenders; there are Orcs trying to scale the wall with grappling hooks, and if they manage to climb up, then they will certainly be able to kill any archer who tries to stop them. And yet, anyone who tries to remove those hooks will be attacked by the enemy archers. To top it all off, the enemy's numbers have yet to thin. The defenders must break this stalemate soon, or the defense will certainly fail! West Gate --- With a well-placed catapult shot by Rudolph and some clever use of tar and explosives by Merik, the battering ram falls by the time it reaches the gate. The Goblins hiding within the ram quickly scatter, retreating back to their lines, but they're soon shot and killed. The gate was damaged in the defense and the fiery impromptu barricade would be certain to provide deterrence for any future gate assaults... for now. In response, the Goblins switch tactics. Soon, enemy artillery is aimed at parts of the wall. One boulder misses, harmlessly splashing on the moat below, but another crashes into the battlements. The men on that section of the wall are killed or injured, and the Goblins use that moment of pandemonium to charge the walls. Grappling hooks are used to quickly ascend the walls, and soon, Goblins are trying to scale the wall. A more perceptive individual may notice, however, the presence of several sappers near the gate-- it seems they're attempting to clear the flaming rubble to try and blast the gate open with explosives again. In the state that the gate is in... they might actually succeed if they manage to accomplish their task. The defenders must contend with Goblins atop the walls, and at the gates! East Gate --- With Faira's assistance, the soldiers manage to destroy or dislodge many of the ladders that go up... but unfortunately, they could not destroy all of them in time. A few siege ladders remain, and they were designed with volume in mind-- every few seconds, more and more Goblins appear upon the walls. Thankfully, they're not as difficult to deal with as Orcs, but their numbers threaten to destroy the defenders atop the walls! They must push towards those remaining ladders and destroy them before they are overwhelmed! Meanwhile, Manald rampages on the grounds below. Many Goblins are rightfully afraid of the enraged Beastman and stay away, but those foolish enough to challenge him are torn to shreds. The siege Trolls, however, were less intimidated. Any arrow or bullet directed at the trolls quickly bounce off their armor, and the few that strike true and hit flesh are quickly rendered useless, as the Trolls seem to regenerate from their wounds in a matter of seconds! The pair look at one another and then nod, a plan forming in their heads. The one with the giant axe goes on the attack, swinging his implement of destruction in wide arcs that are hard to evade. As the axe Troll faces off against Manald, the hammer Troll attempts to move past their engagement to try and break down the gate. With his focus split between Goblins, the Troll ahead of him, and the Troll trying to destroy the gate, the Beastman must find a way to even the tide, and quickly! Sewers --- Between the efforts of Acrius and Petyr, the enemy numbers are quickly thinned. Soon, they both manage to make it back to formation-- and just in time, too. Soon, the second wave of Goblins arrive, and this time, they've brought equalizers of their own: wolves. The beasts are not hard to deal with individually, but wolves hunt in packs and are well-accustomed to fighting alongside both other wolves and their Goblin masters. In the dark, damp corridors of the sewers, it will take more than just skill at arms... this will be a test of coordination. Whose strategies will win: the tactics of men, or the tactics of beasts?</s>	<\|message\|>Leonidas Lionheart Leonidas continues letting arrows loose felling orcs until he notices a grappling hook fly up and secure itself onto the wall. As the line goes taught he quickly rushes over trying to dislodge the hook. But with at least one orc trying to climb the rope it is to hard to dislodge it. The prince quickly draws his sword hacking into the rope easily cutting it drooping the climbing orc to the ground. But swords aren't meant to strike stone and his blade chips as it cuts through the rope hitting the stone underneath. "Get some axes cut the ropes!" he yells directing the soldiers who weren't focused on firing bows, or rifles at the orcs. After stowing the damaged blade the prince took up his bow again and tried to lean over the wall to fire an arrow at another rope down the wall. As he tries to line up his shot one arrow wizzes past his head and a second strikes his shoulder pauldron forcing him to retreat back behind cover. "Zatana you think you can deal with some of those archers?" he yelled back while tossing the bow aside picking up his Warhammer. Leonidas then started to move to the next hook and smashed his hammer into the face of the first orc up the line crushing the creature's face and sending it falling back down to the ground below.</s>
<\|description\|>Leonidas Lionheart Race: Human Gender: Male Age: 27 Appearance: 5'8" 150 lbs tanned skin, athletic build, Shoulder length blonde hair, blue eyes Bio: Born Prince to the Empire of Man Leonidas' path in life was set from the start. Every aspect seemed to be laid out before him with little choice of his own. As a boy he was subject to lots of classes and teachings on world powers, political treaties, and anything else that a prince would need to know. After he was assigned his guardian Siegfried Leonidas was given the first glimpse of a choice in his life. The young prince opted to take that choice if only to get away from his classes even for a little bit. That choice you might ask was to become a Paladin of the Silver flame like Siegfried. The Prince knew the tenets of the Silver Flame already but took to the religion in times of hardships and used his belief to strengthen himself. Leonidas became a fine young squire under Siegfried excelling in his training. After Years of service within the Order of the Silver Flame it was decided that it was time for Leonidas to leave the capital and see the land that would one day become his to rule. Given orders to investigate recent reports of orc and goblin attacks up north he has assembled a small army and marched onward looking to see to the safety of his people. Personality quirks: Traits - I can stare down a hell hound without flinching. , I don't like to sit idle. Ideal - Noble Obligation. It is my duty to protect and care for the people beneath me. Bond – My honor is my life. Flaw – My hatred of my enemies is blind and unreasoning. Friends/Rivals: Siegfried Lightbringer – Human Male, Leonidas' Mentor and Friend Lyndis Helmsguard – Human Female, Childhood Friend Fighting Style: Leonidas is a Paladin through and through, Blending Martial Prowess with Light Magic in combat. Equipment: Weapons – Warhammer, Longsword Armor – Full Plate with chainmail underlay Other – Waterskin, Holy Symbol of the Silver Flame, Pouch with 5 days rations, Skills/Abilities: Silver Tongue – Born a natural leader Leonidas uses his natural charisma to persuade others to see his way. Martial Prowess – Leonidas never skipped a day of Martial training and took the lessons to heart. He is a good fighter on the battlefield and hard to match. Light Magic – As a follower of the Silver Flame Leonidas has tempered himself in the use of Light Magic. Holy Smite: Leonidas' weapon glows with radiant light bringing down Holy Wrath against his foes. Lay on hands: By the divine power of the Silver Flame Leonidas can heal others with a touch of his hand. Aura of Light: Leonidas' presence bolsters his allies increasing their moral and protecting them from fear.</s> <\|message\|>Merik Roak Merik Roak --- The enemy was in full retreat their chief dropped some foul liquid and ran in the chaos. Merik was quick to close his nostrils but kept going in his primal state. Few goblins escaped him his rage still burning and his teeth still chomping black blood dripped from his jaws and covered the front of his armor. Finally the beast could breath as the cloud dissipated. His deep breaths helped to calm him down as the few stragglers were either killed or ran off back to the forest. Slowly the large lizard sat down on the stone wall his head easily able to see over it. The soldiers cheered and the goblins disappeared. Triumph slowly turned to exhaustion and dreary quiet. The humans now had their dead to take care of even Merik still had a couple jobs to do. Slowly he stood and stretched, the injured were being cared for or taken away and the able began to pick up bodies and debris. The goblin bodies were unceremoniously thrown off the wall while the humans were lined up along the sides of the streets. Merik knew that the humans took special care of their dead and he knew to be respectful of it. Even if to him what was dead was dead and the spirit was gone leaving just meat and personal effects. The Lizard folk retrieved his sword from the wall making his way down towards where one of the large stones had landed nearby. The area it hit was damaged but he was able to roll the stone up to the gate and leave it against it. He only did this with one more stone as a way to help brace the door. Either out of fear, exhaustion, or respect he no longer heard the men whisper about him they simply made way for him. It was an effect he had seen happen to many other humans who doubted him then fought alongside him. Action and honor spoke volumes more than some royal sigil ever could, as Acrius would say, seeing is believing. Merik still didn't quite understand what was meant by it but was able to grasp the basics. He lingered for a little while longer at the gate to assist with moving fallen debris or move the wounded. Only calling out to his friend after most of the dust had settled and the sounds of distant fighting turned to silence. "Ruduf, Merik go check rest of wall. Merik see you again later." With a wave the Lizard trotted off down the wall looking for any trouble along the way. He might have been tired, sore, and he was sure that at least some of this blood was his but he kept going. with a full belly he showed off his immense stamina and desire to continue the fight. As he jogged off toward the south end of the town.</s> <\|message\|>Drana Turash Drana smiled the entire fight. She was a cleric that constantly met the battlefield with an open mind. While she was not happy for the death that surrounded her, it was an involuntary action that had been picked up among the fields of dead that were often trying to kill the living. She did not realise that she was smiling. The only escalation she had seen was Manald's savagery upon tangling himself with a troll. She made a note to find him later and make sure that he was not hurt. Drana felt eyes fall on her as Acrius introduced her to the prince. 'So this is the man I have heard so much about.' Drana's demeanor was unchanged by her fatigue. Blood covered her clothing in a red and black mess that sullied her holy garments and fair skin. Her staff remained pristine, absent of any sign it had been on the battlefield. "Prince Leonidas," Drana did not bow, but she instead inclined her head slightly. "It is an honor to meet you on the field of battle as an ally." The drain on her stamina was catching up with her, and she wanted to inform the prince of who she was and where she came from faded quickly. Hunger gnawed at her belly and sleep called her by name. Drana felt the subtle pull of her domain's magic as her two knights, Gordon and Stephan, wished to return to the world she was in. Drana straightened herself in front of Leonidas. "I have fought with Acrius beneath the city and here on its walls. I am the Sacred Order's Cleric of the Dead." She used a full title, unsure if the prince knew the weight that it carried. In truth, Drana did not understand the weight it carried herself. "Forgive me, but I must find my knights. I will meet you for a proper introduction in the war room after I-" She hesitated, briefly forgetting that most people assumed her clerical art to be necromancy. With quick thinking, she feigned being tired. Her smile softened with embarrassment and she laughed awkwardly. "I need a nap after this." She said with her usual informal candor. She needed to find a quiet place to bring her knights back from the aether. With a second dip of her head Drana turned and started for the path down the wall. She needed to 'find' Gordon and Stephan before she returned to the war room. She needed their help to explain why she was here, as well as who she really is. Though more than that, she feared for her own skin without their protection. She was too tired to realize just what she had done.</s> <\|message\|>Leonidas Lionheart Leonidas stayed on the battlements directing the men until the goblin forces were out of range. It was only after their retreat that Leonidas would let himself rest a little. He took a little time to check his wound from earlier making sure he didn't end up opening it again since his bit of patch up healing. "I should of really payed more attention when they were teaching us those healing magics instead of just how to use magic to hurt others more..." he thought to himself as Acrius came up to him with a woman whom Leonidas had never seen before. Although she was introduced as a Cleric she moved with an air of nobility which in itself was a bit of an oddity many born into a noble house wouldn't adopt the practices of a Cleric willingly. Even the way she greeted the prince was reminiscent of the way many nobles had in the past so he assumed she must have some noble blood and greeted her in kind, "The Honor was mine Lady Drana, due to your help our young Acrius was able to quickly fell that troll." He said to her with a grin complimenting her help, although he knew full well Acrius could of used his own magic to light the arrow he wasn't going to bring it up now especially seeing the shape she was in currently. After mentioning her knights that were lost in the sewers Leonidas gave his dismissal letting the cleric go on her way and even offered Acrius as a guard to her until she found her knights if she wanted or needed. After that Leonidas would return to the war room with Zatana following behind. "I don't know if I'm ready for the chew out from Balthazar about getting injured, even if it is just a little scratch... You want to talk to him first?" He said to Zatana in a joking matter as they walked back to the Keep. As the day went on there were more waves of attacks, nothing nearly on the scale of the morning's attack and after giving the members of the Royal guard an adequate amount to rest they were cycled to the points of battle to help keep the balance in the defender's favor. All in all by the end of the day men were tired and worn out moral was good because of the victories but wavering as it seemed these orc and goblins had unending numbers. The fear and unease was what plagued Leonidas and Balthazar the most so the two decided to work out a deal with the Duke. It wasn't long until what was normally the trade square was abuzz with life, Leonidas and Balthazar were able to convince the Duke to roll out the fine wine and ale he had been storing in the keep and open it up as a means to thank and celebrate with the men. The commotion had also brought out some of the food merchants and even common folk and amidst this siege there was a celebration within the city. Leonidas sat at a table among the guards with an ale in his hand. Although he wasn't in his full battle regalia he still wore a light suit of armor as "you could never be to careful" or so Balthazar had told him while Leonidas' arm was being patched up. But he drank with his men on this night not above them as their prince but with them as a warrior. The square itself had been quickly decorated and aside from the impromptu bar that had been set up multiple food stands had also made their way around the square providing food and drink to any who wanted to partake. Naysein had found herself a few competent musicians and was using her talents to provide song for the party singing tales of heroism and bravery lightening the mood.</s> <\|message\|>Rudolph Kestrell Following the clean upon the walls, Rudolph would soon enough help out with the moving of the dead, dying and wounded, despite being relieved of his position on the wall to go and get rest. He noticed the big lizardman leave the battlements, and gave a simple wave and nod toward him. A couple of hours pass before Rudolph accepts his fatigue, and gives in. Along the way to the barracks, he bumped into Fullar, who apparently had been wounded during the siege. "Hey Rudolph." the man nodded somewhat disgruntled. "They finally got you eh?" Rudolph replied, somewhat teasing. "A bit of armour would of helped ya." he followed smirking. "You know I fight better without it." Fullar scoffed. Rudolph chuckled and gave the man a pat on the back, "Just be careful you silly bastard." he finished before turning to continue onward. Fullar simply waved him off as he did. Rudolph managed to get some rest, but decided he'd join the festivities, he could do with a break. The event itself, albeit last minute and cobbled together, was actually fun. A rare side of Rudolph came out at occasions like this, where instead of his usual grumpy exterior, he is now open and welcoming. Some of the soldiers that knew of him and his reputation were taken aback by his sudden change of persona. He spent much of the time sharing stories and jovial banter. Though Rudolph had finally relaxed, he was partly still on edge. He occasionally looked around him and watched as people went about their business. He was expecting there to be some sort of orc surprise attack, or something else entirely that he had to watch out for.</s>	<\|message\|>Leonidas Lionheart -=Somewhere inside the walls of Bergkoff=- A group of 9 hooded individuals gather on an empty side street. "Alright everyone has there targets correct?" One of the individuals said to the group and a second spoke up. "Why are we helping orcs? What is the master thinking." A second spoke up and was quickly hushed. "Don't question the master's wishes just do your job." The first snapped back. "Alright if no one has any real question then move out." A third spoke up. And the group quickly broke up into four groups. Two groups of two took to the roofs heading to their targets while the remaining 5 individuals broke into a group of 2 and a group of 3 each moving in different direction through the city.</s>
<\|description\|>Rudolph Kestrell Race: Human Gender: Male Age: 35 Appearance: (-5'6, 164ibs, White rinkled skin, Stocky build, Short black hair, Hazelnut eyes.) Bio: Rudolph Kestrell grew up in a modest home as an only child, in his homeland of the Grand Duchy of Bergkoff. His upbringing was nothing special, and hoping for something more out of his life, he joined the Bergkoff Guard, its military. Rudolph would meet a fellow soldier named Hectar Fullar, the two men would get on very well. After a few years service, they both aspired to be an officer, soon enough a friendly rivalry would occur, both competing for duties that would offer them a good rep. Rudolph and Hectar would be soon assigned to different regiments. The two not meeting again for sometime. Rudolph would be tasked later on by the Duke of Bergkoff to head to the Empire to help train its new recruits as a sign of good faith. (Grand Duchy of Bergkoff: This country was once a part of the Kingdom of Karsburg, but after a devastating invasion at the hands of a Drow warlord, the country collapsed, bringing the majority of its royal family down with it. The survivors of the aftermath however, eventually took refuge within the last standing city of Bergkoff, a prosperous merchant city. And soon enough, it became its own independent city state, hoping to one day regain what was lost. The dwarves of the neighbouring mountain side had developed good relations with the kingdom, and maintains it with the Duchy. Bergkoff helps them sell their wares whilst the dwarves provides their technological knowledge and skills.) Personality quirks: Traits: Not much disturbs him, and he'll face any adversary with equal measure. Ideals: "I'll serve my country, as is my duty and honour. I respect those who prove they have potential." Bonds: - Sergeant Fullar, a fellow soldier from his homeland, and an old rival and friend. They had joined the military and rose through the ranks side by side. - Captain Murz, Rudolphs captain whom he served under on several fronts. Both men had earned eachothers respect. During a time when Rudolph was on leave, Murz had disappeared along with his battalion during a routine patrol through the Theost forest. Flaws: Tends to zone out when he is talked at. Is often found bored when not fighting or travelling. Is often presumed to be grumpy. Fighting Style: He mainly uses a Halberd as his prefered weapon of choice, and as such, has a decent amount of skill using it. He's reasonably efficent with other weapons too due to his length in service and training. Equipment: Weapons- Halberd, Short Sword & Small Shield. A basic flintlock pistol with 12 shots. Armour- Breastplate, Padded vest and Leather vambraces & greaves. Other- A knapsack containing: Water canteen, basic rations, his personal journal, and a thick cloak. A gunpowder horn and 12 iron shots in a pouch. Skills/Abilities: - Experienced officer: Rudolph has experience in leading men into combat. He has a decent amount of strategic knowledge. - Polearm proficiency: As halberds are his go to weapons, other weapons of a similar nature are easy to use for him. - Explosives: He has some knowledge of how to create bombs and the like, as is part of his military training. - Basic tinkering: Due to a lack of magic in Bergkoff, and the occasional influence by the Dwarves, working on devices and machines that would be seen as uncommon or outright rare elsewhere is commonplace in Bergkoff. As such, Rudolph himself has had a hand in some tinkering alongside the training he recived in the military. -=Rules=- 1. Listen to the GM(s), If you have a complaint tell me. I am not an evil dictator and if I am wrong I will admit it. 2. Romance and Gore allowed, But keep it in good taste and in site rules 3. Now not all characters will play nice with each other I understand that, but keep the disputes in the RP not in OOC 4. Be civilized and polite please 5. All basic RP rules apply to this roleplay: Power playing, Meta gaming, and others are not allowed. 6. The story isn't exactly set, if you have an idea for a mission feel free to pm me the details and I'll try to work it in. 7. Copy the rules into a Hider in the "other" of your cs so I know you read them. 8. Get into your character's skin become him or her as you are playing have fun and give us insight into their thoughts. 9. Try to keep active, in both the IC and OOC pages please. And even if you don't have anything to say, at least read the OOC</s> <\|message\|>Leonidas Lionheart Leonidas nodded back at the Duke following him into the office. "Yes we do have a lot to go over. Please give me a run down of what you know? Do we know how many we are up against? What are our defenses at the moment? Is there any weak points in the city we need to know about? How long will your supplies last?" Leonidas began questioning as soon as they were in the office attempting to get a grasp on the situation of the town. "As for Siegfried, yes he and his forces will hopefully arrive in two days. Have you received anything from the dwarves will they be able to help us?" Leonidas continued adding to the list of unanswered questions. ---- Western Gate The quiet of the morning is once again broken as a bell starts to ring form on top of the gate. "Here they come boys! everyone to your positions!" a guard yelled out from the gatehouse. The soldiers instantly jumped into action. preparing for the attack. from the top of the wall a group of what looked like 200 Goblins seemed to be poring out what must of been a cave entrance hidden by a hill. Guards on the walls readied their bows with very few having rifles waiting for the Goblins to get into range before opening fire.</s> <\|message\|>Balthazar Trevarthen The warlock simply nodded as he followed along. Buildings take damage during a siege-- this much was an inevitability. However, Balthazar was still surprised to see destruction done to parts of the keep itself. He had not seen any siege weapons on the way in, which left sabotage or magic as the cause of the destroyed war room. Goblins and Orcs rarely took up the arcane arts, but their shamans are known to have knowledge of the more primal magics. Still, it was a good thing that Duke Karstilli had survived; a city can survive the loss of a building, but the death of their leader is much more difficult, especially during a siege. As the Prince asked his questions, Balthazar reached into his coat pocket, retrieving the envelope that had been delivered to him. It had likely been opened at least once before in spite of the presence of the unbroken wax seal, but he was confident that the information was not compromised. Now in a secure location, the man opened the letter, reading the battle reports and placing the map on the desk whilst keeping the letter to him within the envelope itself. There would be time to read that later. Once he was done, he placed the reports on the desk for others to review, if they wished to. The papers on this desk would prove useful for both tactical and strategic analysis of the battle to come. There are three papers within Balthazar's report: two pages of information and a single large map. It is written in a simple Imperial cipher-- one that any Imperial officer or noble would understand at a glance. These reports detail the enemy's strength: roughly a thousand soldiers strong, comprised primarily of Goblins. Two hundred of the enemy forces are made up of proper Orc Warriors, who seem to make up the army's elite. There is also word of one or two Ogres, who likely serve as impromptu siege weaponry or shock troops. Their leader is Waruk Shieldbreaker, an Orc Warlord of little renown, who seems to be attacking in an attempt to grab power in the area, and to bring glory to his name... Due to the lack of ambition in his circle of officers, it is likely that with his death, the invading army will collapse. It is difficult to pin down their exact movements, due to their use of the local mountain cave systems to traverse the region. Curiously, they've managed to avoid both Dwarven and Human patrols thanks to this tactic. The attached map lists several cave openings that can be collapsed to prevent the arrival of further reinforcements or to funnel the enemy into a single bottleneck. It appears that the enemy has mostly been attacking from the north and that the city's cannons have been holding the enemy at bay, for now. "Our scouts once reported numbers between two hundred and a thousand, but my informants say it is the latter. We can expect at least a thousand enemy combatants." He starts. It could be rude for an advisor to speak before the lord of the house can, but not only was Balthazar himself was a lord, he was also the Prince's aide. His word was to be respected and taken under heavy consideration. "Eight hundred Goblins, two hundred Orcs, and perhaps an Ogre or two, lead by Waruk Shieldbreaker, an Orc Warlord of little renown." "In addition, they've been using the underground cave systems to travel. There appear to be several prime locations for us to cut off their supply lines, but we'll need more time before we act upon that." The spymaster looked up at Duke Karstilli, an eyebrow raised. "Can you corroborate this information? I must know if my accounts are still accurate." Of course, in spite of how well-informed Balthazar can be, Duke Karstilli was indeed the lord of the house. They would have to follow his lead and not the other way around, even if the Prince was here. Still, the warlock knew that the Duke was a man of reason, and was not a man with a hot temper. If the spymaster recalled correctly, the Duke was a man of honor who appreciated it when things were simple. A man of the people. Balthazar waited politely for the Duke to answer both the Prince's questions as well as his own.</s>	<\|message\|>Rudolph Kestrell "Yes we do have a lot to go over. Please give me a run down of what you know? Do we know how many we are up against? What are our defenses at the moment? Is there any weak points in the city we need to know about? How long will your supplies last?" Leonidas began as soon as they entered the office. "As for Siegfried, yes he and his forces will hopefully arrive in two days. Have you received anything from the dwarves, will they be able to help us?" he continued. Then Balthazar spoke up soon after, "Our scouts once reported numbers between two hundred and a thousand, but my informants say it is the latter. We can expect at least a thousand enemy combatants." Balthazar reviewed his notes from the report before he continued, "Eight hundred Goblins, two hundred Orcs, and perhaps an Ogre or two, lead by Waruk Shieldbreaker, an Orc Warlord of little renown. In addition, they've been using the underground cave systems to travel. There appear to be several prime locations for us to cut off their supply lines, but we'll need more time before we act upon that." Balthazar looked up at the Duke from his report as he continue, "Can you corroborate this information? I must know if my accounts are still accurate." The Duke held up a hand before saying his piece, "Well Sir Balthazar, you certainly are well informed, as our reports say similar, though yours holds more detail.", he leaned on the desk to observe the map that Balthazar provided before looking up at the Prince. "And to answer your questions my Prince, the main areas to keep a watchful eye on, are the sewer drains. As they extend beyond the city walls." The Duke stood up and crossed his arms. "As for our defences, we have roughly four hundred of our infantry, and there is also the four cannons we recieved from the dwarves. They should be fine for use for now, but we did not have much in terms of ammunition to begin with." The Duke took a deep breath before he continued, his old weary body tiring already, "We would be better prepared, but unfortunately, these last few months have taken a toll. We have troops stationed at a couple of our watch forts further outward, and we think two may have fallen due to the orcs." he said stroking his bearded chin in thought. "We have indeed tried to contact the dwarves via carrier pigeon, but we have yet to recieve a reply. It is possible they themselves could be under threat of attack." The Duke paused for a moment. "Do you have any further information regarding this orc warlord you mentioned?" he asked Balthazar with curiosity. --------- As soon as the bell rang, Rudolph made his way up to the walls, to offer what help he could. Some rifle fire could be heard, but the majority of missles were from the bows. A few of the goblins in the assault were immediately killed from the first volley, but they were better prepared this time, as most of the arrows that hit, were blocked by their shields. However, the few shots from the rifles amongst them, blew through them with relative ease. "Keep knocking the bastards down!" yelled Captain Fenne as he walked along the wall observing the attack. Rudolph managed to get to the top of the wall just in time for the third volley. The goblins got to a certain point before stopping. "Bring the cannons 'round!" ordered the captain giving a signal with his hand. A soldier from amongst the ranged units shouted "Incoming!" as two large boulders were coming their way. "Take cover. Take cover!" ordered the captain before he hid himself behind one of the merlons. Rudolph himself hid behind one as soon as he saw the incoming projectiles. With a loud crash, one of the shots hit the side of the wall, causing a minor tremor. The other made a direct hit, killing some of the troop that took shelter. Rudolph was partially dazed by the impact, but thankfully was not in the impact zone itself. He then quickly gathered himself, "Are you alright Captain!?" he loudly asked as he staggered slightly across the broken wall using his halberd to keep him steady. There were some soldiers missing, possibly they were knocked off the wall back into the city. Others lay upon the path broken and bloodied. "Keep firing! Don't give 'em a breather!" yelled Rudolph as he went to investigate the whereabouts of the captain. He quickly found the man, buried under a mound of rubble. He then removed some of it to check if the man still lived. Captain Fenne seemed mostly dusted by the debris, despite clear minor wounds. Rudolph looked closer and noticed that the back of the mans head had been caved in. Rudolph looked down with eyes closed. Damn them!. Rudolph stood up and observed his surroundings. The ranged units were still doing their part, and trying their best at keeping the greenskins at bay. The cannoneers were still making their way over as the goblins renewed their assault against the walls. "Alright then." Rudolph said to himself. "Cannons! Get a move on!" he ordered, and they began hurrying more so with the help from other soldiers currently unoccupied with the defences. Here we go. he exhaled readying himself for the fight ahead.</s>
<\|description\|>Rudolph Kestrell Race: Human Gender: Male Age: 35 Appearance: (-5'6, 164ibs, White rinkled skin, Stocky build, Short black hair, Hazelnut eyes.) Bio: Rudolph Kestrell grew up in a modest home as an only child, in his homeland of the Grand Duchy of Bergkoff. His upbringing was nothing special, and hoping for something more out of his life, he joined the Bergkoff Guard, its military. Rudolph would meet a fellow soldier named Hectar Fullar, the two men would get on very well. After a few years service, they both aspired to be an officer, soon enough a friendly rivalry would occur, both competing for duties that would offer them a good rep. Rudolph and Hectar would be soon assigned to different regiments. The two not meeting again for sometime. Rudolph would be tasked later on by the Duke of Bergkoff to head to the Empire to help train its new recruits as a sign of good faith. (Grand Duchy of Bergkoff: This country was once a part of the Kingdom of Karsburg, but after a devastating invasion at the hands of a Drow warlord, the country collapsed, bringing the majority of its royal family down with it. The survivors of the aftermath however, eventually took refuge within the last standing city of Bergkoff, a prosperous merchant city. And soon enough, it became its own independent city state, hoping to one day regain what was lost. The dwarves of the neighbouring mountain side had developed good relations with the kingdom, and maintains it with the Duchy. Bergkoff helps them sell their wares whilst the dwarves provides their technological knowledge and skills.) Personality quirks: Traits: Not much disturbs him, and he'll face any adversary with equal measure. Ideals: "I'll serve my country, as is my duty and honour. I respect those who prove they have potential." Bonds: - Sergeant Fullar, a fellow soldier from his homeland, and an old rival and friend. They had joined the military and rose through the ranks side by side. - Captain Murz, Rudolphs captain whom he served under on several fronts. Both men had earned eachothers respect. During a time when Rudolph was on leave, Murz had disappeared along with his battalion during a routine patrol through the Theost forest. Flaws: Tends to zone out when he is talked at. Is often found bored when not fighting or travelling. Is often presumed to be grumpy. Fighting Style: He mainly uses a Halberd as his prefered weapon of choice, and as such, has a decent amount of skill using it. He's reasonably efficent with other weapons too due to his length in service and training. Equipment: Weapons- Halberd, Short Sword & Small Shield. A basic flintlock pistol with 12 shots. Armour- Breastplate, Padded vest and Leather vambraces & greaves. Other- A knapsack containing: Water canteen, basic rations, his personal journal, and a thick cloak. A gunpowder horn and 12 iron shots in a pouch. Skills/Abilities: - Experienced officer: Rudolph has experience in leading men into combat. He has a decent amount of strategic knowledge. - Polearm proficiency: As halberds are his go to weapons, other weapons of a similar nature are easy to use for him. - Explosives: He has some knowledge of how to create bombs and the like, as is part of his military training. - Basic tinkering: Due to a lack of magic in Bergkoff, and the occasional influence by the Dwarves, working on devices and machines that would be seen as uncommon or outright rare elsewhere is commonplace in Bergkoff. As such, Rudolph himself has had a hand in some tinkering alongside the training he recived in the military. -=Rules=- 1. Listen to the GM(s), If you have a complaint tell me. I am not an evil dictator and if I am wrong I will admit it. 2. Romance and Gore allowed, But keep it in good taste and in site rules 3. Now not all characters will play nice with each other I understand that, but keep the disputes in the RP not in OOC 4. Be civilized and polite please 5. All basic RP rules apply to this roleplay: Power playing, Meta gaming, and others are not allowed. 6. The story isn't exactly set, if you have an idea for a mission feel free to pm me the details and I'll try to work it in. 7. Copy the rules into a Hider in the "other" of your cs so I know you read them. 8. Get into your character's skin become him or her as you are playing have fun and give us insight into their thoughts. 9. Try to keep active, in both the IC and OOC pages please. And even if you don't have anything to say, at least read the OOC</s> <\|message\|>Manald Halung By the time the bell rang, Manald had found himself on the wall somewhere in the eastern part of the city. He couldn't tell exactly where himself for the lack of detailed knowledge of the whole place, but it didn't matter anyway. The bell's reverberating sound was loud enough to easily track it back to its origin. Running through the city itself would probably have been less of a long way, but only so at the risk of getting lost and needing even more time. Therefore Manald relocated himself to the west gate by running along the top of the wall in the south. Upon his arrival he wished for having gone through the city and gotten lost there... The lycan was unfamiliar with this dwarven invention of 'cannons'. The ongoing preparations to fire one of them were not as obvious to him as they were to many others, so he didn't care much when running past one of the crews manning them. He could hear the men beefing about him as he ran past them as one of his elbows accidentally touched one of them in the overall turmoil that was going on. Then, a moment later, there was a bang that felt next to unbelievable for him. The last bit of information he could get from his ears was that it came from behind his back. Then there was only disturbance and ringing, no further voices or other meaningful sounds to be heard. Had his hypersensitive ears just died ? Not even noticing himself anymore that he was hissing in the process, Manald turned around and looked back at the men with their cannon. A plume of smoke invaded his nostrils, too, but the slight itch it caused was nothing compared to what had happened to his hearing. He saw the soldiers returning the stare, a few of them grinning nonchalantly. The expression quickly faded from their faces once they saw Manald's threatening teeth. He was not amused! One the plus side he would not have worry much about more cannon shots, but he could no longer receive any orders or hints anymore as well. That was unless someone would dare to wield a big shield with letters on it, of course. Luckily though a quick look down the wall still told him the story about the goblins doing something at the gate's threshold. It could only be a bad thing for the smell of explosive powder and the sight of fire reached him once more. But what should he do ? Jump down the wall ? The gate wouldn't hold for long anymore this way. Manald quickly discarded the thought. Instead he retreated into the gatehouse, taking his second set of leather armor with him. At first there was nothing, but then a muffled scream could be heard by everyone closeby. It wasn't like the war shout Manald had delivered earlier, but sounded much more like the very mundane attempt to stifle intense agony with crying. It was followed by several others, albeit much smaller outbursts until there was silence again in the gatehouse. The bottom-level door on the city side of it was tossed open and clashed against the wall quite hard. Manald had no intention of damaging any of the lord's properties on purpose, but the sheer inadequacy of the exit's size almost left him no other choice. And of course he currently was flat-out unable to hear anything almost breaking. Ducking greatly and walking halfway sideways just in order to get his shoulders through somehow, the lycanthrope emerged on the street behind the gate fully shifted and clad in his much bigger armor. Manald had borrowed a two-handed sword from a rack in the gatehouse, but his confidence in the weapon's durability was as low as was his confidence in his own ability to wield it like a real swordsman. Anyway, he'd try his best to give those goblins a warm welcome should they breach the gate in any case. If they wouldn't at all... well then he wouldn't be able to pull this off a second time this day or so, but maybe he could make himself useful in other ways then.</s> <\|message\|>Faira Blodwen The cannon had arrived, and Faira ordered the crew to aim for the catapults, but it was a difficult job, as they were launching from behind the rocks at the foot of the hill. A good tactic, to be sure; the defenses on the wall didn't even know for sure how many there were. Faira stood at the wall, boldly looking out as boulders were launched, and the goblins' crude arrows flew past. She was in a good position to see when the martyr goblins with their explosive payload made their frantic run for the gate. What? Gunpowder? The implications of this tried to chase themselves around her head, but she locked them down and roared, "Off the gate! Explosive incoming!" Even as she yelled, she moved. Charging northward, toward where a staircase allowed forces on and off the wall, she grabbed Acrius about the middle, and lifted him bodily as she ran. Her other hand grabbed Rudolph by the arm and pulled him along. Him she let go of as soon as they were moving, but she was still carrying Acrius like a sack of flower, her muscles bulging as the Blood Heat coursed through her, when she jumped over the wall on the city side. She was close enough here that she landed on the stairs after a ten foot drop, her knees bending to absorb the impact. She charged down the stairs, but again jumped from them to the ground when she thought she was close enough. Manald could be seen before the gate, getting ready, clearly having seen the imminent danger. Finally, Faira dropped her comrade and made her way to join the transformed beastman. She drew her sword as she walked, deftly undoing the scabbard from her belt and letting it drop to the ground. "Come, guard of Bergkoff," she called, "Show me how you welcome goblins." She stood firm next to Manald as the gate exploded inward. @Inertia@Borosev</s>	<\|message\|>Rudolph Kestrell "I don't have too much information about him-- he seemed to be perfectly content with lording over the smaller Orc and Goblin tribes, as well as raiding the occasional caravan." said Balthazar evidently in thought. "It makes me wonder why he had such a sudden desire to besiege Bergkoff." he continued. "I see. Perhaps the beast is simply overconfident, due to its alleged triumphs." replied the Duke, becoming more curious about the Orc. Leonidas spoke up next, "We are going to need to reposition one cannon to the east gate, and one to the west. We don't know when they will attack the flanks and we can't show a weakness on our sides. If we show these beasts any chink in our armor, they will jump at it without a doubt." He said observing the map. "The goblin numbers won't be an issue if we can keep them outside those walls. If they get in though, they could be a major problem. As for the Orcs, how many of them came out to fight this morning? Were we able to dwindle those numbers at all?" "It is hard to say my Prince. As we have only the estimates provided by my and Sir Balthazars contacts. All we can do is hope these estimates are true to their strength." replied the Duke. "My fear is the longer this battle lasts the more word of this fortress' strength will spread and draw in more Orcs looking for a challenge. So any thought on how we could try to end this battle quickly?" continued the Prince. "I believe cutting off the head of the snake to be a viable option if it can be done. Alternatively, we could try to collapse the entrances to the tunnels that they are using to move around the region." said Balthazar as he explained his idea upon the map. "I suspect that it will be no easy task, but if we can do it, it would only be a matter of breaking down the remaining forces. An army without supply lines or reinforcements is certain to crumble, given time." The Duke nodded in agreement,"A good idea. But perhaps, we should start on the tunnels first. That way, it may draw their leader out into the open, hopefully providing us a better chance at removing it." said the Duke as he observed the idea presented by Balthazar. ‐------ Rudolph continued to guide the troops still atop the walls, occasionally helping some of them as they removed the dead and wounded from it. He then turned in time to see the large woman approach his position. "I just came from the cannons, the crew shouldn't be far behind me." said Faira as she viewed the situation. "If the cannon can break that catapult, we may not even need to leave the wall." "You're not wrong there." Rudolph replied simply. He then saw that the goblins had renewed their assault, bolstered with some archers of their own. He carefully observed their activity, Something doesn't feel right. he thought to himself unclear on what it was that made him anxious about the situation. Soon enough, a familiar voice snapped him out of it, "Hey Rudolph!" it was Acrius, "Do you think fire arrows would work? Gotta try something, those cannons are taking their damned sweet time. I have half a mind to jump down there and burn them myself!" Rudolph rolled his eyes at the thought and then replied, "Do what you like, as long as it involves killing the green bastards." he snapped back. He took a glance at the city behind him to see what was happening. It appeared that the majority of the civilians were within the keep now, so at least that was one less worry. He caught a glimpse of a familiar figure staggering around some troops, it was the rotund form of Captain Haart. Good to see the fool is actually doing something other than being in the bloody tavern he thought scoffing at the thought of him. When Rudolph turned his focus back to the fight at hand, he noticed the woman, Zatana had joined them, and was firing out a few arrows of her own. He also noticed further down that the lizardman had been throwing wooden beams like javelins, "Whatever." Rudolph said to himself as he sighed and turned away from the activity. "Off the gate! Explosives incoming! alerted Faira. Rudolph immediately ordered several archers and riflemen to reposition to the gate. He picked up a dropped rifle and took up a position himself. All he could see were the usual goblin warriors. He squinted trying to see what the woman was talking about, and then he noticed some of which were carrying sparking objects, Could they really be..? Rudolph pondered for a moment. "You lot! Focus your shots on the greenksins with the bombs!" he ordered soon after. How in the gods names did they get a hold of explosives!? he thought trying to wrap his mind around it. A good few shots were sent out by the troop, but many of which seemed to either hit the shields of the goblins trying to protect the runners, or just miss altogether. At least two of the runners were brought down, one of the bombs went off killing a small score of the greenskins closer to it. The other hit the ground and the wick snuffed out by the mud underfoot.</s>
<\|description\|>Rudolph Kestrell Race: Human Gender: Male Age: 35 Appearance: (-5'6, 164ibs, White rinkled skin, Stocky build, Short black hair, Hazelnut eyes.) Bio: Rudolph Kestrell grew up in a modest home as an only child, in his homeland of the Grand Duchy of Bergkoff. His upbringing was nothing special, and hoping for something more out of his life, he joined the Bergkoff Guard, its military. Rudolph would meet a fellow soldier named Hectar Fullar, the two men would get on very well. After a few years service, they both aspired to be an officer, soon enough a friendly rivalry would occur, both competing for duties that would offer them a good rep. Rudolph and Hectar would be soon assigned to different regiments. The two not meeting again for sometime. Rudolph would be tasked later on by the Duke of Bergkoff to head to the Empire to help train its new recruits as a sign of good faith. (Grand Duchy of Bergkoff: This country was once a part of the Kingdom of Karsburg, but after a devastating invasion at the hands of a Drow warlord, the country collapsed, bringing the majority of its royal family down with it. The survivors of the aftermath however, eventually took refuge within the last standing city of Bergkoff, a prosperous merchant city. And soon enough, it became its own independent city state, hoping to one day regain what was lost. The dwarves of the neighbouring mountain side had developed good relations with the kingdom, and maintains it with the Duchy. Bergkoff helps them sell their wares whilst the dwarves provides their technological knowledge and skills.) Personality quirks: Traits: Not much disturbs him, and he'll face any adversary with equal measure. Ideals: "I'll serve my country, as is my duty and honour. I respect those who prove they have potential." Bonds: - Sergeant Fullar, a fellow soldier from his homeland, and an old rival and friend. They had joined the military and rose through the ranks side by side. - Captain Murz, Rudolphs captain whom he served under on several fronts. Both men had earned eachothers respect. During a time when Rudolph was on leave, Murz had disappeared along with his battalion during a routine patrol through the Theost forest. Flaws: Tends to zone out when he is talked at. Is often found bored when not fighting or travelling. Is often presumed to be grumpy. Fighting Style: He mainly uses a Halberd as his prefered weapon of choice, and as such, has a decent amount of skill using it. He's reasonably efficent with other weapons too due to his length in service and training. Equipment: Weapons- Halberd, Short Sword & Small Shield. A basic flintlock pistol with 12 shots. Armour- Breastplate, Padded vest and Leather vambraces & greaves. Other- A knapsack containing: Water canteen, basic rations, his personal journal, and a thick cloak. A gunpowder horn and 12 iron shots in a pouch. Skills/Abilities: - Experienced officer: Rudolph has experience in leading men into combat. He has a decent amount of strategic knowledge. - Polearm proficiency: As halberds are his go to weapons, other weapons of a similar nature are easy to use for him. - Explosives: He has some knowledge of how to create bombs and the like, as is part of his military training. - Basic tinkering: Due to a lack of magic in Bergkoff, and the occasional influence by the Dwarves, working on devices and machines that would be seen as uncommon or outright rare elsewhere is commonplace in Bergkoff. As such, Rudolph himself has had a hand in some tinkering alongside the training he recived in the military. -=Rules=- 1. Listen to the GM(s), If you have a complaint tell me. I am not an evil dictator and if I am wrong I will admit it. 2. Romance and Gore allowed, But keep it in good taste and in site rules 3. Now not all characters will play nice with each other I understand that, but keep the disputes in the RP not in OOC 4. Be civilized and polite please 5. All basic RP rules apply to this roleplay: Power playing, Meta gaming, and others are not allowed. 6. The story isn't exactly set, if you have an idea for a mission feel free to pm me the details and I'll try to work it in. 7. Copy the rules into a Hider in the "other" of your cs so I know you read them. 8. Get into your character's skin become him or her as you are playing have fun and give us insight into their thoughts. 9. Try to keep active, in both the IC and OOC pages please. And even if you don't have anything to say, at least read the OOC</s> <\|message\|>Merik Roak Merik Roak --- The enemy was in full retreat their chief dropped some foul liquid and ran in the chaos. Merik was quick to close his nostrils but kept going in his primal state. Few goblins escaped him his rage still burning and his teeth still chomping black blood dripped from his jaws and covered the front of his armor. Finally the beast could breath as the cloud dissipated. His deep breaths helped to calm him down as the few stragglers were either killed or ran off back to the forest. Slowly the large lizard sat down on the stone wall his head easily able to see over it. The soldiers cheered and the goblins disappeared. Triumph slowly turned to exhaustion and dreary quiet. The humans now had their dead to take care of even Merik still had a couple jobs to do. Slowly he stood and stretched, the injured were being cared for or taken away and the able began to pick up bodies and debris. The goblin bodies were unceremoniously thrown off the wall while the humans were lined up along the sides of the streets. Merik knew that the humans took special care of their dead and he knew to be respectful of it. Even if to him what was dead was dead and the spirit was gone leaving just meat and personal effects. The Lizard folk retrieved his sword from the wall making his way down towards where one of the large stones had landed nearby. The area it hit was damaged but he was able to roll the stone up to the gate and leave it against it. He only did this with one more stone as a way to help brace the door. Either out of fear, exhaustion, or respect he no longer heard the men whisper about him they simply made way for him. It was an effect he had seen happen to many other humans who doubted him then fought alongside him. Action and honor spoke volumes more than some royal sigil ever could, as Acrius would say, seeing is believing. Merik still didn't quite understand what was meant by it but was able to grasp the basics. He lingered for a little while longer at the gate to assist with moving fallen debris or move the wounded. Only calling out to his friend after most of the dust had settled and the sounds of distant fighting turned to silence. "Ruduf, Merik go check rest of wall. Merik see you again later." With a wave the Lizard trotted off down the wall looking for any trouble along the way. He might have been tired, sore, and he was sure that at least some of this blood was his but he kept going. with a full belly he showed off his immense stamina and desire to continue the fight. As he jogged off toward the south end of the town.</s> <\|message\|>Drana Turash Drana smiled the entire fight. She was a cleric that constantly met the battlefield with an open mind. While she was not happy for the death that surrounded her, it was an involuntary action that had been picked up among the fields of dead that were often trying to kill the living. She did not realise that she was smiling. The only escalation she had seen was Manald's savagery upon tangling himself with a troll. She made a note to find him later and make sure that he was not hurt. Drana felt eyes fall on her as Acrius introduced her to the prince. 'So this is the man I have heard so much about.' Drana's demeanor was unchanged by her fatigue. Blood covered her clothing in a red and black mess that sullied her holy garments and fair skin. Her staff remained pristine, absent of any sign it had been on the battlefield. "Prince Leonidas," Drana did not bow, but she instead inclined her head slightly. "It is an honor to meet you on the field of battle as an ally." The drain on her stamina was catching up with her, and she wanted to inform the prince of who she was and where she came from faded quickly. Hunger gnawed at her belly and sleep called her by name. Drana felt the subtle pull of her domain's magic as her two knights, Gordon and Stephan, wished to return to the world she was in. Drana straightened herself in front of Leonidas. "I have fought with Acrius beneath the city and here on its walls. I am the Sacred Order's Cleric of the Dead." She used a full title, unsure if the prince knew the weight that it carried. In truth, Drana did not understand the weight it carried herself. "Forgive me, but I must find my knights. I will meet you for a proper introduction in the war room after I-" She hesitated, briefly forgetting that most people assumed her clerical art to be necromancy. With quick thinking, she feigned being tired. Her smile softened with embarrassment and she laughed awkwardly. "I need a nap after this." She said with her usual informal candor. She needed to find a quiet place to bring her knights back from the aether. With a second dip of her head Drana turned and started for the path down the wall. She needed to 'find' Gordon and Stephan before she returned to the war room. She needed their help to explain why she was here, as well as who she really is. Though more than that, she feared for her own skin without their protection. She was too tired to realize just what she had done.</s> <\|message\|>Leonidas Lionheart Leonidas stayed on the battlements directing the men until the goblin forces were out of range. It was only after their retreat that Leonidas would let himself rest a little. He took a little time to check his wound from earlier making sure he didn't end up opening it again since his bit of patch up healing. "I should of really payed more attention when they were teaching us those healing magics instead of just how to use magic to hurt others more..." he thought to himself as Acrius came up to him with a woman whom Leonidas had never seen before. Although she was introduced as a Cleric she moved with an air of nobility which in itself was a bit of an oddity many born into a noble house wouldn't adopt the practices of a Cleric willingly. Even the way she greeted the prince was reminiscent of the way many nobles had in the past so he assumed she must have some noble blood and greeted her in kind, "The Honor was mine Lady Drana, due to your help our young Acrius was able to quickly fell that troll." He said to her with a grin complimenting her help, although he knew full well Acrius could of used his own magic to light the arrow he wasn't going to bring it up now especially seeing the shape she was in currently. After mentioning her knights that were lost in the sewers Leonidas gave his dismissal letting the cleric go on her way and even offered Acrius as a guard to her until she found her knights if she wanted or needed. After that Leonidas would return to the war room with Zatana following behind. "I don't know if I'm ready for the chew out from Balthazar about getting injured, even if it is just a little scratch... You want to talk to him first?" He said to Zatana in a joking matter as they walked back to the Keep. As the day went on there were more waves of attacks, nothing nearly on the scale of the morning's attack and after giving the members of the Royal guard an adequate amount to rest they were cycled to the points of battle to help keep the balance in the defender's favor. All in all by the end of the day men were tired and worn out moral was good because of the victories but wavering as it seemed these orc and goblins had unending numbers. The fear and unease was what plagued Leonidas and Balthazar the most so the two decided to work out a deal with the Duke. It wasn't long until what was normally the trade square was abuzz with life, Leonidas and Balthazar were able to convince the Duke to roll out the fine wine and ale he had been storing in the keep and open it up as a means to thank and celebrate with the men. The commotion had also brought out some of the food merchants and even common folk and amidst this siege there was a celebration within the city. Leonidas sat at a table among the guards with an ale in his hand. Although he wasn't in his full battle regalia he still wore a light suit of armor as "you could never be to careful" or so Balthazar had told him while Leonidas' arm was being patched up. But he drank with his men on this night not above them as their prince but with them as a warrior. The square itself had been quickly decorated and aside from the impromptu bar that had been set up multiple food stands had also made their way around the square providing food and drink to any who wanted to partake. Naysein had found herself a few competent musicians and was using her talents to provide song for the party singing tales of heroism and bravery lightening the mood.</s>	<\|message\|>Rudolph Kestrell Following the clean upon the walls, Rudolph would soon enough help out with the moving of the dead, dying and wounded, despite being relieved of his position on the wall to go and get rest. He noticed the big lizardman leave the battlements, and gave a simple wave and nod toward him. A couple of hours pass before Rudolph accepts his fatigue, and gives in. Along the way to the barracks, he bumped into Fullar, who apparently had been wounded during the siege. "Hey Rudolph." the man nodded somewhat disgruntled. "They finally got you eh?" Rudolph replied, somewhat teasing. "A bit of armour would of helped ya." he followed smirking. "You know I fight better without it." Fullar scoffed. Rudolph chuckled and gave the man a pat on the back, "Just be careful you silly bastard." he finished before turning to continue onward. Fullar simply waved him off as he did. Rudolph managed to get some rest, but decided he'd join the festivities, he could do with a break. The event itself, albeit last minute and cobbled together, was actually fun. A rare side of Rudolph came out at occasions like this, where instead of his usual grumpy exterior, he is now open and welcoming. Some of the soldiers that knew of him and his reputation were taken aback by his sudden change of persona. He spent much of the time sharing stories and jovial banter. Though Rudolph had finally relaxed, he was partly still on edge. He occasionally looked around him and watched as people went about their business. He was expecting there to be some sort of orc surprise attack, or something else entirely that he had to watch out for.</s>
<\|description\|>Rudolph Kestrell Race: Human Gender: Male Age: 35 Appearance: (-5'6, 164ibs, White rinkled skin, Stocky build, Short black hair, Hazelnut eyes.) Bio: Rudolph Kestrell grew up in a modest home as an only child, in his homeland of the Grand Duchy of Bergkoff. His upbringing was nothing special, and hoping for something more out of his life, he joined the Bergkoff Guard, its military. Rudolph would meet a fellow soldier named Hectar Fullar, the two men would get on very well. After a few years service, they both aspired to be an officer, soon enough a friendly rivalry would occur, both competing for duties that would offer them a good rep. Rudolph and Hectar would be soon assigned to different regiments. The two not meeting again for sometime. Rudolph would be tasked later on by the Duke of Bergkoff to head to the Empire to help train its new recruits as a sign of good faith. (Grand Duchy of Bergkoff: This country was once a part of the Kingdom of Karsburg, but after a devastating invasion at the hands of a Drow warlord, the country collapsed, bringing the majority of its royal family down with it. The survivors of the aftermath however, eventually took refuge within the last standing city of Bergkoff, a prosperous merchant city. And soon enough, it became its own independent city state, hoping to one day regain what was lost. The dwarves of the neighbouring mountain side had developed good relations with the kingdom, and maintains it with the Duchy. Bergkoff helps them sell their wares whilst the dwarves provides their technological knowledge and skills.) Personality quirks: Traits: Not much disturbs him, and he'll face any adversary with equal measure. Ideals: "I'll serve my country, as is my duty and honour. I respect those who prove they have potential." Bonds: - Sergeant Fullar, a fellow soldier from his homeland, and an old rival and friend. They had joined the military and rose through the ranks side by side. - Captain Murz, Rudolphs captain whom he served under on several fronts. Both men had earned eachothers respect. During a time when Rudolph was on leave, Murz had disappeared along with his battalion during a routine patrol through the Theost forest. Flaws: Tends to zone out when he is talked at. Is often found bored when not fighting or travelling. Is often presumed to be grumpy. Fighting Style: He mainly uses a Halberd as his prefered weapon of choice, and as such, has a decent amount of skill using it. He's reasonably efficent with other weapons too due to his length in service and training. Equipment: Weapons- Halberd, Short Sword & Small Shield. A basic flintlock pistol with 12 shots. Armour- Breastplate, Padded vest and Leather vambraces & greaves. Other- A knapsack containing: Water canteen, basic rations, his personal journal, and a thick cloak. A gunpowder horn and 12 iron shots in a pouch. Skills/Abilities: - Experienced officer: Rudolph has experience in leading men into combat. He has a decent amount of strategic knowledge. - Polearm proficiency: As halberds are his go to weapons, other weapons of a similar nature are easy to use for him. - Explosives: He has some knowledge of how to create bombs and the like, as is part of his military training. - Basic tinkering: Due to a lack of magic in Bergkoff, and the occasional influence by the Dwarves, working on devices and machines that would be seen as uncommon or outright rare elsewhere is commonplace in Bergkoff. As such, Rudolph himself has had a hand in some tinkering alongside the training he recived in the military. -=Rules=- 1. Listen to the GM(s), If you have a complaint tell me. I am not an evil dictator and if I am wrong I will admit it. 2. Romance and Gore allowed, But keep it in good taste and in site rules 3. Now not all characters will play nice with each other I understand that, but keep the disputes in the RP not in OOC 4. Be civilized and polite please 5. All basic RP rules apply to this roleplay: Power playing, Meta gaming, and others are not allowed. 6. The story isn't exactly set, if you have an idea for a mission feel free to pm me the details and I'll try to work it in. 7. Copy the rules into a Hider in the "other" of your cs so I know you read them. 8. Get into your character's skin become him or her as you are playing have fun and give us insight into their thoughts. 9. Try to keep active, in both the IC and OOC pages please. And even if you don't have anything to say, at least read the OOC</s> <\|message\|>Zatana Aleana Zatana had been dozing, one ankle resting on her other knee. Her cowled face leaned back against the wall, before her eyes opened at the noise of feet moving across the stone. Wary about why someone might be coming to the war room, Zatana pulled herself towards wakefulness. It was not easy, the dark elf needed her rest after the battle and her little stunt. So upon seeing that it was Merik, Zatana wanted to sigh in relief. The lizard did not seem to have sought her out with news as he seemed rather more interested in where Balthazar had gone. "He went to his rooms." Which she would need to find and search at some point, but not now. For all she wanted to excel, Zatana was all too mortal. Her needs were just like any other, despite what the citizens of Bergkoff might think. They most likely had all sorts of fanciful tales about her kind. Rolling her shoulders to keep them from stiffening up, Zatana was about to uncross her legs when she saw the loaf of sweet bread Merik had placed there. The offering shocked the dark elf, though she thought herself a fool. Merik was a simple creature and did not seem to possess the innate distrust that certain others had towards her. An unwise thing, but she could not find it in herself to dismiss the bread and thus spurn the lizard. Her fingers moved and picked apart the loaf, eating it greedily. She had eaten here and there, but a full proper meal was not something she wanted at the moment. In battle, a full stomach could lead to complications. On watch, she had seen soldiers content and lazy. Hunger was a fine sharping stone to the attentiveness of those who needed it and Zatana was officially not on watch. Her surprise was soon turned to stunned disbelief as Merik nuzzled her head. Mussing the locks of pale hair, her hand fluttering up to fix the slight vanity she had after the lizard was done making a fool of them both. Watching him circle the chair, she frowned in disapproval. "You do realize I may have to get up in a hurry? You are altogether entirely too friendly for your own good, lizard." Her voice was stern, an attempt at being disapproving. Yet there was a softness to the clipped delivery and gratitude in the words. "I do appreciate the food." Absently, she wondered if he had drugged it. She looked over a piece of bread in her hand and then ate it. Merik, Zatana thought, had no reason to drug her or try to poison her. Plus, the lizard was in an incredibly odd mood. One she would ride out and use. The dark elf considered the lizard man. Her training would have had her use this time to attempt to pull Merik closer to her in his loyalties. Zatana was sorely tempted to heed her natural state as a spy and do her duty. Yet, where would that duty be if she was too tired to act in a situation where she was needed tomorrow? Merik was a simple being and a useful one. If she moved too quickly it was likely that Balthazar would notice and the old wizard would take issue with it. That wizard was nothing short of trouble and as much as Zatana wanted to, getting rid of the man would be next to impossible. Worse? She had the suspicion that if she did get rid of Balthazar she would get a reaming about her grandfather losing a potentially interesting opponent when- if she returned to the Dread Coast. That was the problem when old men liked to play games where their kind was rare.</s> <\|message\|>Drana Turash Drana made a quick exit as she felt the magic swirling in her chest. She was lucky that her knights had been caught in the collapse of the explosion as there was no doubt Acrius would have seen the knights form beneath their armor. "Lady death, let this day hold no more surprises." She said to herself as she made her way to the streets behind the walls. She had no doubts that the old man she had met was not going to overlook her sudden appearance, though that could wait for a time when she was awake. Leonidas had offered her the assistance of Acrius, but the boy had left with other thoughts on his mind. Drana could not blame the lad, and in truth was thankful he had not followed her. 'Maybe I should tell Acrius first, if I do not tell someone the secret will spill itself like it always does.' She thought wearily. Drana found a quiet spot in an alleyway further into the city. Here she took her staff and scratched a small symbol into the mud that covered the cobble. Calling on the spirits that served her, she began to speak the draconic words of power needed to call them forth. "Confn ekess ve, schakri katimai di marfedelom. Wux tepoha ti chiilipena dout geth. Wer tairais ihk ssifisv tepohaic zulf udoka vur jaka wux zklaen lleisgar tenamalo." The two knights rose out of the thin mud as though it held a depth far beneath the street. As they climbed out, the skeletons were bare and without weapons or armor. As they stood before her, the rune in the ground glowed and their armor and weapons faded into existence around them much like an apparition on a dark night. "My lady, you are exhausted. You must return to the war room and request shelter as soon as possible." Gordon spoke as though he had not left her side. Drana laughed quietly at her knight's concern, having missed it upon the battlements. Stephan remained silent as he usually did, offering nothing more than a hollow stare as he made sure his armor was fastened properly to his form. "Sir Gordon, I-" Drana did not finish as the magic had pulled the last of her power. Luckily, Her two knights were capable of taking care of her. Drana arrived at the war room near the evening with the two knights. The guards at the gates had stopped them, but moved to let them pass as Gordon explained their situation. The guards gave them instructions to the war room. Stephan held her bridal style as she slept in his arms. Her hand remained fastened around her staff despite her unconscious state.. The two men were dressed in full plate, and without magic were easily heard approaching the war room's open door. Gordon was met with the sight of Zatana and Merik. They stopped at the door, though Gordon's deep voice soon filled the room. "Good evening, might you know where I can find a bed for Lady Turash?" The two knights stopped side by side. Drana was easily seen in Stephan's arms, covered in grime and goblin blood. The two knights did not have any grime on them aside from where they had assisted Drana. "I do hope we are not interrupting anything."</s>	<\|message\|>Rudolph Kestrell Nightfall had come, and the festivities were in full swing. The Duke watched above from his bedroom window as the people enjoyed themselves, he then looked out beyond the walls, and into the darkness where the enemy rested. The Duke's mind was elsewhere however, lost in memories of happier times, back when his wife, the Duchess Livana still lived. He sighed as he took a step back and closed his window. Shortly there was a knock on his door, and the Duke answered. The visitor was a short and uninteresting looking man, dressed in the same manner as the rest of the servants and serfs that worked within the castle, "Ah Morgan, what news do you bring?" he asked the man. "I apologise for the lateness your grace, but I have recieved word of curious individuals, garbed in robes. I do not know of their intentions, but one of my eyes & ears caught wind of a few words spoken by them, it is assumed they may be allies with the orks." Morgan spoke as he handed the report to the Duke. "I see." said the Duke as he took in this information, "This is most disturbing indeed. For now however, keep a close eye on these individuals, and inform me as soon as they move. Oh and please do deliver this information to Lord Balthazar, if he himself has not already gathered this information." he finished. Morgan bowed in understanding "Of course your grace, I will do as you wish." and the man hastily left with purpose. The Duke then closed the door and sat on his bed. He let out a tired sigh, "My dear Livana, how I wish for your guidence once more. You always knew how to handle these unsavoury situations." he said before readying himself to retire for the night. ------- Some time before the end of the event, Rudolph accepted that he'd had enough to drink and it was time to call it a night. With a bid goodnight to his comrades, he made his way back to the barracks. Fullar joined him on the walk, both slightly intoxicated, but stable. Away from the crowded area, the evening had a slight chill to it. The streets weren't busy, as most of the attention was at the event, so the way ahead was technically clear besides the odd patrol making their rounds. "D-Did you hear about Brauer?" asked Rudolph with hand on head as a headache began to develop. "Yea, poor bastard. His mother will be on her own now, and she struggles as is." Fullar replied saddened at the thought, "I'll go visit her at the end of this on his behalf." he continued. Next to the entrance to the barracks, the two men noticed the drunken and sleeping form of Captain Haart, several empty bottles lay around him, and he was sat upon a chair that seemed to barely support his large frame. "Evening Captain." said Fullar without even looking at the man before heading in, the Captain barely stirred, the man was too busy snoring away. Rudolph simply shook his head and chuckled as he walked past. The barracks seemed quiet, which was pleasent for Rudolph's ever worsening headache. "Right, i'm off to bed then. See you in the morn'." Fullar waved to his friend before heading up the stairs. Rudolph sat for a moment and drew a pitcher of water, and took his time with the drink. "I'm getting too old for this." he said to himself under his breath. He sat alone for about a half hour before he could barely keep his eyes open, then surrendered himself to his bed.</s>
<\|description\|>Faira Blodwen Race: Human Gender: Female Age: 27 Faira is tall and broad, her body is covered in stretch marks like a cat's stripes, the result of her Bloodheat expanding her muscles spontaneously. Bio: Faira would love to tell people she lost her eye in battle, but she's no liar and the truth is it was injured in a shipwreck when she was small, and traveled aboard the merchant ship her father owned. She was pulled from the water near the shore of Dragon's Maw by a beastman named Erevan. He took Faira in, and taught her some of his ways. Faira got on well enough wit Erevan's natural born daughter, Arn, until they were teenagers. It was found that Faira had the same elemental affinity to Life magic as Erevan, and he took her on as an apprentice to learn his family's traditional magic. Arn, who took after her mother with Earth magic, was jealous of Faira for this, and stopped calling her a sister. Though generally thick skinned, Faira was devastated by this change, and soon left to go see the world of humans that she was born in, but could barely remember. The skills she learned in Dragon's Maw were best suited to combat, and she found work back in the Grand Empire as a mercenary. Personality quirks: Traits 1. When I set my mind to something, I follow through no matter what gets in my way. 2. I watch over my friends as if they were a litter of newborn pups. Ideals: I would rather die than betray a friend. Bond: Found Family. The blood of the covenant is thicker than the water of the womb. Flaw: I fear I do not belong, despite my loyalty. Friends/Rivals: Erevan Blodwen, a beastman who rescued Faira when she was young, and raised her as a daughter. Arn Blodwen, Faira's adopted sister. They were close once, but Arn is jealous that Faira was able to learn family magic that Arn herself could not. Fighting Style: Southclaw. A ferocious style of swordplay, utilizing a bastard sword, sometimes accompanied by a large hunting knife. Rarely using a shield or heavy armor, it is weakest to ranged attacks that it is unable to block. Equipment: A bastard sword, a wicked curved knife, fairly basic studded leather armor. The knife is called Emberclaw, and has two small soulstones set on either side of the pommel. One is fire, the other earth. The spells carved into the blade will heat the metal white hot, while the earth magic preserves the blade's integrity, and prevents the heat from expanding beyond the guard. The spells activate at once, but the fire has four charges, while the earth only has three. It is activated by tasting the weirder's own blood. She won it in an arm wrestling contest with a captain she worked under once. Skills/Abilities: Bloodheat. A special skill learned from her adopted family, in which one floods their body with life magic, strengthening it temporarily. It can take an enormous toll on the bones and ligaments, but makes the user faster and stronger than before. It also causes a fever, hence the name, and is dangerous over long periods.</s> <\|message\|>Leonidas Lionheart -=Prince Leonidas' Camp, Just after daybreak=- =5 miles outside the City-State of Bergkoff= It is late Fall and Winter is just around the corner. After weeks of marching Prince Leonidas' troop made up of his Royal Guard and a small force of 50 soldiers have finally made it to the area. Their goal is to investigate rumors of Orc and Goblin attacks coming from the Razorthorn Mountains. So far its said that 3 cities have been lost so far and it seems that Bergkoff was the next target going off of the reported movements. Things have been rough in the North lately not only has there been this recent string of attacks, but it seems that a plague has started to set into the area as well. Prince Leonidas hopes to stop these attacks and assist in curing the plague as well, and although he doesn't have many troops of his own Sir Siegfried and his troop of 500 knights are not far behind and will assist the prince when they arrive. A cold chill runs through the camp this morning, not uncommon for this time of year. As the troops start to wake up and go though their morning routine and start packing up camp Prince Leonidas stands looking down the road seeing Berkoff in the distance. "I hope we can make it in time. We can't afford to loose Berkoff and loose our main trade route with our dwarven allies..." He says to himself almost wanting to set off for the city right now leaving the troops behind. Although he was just one man, Leonidas felt that his presence could help turn the tide of battle should one come. Now Siegfried would scold him for this thought "You won't do your country any good if your dead boy!" Leonidas could hear the old man's voice in his head and brought a little grin to his face. But the day was still early, and who knows if the Orcs had even made it yet. If the cards fell happened to fall in our favor Siegfried and his Knights would arrive to bolster the defenses before the orcs arrived. After a few more moments in thought Leonidas would turn back to his camp looking over the solders entrusted to him for this mission. He knew that his father didn't want to worry the people by sending a large force, but he could of easily crushed not only the orcs, but the image of his own weakness if he had sent at least an entire battalion to crush the orcs. But that would be a discussion for another time. The first priority was the defense of Bergkoff, then maybe Leonidas could conscript some solders to join him in launching a counter attack.</s> <\|message\|>Rudolph Kestrell Two weeks. Two bloody weeks i've been away, and "Bergie" is already under attack. Rudolph thought to himself shaking his head evidently fed up. He made his way through the camp to his tent after quickly rousing his squad. He then hastily collected his belongings and packed up his tent. After sorting himself out, he walked back to his squad to check on their progress. One had finished his, two were idle and chatting, and the other two were half way through theirs. The two that were chatting eventually saw Rudolph standing there staring at them visibly irritated and quickly squabbled to get theirs sorted. Idiots. He thought to himself. He sat on a crate as his unit packed up, waiting for the next order to come in. He quickly scanned his gear to check if all was well, besides a few scratches here and there, it was in good form. He then looked down at his uniform, the dark purple and grey trims were somewhat grimey and were in need of a good wash. The rains were heavy during part of the journey, so mud was unavoidable. With a sigh Rudolph stood up and then noticed the young Prince walking by. He wandered over to join him. "Mornin' your majesty." he said bowing slightly. "I leave for five minutes and me' home town is under attack." he said gesturing to the city with a chuckle. "So how many orcs are we to be expecting 'milord?" he asks leaning on his halberd. Sooner we get home, the better. he thought.</s> <\|message\|>Leonidas Lionheart As Leonidas wandered through camp he was approached by one of the Soldiers. It took a moment for Leonidas to remember exactly who he was but it came to him quickly. "Mornin' your majesty." he said bowing slightly. "I leave for five minutes and me' home town is under attack." he said gesturing to the city with a chuckle. "Good morning Rudolph," He responded nodding to the man, "I'm sorry about that, I don't understand why my father called you and your men away from your home just to tell you it was in danger." He continued truly confused by his father's actions. "So how many orcs are we to be expecting 'milord?" he asks leaning on his halberd. "Reports are varied the numbers can be anywhere from 200 to 1000. Hopefully we will be able to bolster the defenses and hold out until Siegfried's knights can come in and charge from the sides, hell if were lucky the dwarves might just show up from behind to gun them down." Leonidas replied. He knew their 50 was nothing to 1000 but Bergkoff was a defensible city from the reports so things should go fine. "I've also head that you have managed to get a few cannons imported in from the Dwarves?" He asked sounding truly interested. "If that is the case then your home won't fall easily even to that many orcs. I have seen a test firing of one of the weapons they are defiantly an equalizer." Leonidas added on, he knew about the cannons and was sure Rudolph did as well. But bringing them up might just counteract any doubt that might have crept in after hearing the orcs numbers.</s> <\|message\|>Rudolph Kestrell "Reports are varied the numbers can be anywhere from 200 to 1000. Hopefully we will be able to bolster the defenses and hold out until Siegfried's knights can come in and charge from the sides, hell if we're lucky the dwarves might just show up from behind to gun them down." Leonidas replied. Between 200-1000 eh? Great, at least we'll be busy. Rudolph thought to himself, sighing at the thought. ""I've also heard that you have managed to get a few cannons imported in from the Dwarves? If that is the case then your home won't fall easily, even to that many orcs. I have seen a test firing of one of the weapons, they are definitley an equalizer." Leonidas added on. Rudolph straightened himself, he had forgotten that the Dwarves had gifted the city some cannons. "Aye 'milord. Before i'd left, not long after they delivered and tested them, they were already implementing them into the city's defences. They should be finished by now.", he briefly looked over towards where the city sat on the horizon before turning back, "We might not have much magic, but we manage." he followed up with a nod and smile. "If the city were under attack, we'd be hearing those new toys going off." he followed up.</s>	<\|message\|>Faira Blodwen The meager camp that Faira used was already packed and ready for the continued march. With such a short distance left to travel, she had hoped to arrive yesterday, but it had simply gotten too late. She believed Prince Leonidas did not want to arrive by night, and though she could keep going, Faira knew many of the men were exhausted. To her understanding, they would be approaching the city from the opposite side from where the invading force had come from, but she thought it possible that the orcs may have surrounded the city, maybe even sent scouts to the surrounding area. So she had made a habit of scanning ahead for any sign. Just like last night, however, there was nothing to see yet. They were simply too far. Faira approached to where the prince and another member of the guard were discussing the defenses. "If the city were under attack, we'd be hearing those new toys going off." "Unless the fighting is over," she cut in, making no allusion to which way she expected it to have gone.</s>
<\|description\|>Faira Blodwen Race: Human Gender: Female Age: 27 Faira is tall and broad, her body is covered in stretch marks like a cat's stripes, the result of her Bloodheat expanding her muscles spontaneously. Bio: Faira would love to tell people she lost her eye in battle, but she's no liar and the truth is it was injured in a shipwreck when she was small, and traveled aboard the merchant ship her father owned. She was pulled from the water near the shore of Dragon's Maw by a beastman named Erevan. He took Faira in, and taught her some of his ways. Faira got on well enough wit Erevan's natural born daughter, Arn, until they were teenagers. It was found that Faira had the same elemental affinity to Life magic as Erevan, and he took her on as an apprentice to learn his family's traditional magic. Arn, who took after her mother with Earth magic, was jealous of Faira for this, and stopped calling her a sister. Though generally thick skinned, Faira was devastated by this change, and soon left to go see the world of humans that she was born in, but could barely remember. The skills she learned in Dragon's Maw were best suited to combat, and she found work back in the Grand Empire as a mercenary. Personality quirks: Traits 1. When I set my mind to something, I follow through no matter what gets in my way. 2. I watch over my friends as if they were a litter of newborn pups. Ideals: I would rather die than betray a friend. Bond: Found Family. The blood of the covenant is thicker than the water of the womb. Flaw: I fear I do not belong, despite my loyalty. Friends/Rivals: Erevan Blodwen, a beastman who rescued Faira when she was young, and raised her as a daughter. Arn Blodwen, Faira's adopted sister. They were close once, but Arn is jealous that Faira was able to learn family magic that Arn herself could not. Fighting Style: Southclaw. A ferocious style of swordplay, utilizing a bastard sword, sometimes accompanied by a large hunting knife. Rarely using a shield or heavy armor, it is weakest to ranged attacks that it is unable to block. Equipment: A bastard sword, a wicked curved knife, fairly basic studded leather armor. The knife is called Emberclaw, and has two small soulstones set on either side of the pommel. One is fire, the other earth. The spells carved into the blade will heat the metal white hot, while the earth magic preserves the blade's integrity, and prevents the heat from expanding beyond the guard. The spells activate at once, but the fire has four charges, while the earth only has three. It is activated by tasting the weirder's own blood. She won it in an arm wrestling contest with a captain she worked under once. Skills/Abilities: Bloodheat. A special skill learned from her adopted family, in which one floods their body with life magic, strengthening it temporarily. It can take an enormous toll on the bones and ligaments, but makes the user faster and stronger than before. It also causes a fever, hence the name, and is dangerous over long periods.</s> <\|message\|>Leonidas Lionheart Leonidas Lead the charge and by the time the goblins noticed it was to late. The Prince came up upon one of the riders ready with one mighty blow. The goblin had seen him coming and tried to raise its shield, But it did little to help as Leoidas' Warhammer shattered the shield and embedded itself into the goblin's side. Cracking was heard as the goblin was removed from its mount dead before it even hit the floor. Leonidas quickly Spun the hammer in his hand adjusting his grip before dropping it onto the skull of the wolf mount slaying the beast as well. The rest of the charge went reasonable well. Many of the goblins found their lived ended by the spears of the Imperial Calvary and things had gone according to Leonidas' plan. That is except for Acrius... Somehow the fool ended up on foot... A fact that didn't go unnoticed by the enemy forces as well. And although he was able to kill the one that looked like the leader of the goblins he had still left himself open. Two nearby rides had seen their master die and became enraged charging Acrius from both sides. Leonidas was able to see this and quickly rushed pulled the reigns of his horse rushing over to help the boy. Wolves although fast weren't bread for war and luckily Leonidas' horse was and had the speed advantage allowing him to catch up. The end Leonidas' hammer began to have a goldish glow come from it as he swung the mighty weapon crashing into the Goblin's head nearly taking it off just before it was able to throw its spear at Acrius. As the goblin's body fell to the side The wolf continued its charge a bloody frenzy in its eyes. And with the weight of the rider gone the wolf rushed forward in a burst of speed leaping at Acrius. Balthazar shook his head in disapproval as he watched Acrius dismount, presumably to give the goblin leader a fair fight. Although he managed to dispatch of the rider with relative ease, now there were two Wolfriders moving to attack him. The Prince moved to deal with one, so the warlock decided to deal with the other. He spurred his horse forward, gripping the reins tight. With his free hand, he flipped back to the page he was once at, before firing off another shadowy ray, lancing downwards through the goblin's gut, and into the wolf's back. Both rider and mount soon curled up on the ground, presumably to die of blood loss. The rest was up to Acrius, now. After the ordeal was dealt with, the remaining 3 goblins were able to see what was going on and took the smarter option retreating and started riding away headed North. Before any of his men road off to hunt them down Leonidas held up his hand, "Let them go, We don't know where they are going and we have something more important to do than hunting down a few stragglers." He said in a commanding tone before turning to the cart that had been the target of this small force. The horses that were to pull the cart were dead pelted with arrows to ensure the cart couldn't escape. It looked like the belongings inside the cart were still intact, but it seemed there had been a cost two bodies lie in the cart an older male and what could of possibly been his daughter. But it wasn't all bad as from underneath the cart the rest of the family started to emerge. A Woman presumably the wife of the slain man in the cart, a young boy that couldn't be more than 5 and a girl who must of been around the age of 18. The knights circled up around the cart ensuring that no attack would come for the moment and the family looked around. The mother would come up to Leonidas her young son holding onto her let. "Mylord, thank you for coming to our rescue. We wouldn't of lasted long if you hadn't rushed to our aide how could we ever repay you?" The woman said giving a bow to the prince. The daughter on the other hand instantly rushed jumping at Acrius wrapping her arms around him "My hero! You were so amazing the way you leapt in to save me!" The girl said excitedly. Leonidas saw this and just sighed before turning back to the older woman. "There is no need to thank us, It is my duty as Prince to defend my people... I'm just sorry we didn't arrive sooner so we could of prevented this." He said sadly motioning to the two dead in the cart. "You have my condolences for your losses..." Leonidas continued before turning to Acrius. "Acrius since you don't seem to like your horse you are going to saddle yours up to the cart and ride with these fine people back to Bergkoff. You two stay with them as escort." He said while pointing out two of the Knights who responded with a salute. The mother smiled at the prince. "The loss of my husband and daughter will be a great one, but we will move on thanks to your actions my Lord," She says while turning to her daughter. "Elisabeth stop being rude and come show the prince some gratitude." She snapped back at her daughter who reluctantly let go of Acrius and came over giving the prince a curtsy "Thank you for saving us my lord" She said flatly before quickly turning and returning to Acrius while receiving a nasty glair from her mother. "So your name is Acrius then? I'm Liz nice to meet you." she said grabbing onto his arm. The two knights Leonidas had picked up helped wrap the dead in blankets and got things ready for the cart to move again. After everything was set the group made its way back to the infantry troops The Calvary falling in on the sides to protect the flanks and the cart falling in behind the march. Leonidas made his way to the front seeing Rudolph and Merik as he approached. "Merik what happened to your horse this time?" Was the first thing that came out of his mouth as he fell into his position at the front before turning to Rudolph "Sorry we're late had something we needed to take care of." He added knowing that Rudolph would want to get to Bergkoff as soon as possible. The rest of the march to Bergkoff was uneventful for most. Acrius on the other hand had to deal with Liz the entire ride as the girl seemed to be stuck to him, constantly asking questions. As the small force reached the southern gate the massive gate swung open and allowed them to enter the city before quickly being closed again. Leonidas would then order his troops to rest and be ready for new orders after finding out the situation within the city. Taking Balthazar and Rudolph with him as Rudolph knew the way to the town center and Balthazar would need to know where he was going to set up his desk.</s> <\|message\|>Zatana Aleana Zatana gripped the package as it was passed to her, her eyes glinting in interest. The parcel slipping into her leather armor as she disappeared deeper into the alley the beggar was sitting in front of. No need to waste such a potentially easy route to the rooftops. Though as she repeated the memorized spell and became wrapped about in shadows, she hoisted herself up onto a high fence and then a roof. The way back would be easy enough, rooftop walking was one of her favorite things to do after all. But Zatana was all too aware of the parcel as it pressed against her ribs. Slowing her pace for a minute, she fished out the paper and examined the seal. It was possible, she reasoned to get the seal off without ruining it. The downside was that it would take time, something she was not certain they could afford. There was always the risk of magic. Yet, she was an information gatherer and this packet held information she wanted to know. Balthazar was of the same Great Game as she and the motto 'two can keep a secret if one of them is dead' made sharing a tad bit difficult if you did not trust the person explicitly. Zatana, a known dark elf, had no belief that the wizard found her trustworthy. Pausing by a merchant's shop, she drew one of her thin throwing daggers and slid it between the shutters. Catching the latch, she flicked it out of the eye that held it and slowly opened one window. Finding a bedroom with valuables missing, she noted clothing scattered from frantic owners gathering the best of what they had. Stepping carefully she shut the window slowly behind her and closed the latch. Padding over to the door, she peered into the hall and her lips curved into a cat in the cream smile. One door was a jar and a small trail of papers led out of it. Plucking a receipt from one, she saw the ingredients needed to make soap and a seal on the letter. Good, they might have left some supplies. Shutting the door softly as she stepped into the study, she eyed the window and nodded in satisfaction. A way right at hand, that was good. Searching the desk, she plucked a small tube of wax and smiled. Luck was with her. Grabbing a candle, she stirred the small brazier that seemed to be favored by the merchant in place of a hearth. Letting the wick catch on a small spark, Zatana placed the candle on the desk, pinning the wax above with another knife and paper below to catch any drippings. Carefully she slid the knife between the wax seal and the envelope, working it free. Taking a few shavings from the bottom of the original wax seal, it wouldn't fool the wizard if he was using magic. A grim and probably true prospect, but Zatana saw no reason not to use this as a test to see if that was idea the case. There was also the added bonus Balthazar might think less of her skill which would give her an advantage. Pulling the papers out, the dark elf quickly scanned each page. If she had the time, she would have copied them out in her shorthand. But there was no time. Looking over them a second time she tried to commit a report to Balthazar himself. Ever detail was important to remember, and she took pride in getting that information fully and correctly. Nothing else was acceptable. The rogue melted the scrappings of wax from the original seal with the newer wax and allowed a dab of it on the back of the seal. Grabbing her knives and sheathing them, Zatana was about to curse. Setting things in order, blowing out the candle, pocketing the used wax and drippings in a pouch within her armor and letting the wax find it's grip, she grimance at the time she had lost. Flicking the latch open, she jumped onto a nearby lower roof and shot off at an almost reckless place. Careful to be aware of the envelope tucked away within her breastplate.</s>	<\|message\|>Faira Blodwen Faira was scanning the rooftops, her sword still sheathed but unbelted and held in her hands, when the sound of the cavalry force arriving drifted through the gate. She put her hand on the hilt, ready for a fight, but relaxed when the gate began to open. Though happy the force had arrived, Faira felt a little put off that her ride here seemed to have been wasted. Zatana could have managed fine on her own, granted they would feel quite differently if something had happened on the way. She approached the prince and his warlock right hand, "M'lord, Zatana should be back momentarily with the beggar's report." Just then, she caught sight of Acrius' "predicament," and approached the girl who had latched onto him. "I'm going to need my comrade back," she said in a low, flat voice.</s>
<\|description\|>Faira Blodwen Race: Human Gender: Female Age: 27 Faira is tall and broad, her body is covered in stretch marks like a cat's stripes, the result of her Bloodheat expanding her muscles spontaneously. Bio: Faira would love to tell people she lost her eye in battle, but she's no liar and the truth is it was injured in a shipwreck when she was small, and traveled aboard the merchant ship her father owned. She was pulled from the water near the shore of Dragon's Maw by a beastman named Erevan. He took Faira in, and taught her some of his ways. Faira got on well enough wit Erevan's natural born daughter, Arn, until they were teenagers. It was found that Faira had the same elemental affinity to Life magic as Erevan, and he took her on as an apprentice to learn his family's traditional magic. Arn, who took after her mother with Earth magic, was jealous of Faira for this, and stopped calling her a sister. Though generally thick skinned, Faira was devastated by this change, and soon left to go see the world of humans that she was born in, but could barely remember. The skills she learned in Dragon's Maw were best suited to combat, and she found work back in the Grand Empire as a mercenary. Personality quirks: Traits 1. When I set my mind to something, I follow through no matter what gets in my way. 2. I watch over my friends as if they were a litter of newborn pups. Ideals: I would rather die than betray a friend. Bond: Found Family. The blood of the covenant is thicker than the water of the womb. Flaw: I fear I do not belong, despite my loyalty. Friends/Rivals: Erevan Blodwen, a beastman who rescued Faira when she was young, and raised her as a daughter. Arn Blodwen, Faira's adopted sister. They were close once, but Arn is jealous that Faira was able to learn family magic that Arn herself could not. Fighting Style: Southclaw. A ferocious style of swordplay, utilizing a bastard sword, sometimes accompanied by a large hunting knife. Rarely using a shield or heavy armor, it is weakest to ranged attacks that it is unable to block. Equipment: A bastard sword, a wicked curved knife, fairly basic studded leather armor. The knife is called Emberclaw, and has two small soulstones set on either side of the pommel. One is fire, the other earth. The spells carved into the blade will heat the metal white hot, while the earth magic preserves the blade's integrity, and prevents the heat from expanding beyond the guard. The spells activate at once, but the fire has four charges, while the earth only has three. It is activated by tasting the weirder's own blood. She won it in an arm wrestling contest with a captain she worked under once. Skills/Abilities: Bloodheat. A special skill learned from her adopted family, in which one floods their body with life magic, strengthening it temporarily. It can take an enormous toll on the bones and ligaments, but makes the user faster and stronger than before. It also causes a fever, hence the name, and is dangerous over long periods.</s> <\|message\|>Leonidas Lionheart Leonidas nodded back at the Duke following him into the office. "Yes we do have a lot to go over. Please give me a run down of what you know? Do we know how many we are up against? What are our defenses at the moment? Is there any weak points in the city we need to know about? How long will your supplies last?" Leonidas began questioning as soon as they were in the office attempting to get a grasp on the situation of the town. "As for Siegfried, yes he and his forces will hopefully arrive in two days. Have you received anything from the dwarves will they be able to help us?" Leonidas continued adding to the list of unanswered questions. ---- Western Gate The quiet of the morning is once again broken as a bell starts to ring form on top of the gate. "Here they come boys! everyone to your positions!" a guard yelled out from the gatehouse. The soldiers instantly jumped into action. preparing for the attack. from the top of the wall a group of what looked like 200 Goblins seemed to be poring out what must of been a cave entrance hidden by a hill. Guards on the walls readied their bows with very few having rifles waiting for the Goblins to get into range before opening fire.</s> <\|message\|>Balthazar Trevarthen The warlock simply nodded as he followed along. Buildings take damage during a siege-- this much was an inevitability. However, Balthazar was still surprised to see destruction done to parts of the keep itself. He had not seen any siege weapons on the way in, which left sabotage or magic as the cause of the destroyed war room. Goblins and Orcs rarely took up the arcane arts, but their shamans are known to have knowledge of the more primal magics. Still, it was a good thing that Duke Karstilli had survived; a city can survive the loss of a building, but the death of their leader is much more difficult, especially during a siege. As the Prince asked his questions, Balthazar reached into his coat pocket, retrieving the envelope that had been delivered to him. It had likely been opened at least once before in spite of the presence of the unbroken wax seal, but he was confident that the information was not compromised. Now in a secure location, the man opened the letter, reading the battle reports and placing the map on the desk whilst keeping the letter to him within the envelope itself. There would be time to read that later. Once he was done, he placed the reports on the desk for others to review, if they wished to. The papers on this desk would prove useful for both tactical and strategic analysis of the battle to come. There are three papers within Balthazar's report: two pages of information and a single large map. It is written in a simple Imperial cipher-- one that any Imperial officer or noble would understand at a glance. These reports detail the enemy's strength: roughly a thousand soldiers strong, comprised primarily of Goblins. Two hundred of the enemy forces are made up of proper Orc Warriors, who seem to make up the army's elite. There is also word of one or two Ogres, who likely serve as impromptu siege weaponry or shock troops. Their leader is Waruk Shieldbreaker, an Orc Warlord of little renown, who seems to be attacking in an attempt to grab power in the area, and to bring glory to his name... Due to the lack of ambition in his circle of officers, it is likely that with his death, the invading army will collapse. It is difficult to pin down their exact movements, due to their use of the local mountain cave systems to traverse the region. Curiously, they've managed to avoid both Dwarven and Human patrols thanks to this tactic. The attached map lists several cave openings that can be collapsed to prevent the arrival of further reinforcements or to funnel the enemy into a single bottleneck. It appears that the enemy has mostly been attacking from the north and that the city's cannons have been holding the enemy at bay, for now. "Our scouts once reported numbers between two hundred and a thousand, but my informants say it is the latter. We can expect at least a thousand enemy combatants." He starts. It could be rude for an advisor to speak before the lord of the house can, but not only was Balthazar himself was a lord, he was also the Prince's aide. His word was to be respected and taken under heavy consideration. "Eight hundred Goblins, two hundred Orcs, and perhaps an Ogre or two, lead by Waruk Shieldbreaker, an Orc Warlord of little renown." "In addition, they've been using the underground cave systems to travel. There appear to be several prime locations for us to cut off their supply lines, but we'll need more time before we act upon that." The spymaster looked up at Duke Karstilli, an eyebrow raised. "Can you corroborate this information? I must know if my accounts are still accurate." Of course, in spite of how well-informed Balthazar can be, Duke Karstilli was indeed the lord of the house. They would have to follow his lead and not the other way around, even if the Prince was here. Still, the warlock knew that the Duke was a man of reason, and was not a man with a hot temper. If the spymaster recalled correctly, the Duke was a man of honor who appreciated it when things were simple. A man of the people. Balthazar waited politely for the Duke to answer both the Prince's questions as well as his own.</s> <\|message\|>Rudolph Kestrell "Yes we do have a lot to go over. Please give me a run down of what you know? Do we know how many we are up against? What are our defenses at the moment? Is there any weak points in the city we need to know about? How long will your supplies last?" Leonidas began as soon as they entered the office. "As for Siegfried, yes he and his forces will hopefully arrive in two days. Have you received anything from the dwarves, will they be able to help us?" he continued. Then Balthazar spoke up soon after, "Our scouts once reported numbers between two hundred and a thousand, but my informants say it is the latter. We can expect at least a thousand enemy combatants." Balthazar reviewed his notes from the report before he continued, "Eight hundred Goblins, two hundred Orcs, and perhaps an Ogre or two, lead by Waruk Shieldbreaker, an Orc Warlord of little renown. In addition, they've been using the underground cave systems to travel. There appear to be several prime locations for us to cut off their supply lines, but we'll need more time before we act upon that." Balthazar looked up at the Duke from his report as he continue, "Can you corroborate this information? I must know if my accounts are still accurate." The Duke held up a hand before saying his piece, "Well Sir Balthazar, you certainly are well informed, as our reports say similar, though yours holds more detail.", he leaned on the desk to observe the map that Balthazar provided before looking up at the Prince. "And to answer your questions my Prince, the main areas to keep a watchful eye on, are the sewer drains. As they extend beyond the city walls." The Duke stood up and crossed his arms. "As for our defences, we have roughly four hundred of our infantry, and there is also the four cannons we recieved from the dwarves. They should be fine for use for now, but we did not have much in terms of ammunition to begin with." The Duke took a deep breath before he continued, his old weary body tiring already, "We would be better prepared, but unfortunately, these last few months have taken a toll. We have troops stationed at a couple of our watch forts further outward, and we think two may have fallen due to the orcs." he said stroking his bearded chin in thought. "We have indeed tried to contact the dwarves via carrier pigeon, but we have yet to recieve a reply. It is possible they themselves could be under threat of attack." The Duke paused for a moment. "Do you have any further information regarding this orc warlord you mentioned?" he asked Balthazar with curiosity. --------- As soon as the bell rang, Rudolph made his way up to the walls, to offer what help he could. Some rifle fire could be heard, but the majority of missles were from the bows. A few of the goblins in the assault were immediately killed from the first volley, but they were better prepared this time, as most of the arrows that hit, were blocked by their shields. However, the few shots from the rifles amongst them, blew through them with relative ease. "Keep knocking the bastards down!" yelled Captain Fenne as he walked along the wall observing the attack. Rudolph managed to get to the top of the wall just in time for the third volley. The goblins got to a certain point before stopping. "Bring the cannons 'round!" ordered the captain giving a signal with his hand. A soldier from amongst the ranged units shouted "Incoming!" as two large boulders were coming their way. "Take cover. Take cover!" ordered the captain before he hid himself behind one of the merlons. Rudolph himself hid behind one as soon as he saw the incoming projectiles. With a loud crash, one of the shots hit the side of the wall, causing a minor tremor. The other made a direct hit, killing some of the troop that took shelter. Rudolph was partially dazed by the impact, but thankfully was not in the impact zone itself. He then quickly gathered himself, "Are you alright Captain!?" he loudly asked as he staggered slightly across the broken wall using his halberd to keep him steady. There were some soldiers missing, possibly they were knocked off the wall back into the city. Others lay upon the path broken and bloodied. "Keep firing! Don't give 'em a breather!" yelled Rudolph as he went to investigate the whereabouts of the captain. He quickly found the man, buried under a mound of rubble. He then removed some of it to check if the man still lived. Captain Fenne seemed mostly dusted by the debris, despite clear minor wounds. Rudolph looked closer and noticed that the back of the mans head had been caved in. Rudolph looked down with eyes closed. Damn them!. Rudolph stood up and observed his surroundings. The ranged units were still doing their part, and trying their best at keeping the greenskins at bay. The cannoneers were still making their way over as the goblins renewed their assault against the walls. "Alright then." Rudolph said to himself. "Cannons! Get a move on!" he ordered, and they began hurrying more so with the help from other soldiers currently unoccupied with the defences. Here we go. he exhaled readying himself for the fight ahead.</s>	<\|message\|>Faira Blodwen Faira was disgruntledly tightening her armor back to its usual configuration, as she walked out of the main keeps courtyard to survey the city walls. She had decided to start with the north side, since it seemed to be under the heaviest attack. The guards here were found cleaning the cannons with practiced haste. There wasn't much to see beyond the walls, the fields in front were torn and muddy from days upon days of troops marching across it. She could see ruts where whatever seige engines the orcs employed had been dragged to the field. When the watch bell rang, Faira clutched the side of the wall and stared out for a moment, scanning the horizon before realizing that the attack was from a different point on the wall. "Gods' blood!" She cursed, turning on the spot and running along the wall to get to the assaulted point. An order to move the city's only four cannons traveled along the wall towards the northern outpost, and by this time she could see the forces amassed below. She stopped one of the messengers and showed him her royal insignia. "We don't need four cannons for a bunch of goblins. Bring one, and your crew with the best aim. Leave the others, each with a full crew. They might be feinting." She reached the western outpost on the wall, and found Rudolph already there. "I just came from the cannons, the crew shouldn't be far behind me," she peeked out from behind a merlon. "If the cannon can break that catapult, we may not even need to leave the wall."</s>
<\|description\|>Faira Blodwen Race: Human Gender: Female Age: 27 Faira is tall and broad, her body is covered in stretch marks like a cat's stripes, the result of her Bloodheat expanding her muscles spontaneously. Bio: Faira would love to tell people she lost her eye in battle, but she's no liar and the truth is it was injured in a shipwreck when she was small, and traveled aboard the merchant ship her father owned. She was pulled from the water near the shore of Dragon's Maw by a beastman named Erevan. He took Faira in, and taught her some of his ways. Faira got on well enough wit Erevan's natural born daughter, Arn, until they were teenagers. It was found that Faira had the same elemental affinity to Life magic as Erevan, and he took her on as an apprentice to learn his family's traditional magic. Arn, who took after her mother with Earth magic, was jealous of Faira for this, and stopped calling her a sister. Though generally thick skinned, Faira was devastated by this change, and soon left to go see the world of humans that she was born in, but could barely remember. The skills she learned in Dragon's Maw were best suited to combat, and she found work back in the Grand Empire as a mercenary. Personality quirks: Traits 1. When I set my mind to something, I follow through no matter what gets in my way. 2. I watch over my friends as if they were a litter of newborn pups. Ideals: I would rather die than betray a friend. Bond: Found Family. The blood of the covenant is thicker than the water of the womb. Flaw: I fear I do not belong, despite my loyalty. Friends/Rivals: Erevan Blodwen, a beastman who rescued Faira when she was young, and raised her as a daughter. Arn Blodwen, Faira's adopted sister. They were close once, but Arn is jealous that Faira was able to learn family magic that Arn herself could not. Fighting Style: Southclaw. A ferocious style of swordplay, utilizing a bastard sword, sometimes accompanied by a large hunting knife. Rarely using a shield or heavy armor, it is weakest to ranged attacks that it is unable to block. Equipment: A bastard sword, a wicked curved knife, fairly basic studded leather armor. The knife is called Emberclaw, and has two small soulstones set on either side of the pommel. One is fire, the other earth. The spells carved into the blade will heat the metal white hot, while the earth magic preserves the blade's integrity, and prevents the heat from expanding beyond the guard. The spells activate at once, but the fire has four charges, while the earth only has three. It is activated by tasting the weirder's own blood. She won it in an arm wrestling contest with a captain she worked under once. Skills/Abilities: Bloodheat. A special skill learned from her adopted family, in which one floods their body with life magic, strengthening it temporarily. It can take an enormous toll on the bones and ligaments, but makes the user faster and stronger than before. It also causes a fever, hence the name, and is dangerous over long periods.</s> <\|message\|>Manald Halung It had taken a while for Manald to return into his somewhat more 'normal' shape, if one could say so at all if everybody else around him was perfectly human, but it had not helped to make anything less... boring. It was far from the beastman's intention to discount the fact that they were under a damn siege, but there also was no way to deny that his options on top of the wall had been rather limited. Pull some guts out of a goblin's belly ? None of the little squeaky things had managed to reach him and he had not been able to simply go down. Have some small talk with the soldiers around him once things had become calm and quiet again ? Maybe the prejudices and anxieties about beastmen were not as prevalent and obvious as those about Zatana's race, but they were there still. Just abandon the place clearly stating that he'd be more useful as a furry bartender in the tavern than blocking everyone else's way on top of the wall ? The prince would not have been happy about his troop's reputation being pulled into the dirt that hard. As long as the goblins did not put considerably more men and effort into more than a probing attack throwing stones down murder holes was not very entertaining either. The vast majority of the attackers had been taken out by the archers. And on top of things even one of soldiers himself had said something accusatory about Manald's lack of 'usefullness' there. So, to put it in more short words, Manald obvious had more than just a bad fur day when he ducked his way through the doorframe into a tavern he didn't even know. A good binge was in dire need, definitely! However, the place was packed to say the least. Some of the visages he saw felt oddly familiar to those whose owners had just left the same shift as he had, but what he didn't see was a free table or even just a free chair. The lycan trudged his humble self forward, people staring at him all around both in admiration about his sheer size and animalistic features and in disgust about pretty much the same. Having reached the counter, Manald slammed his flat hand on the desk in an attempt to get some attention in all this mess. A quite average-ish looking man turned away from a large fire, approaching him and picking up an empty tankard for cleaning in the process. "Ah... you. I've heard people talking." He sniffed quite pronouncedly. "You don't smell that bad. Seems like some claims are badly overrated... So. What can I serve you ?" "Beer! A lot!" The man sighed. "Why am I even asking... At this rate it'll be the first thing we'll run out of. Alright..." He put the tankard aside and grabbed a fresh one, filling it with the juice from a wooden barrel. Manald took it and now it was his turn to sniff, even though much less noticeable. He did not need to inhale a lot of air to smell something, and in this case he was quite happy about that. "It seems like you've run out of good beer already... Why don't you serve the bad stuff first if you have the unique chance to ?" The man just shrugged his shoulders, not even putting on as much as a disappointed look while polishing the tankard again. "I don't subdivide into good and bad stuff. I just have this and I didn't have any complaints about it so far. Drink it or leave, but not without paying for what you already got!" Now the beastman took a very carefully executed sip. "Just like expected... tastes like one quarter pig piss." As if this day could go any worse... "Hah! Does your kind come as pigs, too, or how can you tell how pig piss tastes ?" Manald looked at the man askantly with a facial expression that was clearly devoid of any amusement. "No, my kind only comes in shapes capable of tearing a man's head off. And the felines can't even purr, very sorry for that!" He now just stared into what felt like an abyss filled with liquid, homogenous horror in a single shade of amber. Then, with some considerable and no less visible hesitation, the beastman took a larger portion of it and let things roam around in his mouth for a little bit before swallowing. It didn't help either. Not at all. The tavern owner became a little triumphant in his words: "You will drink it, I'm sure. Simply because... you won't find anything better in Berkhoff right now. What the hell did you expect in a siege ? Very sadly though..." - and now there was nothing but sarcasm in his voice - "I don't have much of a chair left for you. So... you stay ?" It was exactly the kind of words Manald did not want to hear, simply because... The man was probably right. So maybe just focus in on the alcohol ? The lycan decided to empty his tankard in one go, rapidly washing away bad taste with more bad taste and taking the time to breathe again only after it was all over. Presenting his razor-sharp teeth, he made clear what he wanted: "More!" What else should he do this evening... He'd be capable of sleeping sonner or later anyway and his body had always been quite fast when it came to digesting liquor. ------------------------ "Ugh! I can't... lift this man. He's just too heavy!" "Then just drag him around on the floor. I don't want any drunken heaps in my main hall waking up in the middle of the night and putting on a show because they can't get out! Also I have to clean this place!" A scream was to be heard, following by a very nasty curse. Some blood noe was dripping onto the ground. "That's what you get if you're an idiot trying to hold his hands! Didn't you see those claws on them ? Now get moving!" "Where shall I go with him ?" "Just drag him to the others, around the corner where less people will see him! They'll warm each other in the night so no worries!" Manald was left asleep in a small side street, accompanied by a few other patrons who had maneuvered themselves into a similar fate. By now it was the middle of the night, but he would probably be awake long before those around him.</s> <\|message\|>Rudolph Kestrell "Sounds like an interesting group of characters. And even a Drow you say...? Tell me, do they have that Majestic Beauty that I've heard about from Elves? Think I would have a shot with her?" Fullar asked seemingly serious. Rudolph's eyes widened in surprise at his old friends comment. "You gotta set me up man, it's a once in a lifetime opportunity. Especially in the Empire. he continued. Rudolph exhaled unsure on what to say. Is he really serious? he thought. "You don't seem too phased by it though. Thought you hated Drow like everyone else around here?" Rudolph sighed, "I don't know what to say mate." he began, thinking back about what happened, "I suppose I only hated them because I were brought up with it." he shrugged, "I realised that I don't really have much of a reason, so whats the point eh?" he continued. After a moments pause. "You know it has been a while. I got a good vintage stashed at the barracks, we should sit and share the bottle, pass around some stories, how's that sound?" Fullar said as they made their way. "Sounds like a plan mate." nodded Rudolph as they just about walked in the door. "Evening Sergeants." the voice was that of Captain Helt, given how he looks and sounds, he could be seen as a stereotypical politician of this time. "Captain." Rudolph greeted in turn. There was some tension in the air as per usual, Captain Helt often exuded it as though it were an aura. Helt sat at one of the tables reading a report and occasionally sipping some of his ale. He took a glance at the two men as they made their way across the canteen. "I hear Captain Fenne died during one of the attacks this morning." Helt said pretending to read his report papers. "Aye sir, he'd been one of the casualties from one of the bombardments." replied Rudolph as he stopped by the stairs to the troop personal quarters. "And you didn't think to give word to one of the other Captains?" he asked with a somewhat condescending tone that he normally had. "I was busy trying to maintain the defences as we were under attack. We needed everyone we had at the time." Rudolph replied. "Indeed. I shall make a note of this insolence Sergeant. Make sure you make the right decision next time." followed Helt before he took another drink of his ale. Rudolph clenched his fists trying to keep his anger in check, Arrogant Prick he thought to himself as he then began ascending the stairs. The rest of the evening was reasonably relaxed compared to the rest of the day. The two men brought up old stories, and caught up with eachothers more recent news. The rest of the troop were slowly returning to the barracks themselves, some were more drunk than others. It wasn't till the early hours when Rudolph went to sleep, and it was a long needed one.</s>	<\|message\|>Faira Blodwen "You be careful, Acrius' 'teaching' has been known to leave men with broken bones," Faira actually didn't know if this was true, but it tallied with her experience of the young man. She looked the girl over, sizing her up before stepping very close and speaking to Acrius in an undertone. "Zatana and I have work outside the walls tonight. The Guard will be two short, so be extra vigilant. But don't spread that about." She clicked her tongue at Steak and made her way toward the Eastern gate. The cannon that had been moved here was quiet for the time being, but Faira was pleased to see that the guard here was as alert as ever, despite the lateness. She saw at least two who were tousled haired and had clearly gotten out of bed recently. She waited here for Zatana.</s>
<\|description\|>Faira Blodwen Race: Human Gender: Female Age: 27 Faira is tall and broad, her body is covered in stretch marks like a cat's stripes, the result of her Bloodheat expanding her muscles spontaneously. Bio: Faira would love to tell people she lost her eye in battle, but she's no liar and the truth is it was injured in a shipwreck when she was small, and traveled aboard the merchant ship her father owned. She was pulled from the water near the shore of Dragon's Maw by a beastman named Erevan. He took Faira in, and taught her some of his ways. Faira got on well enough wit Erevan's natural born daughter, Arn, until they were teenagers. It was found that Faira had the same elemental affinity to Life magic as Erevan, and he took her on as an apprentice to learn his family's traditional magic. Arn, who took after her mother with Earth magic, was jealous of Faira for this, and stopped calling her a sister. Though generally thick skinned, Faira was devastated by this change, and soon left to go see the world of humans that she was born in, but could barely remember. The skills she learned in Dragon's Maw were best suited to combat, and she found work back in the Grand Empire as a mercenary. Personality quirks: Traits 1. When I set my mind to something, I follow through no matter what gets in my way. 2. I watch over my friends as if they were a litter of newborn pups. Ideals: I would rather die than betray a friend. Bond: Found Family. The blood of the covenant is thicker than the water of the womb. Flaw: I fear I do not belong, despite my loyalty. Friends/Rivals: Erevan Blodwen, a beastman who rescued Faira when she was young, and raised her as a daughter. Arn Blodwen, Faira's adopted sister. They were close once, but Arn is jealous that Faira was able to learn family magic that Arn herself could not. Fighting Style: Southclaw. A ferocious style of swordplay, utilizing a bastard sword, sometimes accompanied by a large hunting knife. Rarely using a shield or heavy armor, it is weakest to ranged attacks that it is unable to block. Equipment: A bastard sword, a wicked curved knife, fairly basic studded leather armor. The knife is called Emberclaw, and has two small soulstones set on either side of the pommel. One is fire, the other earth. The spells carved into the blade will heat the metal white hot, while the earth magic preserves the blade's integrity, and prevents the heat from expanding beyond the guard. The spells activate at once, but the fire has four charges, while the earth only has three. It is activated by tasting the weirder's own blood. She won it in an arm wrestling contest with a captain she worked under once. Skills/Abilities: Bloodheat. A special skill learned from her adopted family, in which one floods their body with life magic, strengthening it temporarily. It can take an enormous toll on the bones and ligaments, but makes the user faster and stronger than before. It also causes a fever, hence the name, and is dangerous over long periods.</s> <\|message\|>Naysein Naysein --- Humans... She has to resist the urge to duck as she walked through some of the lower doorways. It was something she had never quite got over, the memory of how large she was in her true form and how she would have had to jam her head through the opening to blast those hiding within. The walls seemed close, even here, and she resisted the urge to touch the stone. The Imperial Palace was at least large and open, a space that anyone could find inviting. Her own nest had, no was, large enough to fit her comfortably. It had once been a palace for an Elven King who had died before she was hatched; a maze of finely carved rooms, rose shrouded pathways and thousands of arches that opened onto mountains cut deep with a thousand rivers; her home. A far cry from human settlements with all their closed in living spaces and echoing stone hallways. Her senses, barely dulled by her mortal form, were working overtime as she followed the soldier through the long corridors and up narrow stairs. She could smell him, the slightly gamey odour of a man in armour, the sausage and eggs that had been cooked for breakfast, wood smoke, the smell of thousands of folk crammed together, and above it, the sharp smell of a fresh storm. It was the same smell she herself would have made once upon a time after blasting a foe with lightening. A ripple of sorrow coursed through her as she thought of it and she pushed the memory down. Now was not the time. "In here, lady." The soldier nodded to a door on his right, a big wooden double leaf reinforced with iron. It would be a beast to try and break down, and they were already deep into the heart of the citadel. She nodded her thanks to soldier who was already hurrying back toward the wall with a clanking urgency that reminded her of a knight who had tried running from her back when she a youngling. She smiled to herself and stepped into the room. It was largely empty now save for several pages, a noble she did now know and, framed by the rooms only window and hunched over the lone table, was the tall lanky form of the Keeper of Secrets. The room was warmed by a smouldering fire and several torches that cast flickering light over the impassive faces of its occupants, all of which swivelled to look at her as she strode in. The ragged cloak she had worn to penetrate the enemy lines was gone and replaced with a simple blue-black that curled around her ankles and hugged her form. Scimitars jutted over either shoulder and her fiddle case was strapped beneath the cloak - giving her an hunchbacked appearance. Well, well... She had known Balthazar was going to be present but had hoped to find the Prince before the older man. She had a grudging respect for humans in general, but quite specifically for this man. The ability of humans to learn and master immense skills and talents in their short lifetimes was impressive and Balthazar had exceeded that of most in even less time. "My Lord Trevarthen." She stopped, placed a hand on her chest and inclined her head. The grey head came up and steel grey eyes stared into brilliant blue as they regarded each other across the table. Balthazar stared at the half-elf as she entered, raising a single eyebrow as she drew close. She had been around longer than he had, and yet, she was as young as ever. Once, she was the part of the previous Empress' handmaidens, and then she was a part of the current Empress' guard. The Empress had died in childbirth, but her son, Leonidas, lives on. This girl was there too-- having educated the Young Prince on the arts. It was no exaggeration to say that Balthazar had known this woman for most of his life. "Naysein." He returned the nod, as he stared into her eyes, the faintest hint of a smile on his face. The warlock had not seen her in months, and meeting an old friend again put him at ease. "...I was not informed of your arrival." Balthazar did not enjoy surprises, but this one was... pleasant, by all accounts. "What brings you here? A message from the Emperor?" "I will admit I did not send word. I slipped through the orcish lines not an hour ago." She allowed a smile to flow onto her own face. She liked this man, more than most mortals, and wondered what a pair they might have made had no secrets of her own to keep. "It is good to see you though. I have finally managed to convince his imperial highness to release me to serve the prince once again." "...So I see. I will not turn away your aid-- we are much better off with you at our side." Balthazar echoed the same sentiment to her, though he did not say it. He knew that she kept secrets that even he did not know of, but so long as they aligned with the goals of the Empire, then he felt no need to take action. Besides... it would be a shame to be rid of one of the few people he could truly say he trusted. Remembering his decorum, the spymaster turned to the other man in the room. "...Duke Karstilli, I would to introduce you to Naysein. She was part of the old Queensguard before I was even born." Balthazar gestured to her, before continuing. "Her skills and talents will be useful in the times to come." She bowed, hand on chest, to the Duke who gave her a curt nod and returned to his work. She did not mind. Being largely dismissed by folk had its uses. "I suspect this promised battle is likely more important than a reunion, we can do that later," A promising smile touched her lips. "Where can I best be of use, m'lord?" He simply nodded at that. "Of course." Balthazar then gestured to the map of the city and the region surrounding it. There were pieces on the board that represented the forces of both sides: red for the attackers, and blue for the defenders. There were also other pieces that represented other things, such as a block of wood to detail siege weaponry, or a smaller blue token to represent a member of the Royal Guard. "There are siege ladders to the east, Orcs to the north, battering rams to the west, and sappers in the city's sewer systems." He explained concisely, pointing to each token as he did so. "The north is where the fighting is heaviest. It is also where you will find Prince Leonidas-- I recommend you report to him and lend him your assistance." Balthazar was certain the Prince would appreciate it, and moreover, Naysein could watch over him in his absence. It was unlikely Zatana would make any moves against the royal scion, but he was more concerned that Leonidas would do something equally rash as his Drow Companion did yesterday. "...any questions?" He raised an eyebrow. This question was mostly made out of formality, rather than any real doubts to her ability. After all, if anyone could watch over the Prince, it would be his mentor during his youth. "None at all, my lord. I am, as always, impressed by your preparation." She was conscious of the pages boys gaze upon her now that they realized she was someone of importance - an attractive someone at that. "I will seek out the prince at once and lend what meager aid I can." There would be time enough later to ask Balthazar more questions but she had always enjoyed the trust that existed between them. It was a nice thing to have after so many years alone. "If you require me, or my services, send one of these handsome young lads to find me." She offered them all a final smile and a bow before turning and making her way out of the room, hips swaying ever so slightly.</s> <\|message\|>Rudolph Kestrell It didn't take long before orders were given out. Rudolph would be stationed on the western wall with Merik again. A couple of hours later, and the green-skinned horde finally poured our from their holes. Rudolph accepted that they were testing the defences the other day, so then they must be coming in full force this time. For the first few minutes in the attack, the defenders had little issue and fairly easily cut down the approaching goblins with sustained arrow volleys and rifle-fire. The defenders only suffered minimal casualties from the opposing ranged units so far. "Watch out!" a soldier yelled, Rudolph turned toward the voice's direction and quickly realised for its reason, the orcs had begun their artillary barrage and sent two boulders their way. One boulder flew over the wall and landed in the city below, but the other smashed into a catapult atop a tower. Soon after, the greenskins stormed from their lines with a battering ram. Rudolph stood up and realised this soon enough, "Take that thing out!" he ordered before turning toward the troops below down behind the gate, "Brace the gates, we have incoming!" he yelled down. The soldiers began placing wooden posts to keep it set in place, and then set up some barricades soon after. Another sergeant stationed on the otherside of the wall ordered the catapult on their sides tower to open fire upon the ram, the first shot missed, but the second one made contact, it was only slowed temporarily however. Rudolph took up a position on the wall and aimed his rifle at the ram, he took his time and picked his target out. With an exhale, he fired. The shot hit one of the ropes that kept the armour in place, some of the wooden planks and iron plates slid off revealing some of the pilots beneath. "Focus fire on the ram! kill the bastards pushing the thing!" Rudolph ordered as he reloaded. He quickly scanned the situation along the wall. Further down, he could see Merik making himself useful, "How're you faring lad!?" he asked.</s>	<\|message\|>Faira Blodwen Faira looked over the battlements as the day was still young. She leaned on the wall, and said nothing to her companions. She quite agreed with her placement here, and Manald's as well. A great deal of extra strength would be needed to dislodge any ladders that found the wall. Her armor was in its loosened state, ready for her muscles to expand when she let the blood heat flow. Suddenly, Faira stood up fully, her hands planted on the wall as she looked out to the east. "They come. Ladders and... gods damned trolls!" She couldn't do much but watch as they approached. She commanded that the rifles focus their fire on the trolls, as she trusted that the ladders could be dealt with in their turn. They had prepared for a scaling attack, but nobody had made any real consideration for defending the gate. When the first ladder arrived, Faira, having watched its path, was already in position. Her muscles bulged as she let her magic flow through her body. Immediately, she began to sweat, and her hot breath hung thickly in the air. She grabbed the ladder, and simply pushed it away. The ladder tumbled backwards, landing heavily on a few goblins in its path. The remaining goblins, however, were undeterred and began to right it again. What's more, the next ladder that went up was braced more heavily, so that it was quite immovable and Faira was forced to content herself with drawing her sword and beheading any goblin that showed its face above the wall. When she had a clear moment, she drew her dagger, and slid the blade along her wrist, leaving a small cut. Her blood activated the magic in the weapon, and it quickly began to glow as if she had pulled it from a forge. Faira thrust the dagger, halfway up the blade, into the wood of the ladder, which quickly caught fire itself, and began to burn. She moved to the next ladder to repeat this while the spell still held, her soldiers were meanwhile working with axes to splinter the ladders so that they could not be easily braced on the wall. "Manald!" She called suddenly, looking down into the mass of foes. The trolls had been slowed by the peppering of lead from the rifles, but they were far from stopped, and had nearly made it. "We need to do something about those trolls!"</s>
<\|description\|>Manald Halung Race: Beastman Gender: Male Age: 34 At almost seven feet in his non-shifted form Manald stands on the more imposing side of things, something that is underlined by the fact that he's also superbly muscular, thick boned and well fed. Overall it's more than enough weight to give those concerned with logistics a headache when they have to think about him. Also: Imagine a wolf, mix it with the shape of a human, and you get Manald. He's got long, gray hairs on many his skin, his teeth look more like those of a carnivore than those of an omnivore and his ears are as pointy as are his fingernails. For the sake of interpersonal relationships however he tries to cover most of this in at least some form of clothing as long as he doesn't sweat too much in it. Bio: Manald is the offspring of his father Setsir and his mother Feyr, a loving beastmen couple living close to the kingdom's borders. This location allowed for early contact with human culture and civilization, but still it was hardly foreseeable that he'd end up as a member of the royal guard one day. His feral features rendered him a man less sociable than the average, but a company of mercenaries discovered him and offered him to join them. He proved good, very good indeed. Everything ultimately comes to an end however. At some point the very regional affairs of his companionship no longer proved satisfying enough for the eager young man. The mercenaries did not like his decision, some of his former colleagues even call him a coward and a snob for his aspirations, but Manald left in the search for a more extensive adventure. He left his family behind with this decision as well, but it was in good mutual agreement. He could have left for the heartland of beastman territory, but out of curiosity he ventured deeper into the realm of human kingdoms instead. It didn't take long for local recruiters to turn their eyes towards the wandering man. Armies are needed always and everywhere practically, so he was consumed by one not much later and started serving as a low ranking soldier. A bit less action then with the mercenaries, but a much wider reach in terms of travels and more potential friends -- and enemies -- gave him enough thrill to stay. Manald learned only very recently whose army he actually ended up in... Personality quirks: As fierce as he might be looking, his general demeanor outside of combat does not keep up with his outer appearance so to speak. He's a calm dude and if it would be easy to provoke him he'd probably be in a lot more trouble than he currently is, but once that certain threshold he also tends to show off a high degree of tenacity and stubbornness. He loves do eat and drink, so better don't get into his way when there's the smell of free, fresh raw meat around. Bonds:* Torsten is the apprentice of one of the blacksmith's that keep the guard's equipment in working order. He's still learning and a young boy, but he's also one of those without prejudices against beastmen and shows great interest in Manald instead. It would not be the first time for Torsten to have an open ear for Manald's special needs. * Utgar was the head of the first band of mercenaries the young Manald joined and has never gotten over the fact that Manald left his men. Utgar current location or profession is unknown, but you always meet twice. Fighting style: Manald's way of handling such things can be subdivided into two different branches: The first one is what he uses most of the time -- whenever he's not shifting -- and combines a morning star and a shield into something that clearly lacks finesse, but adds strength and ferocity. The second branch is when he's shifted: No weapons, just armor, claws and teeth that can bite through some more than just flesh. It's somewhat reckless, somewhat dangerous, but also capable of striking fear into the hearts of those having to oppose him. Equipment:* Two sets of thick leather armor partially reinforced with metal plates. One for his more ordinary shape, and one that allows both for a quick exchange and for a lot more body inside. * A standard sized morning star * A round shield * A soldier's standard supply of water, dry meat, bread and basic utensils for everyday life. Skills/Abilities:* Raw strength and endurance: He's a beast after all, quite literally. * Morale booster: He has learned several warcries typical for his people while still at home. They, combined with his sheer appearance, can deteriorate an enemy's will to fight and boost that of those fighting on his own side. * Heightened senses: Even while not shifting his intrinsic lycanthropy improves his ability to see in the dark, to hear faint noises or to notice whisps of odour considerably. Other: -=Rules=- 1. Listen to the GM(s), If you have a complaint tell me. I am not an evil dictator and if I am wrong I will admit it. 2. Romance and Gore allowed, But keep it in good taste and in site rules 3. Now not all characters will play nice with each other I understand that, but keep the disputes in the RP not in OOC 4. Be civilized and polite please 5. All basic RP rules apply to this roleplay: Power playing, Meta gaming, and others are not allowed. 6. The story isn't exactly set, if you have an idea for a mission feel free to pm me the details and I'll try to work it in. 7. Copy the rules into a Hider in the "other" of your cs so I know you read them. 8. Get into your character's skin become him or her as you are playing have fun and give us insight into their thoughts. 9. Try to keep active, in both the IC and OOC pages please. And even if you don't have anything to say, at least read the OOC</s> <\|message\|>Merik Roak Merik Roak The forest was quiet and calm, most of the animals however were on edge. The fight that was to come set a gloomy mood to the trees and the earth. The deer he was feasting on was already weary and on edge when he ambushed it. Other than a few wild dog tracks in the area Merik had not found any track or scent of the Orcish and goblin hordes he knew lingered nearby. Blood would be spilled this day the reptile could feel it in his scales, in his muscles, and in his bones. Even with this feeling Merik enjoyed his time out in the forest. His instincts could run wild and he could feel at peace. The loud boom and thunder that echoed through the forest caught both himself and his horse off guard. It took some time for his warhorse to attune to him but it still wasn't used to the dwarves thunder sticks and thunder tubes. A sigh escaped the large Lizardfolk while he watched his horse run off into the forest. At the very least he knew it would run back to the camp. "Prince Leo be upset Merik lost nother horse." He spoke to himself for a moment then looked around. Merik knew which way the camp was and the way to the city, without a horse he will just have to join up with the infantry again. "Ruduf will be happy that big friend help." Again Merik spoke to himself and stood up leaving the rest of the deer for the wild dogs he knew were lurking nearby. With a huff he headed out toward the camp at a fast pace, he could double his speed while running on all fours. Almost leaping more than running. The voice of the infantry leader and the scent of man soon grew stronger and stronger. He was sure they could hear the racket and noise he was making as he moved toward them. Loud heavy foot falls and snapping of branches and toppling of small trees. Bursting from the foliage the behemoth skidded to a stop and slowly stood before the men. Some he recognized others he did not, his muscular tail was moving side to side and he smiled at his smaller human friend. "Merik find you Ruduf, (Pronounces it as Roo Doof.) Merik lose horse again, so Merik go with you." He gave the man a toothy grin and waited for him to keep going for him to follow.</s> <\|message\|>Zatana Aleana Zatana had just been about to dip a nod to the Prince when her head whipped about to peer in the direction of Bergkoff as a boom shook the ground. It would be far louder near the city, one of the few irritations the drow had with the dwarven technologic advances. In her profession, noise was kept to a minimum and her grandfather often noted that loud sound showed how uncivilized someone was. A statement that thus far rang true as far as Zatana could see. But there was little time for introspection as Leonidas barked several orders, though the ones concerning her was all she needed Zatana did hold an extra second to hear the rest of the battle plan. Knowledge was key to all things in life after all. It was just as well she had held back as the robed form of the thorn in her side spoke. She had noted Balthazar's approach but pointedly pretended she had not. Zatana was not blind to the dangers the old wizard represented to her. He was often elbows deep in paper and one of the so very few that knew what she was. If he wasn't so competent and she so in need to stay where she was, she would have slipped out of town to fish in a different harbor so to speak. Zatana watched him detail out a plan with a grim smile. That was the problem with this wizard. He was so very dangerous because of the things he knew. If she had the ability and circumstance would she dispatch him? Would he do such to her in turn? Her eyes were flint as the wizard outlined his plan to her and Faira, a good plan to be sure. Reaching out to pluck the wooden token from Balthazar, Zatana let her dark eyes soften to a wicked delight, letting the thrill of being able to do something show. Let wizard make of it what he would. Emotions that were shown was only another part of the grand game she had been born to. "Within the city, at the West Gate, contact with parcel." Her soft voice was the exact opposite of dangerous as she smiled behind the mask while she repeated the key pieces of information. For a chance to clarification and to make sure she would remember it herself. "Not a difficult task, though any information you might add on this contact? Flashing a token about a city under siege... Those as do not know its significance would find it a distraction. Impeding ourselves and their own efforts." It was not unreasonable and clarification in a city that would be fighting a coming siege would be useful. "It is reasonable to ask, is it not?" She asked in a conversational tone as she slipped the token into the breastplate of her leather armor where a pouch was for small trinkets. Zatana was curious if he would give more information, or if he was using this as a test to feel her out. It wouldn't be the first time nor would it be the last someone had tried to do so. The other option was that he sprung from the same cloth as Murdoc, she was going to be expected to figure it out, and getting the answer wrong would have all the consequences fall on her head.</s>	<\|message\|>Manald Halung Cannons ? Oh what brutal instruments of death those dwarves could develop! Death for his sensitive lycanthropic hearing that was... If he found the sound of those things deafing while still a fair bit way of them what would happen once they'd be next to them ? It was not a bright outlook Manald found, but hopefully those things would do more damage to their enemies than they did to their own troops. One could never know for sure with such inventions... When Manald heard Leonidas giving the order that involved him in leading the cavalry units he knew what to do: Make preparations. He needed not only to retrieve his shield and weapon from his tent, but also his second armor that was more suited to his alter ego -- the one that only came out on rather rare occasions and for a rather short amount of time. Five minutes was not much time for grabbing all things, putting those needed immediately on, then walking back through an entire camp of people all doing the same thing at the same time to the stables and getting one's mount ready. Still Manald was not in the mood for shoving aside those not making way for him, even in the hurry given. It was important to treat people with at least a certain degree of respect or bad things would come crashing down upon oneself one day. So what everybody caring to look would be able to see was Manald getting his fur dirty as he compensated for any necessary evasive maneuver by walking even faster, thereby transporting a fair degree of mud from his feet to other regions of his body. He barely made it in time, making his appearance in the makeshift stables while breathing considerably heavier then before. "Leonidas ? I hope your majesty is aware of the fact that horses and I are not best friends." He knew what he was talking about. Horses were sensitive beings and felt that there was something very, very predatory in Manald even if it was not directed at them in any way. And then there was the fact that the wolf-man was just very bloody heavy.</s>
<\|description\|>Manald Halung Race: Beastman Gender: Male Age: 34 At almost seven feet in his non-shifted form Manald stands on the more imposing side of things, something that is underlined by the fact that he's also superbly muscular, thick boned and well fed. Overall it's more than enough weight to give those concerned with logistics a headache when they have to think about him. Also: Imagine a wolf, mix it with the shape of a human, and you get Manald. He's got long, gray hairs on many his skin, his teeth look more like those of a carnivore than those of an omnivore and his ears are as pointy as are his fingernails. For the sake of interpersonal relationships however he tries to cover most of this in at least some form of clothing as long as he doesn't sweat too much in it. Bio: Manald is the offspring of his father Setsir and his mother Feyr, a loving beastmen couple living close to the kingdom's borders. This location allowed for early contact with human culture and civilization, but still it was hardly foreseeable that he'd end up as a member of the royal guard one day. His feral features rendered him a man less sociable than the average, but a company of mercenaries discovered him and offered him to join them. He proved good, very good indeed. Everything ultimately comes to an end however. At some point the very regional affairs of his companionship no longer proved satisfying enough for the eager young man. The mercenaries did not like his decision, some of his former colleagues even call him a coward and a snob for his aspirations, but Manald left in the search for a more extensive adventure. He left his family behind with this decision as well, but it was in good mutual agreement. He could have left for the heartland of beastman territory, but out of curiosity he ventured deeper into the realm of human kingdoms instead. It didn't take long for local recruiters to turn their eyes towards the wandering man. Armies are needed always and everywhere practically, so he was consumed by one not much later and started serving as a low ranking soldier. A bit less action then with the mercenaries, but a much wider reach in terms of travels and more potential friends -- and enemies -- gave him enough thrill to stay. Manald learned only very recently whose army he actually ended up in... Personality quirks: As fierce as he might be looking, his general demeanor outside of combat does not keep up with his outer appearance so to speak. He's a calm dude and if it would be easy to provoke him he'd probably be in a lot more trouble than he currently is, but once that certain threshold he also tends to show off a high degree of tenacity and stubbornness. He loves do eat and drink, so better don't get into his way when there's the smell of free, fresh raw meat around. Bonds:* Torsten is the apprentice of one of the blacksmith's that keep the guard's equipment in working order. He's still learning and a young boy, but he's also one of those without prejudices against beastmen and shows great interest in Manald instead. It would not be the first time for Torsten to have an open ear for Manald's special needs. * Utgar was the head of the first band of mercenaries the young Manald joined and has never gotten over the fact that Manald left his men. Utgar current location or profession is unknown, but you always meet twice. Fighting style: Manald's way of handling such things can be subdivided into two different branches: The first one is what he uses most of the time -- whenever he's not shifting -- and combines a morning star and a shield into something that clearly lacks finesse, but adds strength and ferocity. The second branch is when he's shifted: No weapons, just armor, claws and teeth that can bite through some more than just flesh. It's somewhat reckless, somewhat dangerous, but also capable of striking fear into the hearts of those having to oppose him. Equipment:* Two sets of thick leather armor partially reinforced with metal plates. One for his more ordinary shape, and one that allows both for a quick exchange and for a lot more body inside. * A standard sized morning star * A round shield * A soldier's standard supply of water, dry meat, bread and basic utensils for everyday life. Skills/Abilities:* Raw strength and endurance: He's a beast after all, quite literally. * Morale booster: He has learned several warcries typical for his people while still at home. They, combined with his sheer appearance, can deteriorate an enemy's will to fight and boost that of those fighting on his own side. * Heightened senses: Even while not shifting his intrinsic lycanthropy improves his ability to see in the dark, to hear faint noises or to notice whisps of odour considerably. Other: -=Rules=- 1. Listen to the GM(s), If you have a complaint tell me. I am not an evil dictator and if I am wrong I will admit it. 2. Romance and Gore allowed, But keep it in good taste and in site rules 3. Now not all characters will play nice with each other I understand that, but keep the disputes in the RP not in OOC 4. Be civilized and polite please 5. All basic RP rules apply to this roleplay: Power playing, Meta gaming, and others are not allowed. 6. The story isn't exactly set, if you have an idea for a mission feel free to pm me the details and I'll try to work it in. 7. Copy the rules into a Hider in the "other" of your cs so I know you read them. 8. Get into your character's skin become him or her as you are playing have fun and give us insight into their thoughts. 9. Try to keep active, in both the IC and OOC pages please. And even if you don't have anything to say, at least read the OOC</s> <\|message\|>Zatana Aleana "Merik." The soft voice returned with what most likely was a nod under the hood. Alas, Zatana's amusement at Acrius's reaction was short-lived as the peal of a bell sounded out. Bells, they told the stories of human lives. Life, death, war, alarms of fore coming disaster. The only time they did not ring was when things were quiet, sedated, and peaceful. The natural course of life within a city. Looking towards the two large boulders arching towards the wall, her arm shot out to grip a rampant while the stone beneath her shook with the impact. The other had hit and from the looks of things, there would be wounded and dead if anyone was unlucky. Twisting about she watched the goblins advance as Merik threw the poles down upon them. Reaching behind her, she flicked her cloak back from her arms the dark leather armored arm moving to pluck her bow from her back and string it. Nocking an arrow, she sighed in annoyance hearing Acrius's comment. "I am far more likely to toss him or find a way down myself to slit throats. Goblins." She complained in slight annoyance at having to use the bow and Acrius's 'probably'. Her skill with archery was nowhere near where she wanted it, but that was one of the strong points of elves. They had all the time in the world to gain whatever skill they wished. It just took time, which right now was not something she had. Nocking one arrow after another she began to sight and release on any goblin she might hit. A good few of the horrid little beings falling as she plucked them off, but not all of them. Working her way along the wall, she tried to spot any of the leaders of the goblin and orc horde. The little known Waruk Shieldbreaker. Which was someone Zatana doubted she would fare well against.</s> <\|message\|>Leonidas Lionheart Leonidas listens to the information from both Balthazar and the Duke closing his eyes to think as he takes it all in, "We are going to need to reposition one cannon to the east gate and one to the west. We don't know when they will attack the flanks and we can't show a weakness on our sides. If we show these beasts any chink in our armor they will jump at it without a doubt." He said after a bit of thought and looking down at the map. "The goblin numbers won't be an issue if we can keep them outside those walls. If they get in though they could be a major problem. As for the Orcs, how many of them came out to fight this morning? Were we able to dwindle those numbers at all?" He asked wanting to know how things had gone. "My fear is the longer this battle lasts the more word of this fortress' strength will spread and draw in more Orcs looking for a challenge. So any thought on how we could try to end this battle quickly?" He added again giving yet another question hoping one of these two men could come up with a decent idea to try and end the fight quickly. ---- Western Gate The goblins continue to charge at the gate through the incoming fire without hesitation those in the lead ranks seem to reach down pulling something out of their bags and start to light a fuse as they charge at the gate itself. It seems that ten of the goblins pull out these devices as they rush forward. Other than that the stream of goblins continue to come out from the mountains as another volley of rocks are also sent flying at the walls from the hidden catapults.</s> <\|message\|>Balthazar Trevarthen Balthazar shook his head in response to the Duke's inquiries. "I don't have too much information about him-- he seemed to be perfectly content with lording over the smaller Orc and Goblin tribes, as well as raiding the occasional caravan." The warlock says, thinking more about Waruk Shieldbreaker. "It makes me wonder why he had such a sudden desire to besiege Bergkoff." The man posited openly, before allowing the conversation to be steered towards more relevant matters. Realizing that would've been unwise to speculate too much, for now, Balthazar decided to wait for more information to come. He would have to send informants over to see what is going on with the Dwarves-- if they were able, they would have lent their assistance by now. Something... or someone must be delaying them. He would find out what. The spymaster looked over at the Prince as Leonidas spoke. Balthazar had some skill in tactics, logistics, and even naval strategy, but his main strength came from his decades of experience as an advisor, and of course, the information he receives from his network. With that being said? Emperor Graham and Siegfried were better-equipped and trained to deal with such things, and as such, the Prince received more than enough training to make tactical decisions on his own-- the warlock was simply here as an aide. Still, when the Prince asks for counsel, then it is the advisor's job to provide it. "I believe cutting off the head of the snake to be a viable option if it can be done." After all, if the Chieftain falls, the invasion will fall with him. Unless of course, this Warchief is a pawn in someone else's game. Only time would tell. "Alternatively, we could try to collapse the entrances to the tunnels that they are using to move around the region." He says, pointing to the possible locations on his map. "I suspect that it will be no easy task, but if we can do it, it would only a matter of breaking down the remaining forces. An army without supply lines or reinforcements is certain to crumble, given time." In the end, it was up to the Prince to decide what to do. He could likely even make a decision on his own if he wished. Balthazar simply stood to the side, allowing the Prince and the Duke to converse some more before speaking once more.</s>	<\|message\|>Manald Halung By the time the bell rang, Manald had found himself on the wall somewhere in the eastern part of the city. He couldn't tell exactly where himself for the lack of detailed knowledge of the whole place, but it didn't matter anyway. The bell's reverberating sound was loud enough to easily track it back to its origin. Running through the city itself would probably have been less of a long way, but only so at the risk of getting lost and needing even more time. Therefore Manald relocated himself to the west gate by running along the top of the wall in the south. Upon his arrival he wished for having gone through the city and gotten lost there... The lycan was unfamiliar with this dwarven invention of 'cannons'. The ongoing preparations to fire one of them were not as obvious to him as they were to many others, so he didn't care much when running past one of the crews manning them. He could hear the men beefing about him as he ran past them as one of his elbows accidentally touched one of them in the overall turmoil that was going on. Then, a moment later, there was a bang that felt next to unbelievable for him. The last bit of information he could get from his ears was that it came from behind his back. Then there was only disturbance and ringing, no further voices or other meaningful sounds to be heard. Had his hypersensitive ears just died ? Not even noticing himself anymore that he was hissing in the process, Manald turned around and looked back at the men with their cannon. A plume of smoke invaded his nostrils, too, but the slight itch it caused was nothing compared to what had happened to his hearing. He saw the soldiers returning the stare, a few of them grinning nonchalantly. The expression quickly faded from their faces once they saw Manald's threatening teeth. He was not amused! One the plus side he would not have worry much about more cannon shots, but he could no longer receive any orders or hints anymore as well. That was unless someone would dare to wield a big shield with letters on it, of course. Luckily though a quick look down the wall still told him the story about the goblins doing something at the gate's threshold. It could only be a bad thing for the smell of explosive powder and the sight of fire reached him once more. But what should he do ? Jump down the wall ? The gate wouldn't hold for long anymore this way. Manald quickly discarded the thought. Instead he retreated into the gatehouse, taking his second set of leather armor with him. At first there was nothing, but then a muffled scream could be heard by everyone closeby. It wasn't like the war shout Manald had delivered earlier, but sounded much more like the very mundane attempt to stifle intense agony with crying. It was followed by several others, albeit much smaller outbursts until there was silence again in the gatehouse. The bottom-level door on the city side of it was tossed open and clashed against the wall quite hard. Manald had no intention of damaging any of the lord's properties on purpose, but the sheer inadequacy of the exit's size almost left him no other choice. And of course he currently was flat-out unable to hear anything almost breaking. Ducking greatly and walking halfway sideways just in order to get his shoulders through somehow, the lycanthrope emerged on the street behind the gate fully shifted and clad in his much bigger armor. Manald had borrowed a two-handed sword from a rack in the gatehouse, but his confidence in the weapon's durability was as low as was his confidence in his own ability to wield it like a real swordsman. Anyway, he'd try his best to give those goblins a warm welcome should they breach the gate in any case. If they wouldn't at all... well then he wouldn't be able to pull this off a second time this day or so, but maybe he could make himself useful in other ways then.</s>
<\|description\|>Manald Halung Race: Beastman Gender: Male Age: 34 At almost seven feet in his non-shifted form Manald stands on the more imposing side of things, something that is underlined by the fact that he's also superbly muscular, thick boned and well fed. Overall it's more than enough weight to give those concerned with logistics a headache when they have to think about him. Also: Imagine a wolf, mix it with the shape of a human, and you get Manald. He's got long, gray hairs on many his skin, his teeth look more like those of a carnivore than those of an omnivore and his ears are as pointy as are his fingernails. For the sake of interpersonal relationships however he tries to cover most of this in at least some form of clothing as long as he doesn't sweat too much in it. Bio: Manald is the offspring of his father Setsir and his mother Feyr, a loving beastmen couple living close to the kingdom's borders. This location allowed for early contact with human culture and civilization, but still it was hardly foreseeable that he'd end up as a member of the royal guard one day. His feral features rendered him a man less sociable than the average, but a company of mercenaries discovered him and offered him to join them. He proved good, very good indeed. Everything ultimately comes to an end however. At some point the very regional affairs of his companionship no longer proved satisfying enough for the eager young man. The mercenaries did not like his decision, some of his former colleagues even call him a coward and a snob for his aspirations, but Manald left in the search for a more extensive adventure. He left his family behind with this decision as well, but it was in good mutual agreement. He could have left for the heartland of beastman territory, but out of curiosity he ventured deeper into the realm of human kingdoms instead. It didn't take long for local recruiters to turn their eyes towards the wandering man. Armies are needed always and everywhere practically, so he was consumed by one not much later and started serving as a low ranking soldier. A bit less action then with the mercenaries, but a much wider reach in terms of travels and more potential friends -- and enemies -- gave him enough thrill to stay. Manald learned only very recently whose army he actually ended up in... Personality quirks: As fierce as he might be looking, his general demeanor outside of combat does not keep up with his outer appearance so to speak. He's a calm dude and if it would be easy to provoke him he'd probably be in a lot more trouble than he currently is, but once that certain threshold he also tends to show off a high degree of tenacity and stubbornness. He loves do eat and drink, so better don't get into his way when there's the smell of free, fresh raw meat around. Bonds:* Torsten is the apprentice of one of the blacksmith's that keep the guard's equipment in working order. He's still learning and a young boy, but he's also one of those without prejudices against beastmen and shows great interest in Manald instead. It would not be the first time for Torsten to have an open ear for Manald's special needs. * Utgar was the head of the first band of mercenaries the young Manald joined and has never gotten over the fact that Manald left his men. Utgar current location or profession is unknown, but you always meet twice. Fighting style: Manald's way of handling such things can be subdivided into two different branches: The first one is what he uses most of the time -- whenever he's not shifting -- and combines a morning star and a shield into something that clearly lacks finesse, but adds strength and ferocity. The second branch is when he's shifted: No weapons, just armor, claws and teeth that can bite through some more than just flesh. It's somewhat reckless, somewhat dangerous, but also capable of striking fear into the hearts of those having to oppose him. Equipment:* Two sets of thick leather armor partially reinforced with metal plates. One for his more ordinary shape, and one that allows both for a quick exchange and for a lot more body inside. * A standard sized morning star * A round shield * A soldier's standard supply of water, dry meat, bread and basic utensils for everyday life. Skills/Abilities:* Raw strength and endurance: He's a beast after all, quite literally. * Morale booster: He has learned several warcries typical for his people while still at home. They, combined with his sheer appearance, can deteriorate an enemy's will to fight and boost that of those fighting on his own side. * Heightened senses: Even while not shifting his intrinsic lycanthropy improves his ability to see in the dark, to hear faint noises or to notice whisps of odour considerably. Other: -=Rules=- 1. Listen to the GM(s), If you have a complaint tell me. I am not an evil dictator and if I am wrong I will admit it. 2. Romance and Gore allowed, But keep it in good taste and in site rules 3. Now not all characters will play nice with each other I understand that, but keep the disputes in the RP not in OOC 4. Be civilized and polite please 5. All basic RP rules apply to this roleplay: Power playing, Meta gaming, and others are not allowed. 6. The story isn't exactly set, if you have an idea for a mission feel free to pm me the details and I'll try to work it in. 7. Copy the rules into a Hider in the "other" of your cs so I know you read them. 8. Get into your character's skin become him or her as you are playing have fun and give us insight into their thoughts. 9. Try to keep active, in both the IC and OOC pages please. And even if you don't have anything to say, at least read the OOC</s> <\|message\|>Rudolph Kestrell It didn't take long before orders were given out. Rudolph would be stationed on the western wall with Merik again. A couple of hours later, and the green-skinned horde finally poured our from their holes. Rudolph accepted that they were testing the defences the other day, so then they must be coming in full force this time. For the first few minutes in the attack, the defenders had little issue and fairly easily cut down the approaching goblins with sustained arrow volleys and rifle-fire. The defenders only suffered minimal casualties from the opposing ranged units so far. "Watch out!" a soldier yelled, Rudolph turned toward the voice's direction and quickly realised for its reason, the orcs had begun their artillary barrage and sent two boulders their way. One boulder flew over the wall and landed in the city below, but the other smashed into a catapult atop a tower. Soon after, the greenskins stormed from their lines with a battering ram. Rudolph stood up and realised this soon enough, "Take that thing out!" he ordered before turning toward the troops below down behind the gate, "Brace the gates, we have incoming!" he yelled down. The soldiers began placing wooden posts to keep it set in place, and then set up some barricades soon after. Another sergeant stationed on the otherside of the wall ordered the catapult on their sides tower to open fire upon the ram, the first shot missed, but the second one made contact, it was only slowed temporarily however. Rudolph took up a position on the wall and aimed his rifle at the ram, he took his time and picked his target out. With an exhale, he fired. The shot hit one of the ropes that kept the armour in place, some of the wooden planks and iron plates slid off revealing some of the pilots beneath. "Focus fire on the ram! kill the bastards pushing the thing!" Rudolph ordered as he reloaded. He quickly scanned the situation along the wall. Further down, he could see Merik making himself useful, "How're you faring lad!?" he asked.</s> <\|message\|>Faira Blodwen Faira looked over the battlements as the day was still young. She leaned on the wall, and said nothing to her companions. She quite agreed with her placement here, and Manald's as well. A great deal of extra strength would be needed to dislodge any ladders that found the wall. Her armor was in its loosened state, ready for her muscles to expand when she let the blood heat flow. Suddenly, Faira stood up fully, her hands planted on the wall as she looked out to the east. "They come. Ladders and... gods damned trolls!" She couldn't do much but watch as they approached. She commanded that the rifles focus their fire on the trolls, as she trusted that the ladders could be dealt with in their turn. They had prepared for a scaling attack, but nobody had made any real consideration for defending the gate. When the first ladder arrived, Faira, having watched its path, was already in position. Her muscles bulged as she let her magic flow through her body. Immediately, she began to sweat, and her hot breath hung thickly in the air. She grabbed the ladder, and simply pushed it away. The ladder tumbled backwards, landing heavily on a few goblins in its path. The remaining goblins, however, were undeterred and began to right it again. What's more, the next ladder that went up was braced more heavily, so that it was quite immovable and Faira was forced to content herself with drawing her sword and beheading any goblin that showed its face above the wall. When she had a clear moment, she drew her dagger, and slid the blade along her wrist, leaving a small cut. Her blood activated the magic in the weapon, and it quickly began to glow as if she had pulled it from a forge. Faira thrust the dagger, halfway up the blade, into the wood of the ladder, which quickly caught fire itself, and began to burn. She moved to the next ladder to repeat this while the spell still held, her soldiers were meanwhile working with axes to splinter the ladders so that they could not be easily braced on the wall. "Manald!" She called suddenly, looking down into the mass of foes. The trolls had been slowed by the peppering of lead from the rifles, but they were far from stopped, and had nearly made it. "We need to do something about those trolls!"</s>	<\|message\|>Manald Halung "I know!" Manald replied, having to halfway yell at Faira in order to overcome the ubiquitous sound of firearms, arrows, arms and armor. It was an environment that would do no good to his ears, that was for sure. If they'd survive this day he'd likely end up with one hell of an headache and a ringing tone that only existed in his sensation. So far the lycanthrope had decided not to transform. It was a trait that could only be maintained for so long and thus an asset not to be wasted like the day before. Manald knew that his use on the wall was somewhat limited due to the necessity to use ranged weapons. However, now that the first siege ladders were put into place and the goblins started to reach the top of the wall here and there, this was about to change. "Give me a moment, and then try to keep the green critters away from me!" Having said this not only to Faira, but addressing all of the soliders around them as well, Manald did not retreat into some closed room where nobody could see him. Instead he merely stepped as far back as he could before starting to shift, so from down below he could probably not be seen anymore. The intent was to reappear with the element of surprise on his side. "Don't destroy that ladder! I need it!" he added with an already distorted voice, the arm he used to point at the object in question already bulging and being overgrown with even more hair. He put off his set or armor pretty much at the last moment possible before it would have become jammed around his growing body and subsequently burst. A brief moment followed where the transformation reached its climax and every soldier would be able to see Manald naked while he couldn't do anything. Then, somewhat crouching so not to reveal himself to the trolls and goblins openly, he put on his other leather armor as fast as possible. With a loud, smacking sound, Manald's claws dug into the throat of the goblin that had just reached the top of the ladder. Blood was pouring out of it and moments later the body was clearly devoid of life. Good. Manald knew he had not much experience in handling a sword, but even an idiot could use a club... And every bit of metal and other armor on that dead goblin now would only make it more useful for wiping its successors on the ladder off the latter. The wood made more than one cracking sound as Manald climbed it from above. That thing was designed for green critters, not for him in his current state. However, as long as it would hold together somehow until he was down far enough to jump everything would be fine. He now held the dead goblin at one of its ankles, trying to get as much range out of his makeshift weapon as possible before thrashing those who continued to climb upwards as he came downwards. Whether this would work out as planned ? Of course Manald couldn't tell for sure, but only hope. Unlike certain drows he had no magical ability to just disapper and reappear on top of the wall again, but maybe the soldiers there would be able to help him clear a way towards the first of the trolls. They simply could not be allowed to reach the gate and do their work. At least Manald now was at least as monstrous as they were, if not even worse.</s>
<\|description\|>Manald Halung Race: Beastman Gender: Male Age: 34 At almost seven feet in his non-shifted form Manald stands on the more imposing side of things, something that is underlined by the fact that he's also superbly muscular, thick boned and well fed. Overall it's more than enough weight to give those concerned with logistics a headache when they have to think about him. Also: Imagine a wolf, mix it with the shape of a human, and you get Manald. He's got long, gray hairs on many his skin, his teeth look more like those of a carnivore than those of an omnivore and his ears are as pointy as are his fingernails. For the sake of interpersonal relationships however he tries to cover most of this in at least some form of clothing as long as he doesn't sweat too much in it. Bio: Manald is the offspring of his father Setsir and his mother Feyr, a loving beastmen couple living close to the kingdom's borders. This location allowed for early contact with human culture and civilization, but still it was hardly foreseeable that he'd end up as a member of the royal guard one day. His feral features rendered him a man less sociable than the average, but a company of mercenaries discovered him and offered him to join them. He proved good, very good indeed. Everything ultimately comes to an end however. At some point the very regional affairs of his companionship no longer proved satisfying enough for the eager young man. The mercenaries did not like his decision, some of his former colleagues even call him a coward and a snob for his aspirations, but Manald left in the search for a more extensive adventure. He left his family behind with this decision as well, but it was in good mutual agreement. He could have left for the heartland of beastman territory, but out of curiosity he ventured deeper into the realm of human kingdoms instead. It didn't take long for local recruiters to turn their eyes towards the wandering man. Armies are needed always and everywhere practically, so he was consumed by one not much later and started serving as a low ranking soldier. A bit less action then with the mercenaries, but a much wider reach in terms of travels and more potential friends -- and enemies -- gave him enough thrill to stay. Manald learned only very recently whose army he actually ended up in... Personality quirks: As fierce as he might be looking, his general demeanor outside of combat does not keep up with his outer appearance so to speak. He's a calm dude and if it would be easy to provoke him he'd probably be in a lot more trouble than he currently is, but once that certain threshold he also tends to show off a high degree of tenacity and stubbornness. He loves do eat and drink, so better don't get into his way when there's the smell of free, fresh raw meat around. Bonds:* Torsten is the apprentice of one of the blacksmith's that keep the guard's equipment in working order. He's still learning and a young boy, but he's also one of those without prejudices against beastmen and shows great interest in Manald instead. It would not be the first time for Torsten to have an open ear for Manald's special needs. * Utgar was the head of the first band of mercenaries the young Manald joined and has never gotten over the fact that Manald left his men. Utgar current location or profession is unknown, but you always meet twice. Fighting style: Manald's way of handling such things can be subdivided into two different branches: The first one is what he uses most of the time -- whenever he's not shifting -- and combines a morning star and a shield into something that clearly lacks finesse, but adds strength and ferocity. The second branch is when he's shifted: No weapons, just armor, claws and teeth that can bite through some more than just flesh. It's somewhat reckless, somewhat dangerous, but also capable of striking fear into the hearts of those having to oppose him. Equipment:* Two sets of thick leather armor partially reinforced with metal plates. One for his more ordinary shape, and one that allows both for a quick exchange and for a lot more body inside. * A standard sized morning star * A round shield * A soldier's standard supply of water, dry meat, bread and basic utensils for everyday life. Skills/Abilities:* Raw strength and endurance: He's a beast after all, quite literally. * Morale booster: He has learned several warcries typical for his people while still at home. They, combined with his sheer appearance, can deteriorate an enemy's will to fight and boost that of those fighting on his own side. * Heightened senses: Even while not shifting his intrinsic lycanthropy improves his ability to see in the dark, to hear faint noises or to notice whisps of odour considerably. Other: -=Rules=- 1. Listen to the GM(s), If you have a complaint tell me. I am not an evil dictator and if I am wrong I will admit it. 2. Romance and Gore allowed, But keep it in good taste and in site rules 3. Now not all characters will play nice with each other I understand that, but keep the disputes in the RP not in OOC 4. Be civilized and polite please 5. All basic RP rules apply to this roleplay: Power playing, Meta gaming, and others are not allowed. 6. The story isn't exactly set, if you have an idea for a mission feel free to pm me the details and I'll try to work it in. 7. Copy the rules into a Hider in the "other" of your cs so I know you read them. 8. Get into your character's skin become him or her as you are playing have fun and give us insight into their thoughts. 9. Try to keep active, in both the IC and OOC pages please. And even if you don't have anything to say, at least read the OOC</s> <\|message\|>Faira Blodwen Faira directed the soldiers to fight the goblins, and put the new, less trained conscripts to work splintering the remaining ladders with axes. When only one ladder remained, she commanded a halt to their world and approached. A swift thrust dispatched the lead goblin climber, sending it tumbling down to knock its fellows off the ladder. She stepped onto the siege weapon herself and kicked off the wall with the force of an angry mule, sending it tipping backward to the ground. Grabbing a goblin about the neck to catch her fall, Faira stood among the stunned enemies and set about hacking her way towards Manald and the trolls. One was down, but clearly lived, and Manald was making his bestial way towards the remaining creature. Faira stopped at the downed troll, and reactivated the spell on her dagger. She plunged it into the trolls throat with a sizzle of burningbmeat and blood, and wrenched it across the neck to sever the head. That should do it, she thought. Before the surrounding goblins could recover and swarm her, she hurled the still-blazing knife past Manald and aiming for the space between the armor on the back of the last trolls neck. Faira returned her second hand to her sword and swung for a nearby goblin, trusting the riflemen to thin the herd around her so she would not be over run.</s> <\|message\|>Merik Roak Merik Roak --- Merik was quite proud of himself while the other goblins ran off from his roar. Goblins were always a fun fight and it would seem it wasn't over. More goblins came up the wall dressed in rag tag armor and shields. Just from the look and combat ability he could tell that these ones were definitely going to be fun. One of them that seemed a bit bigger than the others proclaimed himself as the chief and said something akin to them being better than everyone else then going on about the ram he had destroyed. These goblins were definitely full of themselves, the soldiers regrouped rather quickly and formed a shield wall to oppose the goblins. This was definitely a fight he wasn't going to miss out on. With his mighty blade in his hand Merik sprinted for a moment and leapt over the soldiers and landed in front of them. Standing slowly with a growl akin to a predator he smiled at the goblins, "Finally, Food!" Merik's eyes glowed a slight red, muscles bulged, it almost seemed like he grew larger. With another deep breath and low growl Merik charged the opposing wall intent on swinging his sword in a mighty swing from right to left in an attempt to wipe the filth from the walls. It was safe to say the Lizardfolk entered into a rage.</s>	<\|message\|>Manald Halung Manald's back was aching from the bullet it had cought, but the lycan perfectly knew that the real pain that any such projectile was bound to incude would only come after shifting back. For now a single one of these things in that position did not impair his capability to carry on too much, so the solution was obvious... Manald had reached for the hopefully dead troll's axe and didn't even care to lift it on his way to the second troll at the gate. The creature was standing with its back to him and making so much noise with its hammer slamming against the gate that it probably would be unable to notice him or anyone else approaching from behind. The axe ploughed a small trench into the soft ground and, as it ran over one of many dead goblins, managed to almost split the small body in two due to its weight before continuing on as if nothing had happened. The werewolf was about to finally grab it with both hands and start his approach when something flew past him at breakneck speed and way too little distance to feel particularly comfortable. What was that ? It had looked like a knife, but not just any knife but a knife on fire before it had buried itself in the troll's flesh. Manald was not confident at all that this would be enough to bring hammer troll down, so he started running and prepared for a strike with the axe from top to bottom with only little sideways movement. The plan was to smash the thing into the troll's head, but even if he'd miss (which was not all too unlikely) that he'd hopefully still hit the shoulder and bury the thing deep enough into the troll's torso to render it incapacitated for a bunch of moments. Enough time to repeat the bite procedure. Manald clearly was counting on the troll either not noticing or just being too sluggish to turn around and defend itself properly against the danger. What the lycan did not seem to realize however was that he currently probably was by far the heaviest thing on the entire battlefield and thus, by himself, was not that unsuited to act as a battering ram against a gate already weakened by a series of troll hammer blows. He had committed onto a collission course with the troll standing right in front of it, intending to kill the creature as fast as possible.</s>
<\|description\|>Manald Halung Race: Beastman Gender: Male Age: 34 At almost seven feet in his non-shifted form Manald stands on the more imposing side of things, something that is underlined by the fact that he's also superbly muscular, thick boned and well fed. Overall it's more than enough weight to give those concerned with logistics a headache when they have to think about him. Also: Imagine a wolf, mix it with the shape of a human, and you get Manald. He's got long, gray hairs on many his skin, his teeth look more like those of a carnivore than those of an omnivore and his ears are as pointy as are his fingernails. For the sake of interpersonal relationships however he tries to cover most of this in at least some form of clothing as long as he doesn't sweat too much in it. Bio: Manald is the offspring of his father Setsir and his mother Feyr, a loving beastmen couple living close to the kingdom's borders. This location allowed for early contact with human culture and civilization, but still it was hardly foreseeable that he'd end up as a member of the royal guard one day. His feral features rendered him a man less sociable than the average, but a company of mercenaries discovered him and offered him to join them. He proved good, very good indeed. Everything ultimately comes to an end however. At some point the very regional affairs of his companionship no longer proved satisfying enough for the eager young man. The mercenaries did not like his decision, some of his former colleagues even call him a coward and a snob for his aspirations, but Manald left in the search for a more extensive adventure. He left his family behind with this decision as well, but it was in good mutual agreement. He could have left for the heartland of beastman territory, but out of curiosity he ventured deeper into the realm of human kingdoms instead. It didn't take long for local recruiters to turn their eyes towards the wandering man. Armies are needed always and everywhere practically, so he was consumed by one not much later and started serving as a low ranking soldier. A bit less action then with the mercenaries, but a much wider reach in terms of travels and more potential friends -- and enemies -- gave him enough thrill to stay. Manald learned only very recently whose army he actually ended up in... Personality quirks: As fierce as he might be looking, his general demeanor outside of combat does not keep up with his outer appearance so to speak. He's a calm dude and if it would be easy to provoke him he'd probably be in a lot more trouble than he currently is, but once that certain threshold he also tends to show off a high degree of tenacity and stubbornness. He loves do eat and drink, so better don't get into his way when there's the smell of free, fresh raw meat around. Bonds:* Torsten is the apprentice of one of the blacksmith's that keep the guard's equipment in working order. He's still learning and a young boy, but he's also one of those without prejudices against beastmen and shows great interest in Manald instead. It would not be the first time for Torsten to have an open ear for Manald's special needs. * Utgar was the head of the first band of mercenaries the young Manald joined and has never gotten over the fact that Manald left his men. Utgar current location or profession is unknown, but you always meet twice. Fighting style: Manald's way of handling such things can be subdivided into two different branches: The first one is what he uses most of the time -- whenever he's not shifting -- and combines a morning star and a shield into something that clearly lacks finesse, but adds strength and ferocity. The second branch is when he's shifted: No weapons, just armor, claws and teeth that can bite through some more than just flesh. It's somewhat reckless, somewhat dangerous, but also capable of striking fear into the hearts of those having to oppose him. Equipment:* Two sets of thick leather armor partially reinforced with metal plates. One for his more ordinary shape, and one that allows both for a quick exchange and for a lot more body inside. * A standard sized morning star * A round shield * A soldier's standard supply of water, dry meat, bread and basic utensils for everyday life. Skills/Abilities:* Raw strength and endurance: He's a beast after all, quite literally. * Morale booster: He has learned several warcries typical for his people while still at home. They, combined with his sheer appearance, can deteriorate an enemy's will to fight and boost that of those fighting on his own side. * Heightened senses: Even while not shifting his intrinsic lycanthropy improves his ability to see in the dark, to hear faint noises or to notice whisps of odour considerably. Other: -=Rules=- 1. Listen to the GM(s), If you have a complaint tell me. I am not an evil dictator and if I am wrong I will admit it. 2. Romance and Gore allowed, But keep it in good taste and in site rules 3. Now not all characters will play nice with each other I understand that, but keep the disputes in the RP not in OOC 4. Be civilized and polite please 5. All basic RP rules apply to this roleplay: Power playing, Meta gaming, and others are not allowed. 6. The story isn't exactly set, if you have an idea for a mission feel free to pm me the details and I'll try to work it in. 7. Copy the rules into a Hider in the "other" of your cs so I know you read them. 8. Get into your character's skin become him or her as you are playing have fun and give us insight into their thoughts. 9. Try to keep active, in both the IC and OOC pages please. And even if you don't have anything to say, at least read the OOC</s> <\|message\|>Zatana Aleana Forcing her heavy breathing to slow, Zatana took a moment to survey the stables then bent to the task at hand. The man would not be moving for a while and while the drow would be happy enough with that, it would be sloppy to not properly process him as would be expected per her training. It was that professionalism that kept her moving when she wanted to sit down. Snatching one of her smaller daggers, the assassin sliced the lesser's shirt and tunic along the seams carefully watching for any hidden items. Which she was does not disappointed with a set of lock picks, setting them aside upon the cloth that had been the man's cloak. The boots and socks followed. Ruthlessly Zatana checked his hair, behind his ears, and the seams and hem of his trousers. It was commonplace for a strangler's cord, poison, or some charm to be hidden away in cases such as these. Jerking his mouth open, she poked out and pulled out a cord nearly choking the man as she pulled out a small packet and flicked it onto the cloak as well. Finally satisfied that he would not be pulling a suicide attempt by her neglect, the drow gave a snarl as she ruthlessly bound his wrists together and hobbled his feet with leads from the stable. The mare within her stall gave a snort of disgust that matched her mistress's mood as the drow gathered the cloak. "Yes, I agree." Zatana spat her irritation, though she did approach the mare much to the terror of the man as he slowly began coming out of his pain-induced stun. "I should give him to you, perhaps if we do not need him the Lord will agree." She stroked the mare and offered a handful of hay. The mare took it and nearly took her fingers as well though Zatana was an old hand at the devil creature's tricks. Turning away, the drow gripped the man's scalp, hauled him to his feet, and shoved him before her. "Move and make another foolish move?" Her voice was a velvet croon as if begging the man to do something stupid. "And we shall see what body parts you do not need before your questioning even begins. Just imagine the pain I could deal you if I had a dagger to your..." She laughed a cruel sound that echoed in the night. There were some benefits to the image the drow had and this was one of those times that Zatana would abandon her silence to shamelessly intimidate the enemy. Guiding the man back into the keep, looking for the Spymaster and mage. Zatana was fingering her dagger and considering how best to butcher the man before her. Something was going on this night and if anything happened out of hand with the Prince? She was going to destroy this man as a sacrifice to her rage. Though she had left the Dread Coast behind the woman was still a drow and worse? If something had happened, it might well mean her own head or something else unpleasant. Unsatisfied with how slow the man was walking, from a mixture of pain and trying to buy time, Zatana finally gripped his neck and hauled him along. Her nails digging furrows into his skin that dripped red blood in tiny trails down his neck. "Cowardly bastard." She sneered in disgust. Spying a servant she snapped at the woman, her accent rolling harsh off her tongue. "Where is Balthazar, and the Prince?" The kitchen maid who had been awaken by the noise of people running about and now was hauling a kettle to the Duke's room with which to boul water, nearly dropped the brass kettle from the terror of a drow woman appearing out of the darkness hauling a man. Of course, everyone knew there was a drow in the Prince's Royal Guard since the seige, but this was- "Woman, where is the mage?" The maid pointed, her hand shaking as the drow strode pass hauling a shirtless and brutally beaten young man with her. "The Prince?" The question made the younger woman jump and shake her head mutely, unable to answer a question she did not know the answer to. The curse that followed would have turned a cow's milk sour. Zatana herself was past the point of caring. Spies were expected. Spies who were being such idiots as to try and steal her own horse of all horses? "Did everyone lose their senses this night?!" She demanded of the young man and jerked him along as he stumbled over the stones. She had taken a bit of time to recover and chaos had opened a door and dropped incompetents upon the castle. It only proved her point right that being on alert all the time was a good idea. The one time you relaxed even slightly the enemy would slip in and decide to cause problems. Growling Zatana snapped at a few more servants for directions, and decided if she didn't find the spymaster shortly she would butcher this particular man herself and be damned what the humans, elves, orcs, werewolves, lizardmen, priestesses, or any other being she could possibly give a single damn about thought! Then she could be rid of him in hands he would not escape from and she could go check on the Prince and stay with the Prince until this entire matter was settled!</s> <\|message\|>Merik Roak Merik Roak --- The man that smelled of orc was subdued quickly with a strong bite across the right shoulder and several hits to his abdomen. His jaw was still firmly clamped over the man's shoulder and he yelped every time either of them moved. Merik knew the man would not die with how he held him but it would be painful. With the sudden ferocity leaving his eyes and the content nature of having caught his prey, the lizard looked at his were wolf prey and pointed at the keep. With a shrug he began to make his way back to the keep, his prey doing his best to move as little as possible while trapped in the beast's jaws. The man struggled but the slight clamp of Merik's jaws dissuaded any attempts at further rebellion from his fate. It was either that or the drool pouring over their shoulder. Perhaps it was even the rough reptilian tongue that seemed to casually taste the man's blood. Although people did stare or were attracted to the cries of pain from the man Merik was carrying. Not a single citizen or guard tried to stop him as he entered the grounds of the keep with the sometimes sobbing man. Upon entering the grounds to the keep the towering hulk stopped in front of a small gathering of guards. They were discussing something serious but all turned toward the whimpers of the man still clutched in his jaw. Merik let the man drop from his mouth to the ground several trails of drool following him. "This one go to jail." He spoke sternly and to the point then crouched down to the injured man and ran his tongue over the wounds and across the assassins face. "If you run I eat you." And with that Merik waited for the man to be restrained then headed off back towards the keep and the stash of food he left in the war room.</s>	<\|message\|>Manald Halung Manald could feel a weird sensation crawling up first along the lines of his lower arm, then through his upper arm and shoulder before it started to disperse along his body and, to his fortune, became less and less noticeable. The lycanthrope hoped for it to be nothing but an imagined side effect of the poison, but it could very well be otherwise and now that stuff would be floating around in his blood for who knew how long! What would it cause ? He could not know. Manald could only hope and pay attention to the signals of his own body for the next hours and maybe even days to come. After all, at this point, the beastman was still completely oblivious to the fact that the prince himself had fallen victim to the assassins and thus had no reference for their poison's effects. He did have a reference for one of the assassins themselves though and knew what he wanted to do with the nasty, hideous man. And that definitely was not to bite into his body and having to maintain a delicate act of balance between enough force to drag him along and enough gentleness not to eat right through him! Manald was a lycanthrope, not a cat! And this wannabe killer was not his kitten that needed to be carried along in a very cat-like way! Aside from that Manald's jaws were quite a tad smaller than Merik's, at least while not in his true werewolf shape. The latter on the other hand would not have been appropriate for a task like this... there was no need to frighten the cities inhabitants in the middle of the night. So the assassin whose name Manald never felt the need to ask for was inspected thoroughly. He had little hesitation to not only look through the man's pockets and let his hands pat along his clothes, but to also use his nose and sniff along his skin. No more poison to be smelled, just the clear signs of growing anxiety. But anxious for what reason ? Manald's infernal vice grip was probably harmless compared to what could come in the castle they were now headed for! And, to Manald's slight surprise, they did not encounter the broken apart remains of Merik's cargo because the latter had failed to control his jaws with enough delicacy. Dragging the assassin along behind him, the beastman walked towards one of the guards. "Would you mind taking care of his individual ? He's tried to killed me and has poisoned me. Don't worry... the only weapon he has left is his piss!"</s>
<\|description\|>Manald Halung Race: Beastman Gender: Male Age: 34 At almost seven feet in his non-shifted form Manald stands on the more imposing side of things, something that is underlined by the fact that he's also superbly muscular, thick boned and well fed. Overall it's more than enough weight to give those concerned with logistics a headache when they have to think about him. Also: Imagine a wolf, mix it with the shape of a human, and you get Manald. He's got long, gray hairs on many his skin, his teeth look more like those of a carnivore than those of an omnivore and his ears are as pointy as are his fingernails. For the sake of interpersonal relationships however he tries to cover most of this in at least some form of clothing as long as he doesn't sweat too much in it. Bio: Manald is the offspring of his father Setsir and his mother Feyr, a loving beastmen couple living close to the kingdom's borders. This location allowed for early contact with human culture and civilization, but still it was hardly foreseeable that he'd end up as a member of the royal guard one day. His feral features rendered him a man less sociable than the average, but a company of mercenaries discovered him and offered him to join them. He proved good, very good indeed. Everything ultimately comes to an end however. At some point the very regional affairs of his companionship no longer proved satisfying enough for the eager young man. The mercenaries did not like his decision, some of his former colleagues even call him a coward and a snob for his aspirations, but Manald left in the search for a more extensive adventure. He left his family behind with this decision as well, but it was in good mutual agreement. He could have left for the heartland of beastman territory, but out of curiosity he ventured deeper into the realm of human kingdoms instead. It didn't take long for local recruiters to turn their eyes towards the wandering man. Armies are needed always and everywhere practically, so he was consumed by one not much later and started serving as a low ranking soldier. A bit less action then with the mercenaries, but a much wider reach in terms of travels and more potential friends -- and enemies -- gave him enough thrill to stay. Manald learned only very recently whose army he actually ended up in... Personality quirks: As fierce as he might be looking, his general demeanor outside of combat does not keep up with his outer appearance so to speak. He's a calm dude and if it would be easy to provoke him he'd probably be in a lot more trouble than he currently is, but once that certain threshold he also tends to show off a high degree of tenacity and stubbornness. He loves do eat and drink, so better don't get into his way when there's the smell of free, fresh raw meat around. Bonds:* Torsten is the apprentice of one of the blacksmith's that keep the guard's equipment in working order. He's still learning and a young boy, but he's also one of those without prejudices against beastmen and shows great interest in Manald instead. It would not be the first time for Torsten to have an open ear for Manald's special needs. * Utgar was the head of the first band of mercenaries the young Manald joined and has never gotten over the fact that Manald left his men. Utgar current location or profession is unknown, but you always meet twice. Fighting style: Manald's way of handling such things can be subdivided into two different branches: The first one is what he uses most of the time -- whenever he's not shifting -- and combines a morning star and a shield into something that clearly lacks finesse, but adds strength and ferocity. The second branch is when he's shifted: No weapons, just armor, claws and teeth that can bite through some more than just flesh. It's somewhat reckless, somewhat dangerous, but also capable of striking fear into the hearts of those having to oppose him. Equipment:* Two sets of thick leather armor partially reinforced with metal plates. One for his more ordinary shape, and one that allows both for a quick exchange and for a lot more body inside. * A standard sized morning star * A round shield * A soldier's standard supply of water, dry meat, bread and basic utensils for everyday life. Skills/Abilities:* Raw strength and endurance: He's a beast after all, quite literally. * Morale booster: He has learned several warcries typical for his people while still at home. They, combined with his sheer appearance, can deteriorate an enemy's will to fight and boost that of those fighting on his own side. * Heightened senses: Even while not shifting his intrinsic lycanthropy improves his ability to see in the dark, to hear faint noises or to notice whisps of odour considerably. Other: -=Rules=- 1. Listen to the GM(s), If you have a complaint tell me. I am not an evil dictator and if I am wrong I will admit it. 2. Romance and Gore allowed, But keep it in good taste and in site rules 3. Now not all characters will play nice with each other I understand that, but keep the disputes in the RP not in OOC 4. Be civilized and polite please 5. All basic RP rules apply to this roleplay: Power playing, Meta gaming, and others are not allowed. 6. The story isn't exactly set, if you have an idea for a mission feel free to pm me the details and I'll try to work it in. 7. Copy the rules into a Hider in the "other" of your cs so I know you read them. 8. Get into your character's skin become him or her as you are playing have fun and give us insight into their thoughts. 9. Try to keep active, in both the IC and OOC pages please. And even if you don't have anything to say, at least read the OOC</s> <\|message\|>Rudolph Kestrell Rudolph raised a brow as he withdrew the knife that 'Donovan' threw at 'Clarisse', "Poison eh?" Fullar stood up straight as things proceeded, and turned to Balthazar, "My lord..", he gave a brief salute, "...I and my fellow Sergeant here intercepted the woman and her comrade at a well. If these assassins were all equipped with poison, then who knows who or what else they may have already poisoned." Rudolph got up from his chair and walked over to the seasoned man as Fullar spoke, "If its any use to you." he gestured as he offered the knife that he obtained, "The woman's partner tried throwing it at her before he died. My guess is thats its poisoned too." ------------ Captain Helt was struggling with the situation at hand, many of the cities guards and soldiers had been amongst those getting merry, and a good few of them too much so. So with that, Helt had only a small portion to work with in scouring the city and keeping things in lockdown. The civilian populace had been sent back to their homes for the night, and the festival decor left to be dealt with in the morning following. Only occasional armoured footsteps and the rare barking of orders could be heard in the narrow streets of Bergkoff, otherwise though it could be considered quiet. ----------- As the doctor was about to leave and go tend to Prince Leonidas, the door to the Duke's chambers opened as Morgan had come again with news about the capturing of more assassins. He also informed her of more poison being obtained. Shortly after this, the Duke gave a pained moan, and his eyes crept open for but a moment, "Mor..gan..." The man surprised by his lords awakening quickly went the bed side, "I am here my lord. How are you feeling?" he asked with concern in his tone. The Duke's eyes opened once again and were fixated onto Morgan as though he were trying to recognise the man before him, but after a brief second or two the Duke fell unconscious again. Morgan sighed and looked toward the Doctor, "He needs rest, but the fact he awoke is a good sign. Please keep an eye on him. I must now go check on the Prince." she said before she left the Duke's chambers.</s> <\|message\|>Merik Roak Merik Roak --- Merik once again found his way back to the war room, after a quick check to see if his food was still safe the beast curled back up in the middle of the room and attempted to return to his slumber. Alas he would not find it, tossing and turning for a few minutes he let out a monstrous sigh and stood. Something still didn't feel right, something still felt like he needed to be on alert. The hunt and although successful was not filling. Merik found a piece of meat he had obtained from his stash and stepped out into the halls. His large frame patrolling the dark and seldom lit halls with ease. He passed several people and doors before ultimately finding himself outside of the duke's chambers. A few guards were posted outside and they seemed uneasy about his presence. The large reptile sat far enough away that others could get passed but otherwise just listened and ate the rest of his food. A few more people came and went some barely noticing him sitting quietly others giving him a wide birth. After a few more minutes he stood and approached the door, the guards watched him but did not stop him as he opened the door and stepped inside. A few more guards where near the door and the window with another by the Duke's bedside. Merik could feel a bit guilty for not being able to stop the assassins, his senses should have picked up on them but it seems that even he had a lot to learn. Obviously everyone was tired and on edge in that room by the way the guards fingered their weapons as he approached the bed. Sitting down at the foot of it and starring at the duke he did not pay any attention to the one watching the duke or the guards that stood quietly in the room. Using his hearing the lizard directed his attention to the duke, he could hear his labored breathing and the fast rhythm of his heart beat. Merik could tell that the man was fighting it, his body was fighting it and yet he felt that he may still be able to help. Waling on all fours to the side of the bed opposite the healer Merik again flared his nostrils and took several deep breaths over the duke. The others in the room were watching him closely. Either through his royal seal or just his intimidating size none of the others made a move until he attempted to pull the blanket off the duke's chest with one of his large claws. Merik stopped and looked at the guards who were now gripping their weapons, "it okay. Merik Help." He pulled the blanket down further and exposed the duke's chest by pushing his bed ware out of the way. The healer was watching him closely while he placed his large reptilian hand on the duke's chest. His hand easily encompassed his chest. With a deep breath Merik closed his eyes and just felt the duke's chest rise, his heart beat, and his blood surge through his body. Merik remembered what the elder had told him about magic some big words made sense while others he could not translate properly. He began to feel it, his own heart rate and breathing compared to the dukes, his own blood and energy flow through him. Merik felt the surge of magic throughout his body, his natural primal magic of a dragon touched. A beast long forgotten waiting to free itself and the natural way of things keeping order in the chaos of life. He felt the magic in him flow down his arm, he willed it from him and into the duke. The energy of life, of growth, the magic that has always been inside him shaping his strong muscles and bone. Building him into what he was. Merik pushed this energy into his palm and into the duke. The same energy that gave him his prowess, the energy gifted to him to be strong and mighty, a gift from the dragon. The dragon touched was giving a portion of his power, his magic to the duke. Not to mend wounds or send him into a rage but give his body enough energy to fix its own issues. Enough power to speed up its own recovery time and possibly make him powerful. For a moment Merik felt the different energy of himself and the duke touch, twist around each other, absorb into one another, and become one. A luminous green glow cast from his hand and then it stopped. His moment of bliss and serenity cut in an instant as he fell onto his back with a heavy thud. Merik grimaced with a sharp pain in his head accompanied with a dizzy feeling that left him unable to stand or move. The barbarian was unsure of what he just did or the repercussions that would come with it, if he did anything at all.</s>	<\|message\|>Manald Halung Down in the dungeons ? It took a mere moment for the lycanthrope to understand that this could only mean that not everything had gone according to plan this night. There simply was no reason the beastman could imagine that would make any of the persons mentioned spend his or her good night's sleep in the dungeons instead of some more comfortable place, unless something serious had happened. His own departure from the dormatory had only been caused by special circumstances as well after all. What could that special reason be ? Another open attack at night would have resulted in general alarm, but such was nowhere to be heard. Also any issues in the city not related to any attackers would probably be delegated towards the mayor and his subordinates instead of bothering the military presence here. So all that was left to think of were more assassins. It would make sense to gather in the dungeon then, a more controllable position than being spread thin throughout the entire building. A development he might have missed in the meantime! Manald hurried down the stone staircases, the claws on his feet preventing him from slipping more than once as he paid little attention to the placement of his huge feet on the steps. If the whole affair had been a big waterslide instead of a staircase... he'd have used it happily anyway. Unfortunately 'dungeons' only gave a rough indication that his destination had to be somewhere 'downstairs', but the exact path to the Captain remained unclear until he started asking the guards. Those however did not seem to be very fond of his appearance and it took a rather annoying number of presentations of his insignia to get some definite information. At least that meant that security was working here, or was it ? What if assassins had indeed managed to enter the castle as well ? Manald could not spot any more dubious persons with suspicious demeanor, clothes or behavior down there however, albeit he spared himself from looking into each and every cell. He walked through as many hallways as he could before coming to the firm belief that he had seen everything at least once. The overall situation seemed calm enough to Manald that he deemed his further presence down here unncessary. Also the whole affair had taken so long that entirely continuing on his own would have been quite inefficient. Maybe others already had more of a general idea what was going on, or at least they would be able to tell him that they had no clue so he'd be able to tell them to be careful! Also... would turning into full wolf have made the whole process a lot faster ? Just releasing an infernal howl straight from hell and scare off any intruders even if they're two levels above because they don't know that there's a 'friendly' lycanthrope around ? And many others would have gathered to investigate, so he'd have had an easy time getting an initial head count! The idea sounded tempting, but the imagination of just how disgruntled many of the castle's legitimate inhabitants could be after such a course of action did not. So, an uncomforting bunch of both minutes and guards later, Manald found himself in the spymaster's quarters on a mere two feet, as usual. Firmly believing that more had happened than just himself encountering two assassins on the open street, the beastman addressed the other person: "I want a full report! Have 'my' two assassins been the only ones ?"</s>
<\|description\|>Zatana Aleana Race: Drow Gender: Female Age: 120 Appearance: Zatana stands at a fairly average height, her form being well-muscled from the climbing and acrobatics that are part of her vocation. Wiry and flexible, but there is the hard muscle of someone having to fight for survival. With high cheekbones and delicate features, she keeps her long pale hair pinned to the back of her head in a braid to use in combination with her charms when it is needed. But that is if she allows anyone to see the ashy grey skin or get so close to determine her eyes are truly black. Keeping herself wrapped in leather armor head to toe and helped by a ragged cloak of dark material when she can be a bit more relaxed. When she does not feel the need to reveal herself, any possibility of showing skin or hair is wrapped in bandages. Bio: Her grandfather, Murdoc Do'ana, was the reason her life became even possible. A mage who tested the idea of what was possible and not, he was held in high regard in the Drowish side of the Dread Coast, though he is well known. Sly, kind, cunning and all too aware of just how to manipulate others. He does have an odd sense of justice that is strangely hard to argue against. Her mother had no want or desire to raise a child and Zatana's father only mentioned her existence to his father, Murdoc, in passing years after her birth. In all essentiality, Zartana makes no bones that her grandfather paid her mother to relinquish her claim and give the grandchild over. It happened, life moved on and at the tender age of seven, Zartana began studying the ways of shadows and secrets, and not just how to pick a pocket. She was her grandfather's left hand, the sleight of hand he needed to pass messages and arrange things and listen at street corners. She transcribed his notes later on and helped him with his experiments, learning how to draw secrets from people from talking or force. Zatana loved the mage, adored him. Finding out about a plot to kill her beloved grandfather, Zatana acted without hesitation. Killing the two assassins, using the knowledge of the body she gained studying under Murdoc. Now with a bodyguard as well as an assistant. Murdoc found himself rather pleased with the turn of events. If only for his own ends and his experiments being able to continue without interruption by the petty games his rivals played. He used his granddaughter's skill with the blade and honed it. Refusing any imperfection. Yet, he was a man who was rarely ever content. But Murdoc Do'ana was dissatisfied with the news he got from outside the Dread Coast and having the perfect person to be his eyes, he sent Zatana. Traveling for years, she finally moved to intercept an assassin her own grandfather had sent after the Prince and joined the guard. Then again, that was exactly as her grandfather had planned and ordered. Personality quirks: Traits: - Loyalty is everything to her, just as her business at gathering intel and carrying out her job. And her race makes that harder, as well as a love for cute things. Ideal - "I must survive and pay the debt of life I owe." Bond: Murdoc Do'ana; Her grandfather and the one she came to the Empire under the orders of. He raised, trained and set her out into the world. If he asks anything of her? How could she refuse? - Relon Vaugh; The lover of the assassin she killed to join the Prince's Guard. Flaw: Divided loyalties and she finds herself rather obsessed with perfection in what she does. Itchy fingers that like to slip away items. Fighting Style: She uses daggers as if she was born to them. The throwing, and stabbing kind. Zatana is decent with a bow, taking it up to get a range as getting close to the enemy is not a good idea if she isn't getting the drop on them. Equipment: She wears hardened leather armor, along with a cloak or cloth to hide her skin. She has ten daggers on her. Two in each armpit, wrist, boot, and each side of the waist as well as one on the back of the neck and one behind her back. The daggers at her waist and behind her back are heavy fighting daggers, while the one in her boots are stilettos. She has a bow and a full quiver of arrows varying from barbed headed to sleeker arrows. The last item is a small book carefully hidden usually under her armor, Zatana's Grimoire. Filled more with notes on the Empire in her meandering code than of spells. Skills/Abilities: Shadow Step - The ability to disappear into shadow, blending in and being hard to see. Poison: A good understanding of poisons and applying them to her weapons. Experienced thief/Spy- Skilled at eavesdropping, slight of hand, picking pockets, lockpicking. Assassin: Understanding the art of killing people by stabbing them from behind. Forgery: She can forge notes, or quickly transcribe information. Other Information: 1. Listen to the GM(s), If you have a complaint tell me. I am not an evil dictator and if I am wrong I will admit it. 2. Romance and Gore allowed, But keep it in good taste and in site rules 3. Now not all characters will play nice with each other I understand that, but keep the disputes in the RP not in OOC 4. Be civilized and polite please 5. All basic RP rules apply to this roleplay: Power playing, Meta gaming, and others are not allowed. 6. The story isn't exactly set, if you have an idea for a mission feel free to pm me the details and I'll try to work it in. 7. Copy the rules into a Hider in the "other" of your cs so I know you read them. 8. Get into your character's skin become him or her as you are playing have fun and give us insight into their thoughts. 9. Try to keep active, in both the IC and OOC pages please. And even if you don't have anything to say, at least read the OOC</s> <\|message\|>Zatana Aleana "I'm sorry, I didn't know the Prince would be sending anyone ahead, Are his forces almost here? What can we do for you?" Zatana merely gave a direct nod to the talking soldier, her eyes sharp as she studied the streets crowded with more fights. Well, that was excellent. "Which way is the Westgate?" As the guard began to explain then simply pointed, the cloaked woman twisted in the saddle to give Faira a sharp hiss of annoyance at the situation. "Horses can get to our destination quickly, but this crowd will risk someone getting hurt and us slowing our pace. I can go over the rooftops faster, return here and you can get parcel back." It was hardly a question of if she could do it. To Zatana it was simple. She had been given a task and her goal was to see that task done one way or the other. Between the two of them, Faira was faster on open ground and she would be faster on the rooftops. Jerking her feet out of the stirrups, Zatana tossed the reins to Faira and stood on the mare's back. The horse shifted for a second then stood still, it was not the first time she had been used as a perch for the dark elf to reach something and it was doubtful it would be the last time. Though her nearness to Steak made the sour tempered mare think about perhaps taking a sharp nip at the other horse for the indignities she suffered. "Keep my horse here, if you would? And be warned, she has a foul temper." With those words Zatana boosted herself up onto a balcony as if the plan was already agreed upon. It hadn't been and if Faira found annoyance with it as Zatana moved to swing up onto the roof, the dark elf was already gaining her rhythm of roof walking. To anyone watching it would look utterly odd in the crab like gait to scurry across the rooftops. Tuning out the chatter from the streets below, Zatana jump the small gaps heading west. It took some concentration and she had little worry about being seen. In fact, she paused for a minute in a nook out of sight of Faira or anyone else and recited the spell she knew by heart. Shadows spun about her, making her harder to see. Just another bit of soot or shadow from a bird crossing the rooftops. It was a minor precaution. Just in case someone got the idea to shoot at the odd woman hopping roofs. Spying one of the five-foot gaps, Zatana swung herself up onto the peak of the roof and thanked the luck that guided her whoever built it had not liked the studded iron wrought tops. Picking up speed, she sprung from the end that overlooked the street and landed heavily on the lower balcony of the building across the way. A minor issue those streets, she thought with annoyance as she flipped up onto the roof and continued on her way. A few more streets and a few gaps, Zatana was starting to think that all cities ought to just have their roofs be flat. The high roads were so much easier to take that way when you were in a hurry! Seeing the gate nearly before her, she slowed and kept an eye out for any beggar hovering near their pick up spot. Careful to plot her decent to the ground from an alley and to dispell the shadowy magic.</s> <\|message\|>Faira Blodwen "As do I," Faira said, taking the rein, and watching as her masked comrade vaulted up to a rooftop. "Gods' blood, she wasn't kidding." While Zatana was making her way to the meeting place, Faira dismounted, so that she stood between the two horses. When Zatana's unnamed steed made to bite her, Faira, without looking at it, kicked the horse in the shin. It was a light tap, not to hurt the beast, but just to distract it. And distracted it was, the horse started and looked at Faira in some confusion, then settled down, though still watched her from the corner of her eye. "Hold," Faira said, handing the guard both reins and ignoring him as the mare tried to snap at him, while Steak moved behind him to get away from the more aggressive horse. While this was happening, Faira began to undo straps on her armor(further distracting the guard). She loosened several around her biceps, thig, and calves. She redid the straps, and tested the new configuration by stretching. Ready now, she looked to the rooftops for Zatana's return.</s> <\|message\|>Balthazar Trevarthen Co-GM IC: The rooftops provide for an excellent way to maneuver around the city, and its use now allows for rapid movement, compared to the streets. The light of the sun shines down on the city as the battle rages all around. Most citizens and townspeople have been moved to the city's keep for safety, the streets now used by soldiers and militia to move supplies to the front quickly. Still, the odd peasant, merchant, or child lingers around, gathering their things as they prepare to move. It doesn't take long for Zatana to reach the West Gate, though, by the end of it, she's gotten quite the workout. Speed for energy, and all of that. True to Balthazar's words, the gatehouse is mostly occupied by soldiers and the occasional straggler. She spots a lone beggar near one of the alleyways next to the Gate. The decrepit-looking man is dressed in a raggedy cloak and scraps of cloth, the pewter bowl in front of him likely his greatest possession. Is this Balthazar's man? You don't see any other beggars around here. As you walk up to ask, he looks up at you. "Spare some change, good miss?"</s>	<\|message\|>Zatana Aleana Were these people simply foolish? Zatana watched as a small family slowly gathering their things, to the dark elf's eye it appeared as though they had no understanding of the danger that was coming. Were they so foolishly sure in their gate against a horde of creatures that would carve them to pieces? Turning away from the scene, Zatana continued to scan the small open space. If all went well the orcs and goblins would be routed or slain one and all. Which meant she needed the package she had been sent for, and to get back over the rooftops to Faira. Seeing one beggar more on his own, she approached the pewter bowl. A contact would remain in position until the last moment. Their duty was thus and most all of them had the good sense to know multiple paths out of a dangerous situation. Those that failed to understand the meaning of an exit? They did not stay in business long. It had been one of her first jobs when her grandfather had wanted her trained to the shadow and dagger. 'First you listen and you learn. Then you strike with the tool the enemy hands you.' The old adage was useful, but it was a slight bit more complex than surface value. If someone was waiting for a message, then why group up? It would only deter any attempt of contact, and you would only join a group if you were trying to blend or avoid someone. That this beggar was not cringing away gave her a bit of hope as she adjusted her leather breastplate. "A token of value." Two coins fell into the bowl. Their clamor covering the thunk as the wooden token was dropped right after the first but before the second. Zatana had fished it out but moments before. "Gods, deliver us from this horde." Though the words would signal fear in a plea to the gods, Zatana was more interested if this beggar would pick out what she wanted.</s>
<\|description\|>Zatana Aleana Race: Drow Gender: Female Age: 120 Appearance: Zatana stands at a fairly average height, her form being well-muscled from the climbing and acrobatics that are part of her vocation. Wiry and flexible, but there is the hard muscle of someone having to fight for survival. With high cheekbones and delicate features, she keeps her long pale hair pinned to the back of her head in a braid to use in combination with her charms when it is needed. But that is if she allows anyone to see the ashy grey skin or get so close to determine her eyes are truly black. Keeping herself wrapped in leather armor head to toe and helped by a ragged cloak of dark material when she can be a bit more relaxed. When she does not feel the need to reveal herself, any possibility of showing skin or hair is wrapped in bandages. Bio: Her grandfather, Murdoc Do'ana, was the reason her life became even possible. A mage who tested the idea of what was possible and not, he was held in high regard in the Drowish side of the Dread Coast, though he is well known. Sly, kind, cunning and all too aware of just how to manipulate others. He does have an odd sense of justice that is strangely hard to argue against. Her mother had no want or desire to raise a child and Zatana's father only mentioned her existence to his father, Murdoc, in passing years after her birth. In all essentiality, Zartana makes no bones that her grandfather paid her mother to relinquish her claim and give the grandchild over. It happened, life moved on and at the tender age of seven, Zartana began studying the ways of shadows and secrets, and not just how to pick a pocket. She was her grandfather's left hand, the sleight of hand he needed to pass messages and arrange things and listen at street corners. She transcribed his notes later on and helped him with his experiments, learning how to draw secrets from people from talking or force. Zatana loved the mage, adored him. Finding out about a plot to kill her beloved grandfather, Zatana acted without hesitation. Killing the two assassins, using the knowledge of the body she gained studying under Murdoc. Now with a bodyguard as well as an assistant. Murdoc found himself rather pleased with the turn of events. If only for his own ends and his experiments being able to continue without interruption by the petty games his rivals played. He used his granddaughter's skill with the blade and honed it. Refusing any imperfection. Yet, he was a man who was rarely ever content. But Murdoc Do'ana was dissatisfied with the news he got from outside the Dread Coast and having the perfect person to be his eyes, he sent Zatana. Traveling for years, she finally moved to intercept an assassin her own grandfather had sent after the Prince and joined the guard. Then again, that was exactly as her grandfather had planned and ordered. Personality quirks: Traits: - Loyalty is everything to her, just as her business at gathering intel and carrying out her job. And her race makes that harder, as well as a love for cute things. Ideal - "I must survive and pay the debt of life I owe." Bond: Murdoc Do'ana; Her grandfather and the one she came to the Empire under the orders of. He raised, trained and set her out into the world. If he asks anything of her? How could she refuse? - Relon Vaugh; The lover of the assassin she killed to join the Prince's Guard. Flaw: Divided loyalties and she finds herself rather obsessed with perfection in what she does. Itchy fingers that like to slip away items. Fighting Style: She uses daggers as if she was born to them. The throwing, and stabbing kind. Zatana is decent with a bow, taking it up to get a range as getting close to the enemy is not a good idea if she isn't getting the drop on them. Equipment: She wears hardened leather armor, along with a cloak or cloth to hide her skin. She has ten daggers on her. Two in each armpit, wrist, boot, and each side of the waist as well as one on the back of the neck and one behind her back. The daggers at her waist and behind her back are heavy fighting daggers, while the one in her boots are stilettos. She has a bow and a full quiver of arrows varying from barbed headed to sleeker arrows. The last item is a small book carefully hidden usually under her armor, Zatana's Grimoire. Filled more with notes on the Empire in her meandering code than of spells. Skills/Abilities: Shadow Step - The ability to disappear into shadow, blending in and being hard to see. Poison: A good understanding of poisons and applying them to her weapons. Experienced thief/Spy- Skilled at eavesdropping, slight of hand, picking pockets, lockpicking. Assassin: Understanding the art of killing people by stabbing them from behind. Forgery: She can forge notes, or quickly transcribe information. Other Information: 1. Listen to the GM(s), If you have a complaint tell me. I am not an evil dictator and if I am wrong I will admit it. 2. Romance and Gore allowed, But keep it in good taste and in site rules 3. Now not all characters will play nice with each other I understand that, but keep the disputes in the RP not in OOC 4. Be civilized and polite please 5. All basic RP rules apply to this roleplay: Power playing, Meta gaming, and others are not allowed. 6. The story isn't exactly set, if you have an idea for a mission feel free to pm me the details and I'll try to work it in. 7. Copy the rules into a Hider in the "other" of your cs so I know you read them. 8. Get into your character's skin become him or her as you are playing have fun and give us insight into their thoughts. 9. Try to keep active, in both the IC and OOC pages please. And even if you don't have anything to say, at least read the OOC</s> <\|message\|>Rudolph Kestrell "Sounds like an interesting group of characters. And even a Drow you say...? Tell me, do they have that Majestic Beauty that I've heard about from Elves? Think I would have a shot with her?" Fullar asked seemingly serious. Rudolph's eyes widened in surprise at his old friends comment. "You gotta set me up man, it's a once in a lifetime opportunity. Especially in the Empire. he continued. Rudolph exhaled unsure on what to say. Is he really serious? he thought. "You don't seem too phased by it though. Thought you hated Drow like everyone else around here?" Rudolph sighed, "I don't know what to say mate." he began, thinking back about what happened, "I suppose I only hated them because I were brought up with it." he shrugged, "I realised that I don't really have much of a reason, so whats the point eh?" he continued. After a moments pause. "You know it has been a while. I got a good vintage stashed at the barracks, we should sit and share the bottle, pass around some stories, how's that sound?" Fullar said as they made their way. "Sounds like a plan mate." nodded Rudolph as they just about walked in the door. "Evening Sergeants." the voice was that of Captain Helt, given how he looks and sounds, he could be seen as a stereotypical politician of this time. "Captain." Rudolph greeted in turn. There was some tension in the air as per usual, Captain Helt often exuded it as though it were an aura. Helt sat at one of the tables reading a report and occasionally sipping some of his ale. He took a glance at the two men as they made their way across the canteen. "I hear Captain Fenne died during one of the attacks this morning." Helt said pretending to read his report papers. "Aye sir, he'd been one of the casualties from one of the bombardments." replied Rudolph as he stopped by the stairs to the troop personal quarters. "And you didn't think to give word to one of the other Captains?" he asked with a somewhat condescending tone that he normally had. "I was busy trying to maintain the defences as we were under attack. We needed everyone we had at the time." Rudolph replied. "Indeed. I shall make a note of this insolence Sergeant. Make sure you make the right decision next time." followed Helt before he took another drink of his ale. Rudolph clenched his fists trying to keep his anger in check, Arrogant Prick he thought to himself as he then began ascending the stairs. The rest of the evening was reasonably relaxed compared to the rest of the day. The two men brought up old stories, and caught up with eachothers more recent news. The rest of the troop were slowly returning to the barracks themselves, some were more drunk than others. It wasn't till the early hours when Rudolph went to sleep, and it was a long needed one.</s> <\|message\|>Faira Blodwen "You be careful, Acrius' 'teaching' has been known to leave men with broken bones," Faira actually didn't know if this was true, but it tallied with her experience of the young man. She looked the girl over, sizing her up before stepping very close and speaking to Acrius in an undertone. "Zatana and I have work outside the walls tonight. The Guard will be two short, so be extra vigilant. But don't spread that about." She clicked her tongue at Steak and made her way toward the Eastern gate. The cannon that had been moved here was quiet for the time being, but Faira was pleased to see that the guard here was as alert as ever, despite the lateness. She saw at least two who were tousled haired and had clearly gotten out of bed recently. She waited here for Zatana.</s>	<\|message\|>Zatana Aleana Satisfied the Record Keeper was going to record things, Zatana patted the little figure on the head with a finger. "Record as much as you can, dear one. I shall bring thee more on which to record." Not bothering to wait for an answer, Zatana swung herself over the lee of the roof and kept on her way. It would be no hassle after all to retrieve the small familiar, and this would prove amusing while she went about her business. Yet, Zatana was too aware that slowing down would mean her ability would be seen as lacking something the dark elf was not keen on. It was a point of pride for Zatana that she was very good at what she did. So it was thus, she did not see Faira ride up. The roofs were easy to cross over, and she was even able to slip into a small office above a shop. Whoever thought it to be locked well, was deluded. Stepping into the room, she plucked some plain parchment from the desk and a piece of twine used to hold stacks of books together. Slipping out with just as much ease, she hung upside down from the roof while her fingers closed and locked the window. Holding the twine in her mouth through the mask, she dropped to the street. It was a straight shot to the Western Gate, and she soon found her mare. The guards were eyeing the wicked beastie with some temptation as she began saddling the horse again. The knife-like ears hidden under the cowl caught the disgusted whispers of 'drow', 'dark elf', but it was the comment 'wicked horse, wicked elf' that made her smiled from behind the mask. Swinging into the saddle, she wrapped the reins about a small loop of leather in the front and set the mare towards where she had left the squabbling couple. Urging the horse to a fast pace, and the mare delighted at the sound of her wicked staccato on the cobblestones. Guiding the mare with her knees as she rocked with the movement of the horse, Zatana set about folding the paper into a tiny little booklet, her fingers flick a knife into her hand as she carefully cut any folded page free so it would be accessible. Two holes were bored into the 'spine' and a the twine was threaded through as she slowed the mare to a walk. It was a 'book', if the tiny one-inch thing, could be considered a 'book'. Sighing, she saw the two were still at the same spot they had left them. Nodding to Acrius, she raised a brow as she paused the mare. Pressing to sidestep the horse close to the building and raising a hand for the record keeper. "Acrius." She greeted softly. Her dark eyes watching the young woman with a warning sharpness. What Zatana didn't add was the 'wench' thought she was thinking about the young girl. The drow were loose with their morals, it was true. But this girl was trouble and Zatana had seen that look before on a face. It rarely ended well for the men. Perhaps she would have some mercy and claim he was needed by the Prince's decree? Then again, she thought as the record keeper slipped into her hand and she lowered herself in the saddle, perhaps not. Offering the tiny familiar the book, she nudged the horse on.</s>
<\|description\|>Zatana Aleana Race: Drow Gender: Female Age: 120 Appearance: Zatana stands at a fairly average height, her form being well-muscled from the climbing and acrobatics that are part of her vocation. Wiry and flexible, but there is the hard muscle of someone having to fight for survival. With high cheekbones and delicate features, she keeps her long pale hair pinned to the back of her head in a braid to use in combination with her charms when it is needed. But that is if she allows anyone to see the ashy grey skin or get so close to determine her eyes are truly black. Keeping herself wrapped in leather armor head to toe and helped by a ragged cloak of dark material when she can be a bit more relaxed. When she does not feel the need to reveal herself, any possibility of showing skin or hair is wrapped in bandages. Bio: Her grandfather, Murdoc Do'ana, was the reason her life became even possible. A mage who tested the idea of what was possible and not, he was held in high regard in the Drowish side of the Dread Coast, though he is well known. Sly, kind, cunning and all too aware of just how to manipulate others. He does have an odd sense of justice that is strangely hard to argue against. Her mother had no want or desire to raise a child and Zatana's father only mentioned her existence to his father, Murdoc, in passing years after her birth. In all essentiality, Zartana makes no bones that her grandfather paid her mother to relinquish her claim and give the grandchild over. It happened, life moved on and at the tender age of seven, Zartana began studying the ways of shadows and secrets, and not just how to pick a pocket. She was her grandfather's left hand, the sleight of hand he needed to pass messages and arrange things and listen at street corners. She transcribed his notes later on and helped him with his experiments, learning how to draw secrets from people from talking or force. Zatana loved the mage, adored him. Finding out about a plot to kill her beloved grandfather, Zatana acted without hesitation. Killing the two assassins, using the knowledge of the body she gained studying under Murdoc. Now with a bodyguard as well as an assistant. Murdoc found himself rather pleased with the turn of events. If only for his own ends and his experiments being able to continue without interruption by the petty games his rivals played. He used his granddaughter's skill with the blade and honed it. Refusing any imperfection. Yet, he was a man who was rarely ever content. But Murdoc Do'ana was dissatisfied with the news he got from outside the Dread Coast and having the perfect person to be his eyes, he sent Zatana. Traveling for years, she finally moved to intercept an assassin her own grandfather had sent after the Prince and joined the guard. Then again, that was exactly as her grandfather had planned and ordered. Personality quirks: Traits: - Loyalty is everything to her, just as her business at gathering intel and carrying out her job. And her race makes that harder, as well as a love for cute things. Ideal - "I must survive and pay the debt of life I owe." Bond: Murdoc Do'ana; Her grandfather and the one she came to the Empire under the orders of. He raised, trained and set her out into the world. If he asks anything of her? How could she refuse? - Relon Vaugh; The lover of the assassin she killed to join the Prince's Guard. Flaw: Divided loyalties and she finds herself rather obsessed with perfection in what she does. Itchy fingers that like to slip away items. Fighting Style: She uses daggers as if she was born to them. The throwing, and stabbing kind. Zatana is decent with a bow, taking it up to get a range as getting close to the enemy is not a good idea if she isn't getting the drop on them. Equipment: She wears hardened leather armor, along with a cloak or cloth to hide her skin. She has ten daggers on her. Two in each armpit, wrist, boot, and each side of the waist as well as one on the back of the neck and one behind her back. The daggers at her waist and behind her back are heavy fighting daggers, while the one in her boots are stilettos. She has a bow and a full quiver of arrows varying from barbed headed to sleeker arrows. The last item is a small book carefully hidden usually under her armor, Zatana's Grimoire. Filled more with notes on the Empire in her meandering code than of spells. Skills/Abilities: Shadow Step - The ability to disappear into shadow, blending in and being hard to see. Poison: A good understanding of poisons and applying them to her weapons. Experienced thief/Spy- Skilled at eavesdropping, slight of hand, picking pockets, lockpicking. Assassin: Understanding the art of killing people by stabbing them from behind. Forgery: She can forge notes, or quickly transcribe information. Other Information: 1. Listen to the GM(s), If you have a complaint tell me. I am not an evil dictator and if I am wrong I will admit it. 2. Romance and Gore allowed, But keep it in good taste and in site rules 3. Now not all characters will play nice with each other I understand that, but keep the disputes in the RP not in OOC 4. Be civilized and polite please 5. All basic RP rules apply to this roleplay: Power playing, Meta gaming, and others are not allowed. 6. The story isn't exactly set, if you have an idea for a mission feel free to pm me the details and I'll try to work it in. 7. Copy the rules into a Hider in the "other" of your cs so I know you read them. 8. Get into your character's skin become him or her as you are playing have fun and give us insight into their thoughts. 9. Try to keep active, in both the IC and OOC pages please. And even if you don't have anything to say, at least read the OOC</s> <\|message\|>Rudolph Kestrell Rudolph gave a simple nod to Merik before he stood up and took another shot at the ram pilots, unfortunately missing this time. He soon realised that the ram began to pick up speed, and was quickly making its way to the gate. "Give that thing everything you have lads!" he said as he quickly observed the situation along the wall. Rudolph then made his way to the gatehouse, where Merik had already prepared himself for the ram's arrival. "I'll see if I can soften up that thing up a bit more." Rudolph said as he made his way past Merik, and headed toward the tower that still had a working catapult. He noticed the sergeant that had been monitoring the situation on their half of the wall had been struck in the arm by an arrow, and besides being wounded, remained in the fight. Rudolph gave the man a pat on his good arm, and passed him his rifle before nodding and continuing on. Soon enough he made it to the top of the tower to guide the soldiers controlling the weapon. He quickly directed them to aim at the lower half of the ram, just above the ground. To them, the side of the ram was now exposed as it made its way ever closer to the gate. A few seconds later the shot went out, the projectile fell just short but bounced slightly and hit the side of the ram, rocking the structure of the thing. But still, it made steady progress. By the time the next shot had gone out, the ram had basically reached the gate. The shot hit home this time, perfectly crashing into the side of the device, crushing goblins and breaking some of the structure along the way. Soon after, Merik's burning tar and explosives went off, destroying the machine completely. All that remained was a flaming wreck, and an obstacle to prevent other rams. Rudolph briefly cheered with the other soldiers on the tower when they saw the thing blow up. Soon after, another rock barrage came in, one missed but the other hit successfully. The tower shook briefly, and beyond the dust and rubble below, Rudolph saw the extent of the damage. Some men had been knocked from the wall, while others were either wounded or lay dead upon it. Rudolph hastily made his way down to help who he could. Him and a few other soldiers helped escort some of those still able to walk down from the wall, the dead couldn't be tended to for the moment. Numbers on the wall were beginning to thin out. As Rudolph made his way back up onto the wall after helping to guide the wounded away from the battle, the metallic sound of hooks appeared along the wall. Shit. Guess break is over. he thought. Rudolph pulled a soldier to the side and ordered the man to go and request reinforcements for the western wall. He then drew his short sword and went to work cutting the ropes, "Cut the ropes! Kill the bastards climbing them!" he ordered. An arrow came flying his way, though it seemed to had lost most of its power as it harmlessly pinged off his helmet, "...fuck!" he recoiled slightly, but he still continued to cut.</s> <\|message\|>Naysein Naysein took the stone stairs to the battlements two at a time, her feet making no sound as they sped over the white/black stone that muffled the roar of the army beyond. Arrows flickered overhead through the smoky air, a hissing sound marking their passage when they came to close before clattering down into the courtyard beyond. Soldiers ducked back as they loosed arrows and she noted that more than a few had been fallen in return by Orcish weapons. One young soldier, she doubted he was more than two score seasons, lay dead with a look of surprise on his face and an arrow that had driven up under his chin. A trickle of blood ran down his chin and already she could see the bruising around the throat that suggested heavy internal bleeding. She gained the top of the stairs just in time to see the Prince flinch back from an arrow that spun crazily away after striking his shoulder pauldron. As he ducked back behind a crenellation, she heard him call out to the Drow, Zatana. A brief glance registered the presence of the skilled fighter and Naysein dismissed her at once, she was more than capable of handling herself and no one expected Naysein to keep her alive. Soldiers were already rushing to do the Princes bidding and she steel flashed as they hacked through the ropes. Some of the more devious waited until the ugly heads appeared at the edge of the parapet before hacking down. The wails of the falling creatures brought a smile to her face. For her own part she drew a single blade and then, with the grace of her kind, she began to kill those orcs who could still make it to the top of their rope, a single thrust into the eye, and they would tumble away to join the growing pile at the bottom of the wall. She had missed this.</s>	<\|message\|>Zatana Aleana The orcs were a tenacious bunch which at the moment counted against them in the eyes of the defenders of the city. As the grappling hooks snared themselves on the stonework, Zatana wanted to rush forward and cut the ropes but caution held her back. The arrows flew in thick and fast to stop any who tried with fatal, or nearly so, results. The dark elf gave a snarled curse as Leonidas lunged forward to try and hack at one himself. She was supposed to be keeping him safe! Nearly stepping into an arrow she jerked back as one nearly found a landing in her dark flesh, Zatana felt some relief as an arrow bounced off the Prince's pauldron rather than embedding itself into something vital. Turning she set two arrows into the crowd of orc archers each finding a lovely green head to pierce. They needed to get those archers distracted somehow and she doubted joining the battle below would be of benefit. Her fingers plucked arrows from her quiver, from corpses, from the stonework and even one from the air. A lucky grab, Zatana would admit to no one. Firing them back on the thickest grouping of the goblins when a woman passed her. A half-elf to be precise, and someone to be careful of. The dossier she had on Neysein the Half-Elf was incomplete. Woefully so, and it bothered Zatana to no end. The rest of the dossier was set aside as the Prince called for the dark elf to deal with the archers. Dark eyes glared at the Prince as he whacked Orcs in the face with the hammer. Oh, he wasn't asking for much! Twisting herself about as she plucked arrows and sent them hurtling into the mass of cursed orcs, she looked for something better than an arrow. There were soldiers... Time to play nice. Gripping one man who had been standing near the catapult and helping to direct it, she ignored the disgusted look he shot her. "Order of Prince Leonidas, aim for the archers." She knew he heard her, he knew it when he raised his hand and she caught it as he moved to strike her. His nerves and temper fraying and his hatred taking over the good sense that one did not raise their hand to a superior. That the hatred drow, as part of the Royal Guard, did outrank him. "Drow." The man spat in disgust, despite the Prince's words the hatred bred in the city ran deep. Gripping his wrist, she applied pressure between the bone and her other hand pressed the head of an arrow under his chin. "Human, I care naught for the hatred of mine race. Your Prince Leonidas gave an order to me. Deal with archers, yes? And so dealt with they shall be. Even if I must fire you from the catapult at them. A flaming body works as well as any stone." She crooned her drowish accent coming to all it's glory as a slight cut trickled blood down the man's neck. Checking him with her body, she shoved the unbalanced guard back against the catapult as it was loaded. The man was pale under his helm, sweat shining on his face. The soldiers about her were watching warily as Zatana adjusted the insignia of the Royal Guard about her armor so the pendant was shown. They wanted to refuse, but as a member of the Royal Guard, the drow did have rank on them and orders from the Prince. The soldier, a corporal, who was in charge of the catapult snapped to his men the conditions of where the archers were gathered. Though his eyes held more hatred for the dark elf woman. Zatana to her benefit ignored it, grabbing a jug of oil she poured it on the stone and touched a torch to it. Now the simple stone was a flaming meteor as it sailed toward the archers hopefully to dislodge the foolish creatures. But if it did not? Then better it would be for the next shot to come from somewhere else. Zatana had turned on her heels, all too aware of the tight grip the soldier had on his sword. Playing nice didn't always work out. Zatana admitted it was not her job to make friends, but they did help when they suspected nothing. But she had a job to do and winning the corporal over with sweet words and such would have taken time she did not have. Let alone the insult that he might slap her! Her black eyes glittered under the hood. No man raised a hand to a woman among the dark elves. Plus, if she had played games there was the possibility he would have knifed her and hoped the battle would have covered it up, Zatana had seen and heard of such tactics happening among her own people. Putting the arrow behind a shot she took an orc through the eye when it popped it's ugly head over the wall as she repeated her orders to the cannon. The body thudding below, mute amid the raucous noise of battle.</s>
<\|description\|>Zatana Aleana Race: Drow Gender: Female Age: 120 Appearance: Zatana stands at a fairly average height, her form being well-muscled from the climbing and acrobatics that are part of her vocation. Wiry and flexible, but there is the hard muscle of someone having to fight for survival. With high cheekbones and delicate features, she keeps her long pale hair pinned to the back of her head in a braid to use in combination with her charms when it is needed. But that is if she allows anyone to see the ashy grey skin or get so close to determine her eyes are truly black. Keeping herself wrapped in leather armor head to toe and helped by a ragged cloak of dark material when she can be a bit more relaxed. When she does not feel the need to reveal herself, any possibility of showing skin or hair is wrapped in bandages. Bio: Her grandfather, Murdoc Do'ana, was the reason her life became even possible. A mage who tested the idea of what was possible and not, he was held in high regard in the Drowish side of the Dread Coast, though he is well known. Sly, kind, cunning and all too aware of just how to manipulate others. He does have an odd sense of justice that is strangely hard to argue against. Her mother had no want or desire to raise a child and Zatana's father only mentioned her existence to his father, Murdoc, in passing years after her birth. In all essentiality, Zartana makes no bones that her grandfather paid her mother to relinquish her claim and give the grandchild over. It happened, life moved on and at the tender age of seven, Zartana began studying the ways of shadows and secrets, and not just how to pick a pocket. She was her grandfather's left hand, the sleight of hand he needed to pass messages and arrange things and listen at street corners. She transcribed his notes later on and helped him with his experiments, learning how to draw secrets from people from talking or force. Zatana loved the mage, adored him. Finding out about a plot to kill her beloved grandfather, Zatana acted without hesitation. Killing the two assassins, using the knowledge of the body she gained studying under Murdoc. Now with a bodyguard as well as an assistant. Murdoc found himself rather pleased with the turn of events. If only for his own ends and his experiments being able to continue without interruption by the petty games his rivals played. He used his granddaughter's skill with the blade and honed it. Refusing any imperfection. Yet, he was a man who was rarely ever content. But Murdoc Do'ana was dissatisfied with the news he got from outside the Dread Coast and having the perfect person to be his eyes, he sent Zatana. Traveling for years, she finally moved to intercept an assassin her own grandfather had sent after the Prince and joined the guard. Then again, that was exactly as her grandfather had planned and ordered. Personality quirks: Traits: - Loyalty is everything to her, just as her business at gathering intel and carrying out her job. And her race makes that harder, as well as a love for cute things. Ideal - "I must survive and pay the debt of life I owe." Bond: Murdoc Do'ana; Her grandfather and the one she came to the Empire under the orders of. He raised, trained and set her out into the world. If he asks anything of her? How could she refuse? - Relon Vaugh; The lover of the assassin she killed to join the Prince's Guard. Flaw: Divided loyalties and she finds herself rather obsessed with perfection in what she does. Itchy fingers that like to slip away items. Fighting Style: She uses daggers as if she was born to them. The throwing, and stabbing kind. Zatana is decent with a bow, taking it up to get a range as getting close to the enemy is not a good idea if she isn't getting the drop on them. Equipment: She wears hardened leather armor, along with a cloak or cloth to hide her skin. She has ten daggers on her. Two in each armpit, wrist, boot, and each side of the waist as well as one on the back of the neck and one behind her back. The daggers at her waist and behind her back are heavy fighting daggers, while the one in her boots are stilettos. She has a bow and a full quiver of arrows varying from barbed headed to sleeker arrows. The last item is a small book carefully hidden usually under her armor, Zatana's Grimoire. Filled more with notes on the Empire in her meandering code than of spells. Skills/Abilities: Shadow Step - The ability to disappear into shadow, blending in and being hard to see. Poison: A good understanding of poisons and applying them to her weapons. Experienced thief/Spy- Skilled at eavesdropping, slight of hand, picking pockets, lockpicking. Assassin: Understanding the art of killing people by stabbing them from behind. Forgery: She can forge notes, or quickly transcribe information. Other Information: 1. Listen to the GM(s), If you have a complaint tell me. I am not an evil dictator and if I am wrong I will admit it. 2. Romance and Gore allowed, But keep it in good taste and in site rules 3. Now not all characters will play nice with each other I understand that, but keep the disputes in the RP not in OOC 4. Be civilized and polite please 5. All basic RP rules apply to this roleplay: Power playing, Meta gaming, and others are not allowed. 6. The story isn't exactly set, if you have an idea for a mission feel free to pm me the details and I'll try to work it in. 7. Copy the rules into a Hider in the "other" of your cs so I know you read them. 8. Get into your character's skin become him or her as you are playing have fun and give us insight into their thoughts. 9. Try to keep active, in both the IC and OOC pages please. And even if you don't have anything to say, at least read the OOC</s> <\|message\|>Leonidas Lionheart After taking a moment to tend to his own wounds Leonidas quickly returned to the fight. Seeing the wound on Zatana he made his way to the drow. "You really need to be more careful this is the second day in a row I've had to patch you up." He said with a sly grin knowing all to well he himself had to be healed moments before. Again his hand glowed as he moved to touch her injured arm. The wound closed itself quickly and although he wouldn't be able to fully heal them they wouldn't trouble her any longer. After the quick patch job under the cover of his troops Leonidas took up his hammer once more. With a deep breath Leonidas charged into the orcs remaining on the walls becoming a fluid tidal wave of pain as he pushed through supported by the troops and reinforced by Naysein's song. As they pushed forward Leonidas also made sure that he commanded a soldier to cut the ropes as the group passed them.</s> <\|message\|>Manald Halung Not only hammer-troll decided to drop his weapon, but so did the lycanthrope opposing him. The tremendous axe was good, but given the very close quarters they were about to engage each other in it would only not be of much use. Manald also remembered that there was armor embedded in or below that troll's skin, so as much as he'd never admit it his claws would not be of as much use as against all those goblins. The goal, again, was to hit the throat. It was the same weakpoint as with the other troll and this one hadn't even seen it happen, but this time there was no room left for a furious charge. The wolf's thighs exploded in a burst of power, catapulting the colossal creature off the ground and towards the troll without too much forward momentum. The intention ? To come crashing down on it, make it collapse to the ground with him on top of it. Yet as the troll raised his arms to protect his head from any suspected attack they collided with Manald's feet and the troll gave him a spin. Instead of transferring all of the gained momentum onto the troll almost right from above, Manald's torso toppled forwards and the lycanthrope nosedived into the mud behind the trolls back. The latter stumbled forwards, but maintained enough stablity to make a turnaround. Manald tried to get up from the ground as quickly as possible, but by the time he had recovered from the vicious downfall and turned around on all four legs the troll had already reached him and now got his hands around Manald's neck, starting to choke him from above. Now that, quite ironically, was Manald's weakpoint. The troll did not have claws like him that could rend stuff as easily, but cutting off the blood supply to one's brain would work on Manald just as well for a brief blackout during which one could do everything with the lycan. The way out of this ? Manald did not spend precious moment on trying to think about some nice maneuver, but instead raised his arms from the ground and rammed his claws into the trolls hands. There was armor, but he could search for a way beneath the metal. He had to and he had to do so very quickly. Blood poured out of the troll's hands as he continued choking Manald while his victim shredded the troll's skin, seeking the edges of the armor plates to he could lever them out of their places and get access to the muscles and sinews beneath them. He'd not have much time to just physically disable the hands around his neck, but he also hoped that the troll would just give up before that due to excessive pain and blood loss.</s>	<\|message\|>Zatana Aleana Zatana was kneeling, her breath escaping her in ragged gasps as she fought to get her breathing under control. The fight had worn on the dark elf. Looking up as a hand touched her injured arm, the woman raised a pale brow as she shook her head in disgust. "Better my arm than your life, Your Highness." Before he moved away the woman gripped his shoulder, her voice dipping low by his ear. "Be very aware, Prince Leonidas, I will do as you bid but my first concern is keeping you alive. Be careful." It was a begging plea and Zatana hated herself for doing it, showing such weakness. It was not a dark elf thing to do. A dark elf did not beg, they did not 'please'. Releasing the Prince as he rejoined the battle, the rouge let the battle push on. She had been reckless, foolish, careless. Zatana felt the words drilled into her crash once again driving at her flaws. She was to keep the Prince alive, to gather information, and to keep herself from the public eye. Well, that had just gone well. Gritting her teeth, Zatana shoved herself to the feet with fresh daggers. Whirling into the fray she knifed a fleeing orc in the back, feeling Naysien's song strengthen herself. Grateful for it, she pressed on to try and keep near the Prince of the Empire of Man. If there was anything about to threaten the Prince she could potentially keep the foolish boy from cracking his head open from senseless, though very effective, courage. That was the fate of too many brave Princes who took the field in history.</s>
<\|description\|>Zatana Aleana Race: Drow Gender: Female Age: 120 Appearance: Zatana stands at a fairly average height, her form being well-muscled from the climbing and acrobatics that are part of her vocation. Wiry and flexible, but there is the hard muscle of someone having to fight for survival. With high cheekbones and delicate features, she keeps her long pale hair pinned to the back of her head in a braid to use in combination with her charms when it is needed. But that is if she allows anyone to see the ashy grey skin or get so close to determine her eyes are truly black. Keeping herself wrapped in leather armor head to toe and helped by a ragged cloak of dark material when she can be a bit more relaxed. When she does not feel the need to reveal herself, any possibility of showing skin or hair is wrapped in bandages. Bio: Her grandfather, Murdoc Do'ana, was the reason her life became even possible. A mage who tested the idea of what was possible and not, he was held in high regard in the Drowish side of the Dread Coast, though he is well known. Sly, kind, cunning and all too aware of just how to manipulate others. He does have an odd sense of justice that is strangely hard to argue against. Her mother had no want or desire to raise a child and Zatana's father only mentioned her existence to his father, Murdoc, in passing years after her birth. In all essentiality, Zartana makes no bones that her grandfather paid her mother to relinquish her claim and give the grandchild over. It happened, life moved on and at the tender age of seven, Zartana began studying the ways of shadows and secrets, and not just how to pick a pocket. She was her grandfather's left hand, the sleight of hand he needed to pass messages and arrange things and listen at street corners. She transcribed his notes later on and helped him with his experiments, learning how to draw secrets from people from talking or force. Zatana loved the mage, adored him. Finding out about a plot to kill her beloved grandfather, Zatana acted without hesitation. Killing the two assassins, using the knowledge of the body she gained studying under Murdoc. Now with a bodyguard as well as an assistant. Murdoc found himself rather pleased with the turn of events. If only for his own ends and his experiments being able to continue without interruption by the petty games his rivals played. He used his granddaughter's skill with the blade and honed it. Refusing any imperfection. Yet, he was a man who was rarely ever content. But Murdoc Do'ana was dissatisfied with the news he got from outside the Dread Coast and having the perfect person to be his eyes, he sent Zatana. Traveling for years, she finally moved to intercept an assassin her own grandfather had sent after the Prince and joined the guard. Then again, that was exactly as her grandfather had planned and ordered. Personality quirks: Traits: - Loyalty is everything to her, just as her business at gathering intel and carrying out her job. And her race makes that harder, as well as a love for cute things. Ideal - "I must survive and pay the debt of life I owe." Bond: Murdoc Do'ana; Her grandfather and the one she came to the Empire under the orders of. He raised, trained and set her out into the world. If he asks anything of her? How could she refuse? - Relon Vaugh; The lover of the assassin she killed to join the Prince's Guard. Flaw: Divided loyalties and she finds herself rather obsessed with perfection in what she does. Itchy fingers that like to slip away items. Fighting Style: She uses daggers as if she was born to them. The throwing, and stabbing kind. Zatana is decent with a bow, taking it up to get a range as getting close to the enemy is not a good idea if she isn't getting the drop on them. Equipment: She wears hardened leather armor, along with a cloak or cloth to hide her skin. She has ten daggers on her. Two in each armpit, wrist, boot, and each side of the waist as well as one on the back of the neck and one behind her back. The daggers at her waist and behind her back are heavy fighting daggers, while the one in her boots are stilettos. She has a bow and a full quiver of arrows varying from barbed headed to sleeker arrows. The last item is a small book carefully hidden usually under her armor, Zatana's Grimoire. Filled more with notes on the Empire in her meandering code than of spells. Skills/Abilities: Shadow Step - The ability to disappear into shadow, blending in and being hard to see. Poison: A good understanding of poisons and applying them to her weapons. Experienced thief/Spy- Skilled at eavesdropping, slight of hand, picking pockets, lockpicking. Assassin: Understanding the art of killing people by stabbing them from behind. Forgery: She can forge notes, or quickly transcribe information. Other Information: 1. Listen to the GM(s), If you have a complaint tell me. I am not an evil dictator and if I am wrong I will admit it. 2. Romance and Gore allowed, But keep it in good taste and in site rules 3. Now not all characters will play nice with each other I understand that, but keep the disputes in the RP not in OOC 4. Be civilized and polite please 5. All basic RP rules apply to this roleplay: Power playing, Meta gaming, and others are not allowed. 6. The story isn't exactly set, if you have an idea for a mission feel free to pm me the details and I'll try to work it in. 7. Copy the rules into a Hider in the "other" of your cs so I know you read them. 8. Get into your character's skin become him or her as you are playing have fun and give us insight into their thoughts. 9. Try to keep active, in both the IC and OOC pages please. And even if you don't have anything to say, at least read the OOC</s> <\|message\|>Leonidas Lionheart Leonidas stayed on the battlements directing the men until the goblin forces were out of range. It was only after their retreat that Leonidas would let himself rest a little. He took a little time to check his wound from earlier making sure he didn't end up opening it again since his bit of patch up healing. "I should of really payed more attention when they were teaching us those healing magics instead of just how to use magic to hurt others more..." he thought to himself as Acrius came up to him with a woman whom Leonidas had never seen before. Although she was introduced as a Cleric she moved with an air of nobility which in itself was a bit of an oddity many born into a noble house wouldn't adopt the practices of a Cleric willingly. Even the way she greeted the prince was reminiscent of the way many nobles had in the past so he assumed she must have some noble blood and greeted her in kind, "The Honor was mine Lady Drana, due to your help our young Acrius was able to quickly fell that troll." He said to her with a grin complimenting her help, although he knew full well Acrius could of used his own magic to light the arrow he wasn't going to bring it up now especially seeing the shape she was in currently. After mentioning her knights that were lost in the sewers Leonidas gave his dismissal letting the cleric go on her way and even offered Acrius as a guard to her until she found her knights if she wanted or needed. After that Leonidas would return to the war room with Zatana following behind. "I don't know if I'm ready for the chew out from Balthazar about getting injured, even if it is just a little scratch... You want to talk to him first?" He said to Zatana in a joking matter as they walked back to the Keep. As the day went on there were more waves of attacks, nothing nearly on the scale of the morning's attack and after giving the members of the Royal guard an adequate amount to rest they were cycled to the points of battle to help keep the balance in the defender's favor. All in all by the end of the day men were tired and worn out moral was good because of the victories but wavering as it seemed these orc and goblins had unending numbers. The fear and unease was what plagued Leonidas and Balthazar the most so the two decided to work out a deal with the Duke. It wasn't long until what was normally the trade square was abuzz with life, Leonidas and Balthazar were able to convince the Duke to roll out the fine wine and ale he had been storing in the keep and open it up as a means to thank and celebrate with the men. The commotion had also brought out some of the food merchants and even common folk and amidst this siege there was a celebration within the city. Leonidas sat at a table among the guards with an ale in his hand. Although he wasn't in his full battle regalia he still wore a light suit of armor as "you could never be to careful" or so Balthazar had told him while Leonidas' arm was being patched up. But he drank with his men on this night not above them as their prince but with them as a warrior. The square itself had been quickly decorated and aside from the impromptu bar that had been set up multiple food stands had also made their way around the square providing food and drink to any who wanted to partake. Naysein had found herself a few competent musicians and was using her talents to provide song for the party singing tales of heroism and bravery lightening the mood.</s> <\|message\|>Rudolph Kestrell Following the clean upon the walls, Rudolph would soon enough help out with the moving of the dead, dying and wounded, despite being relieved of his position on the wall to go and get rest. He noticed the big lizardman leave the battlements, and gave a simple wave and nod toward him. A couple of hours pass before Rudolph accepts his fatigue, and gives in. Along the way to the barracks, he bumped into Fullar, who apparently had been wounded during the siege. "Hey Rudolph." the man nodded somewhat disgruntled. "They finally got you eh?" Rudolph replied, somewhat teasing. "A bit of armour would of helped ya." he followed smirking. "You know I fight better without it." Fullar scoffed. Rudolph chuckled and gave the man a pat on the back, "Just be careful you silly bastard." he finished before turning to continue onward. Fullar simply waved him off as he did. Rudolph managed to get some rest, but decided he'd join the festivities, he could do with a break. The event itself, albeit last minute and cobbled together, was actually fun. A rare side of Rudolph came out at occasions like this, where instead of his usual grumpy exterior, he is now open and welcoming. Some of the soldiers that knew of him and his reputation were taken aback by his sudden change of persona. He spent much of the time sharing stories and jovial banter. Though Rudolph had finally relaxed, he was partly still on edge. He occasionally looked around him and watched as people went about their business. He was expecting there to be some sort of orc surprise attack, or something else entirely that he had to watch out for.</s> <\|message\|>Leonidas Lionheart -=Somewhere inside the walls of Bergkoff=- A group of 9 hooded individuals gather on an empty side street. "Alright everyone has there targets correct?" One of the individuals said to the group and a second spoke up. "Why are we helping orcs? What is the master thinking." A second spoke up and was quickly hushed. "Don't question the master's wishes just do your job." The first snapped back. "Alright if no one has any real question then move out." A third spoke up. And the group quickly broke up into four groups. Two groups of two took to the roofs heading to their targets while the remaining 5 individuals broke into a group of 2 and a group of 3 each moving in different direction through the city.</s>	<\|message\|>Zatana Aleana Zatana watched 'Sacred Order's Cleric of the Dead', a very interesting name, as the woman left the battlements. There was something there that bothered the dark elf, and she was sorely tempted to follow the woman to uncover if a simple rest was all the woman was after. If she had not been set on seeing the Prince back to the safety of the keep, Zatana probably would have followed Drana. Tired or not, that was information she could pass onto her grandfather and use to get into Balthazar's good graces. The lack of trust from the old wizard was entirely understandable from a professional viewpoint, though it was incredibly irritating to her sensibilities of wanting to do her job well. The clashing orders of keeping the Prince alive, gathering information and then following any other orders she was given was a thankless task. One that Zatana would succeed in and complete to the utmost of her ability and achieve the outcome desired. It was merely a question of whose outcome it would be. The city itself was recovering from the first of the siege's waves. A tide of enemies that would come and go and crash against the walls until they receded for good or the walls buckled to their onslaught. A thing of beauty when it was read about and terror to behold. Her thoughts were puzzling over the poetry of war and mysteries that she had yet to solve when Prince Leonidas spoke, his tone joking. While he might not have expected a reply, he was given one. "Of course, Your Highness. I shall inform him of your injuries, including the gash to the shoulder and the stab wound to your forearm. Along with diverting your protection to covering a orc with a heavy weapon and thus leaving yourself exposed." The dark eyes locked onto Leonidas as the drow gave a polite smile that befitted the crueler of her race. It was horribly rude of her, Zatana knew, to speak thus to the Prince but she was sorely tempted to take his hammer and beat it into his skull that she was his protector. Yes, she would be whatever was needed at the time, but his safety was of the highest consideration in all of her instructions. If she had to countermand orders to be assured of it? So be it. "Unless, you would rather-?" The trade square had been given over a party, and Zatana had perched in the shadows and listened in amusement when the Prince and Balthazar wore the Duke down into hosting a celebration for the men. It was needed, the dark elf admitted, but it was not a place for one of her kind. Bergkoff's residents did not care for the drow and when they were full of drink and a siege sat on their doorstep? They would have swords and sharp opinions close at hand. Her presence would only cause problems, and Zatana was loath to sit on a roof and listen to the festivities. Surrounded by so many soldiers, what harm could the Prince come to? Her mind filled with possibilities and Zatana couldn't but grimace at what her imagination could drag up from the depths. Having remained in the war room, Zatana had attempted to allow herself to doze while listening to the absent chatter. A simple trick of catching cat naps here and there to keep yourself reasonably rested in a warzone. Her weapons cleaned and checked for when she next would have to hurry off to intercept some form of trouble. If there was any trouble, the news would reach the war room and Zatana relatively quickly. The center, the brain, of an operation was exactly where the rogue wanted to be. One dark eye opened as she surveyed the room as she shifted restlessly. This fight was not over and the enemy was still out there.</s>
<\|description\|>Zatana Aleana Race: Drow Gender: Female Age: 120 Appearance: Zatana stands at a fairly average height, her form being well-muscled from the climbing and acrobatics that are part of her vocation. Wiry and flexible, but there is the hard muscle of someone having to fight for survival. With high cheekbones and delicate features, she keeps her long pale hair pinned to the back of her head in a braid to use in combination with her charms when it is needed. But that is if she allows anyone to see the ashy grey skin or get so close to determine her eyes are truly black. Keeping herself wrapped in leather armor head to toe and helped by a ragged cloak of dark material when she can be a bit more relaxed. When she does not feel the need to reveal herself, any possibility of showing skin or hair is wrapped in bandages. Bio: Her grandfather, Murdoc Do'ana, was the reason her life became even possible. A mage who tested the idea of what was possible and not, he was held in high regard in the Drowish side of the Dread Coast, though he is well known. Sly, kind, cunning and all too aware of just how to manipulate others. He does have an odd sense of justice that is strangely hard to argue against. Her mother had no want or desire to raise a child and Zatana's father only mentioned her existence to his father, Murdoc, in passing years after her birth. In all essentiality, Zartana makes no bones that her grandfather paid her mother to relinquish her claim and give the grandchild over. It happened, life moved on and at the tender age of seven, Zartana began studying the ways of shadows and secrets, and not just how to pick a pocket. She was her grandfather's left hand, the sleight of hand he needed to pass messages and arrange things and listen at street corners. She transcribed his notes later on and helped him with his experiments, learning how to draw secrets from people from talking or force. Zatana loved the mage, adored him. Finding out about a plot to kill her beloved grandfather, Zatana acted without hesitation. Killing the two assassins, using the knowledge of the body she gained studying under Murdoc. Now with a bodyguard as well as an assistant. Murdoc found himself rather pleased with the turn of events. If only for his own ends and his experiments being able to continue without interruption by the petty games his rivals played. He used his granddaughter's skill with the blade and honed it. Refusing any imperfection. Yet, he was a man who was rarely ever content. But Murdoc Do'ana was dissatisfied with the news he got from outside the Dread Coast and having the perfect person to be his eyes, he sent Zatana. Traveling for years, she finally moved to intercept an assassin her own grandfather had sent after the Prince and joined the guard. Then again, that was exactly as her grandfather had planned and ordered. Personality quirks: Traits: - Loyalty is everything to her, just as her business at gathering intel and carrying out her job. And her race makes that harder, as well as a love for cute things. Ideal - "I must survive and pay the debt of life I owe." Bond: Murdoc Do'ana; Her grandfather and the one she came to the Empire under the orders of. He raised, trained and set her out into the world. If he asks anything of her? How could she refuse? - Relon Vaugh; The lover of the assassin she killed to join the Prince's Guard. Flaw: Divided loyalties and she finds herself rather obsessed with perfection in what she does. Itchy fingers that like to slip away items. Fighting Style: She uses daggers as if she was born to them. The throwing, and stabbing kind. Zatana is decent with a bow, taking it up to get a range as getting close to the enemy is not a good idea if she isn't getting the drop on them. Equipment: She wears hardened leather armor, along with a cloak or cloth to hide her skin. She has ten daggers on her. Two in each armpit, wrist, boot, and each side of the waist as well as one on the back of the neck and one behind her back. The daggers at her waist and behind her back are heavy fighting daggers, while the one in her boots are stilettos. She has a bow and a full quiver of arrows varying from barbed headed to sleeker arrows. The last item is a small book carefully hidden usually under her armor, Zatana's Grimoire. Filled more with notes on the Empire in her meandering code than of spells. Skills/Abilities: Shadow Step - The ability to disappear into shadow, blending in and being hard to see. Poison: A good understanding of poisons and applying them to her weapons. Experienced thief/Spy- Skilled at eavesdropping, slight of hand, picking pockets, lockpicking. Assassin: Understanding the art of killing people by stabbing them from behind. Forgery: She can forge notes, or quickly transcribe information. Other Information: 1. Listen to the GM(s), If you have a complaint tell me. I am not an evil dictator and if I am wrong I will admit it. 2. Romance and Gore allowed, But keep it in good taste and in site rules 3. Now not all characters will play nice with each other I understand that, but keep the disputes in the RP not in OOC 4. Be civilized and polite please 5. All basic RP rules apply to this roleplay: Power playing, Meta gaming, and others are not allowed. 6. The story isn't exactly set, if you have an idea for a mission feel free to pm me the details and I'll try to work it in. 7. Copy the rules into a Hider in the "other" of your cs so I know you read them. 8. Get into your character's skin become him or her as you are playing have fun and give us insight into their thoughts. 9. Try to keep active, in both the IC and OOC pages please. And even if you don't have anything to say, at least read the OOC</s> <\|message\|>Drana Turash Drana made a quick exit as she felt the magic swirling in her chest. She was lucky that her knights had been caught in the collapse of the explosion as there was no doubt Acrius would have seen the knights form beneath their armor. "Lady death, let this day hold no more surprises." She said to herself as she made her way to the streets behind the walls. She had no doubts that the old man she had met was not going to overlook her sudden appearance, though that could wait for a time when she was awake. Leonidas had offered her the assistance of Acrius, but the boy had left with other thoughts on his mind. Drana could not blame the lad, and in truth was thankful he had not followed her. 'Maybe I should tell Acrius first, if I do not tell someone the secret will spill itself like it always does.' She thought wearily. Drana found a quiet spot in an alleyway further into the city. Here she took her staff and scratched a small symbol into the mud that covered the cobble. Calling on the spirits that served her, she began to speak the draconic words of power needed to call them forth. "Confn ekess ve, schakri katimai di marfedelom. Wux tepoha ti chiilipena dout geth. Wer tairais ihk ssifisv tepohaic zulf udoka vur jaka wux zklaen lleisgar tenamalo." The two knights rose out of the thin mud as though it held a depth far beneath the street. As they climbed out, the skeletons were bare and without weapons or armor. As they stood before her, the rune in the ground glowed and their armor and weapons faded into existence around them much like an apparition on a dark night. "My lady, you are exhausted. You must return to the war room and request shelter as soon as possible." Gordon spoke as though he had not left her side. Drana laughed quietly at her knight's concern, having missed it upon the battlements. Stephan remained silent as he usually did, offering nothing more than a hollow stare as he made sure his armor was fastened properly to his form. "Sir Gordon, I-" Drana did not finish as the magic had pulled the last of her power. Luckily, Her two knights were capable of taking care of her. Drana arrived at the war room near the evening with the two knights. The guards at the gates had stopped them, but moved to let them pass as Gordon explained their situation. The guards gave them instructions to the war room. Stephan held her bridal style as she slept in his arms. Her hand remained fastened around her staff despite her unconscious state.. The two men were dressed in full plate, and without magic were easily heard approaching the war room's open door. Gordon was met with the sight of Zatana and Merik. They stopped at the door, though Gordon's deep voice soon filled the room. "Good evening, might you know where I can find a bed for Lady Turash?" The two knights stopped side by side. Drana was easily seen in Stephan's arms, covered in grime and goblin blood. The two knights did not have any grime on them aside from where they had assisted Drana. "I do hope we are not interrupting anything."</s> <\|message\|>Rudolph Kestrell Nightfall had come, and the festivities were in full swing. The Duke watched above from his bedroom window as the people enjoyed themselves, he then looked out beyond the walls, and into the darkness where the enemy rested. The Duke's mind was elsewhere however, lost in memories of happier times, back when his wife, the Duchess Livana still lived. He sighed as he took a step back and closed his window. Shortly there was a knock on his door, and the Duke answered. The visitor was a short and uninteresting looking man, dressed in the same manner as the rest of the servants and serfs that worked within the castle, "Ah Morgan, what news do you bring?" he asked the man. "I apologise for the lateness your grace, but I have recieved word of curious individuals, garbed in robes. I do not know of their intentions, but one of my eyes & ears caught wind of a few words spoken by them, it is assumed they may be allies with the orks." Morgan spoke as he handed the report to the Duke. "I see." said the Duke as he took in this information, "This is most disturbing indeed. For now however, keep a close eye on these individuals, and inform me as soon as they move. Oh and please do deliver this information to Lord Balthazar, if he himself has not already gathered this information." he finished. Morgan bowed in understanding "Of course your grace, I will do as you wish." and the man hastily left with purpose. The Duke then closed the door and sat on his bed. He let out a tired sigh, "My dear Livana, how I wish for your guidence once more. You always knew how to handle these unsavoury situations." he said before readying himself to retire for the night. ------- Some time before the end of the event, Rudolph accepted that he'd had enough to drink and it was time to call it a night. With a bid goodnight to his comrades, he made his way back to the barracks. Fullar joined him on the walk, both slightly intoxicated, but stable. Away from the crowded area, the evening had a slight chill to it. The streets weren't busy, as most of the attention was at the event, so the way ahead was technically clear besides the odd patrol making their rounds. "D-Did you hear about Brauer?" asked Rudolph with hand on head as a headache began to develop. "Yea, poor bastard. His mother will be on her own now, and she struggles as is." Fullar replied saddened at the thought, "I'll go visit her at the end of this on his behalf." he continued. Next to the entrance to the barracks, the two men noticed the drunken and sleeping form of Captain Haart, several empty bottles lay around him, and he was sat upon a chair that seemed to barely support his large frame. "Evening Captain." said Fullar without even looking at the man before heading in, the Captain barely stirred, the man was too busy snoring away. Rudolph simply shook his head and chuckled as he walked past. The barracks seemed quiet, which was pleasent for Rudolph's ever worsening headache. "Right, i'm off to bed then. See you in the morn'." Fullar waved to his friend before heading up the stairs. Rudolph sat for a moment and drew a pitcher of water, and took his time with the drink. "I'm getting too old for this." he said to himself under his breath. He sat alone for about a half hour before he could barely keep his eyes open, then surrendered himself to his bed.</s>	<\|message\|>Zatana Aleana Zatana had just finished the lovely loaf of sweetbread, her head tucked against her chest with her hood shadowing her face as she sought the doze of someone who was in a hostile city. The chair was tilted back a bit onto the rear legs, and her knee was carefully set just so. To anyone else, the posture would be uncomfortable, but then again most probably never had to sleep in a sitting position for an extended period. Having done a stint as a hall boy, the sort who waits at a door all night so that important guests need not wait, and a messenger at the behest of gathering information, Zatana was more than used to the pose. It beat sleeping on a horse. There was uncomfortable! She was interrupted by the movement of people entering the war room. Something sat wrong with them being able to enter this interior shell of the keep, or so Zatana thought. Opening her dark eyes, she had one of her long knives in her hand before she spoke, though that hand was on the far side of the strangers. Who it was surprised the dark elf. She had not been expecting the strange cleric and two knights who looked to be nothing like those who served the city or Duke. Two knights lacking the stains of battle on top of that when this woman they held in their arms was so covered in goblin gore and sewer muck? On top of that, the civilized elf grimaced privately at the thought of the woman going to sleep in a bed so soiled. Cleanliness was an underappreciated factor in her profession. Smells where there ought to be no such smell was something that could foul up an operation just as much as eating the wrong food or bringing the wrong tools. Standing from the circle of lizard man that was Merik she bowed as stately as any courtier. The knife hidden against her wrist. "Good evening, Sirs. Lady... Forgive me, I did not catch your name when last we met. Never fear, you merely disturbed my rest while I remain able to move to where His Highness Prince Leonidas of the Empire of Man requires me to be." Zatana felt her smile become somewhat sharper. She was revealing too much of her courtly graces, but these knights. They should have had some grime if they had not just thrown their cleric to the wolves- literally. Soldiers were loud as they exchanged the news. "Though I can see the Cleric is weary and since I have no need of it as of current, I offer you my own quarters should they suffice. Though..." She gave a pause to emphasize what she was saying was no request at all. "I do suspect that the Sacred Order's Cleric of the Dead would enjoy a bath before the bed, Ser Knights." A small luxury the woman looked like she dearly needed. Plus the ulterior motive of trying to figure the woman and her two knights out, then again with her being a dark elf it was a given.</s>
<\|description\|>CHARACTER SHEET OUTLINE DISCLAIMER: YOU ARE ALLOWED TO CONTROL A SINGLE CHARACTER FOR NOW. THIS MAY CHANGE WITH TIME. NAME:: SPECIES: (Human, alien, machine? You are allowed to create your own species too). AGE: (Please do not put in creepily underage characters.) FACTION ALIGNMENT: (Are they with the Gnosis Eater Sect? The Dolsilvec Regime? The Unified Celestial League? The Carnazir? The Zrovreni Solar Revolutionary Pact? An independent agent or from another faction altogether?) HEIGHT/WEIGHT (OPTIONAL): PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: (Reference images not mandatory but helpful) BACKGROUND PRIOR TO BEING SELECTED FOR THE MISSION: (A paragraph minimum. Who are they, where did they come from, why are they fighting, all that good stuff.) REASON FOR MISSION RECRUITMENT: (Why were they selected for such a dangerous mission? It is advised to include their greatest strengths here. A paragraph minimum.) WEAKNESSES: (Minimum of four. Can be physical, psychological, strategic, training-related, etc.) SKILLS AND TRAINING: (What are some things your character was taught, programmed to know, genetically inherited, etc.? Things such as first aid, hacking, survival, tracking, alien languages, demolitions, martial arts and so on are included here. Training is essentially how your character fights; are they a long range sniper, a close-in assault trooper, a sneaky saboteur?) LOADOUT: (This includes your weaponry and any equipment you are taking with you. You are allowed a maximum of three ranged weapons starting out and two melee ones. Other weapons such as grenades, timed explosives, and mines you can larger number of. In the case of gear such as portable turrets, drones, and living creatures, you are typically limited to at most two. Typically non-combat equipment such as medits, repair tools, tracking devices, and so on you are allowed more leeway with. Armour and such unsurprisingly is typically limited to one... unless say, you're some bizarre multi-bodied organism or something. Remember, you can acquire more weapons and equipment with time.) AUGMENTATIONS: (Does your character have any notable upgrades to their default bodily capabilities? These can include cybernetic, ethereal, and biological implants or devices of note as opposed to general performance enhancers that grant them additional abilities, enhance their default bodily capabilities, or even network with their gear and armour. If your character is partially cybernetic, a lab grown bio-entity, naturally possessing ethereal internal components by default and so on, these would be the last major augmentations they acquired.) ETHEREOLOGY: (Is your character capable of manipulating unearthly currents of power from the dimension known as the Abzu? Maybe even those from The Abyssic Plane? This is the series' version of magic. If so, describe how they care capable of doing such. Provide a few examples of this if possible and the role it fulfills for them.) PERKS: (Perks are special abilities that are unique to the species your character is. Each species has three and you are allowed to have all of them. They can include having certain weapons only they are capable of using, creating specialized minions to assist you in battle, or increasing your proficiency in piloting certain vehicles among others. You may also have one additional perk of your own but it must not overlap with a pre-existing one for any of the major species)</s> <\|message\|>Linus "Lin" Guiren Linus Guiren Well, they'd decimated the biomachine in a satisfying, cacophonous display of gunshots, fire, and explosive. One down, one to go. The clearer – and honestly annoyingly bossy – voice over the comms affirmed that the other construct should be put down before they'd lead it to the park. Sound advice, though with all the saying and no doing from the mysterious ally, Linus didn't appreciate it as much as they otherwise might have. Escaping through the burning forest as they were, getting to that other platform-esque machine wasn't exactly easy though. Linus managed to weave between the trees with the occasional slight boost from ether – which they'd provide to the Reclaimer as well if she were near enough – until the Celaderaka had clear line of sight. At that point, they took a hold of their energy rifle and provided support fire. This weapon was capable of the longest range out of their arsenal, so it was the most appropriate. If so many of Linus' allies hadn't already congregated near the construct, they'd might have lobed another grenade at it, but as it was, they refrained. Some of their allies looked a bit worse for wear, but at least they were all still eagerly going at it. Revenge was sweet, even if they were only able to destroy some of their enemies. But at least it would mean a nuisance, a financial cost, a failure of the enemy's mission, and a warning to them what messing with Linus and co. would lead to. All in all, a tentative success for a party who was betrayed, ambushed, and had sent a vastly superior force against them. Of course, it would only be a true success if they wrecked this remaining construct, escaped to the park, and met with what Linus really hoped wasn't another trap. To fulfill that plan, Linus contributed to the hell they were all raining down upon the thing. Especially after that vrexul ally of theirs fired their Hellhammer at it. Now, that was helpful. With a hiss of triumph, Linus ramped up their rate of fire and coated their ammo in ether, so the impact would pact more of a punch. They were still careful with their aiming, since they didn't want to hit any of the allies nearby. Despite that, they didn't doubt their combined efforts would be enough to crush the biomachine. Then, the only thing to do would be to haul it to the park asap, before the forest burned around them and trapped them into the whole mess with the remaining enemies. Simple plan, perhaps a bit of a tricky execution, but nothing that should prove unconquerable.</s> <\|message\|>Reclaimer Corsica Reclaimer Corsica Her strategy, if it could be called that, worked. Using every single mine may have been overkill, but it worked. They had one less problem to deal with. Corsica couldn't help but marvel at the how the flames danced on the trees. Truly, it was a powerful sight. One that caused her vocalizer to emit a faint, hoarse laugh. There wasn't really much time to gawk at her work. She continued to run with Linus, the occasional boost from the ether causing her to oddly stumble. Not enough to trip, but enough to make her running disjointed as she accidentally took steps either too short or too long. Like a flash of light or loud crash, the sudden usage of ether only contributed to sensory overload. A slight distraction. With Linus gaining line of sight, so too did Corsica. There wasn't actually much for Corsica to do besides shoot it. Such was the life of someone who specialized in dealing with biohazards; she could only perform in regular combat in a limited capacity. Besides her go-to plans of shoot, mine, and silicon-carbide blades, there wasn't really much strategy she could add. Under the request of another, she'd just try to fire some rounds at the target. Who knew, maybe they'd set the ground underfoot on fire and that'd mess something up. Though, her firing pace was much more relaxed than Linus'. The encroaching fires from the forest didn't pose much of a threat to Corsica. The plasma mortar certainly did, but she'd only die here if it was her fate to die. Anyways, she started firing.</s>	<\|message\|>CHARACTER SHEET OUTLINE Less like an advanced combat platform made from a fusion of synthetic biomass and shaped metallic armouring, the stomping gun-drone looked demonic, possessed by some horrific rage beyond what could simply be programmed into a machine. Its entire front had been gouged open by Zsresrinn's hellhammer, somehow not triggering its protective energy field, and a mixture of intestinal tube-wiring and sparking electronics spat and glared like a bloodied, pouring eye. As the sect team ran it was no less savage, its bullets at first a wild spray of mag-accelerated rounds but as it neared its targets began to grow specific and a high-pitched whine, audible even over the buzz-roar of its heavy machine gun, made it clear it was still targeting the team for its mortar-wielding unztadtlige controller. Like a hand wracked by traumatic tremors, its large gun jerked and swivelled on it its body as its two eye-stalks, now glowing an angry red, swept around for the retreating team. The gun itself used a separate targeting mechanism as Zsresrin would soon discover, pausing rigid to aim at their estimated centre of mass before letting fly a stream of bright gaseous light and armour shredding projectiles, identifying her by the faint cloud of supernatural particles but unable to get a direct lock on her thanks to the remnants of obfuscating evzredigor matter. It jerked away abruptly towards Linus, the residual energy on their body drawing its ire. It didn't matter an entire half cracked APC was in the way – the rounds could be heard first clattering through its layers of armour before tearing it open like a pinata, intent on shredding the softer target. Its weapon swivelled again as it charged, drawn by the sound of clinging metal and the impact of a pair of large-calibre rifle rounds slamming into its hull, Paris now becoming the object of its wrath. It hesitated at first, gravel scraping underneath its dense legs, giving Paris a lead as he charged towards the machine. Immediately, it attempted to move to the side but it was not the only fast-moving heavyweight brute. It managed to avoid a full-on collision but not before Paris shield smashed into its left leg, sending it teetering off to the side. Its now unwieldy body smashed into a crashed hover-car, crumpling its already half melted doors, and nearly slumping to down onto both legs. One of its eyes twitched, stretching on it stalk, glaring with unearthly red at Paris. That was when the sound of an angry, electrical shriek filled the air. Scanners in the area would detect a powerful discharge of plasma and wary eyes see the huge blue glob soar over the growing flames of the treeline, falling towards Paris as it descended – it wouldn't be a direct hit but within the 50 metre deadly radius, serious damage could be done – even to the machine itself. Yet it was only a few seconds before it was up on its feet, charging past Paris before a spray of plasma ripped into its side. Energy shielding flared up – the crackle of electricity around itself intensified into a semi-domal sheen of orange-yellow power, flaring as the plasma rounds slammed into it and caused it to brighten in intensity, weakening its defensive capabilities. The whine rose in intensity as its eye-mounted targeting laser swept over the treeline, wildly around where the residual heat had gathered. Another mighty roar – another unztadtlige plasma mortar glob soared through the air, aiming to annihilate the still cloaked Vin! Even the machine might be caught in its large radius – as it swivelled outwards towards the road again, it was clearly aiming for more, targeting wildly across destroyed vehicles and the nearing treeline. Another plasma-mortar report followed, this one falling roughly in front of where Linus and Corsica were located! The machine did not get a chance to keep up its wild sprint. A piercing series of beams, scorching in their intensity, hit it direct on the shields crackling wildly from the strain. Its HMG swivelled, this time locking onto Zsresrinn again, the sheer interference from its rapidly overloading shields causing its weapon to shake and shudder, firing wide from the vrexul and instead gouging open a tree a few metres behind her, sending it crashing forwards just a few metres from the arthropod. Linus and Corsica responded in kind – energy bolts swollen with unearthly power joined with armour piercing incendiaries, exploding in a radiant show of lights. Energy shielding hit its threshold and violently expelled the excess, sending out a wave of static interference, forcing the machine to stumble backwards… but not before a few of Corsica's round flew into its open wounds. Biomatter erupted into flame as soot and vaporizing internal fluids burst out of its body. The very machine gun sitting upon it shuddered before falling not backwards but into its body, crackling and sparking as its biomatter were consumed by the molten intensity boiling within. Its eyestalks rapidly twitched, blinking yellow and orange as they began to target its own crumbling body, answered by another roar of the massively powerful mortar, aiming this time directly on its position! Before it could fall there, it was up on its feet and moving aggressively towards the reclaimer and the celaderaka, intent on using its raw mass and now burning body as a living battering ram. Its unztadtlige controller was prepared to use it as the target marker itself as the burning, tortured biomachine made one final ditch effort to end at least some of the team members. "Kirvan's piss, that bastard's not giving up, forget it and run!" A familiar voice crackled over the coms. "We can't hold out for much longer, we've been here even before your crash! Any more and that floating coral bastard's going to catch wind of all of us!" The soldiers arrayed out in the ruined park were clearly on high alert, scanning over the ruined walls and some had their weapons raised. Whatever they were seeing it was getting them on high alert and the swivelling gun turrets, sweeping the sky and the roofs of the distant ruined buildings, made it clear they wouldn't be secure out here for long.</s>
<\|description\|>CHARACTER SHEET OUTLINE DISCLAIMER: YOU ARE ALLOWED TO CONTROL A SINGLE CHARACTER FOR NOW. THIS MAY CHANGE WITH TIME. NAME:: SPECIES: (Human, alien, machine? You are allowed to create your own species too). AGE: (Please do not put in creepily underage characters.) FACTION ALIGNMENT: (Are they with the Gnosis Eater Sect? The Dolsilvec Regime? The Unified Celestial League? The Carnazir? The Zrovreni Solar Revolutionary Pact? An independent agent or from another faction altogether?) HEIGHT/WEIGHT (OPTIONAL): PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: (Reference images not mandatory but helpful) BACKGROUND PRIOR TO BEING SELECTED FOR THE MISSION: (A paragraph minimum. Who are they, where did they come from, why are they fighting, all that good stuff.) REASON FOR MISSION RECRUITMENT: (Why were they selected for such a dangerous mission? It is advised to include their greatest strengths here. A paragraph minimum.) WEAKNESSES: (Minimum of four. Can be physical, psychological, strategic, training-related, etc.) SKILLS AND TRAINING: (What are some things your character was taught, programmed to know, genetically inherited, etc.? Things such as first aid, hacking, survival, tracking, alien languages, demolitions, martial arts and so on are included here. Training is essentially how your character fights; are they a long range sniper, a close-in assault trooper, a sneaky saboteur?) LOADOUT: (This includes your weaponry and any equipment you are taking with you. You are allowed a maximum of three ranged weapons starting out and two melee ones. Other weapons such as grenades, timed explosives, and mines you can larger number of. In the case of gear such as portable turrets, drones, and living creatures, you are typically limited to at most two. Typically non-combat equipment such as medits, repair tools, tracking devices, and so on you are allowed more leeway with. Armour and such unsurprisingly is typically limited to one... unless say, you're some bizarre multi-bodied organism or something. Remember, you can acquire more weapons and equipment with time.) AUGMENTATIONS: (Does your character have any notable upgrades to their default bodily capabilities? These can include cybernetic, ethereal, and biological implants or devices of note as opposed to general performance enhancers that grant them additional abilities, enhance their default bodily capabilities, or even network with their gear and armour. If your character is partially cybernetic, a lab grown bio-entity, naturally possessing ethereal internal components by default and so on, these would be the last major augmentations they acquired.) ETHEREOLOGY: (Is your character capable of manipulating unearthly currents of power from the dimension known as the Abzu? Maybe even those from The Abyssic Plane? This is the series' version of magic. If so, describe how they care capable of doing such. Provide a few examples of this if possible and the role it fulfills for them.) PERKS: (Perks are special abilities that are unique to the species your character is. Each species has three and you are allowed to have all of them. They can include having certain weapons only they are capable of using, creating specialized minions to assist you in battle, or increasing your proficiency in piloting certain vehicles among others. You may also have one additional perk of your own but it must not overlap with a pre-existing one for any of the major species)</s> <\|message\|>Rho-Hux. The Constrictor of Caddadast. Rho-Hux Survival was nothing new. War was like nature, you either learned fast and adapt, or die. Rho-Hux had waged many different wars on many alien worlds. It was in the fires of the battlefield that he realized what he was...a killer and a damn good one at that. He spent most of his career as a major and might have become more than that if it was for an I N C I D E N T that led to him being discharged. The UCL wanted nothing more to do with him. Those highborn, white-noose-collared, silver-spooned, test-tube babies that made up high command thought Rho-Hux was "unstable" and "a disgrace" for participating in "war crimes". That load of shit was so big it could be classified as a dwarf planet! There were no rules to warfare, just as there were no rules to nature. Does an Earth sea turtle cry to its mommy when the mean seagull bites its flippers? HELL, NO, that turtle gets off its ass and runs! It cares nothing for its slower siblings, they are weak and a liability. The little bastard runs all the way to the ocean, where it fights sharks, crabs, and all manner of predators just so it can bang another equally strong sea turtle. That was nature, that was war, fight, win, expand! Shit, that was just the tip of the ice burg when it came to the nature of kill or be killed that was woven into the galaxy. Point was, the UCL leadership had gone soft and had put this killer animal in the inhuman petting-zoo known as a "Psychiatric ward". Well after a couple of years wasting away in there on a diet of pills and sterilized canned food, Rho-Hux had almost forgotten who he was. When he was released from that institution, he struggled to find his place in the world. That was until some bigwigs at The Sect got word that The Constrictor of Caddadast, Rho-Hux, had been released. It didn't take them too long to remind Rho-Hux of the nature of the world, and when they told him about this secret mission of theirs, Rho-Hux remembered what he was meant to do. It was like instinct, like nature. As much as Rho-Hux hated what the UCL leadership did to him, he still considered the UCL to be his pack. He learned everything he knew from them and he thought and died by their side. So when he heard that a couple of sons a' bitches decided to go rogue and betray their brothers in arms, Rho-Hux knew he was destined to kill them. Well, it seemed these insurgents were hell-bent on pissing off Rho-Hux. Before he was even planet-bound, his team's drops malfunctioned as they entered the atmosphere. When he crashed landed did he try to call for help? Look for the other sect members? OF COURSE, NOT, HE WAS IN WAR NOW! HE RAN, HE RAN INTO THAT OCEAN OF A JUNGLE LOOKING FOR MORE! ANY WHO WERE LEFT BEHIND WERE WEAK AND DESERVED TO DIE! For the past week, he had been surviving in the planet's rainforest, hunting for his prey. He had managed to kill a few insurgents scouts, but not enough to satisfy his hunger. He needed more, but there was only so much an old beast like him could do alone. Well, a week of eating slightly poisonous bugs and strange roots does a lot of negative things to a mad man's mind. Rho-Hux was ready to throw caution to the wind can raid the insurgent's base all by his lonesome until he spotted a large multi-species group through the overgrowth. There were two humans: One covered in black and gold armor, and the other a tree trunk of a human man. With them was a Voidhanger, a Vrexul, a Celaderaka, and some sort of chimera of animals twisted to resemble a Vrexul. They didn't carry themselves like insurgents, or former UCL for that matter. Armour and weaponry were all over the place. They looked bettered repaired than the hastily assembled SECT group he had been a part of. Still, he didn't want to take too many unnecessary chances. Activating his Octopus armor, he blended into the trees and climbed from tree to tree. He kept two of his hands clasped around his guns in case he needed to go ballistic. "Well, looks like I just found the island of misfit toys!" Rho-Hux shouted in his old commanding voice. God, he missed scaring new recruits, but he doubted this group would be easy to intimidate. Good, he didn't need one else slowing down the mission. "This is Former Major Rho-Hux. My unit is on a mission to kill some back world UCL insurgents. If I thought you were the insurgents we wouldn't even be having this pleasant little chat right now. Tell me who sent ya and I might consider playing nice!"</s> <\|message\|>Zsresrinn. Forest Trails Something was still not adding up, but for the moment Zsresrinn did not see any better alternatives than following through with the plan they had and seeing if things would become clearer along the way. In the worst case, any hidden threats would eventually reveal themselves so that she could deal with them simply and straightforwardly. She took one of the comms devices given out by Yrilovan in a flexible upper limb and drew it into her shell. The carapace parted like an opening mouth before it, letting the transmitter sink into a layer of sludgy grey flesh beneath, and closed again once it had mostly submerged, with only the upper side protruding out as though it had been built into her body. The path into the Sprawls was uneven, but navigable. The many-limbed vrexul had a somewhat easier time making her way over the harsh terrain than her bipedal companions, clambering over ancient mossy roots and stones that protruded into their path. Thick trees and light fog made for good cover without clouding her own vision too much. Her finer senses could pick out the enemy moving not too far away, no doubt startled by the firefight off to the side. Better not to engage them now, not without knowing how many and how well-armed. Their camp was predictably not too distant, along with a path they must have been using. If they had not closed it, it must have had some use to them. "Scouting preferable," she scraped to Paris' question. With their heavy equipment, including her own, going in blind was too much of a risk. She released a small cloud of parasitic drones, which scattered and swept towards the less exposed path, keeping close to the ground. She could not see too far ahead through them, but it was better than nothing. A call nearby drew her focus away from the synchronised eyes. She turned, now without some annoyance, in the newcomer's direction. Camouflaged, but sounded like a gealtirocht. A Leaguer, or ex-Leaguer, no difference. Irritation gave way to wariness. For all that he claimed to be only hunting insurgents, the League were enemies of the vrexul, always and everywhere. Best be careful with this one. "Allegiance to Gnosis Eaters, currently," she snapped, "You?"</s>	<\|message\|>CHARACTER SHEET OUTLINE As Rho-Hux confronted the Sect group, the offensive through the woods raged on. Off in the distance a section of the woods burned an angry, weltering orange as vehicular weaponry and shrieking mortar shells devoured foliage and infantry forces alike. The dialogue between purple, yellow, and white weapon flashes against the blue, green and orange had momentary stalled as a partially scourged open stretch of the woods became the site of another massive firefight. Gourlan's advance had stalled but the woods weren't any less alive with activity than they were before. Through the shaded paths winding deeper into the heart of the Sprawls, the parasitic drones sent Zsresrinn found a foreboding, maze-like path where the mist hung heavy and the light barely reached. Bumpy and uneven terrain forced them to travel up and down an irregular topography defined by dense roots that crept over the path and sudden ditches in the earth. Footsteps and the scents associated with them could be detected; primarily troops from what could be discerned but a closer look revealed those of indigenous life forms – clearly making usage of a pathway that was increasingly revealing itself as a connecting pathway to other hideouts in the Sprawl. Advancing further would cause the shared sensory link with the parasites to blur; a static not electric but somatic, causing the link between creator and drone to weaken as they neared the edges of control range. It couldn't be said that was entirely the reason as to why however. A piercing, synthetic shriek roared through the thick foliage and the vision and hearing of the creatures momentarily blanked from a bright blue-white flash of light, silhouetting trees and leaves in a bright flash. Chitters, roars, and crumpling leaves could be heard in their wake as wiry, serpent-like shapes scattered through the woods, running towards and over the parasites in a wild, frenetic stampede. The sound of the unseen weapon firing was audible and visible from the distance; an angry burst of light that crept out of the depths of the Sprawl's darker pathways yet did not truly leave it. The creatures however, were unheard and unseen amidst the radiance. Most of the parasites sent out by Zsresrinn had been crushed in their frenetic stampede yet it is one that was impossible to hear over the monstrous, roar. It wasn't what most would pay attention to. Breaking from the tree cover, an enormous globule of radiant angry blue-white soared overhead. It seemed almost liquid like, a gigantic raindrop-like mass of coalescing, fleshy, warping energy not of this world. A distant chill crept across skin and carapace alike as distant waves of ethereal radiation washed over them; not enough to be dangerous but it seemed to caress them with a tender, hungry lustfulness as the globule descended towards the armoured column. An explosion just a little less radiant than the burst that had sent it forward erupted in the woods, flattening trees and swallowing the flashing lights of weaponfire in a horrific bluish-white. Drifting clouds of an algae-like foggy blue hung as sporadic, intermittent weapons fire from the insurgents kicked up. Their coms began to buzz, static washing through but not overwhelming the voice calling. <How quaint; the very void-howitzers the League sold to us are now being turned on us.> A cruel laugh broke out from Gourlan, followed by a shrieking series of weapon discharge. <I hate to demand this of our guests, but would you mind dealing with this hopefully trivial matter?> As the wash of spectrometric strangeness began to die down, the remaining two parasite-drones would have their psycho-somatic link re-established and repaired to Zsresrinn. As the stampede had ended, sight though not scent of the strange, unidentified creatures had been lost as they scattered into the woods. Yet they weren't the only ones moving; air pressure sensors and their other longer-distance detection measures would notice other shapes moving in the wood. Yet they only needed their eyes to see something larger and multi-limbed shambling across the hill over which the void-howitzer had fired. It was too dark to make out its particular shape, too well hidden even in this frenzied moment, but a particular fresh, wet smell reeked from its body. More importantly, the drones had established at least the rough general location of where the howitzer likely was and as they were still active, could keep an eye on the area for beast or soldier within the area. They hadn't been detected, at least, not the living ones.</s>
<\|description\|>Silver or Silvershot SPECIES: Voidhanger AGE: 23 in appearance, 85 in real time FACTION ALIGNMENT: Before being incorporated by the GES he worked for an independent owner of a Mega-Corporation. He has no ties to any governments and is disinterested in each faction's games. HEIGHT/WEIGHT: 6'2, 120kg's (accounting for cybernetic parts) PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: BACKGROUND PRIOR TO BEING SELECTED FOR THE MISSION: Silver was born in the Void, though where, when or to what family within the mysterious race he does not know. During a run through the edges of Pact space, his ship ran too close to a patrol for their liking. In the ensuing engagement Silver's ship was destroyed, along with a decent portion of his natural born body. Whether it was through some series of luck, ether or natural ability, Silver clung to life and was picked up by a large time scavenging corporation. Recognising the value in even a partially intact Voidhanger, they stabilised Silver and kept him alive long enough to put him on the black market. There he was bought by parties unknown with the intention to sell him as an exotic trophy in order to seal an upcoming corporate merger. The majority shareholder of the mega-corporation was known to be an eccentric trillionaire, Nolan Grimes. Though instead of adding Silver to his xenogenic collection, Nolon saw a different kind of purpose. He had heard the rumors of the Voidhangers and was well aware of their strange connection to the Ether (a subject that fascinated him more so). As a result, Silver was imbued with cybernetics, redesigning his internal structure, parts of his arms, part of his skull and completely rebuilding the lower half of his body. Why Silver was able to retain his own mind and not be constrained in any manner is a question that the Voidhanger still asks himself even today. Regardless he was brought back better and stronger than ever. He spent the next several years training and actively engaging in corporate espionage and assassinations. Always corporate and never political, Silver (Nicknamed Silvershot), stayed out of the limelight creating an infamous name for himself. Though he has never met any Voidhangers, he has grown not to care for the galaxy's politics or wars, he simply exists for the function he was brought back to do. For the longest time Silver believed himself to be without attachment and even without feeling, allowing himself to get lost in the cold calculation and logic needed to be an assassin. This was until his contract was sold. It was an odd mission, his employer tasked him with stealing documents from the GES. What the documents contained Silver didn't ask, he never did, but he infiltrated the black site with success. Not saying it was easy but he pulled it off without the operation going south, retrieving the documents and relaying them back to Nolan. It was only when Nolan's deal with unknown parties went south that the GES came knocking. Though instead of vengeful reprimand, they brought a deal, access to information about certain Archaeotech projects in exchange for Silver's contract. Nolan didn't even blink before signing him over. And there began a new life for the assassin, though how long it would last is anyone's best guess. REASON FOR MISSION RECRUITMENT: Even before his heist at the Gnosis black site, Silver's infamous reputation was well known within the corporate and even political world. Rumours swelled throughout the communities with some stating the man glides through the thickest of walls and others believing he can morph into existence through any shadow cast. In reality the Voidhanger has honed his ability to slip into the Ether and is now attempting to learn how to blink,. His preferred method of assassination is ship to ship, piloting a small stealth craft and pulling off otherwise impossible maneuvers to be able to reach his targets in the black of space using his natural space immunities. Though considering how this mission is shaping up, maybe the GES were still sore about the heist and that's why he's here. Regardless, nothing matters, not to Silver, the goals haven't changed, only the path to get there. WEAKNESSES: Unknowingly to Silver, his biggest weakness is actually psychological. Not knowing his kind, years upon years of shutting down his emotions and a final betrayal of the only father figure he ever knew has left him rattled. Everything is starting to bubble to the surface leading to a potential explosion or collapse. This, in turn, is affecting his ethereal abilities. The rush of emotion causes him to lose focus and make mistakes, either leading him to spend too long in the sub-dimension or causing real world consequences. Another weakness is working within a team. Silver has never had to co-exist or work alongside anyone, he has no experience in this area and is not overly fond of the idea. The work he produces is like an operation or a delicate artform, others detract from this. Combat wise, Silver is not built for frontal assaults or dug in grunt warfare. His armour is light and built with stealth in mind. He can slip in and through enemy lines but leading a charge across no man's land is basically suicide. Finally his immune system on planets is still subpar, though his cybernetic enhancements overcome the most severe repercussions, his natural born immunity deficiencies (planet side) still come into play now and then. If unfocused and untreated, they can become a real problem. SKILLS AND TRAINING: Silver has excellent knowledge in the following areas: Long range sniper Hand to hand combat Swordsmanship/daggers Throwing knives (and variations of) Deception skills/lying Natural born ethereal abilities He also has a decent knowledge in the following: Explosives Tracking Languages of the UCL Healing/repairing himself (and himself only) Cybernetics/robotics Programming Piloting small ships LOADOUT: Camouflage ability "invisibility cloak" more like translucent, so still partially visible Suit is solar powered AI scout drone (in built into the suit, can help with repairs to suit/cybernetics) Silenced High Impact Sniper Silenced pistol Small Ammo pack with 3 mags for the rifle and 4 mags for the pistol AUGMENTATIONS: Shoulder mounted darts (stun and poison) Cybernetic filter system "Hidden blade" wrists that can be removed and thrown, suit can manufacture more from scrap metal Right hand has an EMP charge, not powerful enough to take down full power armour but can fry vital circuits if placed in the correct spot, or override door panels etc. Knock out gas left hand HUD interface Powerful legs Thrusters for jumps or movement in space, cannot fly ETHEREOLOGY: Silver, although he had no training from other Voidhangers, has honed his natural abilities over a much longer time period. He is able to heal his flesh and fade out of existence in the physical plane. He can reach the full minute before needing to return. He's also pushing himself to learn how to blink. He has learned to do it over less than a meter but struggles to move further. PERKS: Silver has the Unearthly Resilience and Traveller of Outer Realms abilities. He has also kept a hold of his defence shield, not needing to improve it in any way.</s> <\|message\|>Rho-Hux. The Constrictor of Caddadast. "Gnosis Eaters? Well, that's better than shit-eating troglodyte insurgents." Rho-Hux was interrupted by explosions and a voice coming from the strangers' coms. "Speaking of which! I think a little bloodshed is in order." In one of his four arms, he pulled out one of his Earth-based swords. In another, he pulled out a las-pistol. "All the matters in terms of allegiances is that as of right now I am your friend. I know can help you find the base of the insurgents but first I think we better disarm these trigger-happy terrorists before they start to improve their aim." Rho-Hux used his grapple hook gun to people himself deeper into the woods. He soon felt the need to return to the group to say one last crucial detail. "Just to be clear, when I say disarm, I mean cut off their arms and show it to them before you further torture them for information. Professionals have standers and traitors need to be reminded about what happens to dishonorable deserters."</s> <\|message\|>Zsresrinn. Through the undergrowth Sounds and images flashed as Zsresrinn refocused her senses through the cycle of disruptions that came with the destruction of a number of her drones. Normally this would not have been very taxing, but the sharp bursts of sensation from the void-howitzer's shots gave her perception a slight pause as it was inundated by the blinding surges from several angles at once. In a moment, however, her briefly scrambled strands of mental input were cleared up again. She began to make her way towards the mouth of the path. "Caution," she hissed at Rho-Hux as he leapt into the thick of the jungle ahead of the group. It would have been false to say that she cared much about what happened to the gealtirocht, but, like it or not, for now they shared a common enemy. She would have to make the best of it. Perhaps more importantly, if he went in swinging he would stir up both the militias and the local fauna, which from what she had glimpsed was already dangerously agitated. Those creatures looked dangerously agile, and it was hard to tell how many of them there could be lurking around nearby. "Insurgents on alert, beasts prowling. Camouflage if you can. Direction is known." She gave a mental tug at one of the remaining symbiotes, and the eye-like drone rose into the air to indicate the way where the howitzer seemed to lie before ducking back into the undergrowth. It was best not to expose them too much as long as they were her only link to the deeper paths. As she began to make her way through the brush, trying to step carefully on the tips of her legs but still making an unavoidable amount of noise, she glanced up with a row of eyes at Rho-Hux's last words. "Interrogation not my specialty. Will disarm as I can." She brought her upper limbs forward, and wide recurve blades quietly extended from the shell along their length like unfolding palm leaves. Shooting where the trees grew so thick would be difficult, and if some feral creature decided to ambush them, she had best be ready to fight it off on its own terms.</s>	<\|message\|>Silver or Silvershot Silver Since entering the dense forest Silver had been tagging along behind the bulk of their little group. Having his paranoia confirmed by one of the troop commanders had only made the voidhanger's fretting worse, opting to engage his cloak despite being among 'comrades'. Their newest compatriot was no different to any other of the paramilitary soldiers they had met so far; full of bravado and out for blood. Silver hadn't even bothered with an introduction, attitudes like that got people killed real quick and who knows what the gealtirocht's angle was. The voidhanger grimaced as his foot sunk deep down into a flooded pothole that Zsresrinn had punched into the ground. The beast of a thing was surprisingly nimble and quiet for its size but the forest floor could only bear so much weight. Egh. Silver thought as he shook loose the mud that stuck to his leg. Note to self: never leave space again! Continuing on, the cyborg rolled his eyes as he shooed away another report from his little AI companion. There was nothing new to be gained from such things, more enemies, more threats, more carnage. The voidhanger didn't need a report to tell him how royally fucked they were. Right on time Gourlan's slimy, stomach churning voice crackled through the comms, calling the group into action. Seemingly without a second thought, the gealtirocht bounced into the tree's with talk of dismembering while Zsresrinn whirred into action mode. Silver, however, paused; instead choosing to open up their comms channel. <Guys, I'm not sure about this. Back at the outpost Yrilovan warned me that Gourlan shouldn't have known about the rendezvous spot and that he didn't know why he was there. This could be another ambush.></s>
<\|description\|>: Vin Valvoi SPECIES: Voidhanger AGE: 28 FACTION ALIGNMENT: Gnosis Eater Sect HEIGHT/WEIGHT (OPTIONAL): 6'2, 210lbs PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Voi BACKGROUND PRIOR TO BEING SELECTED FOR THE MISSION: Vin was born on a small Voidhanger fleet that had recently split from a larger Voidhanger fleet. The reason for the split was that the fleet leader had a major dispute with a small group of the fleet. Causing them to be exiled and have to survive on their own. Despite this, the fleet and Vin would rather well for themselves. However, Vin was never told what caused the exile since that topic had been considered taboo within the fleet. The fleet would face ups and lows over the years. When he was thirteen, as the fleet passed through a system, they were ambushed by a large group of pirates. In the fighting, Vin's ship was heavily damaged and made a blind jump to escape. With the idea that they can find and form up with the fleet later. Landing in a random system and the ship's damage forced it to crash land on a nearby planet. But, not before sending out a distress signal. Vin does not remember much after that and when he woke up. He was in a GES hospital with other Voidhangers, and his right arm being cybernetic. It turns out a GES ship was returning from a mission when it picked up the distress signal. It diverted course and investigated the signal. Finding the wreckage of Vin's ship and rescued the survivors. Also, his right arm was badly damaged and had to be removed. Vin found out that his family was killed in the crash, and he was rendered an orphan. He was devastated at the news and had no idea of what to do. Taking pity on the boy and after much consideration, after they could not locate Vin's fleet, the GES elected to raise him, which Vin agreed to. It took some time for Vin to adjust, and he would be brought under the care of a human named Maral Tokhta. An old GES researcher who would prove to be the right choice for him. Acting like a mother to him while teaching the ways of the GES. Vin, under Maral's care, would grow to like and respect the GES. Especially their tendency to help others in need. Eventually, when he was old enough and after thinking about how he could repay the GES for what they had done for him. With some resistance from Maral, Vin felt the best way to do so was to join the GES's military. After passing a trial, Vin went through training and would specialize in hacking, infiltration, and sabotage. Being deployed on various missions for the Sect. After a mission dealing with a threat to an allied world of Kive, Vin was assigned to an important mission to the world of Chalgheol. REASON FOR MISSION RECRUITMENT: Vin was chosen for the mission for his skill with hacking and infiltrating enemy strongholds. Being able to gain valuable information by hacking into an enemy computer, hijack it, or if needed, if a dig site is compromised. Delete all important information from its databanks. Along with hacking into robots and have them turn against their masters. In the case that the group faces a hostile bunker or fortified position. Vin's job is to eliminate it by using stealth and explosives. Along with setting traps for enemy combatant and, if needed, destroy relics from falling into enemy hands. WEAKNESSES: Fear of Additions - For personal reasons except for his cybernetic arm. Vin has a distrust of augments and chooses to go without them. Not wanting to be altered and has revulsion towards visibly heavy augmented beings. Infiltrator - Due to his armor and training, Vin is more suited to stealth operations than as a frontline soldier. His armor being light and not meant for heavy assault roles. Thus, he is at a disadvantage in frontline combat. Pained Ethereologist - For reasons unknown to him, it causes physical pain to Vin whenever he uses his Ether abilities. How much pain he feels is determined by how much Ether he uses. Thus, on low levels, he can tolerate the pain but, using a large amount of Ether can be very painful for him. So he prefers to use a low amount of Ether or not at all if possible during a mission. Ether Vulnerable - Due to the condition of it being physically painful to use Ether. Vin takes extra damage from Ether based-attacks, and Vin is less likely to use his Ether abilities if hit. To not overload himself with pain and hinders his ability to be useful on the battlefield. SKILLS AND TRAINING: Hacking Encryption Decryption Hand to Hand Demolition Infiltration Stealth Etherealist Commando Training Advanced Knowledge of Robots LOADOUT: Light Power Armor - The armor has a built-in digital interface on his left forearm that can be used wirelessly or with a wire to hack into terminals or robots. Along with the ability to cloak itself and is ether resistant. Also, being vacuum-sealed so Vin can operate in space or in hazardous conditions and has magnetic boots so it can stick to a metal surface. Plus, it has magnetic slots for carrying weapons and gear. Silenced Submachine Gun 5x Mags Silenced Pistol 3x Mags Plasma Carbine 6x Plasmas Packs Combat Knife 8 Explosives Charges with detonators 4 Frag Grenades 5 Trip Mines Small metal backpack to carry various gear AUGMENTATIONS: A cybernetic right arm that has been modified to have a concealed blade that extends from his top part of his wrist. It also has been modified to launch laser-based attacks through the palm of his hand though it has a limited amount of shots before it has to recharge. ETHEREOLOGY: Vin can manipulate Ether to form a layer of armor on himself or on another person, and the strength of the armor is dependant on how much Ether Vin uses, which he tends to use it at either low or medium cost. Another Ether ability is that Vin can use Ether to stun foes by causing Ether to form and explode like a flashbang in an area near him. PERKS: Unearthly Resilience, Traveller of Outer Realms and Choronzon Personal Defensive Shield</s> <\|message\|>Linus "Lin" Guiren Linus Guiren One moment, Linus was staring out one of the aircraft's windows, reminiscing. Well, truthfully told, that's what they've been doing during all the journey so far, only looking away at times to engage in polite chatter with some of the others. But most of the time, they observed their once home planet, spending time in quiet reflection. There were some familiar sights, some that seemed familiar, and others that were utterly unknown yet sparked a sense of distant nostalgia for this mess of a planet. In the next instance, the cockpit was destroyed, the pilot killed. Linus whipped their head to stare at the front, shocked still for a few milliseconds. Despite the impossibility of it, their vessel had been shot down and was now in the midsts of descending uncontrollably. This…should not have happened. The only way it could have was that someone in the know didn't like what they were about to do. The specifics of how, why, and who could be pondered upon later, however; right then, alarms were blaring (or rather, sputtering weakly in and out of existence), smoke and the scent of destroyed machinery was spreading, and their vehicle was loudly protesting its violent nosedive. Linus didn't need the holographic warning to know they had to brace for impact. To prepare for it, they activated nearly all of their Nerakian keys (leaving the offensive stingers dormant), and positioned four of their defensive discs around their body, covering themselves and anyone in the immediate vicinity. The other four were sent to reinforce the most vital parts of the vehicle, so as to lessen the risk of being crushed or pierced or – as had already happened to one individual when Linus wasn't paying attention – thrown out. With the yellow energy barriers engaged and ether repository orbs fueling them, all Linus could now do was hold onto their seat with one hand, and grip their backpack and weapons tightly to their body with the other. The sharp drop was nauseating and disorienting, and despite all preparations, Lin blacked out for a short while upon impact. When they opened their eyes, they had to spend a few moments blinking out dancing black-whit spots. Their head was pounding, and the Nerakian keys were barely responsive enough to clumsily fly back to their armor and integrate with it. The ether they'd stored in the orbs had been nearly exhausted. At the least Lin did not seem to be injured beyond some mild blunt trauma, which they must have suffered whenever they smacked into their ether barriers. Satisfied with their physical condition, Linus groaned, and extracted themselves from the seat. Before leaving the aircraft, they checked if anyone living was still inside, and if they were, Linus would help get them out if need be. They were wary of the dangers of the GES vessel exploding, and were eager to vacate the premises. The added incentive of approaching hostiles also helped to settle their decision. Under different circumstances, Lin would be glad to stand their ground and show the bastards what a pissed off Celaderaka could accomplish, but their team was scattered, confused, and otherwise not at all ready for such an action. Unfortunately, direct confrontation was out of the question. So was approaching Kerovnia. Linus had no idea why the city seemed as if it suddenly hosted a dedicated enemy battalion, but someone must have really opposed their mission. The sudden and unexpected voice over the coms – which had relayed nothing but static up until then – confirmed that they, whoever 'they' were, knew about their mission and were eager to prevent it being accomplished. To top it off, energy mortar fire was approaching from overhead. "We need to get out of here," Lin growled to no one in particular, then proceeded to hightail it through the woods, away from the hostiles and Kerovnia, heading approximately northwards.</s> <\|message\|>Reclaimer Corsica Reclaimer Corsica Strange. Were sect ships supposed to land this way? As the molten metal and viscera flew through the cabin, Corsica watched as the red text appeared in front of the dead man's body. Likely not, she thought to herself. She did little to brace herself from the impact. If her death would come, it would come. There would be nothing she could do to stop it. If she lived, then she lived. That's all there was to surviving catastrophic crashes. The impact shook her to the ground. Her armour prevented any serious damage. Not that she would be able to tell. Even if her bones were broken and joints dislocated, she would only be able to feel an injury if a limb gave out as she tried to walk. The ship came to a halt. Miraculously, she hadn't been thrown off. It wasn't her time after all. Quickly, she picked herself up and walked off the broken shuttle. As the mortars detonated far, she gave her arms a quick stretch. Nothing seemed to be dislocated, nor did anything seem broken. She was no worse for wear than the day before. Well, now was no time to be slacking. The high prophet gave her a mission. She'd see it though to the end. At least, unless the prophet gave her a new order. With rifle in hand, she watched as the one in the keyed armour venture into the jungle. Then she looked at the one hunkering behind the wreckage of the shuttle. After that, she looked at the distant energy mortars that slowly encroached on their location. She knew which side she'd be on. She reached for one of her solar tablets--a peculiar device that was triangular in shape and was as large as the palm of one's hand. She tossed it at his feet, with the intent that he could use it for whatever purpose he needed while hunkered down. "Good luck in the fire, brother." And she was off into the forest with one in keyed armour.</s>	<\|message\|>: Vin Valvoi How? That was what was going through Vin's mind as the cockpit was ripped open, and only half of the pilot was left. How? As he quickly went to brace himself as it was clear to him without the computer listed the warning about needing to brace. How could have this happen? Vin has never heard of a Sect ship that has been shot down before since the Sect is very good at making stealth ships. Never once had a Sect ship he had been one had the danger of being shot down, which made him feel rather safe in one but, now that has quickly changed as the rush of air-filled the ship as it descended rapidly out of control. Vin closed his eyes and waited for the eventual crash and the possible pain that comes with it. The crash ended up knocking him out, and the next thing Vin knew. He was on his back in the ruined remains of the ship. Vin groaned as the pain across his body quickly set in. Vin made himself sit upright to make an assessment of things. Everything hurt, but nothing felt like it was broken. Strained maybe, and it made him regret not having tougher power armor. Vin's armor is not made for impacts like this but, at least it kept his bones intact. Not to mention his life and his cybernetic arm seem alright. He did a quick check of his armor's systems. The digital interface still worked, luckily, along with the cloaking system. Vin sighed in relief as his armor still worked. Vin painfully got up, and that was when through the static, he heard the voice. Saying to get out and that they knew they were coming. Then cutting out, they knew that they were coming? How...how would they know that Vin thought to himself. Unless someone tipped them off, and that means someone on the inside. A traitor in the Sect then and Vin had a small fire grow in him. Someone will pay for this. Time did not let him think more about it as he turned around to and spotted the approaching hostiles. Moving to a piece of debris as cover and he could see the outlines of people coming to the wreak. That they had what looked like long guns and the sounds of mortar fire. Vin sighed again, "Of course, they were ready to wipe us out." He said bitterly as he started to move away from his cover. Unslinging his plasma carbine and turned on his cloaking. He needed to get out of here before those mortars hit and find his teammates. Looking around for any sign of his teammates, he caught one whose armor was on fire. Good, someone is alive, he thought as he chose to follow her into the forest. Hoping to find others and regroup to properly face the ones that are hunting them. And finish their mission and maybe find the one or ones that betrayed the Sect. But, that will be after they survive, that is. If they survive and Vin does not plan on dying on this world.</s>
<\|description\|>Rho-Hux. The Constrictor of Caddadast. Species: Gealtirocht. Age: 63. Faction Alignment: UCL Height: 8 ft BACKGROUND PRIOR TO BEING SELECTED FOR THE MISSION: A former Major In the UCL Military, Rho-Hux Rho-Hux devoted his existence to being a soldier. When given a mission he would spend hours researching his foes, the landscape, similar battles, and equipment that may be used on both sides. Once he became a Major, he excepted all those under his leadership to be up to par with the latest military information. His most famous mission was Operation Swamp Dragon. His battalion was to aid in taking over the city of Caddadast on the planet Omia. Omia was a planet made up mostly of dangerous swamps, and Caddadast was a well-fortified city. After trying and failing to breach the walls, Rho-Hux decided to starve the city out. He ordered his forces to poison the swamp water around the city preventing them from fishing or receiving clean water from within their home. Every time a group went out to get resupplies from elsewhere, Rho-Hux would launch a series of brutal guerilla attacks. The final nail in the coffin came when Rho-Hux received some anti-aircraft reinforcements. Soon the citizens of Caddadast found themselves trapped within their own city without food or clean water. This victory earned Rho-Hux the nickname of "The Constrictor of Caddadast." However, Rho-Hux's battalion came to an end when they came across a stray Abzu entity. It wiped out Most of Rho-Hux's battalion with only him and a few survivors seeking shelter in the wilderness. They were classified as MIA for months until Rho-Hux was found alone and half-starving in a cave. His story about what happened during his time in hiding are inconsistent, and due to his deteriorating mental health, he was discarded from the military. REASON FOR MISSION RECRUITMENT: Rho-Hux, having known nothing outside of life on the battlefield, and not wanting to grow old and be forced to spend his life in an institution, heard distant rumors about the mission and hacking into some classified files. He has gone on the run and is trying to join this mission so he may serve a higher calling again. Rho-Hux wishes to die on the battlefield for the good of the UCL. He sees himself as nothing but a soldier. Ethereology: "Ghosting" as some people call it. Rho-Hux can mute any noise he makes (like footsteps and breathing), remove his scent, and change his body temperature to match the environment around him. While this does not make him invisible; it does aid him greatly in stealth missions and when combined with his Octopus suit, he seemingly disappears from existence only to reappear behind his soon to be deceased enemies. The drawback to this power (other than the usual drawbacks to ether powers) is that if Rho-Hux were to be set on fire while using this power, his body temperature would rise dramatically, causing him to burn internally and externally." Strengths: -four arms, each can hold a weapon. -skilled swordsmen -stealthy -years of experience -loyal and respectful to allies Weaknesses: -Fire damages his gear, disrupts his Ethereology, and is extremely painful to him (as it is to most organic beings) -His mental state is fragile and is prone to fits of mania and PTSD. -His age is catching up to him. He is not as strong as he was/thinks he is. Starting Weaponry, Armor, and Equipment: Octopus armor: Blends in with the environment around it. This when combined with his ether power makes Rho-Hux nearly impossible to detect. It is light and offers more mobility for the wearing at the price of not being as sturdy for defensive as other advanced suits of armor. It also malfunctions horribly if set on fire for too long. Grapple Battle Rifle. Twin SMG guns. Daishō sword set. THEME SONG: youtube.com/watch?v=rBdQDGGNg8E</s> <\|message\|>Zsresrinn. Forest Trails Something was still not adding up, but for the moment Zsresrinn did not see any better alternatives than following through with the plan they had and seeing if things would become clearer along the way. In the worst case, any hidden threats would eventually reveal themselves so that she could deal with them simply and straightforwardly. She took one of the comms devices given out by Yrilovan in a flexible upper limb and drew it into her shell. The carapace parted like an opening mouth before it, letting the transmitter sink into a layer of sludgy grey flesh beneath, and closed again once it had mostly submerged, with only the upper side protruding out as though it had been built into her body. The path into the Sprawls was uneven, but navigable. The many-limbed vrexul had a somewhat easier time making her way over the harsh terrain than her bipedal companions, clambering over ancient mossy roots and stones that protruded into their path. Thick trees and light fog made for good cover without clouding her own vision too much. Her finer senses could pick out the enemy moving not too far away, no doubt startled by the firefight off to the side. Better not to engage them now, not without knowing how many and how well-armed. Their camp was predictably not too distant, along with a path they must have been using. If they had not closed it, it must have had some use to them. "Scouting preferable," she scraped to Paris' question. With their heavy equipment, including her own, going in blind was too much of a risk. She released a small cloud of parasitic drones, which scattered and swept towards the less exposed path, keeping close to the ground. She could not see too far ahead through them, but it was better than nothing. A call nearby drew her focus away from the synchronised eyes. She turned, now without some annoyance, in the newcomer's direction. Camouflaged, but sounded like a gealtirocht. A Leaguer, or ex-Leaguer, no difference. Irritation gave way to wariness. For all that he claimed to be only hunting insurgents, the League were enemies of the vrexul, always and everywhere. Best be careful with this one. "Allegiance to Gnosis Eaters, currently," she snapped, "You?"</s> <\|message\|>CHARACTER SHEET OUTLINE As Rho-Hux confronted the Sect group, the offensive through the woods raged on. Off in the distance a section of the woods burned an angry, weltering orange as vehicular weaponry and shrieking mortar shells devoured foliage and infantry forces alike. The dialogue between purple, yellow, and white weapon flashes against the blue, green and orange had momentary stalled as a partially scourged open stretch of the woods became the site of another massive firefight. Gourlan's advance had stalled but the woods weren't any less alive with activity than they were before. Through the shaded paths winding deeper into the heart of the Sprawls, the parasitic drones sent Zsresrinn found a foreboding, maze-like path where the mist hung heavy and the light barely reached. Bumpy and uneven terrain forced them to travel up and down an irregular topography defined by dense roots that crept over the path and sudden ditches in the earth. Footsteps and the scents associated with them could be detected; primarily troops from what could be discerned but a closer look revealed those of indigenous life forms – clearly making usage of a pathway that was increasingly revealing itself as a connecting pathway to other hideouts in the Sprawl. Advancing further would cause the shared sensory link with the parasites to blur; a static not electric but somatic, causing the link between creator and drone to weaken as they neared the edges of control range. It couldn't be said that was entirely the reason as to why however. A piercing, synthetic shriek roared through the thick foliage and the vision and hearing of the creatures momentarily blanked from a bright blue-white flash of light, silhouetting trees and leaves in a bright flash. Chitters, roars, and crumpling leaves could be heard in their wake as wiry, serpent-like shapes scattered through the woods, running towards and over the parasites in a wild, frenetic stampede. The sound of the unseen weapon firing was audible and visible from the distance; an angry burst of light that crept out of the depths of the Sprawl's darker pathways yet did not truly leave it. The creatures however, were unheard and unseen amidst the radiance. Most of the parasites sent out by Zsresrinn had been crushed in their frenetic stampede yet it is one that was impossible to hear over the monstrous, roar. It wasn't what most would pay attention to. Breaking from the tree cover, an enormous globule of radiant angry blue-white soared overhead. It seemed almost liquid like, a gigantic raindrop-like mass of coalescing, fleshy, warping energy not of this world. A distant chill crept across skin and carapace alike as distant waves of ethereal radiation washed over them; not enough to be dangerous but it seemed to caress them with a tender, hungry lustfulness as the globule descended towards the armoured column. An explosion just a little less radiant than the burst that had sent it forward erupted in the woods, flattening trees and swallowing the flashing lights of weaponfire in a horrific bluish-white. Drifting clouds of an algae-like foggy blue hung as sporadic, intermittent weapons fire from the insurgents kicked up. Their coms began to buzz, static washing through but not overwhelming the voice calling. <How quaint; the very void-howitzers the League sold to us are now being turned on us.> A cruel laugh broke out from Gourlan, followed by a shrieking series of weapon discharge. <I hate to demand this of our guests, but would you mind dealing with this hopefully trivial matter?> As the wash of spectrometric strangeness began to die down, the remaining two parasite-drones would have their psycho-somatic link re-established and repaired to Zsresrinn. As the stampede had ended, sight though not scent of the strange, unidentified creatures had been lost as they scattered into the woods. Yet they weren't the only ones moving; air pressure sensors and their other longer-distance detection measures would notice other shapes moving in the wood. Yet they only needed their eyes to see something larger and multi-limbed shambling across the hill over which the void-howitzer had fired. It was too dark to make out its particular shape, too well hidden even in this frenzied moment, but a particular fresh, wet smell reeked from its body. More importantly, the drones had established at least the rough general location of where the howitzer likely was and as they were still active, could keep an eye on the area for beast or soldier within the area. They hadn't been detected, at least, not the living ones.</s>	<\|message\|>Rho-Hux. The Constrictor of Caddadast. "Gnosis Eaters? Well, that's better than shit-eating troglodyte insurgents." Rho-Hux was interrupted by explosions and a voice coming from the strangers' coms. "Speaking of which! I think a little bloodshed is in order." In one of his four arms, he pulled out one of his Earth-based swords. In another, he pulled out a las-pistol. "All the matters in terms of allegiances is that as of right now I am your friend. I know can help you find the base of the insurgents but first I think we better disarm these trigger-happy terrorists before they start to improve their aim." Rho-Hux used his grapple hook gun to people himself deeper into the woods. He soon felt the need to return to the group to say one last crucial detail. "Just to be clear, when I say disarm, I mean cut off their arms and show it to them before you further torture them for information. Professionals have standers and traitors need to be reminded about what happens to dishonorable deserters."</s>
<\|description\|>Yew Age: Young Adult Gender: Female Species: Poochyena Ability: Rattled Appearance: Yew looks like a normal Poochyena, save for a fluffier than usual tail and a slight nick in her right ear. Her eyes are also a more earthy crimson instead of bright red. Her nose tapers to a fine point and her fur is usually always ruffled up. Personality: Yew is a rather rambunctious individual full of life and energy. She's quite adventurous, curious, and loud. Those who know her wonder how much energy she has, and if it ever ends. Those that don't know her might think she's uncivilized, filthy, and crude. She doesn't really enjoy expressing "weak" emotions such as sadness or fear, and will often express these in a furious fashion. Because of this, she doesn't have many friends, and the friendships she can claim are rather weak and fragile. It's quite obvious she doesn't know how to handle friendships-- or even relationships at all. She's also quite loud and will often speak a few pitches higher than others. Yew, of course, isn't aware of this, and will have to be told several times to quiet down. Short Biography: Unfortunately, Yew spent most of her puppy years as an orphaned nobody. She scoured the streets of Cloudgate in search of food and was often forced to rummage around in trash cans. When she had become keen enough to survive on her lonesome, she was taken in by a Salazzle named Guayana. Guayana allowed her to remain a resident of Cloudgate's resident thieves' guild with one exception-- if she helped them out during their heists. Hungry and malnourished, Yew agreed, and so began her life as a thief. She wasn't very good at sneaking around, but she was good at ambushing targets from the shadows, so the guild kept her around for her brute strength. Unluckily for her, Yew's time with Guayana didn't last long; the entire thieves' guild operation was intercepted by Cloudgate guards during one of their bigger heists. The good thing was that she had been forced to remain behind during the grand heist, and so no one suspected her of partaking in the shady guild. She had gotten off the hook with hardly a slap on the paw, but now she was homeless once again. Now an adolescent, she decided to partake in more humble work; she began to do odd jobs here and there, even though Pokemon weren't keen enough to pay her much. One day, she came across an ad announcing that Scorch had come back to train Pokemon to become future explorers. Perhaps that was what would pull her away from poverty and struggle once and for all? Move Set: Tackle Howl Bite Odor Sleuth Equipment: A leather satchel that hangs from her hip, which is usually filled with different types of meats and berries. Other: Yew likes biting things-- don't ask her why.</s> <\|message\|>Ting, after the sound metal makes when it strikes rock. Featuring: @Lucky --- As the wind whipped wildly through the streets of Cloudgate, making the ends of the bright orange cloth wrapped around Ting dance around, he wandered through the streets, his mind on autopilot. He was about halfway to his old construction job when he suddenly remembered that he needed to go to orientation for the Scorch's guild. He hadn't had any trouble getting there the first time, so it shouldn't be that hard to get back to right? Well, unfortunately, it was. With the combination of much taller pokemon blinding his sight, as well as his stubby legs not offering him much in the way of speed, he spent a good hour pacing the streets, looking for the entrance to the building. "It's supposed to look like a castle, right? Why the hell's this place so hard to find?" But finally, a bright red flag caught his attention, which he followed to see several more, right by the entrance of the guild. Now the other problem: it's right across a busy street. This would not be fun. After what felt like an eternity of trying to get through the crowd, and having to say "Excuse me!" and "Sorry!" about a thousand times, he had finally made it across the street. The structure seemed to loom on forever to him, now that he had the time to take a better look at it. It looked like it would've taken decades to build. But that was enough about the outside. It was time to head in and begin his new life. Or so he hoped. Inside the building sat several other pokemon, many of them seeming to be crowded around a buneary handing out something. Perhaps it was worth investigating? Taking a few slow steps forward he inspected further, eventually seeing that pastries of some sort were being handed out. Ting wasn't very familiar with pastries, he just knew they were sweet in flavor. Sweets were a rarity for him, as he often decided his money would be better spent on more important things. He considered for a moment about getting one. He'd really rather try to to make himself stand out. But then again, the bright orange cloth wrapped around him makes him stand out like a fire type in a lake. Standing off to the side and trying not to interact with anyone might make him stand out more since he's not with the group. But at the same time, standing around so many people is bound to draw attention to him. What a dilemma. Those pastries were starting to smell pretty good though. If he just kept his head down and his mouth shut, they might not pay him much mind. He approached the group surrounding the buneary holding the basket of sweets. Ting's eyes never met the buneary's as he reached for the sweetbread. "Thank you." he said meekishly, trying not to make too much noise. The sweet taste was somewhat foreign to him, though not unpleasant, and before he knew it, he had finished the loaf he was given. Taking another look around the room, a Sylveon sat somewhat farther away, likely some sort of official for the guild. For now though he decided to stay put however.</s> <\|message\|>Hex Jr. Hex Jr. Midday came, and Hex Jr. found himself standing outside the legendary Scorch's Guild Headquarters. Finally, a way back into the game. No more of this "it's too dangerous to venture outside Cloudgate" pussyfooting that the city officials had been spouting. Explorers, doing the thing they should've done from the start: investigating what was going on outside the city. Only took Scorch a few years to grow a pair and start recruiting, huh? The Litten sauntered into the Guild, making sure his mask was on right as he looked around. Seemed like a more or less standard setup. Scorch at least knew how to run a proper Explorer's Guild. He'd never met the old veteran in person, but hopefully he wouldn't start babbling on about his father. The last thing he wanted right now was to be reminded just how large the shadow he stood in was. A good few other Pokemon had beaten him to be the first one there, but that was fine. Just as long as he wasn't the last one. The sweet smell of baked goods hit Hex Jr.'s nostrils, and he moseyed on over to the Buneary holding the basket. "Don't mind if I do." He grinned slightly, taking a chunk of banana bread and starting to horf it down. "Mnf. Mnf. This's good!" Hex Jr. told the Buneary, nodding. "Where'd you pick these up?"</s> <\|message\|>Nyatalie Mentions: @Lucky@Polaris North Today was the single most chaotic day in the Persian household since the family had first moved to Cloudgate. Food and fur were flying all around the small main room as five meowths chased each other around the breakfast table. Their mother would normally have kicked them all out of the house by now, but it was a special occasion. Persian watched her daughters laugh and fight while she tried to finish up her meal. "It's today!" Nyatsuki shouted. "Hey! You're messing up my fur!" Meowgan cried. "You still owe me for that berry last week!" Nyacole said. "The Fearsome Fivesome becomes the Fearsome Foursome!" Meowdelyn exclaimed. The five balls of fur slowly ceased their play fighting until they were standing in a circle facing each other. Behind them the room was full of toppled stools, hairballs, and strewn about food. In front of them were four identical sisters, and one extra fuzzy - but equally beloved - Meowth. "Oh yeah..." Nyatalie started, blinking around the circle at her siblings. "I'm not just gonna miss you guys, you're gonna miss me too." "Who said anything about missing you?" Nyacole retorted, lifting her nose high into the air. "She's just playing," Meowdelyn snickered, shoving Nyacole over. The other two sisters crowded close to Nyatalie and clung to her. "It's gonna be so weird with just the four of us! Can you visit us soon?" "Yeah! I'll be part of a super famous rescue team and when I come back I'll tell you guys all about it!" Finished with her breakfast, Persian shook the mess that landed on her fur off and stood up. Poor things, Nyatalie hasn't even left yet and they're already missing her, she thought. She padded over to the group of snuggling kittens and stuck her paw into the pile, pulling Nyatalie out of the bunch. "You all say goodbye and get upstairs and clean yourselves off," she instructed. The four sisters did so, waving as they scrambled up the steps. Persian looked down at Nyatalie, giving the girl a gentle smile before she went about grooming her. "Mom! I'm not a kid, I can do it myself!" Nyatalie complained, but honestly it'd been a while since the last time her mother had taken the time to clean her up. For the feline type Pokemon like them, it was a welcome, familiar feeling. Now that Nyatalie had resolved to leave home and join and adventuring guild, she didn't know when the next time she'd be home was. The guild was in town, sure, but how busy would it be? Would they be sent on missions far away from Cloudgate for days at a time? Persian hushed her and just continued on until Nyatalie's fur was free of any imperfections. Once it was done, Nyatalie bundled up her excess fur in simple ribbons and presented herself to her mother for inspection, striking a pose as she did so. "Wonderful," Persian laughed, sitting on her haunches and clapping her paws together. "You'll be just fine, Nyatalie." "Of course!" Nyatalie beamed, her fangs shining. "I'm gonna make everybody proud!" -+-+-+- Once she'd made it to the guild, Nyatalie spent a few moments outside of the great castle-like building psyching herself up. She was a strong, independent, beautiful Meowth that didn't need no squad of troublesome sisters! Okay, let's go! The first thing she noticed was all the Pokemon milling about. To one side of the room a small crowd started to form around something that smelled delicious, so needless to say Nyatalie made a Combee-line there. Most of her own breakfast had ended up on the floor or in her fur anyway. "Good Meowning!" she said back to the Chimchar, giving him a wide smile. What a nice Pokemon! Most of the others nearby were on the quieter side it seemed though. A Poochyena, Croagunk, Bagon, Aron... Nyatalie took special note of the Shinx and Litten. Being fellow felines, maybe they would get along! The last Pokemon nearby was a Buneary, who was also the source of the nice smell. "Yay! Free food!" Nyatalie reached into the basket and immediately shoved the bread into her mouth. It was delicious, but halfway through chewing the Meowth's eyes widened. She'd forgotten something very important. Quickly swallowing the food, she fixed the Buneary with a serious gaze. "...thank you!"</s> <\|message\|>Neva --- It been ten days since Neva left her home to travel Cloudgate but Neva feels like it was yesterday. Neva look at the map that her mentor left, it has his handwriting on it and big red circle with a sign that says Guild on it, Neva sees the town of Cloudgate beyond the horizon, traveling to get here was hard but it will all be worth it soon once she find some clues for Blake disappearance. While entering Cloudgate, Neva hear some whispers from pokemon, feeling suspicious toward the young Sneasel in their town, Neva just ignore the suspicious whispers from everyone, she just need to focus on the task in hand. She hears tell from Blake saying that the guild headquarter looks like a castle, he wasn't kidding, it really goes look like a castle. The Sneasel nod her head at the Sylveon, who welcome her into the guild, Neva was surprise that were alot of Pokémon here but at the same time, this is a coronation party, everyone wants to join the guild. Neva lay against a wall while everyone is socializing with eachother, even though she want to take a bite of that Buneary breakfast, Neva needs to stay focus and serious.</s>	<\|message\|>Yew MENTIONS: Everyone Yew was about to start roaming around the place when the rest of the Pokemon started to filter into the guild. Her ears perked at the Buneary, who had brought in a basket of sweets. Too bad she spent too much time drooling over them-- before she could even take three, the rest of the Pokemon grabbed a bunch without even asking if she wanted a double serving. Her ear flicked to the side as she gave a huff. At least there were some left... like the sweetbread. She reached out to grab it and shoved it in her mouth, chewing wildly as crumbs fell to the floor. "Mmmnn," she purred, delighted with the combination of tastes. "So good! Thank yo--" "Eh-mmrm." The low growl snapped her attention away from the rest, and Yew blinked up at a looming figure. A large, raggy-furred Arcanine had stepped out from around a corner and approached them with a slow gait. She noticed that he had a slight limp; old scars ran across his body, the most gruesome one running from the tip of his nose all the way across his eye, which was clouded a misty blue. Yew stopped chewing as she gawked up at the large Pokemon. "S-so, everyone! I'm Fae, and this is..." the Sylveon's voice piped up again. "This is Scorch, your leader!" This was Scorch? He looked like he had been run over by a herd of Tauros and then eaten by a Salamence, and then the Salamence threw him up. Yew swallowed the remaining sweetbread that was in her mouth as Scorch's disinterested gaze flickered over their numbers. For a long moment, all that penetrated her ears was silence. Then, the Arcanine spoke in a low rumble. "Fae... all of these are young ones. Didn't I say I wanted adult recruits?" The Sylveon shuffled some papers in her paws for a moment. "I must've forgotten," she said in a nervous giggle. "But! Look! This bunch seems like they'd be good, too!"</s>
<\|description\|>Yew Age: Young Adult Gender: Female Species: Poochyena Ability: Rattled Appearance: Yew looks like a normal Poochyena, save for a fluffier than usual tail and a slight nick in her right ear. Her eyes are also a more earthy crimson instead of bright red. Her nose tapers to a fine point and her fur is usually always ruffled up. Personality: Yew is a rather rambunctious individual full of life and energy. She's quite adventurous, curious, and loud. Those who know her wonder how much energy she has, and if it ever ends. Those that don't know her might think she's uncivilized, filthy, and crude. She doesn't really enjoy expressing "weak" emotions such as sadness or fear, and will often express these in a furious fashion. Because of this, she doesn't have many friends, and the friendships she can claim are rather weak and fragile. It's quite obvious she doesn't know how to handle friendships-- or even relationships at all. She's also quite loud and will often speak a few pitches higher than others. Yew, of course, isn't aware of this, and will have to be told several times to quiet down. Short Biography: Unfortunately, Yew spent most of her puppy years as an orphaned nobody. She scoured the streets of Cloudgate in search of food and was often forced to rummage around in trash cans. When she had become keen enough to survive on her lonesome, she was taken in by a Salazzle named Guayana. Guayana allowed her to remain a resident of Cloudgate's resident thieves' guild with one exception-- if she helped them out during their heists. Hungry and malnourished, Yew agreed, and so began her life as a thief. She wasn't very good at sneaking around, but she was good at ambushing targets from the shadows, so the guild kept her around for her brute strength. Unluckily for her, Yew's time with Guayana didn't last long; the entire thieves' guild operation was intercepted by Cloudgate guards during one of their bigger heists. The good thing was that she had been forced to remain behind during the grand heist, and so no one suspected her of partaking in the shady guild. She had gotten off the hook with hardly a slap on the paw, but now she was homeless once again. Now an adolescent, she decided to partake in more humble work; she began to do odd jobs here and there, even though Pokemon weren't keen enough to pay her much. One day, she came across an ad announcing that Scorch had come back to train Pokemon to become future explorers. Perhaps that was what would pull her away from poverty and struggle once and for all? Move Set: Tackle Howl Bite Odor Sleuth Equipment: A leather satchel that hangs from her hip, which is usually filled with different types of meats and berries. Other: Yew likes biting things-- don't ask her why.</s> <\|message\|>Hex Jr. Hex Jr. What a douche. This prick got willing volunteers, and the first thing out of the old bastard's mouth was that none of them were adults? No wonder his dad never said much about Scorch, if this was how he was. Hex Jr. angrily horfed down the rest of his banana bread in one go, swallowing and wiping the crumbs off his mouth and mask before angrily stepping forward as he gently nudged the Bagon aside after he spoke. "No, don't kiss his ass, he just basically said we're worthless to him." The Litten hissed to Tusk, before turning to the mon in question. "There a problem, old man?" He raised his head high, meeting the rugged Arcanine's gaze in challenge. "You're disappointed we ain't evolved or experienced enough? Blame the rest of the cowards in the city for just being happy to hide behind the walls. Like it or not, we're all you got, so deal with it or kick us out. But then who're you gonna get to fight your own battles for you? Arceus, no wonder my old man never talked about you."</s> <\|message\|>Nyatalie Mentions: @Psyker Landshark@Ambra Okay, that thing Nyatalie had thought about getting along with her fellow feline recruits? That wasn't looking so likely now. That Litten was so rude! Nyatalie felt her fur bristle up in second hand embarrassment for her fellow recruits when the masked Pokemon opened his mouth. "You can't just say that to Scorch!" she hissed at the Litten. Yeah, Scorch was big... and kind of rude and more than a little ugly with all of those past wounds on his body... but he was still the guild's leader, and a local hero! Nyatalie stepped up closer to the Poochyena, Bagon, and Litten, putting her paws on her hips and glaring at the later. Didn't he know that when you didn't have something nice to say, you just thought really hard about it and then said the opposite? Sheesh, that was catty behavior number one! Rather than fume, Nyatalie cleared her throat and puffed out her chest before doing a mock curtsy in front of Scorch and Fae. "Mister Sir, you will find some of us are adults already, at least in mind... and manners!" she said, closing her eyes and smiling in the most confident way she could. Hopefully the rude remarks from that Litten didn't blow it for everyone... Nyatalie didn't think she could face her family if she got kicked out on the first day.</s> <\|message\|>Zaru Mentions: Location: Guild Lobby --- Other Pokemon had began to file in as they waited for the orientation to start. He smiled at the Meowth as she returned his greeting. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad after all, seeing how most of the Pokemon gathered in the lobby had partaken on the free food the Buneary had brought. A cough had caught his attention just as he finished the sweetbread he had gotten and looked up at the Arcanine who had certainly seen better days. Zaru acknowledged that he had probably gotten most of his injuries from exploring. After all, it was a very dangerous job. He had seen all forms of explorers back when he was traveling with his family and the Arcanine - Scorch, he learned - had certainly been through a lot. Getting as much esteem as he did, maybe these injuries were just to be expected. His attitude matched his grizzled appearance. He was very displeased by the group that had landed on their guild - a bunch of young ones. Zaru looked over at Fae who looked nervous but reassured that they were just as good too. That was a little rude of their leader, wasn't it? Evidently, there weren't many adults who wanted to participate in the guild, or else they would have been there! He really should have been thankful to get anyone at all, right? The words in his head were spoken by the Litten, indignant at the Arcanine's behavior. He could have been a little less rude about it, which the Meowth quickly rectified, but he really did have a point. "Besides, we're all willing to train to be the best we can be." Zaru pointed out. "We didn't come here to laze around and I'm sure everyone wants to help in any way they can." Maybe it's the allure of adventure, maybe it's helping people, maybe it's for the money - in the end, everyone had their own goal and he was willing to bet that none of them would drop out just because the leader of the guild didn't think they were up to par.</s> <\|message\|>Ace Mentions: @Ambra @Polaris North Ace watched as more and more new recruits filed in. There were quite a few and he felt excitement prickling across his fur at the prospect of getting to know them. He was usually too busy taking care of the house and his sister while his father was away to make many friends around the city, so this would be a new experience for him. Hopefully a good one. As everyone filed in, and picked up some of the baked goods the Buneary had brought in, there was a small amount of conversation. Mostly muffled thank yous until a much deeper voice dragged his attention to the massive Arcanine that had stepped into the room. He could feel his eyes widen at the crisscrossing scars all across the thick fur of Scorch. He knew adventuring wasn't easy, but it looked like he'd had it rougher than any of the other guild members he'd ever seen. His eyes went from wide to narrowed slits at the remarks their new leader made. So what if they were young; he wasn't about to let them be insulted because of it. It seemed like several of the others around him had similar ideas, some just expressed a bit more politely than others. He couldn't say he didn't agree with the snappish remarks of the Litten, but why did Fae even let them in if they weren't what Scorch wanted. He appreciated everyone immediately standing up for themselves and stood up from where he was sitting off to the side to position himself next to the Chimchar who had just spoken up; nodding in agreement with his assessment. "He's right. We're all here because we want to be, not because we have to. None of us would have shown up if we weren't willing to put in the effort." His tail twitched slightly in annoyance as he clenched his jaw and stared up at Scorch just waiting to see if he'd try and kick them out.</s> <\|message\|>Ting, after the sound metal makes when it strikes rock. Featuring: --- To Ting, the Arcanine stood several times taller than him. Granted, just about everybody else stood taller than him. He was only a foot and a half tall anyways. If he wasn't so used to seeing other big pokemon during his job as a miner and construction worker, he might've been a little intimidated. According to Scorch, they were supposed to all be adults. Well, he wasn't exactly a child, but he was only barely an adult by most people's standards. "Well, sorry to say but I think this is the best you're going to get. Besides, being younger just means we have more time to learn and gain experience." Unfortunately, his little comment probably ended up getting overshadowed by the others' loud antics. Something about kissing ass? The Litten certainly seemed into it. Perhaps silence would suit him better. Perhaps he'd blend into the crowd better if kept his mouth shut. Getting noticed was the best way to get dragged into unnecessary drama. Maybe things would resolve themselves if he just waited. Ting tried his best to walk to the edge of the crowd unnoticed, hoping nobody would try and stop him. The Sylveon was probably his biggest obstacle for staying anonymous. She wasn't in on the whole argument that seemed to be rising, yet she seemed aloof enough that he might not even be paying attention. Granted, it could all just be an act, and she might be significantly more perceptive than she lets on, perhaps as a way of keeping attention away from her, and to seem inconspicuous. Ting wasn't exactly all about that, and his bright orange cloth wrapped around him kind of naturally drew attention to him. A small price to pay to hide his past.</s> <\|message\|>Blue Blue furrowed his brow in frustration. He hadn't come here for sweetbread, or to have a conversation with his new guild buddies. No, he came to see if this place was up to scratch with what everyone says. He wanted to see if this was a place where he could make something of himself. Now that he was here all that mangy excuse of a leader could muster was 'I wanted adult recruits'? This wouldn't do, Blue was just about reaching that age anyway and he was going to be turned down? Blue, who had previously been hanging in the back, made his way up toward the front. He got within a distance to look confrontational with Scorch but not to close that the height difference between the two would be apparent. "I don't know about these other lot, but almost an adult and I can certainly fight like one mate. Looking around it doesn't look like you got much of a choice anyway. It looks pretty empty for a guild, don't it?" That was a bold lie, Blue had never stepped in a guild but he went on as if that worked. "You don't look in too good of a shape either. But hey mate, if you don't need the help, I'll leave. No skin of my back." Instead of immediately leaving the Croagunk stood there, not really able to move. He wasn't under some sort of paralysis, but it was as if there was a massive disconnect between what he was saying and what he really wanted.</s> <\|message\|>Neva --- Neva stands and watch as the Arcanine appeared and complain that there is no adults here, the Sneasel was puzzled by the leader comment, Blake was young when he join the guild, how come this is different? Neva then watch as the other new members stand up to the the Arcanine, even though she have a blank expression on her face, Neva heart smile a bit, seeing everyone band together, Neva finally want toward everyone. "And rather you like or not..." Neva finally spoke up from her silents "...We are not going anywhere." Neva say as she stands with the new members, staring at Scorch with determination in her eyes, if Blake was here right now, he would be proud of her and every member here.</s>	<\|message\|>Yew MENTIONS: Everyone The small room had become chock full of commotion. The Bagon and strange-looking Meowth were more than eager to receive a chance to meet Scorch, while there were others such as the Litten and Croagunk that were very rude. Yew's ears lowered slightly as she looked up at the large, scarred Arcanine. The bored look in his eye had become aglow with a muted rage, and his lips were curled in a snarl. She swore that she saw smoke curl from between his sharp teeth, and she ducked down to brush against the Buneary. Sure, she liked danger and adventure and all, but this was kind of unfair. Arceus, the size of Scorch's paw was practically the size of her entire body! Fluffy tail not included, of course. "Well!" Fae's paws clapped together a few times. Even though they looked very soft, they emitted a loud noise that made Yew jump. When she turned to face the other Pokemon, she caught sight of one of the Sylveon's bows reaching up to jab Scorch in the side. "That's enough of that. If we want to work as a team, we've all got to get along, right?" Scorch huffed out a black cloud of smoke, which rose up and disappeared into the air. A long silence passed before Fae once again spoke up. "Oh, I know, we should do introductions! That should be fun, and it'll make it easier to figure out the boarding... so, you, little Poochyena, come up and tell us your name!" Fae's paw waved towards where she sat. Yew swallowed and walked up to the front of the group. "Uhm. I'm Yew. I'm a Poochyena!" she stated. She looked over at Fae only to see that her blue eyes were wide and expecting. "I like... exploring? Yeah! Exploring! I also like to write. I write poems!" Well, that's made up. "Oooo! A writer! It's been a while since we've had an artist around," Fae chirped while Scorch sighed. "Thank you so much, Yew. Next, the little Litten. Ha! That sounds funny. Little Litten. Anyways, come, come! Tell us all about you!"</s>
<\|description\|>Ace Age: Young(older teenage) Gender: Male Species: Shinx Ability: Intimidate Appearance: A fairly regular looking Shinx though with fur a slightly darker shade of blue than average and he's, just a bit, larger than many of the other young Pokemon in Cloudgate. He also has a small split in his left ear. Personality: True to his ability Ace is a naturally intimidating figure, but he doesn't intend to be. A serious expression and proud stance give him the appearance of absolute confidence in himself. When combined with his slightly darker fur and larger size it makes him seem much more imposing than he really is at first glance. For someone who gets past that and starts a conversation with the young Shinx they will find a kind and affectionate friend who cares deeply about his friends and family. He is well known for stepping up behind, and overshadowing, bullies around Cloudgate who find it fun to pick on the younger or smaller members of their community. Since he came to the city he's always felt a faint itching for adventure, a way to get past the Shade or to help just to help out those who need it. This drive has caused him to take a growing interest in Scorch's guild and what kind of new experiences it might bring. Short Biography: Ace was born and spent his early years in Moonfall with the rest of his family, his mother, father, and younger sister. These childhood years were filled with exploration, mischief, and the joy that comes with being a young Pokemon in an every changing world. His younger sister followed him and his friends around, always interested in what they were doing. When the Shade came he and his family fled north losing his mother along the way. Since that happened his family has grown closer and he became much more protective of his sister. His father has a rough time and he helps out as best he can, knowing that his father is trying his best. Since coming to Cloudgate almost 3 years prior his father found a job that supported them well enough and Ace spent his time either helping out at home or finding jobs of his own. During his time he also became enamored with Scorch as someone he wanted to be like, but he never had the time to enter the guild. After his sister got older he found himself with more freedom to explore the city, which was similar enough to his old home for him to feel comfortable, and he was able to make a few acquaintances and get to know those who work in the market to a degree. He always felt that he wanted something more though, that itch for adventure and exploration eventually caused him to seek out Scorch's guild and try to be apart of something more. Move Set: * Spark * Charge * Leer * Bite Equipment: * A small leather bag that he keeps trinkets and treasures in * A leather bracelet with a small red gem sewn in by his mother Other: He still holds out hope that maybe his mother is still alive</s> <\|message\|>Blue Blue furrowed his brow in frustration. He hadn't come here for sweetbread, or to have a conversation with his new guild buddies. No, he came to see if this place was up to scratch with what everyone says. He wanted to see if this was a place where he could make something of himself. Now that he was here all that mangy excuse of a leader could muster was 'I wanted adult recruits'? This wouldn't do, Blue was just about reaching that age anyway and he was going to be turned down? Blue, who had previously been hanging in the back, made his way up toward the front. He got within a distance to look confrontational with Scorch but not to close that the height difference between the two would be apparent. "I don't know about these other lot, but almost an adult and I can certainly fight like one mate. Looking around it doesn't look like you got much of a choice anyway. It looks pretty empty for a guild, don't it?" That was a bold lie, Blue had never stepped in a guild but he went on as if that worked. "You don't look in too good of a shape either. But hey mate, if you don't need the help, I'll leave. No skin of my back." Instead of immediately leaving the Croagunk stood there, not really able to move. He wasn't under some sort of paralysis, but it was as if there was a massive disconnect between what he was saying and what he really wanted.</s> <\|message\|>Neva --- Neva stands and watch as the Arcanine appeared and complain that there is no adults here, the Sneasel was puzzled by the leader comment, Blake was young when he join the guild, how come this is different? Neva then watch as the other new members stand up to the the Arcanine, even though she have a blank expression on her face, Neva heart smile a bit, seeing everyone band together, Neva finally want toward everyone. "And rather you like or not..." Neva finally spoke up from her silents "...We are not going anywhere." Neva say as she stands with the new members, staring at Scorch with determination in her eyes, if Blake was here right now, he would be proud of her and every member here.</s> <\|message\|>Yew MENTIONS: Everyone The small room had become chock full of commotion. The Bagon and strange-looking Meowth were more than eager to receive a chance to meet Scorch, while there were others such as the Litten and Croagunk that were very rude. Yew's ears lowered slightly as she looked up at the large, scarred Arcanine. The bored look in his eye had become aglow with a muted rage, and his lips were curled in a snarl. She swore that she saw smoke curl from between his sharp teeth, and she ducked down to brush against the Buneary. Sure, she liked danger and adventure and all, but this was kind of unfair. Arceus, the size of Scorch's paw was practically the size of her entire body! Fluffy tail not included, of course. "Well!" Fae's paws clapped together a few times. Even though they looked very soft, they emitted a loud noise that made Yew jump. When she turned to face the other Pokemon, she caught sight of one of the Sylveon's bows reaching up to jab Scorch in the side. "That's enough of that. If we want to work as a team, we've all got to get along, right?" Scorch huffed out a black cloud of smoke, which rose up and disappeared into the air. A long silence passed before Fae once again spoke up. "Oh, I know, we should do introductions! That should be fun, and it'll make it easier to figure out the boarding... so, you, little Poochyena, come up and tell us your name!" Fae's paw waved towards where she sat. Yew swallowed and walked up to the front of the group. "Uhm. I'm Yew. I'm a Poochyena!" she stated. She looked over at Fae only to see that her blue eyes were wide and expecting. "I like... exploring? Yeah! Exploring! I also like to write. I write poems!" Well, that's made up. "Oooo! A writer! It's been a while since we've had an artist around," Fae chirped while Scorch sighed. "Thank you so much, Yew. Next, the little Litten. Ha! That sounds funny. Little Litten. Anyways, come, come! Tell us all about you!"</s> <\|message\|>Hex Jr. Hex Jr. Hex Jr. didn't flinch away from Scorch's enraged glare, despite how much his instincts screamed at him to. No, he wasn't backing down from this old-timer. Not before he conceded the point. Whatever the Sylveon was yapping about was unimportant, but he did catch bits and pieces of it in the midst of his staring match. Introductions? Ugh, icebreakers. He hated those. Of course, Scorch's damn assistant just had to pick him right after the Poochyena. For Arceus's sake, why? With a roll of his eyes, the Litten reluctantly pulled his gaze away from Scorch's, finally conceding the staredown as he looked to the rest of the other mon in the room. "Fine, fine. Name's Hex Jr." And he really hoped he wouldn't have to hear about his old man once someone recognized the name. "Did some exploring before the Shade kicked in. So I've got a bit of experience. Course, now I'm rusty after a year out of the game, just like everyone else." He said, breathing a speck of fire and sideeying Scorch at the latter portion of his sentence.</s> <\|message\|>Tusk Tusk had been too fixated on the presence of the legendary Scorch, not paying too much heed to the polarizing opinions and responses from the other Pokemon. Though, as much as the Bagon hoped that their guild leader wouldn't grow upset over the others' mild hostilities, he was quaking in his salute when it looked like Scorch was about to let loose a volley of flame. It was a little strange to see how the subject of his childhood stories was almost eerily similar to how his father carried himself; a bit gloomy, even menacing. He breathed a sigh of relief when Fae interjected before anything could possibly escalated among the recruits, listening as a few of them began to introduce themselves. "Well, I've already introduced myself, but," Tusk shrugged, tapping the center ridge on his head. "I'm definitely the strongest around town, so you can rely on me to beat up some baddies!"</s> <\|message\|>Zaru Mentions: Location: Guild Lobby --- Much like what he had expected, everyone had stood up for themselves. Tensions were rising and Zaru wondered if Scorch would just kick them all out. He wouldn't have been opposed to it; it would be a shame, sure, but if that's how the cards would fall, then he would accept it. Zaru waited for some kind of reaction from the guild leader - and it was clear that they had made him furious. Before he could make any sort of movement or talk against it, Fae quickly cut in to try and salvage the situation at hand. Introductions, huh? First was Yew, the Poochyena. A writer, that's pretty cool. Then there was Hex Jr., the Litten who had gone exploring before. Then there was Tusk who proclaimed that he was the strongest in town. "Nice to meet y'all, the name's Zaru. My family is nomadic, so I've traveled a lot and I'd like to believe I've got some experience in exploring." He said with a light chuckle, seemingly unaffected by the situation earlier. "We've settled here for the year cause of the Shade and all and I'm itching to get to see the outside again."</s> <\|message\|>Ting, after the sound metal makes when it strikes rock. Featuring: --- To Ting's surprise, the Sylveon had managed to control the situation quite nicely. Perhaps there was more to this Sylveon than she let on. She had suggested introductions from everybody, and a few had already gone ahead and introduced themselves and some of their skills. Learning about each others skillset would definitely be advantageous considering they'd likely be working together for quite some time. But then came the question: What is he good at? Well, he was good at survival, for starters. Then again, he could eat metal and survive off of it, while the others couldn't, so that certainly put a damper on his plans. Not to mention his immunity to poison from various poisonous plants and berries. What else was he good at? Loathe as he was to say it, he wasn't half bad at fighting. He could take hits and dish them out just as hard, too, provided they were physical moves. Anything else? Diligence? No, that wouldn't exactly be a skill. Maybe he would have to rely on his tenacity after all. He was good at taking hits, could survive on his own, and isn't afraid to get his "hands" dirty. "Well, my name is Ting, and I suppose my strong suit would be my survival capabilities. I can survive in the wilderness on my own, surviving off of iron or other metals, and I have a natural immunity to poison because I'm a steel type. Not to mention I've got solid defenses, and can take more than just a couple of hits." There. That wasn't so hard. Hopefully his skills would come in handy should they ever need them. Perhaps he could act as some sort of scout? He'd learned to mask his footsteps over the years, to the best of his ability, anyways. Maybe he should've included that in his little introduction? Though, looking at some of the others, like the Sneasel, their dexterity and skinnier bodies would likely make them better at stealth.</s>	<\|message\|>Ace Mentions: Ace fought to keep his fur from bristling, in fear or anger he wasn't sure, as Scorch glared and snarled at the lot of them. If this was the way the leader of the guild acted he wasn't totally sure he wanted to be a part of it anymore, but he also wouldn't let some old dog dictate what he did. Thankfully, before the situation could escalate any further the Sylveon clapped and pulled everyone's attention to her. Introductions made sense. Despite living here most of his life he couldn't say he really recognized many of the others who were in the lobby, and maybe Scorch would warm up a bit if he got to know what everyone was capable of. Some of the other's already gave their introductions. So far it seemed like they had a pretty diverse group here which would be great when they got out into the field. After the Aron, Ting, spoke he stood up straight, "I'm Ace. I can dish out some hard hits and I'm not afraid to be the first in line to fight for the rest of the team. My family moved here after The Shade started to impact Moonfall, and I've spent the past several years doing all different kinds of work and caring for my sister. Sort of a jack of all trades I suppose." He sat back down. He figured that was a quick enough summary of what he could bring to the team. He wasn't sure if they'd be split up on missions or sent out together, but he could fill in at least a few different roles if need be. That was if Scorch even wanted them to stay around after his less than pleased entrance. What were the odds that he could even find older pokemon that were willing to delve into The Shade in Cloudgate. Not super high in his opinion. Hopefully Scorch realized that this group was probably the best he was going to get.</s>
<\|description\|>Tusk Age: Young (Mid-Teens) Gender: Male Species: Bagon Ability: Rock Head Appearance: Mostly resembles the usual Bagon, but his skin tone leans towards a darker blue-green as opposed to a solid blue. The three gray ridges that cover the top of his head are also slightly smaller than normal. Personality: Tusk isn't exactly the sharpest tool in the shed. Some of his approaches to conversation can sound more like confrontations rather than small talk, as he tends to speak rather directly and loudly. He doesn't go out of his way to make hostilities, but almost always prefers to resolve any problems with his own sort of diplomacy: bashing things in with his head. He will not hesitate to charge face first into the fray, and looks to live up to his father's legacy to, one day, be able to soar the skies. That being said, despite his daring attempts to look heroic, this Hasty nature can cause a world of trouble for missions with concrete plans. He trains everyday to meet his self-imposed steep expectations, and dislikes slackers of any magnitude. Short Biography: Tusk was closely nurtured by his parents since early childhood as their second youngest child of four. He was rather insecure throughout his younger years, as he was often teased by his siblings for being the smallest one. He always looked up to his father, Skiff, a Salamence who had been a senior member of Scorch's Guild in the past before striking an early retirement after an incident led to his permanent inability to use his wings. While Skiff wanted his children to forage different paths in fear that they would suffer the same fate, Tusk was regaled by the enamored tales of his father's strength as a fighter and fame as an adventurer, wanting to make more out of his sheltered life in Cloudgate. Though he was terrified from the stories of the Shade, Tusk felt that he belonged in the way of those who would help others affected by it, much to the chagrin of his family. He began to train every day by honing the sheer force behind his head, though it was done so in secrecy, for his father did not support it in the slightest. He would still lose out in scuffles against his older siblings, but only took those losses as more reason to smash large rocks every day. When the wind brought news of the legendary Scorch's return, he would go to seek out the recruitment drive for the exploration team against his father's wishes. Move Set: * Headbutt * Bite * Rage * Leer Equipment: N/A Other: Tusk loves to be pet/nuzzled along his snout, but he refuses to admit or allow it.</s> <\|message\|>Hex Jr. Hex Jr. Midday came, and Hex Jr. found himself standing outside the legendary Scorch's Guild Headquarters. Finally, a way back into the game. No more of this "it's too dangerous to venture outside Cloudgate" pussyfooting that the city officials had been spouting. Explorers, doing the thing they should've done from the start: investigating what was going on outside the city. Only took Scorch a few years to grow a pair and start recruiting, huh? The Litten sauntered into the Guild, making sure his mask was on right as he looked around. Seemed like a more or less standard setup. Scorch at least knew how to run a proper Explorer's Guild. He'd never met the old veteran in person, but hopefully he wouldn't start babbling on about his father. The last thing he wanted right now was to be reminded just how large the shadow he stood in was. A good few other Pokemon had beaten him to be the first one there, but that was fine. Just as long as he wasn't the last one. The sweet smell of baked goods hit Hex Jr.'s nostrils, and he moseyed on over to the Buneary holding the basket. "Don't mind if I do." He grinned slightly, taking a chunk of banana bread and starting to horf it down. "Mnf. Mnf. This's good!" Hex Jr. told the Buneary, nodding. "Where'd you pick these up?"</s> <\|message\|>Nyatalie Mentions: @Lucky@Polaris North Today was the single most chaotic day in the Persian household since the family had first moved to Cloudgate. Food and fur were flying all around the small main room as five meowths chased each other around the breakfast table. Their mother would normally have kicked them all out of the house by now, but it was a special occasion. Persian watched her daughters laugh and fight while she tried to finish up her meal. "It's today!" Nyatsuki shouted. "Hey! You're messing up my fur!" Meowgan cried. "You still owe me for that berry last week!" Nyacole said. "The Fearsome Fivesome becomes the Fearsome Foursome!" Meowdelyn exclaimed. The five balls of fur slowly ceased their play fighting until they were standing in a circle facing each other. Behind them the room was full of toppled stools, hairballs, and strewn about food. In front of them were four identical sisters, and one extra fuzzy - but equally beloved - Meowth. "Oh yeah..." Nyatalie started, blinking around the circle at her siblings. "I'm not just gonna miss you guys, you're gonna miss me too." "Who said anything about missing you?" Nyacole retorted, lifting her nose high into the air. "She's just playing," Meowdelyn snickered, shoving Nyacole over. The other two sisters crowded close to Nyatalie and clung to her. "It's gonna be so weird with just the four of us! Can you visit us soon?" "Yeah! I'll be part of a super famous rescue team and when I come back I'll tell you guys all about it!" Finished with her breakfast, Persian shook the mess that landed on her fur off and stood up. Poor things, Nyatalie hasn't even left yet and they're already missing her, she thought. She padded over to the group of snuggling kittens and stuck her paw into the pile, pulling Nyatalie out of the bunch. "You all say goodbye and get upstairs and clean yourselves off," she instructed. The four sisters did so, waving as they scrambled up the steps. Persian looked down at Nyatalie, giving the girl a gentle smile before she went about grooming her. "Mom! I'm not a kid, I can do it myself!" Nyatalie complained, but honestly it'd been a while since the last time her mother had taken the time to clean her up. For the feline type Pokemon like them, it was a welcome, familiar feeling. Now that Nyatalie had resolved to leave home and join and adventuring guild, she didn't know when the next time she'd be home was. The guild was in town, sure, but how busy would it be? Would they be sent on missions far away from Cloudgate for days at a time? Persian hushed her and just continued on until Nyatalie's fur was free of any imperfections. Once it was done, Nyatalie bundled up her excess fur in simple ribbons and presented herself to her mother for inspection, striking a pose as she did so. "Wonderful," Persian laughed, sitting on her haunches and clapping her paws together. "You'll be just fine, Nyatalie." "Of course!" Nyatalie beamed, her fangs shining. "I'm gonna make everybody proud!" -+-+-+- Once she'd made it to the guild, Nyatalie spent a few moments outside of the great castle-like building psyching herself up. She was a strong, independent, beautiful Meowth that didn't need no squad of troublesome sisters! Okay, let's go! The first thing she noticed was all the Pokemon milling about. To one side of the room a small crowd started to form around something that smelled delicious, so needless to say Nyatalie made a Combee-line there. Most of her own breakfast had ended up on the floor or in her fur anyway. "Good Meowning!" she said back to the Chimchar, giving him a wide smile. What a nice Pokemon! Most of the others nearby were on the quieter side it seemed though. A Poochyena, Croagunk, Bagon, Aron... Nyatalie took special note of the Shinx and Litten. Being fellow felines, maybe they would get along! The last Pokemon nearby was a Buneary, who was also the source of the nice smell. "Yay! Free food!" Nyatalie reached into the basket and immediately shoved the bread into her mouth. It was delicious, but halfway through chewing the Meowth's eyes widened. She'd forgotten something very important. Quickly swallowing the food, she fixed the Buneary with a serious gaze. "...thank you!"</s> <\|message\|>Neva --- It been ten days since Neva left her home to travel Cloudgate but Neva feels like it was yesterday. Neva look at the map that her mentor left, it has his handwriting on it and big red circle with a sign that says Guild on it, Neva sees the town of Cloudgate beyond the horizon, traveling to get here was hard but it will all be worth it soon once she find some clues for Blake disappearance. While entering Cloudgate, Neva hear some whispers from pokemon, feeling suspicious toward the young Sneasel in their town, Neva just ignore the suspicious whispers from everyone, she just need to focus on the task in hand. She hears tell from Blake saying that the guild headquarter looks like a castle, he wasn't kidding, it really goes look like a castle. The Sneasel nod her head at the Sylveon, who welcome her into the guild, Neva was surprise that were alot of Pokémon here but at the same time, this is a coronation party, everyone wants to join the guild. Neva lay against a wall while everyone is socializing with eachother, even though she want to take a bite of that Buneary breakfast, Neva needs to stay focus and serious.</s> <\|message\|>Yew MENTIONS: Everyone Yew was about to start roaming around the place when the rest of the Pokemon started to filter into the guild. Her ears perked at the Buneary, who had brought in a basket of sweets. Too bad she spent too much time drooling over them-- before she could even take three, the rest of the Pokemon grabbed a bunch without even asking if she wanted a double serving. Her ear flicked to the side as she gave a huff. At least there were some left... like the sweetbread. She reached out to grab it and shoved it in her mouth, chewing wildly as crumbs fell to the floor. "Mmmnn," she purred, delighted with the combination of tastes. "So good! Thank yo--" "Eh-mmrm." The low growl snapped her attention away from the rest, and Yew blinked up at a looming figure. A large, raggy-furred Arcanine had stepped out from around a corner and approached them with a slow gait. She noticed that he had a slight limp; old scars ran across his body, the most gruesome one running from the tip of his nose all the way across his eye, which was clouded a misty blue. Yew stopped chewing as she gawked up at the large Pokemon. "S-so, everyone! I'm Fae, and this is..." the Sylveon's voice piped up again. "This is Scorch, your leader!" This was Scorch? He looked like he had been run over by a herd of Tauros and then eaten by a Salamence, and then the Salamence threw him up. Yew swallowed the remaining sweetbread that was in her mouth as Scorch's disinterested gaze flickered over their numbers. For a long moment, all that penetrated her ears was silence. Then, the Arcanine spoke in a low rumble. "Fae... all of these are young ones. Didn't I say I wanted adult recruits?" The Sylveon shuffled some papers in her paws for a moment. "I must've forgotten," she said in a nervous giggle. "But! Look! This bunch seems like they'd be good, too!"</s>	<\|message\|>Tusk Tusk had been too caught up in the moment of devouring the sweetbread that he had failed to notice Scorch's arrival until after the Arcanine's scope of the recruits. The Bagon flinched in awe upon the sound of the guild leader's intimidating tone, fumbling the remaining inch of sweetbread around his small arms before it fell to the ground. Trying to save face in the presence of the legendary figure before them, he quickly swiped the sweetbread from the ground and gulped the rest of it in a single swallow, straightening himself up to stand at attention. "I-i-it's an honor to meet you, sir!" Tusk did his best to reach up for a respectful gesture in a salute, his words mixed between awe and twitchiness. Scorch really was as eminent and illustrious in person as he was in all of the stories! It was hard to contain his excitement. "I'm Tusk! I'll be the best adventurer you'll ever have, just you see!"</s>
<\|description\|>Hex Jr. Age: Young Adult Gender: Male Species: Litten Ability: Intimidate Appearance: Large and well-built for a Litten. Musculature speaks of experience with physical labor. Wears a luchador mask over his head at all times. Personality: Short-tempered with a chip on his shoulder. Seems to have something to prove, in order to step out of his father and mentor's shadow. He is loud, bombastic, and flamboyant, always looking to be the center of attention. Despite this, however, he is loyal to a fault to any he befriends, ever seeking to encourage and inspire his allies through his own actions. Hex Jr.'s sole goal in life is to make a name for himself, both to honor his precedessor and surpass him, thus carrying on the honor of his lineage. However, his feelings regarding the aforementioned Hex are more complex. While he loves and respects his father both for raising him and his accomplishments, he does resent being the child of such a famous adventurer and fighter. Loves a good scrap and is eager to seek out fights, both for the sheer rush of adrenaline and to prove his might over others. Though he has no problems with playing dirty, citing that in a real battle, there is no honor, only a winner and a loser. And he ain't no loser. Short Biography: Years ago, an Incineroar by the name of Hex won fame and fortune through his exploits as an explorer. When he tired of the life, however, the veteran explorer settled down and started a family, retiring to a farmstead a few hours out from Cloudgate. Hex Jr. spent the better majority of his childhood working on the farm along with his father. In their free hours, the elder Hex trained his son in the arts of combat and adventuring, encouraging the boy to follow in his own footsteps. Once he felt his son was prepared enough, which took far too long in Hex Jr.'s eyes, Hex gave the young Litten his blessing to start making his own name. Taking up a mask similar to his father's, Hex Jr. set out as an explorer for some time, spending his teenage years trying to find his way in the world. It was only when he went out into civilization, however, that his father's shadow began looming over him. Those who knew of Hex, as well as his associates, invariably compared the adolescent to his father and his legacy. This brewed no small amount of resentment in Hex Jr., moreso at the people who couldn't see past his father for he was. Hex Jr. had the dubious fortune to be convalescing in Cloudfall when the Shade came in, forcing him to stay cooped up and stuck inside the city. Without expeditions to go out on, he spent his time earning his keep in fighting rings. This caused some friction with the guards and the law, but at this point, the Litten was desperate enough for some kind of action that he almost welcomed these additional scrapes and near-misses. When Scorch made his call, Hex Jr. jumped at it, eager for literally any way to go back on an adventure. Move Set: -Fake Out -Bite -Double Kick -Fire Fang Equipment: -Luchador mask: A simple black and white cloth mask. Adjusted to fit over a Litten's head. -Item pouch: A satchel and strap to wrap around one's body and contain items in. Other:</s> <\|message\|>Hex Jr. Hex Jr. Midday came, and Hex Jr. found himself standing outside the legendary Scorch's Guild Headquarters. Finally, a way back into the game. No more of this "it's too dangerous to venture outside Cloudgate" pussyfooting that the city officials had been spouting. Explorers, doing the thing they should've done from the start: investigating what was going on outside the city. Only took Scorch a few years to grow a pair and start recruiting, huh? The Litten sauntered into the Guild, making sure his mask was on right as he looked around. Seemed like a more or less standard setup. Scorch at least knew how to run a proper Explorer's Guild. He'd never met the old veteran in person, but hopefully he wouldn't start babbling on about his father. The last thing he wanted right now was to be reminded just how large the shadow he stood in was. A good few other Pokemon had beaten him to be the first one there, but that was fine. Just as long as he wasn't the last one. The sweet smell of baked goods hit Hex Jr.'s nostrils, and he moseyed on over to the Buneary holding the basket. "Don't mind if I do." He grinned slightly, taking a chunk of banana bread and starting to horf it down. "Mnf. Mnf. This's good!" Hex Jr. told the Buneary, nodding. "Where'd you pick these up?"</s> <\|message\|>Nyatalie Mentions: @Lucky@Polaris North Today was the single most chaotic day in the Persian household since the family had first moved to Cloudgate. Food and fur were flying all around the small main room as five meowths chased each other around the breakfast table. Their mother would normally have kicked them all out of the house by now, but it was a special occasion. Persian watched her daughters laugh and fight while she tried to finish up her meal. "It's today!" Nyatsuki shouted. "Hey! You're messing up my fur!" Meowgan cried. "You still owe me for that berry last week!" Nyacole said. "The Fearsome Fivesome becomes the Fearsome Foursome!" Meowdelyn exclaimed. The five balls of fur slowly ceased their play fighting until they were standing in a circle facing each other. Behind them the room was full of toppled stools, hairballs, and strewn about food. In front of them were four identical sisters, and one extra fuzzy - but equally beloved - Meowth. "Oh yeah..." Nyatalie started, blinking around the circle at her siblings. "I'm not just gonna miss you guys, you're gonna miss me too." "Who said anything about missing you?" Nyacole retorted, lifting her nose high into the air. "She's just playing," Meowdelyn snickered, shoving Nyacole over. The other two sisters crowded close to Nyatalie and clung to her. "It's gonna be so weird with just the four of us! Can you visit us soon?" "Yeah! I'll be part of a super famous rescue team and when I come back I'll tell you guys all about it!" Finished with her breakfast, Persian shook the mess that landed on her fur off and stood up. Poor things, Nyatalie hasn't even left yet and they're already missing her, she thought. She padded over to the group of snuggling kittens and stuck her paw into the pile, pulling Nyatalie out of the bunch. "You all say goodbye and get upstairs and clean yourselves off," she instructed. The four sisters did so, waving as they scrambled up the steps. Persian looked down at Nyatalie, giving the girl a gentle smile before she went about grooming her. "Mom! I'm not a kid, I can do it myself!" Nyatalie complained, but honestly it'd been a while since the last time her mother had taken the time to clean her up. For the feline type Pokemon like them, it was a welcome, familiar feeling. Now that Nyatalie had resolved to leave home and join and adventuring guild, she didn't know when the next time she'd be home was. The guild was in town, sure, but how busy would it be? Would they be sent on missions far away from Cloudgate for days at a time? Persian hushed her and just continued on until Nyatalie's fur was free of any imperfections. Once it was done, Nyatalie bundled up her excess fur in simple ribbons and presented herself to her mother for inspection, striking a pose as she did so. "Wonderful," Persian laughed, sitting on her haunches and clapping her paws together. "You'll be just fine, Nyatalie." "Of course!" Nyatalie beamed, her fangs shining. "I'm gonna make everybody proud!" -+-+-+- Once she'd made it to the guild, Nyatalie spent a few moments outside of the great castle-like building psyching herself up. She was a strong, independent, beautiful Meowth that didn't need no squad of troublesome sisters! Okay, let's go! The first thing she noticed was all the Pokemon milling about. To one side of the room a small crowd started to form around something that smelled delicious, so needless to say Nyatalie made a Combee-line there. Most of her own breakfast had ended up on the floor or in her fur anyway. "Good Meowning!" she said back to the Chimchar, giving him a wide smile. What a nice Pokemon! Most of the others nearby were on the quieter side it seemed though. A Poochyena, Croagunk, Bagon, Aron... Nyatalie took special note of the Shinx and Litten. Being fellow felines, maybe they would get along! The last Pokemon nearby was a Buneary, who was also the source of the nice smell. "Yay! Free food!" Nyatalie reached into the basket and immediately shoved the bread into her mouth. It was delicious, but halfway through chewing the Meowth's eyes widened. She'd forgotten something very important. Quickly swallowing the food, she fixed the Buneary with a serious gaze. "...thank you!"</s> <\|message\|>Neva --- It been ten days since Neva left her home to travel Cloudgate but Neva feels like it was yesterday. Neva look at the map that her mentor left, it has his handwriting on it and big red circle with a sign that says Guild on it, Neva sees the town of Cloudgate beyond the horizon, traveling to get here was hard but it will all be worth it soon once she find some clues for Blake disappearance. While entering Cloudgate, Neva hear some whispers from pokemon, feeling suspicious toward the young Sneasel in their town, Neva just ignore the suspicious whispers from everyone, she just need to focus on the task in hand. She hears tell from Blake saying that the guild headquarter looks like a castle, he wasn't kidding, it really goes look like a castle. The Sneasel nod her head at the Sylveon, who welcome her into the guild, Neva was surprise that were alot of Pokémon here but at the same time, this is a coronation party, everyone wants to join the guild. Neva lay against a wall while everyone is socializing with eachother, even though she want to take a bite of that Buneary breakfast, Neva needs to stay focus and serious.</s> <\|message\|>Yew MENTIONS: Everyone Yew was about to start roaming around the place when the rest of the Pokemon started to filter into the guild. Her ears perked at the Buneary, who had brought in a basket of sweets. Too bad she spent too much time drooling over them-- before she could even take three, the rest of the Pokemon grabbed a bunch without even asking if she wanted a double serving. Her ear flicked to the side as she gave a huff. At least there were some left... like the sweetbread. She reached out to grab it and shoved it in her mouth, chewing wildly as crumbs fell to the floor. "Mmmnn," she purred, delighted with the combination of tastes. "So good! Thank yo--" "Eh-mmrm." The low growl snapped her attention away from the rest, and Yew blinked up at a looming figure. A large, raggy-furred Arcanine had stepped out from around a corner and approached them with a slow gait. She noticed that he had a slight limp; old scars ran across his body, the most gruesome one running from the tip of his nose all the way across his eye, which was clouded a misty blue. Yew stopped chewing as she gawked up at the large Pokemon. "S-so, everyone! I'm Fae, and this is..." the Sylveon's voice piped up again. "This is Scorch, your leader!" This was Scorch? He looked like he had been run over by a herd of Tauros and then eaten by a Salamence, and then the Salamence threw him up. Yew swallowed the remaining sweetbread that was in her mouth as Scorch's disinterested gaze flickered over their numbers. For a long moment, all that penetrated her ears was silence. Then, the Arcanine spoke in a low rumble. "Fae... all of these are young ones. Didn't I say I wanted adult recruits?" The Sylveon shuffled some papers in her paws for a moment. "I must've forgotten," she said in a nervous giggle. "But! Look! This bunch seems like they'd be good, too!"</s> <\|message\|>Tusk Tusk had been too caught up in the moment of devouring the sweetbread that he had failed to notice Scorch's arrival until after the Arcanine's scope of the recruits. The Bagon flinched in awe upon the sound of the guild leader's intimidating tone, fumbling the remaining inch of sweetbread around his small arms before it fell to the ground. Trying to save face in the presence of the legendary figure before them, he quickly swiped the sweetbread from the ground and gulped the rest of it in a single swallow, straightening himself up to stand at attention. "I-i-it's an honor to meet you, sir!" Tusk did his best to reach up for a respectful gesture in a salute, his words mixed between awe and twitchiness. Scorch really was as eminent and illustrious in person as he was in all of the stories! It was hard to contain his excitement. "I'm Tusk! I'll be the best adventurer you'll ever have, just you see!"</s>	<\|message\|>Hex Jr. What a douche. This prick got willing volunteers, and the first thing out of the old bastard's mouth was that none of them were adults? No wonder his dad never said much about Scorch, if this was how he was. Hex Jr. angrily horfed down the rest of his banana bread in one go, swallowing and wiping the crumbs off his mouth and mask before angrily stepping forward as he gently nudged the Bagon aside after he spoke. "No, don't kiss his ass, he just basically said we're worthless to him." The Litten hissed to Tusk, before turning to the mon in question. "There a problem, old man?" He raised his head high, meeting the rugged Arcanine's gaze in challenge. "You're disappointed we ain't evolved or experienced enough? Blame the rest of the cowards in the city for just being happy to hide behind the walls. Like it or not, we're all you got, so deal with it or kick us out. But then who're you gonna get to fight your own battles for you? Arceus, no wonder my old man never talked about you."</s>
<\|description\|>Hex Jr. Age: Young Adult Gender: Male Species: Litten Ability: Intimidate Appearance: Large and well-built for a Litten. Musculature speaks of experience with physical labor. Wears a luchador mask over his head at all times. Personality: Short-tempered with a chip on his shoulder. Seems to have something to prove, in order to step out of his father and mentor's shadow. He is loud, bombastic, and flamboyant, always looking to be the center of attention. Despite this, however, he is loyal to a fault to any he befriends, ever seeking to encourage and inspire his allies through his own actions. Hex Jr.'s sole goal in life is to make a name for himself, both to honor his precedessor and surpass him, thus carrying on the honor of his lineage. However, his feelings regarding the aforementioned Hex are more complex. While he loves and respects his father both for raising him and his accomplishments, he does resent being the child of such a famous adventurer and fighter. Loves a good scrap and is eager to seek out fights, both for the sheer rush of adrenaline and to prove his might over others. Though he has no problems with playing dirty, citing that in a real battle, there is no honor, only a winner and a loser. And he ain't no loser. Short Biography: Years ago, an Incineroar by the name of Hex won fame and fortune through his exploits as an explorer. When he tired of the life, however, the veteran explorer settled down and started a family, retiring to a farmstead a few hours out from Cloudgate. Hex Jr. spent the better majority of his childhood working on the farm along with his father. In their free hours, the elder Hex trained his son in the arts of combat and adventuring, encouraging the boy to follow in his own footsteps. Once he felt his son was prepared enough, which took far too long in Hex Jr.'s eyes, Hex gave the young Litten his blessing to start making his own name. Taking up a mask similar to his father's, Hex Jr. set out as an explorer for some time, spending his teenage years trying to find his way in the world. It was only when he went out into civilization, however, that his father's shadow began looming over him. Those who knew of Hex, as well as his associates, invariably compared the adolescent to his father and his legacy. This brewed no small amount of resentment in Hex Jr., moreso at the people who couldn't see past his father for he was. Hex Jr. had the dubious fortune to be convalescing in Cloudfall when the Shade came in, forcing him to stay cooped up and stuck inside the city. Without expeditions to go out on, he spent his time earning his keep in fighting rings. This caused some friction with the guards and the law, but at this point, the Litten was desperate enough for some kind of action that he almost welcomed these additional scrapes and near-misses. When Scorch made his call, Hex Jr. jumped at it, eager for literally any way to go back on an adventure. Move Set: -Fake Out -Bite -Double Kick -Fire Fang Equipment: -Luchador mask: A simple black and white cloth mask. Adjusted to fit over a Litten's head. -Item pouch: A satchel and strap to wrap around one's body and contain items in. Other:</s> <\|message\|>Zaru Mentions: Location: Guild Lobby --- Other Pokemon had began to file in as they waited for the orientation to start. He smiled at the Meowth as she returned his greeting. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad after all, seeing how most of the Pokemon gathered in the lobby had partaken on the free food the Buneary had brought. A cough had caught his attention just as he finished the sweetbread he had gotten and looked up at the Arcanine who had certainly seen better days. Zaru acknowledged that he had probably gotten most of his injuries from exploring. After all, it was a very dangerous job. He had seen all forms of explorers back when he was traveling with his family and the Arcanine - Scorch, he learned - had certainly been through a lot. Getting as much esteem as he did, maybe these injuries were just to be expected. His attitude matched his grizzled appearance. He was very displeased by the group that had landed on their guild - a bunch of young ones. Zaru looked over at Fae who looked nervous but reassured that they were just as good too. That was a little rude of their leader, wasn't it? Evidently, there weren't many adults who wanted to participate in the guild, or else they would have been there! He really should have been thankful to get anyone at all, right? The words in his head were spoken by the Litten, indignant at the Arcanine's behavior. He could have been a little less rude about it, which the Meowth quickly rectified, but he really did have a point. "Besides, we're all willing to train to be the best we can be." Zaru pointed out. "We didn't come here to laze around and I'm sure everyone wants to help in any way they can." Maybe it's the allure of adventure, maybe it's helping people, maybe it's for the money - in the end, everyone had their own goal and he was willing to bet that none of them would drop out just because the leader of the guild didn't think they were up to par.</s> <\|message\|>Ace Mentions: @Ambra @Polaris North Ace watched as more and more new recruits filed in. There were quite a few and he felt excitement prickling across his fur at the prospect of getting to know them. He was usually too busy taking care of the house and his sister while his father was away to make many friends around the city, so this would be a new experience for him. Hopefully a good one. As everyone filed in, and picked up some of the baked goods the Buneary had brought in, there was a small amount of conversation. Mostly muffled thank yous until a much deeper voice dragged his attention to the massive Arcanine that had stepped into the room. He could feel his eyes widen at the crisscrossing scars all across the thick fur of Scorch. He knew adventuring wasn't easy, but it looked like he'd had it rougher than any of the other guild members he'd ever seen. His eyes went from wide to narrowed slits at the remarks their new leader made. So what if they were young; he wasn't about to let them be insulted because of it. It seemed like several of the others around him had similar ideas, some just expressed a bit more politely than others. He couldn't say he didn't agree with the snappish remarks of the Litten, but why did Fae even let them in if they weren't what Scorch wanted. He appreciated everyone immediately standing up for themselves and stood up from where he was sitting off to the side to position himself next to the Chimchar who had just spoken up; nodding in agreement with his assessment. "He's right. We're all here because we want to be, not because we have to. None of us would have shown up if we weren't willing to put in the effort." His tail twitched slightly in annoyance as he clenched his jaw and stared up at Scorch just waiting to see if he'd try and kick them out.</s> <\|message\|>Ting, after the sound metal makes when it strikes rock. Featuring: --- To Ting, the Arcanine stood several times taller than him. Granted, just about everybody else stood taller than him. He was only a foot and a half tall anyways. If he wasn't so used to seeing other big pokemon during his job as a miner and construction worker, he might've been a little intimidated. According to Scorch, they were supposed to all be adults. Well, he wasn't exactly a child, but he was only barely an adult by most people's standards. "Well, sorry to say but I think this is the best you're going to get. Besides, being younger just means we have more time to learn and gain experience." Unfortunately, his little comment probably ended up getting overshadowed by the others' loud antics. Something about kissing ass? The Litten certainly seemed into it. Perhaps silence would suit him better. Perhaps he'd blend into the crowd better if kept his mouth shut. Getting noticed was the best way to get dragged into unnecessary drama. Maybe things would resolve themselves if he just waited. Ting tried his best to walk to the edge of the crowd unnoticed, hoping nobody would try and stop him. The Sylveon was probably his biggest obstacle for staying anonymous. She wasn't in on the whole argument that seemed to be rising, yet she seemed aloof enough that he might not even be paying attention. Granted, it could all just be an act, and she might be significantly more perceptive than she lets on, perhaps as a way of keeping attention away from her, and to seem inconspicuous. Ting wasn't exactly all about that, and his bright orange cloth wrapped around him kind of naturally drew attention to him. A small price to pay to hide his past.</s> <\|message\|>Blue Blue furrowed his brow in frustration. He hadn't come here for sweetbread, or to have a conversation with his new guild buddies. No, he came to see if this place was up to scratch with what everyone says. He wanted to see if this was a place where he could make something of himself. Now that he was here all that mangy excuse of a leader could muster was 'I wanted adult recruits'? This wouldn't do, Blue was just about reaching that age anyway and he was going to be turned down? Blue, who had previously been hanging in the back, made his way up toward the front. He got within a distance to look confrontational with Scorch but not to close that the height difference between the two would be apparent. "I don't know about these other lot, but almost an adult and I can certainly fight like one mate. Looking around it doesn't look like you got much of a choice anyway. It looks pretty empty for a guild, don't it?" That was a bold lie, Blue had never stepped in a guild but he went on as if that worked. "You don't look in too good of a shape either. But hey mate, if you don't need the help, I'll leave. No skin of my back." Instead of immediately leaving the Croagunk stood there, not really able to move. He wasn't under some sort of paralysis, but it was as if there was a massive disconnect between what he was saying and what he really wanted.</s> <\|message\|>Neva --- Neva stands and watch as the Arcanine appeared and complain that there is no adults here, the Sneasel was puzzled by the leader comment, Blake was young when he join the guild, how come this is different? Neva then watch as the other new members stand up to the the Arcanine, even though she have a blank expression on her face, Neva heart smile a bit, seeing everyone band together, Neva finally want toward everyone. "And rather you like or not..." Neva finally spoke up from her silents "...We are not going anywhere." Neva say as she stands with the new members, staring at Scorch with determination in her eyes, if Blake was here right now, he would be proud of her and every member here.</s> <\|message\|>Yew MENTIONS: Everyone The small room had become chock full of commotion. The Bagon and strange-looking Meowth were more than eager to receive a chance to meet Scorch, while there were others such as the Litten and Croagunk that were very rude. Yew's ears lowered slightly as she looked up at the large, scarred Arcanine. The bored look in his eye had become aglow with a muted rage, and his lips were curled in a snarl. She swore that she saw smoke curl from between his sharp teeth, and she ducked down to brush against the Buneary. Sure, she liked danger and adventure and all, but this was kind of unfair. Arceus, the size of Scorch's paw was practically the size of her entire body! Fluffy tail not included, of course. "Well!" Fae's paws clapped together a few times. Even though they looked very soft, they emitted a loud noise that made Yew jump. When she turned to face the other Pokemon, she caught sight of one of the Sylveon's bows reaching up to jab Scorch in the side. "That's enough of that. If we want to work as a team, we've all got to get along, right?" Scorch huffed out a black cloud of smoke, which rose up and disappeared into the air. A long silence passed before Fae once again spoke up. "Oh, I know, we should do introductions! That should be fun, and it'll make it easier to figure out the boarding... so, you, little Poochyena, come up and tell us your name!" Fae's paw waved towards where she sat. Yew swallowed and walked up to the front of the group. "Uhm. I'm Yew. I'm a Poochyena!" she stated. She looked over at Fae only to see that her blue eyes were wide and expecting. "I like... exploring? Yeah! Exploring! I also like to write. I write poems!" Well, that's made up. "Oooo! A writer! It's been a while since we've had an artist around," Fae chirped while Scorch sighed. "Thank you so much, Yew. Next, the little Litten. Ha! That sounds funny. Little Litten. Anyways, come, come! Tell us all about you!"</s>	<\|message\|>Hex Jr. Hex Jr. didn't flinch away from Scorch's enraged glare, despite how much his instincts screamed at him to. No, he wasn't backing down from this old-timer. Not before he conceded the point. Whatever the Sylveon was yapping about was unimportant, but he did catch bits and pieces of it in the midst of his staring match. Introductions? Ugh, icebreakers. He hated those. Of course, Scorch's damn assistant just had to pick him right after the Poochyena. For Arceus's sake, why? With a roll of his eyes, the Litten reluctantly pulled his gaze away from Scorch's, finally conceding the staredown as he looked to the rest of the other mon in the room. "Fine, fine. Name's Hex Jr." And he really hoped he wouldn't have to hear about his old man once someone recognized the name. "Did some exploring before the Shade kicked in. So I've got a bit of experience. Course, now I'm rusty after a year out of the game, just like everyone else." He said, breathing a speck of fire and sideeying Scorch at the latter portion of his sentence.</s>
<\|description\|>Imogen Urswick → Legally, Imogen Sofia Goneril Age 17 → 7th Day of the Verdant Rain Moon 🌧, 1478 Country of Origin Leicester Alliance Social Standing Commoner → Technically of House Goneril, but the Duke has repudiated her mother and has no knowledge of her existence. Crest Crest of Goneril → Imogen's Crest grants her the passive ability to sense incoming danger. She currently has no idea she has this ability and mostly reacts to its warnings instinctively. Starting Class Myrmidon Weapon of Choice Sword Strengths Sword, Lance Weaknesses Heavy Armor, Authority \| --- Personality If actions speak louder than words, then hers are screaming that she's a certifiable idiot. Then again, her words are probably telling you that, too. The Imogen you first get to know is a winsome goofball who seems easily amused by anything and everything. The sound of her laughter is something you'll get acquainted with very early on, genuine and fullbellied and probably directed at you. Imogen is incapable of nuance and often broadcasts her feelings in its entirety, even though her expressive face has probably beaten her to it. If she's angry, she'll confront you; if she's sad, she'll cry her eyes out; if she's frightened, she'll be shaking in her boots and clinging onto the closest person. Beneath the general obliviousness and harebrained tendencies lies a resilient spirit unafraid to keep trudging forward, even when things seem bleak. Imogen isn't a textbook optimist in that she believes everything ends with a happily ever after. She's had a fair share of misfortunes to know it isn't always true. But what she does know is that you can't just let things happen. Where luck is concerned, what matters most is what you do with it. History Imogen is the only living child of Duke Goneril's third wife, and ninth overall. Her mother, Ophelia, was hopelessly enamored with the young general. His successes against the Almyran invasions had given him renown and set him in equal footing with the other Great Lords, despite his status as a Crestless. Although rumors swirled about his mistreatment of his previous wives, Ophelia was convinced she was destined for him. Soon enough, a chance encounter with the Duke—really a painstakingly planned endeavor—turned her dreams into reality. Her good looks and plain devotion secured his attention, and they were wed not long after getting to know each other. It became quickly apparent that fate had other plans for them. Despite her convictions, Ophelia was unable to give him what he truly wanted: an heir. Her first child was born still and silent; the second arrived too early; and the third lost to illness at infancy. Belarius' poisonous ambition had roots too deep to banish, and with nearly two years gone and no heirs to show for it, the duke had reached a tipping point. A few months after Ophelia's last miscarriage, Belarius broke things off, intending to find a more suitable wife. When Ophelia refused to leave, he banished her from the duchy, declaring her cursed. She was forced out of Goneril territory and into a small town to the east, at the base of Fódlan's Throat. Her many attempts to win back Belarius' favor were met with marked indifference at first, then hostility after desperation caused her to involve the duke's current wife. When she tried to tell him that she was months into another pregnancy, her claims were dismissed as the desperate ploys of a lovelorn lunatic. Imogen's successful birth is the first in a string of good luck that would punctuate the tragedies in her life. Born healthy, even if it's to a heartsick mother who often looked at her with disdain, as if she was at fault for arriving too late. Surrounded by kindhearted neighbors, so even when she was left alone for weeks at a time, someone was there to care for her. Saved by the gruff ex-warrior everyone in town feared, Caius Urswick, when a misstep caused her tumbling down the cliffside. While the accident caused her to be bedridden for nearly two weeks, Imogen considers it a net gain because it brought her Caius, her favorite person in the world. After her mother tried selling her to a supposed member of House Orderlia, all in exchange for an audience with Duke Goneril, Caius took her away from her wretched mother once and for all. It happened so often, these tragedies circumvented only by some stroke of luck, that Imogen quickly learned to be immune to the extreme vicissitudes of life. As a child, it helped her to imagine an unbalanced scale, always tipping over one side or the other. If something bad happens, Imogen knew the 'something good' is just around the corner. She just has to reach for it. The most recent instance of this strange phenomenon of hers happened the day a Crest scholar visited her small town. The scholar offered to test anyone willing and Imogen volunteered, thinking it would be fun. She couldn't have known that the results would be life-changing. News traveled fast through her small town, and upon hearing she carried a Major Crest of Goneril, her mother came to collect her. It had been years since she'd seen her last, but she looked more alive than ever before, a flicker of crazed hope in her eyes. Imogen knew what it meant: her mother found her way back to the duke, and she would do everything in her power to obtain it. That night, Imogen finally accepted the offer Caius had presented to her many times before: a paid enrollment at the Officer's Academy. He had said it was a chance to escape from her mother's destructive obsession. A chance to figure out her place in the world, so she wouldn't feel beholden to Duke Goneril's toxic ambitions, should he ever try to claim her. Imogen had kept refusing his offer before because she didn't want to leave him behind, especially now that he's aging. But the scale has tipped far too long in the good side; she knew in her bones that something bad was coming for her. The least she could do was spare Caius from whatever it is. Trivia ❥ Fish and Bean Soup is her favorite food. After her accident, she had a hard time eating for a while. When Caius noticed, he made her this soup and said it was sprinkled with vulnerary to make her feel better. It worked and now she believes it's some magical cure-all. ❥ Imogen is exactly 5'. She styles her hair in a high half-pony to get a couple of inches out of it. ❥ She has no idea if Duke Goneril has found out about her. Her mother would have no doubt attemped to relay the information already, but she does have a bad track record there so Imogen has her fingers crossed.</s> <\|message\|>Kellen Milo Fraldarius @Scribe of Thoth --- Even before such a grim announcement, Kellen Fraldarius' face had been a few shades too pale for a healthy youth. For a few minutes following the horrible announcement, it only got worse. Kellen looked a bit like a revenant who had failed to pass on to the next plane. The reassurances of new guards and a curfew were hardly reassuring when the archbishop seemed to have little concrete information. Though Kellen didn't know it, he arrived quickly to the same conclusion as Auberon. The Archbishop wouldn't convene the students like this if the rumours hadn't been validated in some way. The most optimistic read of this was that they had spotted an intruder. The more realistic was that someone a student had already gone missing. It hadn't been anyone from the Rose Unit. But beyond that, Kellen wasn't at all comfortable trying to determine who might have been missing in a sea of students he had hardly taken five minutes to look at, let alone speak to or learn much about. He hadn't heard or seen anything to cause alarm on the grounds, though it was no surprise given the amount of time he had been spending in his room. He turned to look at Lienna, who was visibly shaken by the news. He frowned but knew better than to try and offer any sort of reassurance. Not that he was sure he'd be able to come up with anything as it stood. After a few moments, she shot up from her seat and started off. This was becoming a bit of a habit, though Kellen didn't pay it much mind. He still recalled how their last conversation had gone. He turned to Auberon as his peer spoke a simple, yet unsettling truth. "Kellen, you're probably the most valuable hostage in the Blue Lions". Kellen didn't offer much in terms of reaction, beyond a quiet "Oh." Auberon didn't dwell on it, but Kellen would. Nevertheless, he nodded briskly at Auberon's instructions. He was still frustrated with nearly every Lion of the Rose Unit, but in the face of whatever this was, his resentment towards his classmates seemed almost trivial. Almost. "You be careful too, Auberon." He tried to look in the blonde's eyes to determine if he had reached the same conclusion Kellen had, or if the instructions were merely an attempt to secure his authority. His right leg started to bounce a bit, and Kellen rested a hand on it. Only after it stopped did Kellen stand up. As he did so, his eyes turned to the entrance of the cathedral. He could see Michail stationed there, and for half a moment he made eye contact with his professor. He was almost certain his professor would have more information on this, though he doubted getting it would bring him any sort of peace. Shaking his head, he looked back to his classmates. "If, um. If anyone needs someone to walk with them, you can knock." He didn't quite smile, but his eyes looked a bit less cloudy as he spoke. "If - rather, please, say your name or something so I know it's, well, you."</s> <\|message\|>Auberon Casimir Galatea --- If Rudolf didn't wish fervently every night that he was back at Fort Merceus before, he certainly did now. The rumors had him nervous enough, but confirmation just left him enervated and mildly annoyed. Disappearances. In Garreg Fucking Mach. Unbelievable; the Knights were a joke nowadays. If they seriously thought he might be a threat when something like this was in the works right under their noses, they must've been. Maybe Theo should've spent less time monitoring him and more time watching for infiltrators. At the very least, Rudolf should be well-protected once that silver-haired psychopath inevitably tried to name him as one of the suspects and stepped up his spying. Nothing could be worse than letting Rudolf von Bergliez, Criminal Mastermind, Serial Murderer, Peerless General, and Sorcerer Supreme run around unmonitored. He might go to the library or something - how positively dastardly. The boy's momentary grimace was wiped away along with such bitter thoughts as the prince spoke up. Right. He was probably the safest person on campus even without the Knights hovering over his shoulder, not that he ever left his room enough to try his luck. Speaking of which, that sounded like a lovely place to retire to before he was cornered and interrogated for more things he didn't do. Whatever Kayden hoped to glean from Captain Battleaxe up there didn't interest him anyway. Any guard rotation schedules they gave to a student would probably have to be changed to prevent a leak anyway, even if it was one of the House Leaders. Unfortunately, just as Rudolf went to make his escape, someone's arm slammed right into his face as he rose from the pew, which caused him to stagger into the seat in front of him. It wasn't the first time he'd been literally tripped over and it likely wouldn't be the last, but the fact that it happened so brazenly told him he must've slipped away more adeptly than he thought. His assailant - that ice magic girl from Faerghus - was nice enough to toss an apology back at him but clearly decided he wasn't worth any more of her time than that with the way she tried to scurry off. Not that he blamed her. "Yeah," The boy mumbled awkwardly as his eyes shyly drifted toward his toes, "Keep an eye out for me next time, I guess..." Why was everyone around here so full of action all of a sudden? It wasn't like they could march up to the podium and nag the administration into finding the culprit. Or was that just what successful people did; threw aside passivity at the first sign of danger and paced around like ants near spilled honey until they found something decisive to act on. Whatever it was, Rudolf wasn't that person. He didn't belong here and now he was almost in danger for it. --- Symphony@POOHEAD189</s>	<\|message\|>Imogen Urswick The cafeteria was a surprisingly fun place to work. It wasn't just because she was surrounded by delicious-smelling food that she sometimes got to taste-test after winning over the cooks, or the really fun and fascinating kitchen staff she got to know. The dining hall, Imogen learned, was a hub of information. Rampant with rumors and gossip, there wasn't a day where she didn't find out something new. Often, it would be something as trivial as two students hooking up after class. Maybe something slightly more scandalous like someone getting caught cheating on an exam. But occasionally, she'd get something meatier. Like whispers of ghosts, disappearances, and danger lurking in the dark. Ever since she'd caught wind of the gossip, Imogen had readily volunteered for the late shift at the cafeteria, which no one minded in the least. Some have gotten cagey and preferred to return to their rooms before sundown. Imogen, on the other hand, made sure to be last to leave and took the longest possible route back to the dorm, eyes and ears (and Dogberry) peeled. Sure, her heart would be drumming up a storm and she'd have to drive away a half-dozen scary stories she'd involuntarily concoct in her head. And she supposed it would be nice to have someone accompany her. But in the end, curiosity trumped fear. Imogen wanted to see if these rumors were true, and who better to investigate than someone who could sense looming danger? Io's announcement all but confirmed the rumors and indirectly enabled Imogen to continue her late-night investigations. If students really are going missing, then they wouldn't get mad at her for trying to help, right? Probably not. The new strict curfew wasn't ideal, but she was confident she could avoid the guards to some extent. She's had experience escaping authority figures back in her hometown. It's practically the same thing. Kind of. Clary offered to accompany them on errands and Imogen imagined for a second what would happen if she invited her out on her excursions—nope! Her ear burned from a phantom tug and she felt pre-chastised already. Clary was great and all, but Imogen knew better by now than to involve her in any rule-breaking shenanigans. In her mind, she had made her up to be part saint, part badass warrior, part mom. At some point, she had even learned to fear disappointing Clary. Imogen's gaze swept over to where the Blue Lions sat, watching as Kel offered a similar gesture, although he seemed far less certain than Clary. This time, she imagined asking Kel to tag along and nearly burst out laughing as she pictured the two of them cowering behind a tree, both in tears after they had just seen a ghost. It made her wonder; would she be braver or more afraid in the company of someone who is also terrified? Okay, so maybe she can just ask Jory instead.</s>
<\|description\|>Kayden Caladwarden Hresvelg (Drawn by yours truly) "All the best commanders and kings in history used audacity to great effect. Yes, I think I'll use that as my excuse." Age 21 Country of Origin Adrestian Empire Social Standing The noblest Crest Crest of Seiros: Legend has it that Saint Seiros bore this Crest and passed it down through House Hresvelg. Occasionally makes his voice compelling towards those he speaks to, gently urging them to his point of view. Starting Class Lord Weapon of Choice Sword Strengths Sword & Authority Weaknesses Faith & Flying Personality A man of two worlds, prince Kayden Hresvelg both loves and hates being the eponymous prince of the Andrestian Empire. The pomp and schedule? He could do without. The Andrestian Empire is a kingdom on the decline if his family is any indication, and he would certainly choose any other father if he could. However, he has royal blood with princely looks, a sharp mind, and a swordsman's hands. He was born to be who he is. That, and of course there are perks to being an aristocrat in social settings. Kayden enjoys making friends both high and low, and though he is no stranger to having friends at court, he finds commoners to be far more relatable and funny than the ever pompous nobles that have to simp or rival him. New things excite him, adventure being an ever present delight he wishes to explore. He's respectful and learned of his country's history, and he's proud of his kingdom even if he believes it in disarray and he has a poor opinion of his family. Despite the womanizing, the gallivanting, and the love of danger, he is actually a kind soul. He's had far too much grief in his life and seen far too many other princely assholes to ever try and lose his morality because of his station, or any reason for that matter. He finds the new thrills are more of a shield so he cannot dwell too much on the sad state of things, and though he does enjoy reading a good book or spending quiet moments of reflection and melancholy, ask him to join you in a dangerous expedition and he'll volunteer to lead it! History Born in utter squalor, Kayden was poor and destitute, meant for his name to disappear into the annals of history forever. But that's a different Kayden. We're here to speak about the fabulous, gorgeous, unrelentingly handsome Kayden of the Hresvelg dynasty, last son of the King and notable rebel in all things royal. Or at least, that's how he'd like to think of himself. Kayden Hresvelg of House Hrelsveg was the fourth son to be born to the King and Queen, so despite his pedigree, for most of his childhood he felt very unimportant. He play-fought with his siblings often and decided he wanted to be the protector of the throne, a royal knight of the realm! He was taught to be well read and learned in lore, though he never felt he was as smart or talented as his siblings. Of course, that has to be shattered when the plague swept into the Andrestian Empire, including the Imperial palace. Kayden was the second to get sick, though he survived unlike most of his family. Even their best doctors couldn't keep five of his siblings from death, his mother bed-ridden, and further complications in his family arising. Kayden was now the sole heir to the throne. The hard times coupled with Kayden being an unwilling heir put a strain on his relationship with his father. Not to mention the new mistress his father took, making him a neglectful husband to Kayden's mother, at least in Kayden's eyes. The prince would often travel around the capital, making friends with delinquents and learning swordplay in his spare time, finding solace in his exploits to keep himself busy. Though he was taught matters of state, he retained the stories of old wars and heroic quests far more easily from his father's teachers. By Kayden's twenty first birthday, his father believed he needed to be taught both discipline and the sword in a more controlled manner, and so sent him off to the Officer's Academy at Garreg Mach Monastery. Kayden surprisingly agreed wholeheartedly, wanting some new scenery and wishing more than anything to distance himself from his father. His only regret was leaving his mother, as her only company was the servants and infrequent visits from the King. Trivia * Kayden loves boardgames, particularly wargames in which he is very skilled. * Kayden stand 5'11, and weighs 172 pounds. * Kayden's first crush was on a female fencing instructor he had when he was 14. * Kayden's best friend is a a bodyguard back home named Murek. * Kayden's favorite dish is Beast Meat Teppanyaki, followed by Garreg Mach Meat Pie and Gautier Cheese Gratin.</s> <\|message\|>Lienna Orhneaht @Scribe of Thoth @ThatCharacter Lienna would never claim to be a patient woman, so it should have come as no surprise when Auberon's long-winded explanation failed to draw her attention for much longer than it took her to prompt it in the first place. But he quickly regained it with his little dining etiquette comment, her distaste for the highborn prick simmering as she shot him an icy glare. "What a shame, Derec; it seems we shall have to learn to eat at tables with the highborn now. Next they'll make us stop walking around on all fours." She offered her fellow of lower birth a thin smile, putting on her best pompous voice for Auberon's benefit. And of course he was off to tea with the saints-damned Archbishop of all people - honestly, it was as if a campfire joke of a noble had come to life before her very eyes. Lienna had a brief idea that it might bring Auberon down a few steps from his high horse to spend an afternoon with a child Archbishop, but she wouldn't hold her breath; Ianno--Annais? Whoever-- had probably been swaddled in silver and gold from the moment of his birth, he wasn't likely to be much different. The Church preached humility and understanding, sure, but they also preached mercy, and yet there was always a soldier in Hima bragging about the time his friend saw a Knight of Seiros cut a fleeing heretic in two. Suddenly, a chorus of gasps washed over the dining hall, cut short by a loud cry of pain and the heavy thump of a body falling to the ground. Lienna was on her feet in an instant, heart in her throat as a lifetime of dodging Srengese raids screamed at her to run and hide. Her chair clattered to the floor behind her, but all eyes were fixed on the interloper and the retinue of monastery guards that filed in after him, every diner shocked into silence as the green-haired thief ranted and raved about "marks" and impending doom. It was a disturbingly familiar routine to Lienna, who backed up a step before bumping into the side of Kellen's chair, and though she tried to turn her mind away, she had to wonder if that forsaken soul had the same affliction that plagued her grandmother for so long. The scene was over as quickly as it began, the guards hauling the mad thief away. The dining hall erupted in hushed conversation a moment after they were gone, and Lienna simply stood there, arms wrapped around her abdomen as she willed her heart to slow down back to normal. Realizing she was making a scene of herself, she quickly stooped to pick up her chair, pushing it back in with shaking hands before sinking into it, pallid and much less incensed than before. She'd have loved nothing more than to leave, but the way out was blocked by a million stupid chairs that her sore foot was not in the mood to navigate, and then what? She'd flee like before and leave her housemates to gawk at the scared, flighty peasant? Goddess only knew the excuses Auberon would come up with. "Well, that was something," she finally managed to say, voice quieter than before. She tried to keep her tone light, but her thousand-yard stare fixed on the tablecloth suggested otherwise. "Who knew a Monastery would attract such excitement."</s> <\|message\|>Clarissa von Edmund --- Symphony "Alright, alright. I'll promise one song but no more." Clarissa laughed, her eyes following Jorah's gesture and gave a sympathetic hum at the tension radiating off the group. "I have no doubt they all need some of your particular kind of festivities. I spoke with Lienna Orhneaht when we crossed paths at the dormitories. She's clearly feeling out of place and it's making her defensive. She's clearly behind in a number of social and academic skills but I should hope Auberon will manage to turn that into a blessing rather than a curse. Hopefully, a night of guilt free revelry will let them lower their walls for just a minute and it'll be smoother seas ahead." A man strode into the room and Clarissa quieted. It was the same man standing next to the archbishop earlier when they were let out of their house classes and again nearby during the sermon. While she might have passed him off as Ioannis' bodyguard, the ease with which he wore his authority spoke clearly of a higher station. Clarissa put down her utensils as he engaged another woman in a conversation. Well, rather a discussion. Whatever it was, it wasn't pleasant. They had enough decency to keep their conversation quiet but that was all they did. The man wasn't pleased with the outcome and she clearly didn't care. A lovers quarrel perhaps? No matter what it was, it was poor manners to have it in such a public place. Private matters ought to remain just that, private. "Saints above, the chefs here are fantastic." She sighed, taking the last bite of her food, only to jump as the horrid ruckus rang through the entrance hall. The sudden movement found her swallowing her morsel quicker than she expected and she fell into a coughing fit, reaching blindly for her cup and downing it in hasty gulps before finally, she managed to claw some air back in her lungs. She huffed irritably as her breathing steadied and scowled, searching for the source of the disruption. A man was screaming something about Marks bringing the world to its knees. She felt something cold run down her back at that declaration. It resembled the dire warnings of her mother, how the mark of the beast would bring ruination and misery to those around her. She'd sworn to prove that wrong, to rise against these absurd beliefs her mother spouted with no reason or proof, and so far she'd done just that. Everything she'd won and fought for only validated her position. But now someone else was claiming something that sounded similarly ominous and going so far as to push against the Church on its most holy grounds. Clarissa frowned and then looked sharply away, putting the whole scene out of mind for now. It was her first day and she'd managed to enjoy the entire day so far and she'd enjoy the evening too if it killed her. "I don't think I cared for that kind of excitement one bit." Clarissa muttered irritably. "How dare he have the audacity to try anything on sacred ground."</s>	<\|message\|>Kayden Caladwarden Hresvelg "Not to worry, my friend. I am just glad you're ok." Kayden said to his friend with a sweeping bow, extravagant even to those whom he was somewhat familiar with when it suited him. "Honestly I'm just as worried as your sibling I'm not certain where they are, but I'm sure they'll show up soon. A person has to eat, after all. In fact, let's head off the dining hall and see if we can grab some of that Garreg Mach food I've heard so much about. The Banquets here are said to be extravagant." With that, Kayden led his fellow Eagle down the hallowed, winding halls of the veritable fortress they found themselves in, poking around for a bit and asking servants and staff directions until they made it just to the dining hall, which did not disappoint the debonair prince. The chamber was tall expansive, with long tables and fine silverware presented for any who sought to take a seat. The scent of food wafted toward his waiting nostrils, and an exuberant 'mmmm' escaped his lips. He would go grab whatever food there was, but as he made his way to where he would serve himself, he saw Lienna, Auberon, and Kellen sitting with one another, and a strange fellow making his way off. He recognized him as Derec, but he had forgotten where he said he had come from. I'll find out later, I suppose he thought to himself. I need to keep better tabs on people. It was just at that moment that the thief that had flown under his radar sped past him into the dining hall, only to be tackled by the guards. Kayden guffawed at the spectacle, more than a little surprised at the sudden eruption of movement, and a thief at this place of worship, what's more! It was free entertainment, plus, he didn't see his fiance in sight! "I'm going to go and say hello to our fellow students over at the table, Valerian." He said, and with his plate of food now full, he walked over there with a deliberate stride, poking his head over the group that congregated about the dining table. "Why hello! Mind if I join for some good conversation with my food? Don't feel pressured..." He assured them. "It might seem a bit odd for Eagles and Lions to sit together, but I thought I'd ask regardless."</s>
<\|description\|>Kayden Caladwarden Hresvelg (Drawn by yours truly) "All the best commanders and kings in history used audacity to great effect. Yes, I think I'll use that as my excuse." Age 21 Country of Origin Adrestian Empire Social Standing The noblest Crest Crest of Seiros: Legend has it that Saint Seiros bore this Crest and passed it down through House Hresvelg. Occasionally makes his voice compelling towards those he speaks to, gently urging them to his point of view. Starting Class Lord Weapon of Choice Sword Strengths Sword & Authority Weaknesses Faith & Flying Personality A man of two worlds, prince Kayden Hresvelg both loves and hates being the eponymous prince of the Andrestian Empire. The pomp and schedule? He could do without. The Andrestian Empire is a kingdom on the decline if his family is any indication, and he would certainly choose any other father if he could. However, he has royal blood with princely looks, a sharp mind, and a swordsman's hands. He was born to be who he is. That, and of course there are perks to being an aristocrat in social settings. Kayden enjoys making friends both high and low, and though he is no stranger to having friends at court, he finds commoners to be far more relatable and funny than the ever pompous nobles that have to simp or rival him. New things excite him, adventure being an ever present delight he wishes to explore. He's respectful and learned of his country's history, and he's proud of his kingdom even if he believes it in disarray and he has a poor opinion of his family. Despite the womanizing, the gallivanting, and the love of danger, he is actually a kind soul. He's had far too much grief in his life and seen far too many other princely assholes to ever try and lose his morality because of his station, or any reason for that matter. He finds the new thrills are more of a shield so he cannot dwell too much on the sad state of things, and though he does enjoy reading a good book or spending quiet moments of reflection and melancholy, ask him to join you in a dangerous expedition and he'll volunteer to lead it! History Born in utter squalor, Kayden was poor and destitute, meant for his name to disappear into the annals of history forever. But that's a different Kayden. We're here to speak about the fabulous, gorgeous, unrelentingly handsome Kayden of the Hresvelg dynasty, last son of the King and notable rebel in all things royal. Or at least, that's how he'd like to think of himself. Kayden Hresvelg of House Hrelsveg was the fourth son to be born to the King and Queen, so despite his pedigree, for most of his childhood he felt very unimportant. He play-fought with his siblings often and decided he wanted to be the protector of the throne, a royal knight of the realm! He was taught to be well read and learned in lore, though he never felt he was as smart or talented as his siblings. Of course, that has to be shattered when the plague swept into the Andrestian Empire, including the Imperial palace. Kayden was the second to get sick, though he survived unlike most of his family. Even their best doctors couldn't keep five of his siblings from death, his mother bed-ridden, and further complications in his family arising. Kayden was now the sole heir to the throne. The hard times coupled with Kayden being an unwilling heir put a strain on his relationship with his father. Not to mention the new mistress his father took, making him a neglectful husband to Kayden's mother, at least in Kayden's eyes. The prince would often travel around the capital, making friends with delinquents and learning swordplay in his spare time, finding solace in his exploits to keep himself busy. Though he was taught matters of state, he retained the stories of old wars and heroic quests far more easily from his father's teachers. By Kayden's twenty first birthday, his father believed he needed to be taught both discipline and the sword in a more controlled manner, and so sent him off to the Officer's Academy at Garreg Mach Monastery. Kayden surprisingly agreed wholeheartedly, wanting some new scenery and wishing more than anything to distance himself from his father. His only regret was leaving his mother, as her only company was the servants and infrequent visits from the King. Trivia * Kayden loves boardgames, particularly wargames in which he is very skilled. * Kayden stand 5'11, and weighs 172 pounds. * Kayden's first crush was on a female fencing instructor he had when he was 14. * Kayden's best friend is a a bodyguard back home named Murek. * Kayden's favorite dish is Beast Meat Teppanyaki, followed by Garreg Mach Meat Pie and Gautier Cheese Gratin.</s> <\|message\|>Imogen Urswick Imogen punched and clawed at the robed mage in a frenzied display of resolve and ferocity. Whatever they were doing, it was bad and she knew they must be stopped at all cost. And so she put her all in each strike, keeping in mind the other two that still need to be dealt with. Oh, just one now! Imogen cheered, amazed at Jory's awesome timing. It had been like that throughout this whole ordeal, she noticed; Jory always coming in to finish the bad guys off. His arrows always found their mark right on time! It didn't matter that one whizzed by her face and nicked the tip of her ear; in truth, she expected a lot worse when she realized she was putting herself within target range by tackling the mage. A sudden flash of light from beside her stopped her onslaught. She braced herself for an attack that never came, pulling the mage up by their robes as she reflexively and unabashedly used them as a shield. Sorry, not sorry. When no fireballs or magic gusts of wind came flying at her, and no Dogberry warnings on top of it, Imogen took the chance to properly survey her surroundings. "Wait, what?" Imogen gasped when she caught on, scandalized. "Your friend left you!" she told the now unconscious mage she still held by the collar. She had seen these men and women pillage and destroy a whole village, yet somehow it still shocked her to see them betraying one another without a second thought. "How mean! I know you guys are evil and all, but I thought you were at least nice to each other." Professor Mik's anguished cry had her racing back to rejoin him and the others before she could fully process what was happening. From what she could see, Professor Euphie was badly hurt, although Clary had quickly swooped in to rescue her. She barely heard the call to charge, her blood pulsing too loudly in her ears as a surge of adrenaline carried her feet faster. Luckily, she'd had enough sense to pick her sword back up along the way. Was it strange that she seemed to function better when she was like this? She thought of nothing but the task at hand; keep Professor Euphie and the others safe by helping defeat this monster of a man. Aubie was already mid-swing by the time she got close, and she spied Jory positioning himself for a shot. Imogen waited until both attacks landed before she rushed in, sliding low and behind the bandit to slice at his legs, hoping to fell him and leave him vulnerable on the ground in case he somehow withstood everyone else's assault. After seeing what he was capable of, the thought hadn't seemed so impossible.</s> <\|message\|>Kellen Milo Fraldarius [@ScribeOfThoth] --- Kellen did all he could to keep the air circulating through his lungs. He could feel the invisible hand tensed around his ribcage, ready to grip and force the air out the moment he let it. His eyes were darting about madly as he tried to maintain this discipline, and they landed up Imogen throwing her blade and proceeding to tackle one of the robed figures. The strength behind her punches made Kellen wince, and he was relieved when he saw arrows fly into the other standing mage, courtesy of Jorah and Kaira. As the final standing figure beat hasty retreat via a spell that almost made Kellen regret his lack of aptitude with the arcane, he recognized in a detached way that the tide was turning. "Hold it together a little bit longer," Auberon said, facing the bandit. "I'll watch your back, but you have to calm down and watch your front too." It wasn't much, as far as comforting words went. But Kellen wasn't used to much in the best of times, nor from the devout Galatea who, based on the sparse impression Kellen had formed of him, seemed more focused on heaven than earth. Kellen's brow softened for a moment, and he let out a long shaky sigh. "I'll, umm. I can make it." A bit of colour returned to his cheeks as his eyes set on their final obstacle. The Kalonic siblings struck the large bandit, one after the other. Kellen felt hope begin to grow as he realized that they might be able to take the bandit down on their own. But it was after Euphemia's successful strike that the world seemed to tilt. As the bandit wrapped the fingers of one hand around the Golden Deer Professor's neck, Kellen felt a familiar sense of warmth and weightlessness as the edges of objects began to blur. The cry of fear from Michail, who had otherwise seemed above the danger, only reinforced the sudden softness in Kellen's knees. He could feel himself begin to buckle when he saw a rounded line of metal rise above Euphemia's hand, and plunge itself into the arm of the bandit. Not softly, she fell to the ground. Wounded, but not dead. Kellen felt his knees solidify. In the next 15 seconds, Kellen knew someone would die. He could almost guarantee it wouldn't be him, if he stayed back. But it also raised the chances that it would be one of his classmates. He thumped his chest with a small fist, trying to regain some sense of warmth in his torso. With what remained of his willpower, he would keep himself together - for those 15 seconds. As Auberon charged in, Kellen followed. His first thought was to try and extricate Euphemia, but he saw Clarissa had had the same thought and was far better equipped to tend to the professor. While the others sought to bring the brute down, looking for weak points in his admittedly failing armour, Kellen's eyes never left the axe that had nearly bisected him. If allowed time to fully swing, Kellen wasn't sure anyone, beyond the professors, would be able to parry the blow. As Auberon wound up to bring the man down, Kellen yelled out a curse and thrust his sword towards the uninjured arm of the bandit and the weapon he was wielding.</s>	<\|message\|>Kayden Caladwarden Hresvelg Kayden might be Prince of the Empire, and he flaunted it when it suited him, but he was raised to lead men in battle. To face down an opponent and slay them, riding and charging from the front. The leader aspect might be for the professors here, and truth be told the other guild leaders had more loyalty from the other students than he. They had earned it and he didn't begrudge them. But he could still make good on the 'battle' aspect of his education prior to his schooling here, and Kayden Von Hresvelg was not going to sit by while the bandit leader was still up. He charged forward to join the others despite the aches from exertion and the small stabs he felt as his clothing raked along the cuts he had received. The sensations of pain fell away when he saw Euphemia being grabbed the neck! It was as if the entirety of the students present received a boost from the Goddess with how they conducted themselves. She wasn't Kayden's professor, but he felt rage at the affront all the same. Kayden saw Auberon rush in like a bull and Jorah loosed an arrow. Even students from behind the Bandit Leader appeared and attacked! The man was built like an armored carriage; they needed all the help they could get. He sprinted as fast as he could whilst still being in control of his sword, his adrenaline pumping, his heart beat roaring in his ears. Ignoring the wheeze of his breathing, he sidestepped Auberon and redirected his blade once he reached the leader. "Die, fool!" He cried, his sword whipping in the air before he thrust it forward with all his strength. The Prince of the Empire attempted to shove his blade into the unprotected area below the armpit, now even further exposed from the strap of his armguard having been cut. He prayed to the Goddess this was enough to finally end the brute.</s>
<\|description\|>Joseph Johannes is his real name, and his stage name is Eden Steel "You think you stand a chance against Eden Steel?!" AGE: 27 GENDER: Male BIRTHPLACE: Hammerlocke GYM TYPE: Steel APPEARANCE: Sporting his favorite yellow jacket and blue jeans, Joseph stands in at "6'4, towering above most others. While the bright blonde hair and the height certainly make him stand out, nothing makes him stand out more than when he's in full costume for his TV superhero persona: Eden Steel. Eden Steel bears both the sword and the shield, both made of gleaming steel with golden trims. The shield also bears an image of an Aggron. He also wears a set of full plate armor, made of similar shining steel and gold trim, yet on the breastplate lies the face of an Arcanine, roaring defiantly. His helmet covers most of his face, yet a "T" shaped gap in it allows him to see. PERSONALITY: Joseph himself enjoys occasionally getting into character for his fans, but his real self is all about good sportsmanship, and fairness in everything. He's willing to fight however his opponent decides, singles, doubles, even no dynamaxing. He also has a bit of a knack for food, though he's found himself rambling on occasion. Eden Steel on the other hand is a vigilant warrior, who fights against all evil, and will do anything to keep the peace. He believes steel is the best type, and it will help him save the world. BIOGRAPHY: Truth be told there isn't really a whole lot that was significant about Joseph's childhood, apart from a few things. For starters, his parents didn't come from Galar, they were from Johto, and they had moved here for work related reasons. As such, Joseph grew up with a Johto accent, rather than a Galarian one. Secondly, as a child, Joseph's favorite thing growing up were Saturday morning cartoons. The hero in shining armor would always beat the villan, and the day would be saved. This would eventually shape the future of Joseph's entire life. At just the age of 14 Joseph managed to score a few acting gigs here and there, constantly trying to improve himself. And eventually, one day, he found himself playing a minor character in a tv show. He wasn't always on screen, but he was finally on TV. It's what he had always wanted. Unfortunately, due to budget cuts from higher up, the show was cut short. Deciding to take a break from acting, Joseph instead decided to travel Galar, building experience and gaining life skills. Eventually, Joseph decided that taking up a position as a trainer in a gym, would help him more, and at the age of 24, Joseph rose to the top, become a Steel type gym leader. He trained and trained, and was known for taking on any and all opponents, regardless of skill levels, eventually making several separate teams for just that. But something still nagged at Joseph. His acting career. He felt unfulfilled in his dream, despite being in a successful station. With the earnings he made over a year of battling, Joseph decided to take acting classes, and soon, was making his own TV show. He couldn't just go as himself. He'd need a persona. A new name. Some sort of inspiration. He spent week after week traveling the region looking for inspiration, before eventually, he came across the mural in Stow-on-Side. The sword, and the shield. That's it! He'd be a knight, in ancient times, wielding the sword and shield, defending against the forces of darkness with his dear pokemon. He would become... Eden Steel. The show, called Man of Steel, would go on to moderate success at first, with the second season having much more. After the years however, Joseph decided he'd take a small break before season 3, looking for a little more inspiration before starting again. Although, for Joseph, or perhaps Eden, inspiration is just around the corner. With the sudden disappearance of Galar's champion, this may be just the thing he's looking for. TEAM: Joseph has 9 teams, one for each badge, and his personal team. His ace pokemon - A Scizor named Ares An Aggron named Athena A Metagross named Dionysus An Aegislash named Hephaestus A Corviknight names Hermes (Hermes is Joseph's Gigantamax pokemon) And lastly, a Magnezone named Zeus. Gigantamax Duraldon Escavalier Aggron Galarian Stunfisk Bisharp Bronzong Gigantamax Copperajah Metagross Klingklang Forretress Lucario Exadrill Aggron Steelix Corviknight Bastiodon Perrserker Metang Magnezone Steelix Bronzong Escavalier Lairon Skarmory Larion Metang Magneton Galarian Meowth Klefki Mawile Aron Magnemite RELATIONSHIPS: None so far. He's been a little too preoccupied with his own life and his pokemon to have made many friends, but now that he's finally got some free time, he is looking forward to making some.</s> <\|message\|>Henrietta Durand There was an art to making an entrance and Henrietta, by extension, was an artist. She strode down the central street that ran through the middle of Motostoke, from the archway that led into the city to the elevator which would take her the stadium, walking as if the crowd in front of her didn't exist. With the way people cleared a path for her there might as well not have been, the throng of people parting like the Red Sea at her approach; some of that was no doubt down to the imposing Garchomp that walked behind her, but the rest was all Henrietta. She walked like she expected people to move and they did. Image and notoriety. That's what it was all about. People knew who she was, what she was, because she had worked hard to create an identity that people would recognise and a reputation that would garner respect. The clothes might change day to day but the beret? The shades? The hair? They were a brand, her brand, and she'd made sure that brand meant something to people. Add in a splash of the right attitude and the rest took care of itself. Henrietta stepped on to the elevator and hit the button for it to take her up, the whole platform rotating around a giant set of cogs and gears as it took her up to the next level. At the top she found herself face to face with a sea of fans, reporters and paparazzi. Camera's flashed, microphones were pushed into her face and fans waved at her and tried to catch her attention. It seemed her approach hadn't gone unnoticed. Good. There was something to be said for making an unstated appearance. She didn't demand attention with a flashy entrance, she simply waited for people to notice her, which they would, realise who she was, which they would, and approach her themselves, which they had. The press assaulted her with a litany of questions, barely giving each other time to finish before the next began to speak, let along giving her time to answer. "What are your hopes for this year's League?" "Do you think you stand a chance of winning the Champion's Cup this year?" "What do you have to say to the rumours that you and Joseph are romantically involved?" Henrietta weathered the storm patiently, expression unchanging and eyes an enigma behind her shades as she waited for them all to finish before she spoke. "I hope that things are more interesting than they were last year; there weren't many challengers that made it as far as my gym. I always stand a chance of winning, only time will tell if I can beat Moira this year. And Joseph wishes those rumours were true; that's all I'll say about that."</s> <\|message\|>Moira Kingsley "Hope we're not too late, Hydra." Soaring above Galar was a trio of dragons. A Noivern, a Dragonite, and a Hydreigon in the middle. Upon the Hydreigon's back was Moira, rubbing whatever sleep was left in her eyes away as she rode on the three-headed pokemon. "This is what I get for pulling a damn all-nighter, aye?" She huffed, chuckling afterwards. "I better not hear the end of it from the others." She wasn't that much of a morning person, if she was honest to herself. That, or she didn't want to deal with the crowds and the press. Too loud for her taste. But Moira didn't have time to get a quick coffee, so the wind slapping her face had to do. She petted one of Hydra's heads, and looked back out to see they were approaching Motostoke. "Finally." Moira slightly slapped herself awake, then looked to Vern and Python. "So how should we make our entrance? Normally? Or bombastic??" She asked her Pokemon. Of course, given their nature, Moira had to humor them. Just this once. As soon as they were closing in on the stadium, Moira began counting. "1, 2, 3!!" The three dragons in unison began to divebomb towards the gym. But before they reached the ground, they swiftly flew back up with mighty roars. They circled around the area a couple of times, then Moira vaulted off Hydra and landed perfectly in the middle of the crowd. She looked up to see the trio fly back up into the air to pull of a Dragon Dance, then land next to and behind her. "Whew, nailed it." she whispered, taking in the hype of the audience before marching forwards to the rest of the leaders. "Posture straight, confidence high, Press ignored." Moira thought to herself. Once she approached the group, she bowed in respect. "Greetings, everyone. I wish you all the best this season." she smiled to them. Meanwhile, Vern approached Draco to say a quick hello, making funny faces at the fellow dragon Pokemon. Python flew up next to Apollo, giving the Charizard a smug grin, while Hydra stayed by Moira.</s>	<\|message\|>Joseph Johannes is his real name, and his stage name is Eden Steel There was the distinct sound of wings beating as Joseph sat on the back of his Corviknight, Hermes. "I swear, like a billion people just crawled out of the woodwork for this gym challenge. I don't think I've ever had that many challengers." Joseph gripped the steel feathers of Hermes slightly harder, as a signal to speed up. "Well, at least there's no sky police. I imagine we'd probably be speeding right now." At last the city of Motosoke was with landing distance. There was a large group of people all gathered around the stadium, many here to see the champion. Looking closer, Liam and his bright pink outfit stuck out like a sore thumb. Looks like the other leaders were here, too. Hopefully he wasn't too late. He had considered coming as Eden, rather than as himself, but decided that for such a large event dressing up might not be the best idea. Not to mention, Hermes would probably be a lot slower if he was wearing such heavy armor. That, and he had been slightly paranoid of flying with it on after his helmet flew off during a flight. It ended up hitting someone's Wooloo, but fortunately the Wooloo barely noticed it with all of its thick wool. He let the trainer keep the helmet as a means of apology, and autographed it, just on the off chance he ever got famous. Hermes descended from the sky near the crowd, before quickly being returned to his poké ball. Approaching the crowd, Joseph spotted the group of leaders, mostly due to Liam's bright pink outfit, and Hestia's Charizard. He walked to the group with his arms out to his sides before speaking. "'Sup nerds! Guess who!" Joseph put his arms down. "Sorry I'm late, there were an innumerable number of challengers for some strange reason. Maybe I'm cursed or something." Joseph shrugged. "So, did I miss anything important?"</s>
<\|description\|>Selma Rosmarie The Mundane Age: 17. Sanctum City: Hasta, Venus Description: Selma stands out without really trying. As one of the most statuesque young women you could ever meet, her tall and robust frame likens her more to a tree walking around than a teenage girl, but her goofball demeanor quickly undercuts any potential intimidation that stature may induce. Her speech patterns are more "coarse" than "rough", and a genuine frown is hard to find on her gentle features. More often it's simply the terse, grunted scowl of hard work than true displeasure. Her straight shoulder-length hair and eyes are both the color of the pines of her ancestral home, and her casual attire consists of a seemingly endless supply of loose work shirts in dark colors and long jeans. Her most prized accessories are the small, unassuming black ribbon perched in the back of her hair, and the silver pendant upon her neck. Personality: Selma Rosmarie is first and foremost a throwback. A traditionalist raised by traditionalists, her pointedly rustic upbringing produced a girl all but convinced she'd be most at home in the thick forests and surrounded by nature rather your usual cityscapes. The family business of contributing to Hasta's agriculture is, unfortunately, as close as the towering young woman could hope to get. Her appreciation for a hard day's work, an honest character, and deep respect for innocent life permeate her to the core, plainly expressing themselves in (almost) faultless integrity, unassuming candor, and drive to protect people from any foes, be they from without or from within. While not well-read, and at times admittedly simple, she also carries with her a folksy wisdom that can only be cultivated by long days tilling what little fields mankind has left, alone with one's mind and the greenery. While technological integration is impossible to escape, she's definitely below par when it comes to utilizing it. Her honesty is the source of her unshakable self-assurance, completely willing to speak her mind and open about all that she is. Hers is the uncomplicated pride of refusing to lie to herself, or anyone else. She likes what she likes, talks as she talks, and thinks what she thinks. You have to be strong and resilient, sure, but you also have to be true to your heart. Simple pleasures like dancing to a pleasant tune, making a friend laugh, and the rush of fighting for the good of the world are food for the soul. They deserve to be shared with any who'll have them. Background: Selma was born at the outskirts of Hasta, to a humble family of farmers that emigrated during the First Void from the heavily wooded mountains of the Black Forest. Devastated by the loss of their ancestral home, the Rosmarie clan clung covetously, perhaps even desperately to every tradition they had— while they could no longer exactly be people of the countryside, they could remember it as dearly as possible. They dove into the role of agriculture as a means of both living off the land humanity had left, and recapturing what they could of their lives deep within the woodlands of what was once southern Germany. They did everything they feasibly could by hand, passed on old stories left behind in a single book of fairy tales, and spoke reverently of the old country, accounts from the past known by heart to each member. It was not easy to transmute a family from a forest of wood to the outskirts of one built from concrete, but they were mountain folk: hardy, rugged, and resilient enough to weather it. In this environment, Selma was introduced very early to work on the fields, picking root vegetables come time for harvest, sorting them by hand, and resting beneath the shade of the family oak, planted and nurtured as an acorn by the first generation of Rosmaries to find safety behind the Sanctum. Her respect for these traditions is healthy and unwavering, even in the face of the confusion of her more normal peers and friends. Over the years, the family had become just about comfortably middle-class again by a combination of frugal living and a few exceptionally good harvests after a begrudging "modernization" of their equipment. This coincided with Selma's first purchase of a phone, and perhaps more importantly her discovery of magical aptitude. Within this hardworking young woman was the potential to become one of the Ars Magi. Her family could afford to let her take this to Nova Lux Academy now. She could go out and fight for what they had lost. Their land. Their home. The ground where they were meant to live and die. They gave her their well-wishes and unconditional support. This was bigger than them all. The big girl barely hesitated. The Magical Armgaus Name: Verdant Moss Emerald Gladius: A heavy, robust axe, cheekily named 'Kleinbruder'. Its weighty head is bearded, and equally suitable for chopping down trees and Voids alike, whilst its sturdy wooden handle is curved to maximize force delivery in either one or two-handed grips. Etched into the sides of the head are fullers that form a runic pattern. Parma: Very much the same unmistakable Douglas Fir of a girl. When transformed, Selma's mistletoe eyes gain a faint, arcane luminescence, and her hair grows a truly vibrant green. As for her attire, it hearkens to an idea of almost barbarism, tanned leathers and steel replacing the usual loose work shirts. Elementum: Earth Elementum Abilities: Ripper of soil, breaker of stone, maiden of mountains. The first thing about Selma is that she is strong, large frame and a lifetime of labor bolstered by the very earth she strikes. As indomitable and everlasting as the Black Forest range her family hails from, the girl's force of will and connection to the earth manifest as seismic tremors, effectively the ability to create crevasses, violent upheavals, and even the odd localized earthquake on contact. Her bones are hard, her skin tough, and her spirit endless, she's about as easy to knock down as the Alps even when not transformed. A lifetime of feeling soil beneath her feet has given her a good sense for how it vibrates, allowing her to pick up on most land movements larger than those of a vole. Seems to have some form of kinship with all but the most violent beasts of the wild. That, or errant birds genuinely do mistake her for a tree.</s> <\|message\|>益頭知絵 --- --- "Cayman Sow..." Chie repeated inside her thoughts. An odd name to her, something unlike anything else she's heard before. She repeated it a few times in the safety of her own mind as her new partner guided the two of them through the initial steps of the dance. Chie was stiffer than when she'd danced with Selma, and this officer-to-be didn't take long to catch onto that. He commented on Chie's nerves, tried reassuring her. Didn't really help, in the end. Chie's clumsy dancing was but one of many factors leading to her continued discomfort. "Is this the first time you've been to a ball, Chie?" the boy asked of her. "Mhm... yeah," she gave as a short but clear reply. The boy went on about how most of the Ars Magi aren't used to this, prompting Chie to look up at him and tilt her head a bit. "Is that... so?" she asked. "I'm from Calcaria... I never went to something like this, there. My team all seemed familiar with it, though... so I thought I was just an exception," she explained, opening up a bit to her dance partner. Chie briefly pondered her last statement, then opened her mouth again to ask something herself. "And you officers? Are you split into teams like us Magi?" she asked of him. "I don't know much of the officer school. Could you tell me a bit about it?"</s> <\|message\|>Crystal von Caelestis --- Crystal glanced in the direction Castra had gone before slumping her shoulders just barely enough to be noticeable. "Thank you, Liam. I appreciate it. If you wish to dance, however, it would be wrong of me to refuse." She took a moment to look the boy over before continuing, regardless of whether the two began to dance or not. "Though if I may offer some advice to the one who saved me from losing my mind in public... Take those lessons." Crystal smiled softly, the first time since she got to the ball. There's practical reasons, but I assume a boy would more care about the way dancing has been made into a courting process. It's silly, but not everyone will find skipping out on the formality endearing." Her smile turned to a frown. "Apologies. I didn't intend to be as condescending as I sounded." She continued without waiting for a response, finding herself rambling now, likely to her future detriment. "I've been forbidden from using my usual coping mechanism for stress, and have more than I should for a self-imposed reason. Then there's the heat from sticking so many people in one location, the speech that went on and yet nowhere, the need to keep up appearances... Though it's selfish of me to be under such duress when everyone is experiencing those things all the same." The quiet girl was talking more than she normally would as a way to keep her mind occupied. When she noticed this, she stopped, her eyes widening slightly as she caught herself. "And now I'm rambling and making a fool of myself. Once again you have my apologies." Depending on whether the young man wished to dance regardless, Crystal would find herself in one of two realities. As Crystal took position to begin, she seemed to outsiders to be a bastion of stoicism. In truth, the familiar steps took almost no effort after having them seared into her mind from practice and helped alleviate her mind a little. Though a particularly observant partner might notice how Crystal's grip got slightly too tight when it was necessary to tighten, and slightly too loose when it wasn't; how her steps were slightly too light, as if she were stepping on ice and trying not to slip. However, as the dance wound down to a close, she was again smiling, regardless of how well her partner had faired. "That was surprisingly pleasant. Thank you once again, Liam." she curtseyed once again with her non-existent skirt and began looking for her teammates, her social obligations hopefully fulfilled for the day. Thanking Liam for his assistance, Crystal would look around at her teammates, hopeful that they were nearing the end of their own dances. She felt selfish, but she really did want to present her work to them. Though the thought of their opinions being negative towards it brought her stress levels back up. She could only hope that she'd get a chance to show them and that they'd at least have some constructive criticism.</s>	<\|message\|>Selma Rosmarie "True enough," she replied simply, subtly adjusting her steps as to account for the change in partner height and respective role. It wasn't too terribly often she got the chance to follow rather than lead— proof positive that there was some merit in taking up the offer, if for nothing else. Practicing on her weak areas was far easier when it came to dance than in her studies— speaking of which. "As for classes, well." she rode the twirl tightly, taking care to mind her close proximity with everyone else on the floor. As much as she did enjoy a good clothesline every now and again, there was a time and place— and clubbing what may well have been a noblewoman in the throat with a back elbow because one decided to get a little too samba in their waltz was a step far, even for her. Get it? If anything, this Hyun boy's confidence surprised her; albeit less so in gamely chatting up a fun-loving tree and potential future coworker (that all made a certain amount of sense), but more in his foot position and rhythm, how he comfortably lead her along in their wheel within wheels. All things considered... "I can't imagine they're that boring, if they're finding time to drill a little clean dance in as well. You'd be surprised at how much theory they throw at us with Nox concentration, diffusion, manifesting your Parma, blah blah blah..." she replied, smirking down at him, wry edge to her voice. Sounded like school was the same no matter where you went— in a way, it was comforting. While she often dreaded some of the drier lectures they'd all politely endured day in and day out together, it was a kind of stability she knew she'd one day no longer have. A bedrock block of schedule, a clear goal and task for each day. In a way, having something to throw herself towards was a part of how she stayed even-keeled. Something to fall back on. Kind of ironic, given how that choreography kept breaking every time she tried to picture it. What was the word, again? In English, it was supposed to be self-exemplary— an oxymoron, riiiiiight. That was a fun word. She ought to use it more, really keep their literature professor on her toes. Regardless, though, the charming young cadet had mentioned something that piqued the taller girl's curiosity, and a raised eyebrow atop a face that was falling back into a curious frown. Not malevolent, not discontented, but mildly puzzled. A familiar expression, given all the talk of their schooling. "So what exactly have you guys over at the Officer Academy heard, anyway?" She had to wonder. The examinations were on a video feed, and had dozens of eyewitnesses present, so the C-Class manifesting on top of poor Chie's run was probably a lost cause to cover up in full. The subway too, though? As far as she'd known, the four of them that came out of it, thick as thieves, had kept it to themselves.</s>
<\|description\|>益頭知絵 (Source) (Masuzu Chie) Age 16 Sanctum City Calcaria Personality Chie is social yet distant. She keeps a cool, collected but not unfriendly aura around her. She's willing to listen to the problems of others, but much less so to share her own. Chie likes keeping her relationships to small talk, though she isn't afraid to tease other girls. It's hard to get a read on her because of her constant, slightly playful smile. It doesn't indicate her good mood, but just acts as the veil of mystery hiding her true thoughts and emotions. It's the disposition of someone who observes before others are allowed to observe her. She just has a naturally closeted personality. Background Chie is from a middle-class family in Calcaria. She used to be an energetic child, playing and socializing with other kids until her breath gave out. Chie was a far-cry from the cool girl she would later become. A common thread through her evolution would be loss. It started small enough, only losing a pet at a young age, which would give her an initial lesson in how to cope. Chie got along great with her grandmother, who she spent a lot of time with as her parents weren't always around, but her grandmother passed before Chie could reach double digits in her age. Her mom and dad weren't home a lot of the time, so she felt lonely and distant from that point. Chie grew out of her cheery demeanor and put space between her and her friends. When her mom didn't come home again one day, and with dad refusing to tell Chie why, she completely closed off her heart to those around her. She started to listen instead of speak, to bottle up instead of cry. Chie was used to being alone, and maybe thought it was better that way. She wouldn't be tied down to people. It's that kind of unfettered disposition that made her fearless of joining Nova Lux. She promised herself that she wouldn't care for the friends she leaves behind, and that they wouldn't care for her. (Source) Armgaus Name Magnified White Quartz Gladius (Source) Chie uses a pair of ornate chakrams to fight. Parma Chie's hair loses its colour as her eyes change to gold. Her clothing is replaced by a white dress with no strings and black stocking on her thighs. Both her hands turn black, that same effect continuing a bit into her forearm, and past that spot on the left arm she has the same fabric as her dress extending out to her shoulder. Her hair is adorned with a red hair accessory housing three diamond-shaped protrusions as her neck is covered by a warmer in the same colour of her hands. Elementum Gravity Elementum Abilities Chie's control over gravity manifests itself in the modification of its pulling properties. By changing the rules of how dense an area's matter is, Chie can create a field wherein objects collide faster or slower with each-other. Designating an area, its gravitational pull will either gradually increase or decrease depending on Chie's intent. She cannot instantly make something pull harder than it did before, as her power needs to ramp up over time. However, like a snowball rolling down the mountains, the longer she keeps it going the faster and stronger the effect will increase. To reverse her own magic requires the same kind of effort in reverse. Examples of practicality are making objects collide with each-other or jumping high into the sky while coming down slowly.</s> <\|message\|>Selma Rosmarie --- It was around getting thwacked in the forehead by an errant stick of Watermelon Burst TM that Selma found herself needing to sit upright again, the brewing conversation having caught enough interest to discourage her artfully sloppy lounge. Chie's answer was much like her own, in a way. A mother's cooking and a father's smile weren't terribly far removed branches from the same root of "family", after all. "Worrying's pretty normal, I gotta agree. Just means you've got a bead on the important stuff, if you ask me." she concurred after the others had made reassurances of their own, favoring the Calcarian lass with a toothy smile that disappeared with Crystal's now-rising voice. The twintailed girl... Well, to put it in familiar terms, her hackles were raised like a spooked dog, right before they started growling or barking at something. Her eyes darting about didn't look angry, but her pupils going huge and her breath going short and shallow reminded Selma of more than a few of her brothers, imminently before an explosion. Some kinda stress that had suddenly swamped her— "Hey, you alright?" "Shit!" "Woah! Hey, what's wrong?" And there it was. The raven-haired Ars Magi to be rose to her feet quicker than her balance could keep up with, causing a momentary stumble that revealed five bright red lines upon her arm. She'd clawed through her skin that quickly? How hard of a grip did that even take? Whatever the hell had gotten into her, it was driving her towards the door without even a passing thought spared for those wounds... If Rivka hadn't stepped in and gotten (sort of) in her way, she might have already been out and into the hall by now. First things first, if she was gonna hurt herself once, Selma didn't want her to hurt herself again. She too rose, in the wake of the pair, and covered the majority of distance between them with one, two, only three steps. Not enough to crowd her while she was in this state, between her cold sweat and listening to Rivka's pointedly calming tone Selma got the distinct sense that being a physical obstruction might do more harm than good. Cornering a scared animal was one of the Five Great Mistakes she'd learned as a young'un, and while Crystal was a clearly unanimalistic sweetheart as far as Miss Rosmarie could tell, some principles extended beyond their diction. So instead, a hand fell upon the Norban's shoulder, giving what she hoped was a reassuring squeeze. Close enough to reach, in case things escalated. Not that she knew how any of this was about to go... Truthfully, a panic attack wasn't exactly in her Amazing and Varied Situational Toolbox. It wasn't lost on her that this came about right after she'd tried to make the situation less tense, less strained either. It honestly felt like her efforts had backfired completely. Maybe she wasn't too good at heart to hearts. "She's right, they've gotta have something here that can help." But if she didn't try, she'd feel like a much worse friend regardless. "We got through this much together already, didn't we? I'm sure you'll be okay. You can trust us." The lightest of pressures backwards, a coaxing suggestion more than a command back into the room. Or a hug. Whichever was better.</s> <\|message\|>Crystal von Caelestis Crystal stopped as Rivka moved in front of her. Her breathing was erratic and quick, her eyes glanced at the door as she considered busting through it. Just as soon as the thought hit she felt a hand on her shoulder and jumped slightly, but the words the other girls spoke got to her. They were right. It was foolish to put herself in danger if there was a way not to. There was no reason to go to the furthest lengths when there might still be an easier way. She tried her best to calm her breathing, but it was difficult. She carefully stepped back and started back towards the bed. "You're right." she said as she sat back down and breathed out heavily, trying to cope. "You're right. Hopefully they'll have a decent stock of medicine here, but what if they don't? I..." she shook her head. No. She was supposed to be stronger than that. She'd learned coping mechanisms, and when she needed them she simply forgot them? She clenched her fist. Unacceptable. She closed her eyes and tried to take deep breaths. "I don't know if they'll be able to requisition what I need if they don't have it on base. But I have to hope they can, right?" She wasn't over the panic attack, really, but she was slowly regaining control of herself. She looked down at her wrist and winced. That was going to hurt later. She'd just have to hope things worked out. "Sorry to worry you all like that." she managed to say, smiling somewhat grimly. She paused a moment with her eyes closed before continuing. Reaching into her pocket she brought out a tiny notepad and the very last part of a pencil, opening her eyes and writing down the names of her two medications. "If it's not to much to ask, could one of you find someone and ask them if they can get these?" She caught her breathing getting worse again and tried to calm it. "And some food for Rivka, and anyone else who's hungry, of course." She smiled again, slightly more genuine this time.</s>	<\|message\|>益頭知絵 Everyone's words of comfort set Chie's heart at ease, but she wouldn't get the chance to feel relaxed for long. Something was wrong with Crystal, clearly, as the girl shot up in a panic and scrambled over to the door. Luckily for everyone involved, the other two girls had quickly gotten a handle on the situation and made Crystal calm down. Well, at least calm enough to sit back down and talk about what bothered her rather than running off in a panic. "Oh! Please allow me to do this," Chie offered when Crystal asked the group to scour for her medicine. She pushed herself off the cot and walked over, taking the note out of the girl's hands. Chie made sure to read the two names back to Crystal, just to confirm she got it right, as well as making sure Selma didn't need anything. Just before heading out the door, she turned to the group and said: "I'll be back as quickly as I can, I promise." Stepping outside, it was no real surprise that a guard immediately came over and asked why she would leave the room. "Ah, well you see..." Chie started and quickly explained the situation. She may have exaggerated a little in how hungry Rivka was, but Chie wanted to make sure she could fulfill the duty she took upon herself to the best of her ability. The guard muttered to another soldier for a bit before agreeing to take Chie to the medical tent and ask the staff on-hand. All throughout her dealings, Chie remained as polite and soft-spoken as she could. She bowed, made sure to express her gratitude for all of their help so far; anything to win favor. Despite the stiff and professional atmosphere, everyone she spoke to greeted her with a smile and a laugh. It was a bit scary for her at first, but the more she spoke to people, the more she saw just how... normal everyone was, even in an emergency like this. It offered comfort. "...so that is why I'm terribly sorry to ask for more than what you've already done for us, but would you please grant our request?" Chie said to a different officer she was talking to, finishing it off with a bow. One of the medical staff had already agreed to send a soldier to deliver Crystal's medicine to their room, but that didn't do much to alleviate Rivka's hunger. Her request was met with a smile; hopefully that was a sign she won him over. Hearing the words that followed, then, made her eyes glisten like the morning sun. "Yes, thank you so very much!" Chie replied, bowing once more in both respect and gratitude, before being escorted back to the temporary room. Stepping back inside, Chie gave everyone her warmest smile. "I'm sorry it took so long, everyone! The soldiers on-base have agreed to temporarily open the mess hall again for us. I'm truly sorry if anyone else isn't very hungry, but I thought it would be nicer if we could all eat something together, even if it isn't much. The guards will take us there when we're ready to go," she explained.</s>
<\|description\|>益頭知絵 (Source) (Masuzu Chie) Age 16 Sanctum City Calcaria Personality Chie is social yet distant. She keeps a cool, collected but not unfriendly aura around her. She's willing to listen to the problems of others, but much less so to share her own. Chie likes keeping her relationships to small talk, though she isn't afraid to tease other girls. It's hard to get a read on her because of her constant, slightly playful smile. It doesn't indicate her good mood, but just acts as the veil of mystery hiding her true thoughts and emotions. It's the disposition of someone who observes before others are allowed to observe her. She just has a naturally closeted personality. Background Chie is from a middle-class family in Calcaria. She used to be an energetic child, playing and socializing with other kids until her breath gave out. Chie was a far-cry from the cool girl she would later become. A common thread through her evolution would be loss. It started small enough, only losing a pet at a young age, which would give her an initial lesson in how to cope. Chie got along great with her grandmother, who she spent a lot of time with as her parents weren't always around, but her grandmother passed before Chie could reach double digits in her age. Her mom and dad weren't home a lot of the time, so she felt lonely and distant from that point. Chie grew out of her cheery demeanor and put space between her and her friends. When her mom didn't come home again one day, and with dad refusing to tell Chie why, she completely closed off her heart to those around her. She started to listen instead of speak, to bottle up instead of cry. Chie was used to being alone, and maybe thought it was better that way. She wouldn't be tied down to people. It's that kind of unfettered disposition that made her fearless of joining Nova Lux. She promised herself that she wouldn't care for the friends she leaves behind, and that they wouldn't care for her. (Source) Armgaus Name Magnified White Quartz Gladius (Source) Chie uses a pair of ornate chakrams to fight. Parma Chie's hair loses its colour as her eyes change to gold. Her clothing is replaced by a white dress with no strings and black stocking on her thighs. Both her hands turn black, that same effect continuing a bit into her forearm, and past that spot on the left arm she has the same fabric as her dress extending out to her shoulder. Her hair is adorned with a red hair accessory housing three diamond-shaped protrusions as her neck is covered by a warmer in the same colour of her hands. Elementum Gravity Elementum Abilities Chie's control over gravity manifests itself in the modification of its pulling properties. By changing the rules of how dense an area's matter is, Chie can create a field wherein objects collide faster or slower with each-other. Designating an area, its gravitational pull will either gradually increase or decrease depending on Chie's intent. She cannot instantly make something pull harder than it did before, as her power needs to ramp up over time. However, like a snowball rolling down the mountains, the longer she keeps it going the faster and stronger the effect will increase. To reverse her own magic requires the same kind of effort in reverse. Examples of practicality are making objects collide with each-other or jumping high into the sky while coming down slowly.</s> <\|message\|>Aoife Sturmgaard --- Blinding speed that ill-fit the jagged spear of Earth sent erupting by Selma's will through the body of the cuboid adversary shocked Aoife. Well, if that motion had been fast, the next was the speed of sound. Selma wrenched her axe free from the ground with more force in one arm than Aoife would be able to muster in both before shooting off like a bullet fired from a gun. "Let's get cooking!" The simmer of excitement spread up Aoife's spine as the tingle met her jaw, causing it to clench. A smell of gunpowder filled Aoife's nostrils before one mech fired an entire silo of four at Selma's trajectory, but in response perfectly timed was Rivka's response. The girl's Parma appeared musically around her, and the source of that gunpowder smell became evident. Aoife's eyes lit up with excitement as she watched the burst of flame originating from a brief spark in the musician's resolve as her Gladius took aim. "Enough standing around then," Aoife said, lightly rolling her foot and stretching her shoulders. Aoife carefully stepped out into the rain, closing her eyes and letting it wash over her form. She felt each impact against her Parma, felt as each of the petals of water unfurled against her form, absorbing into her. She adopted a runner's stance, placing both hands against the soaked pavement, and thrusting her back into the air. Aoife titled her chin to get a better look at the mech that Rivka had fired upon in order to distract it. Hopefully, she could beat Selma there, she had talked a bid game after all. She spied a close by light pole, taking note of its distance from herself and the mech. Her chest tightened as her lips parted ever so minutely in order to let a long inhale hiss through the sound of the rain, which paused around her as she did. All of the water on her form spread along her body, lining her heels in coats of compressed water. "Turning up the heat," Aoife called into her headset. She burst from the ground, streams of water shooting across the pavilion near them as she was thrown through the air as if by divine action itself. She spun and flipped through the air, one hand tightly wound around Joyeuse, the other trailing through the air, collecting rain water and manipulating it as she did so. A thing razor like wire of compressed stream water flowing in sharpening spirals around itself, bound only by the girl's will. The momentum had proved to be problematic, however. So Aoife had to improvise. She created a small wave of water ahead of her that she spun into and caught with her feet, surfing along it and towards the mech. She descended upon it, sending her aqua javelin towards its primary sensors as she circled around it. She swung her blade towards the mech in tandem with the impact of the javelin but her cut was too shallow to connect. Luckily the ribbon connected to Joyeuse's hilt continued outwards towards the emotionless visage now tracking her. It wrapped itself around a nearby streetlight, pulling Aoife along as she continued to surf around it before leading herself cresting upwards above the machine. Hoping that Rivka's shot was enough to knock it off balance when combined with her javelin, she gracefully allowed the momentum of her arc to carry her, closing her eyes until she felt her position reached. When Aoife opened them once more, she was looking straight down at the top of its head. She plummeted downwards, reaching out to her Elementum to sharpen the droplets of rain, increase their velocity. She fell with them, a million translucent blades. "Fall," she said. And she, and her homemade barrage, did. She plummeted into steel carapace impacting with a heavy groan as her blade buried itself to the hilt in its body. She stood up, confidently pulling the blade from its sheathe, water and oil spraying in the arc as the blade landed flat on her shoulder. "One a piece," she offered her rival.</s> <\|message\|>Crystal von Caelestis --- Having had the, perhaps misguided, foresight to transform on the way over, Crystal had no impressive metamorphosis to dazzle the Officers with. Instead, she waited and watched as her teammates fought, using their Elementum and Gladius magnificently each. And before she could even examine the coming machines, two were down. One certainly at Selma's hand, another likely at Aoife's, with help from Rivka. She supposed she should probably act, but... "Is it really only these three? Surely not." Or rather, surely not as they were now. There was always a distinct chance with machines that there were other functions than those visible on it. You wouldn't guess most mechanical purposes without seeing them in action, after all. "Sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic." That was the quote, wasn't it? And for those with magic, the Ars Magi, that saying would be much more terrifying than it would to a normal person if true. Knowing the depths of magic only made Crystal more worried about the ease with which her teammates defeated these drones. Sure, she was proud to be on their team, to be standing alongside such wonderful Ars Magi, but perhaps it was best to simply stay in the back for now. If all five of them used up too much of their reserves, then a secondary threat would decimate them. Chie had run the dinner bell, so it was certainly time to eat, but... She doubted that this was anything more than an appetizer. And while she trusted Selma's ability to grasp the battlefield, there was always another possibility; that the drones took more from their namesake than simply their autonomy. Instead of joining the fight in an offensive manner, perhaps she could kill two birds with one stone? Distract and survey. Crystal went to the nearest building and looked up at it. It appeared to be high enough to get a good grasp on her surroundings, so she expended a small fraction of her Nox reserves to form platforms of ice alongside the building out of the falling rain. It took only a moment for her to have a path up, which she took quickly, rising to the roof where she stood and looked out upon the mission area. If there was even a single airborne drone, she would alert her team and draw its, or their, attention so that she and her team could begin the process of violently dismantling. And if not? Well, she could always use some target practice, being mostly suited for close-combat, and there were surely other threats than these three nearest.</s>	<\|message\|>益頭知絵 Chie wasn't naïve enough to think the drones wouldn't come try search and flush her out, but the random spread of bullets flying in every direction suggested the split-off drone didn't know her exact location. A good thing, one would think, except with its sights set on the general location, Chie couldn't exactly move out and fight. Not unless she wanted to be shot through the heart with a drone to blame, in any case. All the chakram-wielding girl could do was patiently wait for her allies to cover her, an opportunity that came once she saw one of Rivka's bolts soaring by. It must've hit something, because whatever the musician had done, it caused the drone to halt its fire on Chie's location. "Now!" she thought to herself, rolling out of her cover and surveying the status of the area. Selma stood over one wreckage, Aoife had engaged another in combat and that left just one unaccounted for. A slightly distracted drone, which seemed intent on re-aligning its target. Chie had to think and act quick, but finally having a clear look at her opponent, she knew exactly what to do. She de-summoned one of her chakrams, held up her now-freed hand and then violently clutched her fist, shouting: "Halt!" Two points of intense gravity rapidly formed, one each at the base of the robot's pair of feet. The intense forces exerted on its primary method of movement left the machine to be the one pinned this go around. Of course it wasn't naïve enough to let Chie do as she pleased; having detected it as an attack, the drone locked on and started firing in Chie's location. Chie, herself, was faster though: she sprinted off before even a single bullet could be fired, running with a trail of bullets firing constantly behind her. With the drone unable to fully turn, it couldn't move and realign its armaments fast enough to keep up with Chie, who had already begun the next stage of her attack. Everyone in the area could feel a tug coming from the robot's location, though more accurately, from right behind it. The Nox in the area clouded Chie's fist like a dark energy, growing more ever thicker as she increased the intensity of her third gravity well. While she'd only done the bare minimum to keep the robot's feet pinned, this new well was much more severe. The stones of the street started to crack from being compressed against each-other, and even the immediate street light next to it began to noticeably bend. Chie couldn't maintain this for long; rapidly purifying the required Nox to keep up three intense points of gravity had no small amount of strain come paired with it. It didn't need to last long, though. All Chie needed was to get it clearly off-balance, because then she knew it was intense enough. Chie slid to a halt once she'd ran off further than the drone's line of fire could follow and, while still clutching her magicked fist, gripped tightly onto her remaining Chakram. She took a split second to confirm her angle and tossed it skywards, at a bit of an angle, racing towards the sky above her target. Throwing her chakram directly would be silly; the gravity would dig it into the floor long before it'd ever reach the drone. But she could use that same downward momentum to her advantage. If her Chakram was in the sky, with the drone between its current location and her intense gravity? Well, only one result was to be expected. Once it got close enough, attracted by the forces below, the chakram rapidly accelerated towards the drone. It didn't have to hit it cleanly, coming in at a bit of an angle, but slicing right through one of the legs before burying into the ground behind. The impact from that caused the robot to soon follow suit, aggressively being slammed into the streets from Chie's meddling with forces that never should be meddled with. The chassis caved in on itself under its own massive weight, crushing the inside circuitry. Most of what kept the machine running was scrapped from the impact. It was a good thing, too; Chie was forced to release her hold on that point, the intensified gravity rapidly returning to normal. It winded Chie a bit, but she was far from exhausted; the sensation was more akin to being unable to continue lifting a weight because one's muscles were too weak than it was of fatigue. Chie took a small breath and looked over to the rest of her team. She summoned her gladius again, raised one up in the air and slightly unenthusiastically shouted that she "Got one too..." to the crew.</s>
<\|description\|>Crystal von Caelestis The Mundane Age: 16 Sanctum City: Norba Description: Crystal stands at 5 feet 7 inches and weighs 143 pounds. She has above-average musculature, built from good genes and rather extreme physical training. She has black hair usually tied in twintails and hazel eyes that seem to pierce through what they look at. She tends to be slouched somewhat when she's not taking something seriously, which is most of the time. Personality: Crystal is a mixed-bag of personality traits, according to the psychologist she visits on a monthly basis. She is not shy, but is quiet and keeps to herself. She is not outgoing, but can become overexcited by the things she enjoys. She is usually calm, and often confident, but the times when she's not she tends to reach the other extreme of hyperactive or pessimistic, respectively. She tends to spend her free time drawing or reading, often both being based around manga, though she also enjoys drawing more realistic styles as well. She is also almost always preoccupied with writing stories to go with her art. Crystal has the bad habits of chewing gum and, strangely, blowing air up from her mouth towards her forehead, usually messing up her bangs. She has the affliction of obsessive compulsive disorder, though with her medication one would never know it. When she is unable to take them, however, she becomes a nervous wreck and her habits explode in severity. Background: Crystal von Caelestis is a part of the extended family of the Jupiter family of the Duodecim. That is to say, she is a cousin of the heir to the family. Or rather, she would be if her uncle had a child. As it stands, she and her cousins are all later in line than a nonexistent relative for purposes of succession. Once her uncle marries and has children, they will be the next generation of the Jupiter family line. As such, she was raised in a very noble-esque environment in which she was given great freedom to pursue her interests while also being taught and trained at a higher level than most. She is skilled in the arts not because she wished to be, but because she must be in order to properly represent the Caelestis family. She is in good physical shape and skilled with weapons not because she has passion for it, but because she must be able to defend herself and others if necessary. She only recently discovered that she has access to magic, and was very quickly enrolled in Nova Lux Academy. As such, she feels rushed and out of place. The Magical Armgaus Name: Frozen Blue Sapphire Gladius: Parma: Elementum: Ice Elementum Abilities: Crystal can both form ice from nowhere and remove heat from an area, causing coldness to form. She is able to freeze things with a touch, or with some effort do so without physical contact. While she cannot do things like throwing spears of ice telepathically, she can certainly create them in such a way as to pierce a target without needing to be moved. Her ability to remove heat from an area usually manifests as control of the temperature surrounding her, and a distaste of heat means that she often uses this trick when she is able to use magic at all to help keep her cooled off. Somewhat strangely, her magic has minor purifying properties; freezing water with her magic will also remove most impurities from it.</s> <\|message\|>Selma Rosmarie --- "Ngaaaaaaaaah~" Whatever uncomfortable silence may have manifested between the five strangers was unceremoniously broken, as the far-and-away tallest of their number languidly streeeeeeetched her arms and back towards the roof, scraping the sky that much more before she blissfully sank in to the leather cushioning of the nearest seat. A face framed by evergreen locks bore a plainly relieved smile upon soft features, and after a moment one emerald eye popped open, taking stock of affairs. For a girl like Selma Rosmarie, travel was an entirely alien prospect. Her family were settlers, rooted to their chosen homes, and deeply connected to the land they called theirs— that had not changed even in the wake of their century-old exile from Germany, as it was known in the old world. They maintained the homesteading spirit, preferring to nurture and cultivate where others might move to greener pastures. To them, it was a rare thing to even leave the agricultural districts of Hasta. To take to the skies to cross an entire continent? Unheard of. Leaving home was all too daunting. Her world had been so small before, and now... The ride on the airship was a wondrous thing, really. To be so high up that landscapes stopped being scenic, and instead all melded into an endless canvas of woodland, steppe, meadow and mountain below had to have been every bit as magical as she and her four companions were. Even in spite of the obscuring Nox clouds, there was no way she hadn't clung to her viewport for two... eh, probably three hours, watching the earth roll by beneath her, paired with her best source of entertainment— an eclectic mix of musics piped out from her phone and into her ears. A non-insignificant number of them were far more heavy on screaming guitar than you would really expect to accompany such a gorgeous backdrop, but playlists unfortunately still eluded her. It spoke to the Concordia's luxuriant construction that the freely dancing giantess hadn't garnered any noise complaints during her portion of the trans-Eurasian flight. That she had been made aware of, anyway. Must be some sturdy walls and flooring! Flooring... Whew. All that was nice. But... It was also ethereal. In a way that didn't quite sit right with her, once the wonderment of flight had petered out some. Having worked upon soil and stone her whole life, she had to admit: it didn't feel right to not be standing on terra firma. When she had busted a move or two, it was one thing. A light, feathery step was good when you were carried by a fun rhythm. When you were walking, though? Or standing, or sitting? Or doing anything else? It was wrong to have that underlying sense of nothing beneath you. She had been reassured multiple times that she wouldn't fall through, and had definitely put the floorboards through their paces before she'd stopped to think about the matter, but she could still feel it. A nagging in the back of her head, saying "Selma, Selma, what in the Hellma?" whenever she shifted her weight and felt not the world, but a few layers of wood and steel beneath her heels. Even stepping into the rail car, another artificial mode of transport, still had its connection to the ground. It just went through an extra medium or two in the track, rather than the airship's total removal. She wondered. Did the other girls have the same problem? A few of them looked pretty classy, compared to a bumpkin like her, anyway, so she didn't regard it as too out there if they had been on an airship ride or two before... Was it as amazing for them, or had the sight of the world sliding by turned out to be something you could grow accustomed to? A routine occurrence? Was there anyone for whom uprooting and rocking over half the world's span could be normal? These kinda questions didn't get answered just by rolling them down the cliffs of the mind until they hopefully hit an answer. Selma could see that much clearly, even without the naturally high vantage point. May as well find out. Hadn't had a chance until now, so best get striking while the iron's hot! "Hallo!" she called to the rest of the assembled magical girl initiates, transitioning her remaining outstretched arm into a chipper wave at the wrist and putting on her best friendly smile. "I'm Selma! Anybody need help with any luggage? I don't know much about trains, but I'm sure I can lift whatever you need me to, so don't be shy!" Her grin drew a little wider as she flexed her bicep in jest, but her words and intent were sincere all the same. If anyone looked to be struggling, or would just appreciate the hand, all they needed to do was take her up on it. No sense being cold to the people she was gonna fight alongside, right?</s> <\|message\|>益頭知絵 April 8th, 117AV "Congratulations!!" "Huh? What? Why... huh?" "Surprise, Chie!" "We kinda sprung this on her out of nowhere..." "Don't worry, the teacher said we could use the classroom!" "Hey, come sit! This is your farewell party!" "Farewell party? I didn't think it was that important..." "Quit the modesty already Chie! It's Nova Lux you're going to! Nova Lux!" "I don't really want her to go, though..." "I know, right? I don't like goodbyes." "Come on, everyone... keep a smile on! I don't want to see Chie go either, but we should support her, right?" "..." "Hey, Chie, try these! I baked them myself!" "Oooooh... why have I never gotten some?!" "These are farewell cookies. You come to my house enough as-is." "...Huh? Hey, Chie, is something wrong?" "No... no, nothing at all. Thank you, everyone." --- --- --- The dim light coming out the screen of Chie's phone was more than enough to see with for the darkened night sky which surrounded her. It wasn't pitch-black by any means- the abundance of night lighting at both the dock and scattered through the vast city below made sure of this- but the artificiality of it all didn't comfort her any. Anticipation, nerves, fear, longing... the emotions Chie felt were complex, compounded by her incessant staring at the minutes counting down. Her escort was a rather tall, serious man and had made for a poor company. Not that Chie had tried particularly hard to strike up a conversation, but most any of her questions were answered swiftly and with no hope for a followup. She was left with nothing to entertain herself, save for the act of slowly watching time tick and tick by. It felt strange. She wasn't particularly bound to her home, but now that it was almost time to leave... "Ah!" Chie's thoughts were broken as she heard the airship dock. Naturally, it was at the station where she'd been (im)patiently waiting. She looked back up at her escort who, after a bit of hushed chatter with his earpiece, told her to wait just a little longer. It wasn't long before three girls were escorted off the airship by a slew of military personnel. Chie thought to ask some more questions, but before a word could escape her lips her escort had already begun explaining. He informed her that the airship would not be used to make the rest of the journey. Instead, she and the other three would be lead to a railcar which would be making the rest of the trip in its stead. It hardly took any time for the five to get settled, but a silence hung over them nevertheless. It was quite the... interesting group. Out of the four, Chie figured she looked the most ordinary, but maybe each of the other girls thought much the same about themselves. One girl had hair unlike everybody else's, vibrant and colourful. But even more than the colour, what stood out how well-maintained it was. It looked like it'd give the feeling of silk were you to touch it. Another one was more modest. Her hair was fashioned in twintails and what stood out most about the her was just how fidgety she seemed. She'd been fiddling with something, or otherwise had been nervously twitching her legs or fingers, all the way from the airship to here. As for the last one, well... "Hallo!" The last didn't take too long to make herself known. She introduced herself as Selma, no family name given, and was a taller woman than Chie could have imagined possible. It was no secret that the people of Calcaria were shorter than some of the more western-laid city city states, but Chie hadn't even seen a man as tall as Selma. The girl seemed nice and friendly enough, but the difference in height was going to leave Chie uncomfortable for a while longer. Selma had introduced herself, however, so it wouldn't do to not respond in kind. "My name is Masuzu Chie. I don't need help with my luggage, but I hope we can all get along from this point forwards." Chie waited to hear the names of the other three.</s>	<\|message\|>Crystal von Caelestis Crystal sat in her room on the Concordia listening to music from her phone. Rather, she was skipping songs almost constantly trying to find ones that fit her mood. Skip, skip, skip, listen, skip, listen, listen, skip. She ignored the passing scenery out of a fear of heights because she couldn't exactly draw it while it was moving by so quickly. This fidgeting with her phone went on for the entire time she was there until finally the ship landed in Calcaria. She continued sitting in her area until someone came along to bring her out of the ship. She grabbed her luggage, a simple briefcase, a backpack, and a travel bag, and headed out the ship to the docks. She turned down her music so she could hear and was taken along with the other three girls to a rail car, which they all went inside to wait to move on. Thinking back, she couldn't remember being in Calcaria before in her life. Supposedly she had been to several of the other cities when she was extremely young, but she only remembered two other than her home of Norba, those being Bellanum and Drusa, the three of which were very different than the small bit of Calcaria she could see while moving from the ship to the tracks where she was now. Looking around she saw that the other girls didn't seem to have much in common. There was an amazon woman, or so it seemed to Crystal, a plain looking girl who was eyeing the rest of them, and a girl with colorful hair who seemed a bit too stoic for her liking. She gently turned her mouth up and blew air at her bangs, causing them to float for a moment, before closing her eyes and reaching to turn her music back up. That is, before one of the other girls spoke up. "Hallo!" the tallest girl spoke up. Her name was apparently Selma, and she offered help with luggage. Were Crystal not as strong as she was, she may have even taken the girl up on that offer, but it was simple enough to carry for her. Besides, it would be wrong for a semi-noble to ask a commoner for something like that. It was part of her job to protect the common person, not make them work for her, even if they offered to do so. The plain looking girl, Chie, responded saying that she hoped the four of them could get along. Crystal sat quietly for a moment before taking out a pack of gum sticks and putting one in her mouth, holding the pack out for the others. "Thanks for the offer, but I'm fine. Anyone want some gum? It's regular bubblegum flavored, so hopefully nobody dislikes that." Crystal paused a moment. "Anyway, my name's Crystal. Pleasure to meet you all." She just hoped that her voice didn't betray her nervousness at the whole situation. It wasn't the other girls that were the problem, it was the nagging thought that she had forgotten something and the general anxiety of moving to a new place that had her on edge.</s>
<\|description\|>Crystal von Caelestis The Mundane Age: 16 Sanctum City: Norba Description: Crystal stands at 5 feet 7 inches and weighs 143 pounds. She has above-average musculature, built from good genes and rather extreme physical training. She has black hair usually tied in twintails and hazel eyes that seem to pierce through what they look at. She tends to be slouched somewhat when she's not taking something seriously, which is most of the time. Personality: Crystal is a mixed-bag of personality traits, according to the psychologist she visits on a monthly basis. She is not shy, but is quiet and keeps to herself. She is not outgoing, but can become overexcited by the things she enjoys. She is usually calm, and often confident, but the times when she's not she tends to reach the other extreme of hyperactive or pessimistic, respectively. She tends to spend her free time drawing or reading, often both being based around manga, though she also enjoys drawing more realistic styles as well. She is also almost always preoccupied with writing stories to go with her art. Crystal has the bad habits of chewing gum and, strangely, blowing air up from her mouth towards her forehead, usually messing up her bangs. She has the affliction of obsessive compulsive disorder, though with her medication one would never know it. When she is unable to take them, however, she becomes a nervous wreck and her habits explode in severity. Background: Crystal von Caelestis is a part of the extended family of the Jupiter family of the Duodecim. That is to say, she is a cousin of the heir to the family. Or rather, she would be if her uncle had a child. As it stands, she and her cousins are all later in line than a nonexistent relative for purposes of succession. Once her uncle marries and has children, they will be the next generation of the Jupiter family line. As such, she was raised in a very noble-esque environment in which she was given great freedom to pursue her interests while also being taught and trained at a higher level than most. She is skilled in the arts not because she wished to be, but because she must be in order to properly represent the Caelestis family. She is in good physical shape and skilled with weapons not because she has passion for it, but because she must be able to defend herself and others if necessary. She only recently discovered that she has access to magic, and was very quickly enrolled in Nova Lux Academy. As such, she feels rushed and out of place. The Magical Armgaus Name: Frozen Blue Sapphire Gladius: Parma: Elementum: Ice Elementum Abilities: Crystal can both form ice from nowhere and remove heat from an area, causing coldness to form. She is able to freeze things with a touch, or with some effort do so without physical contact. While she cannot do things like throwing spears of ice telepathically, she can certainly create them in such a way as to pierce a target without needing to be moved. Her ability to remove heat from an area usually manifests as control of the temperature surrounding her, and a distaste of heat means that she often uses this trick when she is able to use magic at all to help keep her cooled off. Somewhat strangely, her magic has minor purifying properties; freezing water with her magic will also remove most impurities from it.</s> <\|message\|>益頭知絵 Chie was... unsure of how to transform back. Her pain-addled mind did her no favors in figuring this out, of course, but it wasn't just that which was the problem. The Nox in the air was still so... thick, even though she wasn't aware of any other voids that spawned. It made it hard to focus. The raw power running through her armagus wouldn't let her become normal again. Chie's earpiece buzzed to life as she pondered it. "Masuzu, re--" a voice came through, but the sentence was left unfinished. "Operator?" Chie tried to answer back. No reply came. Something was wrong, she was sure of it. A queasy feeling washed over the girl. No matter how much she looked around her, though, she couldn't see anything out of the ordinary. The only thing there was this invisible miasma tickling Chie's skin. And then the explosion happened. "Nh-!" the ars-magi-in-training grunted in surprise as she shielded herself from the wind displacement. She hurriedly looked up to the source of the explosion, finding a fancy new hole in the tower awaiting her gaze. After a brief moment of shock and dread, Chie came to her senses and tried to say something through the earpiece: "Operator, is everyone-" she begun to ask, but froze up when she realised static was coming from the other side. "No..." she hushed to herself in a quiet voice. Chie looked around, trying to find anything that could've caused that shockwave, only to see a shadow in the sky diving past her and into the opening. Panicked, shaking in her boots, Chie had to think of something. She had to hurry. This was her fault, she must've missed one of them. One that was a lot more powerful if it could do that. She needed to fix her mistakes before it was too late. But when Chie took a step forward, the sharp pain in her back shot through her again. The void's mark was still ailing her. She grit her teeth and ignored it. She was wounded, it hurt, but she could still move. Just like Calcaria, the girl's mistake had caused problems for the other three. She had to hurry back and fix it. Chie took a pained step, then another. Before she knew it, she managed to push through the pain well enough for to be running back. The ars magi felt light on her feet. Chie didn't notice it before, but even a mild jog was much faster than any sprint she'd accomplished before that point. It bolstered her confidence. If she could move like this in the state she was in, then the other three should've been able to hold their ground, too. "Everyone, please be safe...!"</s> <\|message\|>Selma Rosmarie --- Rivka Sokolov, cloaked in parma and supercharged by arcane energies well past the limits of any mortal woman, was as a demigod as her leap carried her high into the air, a steep arc launched into with all the force she could muster. Much as Chie's jog carried her quicker than her former sprints, Rivka's great spring was enough to nearly carry her to the height of the rooftops even before her pyrotechnic propulsion saw her through the rest of the journey. Force enough to send a girl flying like that was bound to make for a hell of a reminder regarding Newton's Third— And yet her erstwhile springboard, once again awash with green-tinged white, barely budged. Sheesh. Could have asked. What if she had been Crystal, instead of her? "Hey Crystal? You noticing a pattern here, or is it just me?" For the second time in a week, Selma Rosmarie found herself rising to her feet in the wake of some form of catastrophic demolition, shaking the keening whine from her ears and tossing mossy locks to and fro in the process. Talk about a head start on their peers— at this rate, they'd all be aces when they rolled up to whatever inevitable "think on your feet when something goes wrong" lesson lay ahead of them. Oh man, what if her first official deployment started with an explosion to the face, too? Better hope she wasn't imagining this one being less bad, and that Rivka's painkillers were onto something when they had her ramble about "just build up a tolerance to bigger explosions by working your way up from smaller ones" two days ago... Okay, dummy. Get to work. Her head snapped upwards as she hopped to her feet, base carrying itself back under her in a motion honed by years of impromptu bouts of ringen, and zeroed in on the two most prominent threats she could find— Namely, the seven foot spindle of darkness looming over them some thirty meters away and its projectile, a sphere of black ink condensed from poisonous cloud of curse. The latter hurtled towards them faster than any would have liked, and with Rivka perched atop a ruined high-rise, that left Selma as the forefront vanguard. The first line of defense. She had no idea what shape the other two girls were in. Crystal sounded like she was readjusting as well, and at the very least nearby. She could feel motion carrying through the floor well enough to feel right in guessing such. But Chie, poor wounded Chie, she had no idea. She should have still been transformed, and her commanded element was definitely a doozy, but... the young ent still had to worry, just a bit. If nothing else, she was certainly the worst for wear. But if worry was all she could do for her right now, then she had better stick that energy somewhere productive. First things first— Whatever that thing flying at them was had to be bad news. If her guess was right, one of those being launched was how this stretched out lady-of-the-night had blown a hole into the wall they'd been facing. She needed to knock it out of the sky before it got close! Scanning the room, she quickly spotted a few larger chucks of rubble from the blast— one the size of her head, the other two roughly two-thirds of that. She didn't have the propulsion to jump across and attack the thing directly, nor could she seal this place up with more stone— it'd only explode again. So, she saw one option. Rivka may have had the right sport, but her position was all wrong. Just think of Brazil. Think of 7-1. You got this, fraulein. Nothin' TO IT! And with a whip of her long, muscular legs, her boot slammed into the largest stone, sending it flying into the path of the orb simultaneous to the mighty CRACK of Rivka's rifle. Two more thuds a moment heralded the twin concrete streaks that zipped outward from the observation tower, this time aimed towards the Void less than half a field away. They didn't need no damned goalie. They had a striker.</s>	<\|message\|>Crystal von Caelestis Crystal was knocked off her feet by the explosion, ending up against the wall opposite the newly formed hole. In the moment it took to regain her senses and her footing Rivka had already transformed and jumped off Selma's back to fight. "Hey Crystal? You noticing a pattern here, or is it just me?" Crystal gave a small smile to that, but quickly shifted her focus when Selma threw a large chunk of rubble out of the hole in the building. Which told her all she needed to know, that something was shooting at them from there. She transformed as well and took stock of the situation, walking up behind Selma to see what she saw. There was a Void there, yes, and Rivka on another building ready to shoot it. But what else? Chie seemed to be making her way back, and the officers who were with them in the room were down for the count, hopefully still alive. Crystal knew that she wouldn't be any help unless she got close, so instead she chose the other option, namely getting non-Ars Magi to safety. She picked up the nearest officer and slung them over her shoulders before shouting behind her. "Cover me, Selma! I'm going to get these two out of here!" She began her way down as quickly as she could before coming back up for the other officer. "Selma, it might be more strategically viable for us to get out of here, but if you want to stay, I won't force you. I'm going to be at ground level with these two to keep them safe, so if you stay here, good luck." Having said that, Crystal took the second officer down to the base of the tower as well. When she arrived, she carefully looked around the corner, but without the height the tower gave, she couldn't see the enemy. Still, she was on guard and ready to move if there was any movement from where she remembered the Void being.</s>
<\|description\|>Crystal von Caelestis The Mundane Age: 16 Sanctum City: Norba Description: Crystal stands at 5 feet 7 inches and weighs 143 pounds. She has above-average musculature, built from good genes and rather extreme physical training. She has black hair usually tied in twintails and hazel eyes that seem to pierce through what they look at. She tends to be slouched somewhat when she's not taking something seriously, which is most of the time. Personality: Crystal is a mixed-bag of personality traits, according to the psychologist she visits on a monthly basis. She is not shy, but is quiet and keeps to herself. She is not outgoing, but can become overexcited by the things she enjoys. She is usually calm, and often confident, but the times when she's not she tends to reach the other extreme of hyperactive or pessimistic, respectively. She tends to spend her free time drawing or reading, often both being based around manga, though she also enjoys drawing more realistic styles as well. She is also almost always preoccupied with writing stories to go with her art. Crystal has the bad habits of chewing gum and, strangely, blowing air up from her mouth towards her forehead, usually messing up her bangs. She has the affliction of obsessive compulsive disorder, though with her medication one would never know it. When she is unable to take them, however, she becomes a nervous wreck and her habits explode in severity. Background: Crystal von Caelestis is a part of the extended family of the Jupiter family of the Duodecim. That is to say, she is a cousin of the heir to the family. Or rather, she would be if her uncle had a child. As it stands, she and her cousins are all later in line than a nonexistent relative for purposes of succession. Once her uncle marries and has children, they will be the next generation of the Jupiter family line. As such, she was raised in a very noble-esque environment in which she was given great freedom to pursue her interests while also being taught and trained at a higher level than most. She is skilled in the arts not because she wished to be, but because she must be in order to properly represent the Caelestis family. She is in good physical shape and skilled with weapons not because she has passion for it, but because she must be able to defend herself and others if necessary. She only recently discovered that she has access to magic, and was very quickly enrolled in Nova Lux Academy. As such, she feels rushed and out of place. The Magical Armgaus Name: Frozen Blue Sapphire Gladius: Parma: Elementum: Ice Elementum Abilities: Crystal can both form ice from nowhere and remove heat from an area, causing coldness to form. She is able to freeze things with a touch, or with some effort do so without physical contact. While she cannot do things like throwing spears of ice telepathically, she can certainly create them in such a way as to pierce a target without needing to be moved. Her ability to remove heat from an area usually manifests as control of the temperature surrounding her, and a distaste of heat means that she often uses this trick when she is able to use magic at all to help keep her cooled off. Somewhat strangely, her magic has minor purifying properties; freezing water with her magic will also remove most impurities from it.</s> <\|message\|>Aoife Sturmgaard --- Aoife stood outside of the room in which she'd been debriefed for some time before continuing on with what was life now. The small popsicle she'd swindled from support staff had mostly melted, as she finished it off with a big bite. She thought about how she'd answered the questions they asked. About how she felt, when dealing the finishing blows to the void they'd all fought. Amongst the ruins of what life once was, to take a stand on the side of existence itself. Aoife shivered as she felt an inkling of that anticipation creep through her once more. Her grin turned acrid as she supressed a chuckle. It was all too much to bear, and yet. "I'm excited to get another opportunity to prove myself to you all," she had said. As if describing Everest as that small protrusion from the Earth near Kathmandu, or what once was. "Ms. Stuurmgard, do you need anything?" A hall monitor doing his diligence asked of her. Aoife almost didn't hear the words through the euphoric buzz that permeated her skull likes millions of swarming bees. She didn't even really know what she responded with, other than the sentiment being largely, no. Aoife buried the sensation, storing it for when she would need it. For now, it was time to eat. The cafeteria bustled, no doubt some of the excitement was part in parcel to the actions of Aoife and her fellow Ars Magi. Aoife hopped along the line to procure food, a small drink and eventually locate a table with the mountainous woman and her fiery compatriot. Aoife smiled at them as she plopped down across form them, immediately digging in and speaking at the same time. "I wanted to say," she shoved some food into her mouth. "You guysh were 'eally impressive," she swallowed. "I think you would've got on alright even if I hadn't come!" Before long another girl came and sat at the table. Aoife recognized her as the girl who was most injured during the skirmish. It was too bad, Aoife thought. She looked as though she was managing it well, however. Aoife heard the thanks offered to her and offered a toothy grin in return. "You're quite welcome!" "I saw your handiwork up close Chie; I think you could've handled that void all by yourself if you were pressed enough." Aoife's voice had taken a turn to the thoughtful, as she really seemed to believe what she was saying was true. "Earlier, they told me I cleared my test. I'm... no, we're Ars Magi now. It's almost a little surreal how fast it all went." Chie remarked. "I'm still having trouble accepting it." Aoife carefully considered what the other Ars Magi was saying, but she couldn't really relate. As soon as Aoife had begun her first transformation, everything in the universe seemed to shift ever so slightly into place. It all made sense to her. The thought of none of this making any sense was troubling, even to a rather carefree spirit such as herself. She cleared her throat, her demeanor once more shifting. "Think of it like this. If you weren't right for this role, you'd be dead, not sore," she untactfully offered. "If you're still having reservations, I'd consider speaking to a professional about it, you'll only get yourself and others hurt by hesitating." Aoife's gaze trailed across Chie's form before the seriousness drained from her expression entirely and she went back to scarfing down her meal. "We'll be dealing wif wursh than that!" she excitedly remarked, mouth still full.</s> <\|message\|>Selma Rosmarie --- "S'right," came the reply from the verdant monolith seated to the right of the pair, opposite Crystal and Rivka. A small bandage had graced her brow in the whirlwind aftermath of their initiation testing, a result of the otherwise sterling medical examination. It was telling of their newfound potential that the practitioners weren't terribly surprised that a scrape and some bruising was all she had earned for her meteoric descent— Selma had to admit, even she was a bit concerned after she'd felt her bones shake a little with the impact. "We just took our first steps today. Only goin' up the mountain from here." Biting deep and heartily into a drumstick, her emerald eyes slid over to regard the two newer arrivals as she mulled over their conversations a while longer. Rivka and Crystal weren't always terribly much for idle chatter, but she'd managed to pull them into some friendly nonsense before they'd showed up— and it had stepped away from the forefront after this had taken root. for her part, she hadn't really given too much thought to whether or not she was really ready to acknowledge herself as Ars Magi... How did it feel to use your powers, Miss Rosmarie? "It rocked. I wanna do it again. I felt like I was invincible, unstoppable. Nothing in the world could beat me." "But, hey, we did just start being 'em. They'll still be training us, y'know? It'll probably sink in more once we really put our noses to the grindstone on it. It's like, uh..." She paused momentarily, eyes floating between the two girls as she searched for the comparison. And do you, now, feel differently about yourself since the transformation? "I'm trying not to. But I gotta say, it does feel like I'm a lot closer to what I've always wanted." That being? "Protect people from the Voids. Take back home. That kinda stuff. But aside from that I wanna make sure I stay the same ol' me." Inspiration flashed as the memory faded back out, and as she swallowed, she raised the bone aloft as though a pointer finger, the classic gesture of "Eureka!" "It's like dancing. You don't really feel like a dancer after you first shuffle to a nice beat, but if you keep working at it and learning how it all works, it starts to feel right." The bone unceremoniously clattered back to the plate as she wiped her fingers. That made sense, right? It did to her— it should to the other ladies, then. For all their personal misgivings with themselves, all their uncertainties, all their needs of a good solid hug every now and again, Selma was pretty sure that if she could grok something, they could grok it too. They seemed smart. Surely they'd also needed to train stuff from the ground up before— and they probably didn't need to fight stuff like a gangly build, but the point remained. She made to clap Chie on the back, good-natured and fraternal as ever— How did you feel your peers performed, in that case? "I'm glad everyone's okay. It got a li'l touch 'n' go at the end there, but poor Chie still gritted her teeth and fought through her injury like a champ." And decided instead to venture north, tousling the smaller girl's long brunette locks in between bites of food, favoring her with a confident smile. After a moment, it graced the rest of the table in turn— Aoife, Crystal, Rivka. They'd been through a lot together in the past three days, nobody could deny them such. They'd faced the fire head on even when they weren't meant to— nobody could have predicted that train station going the way it had— and always come out swinging for the fences, even if it wasn't the perfect concertos someone like Sokolov had expected of herself. They'd always found a way. And for her, their hard work was gonna be a badge of pride. So regarding your encounter with the Void... "Heh heh heh. Kicking them around for a change was fun." That'll be all, Miss Rosmarie. Congratulations, cadet. Today, "Just watch. If we could handle all this before we start learning from the best in the business? Before you know it, we're all gonna be cracking their masks like old pros. They shoulda got us on that train when they had the chance." Her grin passed confident and into wolfish, as she returned to her food with redoubled vigor. Payback Time was a-comin', and she'd long set her clock. You are an Ars Magi.</s>	<\|message\|>Crystal von Caelestis Crystal sat, once again silent after the last two joined, and ate. She was paying much less attention to her food than the other girls, which led to her wincing slightly when Selma clapped Chie on the back. However good natured, that must have hurt. Once Selma had finished talking, however... "Aoife is right, though, Chie. Though I wouldn't base it on your survivability, it's still entirely possible that any number of us sitting here aren't actually cut out to be Ars Magi." She gestured around the room as she said this. "Just because we passed our first test doesn't make us invincible, and the mental side of things is the worst of it. If you have any doubts, now is the time to talk it over with professionals in the field of your concerns, trust me, you don't want to let it slide and have to deal with it later." Perhaps uncharacteristically talkative, but Crystal knew what a shaky mind could lead to. And in their case especially, she didn't want anything that could lead to further harm, or even death, to poke its head up. She just finished eating when she finally parsed Selma's statement and smiled. "That's right. Though that makes me wonder... Have any of you been told anything further about that incident? I almost doubt that they'll inform us unless it just so happens that we go up against the same group as part of our duties. Even so, I'd hope they'd tell us if they learn more about those things." With that, she popped in a piece of sugarfree gum. No special codeword or passphrase this time, just simple spearmint for after a meal to get any food flecks out of her teeth. She offered a piece to each of the other four girls as well. --- 'How did it feel to use your powers for the first time?' "... As well as expected, I'd think. It felt freeing. It felt like I could handle whatever was thrown at me." 'Do you feel any different since your transformation?' "No different, really. I do like the idea that I can go back into that state of freedom at will now, though." 'What are your thoughts about your encounter with the Void?' "I think that it's a lot easier to deal with them as an Ars Magi than it would be otherwise." 'What are your thoughts on how your teammates preformed?' There was a moment of silence as she thought about it. Finally, she grinned slightly. "They're fantastic."</s>
<\|description\|>Crystal von Caelestis The Mundane Age: 16 Sanctum City: Norba Description: Crystal stands at 5 feet 7 inches and weighs 143 pounds. She has above-average musculature, built from good genes and rather extreme physical training. She has black hair usually tied in twintails and hazel eyes that seem to pierce through what they look at. She tends to be slouched somewhat when she's not taking something seriously, which is most of the time. Personality: Crystal is a mixed-bag of personality traits, according to the psychologist she visits on a monthly basis. She is not shy, but is quiet and keeps to herself. She is not outgoing, but can become overexcited by the things she enjoys. She is usually calm, and often confident, but the times when she's not she tends to reach the other extreme of hyperactive or pessimistic, respectively. She tends to spend her free time drawing or reading, often both being based around manga, though she also enjoys drawing more realistic styles as well. She is also almost always preoccupied with writing stories to go with her art. Crystal has the bad habits of chewing gum and, strangely, blowing air up from her mouth towards her forehead, usually messing up her bangs. She has the affliction of obsessive compulsive disorder, though with her medication one would never know it. When she is unable to take them, however, she becomes a nervous wreck and her habits explode in severity. Background: Crystal von Caelestis is a part of the extended family of the Jupiter family of the Duodecim. That is to say, she is a cousin of the heir to the family. Or rather, she would be if her uncle had a child. As it stands, she and her cousins are all later in line than a nonexistent relative for purposes of succession. Once her uncle marries and has children, they will be the next generation of the Jupiter family line. As such, she was raised in a very noble-esque environment in which she was given great freedom to pursue her interests while also being taught and trained at a higher level than most. She is skilled in the arts not because she wished to be, but because she must be in order to properly represent the Caelestis family. She is in good physical shape and skilled with weapons not because she has passion for it, but because she must be able to defend herself and others if necessary. She only recently discovered that she has access to magic, and was very quickly enrolled in Nova Lux Academy. As such, she feels rushed and out of place. The Magical Armgaus Name: Frozen Blue Sapphire Gladius: Parma: Elementum: Ice Elementum Abilities: Crystal can both form ice from nowhere and remove heat from an area, causing coldness to form. She is able to freeze things with a touch, or with some effort do so without physical contact. While she cannot do things like throwing spears of ice telepathically, she can certainly create them in such a way as to pierce a target without needing to be moved. Her ability to remove heat from an area usually manifests as control of the temperature surrounding her, and a distaste of heat means that she often uses this trick when she is able to use magic at all to help keep her cooled off. Somewhat strangely, her magic has minor purifying properties; freezing water with her magic will also remove most impurities from it.</s> <\|message\|>Aoife Sturmgaard --- Aoife spun in and out of the crowd, each time her team had spied her, she'd be with a new partner. Both left feet in full swing as her moves were significantly jauntier than need be. Still, with this unceasing damage to her charisma unfolding for everyone to see, what a prize she was. A symbol, of an unwavering, unabashed, joy. Everyone wanted to dance with the clumsy Ars Magi, not because of her talent, but because of what her dance said, albeit with stutters and run on sentences aplenty. Even this girl, who had seen the yawning void beyond their walls, who had begun to carry the weight of a humanity who would persevere, even she, could enjoy a night of dancing, still. Eventually, a shock of blonde hair found her arms and swept her away from the drooling masses. Her hair spinning wide around her, curtailing Noel's move to dip her into a lower stance. "Hey babe," says her former partner. Aoife laughs a throaty chuckle, flicking either eyebrow up and down and puckering her lips. "Oh, hey baby," that last note hanging in the air. "It's good to see you again!" Time apart from other Ars Magi was always nebulous. Even a week-long goodbye was heavy for these girls. If you knew you'd not be there for their next mission, not there to potentially make the difference that could save someone's life. Noel lightning blitzed through a few key details of her week's past and upcoming. Aoife got caught on her general static energy. Just the nature of a girl conducive to being absolutely charged at all times. Aoife nodded in great excitement at the prospect of getting to work together once again. "Water and lightning, is there a better combination?" She giggled. The music's pace quickened, and so too did Noel's movements. "You'd think for the Ars Magi of water I'd have a better flow than this." Aoife chuckled under breath and, for a moment, she considered perhaps trying a bit harder. Perhaps, if she thought about dancing like her movements in battle, it would be easier. All of the sudden, she was fighting this strange longing. This urge to perfect the dance she so clearly was stumbling through. Aoife reached up to her hair, pulling on a small ribbon that kept the ensemble up and eloquent. It fell gracefully upon her shoulders as she tied a small knot around her and Noel's hand with the ribbon. "If you lead, I'll follow." She gave herself over to her partner, closing her eyes completely. Darkness enveloped her, the music faded and people turned towards them, but Aoife saw none of it. She braced herself, breathed deep, and then Noel began to move. Aoife felt the step through Noel's hand and into her own body, as if it was simply an extension of herself. She moved in time, stepping as well. The two began a fairly simple, yet completely elegant dance. They spun around one another, Aoife a whole new girl. Her eyes closed, hair down, still somehow moving in time with her partner. She looked like an oracle. For such an unprofessional girl, it was sometimes surprising how much she was capable of changing. Like the tides. She wondered if her team could see her, or who they had ended up dancing with. She felt her lips crack into a big, toothy grin, as the music seemed to follow Aoife and Noel on their journey around the ballroom, stepping in and around everybody with a care and ease like a river flowing around a rocky shoreline.</s> <\|message\|>益頭知絵 --- --- "Cayman Sow..." Chie repeated inside her thoughts. An odd name to her, something unlike anything else she's heard before. She repeated it a few times in the safety of her own mind as her new partner guided the two of them through the initial steps of the dance. Chie was stiffer than when she'd danced with Selma, and this officer-to-be didn't take long to catch onto that. He commented on Chie's nerves, tried reassuring her. Didn't really help, in the end. Chie's clumsy dancing was but one of many factors leading to her continued discomfort. "Is this the first time you've been to a ball, Chie?" the boy asked of her. "Mhm... yeah," she gave as a short but clear reply. The boy went on about how most of the Ars Magi aren't used to this, prompting Chie to look up at him and tilt her head a bit. "Is that... so?" she asked. "I'm from Calcaria... I never went to something like this, there. My team all seemed familiar with it, though... so I thought I was just an exception," she explained, opening up a bit to her dance partner. Chie briefly pondered her last statement, then opened her mouth again to ask something herself. "And you officers? Are you split into teams like us Magi?" she asked of him. "I don't know much of the officer school. Could you tell me a bit about it?"</s>	<\|message\|>Crystal von Caelestis Crystal glanced in the direction Castra had gone before slumping her shoulders just barely enough to be noticeable. "Thank you, Liam. I appreciate it. If you wish to dance, however, it would be wrong of me to refuse." She took a moment to look the boy over before continuing, regardless of whether the two began to dance or not. "Though if I may offer some advice to the one who saved me from losing my mind in public... Take those lessons." Crystal smiled softly, the first time since she got to the ball. There's practical reasons, but I assume a boy would more care about the way dancing has been made into a courting process. It's silly, but not everyone will find skipping out on the formality endearing." Her smile turned to a frown. "Apologies. I didn't intend to be as condescending as I sounded." She continued without waiting for a response, finding herself rambling now, likely to her future detriment. "I've been forbidden from using my usual coping mechanism for stress, and have more than I should for a self-imposed reason. Then there's the heat from sticking so many people in one location, the speech that went on and yet nowhere, the need to keep up appearances... Though it's selfish of me to be under such duress when everyone is experiencing those things all the same." The quiet girl was talking more than she normally would as a way to keep her mind occupied. When she noticed this, she stopped, her eyes widening slightly as she caught herself. "And now I'm rambling and making a fool of myself. Once again you have my apologies." Depending on whether the young man wished to dance regardless, Crystal would find herself in one of two realities. As Crystal took position to begin, she seemed to outsiders to be a bastion of stoicism. In truth, the familiar steps took almost no effort after having them seared into her mind from practice and helped alleviate her mind a little. Though a particularly observant partner might notice how Crystal's grip got slightly too tight when it was necessary to tighten, and slightly too loose when it wasn't; how her steps were slightly too light, as if she were stepping on ice and trying not to slip. However, as the dance wound down to a close, she was again smiling, regardless of how well her partner had faired. "That was surprisingly pleasant. Thank you once again, Liam." she curtseyed once again with her non-existent skirt and began looking for her teammates, her social obligations hopefully fulfilled for the day. Thanking Liam for his assistance, Crystal would look around at her teammates, hopeful that they were nearing the end of their own dances. She felt selfish, but she really did want to present her work to them. Though the thought of their opinions being negative towards it brought her stress levels back up. She could only hope that she'd get a chance to show them and that they'd at least have some constructive criticism.</s>
<\|description\|>Aoife Sturmgaard The Mundane Age: 17. Sanctum City: Danaster, Jupiter Description: Personality: An easygoing and extroverted girl, Aoife is most well defined as fairly well adjusted. She's generally content, athletic and fairly charismatic if a bit apathetic to the opinions of others. A flaw for Aoife is that she does not feel much motivation nor drive. She lives each day happy and generally without regret, and yet there is something missing from her life. A destination, perhaps a goal. And yet, above all else, Aoife is content. She does not want for much - nor does she lack pride in the work she does. She does not fear conflict nor battle, for what does it mean to be an Ars Magi if not to stand tall when others cower? To lord over the darkness, and demand once more that it is thrust back into the breach from which is leapt? Background: The Sturmgaard house is a noble one, or, they were. During the first void they thought themselves unsung heroes, poachers of evil – until that fallacy was made apparent. The patriarch of the Sturmgaard family and Aoife's grandfather was struck down unceremoniously while defending a small ensemble of aristocratic cowards. Though, Aoife's mother had told her that they weren't really cowards at all. In fact, they were quite brave for the time. The first void made cowards of humanity, pushing themselves ever further into their spires of humanity, biting back at the darkness which each opportunity like a caged rat. The Sturmgaard's, lacking a leader, fell significantly to a place of humility. They did what they could to make ends meet, often making busy work of Aoife and her three siblings as they were raised to make ends meet. That was, until one day when one of those cowards came to pay the Sturmgaard family a visit. He was a young man, no greyer than Aoife's eldest brother. He bore a sickening scar leading form somewhere below his collar all the way to his forehead. He did not come to pay homage to a dead man, nor to honour the family in particular, but to good on a promise he once swore. This man carried with him a blade he claimed had belonged to Aoife's grandfather once, it was a beautiful thing. When Aoife saw it glistening in the candlelight, it was as if seeing one's self for the first time. Her life, clarified in a single sentiment, this was what she was made for. She reached out to the blade without asking nor thinking, but to her surprise, no one stopped her. They watched in silence as she took the blade in her hands, its beautiful azure ribbon lazily dangling from the pommel. Her mother said something like 'you'll have to work hard at it', but, in fact, she was wrong. Aoife had extraordinary magical aptitude untapped and ready to be explored. Nothing had ever come to easier to her than her training to become one of the Ars Magi. It took her family a few years of saving until they could afford to let her walk the path she now saw before her. Her goodbyes were all oddly unspectacular. As if she was simply running out to pick up some food for tonight's dinner. Aoife didn't mind. The time for tears had long since passed. In front of her Aoife could see that there was a simple road that she would walk until she could no longer. The path of the Ars Magi. The Magical Armgaus Name: Lazy Spring Lazulite Gladius: A sword with an extending ribbon with a half-moon blade. named 'Joyeuse' after Charlemagne's weapon of myth. Aoife is able to use the ribbon as a whip of sorts, swinging the half-moon blade with deadly precision, while the Jian straight sword is honed to a razor's edge. Both ends are immediately deadly, and allow for off-kilter attacking patterns, Aoife relies on enemies only needing to make one misstep to end the fight. Parma: While Aoife's clothes and demeanor shift dramatically she physically stays almost exactly the same. Save for her eyes which look like swirling pools of navy. Aoife's demeanor shifts from that of a lackidasical part-girl to one of utmost confidence and unerring charisma. Even in the most dire of circumstances it is the unholy belief in herself that allows Aoife to push further than most. Her attire changes to something of a mystic's features. She wears black tights with the constellation of aquarius imprinted onto them. Her light blue bodice is wrapped delicately with silk gloves that stretch the entire length of her arms, though it's a much more durable material. A large witch's hat completes the outfit, casually flopping from one side to another, with no bearing on direction. Elementum: Water Elementum Abilities: There are many wise men who have commented on the tumultuous, often violent nature of the sea, ocean and water as a whole. Aoife takes those words to heart when she fights. Water is bending, but unbreakable, a steady stream blocked will erode even steel over time. Aoife is able to take powerful blows and shrug them off with minimal effort. She can manipulate any liquid element from water to blood. She can compress it to create a high powered jet, drain plant life of all its moisture, or use it to soften attacks. Aoife cannot control hydrogen or oxygen separately, however. Likewise, she cannot control water in its solid form, ice. Aoife is also capable of swimming at speeds far surpassing boats, as well as breath underwater. One techique she's grown quite fond of are creating bubbles that act as shields or cushions, by manipulating the water she can create extremely durable bubbles capable of catching a person falling from a building or absorbing a dangerous blow. Her highest feat of strength is that with some level of concentration she is capable of making thunderstorms by manipulating the clouds themselves. Though, this is not simply done at a whim and requires a good deal of careful exertion.</s> <\|message\|>Crystal von Caelestis --- Crystal was nearly beside herself. It was hard enough to find a pair of pants in her size, because she would most certainly not be attending a dance of any sort in a skirt, nevermind that she left on the stockings that were part of the girls' uniform underneath the borrowed pants, but she was specifically and explicitly told that chewing gum would not be allowed. Yes, she understood that the purpose of the Ball was entirely appearance, she'd of course been to similar pointless events before, but it's not as if she couldn't hide the fact that she had a piece in her mouth! She was a master of the art of making it seem like there was nothing there when she was in fact chewing gum, but the risk presented with practicing this art was too high, this time. And worse still, she was forced to let her hair down for the first time in public since being accepted to the Academy, solely because she knew that at the least a representative of her uncle would be there, and Hell would take her before she let it get back to her father that she still wore twintails when able. ... Perhaps her new teammates were a bad influence, for her to be so upset. She could feel the very air around one of those teammates radiate with metaphorical, and perhaps even literal, heat. Though the ban on her favorite coping mechanism was certainly not helping, nor was the very real raised heat from the bodies in the hall. She was very tempted to use what magic she could without transforming to cool herself down, but decided that that too was a risk too large; should it be necessary to show her magic for some likely meaningless but impressive folly, she would be remiss to have already used it up for her comfort. Though her reasoning ability was certainly wavering, likely due to a double dose of her medication that morning in preparation for this event, and the temptation was growing stronger. Still, she sat there dressed impeccably with the full outfit required of her, albeit mismatched between the tie, top, and stockings of the female uniform but the pants of the Officer Academy; she even had on a read hairbow to keep her hair tied to at least fifty-percent of the level she preferred. Unlike how she was certain her teammates felt, Crystal did not mind the tie. This presumption was proven at least partially true by Rivka nearly tearing hers in her attempt to get it off as soon as the speech ended. And the speech! As bland and pointless as any she had been forced to endure before. But at least it was something to take the attention of the other four at her table away from her, or away from anything more likely, so that they likely wouldn't notice her apprehension growing as the speech went on. It was natural; the more the speech went on the closer it was to coming to a close, and the closer she got to having to present her ideas to her team. Luckily Rivka took her earliest opportunity to leave the table and took the approaching event horizon with her. If her whole team wasn't there then she could put off the reveal until they were all together again, which she hoped would be the end of the Ball. Giving her a thumbs up in response to her smile, Crystal took an opposing position to her fiery teammate by choosing to remain seated. If there was any need for her to interact then let it be not by her own choice, especially not in the state she was in. Nervousness and manufactured calmness were fighting in her enough to not need to worry about anything other than keeping the latter at more force than the former. And so she sat.</s> <\|message\|>益頭知絵 --- --- Rivka, Selma, Crystal and Aoife were all misfits, which you'd think would make Chie an exception among them, but the general sense of feeling out-of-place at the military ball hadn't escaped her, either. Her eyes were generally found wandering during the speeches, boredom striking her as much it does any girl her age. She didn't show it on her impassive face, honed through starting to get used to her teammates, but Chie was wanting to just bolt right out of the whole endeavour. Rivka and Crystal had a harder time masking it, though. Everyone did, really. The served dinner felt less gratifying than their usual, even though it was of a higher quality. There wasn't much conversation happening between the five of them, making for a stiffer atmosphere. As not much was happening, Chie took a moment to ponder about her time at Nova Lux so far. She'd spent most of it either in training, or with Selma in their room. Selma was nice, but Chie felt like she was a bad fit- the tree of a girl was always trying to encourage Chie, who just nodded along each time without much input. While it's true Chie hadn't really gotten over her screw-up in the initial demonstrations, she'd been trying to make up for it by losing herself in the aforementioned training. Every chance she got, she'd practice and practice. Practice until she was sore all over, until her magic had been exhausted. The instructors, of course, told her not to push herself, met with a response of her saying she'd try, but she never actually did try to reel it in. Chie felt some burning drive, some obligation to live up to her peers. Even when Selma had told her she didn't need to. As much as she liked to muse, though, Chie noticed a shifting figure in the corner of her eye, which had pulled her away from the realm of dreams. "Rivka?" she muttered. It wasn't really her calling out to the other girl, mostly just a reflex. Chie noticed the music that had begun to be played and assumed Rivka wished to go dance. "Aha, I didn't think Rivka was the type for a waltz..." she said to the other four. Chie leaned forward a bit, resting her head in her hand. She gave Selma a sideway glance. "I've never actually done one before. Do you think we should try it out?" she asked. The question was aimed at everyone, but Chie's stare made it seem like she was talking directly to her roommate, asking her for a dance as opposed to one of the officers there.</s>	<\|message\|>Aoife Sturmgaard Aoife had probably gone through a dozen suits and dresses before she found something she felt worked for her. She had gone back and forth between trying to wear something that felt as though it matched her personal combat style. Something that would read wavey, free, like a river or ocean. However, she'd not found something that felt as though it'd look good on her in movement – kind of defeated the purpose to portray flow if it only looked good in a picture. She finally settled on a navy dress with a waist slit that allowed her entire left leg to emerge from its depths. It was something of a daring number, but Aoife felt that she looked a little clumsy in it. Regardless, it was her best option at the moment It didn't take a detective to suss out the fact that Aoife had two left feet and had spent even fewer hours at an affair quite like this one. She'd once been to a 16th birthday party that had some similarities to this event. In that there were some middle-aged men performing, as well as a couple teens who were trying to avoid speaking to one another. Outside of those key similarities though, there really wasn't much there for Aoife to draw on. During quite a bit of the proceedings Aoife stole glances from her teammates, each of which had somewhat unique reactions to what was happening. Rivka looked like she was contemplating turning her own weapon on herself, Crystal for what it was worth looked to be deliberating between bringing about another ice age, or toughing it out. She was walking that line like a trapeze artist, nearly tumbling to either side as the speeches carried on far past what anyone would consider to be reasonable. Chie seemed to, not unlike Aoife herself, taking stock of where the rest of the team was at. She couldn't help but wonder what Chie would read from her own decidedly blank visage. She figured most people would assume there wasn't much that Aoife would know about these kinds of situations, but she looked content enough she supposed. As soon as the final speech silenced, the band jumped to life and Rivka leapt from her seat. Chie made some kind of a quip about how Rivka didn't seem the type to waltz, but Aoife wondered if that were true. Rivka was someone who wanted to be an auteur. Aoife hadn't spent enough time with the girl to know that was true about every other aspect of her life, but it was certainly true in a fight. Aoife suspected it bled over to everything else she did as well. The waltz, Aoife assumed, was a way for Rivka to express herself like any other. Aoife spied as she ripped her neck from her tie, her hand stuffing it into a pocket of the double-breasted number she'd worn, and pulled off, excellently. Aoife watched as Chie asked Selma for a dance, or perhaps she'd been asking everyone still at the table? It wasn't clear as she made direct eye contact with their coniferous teammate. Aoife gulped down some lasting semblance of an internal monologue begging her not to get up with the rest of her teammates. She gulped down the last of her water that splashed about in a crystal glass as if it was a shot of the strongest whiskey she'd ever had and regarded her teammates, speaking for the first time in words that weren't pleasantries for the entire night. "Ladies, if I, or one of you don't make it back from this, it has been an absolute honour," she said. She strode out to the dancefloor without a single sense of rhythm in her body, and looked for some hope for salvation, whatever form that may take.</s>
<\|description\|>Axel 070705 Appearance: Long, dark brown hair, pale skin, tall for his age at 6-foot-even. He wears a black t-shirt and black denim jeans with a fishing-line string tied to 3 dark blue feathers that hang from his neck. He has no skin abnormalities. Personality: At first glance, Axel is the fun-loving, hard-headed, general class-clown/meathead/nerd who can escape his cell easily. Because he's never caused any real damage or gone overboard with his trouble, and goes back to his room when it's all said and done, he's usually just chased around and shot at with non-lethal rounds, both because they don't want to seriously hurt him and because metal bullets give him more ammo. He treats the other patients with calm respect, until they give him a reason not to, and is extremely kind to younger kids, trying to act like an older brother. He plays dumb but it's possible to see his true genius if you look hard enough. Abilities: Metal Manipulation: 30 pts Doctor: Dr. Turner Name: Hayden 050507 Appearance: He is an average height, very muscular, 16-year-old boy, with blond hair and green eyes. He keeps his hair cut high-and-tight for the military look. He wears the normal blue Trainee uniform. He has scars on his hands resembling burn marks from fire (left) and electricity (right). Personality: Hayden is a strict, no-nonsense kind of guy who would rather spend time training than goofing off. Because of his maturity and natural leadership, he has assumed the "leader" role amongst the Trainees. Abilities: Pyrokinesis: 5 pts / Elektrokinesis: 5 pts / Imbuement: 20 pts [Hayden can charge any weapon he holds with fire or electricity for additional damage.] Doctor: Dr. Sing and Dr. Hayes. Corruption: Killed a fellow subject in self-defense. Weapons:</s> <\|message\|>Axel 070705 Axel looked at each of the kids as they came out of their rooms. He knew he was about to get a lot of questions. He didn't realize which hallway he was in until he saw which kids were coming out. 'What is it that you're up to this time?' Kitty asked, seeming to lead the group. "The same as usual, just taking a breather," he answered. "I used my power to create a barrier so I could get a couple of minutes of rest before I continue on back towards my room." Axel sighed. "Is there a plan" Jain was next to ask. "Plan to get out? Not yet. This just ended up being a wrong turn." Axel frowned with a sigh. "I don't think this is a good idea," Lance said softly at first. "What if they catch you?" "If you don't want to go down with me, I suggest retreating back in your room," Axel remarked, reaching to reattach his metal limbs. "Um... does anyone know what's going on?" Felix questioned next. "Alright, I'm only gonna say this once," Axel said as he rose to his feet. "If you want to run around with me, you're welcome to join. Otherwise, return to your rooms before you get in trouble. I don't want you to get hurt because of me." He placed his right hand against the barrier he made. "You have 10 seconds." "Goddammit!" he yelled. "They already know where I am!" With his flesh arm, he punched the metal barricade, inadvertently punching a hole through it. "And there's bound to be some corrupted headed this way too!" ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ On the other side of the barricade, the guards saw Axel's fist fly through the metal. "He's trapped!" came the loud voice of the Sergeant. "Either he'll let down this barricade or he'll run into the trainees." He looked around at every person, nodding as each one held their weapons at the ready. "Either way, be ready for combat!" The guards cheered in response. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Trainees, this is Sergeant Marks. Subject 070705, codename Axel, is on the loose again. Subdue with non-lethal attacks only." Many of the young teens whooped and hollered in joy. "Finally, some action," one of them laughed. They were more than ready to charge down the halls, and that's exactly what they did. "Sergeant Marks, this is Hayden 050507. Trainees are on their way. What is his location?"</s> <\|message\|>Kathrine 040105 Kitty didn't need to turn her head to see what Axel was looking at. She could already hear them, their thoughts like an echo chamber in her own head thanks to the barriers that kept them separated having been removed by the metal manipulator in his attempt to buy time. It was annoying hearing them all, especially when Laika decided to move closer. She wasn't normal, hadn't been for a long time, and it showed from more than just her appearance. The whirling that came from her thoughts was by far the worst since the closest thing she could describe to the sound was something like a computer error being elongated into a screech that was how her thoughts, as minimal and instruction like as they were, was broadcasted to be like a voice. She would bet that had something to do with how she was more tech than person nowadays. Fearful chittering was more apparent than anything else. Lance and Felix's voices were whispering it, softly while on the outside to Axel they asked the same question all of them had without realizing it. Axel was growing more agitated the more it was asked, her gaze following him like a hawk as he sauntered away from her door and over to the barricade. Zale wanted his plants. He didn't want to be here, being outside of his room meant bad things were going to occur to him and them. Jain wanted to leave and assumed Axel had a way- More voices pierced into her skull like a siren just as Axel's arm went through his own barrier, cutting off whatever train of thought Kitty had completely from the sudden influx. The people on the other side of it were starting to be bleed through. She couldn't hear Axel's yelling over the guards on the other side, the sound causing her to lift her hand up to her head as she swayed into her doorframe for support until the loudness of the new voices ebbed away enough for her to think. 'They've called for them.' The kids in the hall could all hear her voice in their head, though she was staring right at Axel, her eyes narrowed somewhat as she walked past all the kids to stand beside him, her gaze softening when she looked behind her at the younger ones in their current makeshift group; Vale, Jain, Felix, and Lance. 'And the guards are expecting a fight.'</s> <\|message\|>Vale 020108 Vale's eyes widened as the sounds of the guards grew louder. Wrapping his arms around himself, he fidgetted nervously, his stance always shifting. Hugging himself, then his arms dropping, then hands moved to the hair that fell over his shoulder, stroking it. The anxiety was beginning to bubble up, and it was obvious as he shifted and moved. "A-a fight? Well...Well, don't give them a fight!" Swallowing, Vale shook his head as he backed away from Axel and Kitty, glancing behind him at the slowly emerging people from the other rooms. Head snapping to attention as the speakers sounded off, the young man bit his lip, before looking back towards Axel and Kitty. "If you fight them, it'll only get worse. There's no getting out of here, you know. With however many times people have tired and failed, you'd think other's would learn by now," as he looked away, there was a flash of something in his eye. Sadness? Pain? It was a foolish effort, he thought, on Axel's part, but he understood why they did it. This place...It was horrible. What they were made to do, what they were, it wasn't normal. At least, that was what he had learned from the stories he read. "You should just turn yourself in. Maybe they'll go easier on you..."</s> <\|message\|>Jain 011106 Angry that the others seemed already defeated, worried about the corrupt Jain was just thrilled to see the faces of her fellow guinea pigs. The only time her blindfold was removed was in her heated white room, a room they had cleverly done in all white and bright lights, lights two times as bright as the others endured and she was free of it. Knowing they'd all get some blame just for stepping outside of their rooms she weighed her options and smiled as she began winding up her ability into combat mode imagining people caught then released, runners released into the paths of other runners weapons vanishing, her favorite pivoted 180 zenith and appearing face first 2 feet above the hard floor where they could spend their former horizontal velocity into the hard floor. Snap, snap, snap she said as she recalled the sound of pickup implosions air rushing in to fill the void where her target once was.</s> <\|message\|>Lance 032307 Lance took a step back as Axel equipped himself. He seemed bothered by the broken record of questions, but Lance couldn't do anything about that. Usually the doors do not suddenly remove themselves the solid frames that house each of the children. It was muffled, but there was a commotion on the other side of the barrier, and Axel looked ready to tackle it head on. Perhaps his annoyance of answering the same question spurred a want to fight. With only ten seconds to make a decision, Lance started back towards his unsealed room. It was one thing to for Alex to cause trouble. While Lance had not known him personally, he knew of the antics he was capable of. This seemed a bit more on the extreme side. Lance knew not to piss off the guards, the staff, the doctors, whoever really. They took their work seriously, and Lance could not help but feel powerless. What was he going to do? He couldn't stop the guards, and he certainly couldn't stop Axel. "This is a bad idea." Lance said, using his eyes to try and urge the others to also retreat to their rooms. It didn't work as most if not all of the attention was on Axel and his barricade. He yelled and then punched the wall, penetrating the amalgam of metal clean through. It didn't take much more than Kitty to tell him the guards were ready to fight. "I told you this was a bad idea." Said Lance as he quickly turned and ducked back into his room. He looked out to see that guards were starting to break through. Lance didn't want to be a part of that fight. Axel made this mess; he should have to deal with it. Lance was sorry that he couldn't do more to help the others though. Not that they needed his help, but he was afraid they would sink with the same ship Axel was sailing.</s> <\|message\|>Laika 022805 Laika, for her own part, didn't appear very moved by the increasingly tense situation, though as Kitty was made uncomfortably aware of, there was invariably a lot more going on under the surface than was visible as a glance, even if the continual electric shriek of constant information was quite difficult to parse. By this point she had risen from her sitting position and walked into the corridor itself. No shoes on her feet, but the compression suit more of less obscured any glimpse of skin below the neck, and it wasn't especially good protection for the feet where it came to running around. "Nine currently, due to extended conversing." She tilted her head slightly to one side. "Broad stroke security techniques frequently recommended in facilitating the clearance of a corridor where all security is disabled as a means to protect security personnel." Other side. "All present subjects lacking security clearance may become potential targets for enforcement measures." Which seemed, in her roundabout way of conveying it, that as far as she was concerned, they were probably all potential targets for trainees at this point. Which was, presumably, the reason she'd not made much attempt to return to her own room, and instead was watching the barrier. Well, watching the barrier until she flicker her way back over to the cameras outside of it, looking out for what the current threat consisted of.</s>	<\|message\|>Axel 070705 "Of course they are." Axel sighed, repairing his wall as he pulled his hand out. Then Vale started going off about getting in trouble and fighting. Axel grabbed Vale with his metal arm and carried him back to his room. "Stay in your room if you don't want to get in trouble." Using the minimal amount of metal, he made a quick metal mesh that Vale would easily be able to punch through. "Trust me, you're safer in there than with us. With Lance choosing to stay in his room, Axel looked at the girls. As far as he could tell, they were all ready to fight. "Barrier's coming down," he announced, putting his hand on it. Immediately, he became armored and weaponized, wielding a pair of large swords. With the wall down, the guards opened fire with their rubber bullets. Axel blocked as many as the shots as he could, making himself a barrier for the girls to hide behind as they countered the adults. "Be glad they're using rubber," he said to the girls, a slight smirk on his face. Then running footsteps and hollering could be heard behind them. It sounded like the trainees were coming. "You girls got them," he said, leaving his armor as a small wall for them as he rushed towards the trainees to begin trying to hold them off. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ From outside their room, Brayden and David could hear the shouts of the corrupted as they ran through the halls. Many of the trainees that passed by their small window could be seen holding various weapons, though not all of them needed any. Most of the guards they passed were pressed against the walls to allow the teenagers in uniform to pass them without trouble, though a couple of guards got ran over because they were too slow to react.</s>
<\|description\|>Kathrine 040105 Appearance: Her hair is completely white and has been cut into a bob with side swept bangs to frame her heart shaped face. Her features are soft, from a button nose to Cupid's bow lips, only her grayish blue eyes are the "sharpest" feature she has that give off the vibe that she can see into people despite her long lashes giving her an innocent appearance. She's very pale, and has a few scars, like at her earlobes where earrings have been snatched from her ears to the line across her neck that people speculate as the reason she's mute. Standing at only 5'4", she is fairly small and has a violin type body with love handles on her wide hips. Her nails are slightly grown out and are normally left unpainted. Mostly wears large sweaters that engulf her frame as well as hide her shorts almost and high socks that stop at her thighs. Though she favors one hoodie in particular that has a large front pocket and cat ears attached to the hood itself, it's white with a pastel pink (left) and blue (right) sleeves. Often wears a choker of some kind around her neck to cover the scar. Is forced to wear gloves by the staff to cover her hands so it's more noticeable when she goes out of her way to have skin contact with things. Personality: Kathrine, or as she prefers to be called by anyone who listens, Kitty, is an escape artist who detests being there. The attempts seem to be something she has always done, but they might hear her voice chime in their head telling them each time the thought arises that she started doing it because they took her voice away. Not that she ever says how, but rumors spread easily when there isn't much else to do but follow the same routine day in and day out. She isn't one for joking around outside of being sarcastic, but she doesn't try to dampen other people's fun. It's rare to see her interact directly with people when she isn't forced to, but being in the general vicinity is more the norm. And those around her never seem to suffer from any accidents despite how some of the younger kids are very clumsy when they get spooked from suddenly noticing she's there. Whether it is actually her doing or not, she wouldn't say and those who dislike her privacy invading abilities never would attribute anything positive to her anyway. Her escape attempts have lessened now that she's been allowed to read new books after she finished the ones offered to the rest of the kids. She enjoys reading and puzzles, anything intellectually stimulating and distracting without requiring another person is really how she passes her time since she keeps her nose out of other people's business. Well, she tries. Abilities: Telepathy (15pts), Telekinesis (7pts), Psychometry (8pts) Doctor: Dr. Hayes</s> <\|message\|>Lance 032307 Lance was lying on the floor staring at the lights above. He had put down a blanket and pillow for comfort from the hard ground. The light would dim and then return to its proper illumination. He didn't pay much mind to the noise that was coming from the hall. It wasn't uncommon for guards to come and go moving people in and out. He leaned up from his cushion to see that his door was open, but there weren't any guards there to escort him. He looked at it with a raised eyebrow and turn over to his knees to stand himself up. People were talking outside, so he walked up to the entrance to his room to find that the door wasn't just open, but it had completely vanished. The mystery of the missing metal door quickly fell wayside as he spotted his neighbors also entering the hall. The other didn't seem all that concern about what the guards might think with them all out of their rooms. It just wasn't his door that had went missing. Now he was more confused. The missing door became his concern again. Where did all the doors go, and why wasn't anyone bothered by it? He leaned out, but kept most of his person still in the room as possible to see that Kitty and the others were gathering near what looked like a hastily made mound of metal acting like some sort of blockade. There was chatter on the other side, the noise he was hearing before, at least in part. Did one of them do that? Was it Axel? The person resting looked like Axel. Slowly, he left his room to meet the others. He gave a slight glance to Jain as he passed her to approach the others. "I don't think this is a good idea." he said softly at first. "What if they catch you?" The metal blockade looked bad. He didn't want to them to get into trouble. Then again, he wasn't sure if Axel could get out of this without getting in trouble, but at least he could help Kitty and the others.</s> <\|message\|>Felix – 040309 Felix had been struggling to understand the paper in his hands for a while now. Earlier he'd gotten curious about something scientific sounding Dr. Grey had mentioned and worked up the courage to ask what it meant, only to have been handed a paper well beyond what he could even begin to understand and promptly ignored. Still, Felix wanted to understand and as far as he was concerned surely Dr. Grey wouldn't have given him the paper if he couldn't have understood it. Finally, Felix was drawn from his impossible task by the repetitive sound of something metal striking the floor as it moved along the corridor outside his room, followed by his door seemingly melting and disappearing as said thing ran by. Was that the guy who could control metal? Probably, Felix had heard Axel do similar things before and that would explain how the door had disappeared. At first, Felix was content to leave it at that, not wanting to risk getting himself in trouble and expecting the guards to come running through at any moment like they usually did. When the guards didn't come however Felix felt his curiosity begin to rise, especially when he heard the sound of voices coming from the hallway. Still, leaving his room now was a bad idea, any number of things could go wrong if he stepped outside. What if he got in trouble? Or what if there was someone with a scary power waiting outside? Then again, he really wanted to know what was going on and it probably wouldn't hurt if he just took a peek... Sticking his head out through the now doorless doorway, Felix could see the Axel and the other occupants of the hallway talking amongst each other, most having already left their rooms. Felix recognised the older kids at least and while he couldn't say he knew any of them well, he was pretty confident none of them were particularly dangerous, at least not any more than was normal. To the other end of the hallway, Felix could see a crude metal barricade, presumably formed by Axel as he ran past earlier. That was a little frightening, it meant for now he was trapped. Had Axel trapped them in here on purpose? Probably not, Axel looked pretty tired. Then was it to keep something out? That would explain why the guards hadn't shown up. Then again, what if the barrier was to keep something else out entirely, like someone with a really scary power that had been chasing Axel? That would also explain why Axel looked tired. Or maybe this was all part of some kind of experiment or training? Finally, between his curiosity to find out just what was going on, and the somewhat irrational fear that something horrifying would burst through the barricade to terrorise them at any moment, Felix decided to approach the rest of the group where they'd gathered in the hall. "Um... does anyone know what's going on?"</s> <\|message\|>Laika 022805 Laika didn't really sleep, as such. Maintaining her intended operation made sleeping distinctly sub-optimal to performance, so part of the alterations were specifically designed to avoid that. As such, she hadn't had a bed for a while. Instead, at the time a certain other subject broke into the hallway on which here room was placed, Laika was in her default position: Sat on a mat on the floor, legs crossed, and arms in her lap. The cables that ran from the back of her skull and shoulders hung loose, straight down her back, sometimes to the floor. Her head, with angular features not really tinted from any abundance of sunlight, was tilted forwards. Her eyes were open, though at the moment displayed only an emissive white. Her actual visual was elsewhere, seeing all of this exchange from a whole different angle. That was, the security camera outside of the hall entrance. She watched a lot of things. That was, ater all, what she was made for. Escapes weren't all that statistically unusual, though it wasn't often that things came quite so close or immediate. It was only some moments after the removal of the doors that colour flooded back into Laika's eyes and she lifted her head, the silver rings of an iris moving with a quiet whirr of servos. The voice from the facility's techno monstrosity didn't come from her mouth as such, but out of anything audio capable in the vicinity. She had been provided with some speakers for this usage, though it didn't prevent it speaking right out of intercoms from time to time. It was a female voice, certainly, though far from anything natural there was a pitch-corrected artificiality about it. "There has been a subject containment breach." She tilted her head, over in Axel's direction, though it was always a little difficult to tell if Laika was actually looking at you, per se. "Conditional on actions prior to arrival in this section you are currently in violation of at least eight facility codes."</s> <\|message\|>Axel 070705 Axel looked at each of the kids as they came out of their rooms. He knew he was about to get a lot of questions. He didn't realize which hallway he was in until he saw which kids were coming out. 'What is it that you're up to this time?' Kitty asked, seeming to lead the group. "The same as usual, just taking a breather," he answered. "I used my power to create a barrier so I could get a couple of minutes of rest before I continue on back towards my room." Axel sighed. "Is there a plan" Jain was next to ask. "Plan to get out? Not yet. This just ended up being a wrong turn." Axel frowned with a sigh. "I don't think this is a good idea," Lance said softly at first. "What if they catch you?" "If you don't want to go down with me, I suggest retreating back in your room," Axel remarked, reaching to reattach his metal limbs. "Um... does anyone know what's going on?" Felix questioned next. "Alright, I'm only gonna say this once," Axel said as he rose to his feet. "If you want to run around with me, you're welcome to join. Otherwise, return to your rooms before you get in trouble. I don't want you to get hurt because of me." He placed his right hand against the barrier he made. "You have 10 seconds." "Goddammit!" he yelled. "They already know where I am!" With his flesh arm, he punched the metal barricade, inadvertently punching a hole through it. "And there's bound to be some corrupted headed this way too!" ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ On the other side of the barricade, the guards saw Axel's fist fly through the metal. "He's trapped!" came the loud voice of the Sergeant. "Either he'll let down this barricade or he'll run into the trainees." He looked around at every person, nodding as each one held their weapons at the ready. "Either way, be ready for combat!" The guards cheered in response. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Trainees, this is Sergeant Marks. Subject 070705, codename Axel, is on the loose again. Subdue with non-lethal attacks only." Many of the young teens whooped and hollered in joy. "Finally, some action," one of them laughed. They were more than ready to charge down the halls, and that's exactly what they did. "Sergeant Marks, this is Hayden 050507. Trainees are on their way. What is his location?"</s>	<\|message\|>Kathrine 040105 Kitty didn't need to turn her head to see what Axel was looking at. She could already hear them, their thoughts like an echo chamber in her own head thanks to the barriers that kept them separated having been removed by the metal manipulator in his attempt to buy time. It was annoying hearing them all, especially when Laika decided to move closer. She wasn't normal, hadn't been for a long time, and it showed from more than just her appearance. The whirling that came from her thoughts was by far the worst since the closest thing she could describe to the sound was something like a computer error being elongated into a screech that was how her thoughts, as minimal and instruction like as they were, was broadcasted to be like a voice. She would bet that had something to do with how she was more tech than person nowadays. Fearful chittering was more apparent than anything else. Lance and Felix's voices were whispering it, softly while on the outside to Axel they asked the same question all of them had without realizing it. Axel was growing more agitated the more it was asked, her gaze following him like a hawk as he sauntered away from her door and over to the barricade. Zale wanted his plants. He didn't want to be here, being outside of his room meant bad things were going to occur to him and them. Jain wanted to leave and assumed Axel had a way- More voices pierced into her skull like a siren just as Axel's arm went through his own barrier, cutting off whatever train of thought Kitty had completely from the sudden influx. The people on the other side of it were starting to be bleed through. She couldn't hear Axel's yelling over the guards on the other side, the sound causing her to lift her hand up to her head as she swayed into her doorframe for support until the loudness of the new voices ebbed away enough for her to think. 'They've called for them.' The kids in the hall could all hear her voice in their head, though she was staring right at Axel, her eyes narrowed somewhat as she walked past all the kids to stand beside him, her gaze softening when she looked behind her at the younger ones in their current makeshift group; Vale, Jain, Felix, and Lance. 'And the guards are expecting a fight.'</s>
<\|description\|>Vale 020108 Appearance: Vale is a pretty small young man, standing at about 5'5", and not going to get any taller. Skinny and small, he oftens uses his smallness to his advantage, hiding as often as he can from whoever lurks around the corner. Vale's hair is long, falling to about his mid-back when it's not tied up. It's a light blue tone, unnatural but brilliant. More often than not, it's tied into a ponytail, falling over his shoulder. Sometimes it's braided, and other times it's pulled into a bun. His left eye is covered by a black bandage, Vale never speaking of the reason why. His left eye is focused and shown, a brilliant blue color, close to the color of his hair. Personality: Vale is a very quiet boy. Preferring the company of himself, it's hard to get him to warm up to people. Really an open book though, it's hard to hide his disdain for others behind fake words. Lying was never a strong suit for the young man, and as he's grown older, it's gotten harder and harder. Often getting flustered at the smallest things, he's often seen with a red hue on his face, and an angry pout as he tries to deny the fact that he's embarrassed. He would rather tuck away with plants than with people. They're better friends than he's ever had, is his philosophy, but he also has never actually tried to connect to another human being. Humans are scary, unknown entities, while plants are exactly what they are. Abilities: Botanical Communication (10pts), Chlorokinesis (20pts) Doctor: Dr. Ward</s> <\|message\|>Axel 070705 Axel ran down the hall, the pat thunk of his feet echoing. Behind him, a bunch of yelling could be heard from the adult guards chasing him. He'd had trouble losing them and had actually lost track of where he was. He turned the corner and, upon seeing the metal doors, cheered as he stretched his metal left arm out. With his control over metal, he absorbed the doors into his arm before using all his speed to create a barrier at the end of the hallway, giving him enough of a reprieve from the running. What Axel didn't realize was the hallway held the rooms of Kitty, Laika, Vale, Jain, and Lance. He hadn't had the most interactions with them, except Kitty, but he didn't have anything bad to say about any of them. With a bit of time to rest, Axel took his metal limbs off, letting his arm and leg rest. Seeing the hallway blocked, the guards radioed in for backup. It was time to bring in the Trainees. There was no escape for the metal-boy this time.</s> <\|message\|>Kathrine 040105 Kitty was happily residing in her room reading on top of her bed whilst laying on her stomach. Using her thumb to turn the pages as she finished them, content in letting her mind be at peace with the words on the page being the only things to fill it with a voice. Her own. A rarity for her when she wasn't left to her own devices, with the silent change of her door turning to a liquid and flowing back to the teen who controlled it, a few thoughts wandered into her mind as her room became unsheltered from the hallway as well as the others down her hall. A familiar voice pinging in her mind ratherly loudly from proximity, and the white-haired girl placed her book down while she slipped off her bed. Landing on her feet, she silently walked over to the open doorway and peeked out with her head. Face deadpanned as her grayish blue eyes wandered to the figure resting on the wall next to her-- well where her door had been. The edges of her mouth twitching downward as her brows furrowed. 'Of course it would be you.' Her calm voice chimed in the metallic limbed boy's mind, clear as though she had actually whispered it in his ear despite how her lips hadn't moved at all, and she was verbally mute. Her head tilted to the side as she scanned the hallway to confirm what she had already guessed had happened. All of their doors were gone, and she was left with the whispers of their thoughts running in her head without much choice in the matter. With her own ears, she could hear the sounds of radios going behind the makeshift blockade Axel had made and rolled her eyes at the situation itself. 'What is it that you're up to this time?' She asked, without even looking back at him at first. Her question quietly placed in only his head to hear. Her gaze shifting back to him by the end, staring from the corners of her eyes at the familiar male who was taller than her despite her being older. Then again, life was rather unfair.</s>	<\|message\|>Vale 020108 It was the time of day that Vale hated the most. The time when they were all confined to their rooms, locked away from everyone else. The boy paced around the room, passed the stack of books that laid in the corner, passed his bed, around in a circle. Taking deep breaths, Vale was doing everything in his power to fight away the existential crisis that rang in his head. They were locked away again. Just like every other night. He was away from his plants, the only true friends he felt he had in his place, the only ones who really understood and heard him. The flood of light hit him. Startled, he jumped back, eye wide as he stared back at where the door to his room used to be. With some hesitation, he stepped forwards, fingers wrapping around the frame before he stuck his head out. "Uh..." Voice cracking as he spied the other two, there was another long pause from him, before he stepped out into the hallway. "...We're not supposed to leave our rooms," and yet here he was, out in the hall, going against the very thing that he said. Slowly, his gaze shifted passed the two other's, to the end of the hallway. "What did you do?" Moving his single eye from the end of the hall to the two that he now stood by, he began to wring his hands together, in a nervous motion.</s>
<\|description\|>Lance 032307 Appearance: He is about 5 ft tall weighing 98 lbs., on the slim side. He wears khakis, sneakers, and button-down shirts with different patterns (Stripes, zigzags, polka dots, etc.). He has pale skin, black hair that he lets grow out enough to cover his eyes. He has blue eyes and requires corrective lenses because he dislikes contacts. He doesn't care for or have jewelry or tattoos. He is as active as he can be. As a precaution, he has a heavy lead suit to move from room to room, so traveling without it is a privilege. Personality: He is a people pleaser who doesn't want to make those around him angry or upset to the point where he will sacrifice his own happiness and sometimes safety to achieve it. He will easily fall to peer pressure even if his personal morals would conflict with it. He'll treat everyone with respect and will accept blame justifying how his involvement might have caused the problem regardless of evidence. He enjoys walking, reading, and just being out of the room whenever that's possible. He doesn't like causing trouble. Abilities: Electromagnetic wave manipulation (15 Pt), Electromagnetic wave generation (10 Pt), Radiation immunity (5 Pt) He is capable of producing medium ranged waves easily ranging from UV, infrared, and visible light. He has to exert more effort for microwave and radio, and even more than that to reach x ray and gamma. He can increase/decrease wave length into other forms from an existing source more easily than producing them. Manipulation includes blocking waves so he can essentially create literal black out zones. This does not give him x-ray or infrared vision. Doctor: Dr. Sing</s> <\|message\|>Axel 070705 Axel ran down the hall, the pat thunk of his feet echoing. Behind him, a bunch of yelling could be heard from the adult guards chasing him. He'd had trouble losing them and had actually lost track of where he was. He turned the corner and, upon seeing the metal doors, cheered as he stretched his metal left arm out. With his control over metal, he absorbed the doors into his arm before using all his speed to create a barrier at the end of the hallway, giving him enough of a reprieve from the running. What Axel didn't realize was the hallway held the rooms of Kitty, Laika, Vale, Jain, and Lance. He hadn't had the most interactions with them, except Kitty, but he didn't have anything bad to say about any of them. With a bit of time to rest, Axel took his metal limbs off, letting his arm and leg rest. Seeing the hallway blocked, the guards radioed in for backup. It was time to bring in the Trainees. There was no escape for the metal-boy this time.</s> <\|message\|>Kathrine 040105 Kitty was happily residing in her room reading on top of her bed whilst laying on her stomach. Using her thumb to turn the pages as she finished them, content in letting her mind be at peace with the words on the page being the only things to fill it with a voice. Her own. A rarity for her when she wasn't left to her own devices, with the silent change of her door turning to a liquid and flowing back to the teen who controlled it, a few thoughts wandered into her mind as her room became unsheltered from the hallway as well as the others down her hall. A familiar voice pinging in her mind ratherly loudly from proximity, and the white-haired girl placed her book down while she slipped off her bed. Landing on her feet, she silently walked over to the open doorway and peeked out with her head. Face deadpanned as her grayish blue eyes wandered to the figure resting on the wall next to her-- well where her door had been. The edges of her mouth twitching downward as her brows furrowed. 'Of course it would be you.' Her calm voice chimed in the metallic limbed boy's mind, clear as though she had actually whispered it in his ear despite how her lips hadn't moved at all, and she was verbally mute. Her head tilted to the side as she scanned the hallway to confirm what she had already guessed had happened. All of their doors were gone, and she was left with the whispers of their thoughts running in her head without much choice in the matter. With her own ears, she could hear the sounds of radios going behind the makeshift blockade Axel had made and rolled her eyes at the situation itself. 'What is it that you're up to this time?' She asked, without even looking back at him at first. Her question quietly placed in only his head to hear. Her gaze shifting back to him by the end, staring from the corners of her eyes at the familiar male who was taller than her despite her being older. Then again, life was rather unfair.</s> <\|message\|>Vale 020108 It was the time of day that Vale hated the most. The time when they were all confined to their rooms, locked away from everyone else. The boy paced around the room, passed the stack of books that laid in the corner, passed his bed, around in a circle. Taking deep breaths, Vale was doing everything in his power to fight away the existential crisis that rang in his head. They were locked away again. Just like every other night. He was away from his plants, the only true friends he felt he had in his place, the only ones who really understood and heard him. The flood of light hit him. Startled, he jumped back, eye wide as he stared back at where the door to his room used to be. With some hesitation, he stepped forwards, fingers wrapping around the frame before he stuck his head out. "Uh..." Voice cracking as he spied the other two, there was another long pause from him, before he stepped out into the hallway. "...We're not supposed to leave our rooms," and yet here he was, out in the hall, going against the very thing that he said. Slowly, his gaze shifted passed the two other's, to the end of the hallway. "What did you do?" Moving his single eye from the end of the hall to the two that he now stood by, he began to wring his hands together, in a nervous motion.</s> <\|message\|>Jain 011106 Locked in her room Jain was without the stifling blindfold bouncing a small wad of paper around the room in rapid controlled teleports her goal precision and endurance. It was what the Doctor had been telling her that she needed to do it without concentration because most of the others saw her as a transportation type, she more than that. In her mind she saw surprised guards their weapons missing then they themselves appearing upside down on the ceiling or under the one who was falling from above. Jian had been drilled in the featureless training room till her head was pounding an overworked muscle "You must grow stronger, you must grow so we can expand your ports eventually till you can transport groups and machines 85 tons and more. demanded Dr. Schroder. The Doctor was either overconfident or thought her under control but in either case she wasn't the tame subject some of the other staff believed, Jain wasn't planning rebellion but revenge for her treatment, for the burning eye drops they put in her eyes when they locked the blindfold around her head. So it was with some surprise she saw her door vanish and who could blame her for seeing this as an opportunity to escape. So it was with caution she stepped close to the now bare door frame and looked out She spotted three people she barely knew and fixed them in her mind as she'd been drilled ready to weaponize the inertia of their movements or even just alter the direction they faced so any projective powers they had went far off target "...We're not supposed to leave our rooms,"What did you do?" said one boy to the other two They were like her and judging from the missing doors at least one was rebellious against their tormentors "Is there a plan" she asked still in the threshold of her cell ready to retreat if she felt any response more than she could handle her explanation prepared to place blame on the three first ones.</s>	<\|message\|>Lance 032307 Lance was lying on the floor staring at the lights above. He had put down a blanket and pillow for comfort from the hard ground. The light would dim and then return to its proper illumination. He didn't pay much mind to the noise that was coming from the hall. It wasn't uncommon for guards to come and go moving people in and out. He leaned up from his cushion to see that his door was open, but there weren't any guards there to escort him. He looked at it with a raised eyebrow and turn over to his knees to stand himself up. People were talking outside, so he walked up to the entrance to his room to find that the door wasn't just open, but it had completely vanished. The mystery of the missing metal door quickly fell wayside as he spotted his neighbors also entering the hall. The other didn't seem all that concern about what the guards might think with them all out of their rooms. It just wasn't his door that had went missing. Now he was more confused. The missing door became his concern again. Where did all the doors go, and why wasn't anyone bothered by it? He leaned out, but kept most of his person still in the room as possible to see that Kitty and the others were gathering near what looked like a hastily made mound of metal acting like some sort of blockade. There was chatter on the other side, the noise he was hearing before, at least in part. Did one of them do that? Was it Axel? The person resting looked like Axel. Slowly, he left his room to meet the others. He gave a slight glance to Jain as he passed her to approach the others. "I don't think this is a good idea." he said softly at first. "What if they catch you?" The metal blockade looked bad. He didn't want to them to get into trouble. Then again, he wasn't sure if Axel could get out of this without getting in trouble, but at least he could help Kitty and the others.</s>
<\|description\|>Lance 032307 Appearance: He is about 5 ft tall weighing 98 lbs., on the slim side. He wears khakis, sneakers, and button-down shirts with different patterns (Stripes, zigzags, polka dots, etc.). He has pale skin, black hair that he lets grow out enough to cover his eyes. He has blue eyes and requires corrective lenses because he dislikes contacts. He doesn't care for or have jewelry or tattoos. He is as active as he can be. As a precaution, he has a heavy lead suit to move from room to room, so traveling without it is a privilege. Personality: He is a people pleaser who doesn't want to make those around him angry or upset to the point where he will sacrifice his own happiness and sometimes safety to achieve it. He will easily fall to peer pressure even if his personal morals would conflict with it. He'll treat everyone with respect and will accept blame justifying how his involvement might have caused the problem regardless of evidence. He enjoys walking, reading, and just being out of the room whenever that's possible. He doesn't like causing trouble. Abilities: Electromagnetic wave manipulation (15 Pt), Electromagnetic wave generation (10 Pt), Radiation immunity (5 Pt) He is capable of producing medium ranged waves easily ranging from UV, infrared, and visible light. He has to exert more effort for microwave and radio, and even more than that to reach x ray and gamma. He can increase/decrease wave length into other forms from an existing source more easily than producing them. Manipulation includes blocking waves so he can essentially create literal black out zones. This does not give him x-ray or infrared vision. Doctor: Dr. Sing</s> <\|message\|>Felix – 040309 Felix had been struggling to understand the paper in his hands for a while now. Earlier he'd gotten curious about something scientific sounding Dr. Grey had mentioned and worked up the courage to ask what it meant, only to have been handed a paper well beyond what he could even begin to understand and promptly ignored. Still, Felix wanted to understand and as far as he was concerned surely Dr. Grey wouldn't have given him the paper if he couldn't have understood it. Finally, Felix was drawn from his impossible task by the repetitive sound of something metal striking the floor as it moved along the corridor outside his room, followed by his door seemingly melting and disappearing as said thing ran by. Was that the guy who could control metal? Probably, Felix had heard Axel do similar things before and that would explain how the door had disappeared. At first, Felix was content to leave it at that, not wanting to risk getting himself in trouble and expecting the guards to come running through at any moment like they usually did. When the guards didn't come however Felix felt his curiosity begin to rise, especially when he heard the sound of voices coming from the hallway. Still, leaving his room now was a bad idea, any number of things could go wrong if he stepped outside. What if he got in trouble? Or what if there was someone with a scary power waiting outside? Then again, he really wanted to know what was going on and it probably wouldn't hurt if he just took a peek... Sticking his head out through the now doorless doorway, Felix could see the Axel and the other occupants of the hallway talking amongst each other, most having already left their rooms. Felix recognised the older kids at least and while he couldn't say he knew any of them well, he was pretty confident none of them were particularly dangerous, at least not any more than was normal. To the other end of the hallway, Felix could see a crude metal barricade, presumably formed by Axel as he ran past earlier. That was a little frightening, it meant for now he was trapped. Had Axel trapped them in here on purpose? Probably not, Axel looked pretty tired. Then was it to keep something out? That would explain why the guards hadn't shown up. Then again, what if the barrier was to keep something else out entirely, like someone with a really scary power that had been chasing Axel? That would also explain why Axel looked tired. Or maybe this was all part of some kind of experiment or training? Finally, between his curiosity to find out just what was going on, and the somewhat irrational fear that something horrifying would burst through the barricade to terrorise them at any moment, Felix decided to approach the rest of the group where they'd gathered in the hall. "Um... does anyone know what's going on?"</s> <\|message\|>Laika 022805 Laika didn't really sleep, as such. Maintaining her intended operation made sleeping distinctly sub-optimal to performance, so part of the alterations were specifically designed to avoid that. As such, she hadn't had a bed for a while. Instead, at the time a certain other subject broke into the hallway on which here room was placed, Laika was in her default position: Sat on a mat on the floor, legs crossed, and arms in her lap. The cables that ran from the back of her skull and shoulders hung loose, straight down her back, sometimes to the floor. Her head, with angular features not really tinted from any abundance of sunlight, was tilted forwards. Her eyes were open, though at the moment displayed only an emissive white. Her actual visual was elsewhere, seeing all of this exchange from a whole different angle. That was, the security camera outside of the hall entrance. She watched a lot of things. That was, ater all, what she was made for. Escapes weren't all that statistically unusual, though it wasn't often that things came quite so close or immediate. It was only some moments after the removal of the doors that colour flooded back into Laika's eyes and she lifted her head, the silver rings of an iris moving with a quiet whirr of servos. The voice from the facility's techno monstrosity didn't come from her mouth as such, but out of anything audio capable in the vicinity. She had been provided with some speakers for this usage, though it didn't prevent it speaking right out of intercoms from time to time. It was a female voice, certainly, though far from anything natural there was a pitch-corrected artificiality about it. "There has been a subject containment breach." She tilted her head, over in Axel's direction, though it was always a little difficult to tell if Laika was actually looking at you, per se. "Conditional on actions prior to arrival in this section you are currently in violation of at least eight facility codes."</s> <\|message\|>Axel 070705 Axel looked at each of the kids as they came out of their rooms. He knew he was about to get a lot of questions. He didn't realize which hallway he was in until he saw which kids were coming out. 'What is it that you're up to this time?' Kitty asked, seeming to lead the group. "The same as usual, just taking a breather," he answered. "I used my power to create a barrier so I could get a couple of minutes of rest before I continue on back towards my room." Axel sighed. "Is there a plan" Jain was next to ask. "Plan to get out? Not yet. This just ended up being a wrong turn." Axel frowned with a sigh. "I don't think this is a good idea," Lance said softly at first. "What if they catch you?" "If you don't want to go down with me, I suggest retreating back in your room," Axel remarked, reaching to reattach his metal limbs. "Um... does anyone know what's going on?" Felix questioned next. "Alright, I'm only gonna say this once," Axel said as he rose to his feet. "If you want to run around with me, you're welcome to join. Otherwise, return to your rooms before you get in trouble. I don't want you to get hurt because of me." He placed his right hand against the barrier he made. "You have 10 seconds." "Goddammit!" he yelled. "They already know where I am!" With his flesh arm, he punched the metal barricade, inadvertently punching a hole through it. "And there's bound to be some corrupted headed this way too!" ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ On the other side of the barricade, the guards saw Axel's fist fly through the metal. "He's trapped!" came the loud voice of the Sergeant. "Either he'll let down this barricade or he'll run into the trainees." He looked around at every person, nodding as each one held their weapons at the ready. "Either way, be ready for combat!" The guards cheered in response. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Trainees, this is Sergeant Marks. Subject 070705, codename Axel, is on the loose again. Subdue with non-lethal attacks only." Many of the young teens whooped and hollered in joy. "Finally, some action," one of them laughed. They were more than ready to charge down the halls, and that's exactly what they did. "Sergeant Marks, this is Hayden 050507. Trainees are on their way. What is his location?"</s> <\|message\|>Kathrine 040105 Kitty didn't need to turn her head to see what Axel was looking at. She could already hear them, their thoughts like an echo chamber in her own head thanks to the barriers that kept them separated having been removed by the metal manipulator in his attempt to buy time. It was annoying hearing them all, especially when Laika decided to move closer. She wasn't normal, hadn't been for a long time, and it showed from more than just her appearance. The whirling that came from her thoughts was by far the worst since the closest thing she could describe to the sound was something like a computer error being elongated into a screech that was how her thoughts, as minimal and instruction like as they were, was broadcasted to be like a voice. She would bet that had something to do with how she was more tech than person nowadays. Fearful chittering was more apparent than anything else. Lance and Felix's voices were whispering it, softly while on the outside to Axel they asked the same question all of them had without realizing it. Axel was growing more agitated the more it was asked, her gaze following him like a hawk as he sauntered away from her door and over to the barricade. Zale wanted his plants. He didn't want to be here, being outside of his room meant bad things were going to occur to him and them. Jain wanted to leave and assumed Axel had a way- More voices pierced into her skull like a siren just as Axel's arm went through his own barrier, cutting off whatever train of thought Kitty had completely from the sudden influx. The people on the other side of it were starting to be bleed through. She couldn't hear Axel's yelling over the guards on the other side, the sound causing her to lift her hand up to her head as she swayed into her doorframe for support until the loudness of the new voices ebbed away enough for her to think. 'They've called for them.' The kids in the hall could all hear her voice in their head, though she was staring right at Axel, her eyes narrowed somewhat as she walked past all the kids to stand beside him, her gaze softening when she looked behind her at the younger ones in their current makeshift group; Vale, Jain, Felix, and Lance. 'And the guards are expecting a fight.'</s> <\|message\|>Vale 020108 Vale's eyes widened as the sounds of the guards grew louder. Wrapping his arms around himself, he fidgetted nervously, his stance always shifting. Hugging himself, then his arms dropping, then hands moved to the hair that fell over his shoulder, stroking it. The anxiety was beginning to bubble up, and it was obvious as he shifted and moved. "A-a fight? Well...Well, don't give them a fight!" Swallowing, Vale shook his head as he backed away from Axel and Kitty, glancing behind him at the slowly emerging people from the other rooms. Head snapping to attention as the speakers sounded off, the young man bit his lip, before looking back towards Axel and Kitty. "If you fight them, it'll only get worse. There's no getting out of here, you know. With however many times people have tired and failed, you'd think other's would learn by now," as he looked away, there was a flash of something in his eye. Sadness? Pain? It was a foolish effort, he thought, on Axel's part, but he understood why they did it. This place...It was horrible. What they were made to do, what they were, it wasn't normal. At least, that was what he had learned from the stories he read. "You should just turn yourself in. Maybe they'll go easier on you..."</s> <\|message\|>Jain 011106 Angry that the others seemed already defeated, worried about the corrupt Jain was just thrilled to see the faces of her fellow guinea pigs. The only time her blindfold was removed was in her heated white room, a room they had cleverly done in all white and bright lights, lights two times as bright as the others endured and she was free of it. Knowing they'd all get some blame just for stepping outside of their rooms she weighed her options and smiled as she began winding up her ability into combat mode imagining people caught then released, runners released into the paths of other runners weapons vanishing, her favorite pivoted 180 zenith and appearing face first 2 feet above the hard floor where they could spend their former horizontal velocity into the hard floor. Snap, snap, snap she said as she recalled the sound of pickup implosions air rushing in to fill the void where her target once was.</s>	<\|message\|>Lance 032307 Lance took a step back as Axel equipped himself. He seemed bothered by the broken record of questions, but Lance couldn't do anything about that. Usually the doors do not suddenly remove themselves the solid frames that house each of the children. It was muffled, but there was a commotion on the other side of the barrier, and Axel looked ready to tackle it head on. Perhaps his annoyance of answering the same question spurred a want to fight. With only ten seconds to make a decision, Lance started back towards his unsealed room. It was one thing to for Alex to cause trouble. While Lance had not known him personally, he knew of the antics he was capable of. This seemed a bit more on the extreme side. Lance knew not to piss off the guards, the staff, the doctors, whoever really. They took their work seriously, and Lance could not help but feel powerless. What was he going to do? He couldn't stop the guards, and he certainly couldn't stop Axel. "This is a bad idea." Lance said, using his eyes to try and urge the others to also retreat to their rooms. It didn't work as most if not all of the attention was on Axel and his barricade. He yelled and then punched the wall, penetrating the amalgam of metal clean through. It didn't take much more than Kitty to tell him the guards were ready to fight. "I told you this was a bad idea." Said Lance as he quickly turned and ducked back into his room. He looked out to see that guards were starting to break through. Lance didn't want to be a part of that fight. Axel made this mess; he should have to deal with it. Lance was sorry that he couldn't do more to help the others though. Not that they needed his help, but he was afraid they would sink with the same ship Axel was sailing.</s>
<\|description\|>Felix – 040309 Appearance: Felix is a young boy of Chinese-Australian descent with straight black hair and brown eyes. His physical characteristics and build are all around average for his age, if marginally smaller than average, coming in at 140cm tall and weighing 36kg. Felix's most noticeable trait is his incredibly long hair, spanning well over half his body height, and surprisingly healthy if a bit of a mess. Rather than being the product of a choice on Felix's part, his hair is the result of his ability making it impossible to cut. As far as clothing goes, Felix doesn't really understand or care about fashion and usually wears whatever's available without question so long as it's comfortable. Generally, this means that Felix ends up wearing very plain and simple clothing. Personality: Felix is very timid, the kind of kid that struggles to talk to others and prefers to keep to himself, preferably somewhere where no one will notice him. He finds it very hard to open up to people and tends to view anyone he doesn't know well as someone that might be dangerous. In the rare event where he does get to the point where he considers someone a friend he can trust he tends to anchor onto that person for support, becoming very reluctant to separate. Felix is also pretty smart, especially considering his age, he catches on to things quickly and has a nearly insatiable curiosity, one of the few things that can coax him out of his shell. Unfortunately, this intelligence also manifests itself as a nasty tendency to overthink things, often to the point of working himself into a panic over otherwise inconsequential things. Strangely, in spite of his overthinking Felix exhibits very little fear when it comes to the prospect of pain or injury, likely as a result of growing up with his ability. Thanks to growing up surrounded by superhumans, and his general lack of interactions with people in general, Felix has ended up with a very warped idea of what's normal. He's of the impression that superhuman abilities are the norm, not the exception, having a very skewed view of what falls within the range of an ordinary person being able to do or survive. Abilities: * Degeneration (5 pts): Any part of Felix's body that dies or is separated from his body, by natural processes or otherwise, will begin to decay with a half-life of about 3 seconds. As material degenerates, most of the matter is absorbed as energy to power Felix's regenerative ability, though some is lost as heat. In cases where only a small amount degenerates the heat generated is negligible, however with larger quantities the heat can quickly become more severe. As Felix possesses no abnormal resistance to heat, it is possible for his degeneration to hurt him should he sustain enough damage in a short period of time. * Regeneration (25 pts): With the exception of some natural processes, whenever Felix is damaged in any way his body immediately begins to rapidly restore itself to a healthy, undamaged state. The energy and material needed to facilitate this regeneration is provided by Felix's degeneration ability. As a side effect of his regeneration, Felix can endure a number of normally harmful conditions, like physical exhaustion or starvation, without any real consequence, though in most cases such conditions remain painful. Strangely enough, Felix's finger and toenails seem to be unaffected by his regenerative abilities, healing like a normal person's when damaged instead of regenerating. Doctor: Dr. Grey</s> <\|message\|>Axel 070705 Axel ran down the hall, the pat thunk of his feet echoing. Behind him, a bunch of yelling could be heard from the adult guards chasing him. He'd had trouble losing them and had actually lost track of where he was. He turned the corner and, upon seeing the metal doors, cheered as he stretched his metal left arm out. With his control over metal, he absorbed the doors into his arm before using all his speed to create a barrier at the end of the hallway, giving him enough of a reprieve from the running. What Axel didn't realize was the hallway held the rooms of Kitty, Laika, Vale, Jain, and Lance. He hadn't had the most interactions with them, except Kitty, but he didn't have anything bad to say about any of them. With a bit of time to rest, Axel took his metal limbs off, letting his arm and leg rest. Seeing the hallway blocked, the guards radioed in for backup. It was time to bring in the Trainees. There was no escape for the metal-boy this time.</s> <\|message\|>Kathrine 040105 Kitty was happily residing in her room reading on top of her bed whilst laying on her stomach. Using her thumb to turn the pages as she finished them, content in letting her mind be at peace with the words on the page being the only things to fill it with a voice. Her own. A rarity for her when she wasn't left to her own devices, with the silent change of her door turning to a liquid and flowing back to the teen who controlled it, a few thoughts wandered into her mind as her room became unsheltered from the hallway as well as the others down her hall. A familiar voice pinging in her mind ratherly loudly from proximity, and the white-haired girl placed her book down while she slipped off her bed. Landing on her feet, she silently walked over to the open doorway and peeked out with her head. Face deadpanned as her grayish blue eyes wandered to the figure resting on the wall next to her-- well where her door had been. The edges of her mouth twitching downward as her brows furrowed. 'Of course it would be you.' Her calm voice chimed in the metallic limbed boy's mind, clear as though she had actually whispered it in his ear despite how her lips hadn't moved at all, and she was verbally mute. Her head tilted to the side as she scanned the hallway to confirm what she had already guessed had happened. All of their doors were gone, and she was left with the whispers of their thoughts running in her head without much choice in the matter. With her own ears, she could hear the sounds of radios going behind the makeshift blockade Axel had made and rolled her eyes at the situation itself. 'What is it that you're up to this time?' She asked, without even looking back at him at first. Her question quietly placed in only his head to hear. Her gaze shifting back to him by the end, staring from the corners of her eyes at the familiar male who was taller than her despite her being older. Then again, life was rather unfair.</s> <\|message\|>Vale 020108 It was the time of day that Vale hated the most. The time when they were all confined to their rooms, locked away from everyone else. The boy paced around the room, passed the stack of books that laid in the corner, passed his bed, around in a circle. Taking deep breaths, Vale was doing everything in his power to fight away the existential crisis that rang in his head. They were locked away again. Just like every other night. He was away from his plants, the only true friends he felt he had in his place, the only ones who really understood and heard him. The flood of light hit him. Startled, he jumped back, eye wide as he stared back at where the door to his room used to be. With some hesitation, he stepped forwards, fingers wrapping around the frame before he stuck his head out. "Uh..." Voice cracking as he spied the other two, there was another long pause from him, before he stepped out into the hallway. "...We're not supposed to leave our rooms," and yet here he was, out in the hall, going against the very thing that he said. Slowly, his gaze shifted passed the two other's, to the end of the hallway. "What did you do?" Moving his single eye from the end of the hall to the two that he now stood by, he began to wring his hands together, in a nervous motion.</s> <\|message\|>Jain 011106 Locked in her room Jain was without the stifling blindfold bouncing a small wad of paper around the room in rapid controlled teleports her goal precision and endurance. It was what the Doctor had been telling her that she needed to do it without concentration because most of the others saw her as a transportation type, she more than that. In her mind she saw surprised guards their weapons missing then they themselves appearing upside down on the ceiling or under the one who was falling from above. Jian had been drilled in the featureless training room till her head was pounding an overworked muscle "You must grow stronger, you must grow so we can expand your ports eventually till you can transport groups and machines 85 tons and more. demanded Dr. Schroder. The Doctor was either overconfident or thought her under control but in either case she wasn't the tame subject some of the other staff believed, Jain wasn't planning rebellion but revenge for her treatment, for the burning eye drops they put in her eyes when they locked the blindfold around her head. So it was with some surprise she saw her door vanish and who could blame her for seeing this as an opportunity to escape. So it was with caution she stepped close to the now bare door frame and looked out She spotted three people she barely knew and fixed them in her mind as she'd been drilled ready to weaponize the inertia of their movements or even just alter the direction they faced so any projective powers they had went far off target "...We're not supposed to leave our rooms,"What did you do?" said one boy to the other two They were like her and judging from the missing doors at least one was rebellious against their tormentors "Is there a plan" she asked still in the threshold of her cell ready to retreat if she felt any response more than she could handle her explanation prepared to place blame on the three first ones.</s> <\|message\|>Lance 032307 Lance was lying on the floor staring at the lights above. He had put down a blanket and pillow for comfort from the hard ground. The light would dim and then return to its proper illumination. He didn't pay much mind to the noise that was coming from the hall. It wasn't uncommon for guards to come and go moving people in and out. He leaned up from his cushion to see that his door was open, but there weren't any guards there to escort him. He looked at it with a raised eyebrow and turn over to his knees to stand himself up. People were talking outside, so he walked up to the entrance to his room to find that the door wasn't just open, but it had completely vanished. The mystery of the missing metal door quickly fell wayside as he spotted his neighbors also entering the hall. The other didn't seem all that concern about what the guards might think with them all out of their rooms. It just wasn't his door that had went missing. Now he was more confused. The missing door became his concern again. Where did all the doors go, and why wasn't anyone bothered by it? He leaned out, but kept most of his person still in the room as possible to see that Kitty and the others were gathering near what looked like a hastily made mound of metal acting like some sort of blockade. There was chatter on the other side, the noise he was hearing before, at least in part. Did one of them do that? Was it Axel? The person resting looked like Axel. Slowly, he left his room to meet the others. He gave a slight glance to Jain as he passed her to approach the others. "I don't think this is a good idea." he said softly at first. "What if they catch you?" The metal blockade looked bad. He didn't want to them to get into trouble. Then again, he wasn't sure if Axel could get out of this without getting in trouble, but at least he could help Kitty and the others.</s>	<\|message\|>Felix – 040309 Felix had been struggling to understand the paper in his hands for a while now. Earlier he'd gotten curious about something scientific sounding Dr. Grey had mentioned and worked up the courage to ask what it meant, only to have been handed a paper well beyond what he could even begin to understand and promptly ignored. Still, Felix wanted to understand and as far as he was concerned surely Dr. Grey wouldn't have given him the paper if he couldn't have understood it. Finally, Felix was drawn from his impossible task by the repetitive sound of something metal striking the floor as it moved along the corridor outside his room, followed by his door seemingly melting and disappearing as said thing ran by. Was that the guy who could control metal? Probably, Felix had heard Axel do similar things before and that would explain how the door had disappeared. At first, Felix was content to leave it at that, not wanting to risk getting himself in trouble and expecting the guards to come running through at any moment like they usually did. When the guards didn't come however Felix felt his curiosity begin to rise, especially when he heard the sound of voices coming from the hallway. Still, leaving his room now was a bad idea, any number of things could go wrong if he stepped outside. What if he got in trouble? Or what if there was someone with a scary power waiting outside? Then again, he really wanted to know what was going on and it probably wouldn't hurt if he just took a peek... Sticking his head out through the now doorless doorway, Felix could see the Axel and the other occupants of the hallway talking amongst each other, most having already left their rooms. Felix recognised the older kids at least and while he couldn't say he knew any of them well, he was pretty confident none of them were particularly dangerous, at least not any more than was normal. To the other end of the hallway, Felix could see a crude metal barricade, presumably formed by Axel as he ran past earlier. That was a little frightening, it meant for now he was trapped. Had Axel trapped them in here on purpose? Probably not, Axel looked pretty tired. Then was it to keep something out? That would explain why the guards hadn't shown up. Then again, what if the barrier was to keep something else out entirely, like someone with a really scary power that had been chasing Axel? That would also explain why Axel looked tired. Or maybe this was all part of some kind of experiment or training? Finally, between his curiosity to find out just what was going on, and the somewhat irrational fear that something horrifying would burst through the barricade to terrorise them at any moment, Felix decided to approach the rest of the group where they'd gathered in the hall. "Um... does anyone know what's going on?"</s>
<\|description\|>Laika 022805 Appearance: Laika resembles a small, slender, rather sickly-looking individual. She is angular in figure and lacks much in way of muscle definition. Picking her up doesn't look like it would be very difficult. Her hair is dark, inky in colour and reaches down to her lower back. Thee things are a bit less immediately noticeable than the artificial aspects of Laika. Numerous cables hang down from the back of her skull and shoulders, and matte painted white plates are set into either side of her forehead. The irises of her eyes are white and glow in low light, being comprised of photoreceptive cells rather than biological material. A ridge of metal runs down her back, level with her spine. She is generally seen wearing compression garments that cover most visible skin below her neck. Sometimes other roomier clothes are worn over the top. --- Personality: Laika is, on paper, a highly intelligent subject. Her use in the project stemmed from her high IQ and capacity for handling large amounts of information. However whatever has been done to make her into what she was in the present has resulted in a person, or creation, that doesn't have a great deal or social or emotional intelligence. As far as many of the staff are concerned, Laika isn't a lot more than a machine in human shape that carries out instructions without question or comment. Any more extended interaction might reveal that that isn't quite the case. She appears very emotionally flat and often 'speaks' in stock phrases, making it quite difficult to read what she is thinking or indeed how much active thinking is going on. One could take it as a genuine mistake when she has opened gates or destroyed consoles, or one might take it as a deep-seated resentment towards her creators. It's quite hard to tell, and it probably wouldn't benefit Laika to make it clear either way. --- Abilities: Technopath (30) - An comparatively early iteration, Laika is extremely specialized in one area, designed as a form of targeted support for more physical combat projects, an all-seeing eye that is able to hack any security system, see through any camera and unlock any door. This has, largely, been successful. Laika is an extremely powerful technopath whose abilities make most any electronics in her vicinity an effective extension of her own senses. If there is a camera nearby, she is able to see through it. If there is a speaker, she can project a pitch-corrected facsimile of a voice. In theory, she could operate most machinery in her general area. However, for security reasons and inhibitor was installed that prevents Laika from gaining full control of large systems without a physical cable connection into it, something that leaves Laika static and potentially vulnerable whilst her full focus is on the work. Doctor: Dr. Hayes</s> <\|message\|>Laika 022805 Laika didn't really sleep, as such. Maintaining her intended operation made sleeping distinctly sub-optimal to performance, so part of the alterations were specifically designed to avoid that. As such, she hadn't had a bed for a while. Instead, at the time a certain other subject broke into the hallway on which here room was placed, Laika was in her default position: Sat on a mat on the floor, legs crossed, and arms in her lap. The cables that ran from the back of her skull and shoulders hung loose, straight down her back, sometimes to the floor. Her head, with angular features not really tinted from any abundance of sunlight, was tilted forwards. Her eyes were open, though at the moment displayed only an emissive white. Her actual visual was elsewhere, seeing all of this exchange from a whole different angle. That was, the security camera outside of the hall entrance. She watched a lot of things. That was, ater all, what she was made for. Escapes weren't all that statistically unusual, though it wasn't often that things came quite so close or immediate. It was only some moments after the removal of the doors that colour flooded back into Laika's eyes and she lifted her head, the silver rings of an iris moving with a quiet whirr of servos. The voice from the facility's techno monstrosity didn't come from her mouth as such, but out of anything audio capable in the vicinity. She had been provided with some speakers for this usage, though it didn't prevent it speaking right out of intercoms from time to time. It was a female voice, certainly, though far from anything natural there was a pitch-corrected artificiality about it. "There has been a subject containment breach." She tilted her head, over in Axel's direction, though it was always a little difficult to tell if Laika was actually looking at you, per se. "Conditional on actions prior to arrival in this section you are currently in violation of at least eight facility codes."</s> <\|message\|>Axel 070705 Axel looked at each of the kids as they came out of their rooms. He knew he was about to get a lot of questions. He didn't realize which hallway he was in until he saw which kids were coming out. 'What is it that you're up to this time?' Kitty asked, seeming to lead the group. "The same as usual, just taking a breather," he answered. "I used my power to create a barrier so I could get a couple of minutes of rest before I continue on back towards my room." Axel sighed. "Is there a plan" Jain was next to ask. "Plan to get out? Not yet. This just ended up being a wrong turn." Axel frowned with a sigh. "I don't think this is a good idea," Lance said softly at first. "What if they catch you?" "If you don't want to go down with me, I suggest retreating back in your room," Axel remarked, reaching to reattach his metal limbs. "Um... does anyone know what's going on?" Felix questioned next. "Alright, I'm only gonna say this once," Axel said as he rose to his feet. "If you want to run around with me, you're welcome to join. Otherwise, return to your rooms before you get in trouble. I don't want you to get hurt because of me." He placed his right hand against the barrier he made. "You have 10 seconds." "Goddammit!" he yelled. "They already know where I am!" With his flesh arm, he punched the metal barricade, inadvertently punching a hole through it. "And there's bound to be some corrupted headed this way too!" ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ On the other side of the barricade, the guards saw Axel's fist fly through the metal. "He's trapped!" came the loud voice of the Sergeant. "Either he'll let down this barricade or he'll run into the trainees." He looked around at every person, nodding as each one held their weapons at the ready. "Either way, be ready for combat!" The guards cheered in response. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Trainees, this is Sergeant Marks. Subject 070705, codename Axel, is on the loose again. Subdue with non-lethal attacks only." Many of the young teens whooped and hollered in joy. "Finally, some action," one of them laughed. They were more than ready to charge down the halls, and that's exactly what they did. "Sergeant Marks, this is Hayden 050507. Trainees are on their way. What is his location?"</s> <\|message\|>Kathrine 040105 Kitty didn't need to turn her head to see what Axel was looking at. She could already hear them, their thoughts like an echo chamber in her own head thanks to the barriers that kept them separated having been removed by the metal manipulator in his attempt to buy time. It was annoying hearing them all, especially when Laika decided to move closer. She wasn't normal, hadn't been for a long time, and it showed from more than just her appearance. The whirling that came from her thoughts was by far the worst since the closest thing she could describe to the sound was something like a computer error being elongated into a screech that was how her thoughts, as minimal and instruction like as they were, was broadcasted to be like a voice. She would bet that had something to do with how she was more tech than person nowadays. Fearful chittering was more apparent than anything else. Lance and Felix's voices were whispering it, softly while on the outside to Axel they asked the same question all of them had without realizing it. Axel was growing more agitated the more it was asked, her gaze following him like a hawk as he sauntered away from her door and over to the barricade. Zale wanted his plants. He didn't want to be here, being outside of his room meant bad things were going to occur to him and them. Jain wanted to leave and assumed Axel had a way- More voices pierced into her skull like a siren just as Axel's arm went through his own barrier, cutting off whatever train of thought Kitty had completely from the sudden influx. The people on the other side of it were starting to be bleed through. She couldn't hear Axel's yelling over the guards on the other side, the sound causing her to lift her hand up to her head as she swayed into her doorframe for support until the loudness of the new voices ebbed away enough for her to think. 'They've called for them.' The kids in the hall could all hear her voice in their head, though she was staring right at Axel, her eyes narrowed somewhat as she walked past all the kids to stand beside him, her gaze softening when she looked behind her at the younger ones in their current makeshift group; Vale, Jain, Felix, and Lance. 'And the guards are expecting a fight.'</s> <\|message\|>Vale 020108 Vale's eyes widened as the sounds of the guards grew louder. Wrapping his arms around himself, he fidgetted nervously, his stance always shifting. Hugging himself, then his arms dropping, then hands moved to the hair that fell over his shoulder, stroking it. The anxiety was beginning to bubble up, and it was obvious as he shifted and moved. "A-a fight? Well...Well, don't give them a fight!" Swallowing, Vale shook his head as he backed away from Axel and Kitty, glancing behind him at the slowly emerging people from the other rooms. Head snapping to attention as the speakers sounded off, the young man bit his lip, before looking back towards Axel and Kitty. "If you fight them, it'll only get worse. There's no getting out of here, you know. With however many times people have tired and failed, you'd think other's would learn by now," as he looked away, there was a flash of something in his eye. Sadness? Pain? It was a foolish effort, he thought, on Axel's part, but he understood why they did it. This place...It was horrible. What they were made to do, what they were, it wasn't normal. At least, that was what he had learned from the stories he read. "You should just turn yourself in. Maybe they'll go easier on you..."</s> <\|message\|>Jain 011106 Angry that the others seemed already defeated, worried about the corrupt Jain was just thrilled to see the faces of her fellow guinea pigs. The only time her blindfold was removed was in her heated white room, a room they had cleverly done in all white and bright lights, lights two times as bright as the others endured and she was free of it. Knowing they'd all get some blame just for stepping outside of their rooms she weighed her options and smiled as she began winding up her ability into combat mode imagining people caught then released, runners released into the paths of other runners weapons vanishing, her favorite pivoted 180 zenith and appearing face first 2 feet above the hard floor where they could spend their former horizontal velocity into the hard floor. Snap, snap, snap she said as she recalled the sound of pickup implosions air rushing in to fill the void where her target once was.</s> <\|message\|>Lance 032307 Lance took a step back as Axel equipped himself. He seemed bothered by the broken record of questions, but Lance couldn't do anything about that. Usually the doors do not suddenly remove themselves the solid frames that house each of the children. It was muffled, but there was a commotion on the other side of the barrier, and Axel looked ready to tackle it head on. Perhaps his annoyance of answering the same question spurred a want to fight. With only ten seconds to make a decision, Lance started back towards his unsealed room. It was one thing to for Alex to cause trouble. While Lance had not known him personally, he knew of the antics he was capable of. This seemed a bit more on the extreme side. Lance knew not to piss off the guards, the staff, the doctors, whoever really. They took their work seriously, and Lance could not help but feel powerless. What was he going to do? He couldn't stop the guards, and he certainly couldn't stop Axel. "This is a bad idea." Lance said, using his eyes to try and urge the others to also retreat to their rooms. It didn't work as most if not all of the attention was on Axel and his barricade. He yelled and then punched the wall, penetrating the amalgam of metal clean through. It didn't take much more than Kitty to tell him the guards were ready to fight. "I told you this was a bad idea." Said Lance as he quickly turned and ducked back into his room. He looked out to see that guards were starting to break through. Lance didn't want to be a part of that fight. Axel made this mess; he should have to deal with it. Lance was sorry that he couldn't do more to help the others though. Not that they needed his help, but he was afraid they would sink with the same ship Axel was sailing.</s>	<\|message\|>Laika 022805 Laika, for her own part, didn't appear very moved by the increasingly tense situation, though as Kitty was made uncomfortably aware of, there was invariably a lot more going on under the surface than was visible as a glance, even if the continual electric shriek of constant information was quite difficult to parse. By this point she had risen from her sitting position and walked into the corridor itself. No shoes on her feet, but the compression suit more of less obscured any glimpse of skin below the neck, and it wasn't especially good protection for the feet where it came to running around. "Nine currently, due to extended conversing." She tilted her head slightly to one side. "Broad stroke security techniques frequently recommended in facilitating the clearance of a corridor where all security is disabled as a means to protect security personnel." Other side. "All present subjects lacking security clearance may become potential targets for enforcement measures." Which seemed, in her roundabout way of conveying it, that as far as she was concerned, they were probably all potential targets for trainees at this point. Which was, presumably, the reason she'd not made much attempt to return to her own room, and instead was watching the barrier. Well, watching the barrier until she flicker her way back over to the cameras outside of it, looking out for what the current threat consisted of.</s>
<\|description\|>Brayden 071605 Appearance: Brayden stands at 5'10, being slightly lanky, but not completely devoid of muscle. He has short, spiked charcoal-black hair, with most of its spikiness concentrated near the back of his head. His skin is mostly of a pale complexion, though it gets darker along his arms, almost as if they were burnt. His eyes are a piercing and cold blue shade, and are partially obscured by his hair at times. For clothes, his most distinguishing piece of apparel is a torn-up, partially singed sleeveless black jacket, worn after years of living in the compound. Beyond that, he wears a white muscle shirt, deep blue jeans that are torn up and partially seared near his ankles, and thick black boots that seem a bit too big for him. Outside of testing, he is forced to wear a stainless steel mask over his mouth, a contraption of the same material made to keep his arms locked up, reaching just below his elbows, and heavy steel boots. He was forced to wear these due to 'negative behavior', putting it lightly, to ensure he doesn't endanger staff or guards. Personality: Brayden is a rather chaotic force among the children of the 'menagerie', as he tends to call the lab they rather sadly call home. Ever since his powers emerged, he opposed the hierarchy presented through the doctors and guards, rather violently in fact, and needless to say it never ended well for him. If it weren't for the impressive potential of his abilities, he likely wouldn't have been tolerated for this long. Beyond his attitude about the situation at large, in contrast to his power, Brayden seems largely cool and collected, perhaps even apathetic. He always regards the other kids the exact same; completely neutral to their existence, border-lining callousness with his attitude. However, most of the other kids know he isn't a direct threat to them, as he typically keeps others out of his attempts of revolt or escape. Whether that's out of kindness or simply not wishing to deal with others, it's hard to say... Abilities: Flame Generation: Brayden can generate excessive amounts of fire from himself, though they typically come from his mouth, hands, or feet. The flames can reach levels of heat that can melt through solid concrete and most metals, and even in more casual use can severely burn or melt through other living beings. However strong his power is though, it comes with a catch... (25 Pts) Fire/Heat Resistance: Brayden has some natural resilience to fire and heat, but the main issue is that it isn't enough for him to manage his own firepower. When he's using his power at high-capacity, he himself begins to burn up, and while he's never been forced this far, excessive use of his power at high-capacity could permanently burn or melt parts of his body. (5 Pts) Doctor: Dr. Sing Name: Melia 010208 Appearance: Melia, after years of use of her ability, is...Notably bigger than most other subjects. Standing at a menacing 6'2 even prior to activating her power, and extraordinarily muscled, she could put even some of the toughest kids in the compound to shame. Her eyes are sharp with a vibrant orange shade, typically swirling in a toxic mixture of madness and adrenaline after she gets riled up (which doesn't take much). She also has long blonde hair reaching to her midriff, though it is messy and unstyled, giving her a feral look. Her skin tone is white, though not too pale. While it seems to have no bearing on her power, her teeth are all razor-sharp, giving one the sense that she's some kind of predator through a smile alone. Speaking physically, her body is impressive, packing musculature even professional athletes would be jealous of. This is without her power, which would blow her inspiring physique to even higher heights, nearly increasing her height by a whole foot and swelling her already terrifying muscles. Clothing-wise, she keeps it simple, since she tends to need new clothes every time she uses her ability. Thus, Melia simply wears a black tank-top and grey sweatpants, and while she normally avoids footwear, if she is wearing something there, it's typically some type of heavy-duty military boots. Personality: For as long as Melia has lived here, all she has known is violence and combat...And she thrives off of it. She lives for every fight, and she only lives to fight. For her, the greatest joy she can experience is being able to dominate and destroy others through her own power, and it is this ideology that has made her needlessly ruthless...And undeniably powerful. While she is mostly known for this wild, battle-crazed persona, there is a bit more to her. Melia has a...Vague sense of honor. She never wastes time with those unwilling to fight, and if someone she's beating to a bloody pulp fighting seems ready to give up, she'll stop too. In essence, she's not going to attack or fight others who aren't willing to fight back tooth and nail just like she would (beyond orders, of course, but being ordered against this creed of hers is highly irritating for her, and could easily result in...Backlash, we'll call it). When not in a fighting mood (which is incredibly rare), or she actually manages to get her 'fix' of fighting as it were, Melia can be much more calm and collected than others would expect. When not using her free time exerting her ability or exercising, she's usually found reading or meditating, both being unexpected activities for her to have interest in. Still, she almost always comes off as stand-offish, and most aren't willing to try and interact with her due to her explosive temper that can crop up. Abilities: Muscle Augmentation (30 Pts.) - Melia is able to engorge her muscles for fairly long periods of time, around five to ten minutes if used in short bursts, or it can last for up to four hours continuously. During this time, her musculature will surge alongside her size, greatly enhancing speed and strength, as well as superficially enhancing her durability (weapons and the like will easily pierce through her skin, but usually struggle to bypass her enlarged and strengthened musculature). This ability is sometimes so strong it even causes her muscles to burst out from her body. While that process is painful, Melia is rather familiar with it, and by doing this, the overall power of her ability can continue to skyrocket without issues as her muscles grow even larger and more powerful once freed from her confining body. The user can recover from this ordeal rather fast (at least by normal human standards), but it typically takes at least a few days. Otherwise, the only other limiting factor of this ability is that extended usage over a long period of time can cause extreme muscle fatigue, leaving its user much weaker than they'd naturally be for a day or so. A byproduct of this ability is that after every use, the natural musculature of its user is always a bit stronger than it was before, meaning even without it properly activated, the user typically performs at either peak human or low-superhuman standards for physicality. Doctor: Dr. Schroder. Corruption: Originally one of the biggest thorns in the side of the Doctors due to her uncontrollable and destructive nature, they soon found out a simple answer; by making her a Trainee, it granted her the opportunity to 'stretch her legs', as it were, against other powered kids who caused trouble. Now, while she's still just as much of a wild card, that same unkempt power is now being used by the facility to subjugate the other children. She is well-known for being one of, if not the most violent and brutish of the Trainees, so having her show up is bad news. Weapons: N/A, lets her fists do the work.</s> <\|message\|>Lance 032307 Lance took a step back as Axel equipped himself. He seemed bothered by the broken record of questions, but Lance couldn't do anything about that. Usually the doors do not suddenly remove themselves the solid frames that house each of the children. It was muffled, but there was a commotion on the other side of the barrier, and Axel looked ready to tackle it head on. Perhaps his annoyance of answering the same question spurred a want to fight. With only ten seconds to make a decision, Lance started back towards his unsealed room. It was one thing to for Alex to cause trouble. While Lance had not known him personally, he knew of the antics he was capable of. This seemed a bit more on the extreme side. Lance knew not to piss off the guards, the staff, the doctors, whoever really. They took their work seriously, and Lance could not help but feel powerless. What was he going to do? He couldn't stop the guards, and he certainly couldn't stop Axel. "This is a bad idea." Lance said, using his eyes to try and urge the others to also retreat to their rooms. It didn't work as most if not all of the attention was on Axel and his barricade. He yelled and then punched the wall, penetrating the amalgam of metal clean through. It didn't take much more than Kitty to tell him the guards were ready to fight. "I told you this was a bad idea." Said Lance as he quickly turned and ducked back into his room. He looked out to see that guards were starting to break through. Lance didn't want to be a part of that fight. Axel made this mess; he should have to deal with it. Lance was sorry that he couldn't do more to help the others though. Not that they needed his help, but he was afraid they would sink with the same ship Axel was sailing.</s> <\|message\|>Laika 022805 Laika, for her own part, didn't appear very moved by the increasingly tense situation, though as Kitty was made uncomfortably aware of, there was invariably a lot more going on under the surface than was visible as a glance, even if the continual electric shriek of constant information was quite difficult to parse. By this point she had risen from her sitting position and walked into the corridor itself. No shoes on her feet, but the compression suit more of less obscured any glimpse of skin below the neck, and it wasn't especially good protection for the feet where it came to running around. "Nine currently, due to extended conversing." She tilted her head slightly to one side. "Broad stroke security techniques frequently recommended in facilitating the clearance of a corridor where all security is disabled as a means to protect security personnel." Other side. "All present subjects lacking security clearance may become potential targets for enforcement measures." Which seemed, in her roundabout way of conveying it, that as far as she was concerned, they were probably all potential targets for trainees at this point. Which was, presumably, the reason she'd not made much attempt to return to her own room, and instead was watching the barrier. Well, watching the barrier until she flicker her way back over to the cameras outside of it, looking out for what the current threat consisted of.</s> <\|message\|>Axel 070705 "Of course they are." Axel sighed, repairing his wall as he pulled his hand out. Then Vale started going off about getting in trouble and fighting. Axel grabbed Vale with his metal arm and carried him back to his room. "Stay in your room if you don't want to get in trouble." Using the minimal amount of metal, he made a quick metal mesh that Vale would easily be able to punch through. "Trust me, you're safer in there than with us. With Lance choosing to stay in his room, Axel looked at the girls. As far as he could tell, they were all ready to fight. "Barrier's coming down," he announced, putting his hand on it. Immediately, he became armored and weaponized, wielding a pair of large swords. With the wall down, the guards opened fire with their rubber bullets. Axel blocked as many as the shots as he could, making himself a barrier for the girls to hide behind as they countered the adults. "Be glad they're using rubber," he said to the girls, a slight smirk on his face. Then running footsteps and hollering could be heard behind them. It sounded like the trainees were coming. "You girls got them," he said, leaving his armor as a small wall for them as he rushed towards the trainees to begin trying to hold them off. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ From outside their room, Brayden and David could hear the shouts of the corrupted as they ran through the halls. Many of the trainees that passed by their small window could be seen holding various weapons, though not all of them needed any. Most of the guards they passed were pressed against the walls to allow the teenagers in uniform to pass them without trouble, though a couple of guards got ran over because they were too slow to react.</s> <\|message\|>David (011305) A final breath then nothing... It had been dark and young David cried because it scared him. He remembered Eli his only friend at the time comforting him with a hug but then Eli went stiff and his breathing became ragged until he heard a long sigh and then a wet feeling as the lights flashed on in their room revealing Ali as a rotten corpse in his arms. Skin and viscera flaking onto the floor and he screamed. __________________________ With a start David screamed as he awoke "Eli" tears crawling slowly down his cheeks. Wiping the tears from his eyes David heard the clatter of footfalls and shouting outside his room. Rather it was their room meaning his roommate Brayden whom was also occupying the room much to David's chagrin. The boy who seemed to be his age but he didn't really pay his roommate that much attention anyways. David slumped against the wall with a dull thud and a sigh as he tried to find a happy thought to get his mind of the panic attack he had just had.</s>	<\|message\|>Brayden 071605 David wasn't spared the time of day beyond a questioning glance towards him as he awoke with a scream, but that ended as briefly as it had began. No, Brayden's attention was to the outside of their small cell, where Trainees could be seen pouring through the hallway. He stood near their solid steel doorway, watching as those dubbed 'Corrupted' were set in dead-sprints towards the unknown...Granted, Brayden had some guesses. "Hmph. Probably just Axel causing a ruckus again, since half the other kids in this place couldn't be bothered to raise a finger without being told to..." He thought to himself, giving David a sideways glance before returning to his own thoughts. Yeah, that kid definitely fit the bill there... Still, that metal-warper must've gone over his head today to get a horde like that coming on his trail. Brayden only wished he could get involved, since this was looking to be quite the big deal, but... THUD. The sound of him lightly kicking the doorway with his heavy-metal boot echoed throughout their room and the hallway, a reminder of why he couldn't go and do exactly that. "Ugh. Damn restraints..." Was all he could be bothered to say, muttered under his breath and barely audible due to his mask, another stainless steel contraption that took up a good half of his face.</s>
<\|description\|>Laeveyla. No surname given, but when one must use something more formal, she usually goes by 'the Wanderer.' Age: 232 years. This makes her rather young by Eldar standards. Gender: Female Race: Craftworld Aeldari Appearance: Laeveyla is a tall, proud figure no matter where she finds herself. Having spent several decades in human space, the elf has adopted the clothing of the mon'keighs she works beside; outside of combat she wears a frilled blouse and waistcoat, a double-breasted jacket, tight-fitting trousers and flamboyantly buckled boots, whereas her combat dress features the far more practical mesh armour and Felarch helmet, the only real embellishment being its gold-streaked paintjob and the long bright scarlet scarf wrapped around her neck and hanging down just short of the jets of her jump pack. Underneath all of her fanciful wear, she is fairly typical for an Aeldari specimen. Six foot eleven tall, as thin as a whip, with piercing blue eyes and long, expertly tamed blonde hair, her appearance would cut a path through any dour craftworld's population, which is indeed exactly what she has designed it for. She is never seen without her curving, scimitar-like power sword and, as is common for felarchs, a fusion pistol rather than the normal shuriken. It is rare she takes her shuriken catapult into battle, preferring the more personal touch she can deliver with her other equipment, but, needs must when the dark prince drives. Personality: Like most corsairs that hail from craftworlds, Laeveyla is what most eldar would call a 'wayward soul.' Driven by a desire to see the galaxy, slash throats and consort with all kinds of foreign races, the eldar delights in breaking taboos and trying new things, something that puts her uncomfortably close to toppling off the knife's edge that all unfallen members of her race must walk. Relationship to the Dynasty: Laeveyla has journeyed with the Falcon-Cooks for some twenty years; a relatively insignificant time for her, but long enough for most members of the family to have met her at least once, especially with her unusual status as a xenos working freely as an Imperial mercenary. History: Laeveyla never knew the true glory of her craftworld; her parents fought as guardians to protect their home of Biel-Tan, and by the time she had grown into anything resembling an adult Aeldar her craftworld was shattered and her peoples were splintered into a fleet, rather than a singular, great craft. As a child she grew up being told of the winter her people were enduring, but through how force and dedication, their spring could come again. Laeveyla never really believed that. Although she walked the paths of her people; studying the ways of the dreamer and the mariner, and then under the warrior as a howling banshee, she still felt restrained. True, it was this last role that suited her best, but still something was missing, and rather than peruse it further and risk losing herself and becoming an Exarch, she instead took a very different route; her and several other young Aeldari collectively took a single vessel from Biel-Tan's great fleet and departed, joining with a corsair band that had stopped with their people for resupply and to return soul stones. It was here that she found her true home. The freedom of the life of a corsair; the ability to indulge in violence or temper it, to let herself laugh and dance and kill and take seemed much more natural to her than the rigid paths she had strode before, where she had had to temper herself to make sure she never went too far; felt too many emotions. She knew that she had to temper herself, and so far has walked the knife-edge successfully, never toppling over into the abyss of the dark prince. Yet still here, something was amiss, and she finally realised what it was when their corsair band communicated with a powerful mon'keigh fleet lead by a 'Rogue Trader.' He offered vast riches and a plentiful share of loot to any that would work for him, but the Corsair Prince of her fleet instructed that none join. She, viewing this as a pointless imposition to be shed, took a different route. As her felarch slept she pressed his soul stone into his chest and slit his throat, making sure her brethren would find his soul and keep it safe even as she took his helmet and weaponry, leaving their craft in a lifeboat that docked with the mon'keigh ship soon after. The 'Rogue Trader' was delighted, and she has now worked with their family for close to thirty years, enjoying more privileges than she ever did with her own kind, albeit with far more suspicion. Skills: * Swashbuckling Fighter: A dab hand with a sword and a fusion pistol and more than happy to use them against any foolish enough to oppose her, Laeveyla has probably killed more men than you've had hot dinners. Or, so she claims, anyway. * Aeldarin Grace: Like all of her race, Laeveyla is, to humans at least, superhumanly fast and agile, capable of weaving between bullets and cutting down a man from ten paces away before he can blink. * Psychically Attuned: Laeveyla is particularly sensitive to the winds of the Warp. Although no Warlock, her innate capabilities are useful in other ways; a split second's foresight, a tighter bond with her mesh armour and a healthy respect for the things that don't come from this side of the galaxy can all let a lone xenos survive for longer. Trust her; you don't want to see what happens when a corsair warlock loses control of their powers. * Scrappy Survivor: A corsair is already expected to have a general skillset that makes them useful on spacefaring craft, but corsairs that hire themselves out as mercenaries must have all of this and the ability to survive without any of their fellows in Imperial space for decades at a time. Any that survives their first dozen or so years usually has a good variety of mechanical and medical skills to keep themselves alive and in good condition. Equipment: * Fusion pistol * Shuriken catapult * Power sword * Mesh armour</s> <\|message\|>Laeveyla. No surname given, but when one must use something more formal, she usually goes by 'the Wanderer.' Assault Point 10/15 had a member there almost immediately. Lounging against one of the walls, a xenos helmet beneath one of her feet and a fusion pistol in her hand. "Lumberfoots," she would address individuals as they filtered in, making an explicit adaptation for the techpriest, choirmaster and, should he arrive, her employer. The first received a 'skinscared,' the second, a highly sarcastic 'highmind,' and the third a curt nod, rather than an offensive nickname. "I hope all of yous are prepared for this. I warn you, should any of you mayflies go down, I'm not risking my millenia to help your decades." She turned towards Rudyard. "You're centuries, so you I will stop for though."</s> <\|message\|>Severus Hierophox "I suppose you'd like me to adjust from repair to medicae captain?" He only suggested it because he was the best medic the ship had. He was responsible essentially for keeping everything running, including the people. A boarding party was a risky endeavor and if some of the more trigger happy ship mates were going, he would expect to turn resources away from the sword class ship to mend their feeble bodies properly. He turned off his data slate and requested for his data gear. He had arrived at 'assault point 10/15' with his custom revengence grenade launcher and bangolier in his main limbs, the others moving about for functions checks and dedicated to fixing machines, people, and rending both. He received a 'Scaredskin' from the resident xenos, a creature he would describe as a little too curvy. Not even nature had such strange contours. The insult of course, pretty much fell flat against his inorganic eyes. "Greetings Shipmate Laeveyla. I do believe it's my primary directive to aid downed personnel so you can focus on not joining them." After her declaration he moved to the rear of the group, his task was support. "Considering half life of primary make up or core elements, I'll probably be functional longer then anyone on the vessel." The techpriest seemed to add as a simple statement of fact. "But no favors needed. I can just fix myself if required. There is nothing that can't be resolved with the right amount of drugs." Speaking of, he checked some of the canister rounds, making sure there was a variety for most occasions.</s> <\|message\|>Isaiah Hussian the III Isaiah As soon as he saw the nod he turned on his heel and started his walk. Striding quickly as he felt the deck below him along the ridges of his boots. He had pretty much everything he needed at the time, shotgun was just for formalities. He walked through the bulkhead and turned once again as he started through the maze of the ship, getting close to the sides of the hall to let the ratings pass. Over his vox he listened to the captain, "I will be there shortly." he said as his strides grew longer, he paced himself some, mainly so he didn't burn his old body out before the fight even begun. But he began thinking some, he is the biggest target that screams 'For the Imperium' in the ship, and if he is going over to a ship full of things that hate even seeing something Imperial, he was going to have a fun fight. Maybe he could use that to his advantage. He reached his room and opened the door. It looked almost standard for an officer's quarters if not for the boxes. Over his bed was a shotgun mounted to the wall, he walked to it and lifted it up. Taking the sling and pulling it from the barrel. The sling was moved up his arm and around his shoulder, letting the barrel sling below his right arm. He leaned down and got another sling, and a large canister of shells putting it around his neck and left arm, sliding it under the other sling so if he needed to take the shotgun off he could easier. The box of shells wouldn't interfere with movements as much as the shotgun would where it was currently hanging. He turned back out of the hallway and headed to where he was being sent to, bending his elbow up as he took several shells from the canister, closing it behind them, and then putting one in the barrel, and the rest in the internal. Eventually, he arrived at the point and was greeted, "Oh it's nice to see you again knife ear." he stated, rolling his eyes, "But if these things are any more deadly in person then their ship is, should we not refine a plan for ourselves and ratings once we board? I have a few idea's but I don't they are beneficial to the centuries that knife ears spent learning to be sarcastic." He asked to the rest of the room.</s> <\|message\|>Tecca Nina Ah, yes. Her desirability in the assault was not unexpected - if nothing else, her presence would be suitable for enhancing the group's resolve and ensuring the boarding action's success. Bidding her Choir continue to contemplate their next message outward, and designating one to lead them in her absence, she let them be, heading on to the assault point in due course. She had everything she needed with her, of course. And yet, the Eldar still reached the location long before anybody else. She had a knack for physicality, not to mention intense arrogance and a soul that could be singled out from well across the ship. Granted, its potency compared to the others on board was significant, but it was the strange form that really stuck out when it came to seeing her. Naturally, this made her no easier to communicate with - especially with such mocking greetings as "highmind". 'Ah, and a distinct greeting to you too, xeno,' she replied , her sardonic grin cutting. Her glare would have been too, but... well. 'I certainly hope you get your fill of combat today - why, you must be raring to get to the front line ahead of us mere humans, mustn't you?' Even as she said this, she set her mind upon bolstering the group's resolve in advance of the attack, her soul reaching out to touch those of the others in the group. Severus', mostly gilded from fear already, but precise and specific in its function, and simple enough to add extra reinforcement to. Isaiah's, tired of the galaxy as it was, but proof against most fears, and yet worth proofing further. Even Laeveyla's. Eugh, like prodding grox refuse with her toe - not that Laeveyla had any relation to a grox, of course, because those were actually useful, but one could all but smell the pompous crap spewing from her mind if only one had the capacity to sense it.</s>	<\|message\|>Laeveyla. No surname given, but when one must use something more formal, she usually goes by 'the Wanderer.' "Yes, well, I'm glad I don't intend to rely on your services, Scaredskin." She shook her head in the direction of the mangled heap of metal that stubbornly still called itself human, before a crewmember calling her a 'knife ear' came in. Honestly, there was no originality with these mon'keighs. Knife ears this, knife ears that. At least she tried coming up with new insults for them. "Issac," she said, referring to the man's name for quite possibly the first time since she had boarded this ship (even if it was the wrong name.) Drawing her sabre in one smooth movement, she would swing it dangerously close to his face before bringing it back towards her with a flourish. "They are deadly to you, perhaps, but a Corsair ship would have already taken anything worth salvaging from their craft and sent it towards the nearest sun in the time it's taken for you lot to meander your way to this airlock. Considering it's putting holes in this bucket of bolts so rapidly, you'd think you lot might show some urgency." Then came her favourite memebr of the crew to mock. The psyker. She thought herself so much better than the common man for her powers, not comprehending how little it raised her from the mediocre throngs of her race. "Oh come now. The machine can't even match my insult... That man," she gestured vaguely in Isiah's direction "uses the only damn insult any of you seem to know and you can't even be bothered to think of something? What does a woman have to do around here to match her wits?" She paused for a moment to let the comedic timing work its way out. "Oh, yes, sorry, I forgot this was a mon'keigh ship, right, yes, my apologies." Turning back to the psyker, she would toss her power sabre up and behind her, gracefully catching the weapon with her other hand, giving it a twirl, and then sheathing it once more, resting both of her hands atop the hilt. "One doesn't exactly have to rare to get ahead of you lot. I don't call you lumberfoots for nothing, after all." She rolled her eyes, but then in a surprising example of what little modesty the corsair had in her, doffed her cap towards the choir-master once she felt her magics work their way across the eldar's form. "Now then, I believe that leaves us awaiting one more, and then we can be off and I can earn my rather large paycheck."</s>
<\|description\|>Severus Hierophox Age: 48 Gender: Male Race: Adeptus Mechanicus Appearance: It is difficult to really call Severus human anymore. No part of him that one sees carries the hint or scrap of human skin, wrapped as he is in the iconic robes of mars, with brown red speckled smock and golden trim. His face looks more like a squid, the dozen tubes that connect into from his skull into the various systems that are attached to his body. In front of the tubes is a plate of five glowing green eyes as his optics. His left hand actually resembles a human hand before the fingers telescopically unfold into various tools. His left hand is a series of clawed cable like tendrils capable of manual manipulations beyond that of weak flesh, and that is before one gets to the mechadendrites, three of them. One is a servo arm holding a massive hydrolic claw and phosphor blow torch for heavy repairs. One holding all the medicae tools needed for knitting and exchanging flesh and the biologus cogitators. The last another limb for more tendrils to carry weapons and other gadgets for appeasing the machine spirits. One can see the various systems hanging from satchels and mechadendrite anchor points. The scanning devices. The data slabs. Entire tool kits, and a charging station for his servo skull Cornelius. He does also carry with him a number of biological specimen jars, just in case he comes across anything particularly interesting. When expecting trouble, his hands usually have a grenade launcher and bangoliers filled with his grenades, but he commonly would switch to his shock maul and web pistol, in order to prevent unnecessary loss of organ integrity. Personality: The various attachments, wires, tubes, and connectors in his skull has affected his thought process and temperment as it had done with many of the Mechanicus. He speaks with a constant robotic inflection and doesn't appear to have any emotion aside from cold hard logic. However that is where the similarities between him and his other compatriots end. Severus seems to have an unorthodoxly open desire to converse with others. His words while monotone, always carry a playful hint about them. Something cheeky, sarcastic, with a rather morbid sense humor. He doesn't get angry, or sad, or annoyed and seems to take pleasure in doing it to others, as if his advanced state of being makes him above such emotions, and its up to him to show its superior and preferred side. He works on machines, but his passion, his hobby is in the biological form, experimenting on flesh and swapping it with stronger prosthetic components. It doesn't matter the source either, humans, xenos. All are just flesh, waiting to be processed, enhanced. That isn't to say that he is cruel. Despite his macabe fascinations, he has a rather optimistic point of view. All things are alive. Humans, Xenos have souls. Machines have their spirits. The Emperor. The Ominssiah. Their will extends like the Astranomicon across the stars. Even stars burn, live, die. He sees himself as a medicae, preserving life in unrotting metal. His rather unorthodox ideas of xenos does make some question his loyalty to the Imperium. However his faith in the Omnissiah is beyond reproach. They are the great creator. The engine of progress and creation. He believes himself an instrument of his will whenever he lays hands upon something to fix. He plays the litanies by vox cast, burns incense and lays the oils. He is friend to machine spirit as he is to flesh. If there is one thing he does have a profound hatred for, its chaos, and those that serve demonkind. Those that mix with the darker powers are a cancer, a rot that should be cut out. He hopes the infections are not so deep. Their organs can be put to better use. Relationship to the Dynasty: Hierophox was offered as a favor between the Martian Adepts and the Dynasty. The Techpriest has no personal relationship with the Dynasty. History: Vat grown on a Mechanicus ship to the Gothic Sector, Severus grew among the priest hood as an acolyte. Plying his knowledge, the trade, and all in all focusing hard to become another Engineseer, a noble profession that would see him supporting the other deparmentos of the Imperium. He knew he was not made for fame, glory, merely that his work would provide order, creation to the chaotic galaxy. His main apprenticeship would take place on Research Station X9 Artemis which would act as a harbringer force while the other planets were surveyed and colonized into the Imperiums Service. Then a Raiding force under the banner of Chaos sought to pillage and infest the system while Imperial presence was weak. The Research Station became a listening post by which the Mechnanicus could spy on the Raiders. The station had received countless attacks, and over time, communications were disrupted, and the station was considered lost. It would be years later that the Imperial Navy and Adeptus Astartes would purge the system of the Chaos Warband and the research station was rediscovered. It was a surprise when the short range radio picked up the Imperial distress voc. It was even more surprising that the gun turrets in a part of the station were still manned. It was considered impossible that a single member of the station had survived, Severus Hierophox, working frantically to maintain the core systems of the station and the hundreds of Servitors that were once its former crew, injured from the decades of repelling the attackers. Severus was rescued, but his time isolated had changed him. He became a gifted tech priest, but even under interrogation, he was considered unhinged, possibly tainted, yet he passed every test the adepts could give him. The Adeptus Mechanicus had saw his duty done as a great service to be honored, but the possible concern overrided welcoming him back to the fold. Instead, he would be given to a Rogue Trader to honor a deal. Best to continue the Great Work, far far away from Holy Terra. Skills: * Passionate Genetor- While not a true member of the order, his love and passion are for the crafting and study of the flesh. Biology has such fascinating properties and he spends every moment he can manipulating it to its true purpose, to host the metal of the machine. * Tech Priest of Mars - His Order is more in line with the Artisan. Artisans, sometimes called "Constructors," are the Tech-priests who design and oversee the construction of new devices, edifices, spacecraft, weapons, technology and other Imperial civilian and military hardware. For that, he sees to the machine of the ship and its upkeep. * Data Archivist - A life of scholarly study with numerous data slates and cogitators, allows him to have a bit of knowledge for any given situation. * Servitor Fabricator - His specialty is craft and upkeep of servitors, provided he have the time and resources. * The Flesh is Weak - His form boasts numerous augments including his extra limbs, auspex implants, and general physically robustness. Handy for survival, gathering data, or having a tool for any occasion. * Non Lethal Combat - Knows how to put something down without excess damage. * Chem Tinkerer - Numerous experiments with alternative medicines and reagents, he has an array of drugs and grenades he could provide. Equipment: * Phosphor Burner - Acts as a Hand Flamer, attached to Servo Arm * Pneumatic Claw - For bashing, lifting, crushing, attached to Servo Arm * Webber Pistol - Blasts a globual of expanding sticky foam to incapacitate foes. * Shock Maul - A cudgel with a charge of electricity that disrupts electrical signals, both biological and mechanical. * Grenade Launcher - Commonly equipped with Smoke, Stun, Hallucinogen, Neurotoxin, and a few more destructive options. * Field Medicae Kit - Has enough supplies for a proper field surgery. * Enginseer Array - All the tools needed for on the spot repairs. Attached to mechadendrite. * Data Slates - For Record Keeping. * Specimen Bottles - Just in case. * Multi Range Optical Auspice - Able to view, infrared, ultraviolet, xray, and integrity scanner * Integrated Vox Caster - A short range radio * Telescopic lasher - Acting as his hand, gives him reach and greater dexterity. * Servo Skull - Cornelius, equipped with the various religious iconography needed to appease the machine spirits, censor burner, holy oils, prayer strips, and a number of recorded songs that play from a Vox Caster. Miscellaneous: A motivation is that Severus has maintained a sample of the Poxwalker Plague among his personal items, and spends open hours trying in vein to discover a cure. This is entirely to spite the darker powers, that his medicae is superior then their vile tricks.</s> <\|message\|>Tecca Nina Ah, yes. Her desirability in the assault was not unexpected - if nothing else, her presence would be suitable for enhancing the group's resolve and ensuring the boarding action's success. Bidding her Choir continue to contemplate their next message outward, and designating one to lead them in her absence, she let them be, heading on to the assault point in due course. She had everything she needed with her, of course. And yet, the Eldar still reached the location long before anybody else. She had a knack for physicality, not to mention intense arrogance and a soul that could be singled out from well across the ship. Granted, its potency compared to the others on board was significant, but it was the strange form that really stuck out when it came to seeing her. Naturally, this made her no easier to communicate with - especially with such mocking greetings as "highmind". 'Ah, and a distinct greeting to you too, xeno,' she replied , her sardonic grin cutting. Her glare would have been too, but... well. 'I certainly hope you get your fill of combat today - why, you must be raring to get to the front line ahead of us mere humans, mustn't you?' Even as she said this, she set her mind upon bolstering the group's resolve in advance of the attack, her soul reaching out to touch those of the others in the group. Severus', mostly gilded from fear already, but precise and specific in its function, and simple enough to add extra reinforcement to. Isaiah's, tired of the galaxy as it was, but proof against most fears, and yet worth proofing further. Even Laeveyla's. Eugh, like prodding grox refuse with her toe - not that Laeveyla had any relation to a grox, of course, because those were actually useful, but one could all but smell the pompous crap spewing from her mind if only one had the capacity to sense it.</s> <\|message\|>Laeveyla. No surname given, but when one must use something more formal, she usually goes by 'the Wanderer.' "Yes, well, I'm glad I don't intend to rely on your services, Scaredskin." She shook her head in the direction of the mangled heap of metal that stubbornly still called itself human, before a crewmember calling her a 'knife ear' came in. Honestly, there was no originality with these mon'keighs. Knife ears this, knife ears that. At least she tried coming up with new insults for them. "Issac," she said, referring to the man's name for quite possibly the first time since she had boarded this ship (even if it was the wrong name.) Drawing her sabre in one smooth movement, she would swing it dangerously close to his face before bringing it back towards her with a flourish. "They are deadly to you, perhaps, but a Corsair ship would have already taken anything worth salvaging from their craft and sent it towards the nearest sun in the time it's taken for you lot to meander your way to this airlock. Considering it's putting holes in this bucket of bolts so rapidly, you'd think you lot might show some urgency." Then came her favourite memebr of the crew to mock. The psyker. She thought herself so much better than the common man for her powers, not comprehending how little it raised her from the mediocre throngs of her race. "Oh come now. The machine can't even match my insult... That man," she gestured vaguely in Isiah's direction "uses the only damn insult any of you seem to know and you can't even be bothered to think of something? What does a woman have to do around here to match her wits?" She paused for a moment to let the comedic timing work its way out. "Oh, yes, sorry, I forgot this was a mon'keigh ship, right, yes, my apologies." Turning back to the psyker, she would toss her power sabre up and behind her, gracefully catching the weapon with her other hand, giving it a twirl, and then sheathing it once more, resting both of her hands atop the hilt. "One doesn't exactly have to rare to get ahead of you lot. I don't call you lumberfoots for nothing, after all." She rolled her eyes, but then in a surprising example of what little modesty the corsair had in her, doffed her cap towards the choir-master once she felt her magics work their way across the eldar's form. "Now then, I believe that leaves us awaiting one more, and then we can be off and I can earn my rather large paycheck."</s>	<\|message\|>Severus Hierophox "Greetings Shipmate Isaiah." The techpriest had catalogued most of the names and designations of the entire crew and as they appeared, the techpriest would give them welcome like clockwork. Course some were more crucial than others, at least in terms of station. "The captain and the command staff really intend on joining a boarding action? Hardly efficient. Though should they fall in battle, I'd be happy to take impromptu emergency powers. I did maintain a research station when all others were reduced to husks of a servitor. I was always curious of the challenges of maintaining a void ship. Though of course, that would mean I shirk my duties as Medicae, which is doubtful. You'll survive. Perhaps with a few improvements. Speaking of, care for some drugs?" He held up a little syringe, the contents a clear liquid. "Oh wait, the more friendly vernacular, care for some chems?" Severus was going to offer his suggestions for a suitable plan when there was another particularly important individual. "Greeting Choirmaster Tecca. Just in time to start developing a strate-" As the psychic powers reached out from her, there was always an odd little disconnect as his mechanical components had to to find new neural pathways inorder to compensate for the energies sparking and revitalizing the organic remnants of his mind. On the outside, it looked like the Tech Priest just stopped moving, going completely still for a few seconds before there were mechanical whirling sounds and a few beeps of his various Cogitator reinitializing. "How inefficient. A few pieces left to replace it seems." He said to his various limbs and mechadendrites. "Still, some warp effects are appreciated Choirmaster. Let me return the kindness." He pointed his syringe in her direction. He stopped when he noticed the bickering between the three of them. His various green eyes seemingly telescoping and whirling as they went their back and forth. "I detect a slight increase in endorphins. Omnissiah bless this cohesive structure of mutual respect and cooperation. There is a lesson to be had here by our example."</s>
<\|description\|>Isaiah Hussian the III Age : 25 Terran Years in looks - 58 in years. Gender : Male Race : Human Appearance : Short length brown hair,(does have wigs for pony tail or curls for formal occasions), blue eyes and lighter caucasian skin, does use powder to make his skin seem more like porcelain. No mechanical implants. Rather skinny, and shorter (110-130 lbs) (5'2 ft) His shape is about average, or leaner compared to most. No scarring through most of his body, he would seem to be a track runner without thighs. Typically found wearing white pants, and Imperial Naval Jacket (blue torso with white arms) with midshipman insignia and a small pin on his collar signifying his house. (Grey and black pendant in a checkered pattern) Most of the time wearing white gloves. While on his belt is an issued laspistol, chainsword, glow-globe and data-slate. Can usually also be found with a Data-slate. Will also wear a cloak if he is on a long watch. A young man, with an aged left eye, nearly white porcelain skin, and long white hair, that is either seen in a pompous wing and ponytail or just as a long single ponytail. His left eye is missing, but it does have a replacement false eye that is similar to his old one for show, but also a large cybernetic piece that he can wear. He does have a large vein-like bulge that goes down the side of his neck under his skin, it is somewhat flush, and looks like a buff guy broke a nerve. He is taller than what he once was, at now six three. His knees having been replaced some short time ago, as well as his left shoulder blade. The synthetic skin hiding most if not all of the metallic bits. His form is still thin, but this hides the somewhat metallic strength of his somewhat rebuilt again body. His right arm though is buff compared to his other appendages. He wears either one of two suits, one which is completely white similar to that worn in a ball room. The other is a dark blue, that of the navy with the ranking of captain plastered on it along with various badges and metals that he may or may not have deserved. With his white suit, he does have a laspistol of some kind inside the chest. But his naval uniform, he wears it all, his sword on his side and laspistol on the other. His belt lined with his data-slate, his power packs, and his light. Personality : Young and extremely timid, Isaiah has yet to experience the world. Those above him he treats with utmost respect, and those below him and beside him he has no idea what to do with. Can be considered a coward in some situations, but when supported he can be valuable. He is not really adventurous, but he is someone to be in awe at some new things he finds as 'beautiful' mainly galactic bodies (suns that aren't the color of his, brightly colored gas clouds, etc) He does try to do his job the best he can, and if he doesn't know how to do something in his line of work, then he figures it out. Can be reluctant to give information out if something is wrong, i.e. someone missing from the shift or cargo missing. (kid really needs a person commissar with a fake gun) After almost forty years of being in service to several Rogue Traders, he has gain a lot of knowledge. He has seen many stars, fought demonic incursions, xenos, traitors, and many other things. He walked the void of space after venting out his cargo bay to rid it of a fungal infection. He has aged like spoiled milk, becoming a frequent alcoholic, and an overall grumpy and angry man. He is not at home with a family, sitting in some mansion. He is out in the wilds of space, being angry as all hell as looks over the stars. He has lived his life of adventure, his life in the Navy roster of a Rogue Trader, he has become a captain of nothing but cargo bays and galleys on several ships of varying levels of Imperial heresy. But, in general, he is a reliable old man. If you can bear his yelling, and complaining, you can see that most of his words have some sense and truth to them. He is a bountiful source of information and wisdom to those who can translate insane and angry drunkard. Relationship to the Dynasty : His family is of a bunch of nobles, but he really has no ties to the rogue trader or his family. History : Isaiah grew up in a kind and gentle world in his estate, he traveled the planet some. And lived in almost complete luxury due to his status. In his early years he was taught that the human body was perfect the way it was, but to preserve the family at later ages once proven a decent heir or of some importance. They would be given allowances for minor life preservation treatments. Minor due to the world being somewhat out of the way of most imperial trade routes, so not that high on the economic level. But the planet was a Feudal world, living the ways of nobles, and his family being one lower on the totem pole in the planet. In his education, he was found to be an extremely good pencil pusher, and therefor was to be inducted as one of the planets bureaucrats. But his father decided he should take a different route, and enlisted his son in the Grand Imperial Navy. It was due to other political reasons as well, such as they wanted honor and prestige from the son, as well as a chance to get him out there to other nobles who may have been enlisted into the Navy, or Astra Militarum. Once given his rank of Midshipman due to his noble status, he was quickly to be found as an Officer of the Watch while most ranking officers were off duty, and quartermaster, due to his good skills with pushing paper. Due to this, and his abilities with other people, he was found to be somewhat of an underdog. His previous Captain, deciding that it would be better for him to put his skills in paper pushing, moved his station to an actual station rather then a ship. There for he, and the pencil pushers of various creed within the Imperium at the station were to inspect ships, their contents, the crew, and the ship itself while in port and dry dock. To rot away as pencil pusher, lest a crew of adventures were to save him, or he was to be kidnapped while inspecting a ship. Because who cares about some lowly midshipman? He has been transferred around a bit by rogue traders for his ability to keep the cargo bay somewhat clean and orderly. And as a gift to a new fledgling rogue trader, his services were offered as long as the pay was similar and the title was somewhat better. He has been with rogue traders for a long period of time, mainly as a quartermaster and cargo bay controller. But he has slowly been working with command staff and even in small engagements in the bridge. Once he was even given command of the ship when a rogue trader decided he wanted a vacation. For that he was given a few days down on planet and regenerative treatment to make him look younger and to give him a new liver. In his travels he has also been trained in maybe service skills such as cooking, cleaning, being a servant, and some in the commander role of parts of the ship and as a pseudo-armsman. He is still serving in the Imperial Navy, and they have deemed him to become a Captain now, does he get his own command, no because they have no idea where he is, but they do pay him as he does check in with the Administrautum at some stops. Skills : Extremely good with numbers, organizing shifts, ordering and stocking goods, ammo, and other needed things. Knows how to use basic Imperial Weapons, chainsword, and his power sword Knows how to cook, and how to get higher quality goods for cooking. Has officer clearance Is extremely perceptive of things in stock, and can find contraband, as well as knows basic layout of most Imperial ships. Servant skills Luxury cooking Being a fledgling commander Equipment : Laspistol power sword Basic Naval Officer Garbs Naval Captain insignia Data-slate Glow-globe recorder a powerpacks for the laspistol -in quarters shotgun standard naval cloak Flak Weave shells for the shotgun Misc :</s> <\|message\|>Laeveyla. No surname given, but when one must use something more formal, she usually goes by 'the Wanderer.' To the Aeldari, a little bit of heavy fire wasn't really too much to concern herself with. She had escaped worst situations without losing a hair on her head; this was nothing unusual. Maybe to the Mon'Keighs it was something to worry themselves over, but she had hope, and when hope didn't work, she had the fact that she was superior to the rest of the crew instead. When the Rogue Trader asked his question, she shook her head. "Nae, despite the similarities t'ween the weaponry it carries and that of my Commorite kin, it's nae wraithbone and I dinnae see any Aeldari markings on it." Her hair danced about her head with every movement she made; a mesmerising display that distracted from her face. "Could be scavenged Aeldari technology. Or they nicked it from us. Either wae, nae to do with my peoples any more. Tha' being said, might be worthwhile for me to get my armour on, jus' in case we end up with some boarding actions goin' on." With a brief nod towards the owner of the vessel she would leave the bridge, heading towards where she bunked and where her armour was held. She had her weaponry on her at all times; the fusion pistol and power sabre snugly fit to her thighs, but alas, a fetching double breasted jacket and her tight fitted trousers did not deflect shuriken fire. A few moments later and she would emerge once more; although Biel-Tan's colours were white and green, the mesh armour wasn't hers, and she was fairly sure the corsair it came from had hailed from Saim-Hann with its deep crimson colour. The flecks of gold were certainly not standard though, and the felarch helmet she held underneath her arm was the same red as the armour; not the white that standardised guardian armour would be. Moving to the vox-channel that linked her to Rudyard, the smugness in her voice was palpable. "Are there any folks, me exceptin', who'll be needed if we take the fight t'them? Or, if they take the fight t'us."</s> <\|message\|>Severus Hierophox Certainly a mess they were in. The aft section of the frigate took some kind of ballistic fire. A rail gun the Tech Priest could gather. It shot right through the void shields and slammed right into the engines section. It exposed the massive compartment to void. The ship lost 3 whole teams in an instant. Servitors and Hierophox went to work while repair teams prepared their void suits to help out. If it was just a big hole in the ship, they'd be done by now. But the shell didn't just puncture, didn't just explode. The shrapnel... the projectile seemed perfectly designed to pierce metal and then rupture. Hundreds, thousands of cuts from the entry point, slicing fuel lines, coolant pipes, even as small as wires were severed. Day one, patch the holes and structural damage, make sure the ship atleast has its impulse power. Day two, evaluation and begin repairs on the Warp Engine. The myriad of small annoyances mounted to a major problem. The Warp Engine was a temperamental beast even under optimized circumstances. Now it was wounded, wounded and angry. A thousand cuts throughout its body. The entire engine block smelled of blessed oils, sanctified grease, and promethium wielders. Severus Hierophox was at the foot of the Warp Engine, near coil intake port 37. His mechadendrites a flurry of sparks, lights, and whirls as he cut, trimmed, massaged, soothed the dozens of wires, patched the hundreds of cut tubes. Cornelius flitted about him, speaking the litanies, playing the vox caster of power inspiration music that the Omnissiah good graces and glory. Through it all, the vox in his skull chirped on. "Receiving Captain Cook." Came his oddly cheery if completely robotic voice, orchestral classical music playing in the background. He knew that the captain wouldn't have the patience needed to treat the Praetorian Steel with the loving care such a noble creation required and so, moving his hands from the computer panel, he went to his data slate currently in the mechanical hands of a favored servitor. "Thank you Abigail. Aid Support Team 6 and initiate the coajicator reloading." He took the slate from her and quickly his tendrilites did their work. "Understood. We have returned functionality to the Warp Drive, but the scans and repairs to the surrounding sectors are still on going. We have structural damage being appraised in sections 12E, 18-27E, 34E, and 39E. The stress of a jump could cause fracturing and cataclysmic failure. I might also add, the micro leaks could cause the Engine to fail, which means a possibility of being stranded. I am calculating a 33.768924 percent chance of immediate termination upon activation and a 46.983291 chance of engine failure after activation. If you can give us another estimated 5.46 hours, those numbers will decrease by 9.12 percent. Extraordinary efforts considering most of your repair teams are liberated organics." He was pushing for a full servitor repair teams but so far his requisitions have not been accepted.</s>	<\|message\|>Isaiah Hussian the III "It's cause it ain't Imperial, Master Trader, the only time I had face a vessel similar to that is when I was twenty-five years old... To my remembrance, it is far more advanced then what we have, they hate anything with imperial iconography, and they like sifting through trash." Isaiah closed his eyes for a moment, "the only thing I believe can turn the situation in our favor is if we appease them, go faster than them, or if you have some weapon hidden up your leave." Thinking a bit more, "There are two other possibilities, dumping any trash compartment we have left with munitions and hoping they go for it." His eyes narrowed towards the statuette in his hands, "but the question is, do they want us dead, or do they want that thing you have in your hand. Some stupid little trinket might have some importance to them, so I believe we suit ourselves out like the knife-eared darling and prepare ourselves for a melee, and if we are daring enough today, we try a boarding action of our own to damage it." "Now, Master Trader, may I retire to my chamber, I may require my shotgun for the coming fight." he asked still looking at the idol for a moment before shifting his vision up to the traders head waiting for permission.</s>
<\|description\|>Tabaga Species: Saiyan Age: 34 Gender: Female Appearance Personality: Tabaga used to be an enthusiastic warrior who never ran from a fight. After the destruction of her home-world, she entered into a sort of catatonic state after unlocking her Super Saiyan transformation which lasted a number of days. At the moment, her grasp on mental stability is tenuous to put it mildly. Bio: Tabaga was one of the elites on Planet Vegeta. Born to a high ranking family and born with an above average power level she quickly began to rise through the ranks as she began her training. She was known for being a ruthless sparring partner and an even more ruthless warrior. The Saiyans of her universe never knew how fortunate they were, as the Freeze force did not exist in their universe. Without Freeza and his family to limit their growth, The Saiyans were able to expand beyond Planet Vegeta eventually although it took quite a bit longer. They eventually set out to conquer their home galaxy and nearly succeeded in doing so. Unknown to the war-hungry Saiyans however, another, far more ancient and vicious race had set their sights on the Saiyan's home galaxy after annihilating the inhabitants of the East, West and South Galaxies and adding them to their own Empire. Although the Saiyans attempted to do what they did best, the unknown warriors cut through them without much effort over years of bloody battle and more and more planets began to fall to the unknown warriors. Eventually, the Saiyans were beat back to Planet Vegeta and the Planet itself was wiped clean of all life after a massive battle. Tabaga, whose grip on her mental stability was already hanging by a thread after continued losses to the invaders, was forced to watch and know she could do nothing as Planet Vegeta finally fell. As she watched flames engulf her home planet, something inside her snapped. She could feel her power rising exponentially and a massive golden aura began to surround her. She didn't exactly remember what happened next, but she had flashes of memory of the invaders being cut down by the dozens and of a massive explosion that wiped out all life in Planet Vegeta's solar system. The last flash of memory she had was a rather tall unknown figure placing her in an attack ball, looking down at her and telling her everything would be fine as the hibernation sequence began to activate. What seemed like minutes for her were actually years outside of the attack ball. Unknown to Tabaga, her attack ball had been moved. It was no longer in her home universe, rather it sitting outside of a ruined temple. Techniques: Ki Sword: Dragon Cannon: Dragon's roar: Tabaga unleashes a massive Ki blast from her mouth that causes expanding waves of destruction. Not very effective in range unless she is in Super Saiyan form or above.)) Transformations: Super Saiyan: Tabaga unlocked this technique after the fall of the Saiyan Home world. It may not have allowed her to save her home-world but it allowed her to take revenge on those who aided in it's destruction. Other Info: A universal war between the Saiyan Race and a race of unknown warriors who annihilated everything in their path is what destroyed Tabaga's home galaxy. The Unknown warriors couldn't be stopped through normal means and cut down everything in front of them.</s> <\|message\|>Mia Death, destruction, pain and than darkness. These were the ingredients chosen to ruin a young girls perfect day. But than an extra ingredient was added to the concoction, space magic. And so it was that instead of falling into a crack in the ground to her doom, burning up into a crisp, having her lungs detonate, her face melt off, her skin boil, her eyes explode or meeting some similar and equally displeasing and yet altogether expected fate Mia found her self in the unusual position of lifting up her eyes in hell. Or had she? As her eyes adjusted to a sky that wasn't black and burning she couldn't but help think it didn't look like any hell she imagined. For one thing the sky wasn't burning. Although it certainly smelled like it. And she always pictured hell as having more gothic spires and lava pits and less ruins. Than again it didn't look like heaven either. Not that she knew what the two looked like. Mia newer was very religious. A week ago if someone had told her about an afterlife she'd have laughed at it. But now she wasn't so sure. After all one does not just survive the destruction of a planet least of all while having her feet planted on it. Still she simply couldn't imagine either of the big ones would let their domain go this badly. So where had she gone? Mia carefully considered her options. She wasn't evil. So hell was probably out of the question. After all she wasn't that sinful. A smirk involuntarily passed her face as she recalled her, now sadly canceled, plans for the evening. Alright, maybe just a bit. But still, her life of fighting and fun were hardly a reason to... well, what ever. Living or dead, hell or heaven might as well make the best of it. Thus she got up, dusted her self off and decided to go find some other undead to chat up and see what answers this new world had to offer.</s> <\|message\|>Dimsum AKA "Yaksha" "It has been an honor fighting alongside you, Supreme Kai Shin" "Likewise Yaksh...no, Prince Dimsum, I believe?" "Heh. I believe the odds aren't that bad. Majin Frieza and Majin Buu. Two of us remaining in this scorched planet." "I admire your optimism, human." "Defiant to the end, that's how we are. Here they come - ORYAAAA!" Yaksha's mind still throbbed, after being bereaved from probably his death in combat. A unknown yet familiar landscape appeared before him, as he tried to get his bearings to where he had ended up. Unfortunately for him, he was in freefall and as he pondered he fell in the fountain of Conton City, making one hell of a splash. The shock seemed to make him regain his senses, before he hapzardly climbed out, and eyed the wreckage of the city and its ethereal surroundings. He wanted desperatedly to go back to the battle, and try and do the impossible. Save Earth from Majin Buu. Odds were appalling, but he wasn't gonna wait it out to die. He had to stand up for those that were gone or could not. But the reality kicked in. This was in all likelyhood, Conton City, according to Shin's tales and Kami's guidance. Or whatever was left of it, anyway. Well, no use in dwelling on it, he guessed, as he snapped his fingers, revealing a quick change of clothes with Magic Materialization. He was now wearing a dry, fresh suit of a Supreme Kai's attendant. He wore it better than Kibito, that was for sure. Only one person could make sense out of tails, and he knew better than to look haggard in front of such a respectable presence. He honed his senses, and remembered the vague, distinct feeling of divine Ki. It was hard to sense, and most mortals, even those of Kami's race would forever be denied the ability to sense it, but he knew. He could. Alongside, there were other ki senses he picked, but they were mostly in disarray, it seemed...although not hostile. "Kai Kai!" He energetically said, as he vanished in an instant... ...Only to appear before the Supreme Kai of Time, inside the Time Nest, offering an elegant bow. "So it was wished, so it shall be. This one called Yaksha greets the Supreme Kai of Time. How may I be of service?" Yaksha said solemny. And you had better have a good reason from plucking me out of my timeline in the moment I was most needed.</s>	<\|message\|>Tabaga Conton City Ruins Ruins of the Academy Inside of her pod, Tabaga dreamed of a time long since passed. A time when she had been a warrior and a symbol of both hope and power to her people. A time before darkness had fallen over the entire universe. A time when she still had hope in the future. Planet Vegeta A long time ago "Hold the line!" Tabaga shouted to a number of the few remaining Saiyans in the atmosphere of Planet Vegeta as more and more of the silent and mysterious black armored troopers flew straight towards them. She looked towards the youngest of the group and tried to smile reassuringly. "It's going to be alright, Okora. We just need to keep them busy until the device is ready." The younger Saiyan tried to return the smile but failed as she looked at the few thousand remaining Saiyans doing their best to try and fight off the invaders. They were falling one by one every minute, being overwhelmed with sheer numbers. Just need to buy a little bit more time. It'll all be worth it if we buy the King enough time. There was a time Tabaga would have punished anyone for their lack of confidence but she was in no position to talk. The Saiyans had managed to create an Empire that had lasted barely ten years before whoever the hell these people were had destroyed it. Planet after Planet had fallen, thousands of her people had been slaughtered in nearly every engagement. She had lost so many friends and family in the war. Everyone had. "Here they come!" Okora's shout managed to snap her out of her memories and she focused on the battle at hand. "Let's show them what we can do! Squad five, CHARGE!" Tabaga shouted as she launched herself towards the silent enemy troops. After a few minutes of fighting, Tabaga already knew how this was going to end. Nearly all the members of her squad were barely standing and still more and more invading troops were flying towards Planet Vegeta. No matter how many of them were killed, more simply flew towards them and continued beating them down. Tabaga's rage was boiling to the surface as she watched the invaders begin targeting the weaker and injured members of the few remaining Saiyans. She was soon back to back with Okora with only around thirty of Planet Vegeta's warriors remaining in orbit and that number was rapidly diminishing. "Squad five! This is King Vegeta. The device is ready. Can anyone get to it?" The battle-worn Saiyan looked at Okora who was barely able to stay conscious at this point. It was down to just the two of them in orbit at this point and more and more of the silent warriors were approaching. "Negative, my King. It's just me and Okora left up here." She spotted a massive number of the invaders beginning to break off the attack against them and begin moving towards the planet. "I'm sorry...but it looks like they're going after the planet themselves now, my king." There was a pause. "No. I'm sorry." Tabaga and Okora both looked up in surprise at that. The King had never apologized. Never to any of his subjects. "It's just the three of us warriors left right now. I failed as King and I failed my subjects." There was another pause. "It looks like they're trying to storm the palace." The King said in a calmer voice then Tabaga expected in the face of certain death. Okora and Tabaga both looked at the silent warriors surrounding them. "We still have a few hundred up here. We'll try and take as many of them with us as we can. Die well, King Vegeta." "Die well, Tabaga. Die well, Okora." The King replied as over the scouter she heard the sound of the doors to the palace shattered and the sound of energy blasts. "Is this it?" Okora asked in a sad and quiet voice. Tabaga simply nodded. "I think it is. I'm sorry. I told you it would be alright. I was wrong." "It's okay. You've been a wonderful friend, Tabaga. Maybe we'll meet again in the next life." Tabaga simply chuckled at that. "Knowing my luck, I'll most likely find myself in hell. You on the other hand, I think your going somewhere else." "I hope s-" Okora's voice cut off in mid sentence and Tabaga slowly turned around and saw a hole blown in Okora's chest. She looked at Tabaga with the saddest expression on her fact that Tabaga had ever seen on someone. She raised a shaking hand and gently patted Tabaga's face as the light left her eyes. "Y-You..." She stared at the surrounding invaders with hatred in her eyes. That hatred turned to horror as flames began to wash across the surface of Planet Vegeta. "Why...WHY DID YOU DO THIS?!" She screamed. "WHAT DID WE DO TO YOU TO DESERVE THIS?!" The invaders surrounding her made no reply as they began to channel their energy into a final strike against the last survivor of Planet Vegeta's warrior race. "You killed my friends. You killed my family. You killed my king." Okora growled as small flashes of lighting began to appear around her. The invaders began to back away as Tabaga's eyes began to flash and the lightning began to flash brighter and brighter. "You killed my squad. You destroyed my planet." Tabaga's hair began to flash a greenish gold color as a blazing aura began to surround her. She was barely aware of the majority of the rest of the Invading army leaving Planet Vegeta and flying towards her at high speed. "YOU KILLED OKORA!" She screamed in complete and utter rage and hatred as a moment later the blazing yellowish green aura that had enveloped her erupted from her in a massive explosion that disintegrated those enemy invaders closest to her. She slowly turned towards the approaching army of enemy solders and smiled a vicious, bloodthirsty smile. "I may not have been able to save my Planet. But mark my words...I will AVENGE IT!" She screamed as she grabbed Okora's body and launched herself towards the approaching army. "DRAGON CANNON!" Conton City Ruins Ruins of the Academy "Pod damage critical. Pod Power levels critical. Hibernation sequence offline." For the first time in many years, Tabaga's eyes opened as the pod's computer voice woke her from her sleep. No...sleep wasn't the correct word. For many years she had a been a prisoner of her own mind. With a single low power energy blast, she blew the door off of the damaged pod and rose to her feet. All around her was a ruined city. Piles of ash littered the entire city. "This place..." She muttered. "Where am I?" Ruins of Conton City "So it was wished, so it shall be. This one called Yaksha greets the Supreme Kai of Time. How may I be of service?" The Supreme Kai of Time looked at the new arrival who called himself Yaksha and smiled a very sad smile. "Hello Yaksha." She spoke in a very sad voice. "I'm very sorry to tell you this but I didn't bring you here to to be of service. I brought you and the others here to rescue you."</s>
<\|description\|>Tabaga Species: Saiyan Age: 34 Gender: Female Appearance Personality: Tabaga used to be an enthusiastic warrior who never ran from a fight. After the destruction of her home-world, she entered into a sort of catatonic state after unlocking her Super Saiyan transformation which lasted a number of days. At the moment, her grasp on mental stability is tenuous to put it mildly. Bio: Tabaga was one of the elites on Planet Vegeta. Born to a high ranking family and born with an above average power level she quickly began to rise through the ranks as she began her training. She was known for being a ruthless sparring partner and an even more ruthless warrior. The Saiyans of her universe never knew how fortunate they were, as the Freeze force did not exist in their universe. Without Freeza and his family to limit their growth, The Saiyans were able to expand beyond Planet Vegeta eventually although it took quite a bit longer. They eventually set out to conquer their home galaxy and nearly succeeded in doing so. Unknown to the war-hungry Saiyans however, another, far more ancient and vicious race had set their sights on the Saiyan's home galaxy after annihilating the inhabitants of the East, West and South Galaxies and adding them to their own Empire. Although the Saiyans attempted to do what they did best, the unknown warriors cut through them without much effort over years of bloody battle and more and more planets began to fall to the unknown warriors. Eventually, the Saiyans were beat back to Planet Vegeta and the Planet itself was wiped clean of all life after a massive battle. Tabaga, whose grip on her mental stability was already hanging by a thread after continued losses to the invaders, was forced to watch and know she could do nothing as Planet Vegeta finally fell. As she watched flames engulf her home planet, something inside her snapped. She could feel her power rising exponentially and a massive golden aura began to surround her. She didn't exactly remember what happened next, but she had flashes of memory of the invaders being cut down by the dozens and of a massive explosion that wiped out all life in Planet Vegeta's solar system. The last flash of memory she had was a rather tall unknown figure placing her in an attack ball, looking down at her and telling her everything would be fine as the hibernation sequence began to activate. What seemed like minutes for her were actually years outside of the attack ball. Unknown to Tabaga, her attack ball had been moved. It was no longer in her home universe, rather it sitting outside of a ruined temple. Techniques: Ki Sword: Dragon Cannon: Dragon's roar: Tabaga unleashes a massive Ki blast from her mouth that causes expanding waves of destruction. Not very effective in range unless she is in Super Saiyan form or above.)) Transformations: Super Saiyan: Tabaga unlocked this technique after the fall of the Saiyan Home world. It may not have allowed her to save her home-world but it allowed her to take revenge on those who aided in it's destruction. Other Info: A universal war between the Saiyan Race and a race of unknown warriors who annihilated everything in their path is what destroyed Tabaga's home galaxy. The Unknown warriors couldn't be stopped through normal means and cut down everything in front of them.</s> <\|message\|>Mia Mia was following the discussion intently. Well, as intently as one can when stuffing one self with food and coffee at an alarming rate. Alarming for her calorie count that is. There was quite enough to go around. She on the other hand hadn't eaten properly in almost a day and was most assuredly making up for lost time. And besides, she'd burn it off sooner rather than later. At some point though she was finished, or close to it anyway, and the time had come to chime in. Or at the very least point out the plainly obvious. "None taken." "And somehow I think that's, like, the point." She took another sip of coffee. "I don't know about you guys but I am no detective. Not unless you count punching as an investigative skill. And this whole universe destruction stuff is frankly going over my head." She had a point. Something destroying universes was not just a physical impossibility for the most part but also just a matter of logistics. I mean, how the bloody hell do you destroy a whole universe? The energy required to do so alone would need to be... universal. Mia wasn't stupid, far from it, but it didn't take a genius to realize they were missing pieces of the puzzle here. Either that or they were going up against a literal god. She hoped it was the former. Thus, she continued "So my guess is our best bet is to go in there, find one of those whatevers that were messing the place up and hit him or her repeatedly some place soft until we get some answers. Or at least the name of the next person up to 'visit'." "And if they happen to find us first that just makes our job easier." She said this fully seriously, and with a honest smile that lacked any malice. It was just a statement of fact, nothing more. And yet it was exactly that which make the fact that she was talking about finding someone to torture for information somewhat awkward. You would expect such reasoning from most of you. But you had been through wars and done nasty things. She hadn't. Not that you knew this. But even so would any of you really said it so matter of fact and without dropping their morning coffee smile? Maybe you would. In which case this was you looking into a mirror you might not have wanted to see. Mia for her part was equally surprised. This was not exactly her usual style after all. And maybe it was this strange alien coffee speaking but honestly at this point she didn't give a bleep. She wanted some answers. And frankly some payback as well. And while she wasn't quite ready to kill for them just yet a little percussive persuasion was a line she would cross happily. As she said this she took another long and slow sip from the cup whilst casting a careful look over the team. They knew she was right. Or at least that no matter what the plan was this is how it would inevitably turn out. How they would make it turn out... You don't just take a bunch of really strong people and kill everyone they love without making it personal.</s> <\|message\|>Tabaga The Kai listened to the concerns that were brought up and did her best to answer them as best she could. She wasn't exactly sure what awaited them in Tabaga's universe since the Dimensional Scanner couldn't read into the universe itself, all it could say was that Tabaga's universe was still intact. "But we're just the victims of all this. How are we supposed to know what to look for? How are we supposed to recognize something important even if we do see it? We're going to a completely different universe," for most of them anyway, "everything is likely to seem strange to us to begin with. I do hope your plan extends beyond sending us there in the first place." "Right now, we're simply going to go into Tabaga's universe and see what we're dealing with and that's it. I don't want any of you to engage in any fighting with anyone or anything. I believe the term a few of my time patrollers often used was "Recon". As far as I'm concerned you'll be staying for less than ten minutes. The Dimensional Scanner can't look into her universe for some reason, all it's been able to say is that Tabaga's universe is intact." "I'm not especially looking forward to running into people asking me what I'm doing with saiyans for example. My people tend to be aggressive warriors in my universe, and we don't get along with saiyans. I bet Tabaga's version of my people are either completely different, or very similar. I'm just worried about the dynamics of our team. I mean no offense to those who are here." Tabaga finally spoke up after Darbin finished speaking. "Sorry to break it to you big guy, but before I was brought here I'd never seen one of your people as a threat to the saiyans before in my life. We were actually on pretty good terms with your people. One of you actually set up shop on Planet Vegeta as a shopkeeper before the end. And remember, the enemy we were fighting back in my home universe didn't leave survivors. They would just burn all life from a world and then move onto the next. I honestly doubt we'll find anything alive in my universe but I'm tempted to indulge the Kai here."</s> <\|message\|>Dimsum AKA "Yaksha" Yaksha finished sipping his coffee, paying no heed to the display of gluttony of others that had been lured by the buffet. At least that seemed to pacify some people, which was integral to building spirit. Yet to his surprise, a Saiyan out of all things, had not even tried to touch the entincing food. The same saiyan that had grabbed his neck earlier. Good grief, such a troublemaker... always standing. He took a piece of bread and gnawed it without much care and manners, eating aggressively as ideas were traded back and forth. He was annoyed by several things that had been sail. He chewed and gulped and then he spoke. "What do we know is these are a multiversal army, with enough troops to overthrow a multi-planetary regime. Even if Saiyans are known to ape it when it comes to management, they probably have enough enemies to drown us in a tide of never ending battles. We are few. They are many. And well equipped. We can't fight them on even ground." "So we will use wits and smarts, and use any piece of information we can find." Yaksha said. "Besides..." "What they have done to all of us, doesn't deserve an easy way out. I want to crush them so badly, deny their grandiose plans, and make them die, cursing in fear and confusion. Such is a fitting end for those who crush Universes worth of people. Regardless of our background, or how mismatched we are, we are avengers now. Our fists carry the conviction of trillions of deaths. We cannot afford a misstep." Yaksha said. "Our first stop should be a peculiarity of any given Universe. A place that is unbreachable, even for those who can use Instant Transmission, unless they somehow gain the ability to sense godly ki. From that place, one can sense the entire universe. " Yaksha said, taking a slurp of juice absently-minded. His throat was a little dry. "The World of the Supreme Kais. Perhaps we might find others who we can liason with." He paused. He sincerely wished more Kais were alive, but even that was doubtful. "Regardless of it, if one does know the technique that attendants of Supreme Kai learn, we could instantly move to any point of the universe back and forth, and use that place as vantage point." "Fortunately, Lady Chronoa is the second Supreme Kai I have the pleasure to work with. So I do know said technique."</s> <\|message\|>Tabaga The Kai smiled at Yaksha's words and began inputting commands into the Dimensional Scanner. The device flashed green twice and a soft beeping sound began to fill the air as a moment later, a large swirling greenish-blue portal appeared in front of the group. "As you can see, the portal is now open and the time is now." She said simply. "Remember, I just want you all to take a quick look around and if you see anything or anyone that looks hostile, Do. Not. Fight. It. Your mission here is to observe and that's it." Tabaga slowly rose to her feet and stepped towards the portal and took a deep breath. "I'm not expecting home to look like anything I remember. But at the least maybe I'll be able to put some demons to rest." She said quietly as she stepped though the portal and it shimmered slightly behind her.</s> <\|message\|>Maize Maize finished scuffing down what she could when it became clear that it was time to go. She didn't care much for the conversation before and didn't care much for the Kai's Observe Only order. She started walking towards the shimmering green-ish blue purple and turned her head to look at the Supreme Kai. "No promises. Recon missions don't typically stay recon for long. I'll at least try to punch answers out of them if it comes to it." Before Lady Chronoa could object Maize walked through the portal causing it to shimmer once more behind her.</s> <\|message\|>Titanius Titanius [M-3] Titanius drank in as much information as possible, which did include the food as well, though only a sampling of each item just to taste test everything. There was some more talking but then at last things were starting to move forward. A portal was opened by the Supreme Kai through which his sensors failed to pick up anything, no doubt the transference into another universe being the key problem. "Information is the key element we lack at the moment and so prioritizing recon is a must." He said it as a reminder, but he had no idea if anyone in the vicinity would heed his words, pure organics tended to be rather emotionally based after all. Maize's statement upon entering the portal did pose quite a few problems but there was nothing to do about it now. The main objective was to try and figure out by what mechanism the enemy was destroying universes and what was preventing them from doing so in this one. A tall order to be sure but most likely the answer would be hidden in a location not obliterated by the enemy. With his main objective firmly planted in his mind, he stepped through the portal and found himself...</s> <\|message\|>Dimsum AKA "Yaksha" Yaksha urged the temptation to facepalm. Chronoa should not have asked the help from any saiyan whatsoever. He was being proven right, as one of the uncivilized monkey girls seemed to be roused at the prospect of battle, ignoring completely the strategy. The Earthling sighed. "Monkeys..." With a tired expression, he gave a last glance at the Supreme Kai. "I will try to stop her if necessary." He then snapped his fingers, being enveloped in the telltale cloud of Transformation magic, and coming out as someone completely different. "Wish me luck, then." "She" then stepped inside the portal.</s> <\|message\|>Darbin Given the circumstances things could certainly become dire in an instant, with a whole galaxy's timeline flayed, what kind of horrors would await them in the wreck? Was there anything even there besides the destroyers? It was a quagmire of uncertainty and doubt that kept Darbin from wondering just how exactly the Kai intended to get to the bottom of this. He was no detective, or mastermind strategist he was a soldier. All the same doubt was not something he could afford. Darbin stepped through the portal with no doubt in his mind about what he was going to do once this all came to a conclusion. He hoped it would be at least one that he wouldn't find repulsive.</s>	<\|message\|>Tabaga Universe 193 Unknown Planet Tabaga had arrived in her home universe expecting some differences from what she remembered but the scale of what she was seeing horrified her beyond anything she had ever seen before. She stared up at the sky with terrified eyes as her mind tried to cope with what she was seeing. Massive black and red spheres that were large enough to fill part of the sky littered her view. Thousands upon thousands of the black armored troopers were leaving the spheres and traveling through massive red rifts that looked like massive wounds in the sky. But the thing that really caught Tabaga's attention was the large amount of bodies arriving through the rifts and being thrown carelessly on the ground before being hauled away by what appeared to be robotic spider-like creatures. The bodies were being dragged across the landscape towards massive ominous looking factories that were belching foul smelling smoke across the battle scarred landscape. "Harvesting Chamber 1731 is now operational." A loud booming voice seemed to echo across the desolate landscape as Tabaga took cover behind a large boulder next to the portal.</s>
<\|description\|>Tabaga Species: Saiyan Age: 34 Gender: Female Appearance Personality: Tabaga used to be an enthusiastic warrior who never ran from a fight. After the destruction of her home-world, she entered into a sort of catatonic state after unlocking her Super Saiyan transformation which lasted a number of days. At the moment, her grasp on mental stability is tenuous to put it mildly. Bio: Tabaga was one of the elites on Planet Vegeta. Born to a high ranking family and born with an above average power level she quickly began to rise through the ranks as she began her training. She was known for being a ruthless sparring partner and an even more ruthless warrior. The Saiyans of her universe never knew how fortunate they were, as the Freeze force did not exist in their universe. Without Freeza and his family to limit their growth, The Saiyans were able to expand beyond Planet Vegeta eventually although it took quite a bit longer. They eventually set out to conquer their home galaxy and nearly succeeded in doing so. Unknown to the war-hungry Saiyans however, another, far more ancient and vicious race had set their sights on the Saiyan's home galaxy after annihilating the inhabitants of the East, West and South Galaxies and adding them to their own Empire. Although the Saiyans attempted to do what they did best, the unknown warriors cut through them without much effort over years of bloody battle and more and more planets began to fall to the unknown warriors. Eventually, the Saiyans were beat back to Planet Vegeta and the Planet itself was wiped clean of all life after a massive battle. Tabaga, whose grip on her mental stability was already hanging by a thread after continued losses to the invaders, was forced to watch and know she could do nothing as Planet Vegeta finally fell. As she watched flames engulf her home planet, something inside her snapped. She could feel her power rising exponentially and a massive golden aura began to surround her. She didn't exactly remember what happened next, but she had flashes of memory of the invaders being cut down by the dozens and of a massive explosion that wiped out all life in Planet Vegeta's solar system. The last flash of memory she had was a rather tall unknown figure placing her in an attack ball, looking down at her and telling her everything would be fine as the hibernation sequence began to activate. What seemed like minutes for her were actually years outside of the attack ball. Unknown to Tabaga, her attack ball had been moved. It was no longer in her home universe, rather it sitting outside of a ruined temple. Techniques: Ki Sword: Dragon Cannon: Dragon's roar: Tabaga unleashes a massive Ki blast from her mouth that causes expanding waves of destruction. Not very effective in range unless she is in Super Saiyan form or above.)) Transformations: Super Saiyan: Tabaga unlocked this technique after the fall of the Saiyan Home world. It may not have allowed her to save her home-world but it allowed her to take revenge on those who aided in it's destruction. Other Info: A universal war between the Saiyan Race and a race of unknown warriors who annihilated everything in their path is what destroyed Tabaga's home galaxy. The Unknown warriors couldn't be stopped through normal means and cut down everything in front of them.</s> <\|message\|>Tabaga Tabaga took a careful look at Okora couldn't help that she seemed to have a few more scars then the last time she had seen her. As the others ran back through the portal she lost sight of Maize for a moment. Where did she go? She wondered as the Supreme Kai of the Multiverse and Okora both ran through the portal. After a brief moment she saw Maize taking potshots at some of the solders. Tabaga swore under her breath and was preparing to grab Maize and drag her through the portal when she ceased firing at the solders and went through the portal. Unfortunately, a number of the troopers were now aware of the existence of the intruders and were now heading for the location of the portal. Oh...Many things about this are not good. Tabaga though as she bolted through the portal and immediately motioned at the Supreme Kai of Time to close the portal. "Close it! Close it now!" She shouted urgently as she took careful aim at the portal as the Kai of Time began working on closing down the portal. She could only watch in horror as the image of a black armored trooper began to form where the portal was. Tabaga was preparing to power up when the portal collapsed in on itself and took the trooper with it. The Supreme Kai of Time stormed towards the group with an angry look. "I said to avoid fighting!" She shouted at Tabaga specifically. "Is it so hard to understand those simple words?!" Tabaga recoiled as if struck. She was about to try and come up with a retort when the so-called "Supreme Kai of the Multiverse" approached the Kai of Time. "I apologize. What happened was my doing. It was the only way that would allow us to get away." The shorter of the two Kais looked at him and her face went pale as she looked at the green skinned Kai "Y-You. I recognize you. We haven't seen you in centuries!" "There's a reason for that." The green skinned Kai said quietly. "I was hunted across the multiverse for quite a while before finally being captured by our enemy. My apprentice and I were held captive for a number of months before we managed to create a distraction and used the opportunity to get away." He turned to face the group and bowed. "Thank you. If any of you have questions I can answer them." He said simply as Okora looked over at Tabaga and motioned for her to follow her for a moment. "Are we the only two left?" Tabaga asked quietly. Okora simply nodded. "We were the only two left alive after Planet Vegeta. There's no one else." "How did you end up with him?" Tabaga asked as she motioned towards the Supreme Kai of the Multiverse. Okora smiled slightly. "It's a long story. I'll tell you about it later."</s> <\|message\|>Darbin "Long story or not Kais we should be aiming to either strengthen what warriors we have, or prepare to take on as weak a targets as we can get. Slowly work our way up to the snake's head as its clear we're insufficient with out current forces." comments Darbin as he looks to the kais he keeps his arms crossed. He speaks plainly, and without any intended arrogance as he looks back and forth at the group. "I sense a great amount of power within this group but we're still few, and numbers do make a difference. I've been to battles where smaller, and or weaker troops can outwit a greater threat by working with a valid strategy." Darbin says further as he starts to wonder where exactly these enemies would be weakest at...without sufficient intel they couldn't tell but in the end it would simply mean they'd need to gamble. "We can train, and ponder about the other kais, and the saiyans if we want but at the end of the day we have a duty to save the universe. And I am nothing more than a soldier. A blunt instrument I will do as told to an extent. I still will not throw away my life idly." Darbins says with his arms still crossed.</s> <\|message\|>Velona --- Get stronger? As if it were that simple. The strongest of them was still woefully insufficient. If it were otherwise, they wouldn't have been whisked away to this strange place simply to keep them alive. What could they really do? What could they hope to accomplish against something that seemed capable of erasing one's whole reality? Even these kais seemed at their mercy. But what was the alternative? "We have to assume they're after something. We know now of at least one place they didn't completely erase, so... that's one place we can fight them without them just wiping the slate clean." She wrapped her arms around herself in a vain attempt to quell her anxiety. "At least I hope so." She looked to their two newcomers, "Do you know why they're doing all this?"</s> <\|message\|>Tabaga @KillamriX88 "We can train, and ponder about the other kais, and the saiyans if we want but at the end of the day we have a duty to save the universe. And I am nothing more than a soldier. A blunt instrument I will do as told to an extent. I still will not throw away my life idly." Privately, The Supreme Kai of time disagreed with Darbin's statement. He was clearly more than a solder and should value himself as such but she didn't voice that opinion. He was right about their duty though. Aside from the group assembled here, there was seemingly no one else fighting against this unseen force. He was also correct about the getting stronger aspect. What Ovaan had found would be useful but she had something even better. It wouldn't be operation for weeks but in the meantime they could use the Gravity training chamber. "I do have something that could help you and your friends with getting stronger but unfortunately it was heavily damaged during the attack on Conton City. It can also be quite dangerous to use for people who are unfamiliar with it." She said quietly. At the rate repairs are going on it, it's going to be weeks before it can be used again." "We have to assume they're after something. We know now of at least one place they didn't completely erase, so... that's one place we can fight them without them just wiping the slate clean." The Supreme Kai of the multiverse let out a bitter laugh. "Oh, I know they were after something. Several somethings in fact. I was one of those things." He let out a bitter laugh once again. "As much as it kills me to say it, once they were able to capture me, they used my connection to the multiverse to find a way to annihilate entire universes. I was tortured, experimented on and used to wipe out countless lives once they figured out how I was able to travel between universes. That was how they were able to destroy them you see." "The one thing I was never able to figure out was why they were targeting the universes they did. Only reason I can think of as to why they spared the universe of those two ladies is because it's rich in certain resources that are extremely rare in most of the other realities I've traveled to." Okora stepped away from Tabaga and stood next to the shorter Kai. "There was one other thing." She said quietly as she looked at the Kai who nodded that she could continue. "There were a few times during my imprisonment I heard a number of the higher-ups among the troopers speak. They would speak often of "The Imprisoned One." Once they realized I was trying to listen in they stopped talking about it around the prisoners. Most of them were "Re-purposed" anyway. Is it possible this "Imprisoned one" might have something to do with these attacks against the multiverse?" She asked carefully.</s> <\|message\|>Darbin "I'd rather we try to repair our damage equipment than train with faulty, or damaged systems it could lead to a total breakdown and render our already small amount of resources even further. This is a scenario where we can't afford to be careless as we all know. But I'd like a direction kais. What exactly should we be aiming to do? If the imprisoned one is our enemy perhaps we should find a universe known for strong survivors, and try to recruit them. If not then simply aiming for the lower rank, and file is our best bet. But I am not a leader of men for the most part. All I can do is offer suggestions." Darbin states as he considers this imprisoned one. Is it just rumors from the brain washed mongrels' of the enemy? Or was there something more to it. He wasn't sure, not was he entirely capable of thinking about possible scenarios without more information which he was very much lacking in due to the circumstances of their situation.</s> <\|message\|>Ovaan "I beg your pardon?" asked Ovaan, his tone salty and his only movement being a twitch of his tail, "...'Faulty'?" he sounded rather insulted... because he was. He took some steps toward his newly acquired ship and continued to talk in a huff, "I'll have you know this ship is in near-pristine condition. I checked it myself." his tone was beginning to transition from mere saltiness to outright bitterness. "You all asked for a potential solution, and I offered one." he said with a quick, irritated gesture to his ship, "But I suppose if it's not good enough for the lot of you, then maybe I'll just keep it for myself." without any warning he pushed a button on the hatch and the ship transformed back into a capsule that he then pocketed. Thus far his irritation had been directed at the others who were mere mortals such as himself. But now, now he was becoming more willing to risk the ire of the godly figures before them. There was a preposterously simple solution staring them right in the face and if the Supreme Kai of Time refused to bring it up, then Ovaan would be the one to do it, "Now, correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe you mentioned something called a 'Time Patrol' yesterday." he said to the short girl, not quite ready to let go of his bitter mood, "That tells me that you possess a means of traveling through time. So then why, pray tell, have we not used that to go back and prevent our Universes from being destroyed? Even if you had laws regarding time travel, I imagine this is a scenario in which those laws no longer apply." he fixed his irritated glare on the small Kai. Up until now he had not dared risk the wrath of those who could be called Gods. But right now, his mood was sour and his entire Universe was gone. At this point, he decided he no longer had anything to lose. So his patience and courtesy toward these people were officially beginning to wear thin.</s>	<\|message\|>Tabaga "Now, correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe you mentioned something called a 'Time Patrol' yesterday." he said to the short girl, not quite ready to let go of his bitter mood, "That tells me that you possess a means of traveling through time. So then why, pray tell, have we not used that to go back and prevent our Universes from being destroyed? Even if you had laws regarding time travel, I imagine this is a scenario in which those laws no longer apply." The Supreme Kai of time simply stared at Ovaan for a moment before she looked at the ground. "Don't you think we tried?." She said quietly as she felt her bottled up grief and sorrow beginning to rise to the surface. "Don't you think we tried?!" She stormed towards Ovaan and was barely able to resist the urge to blast him with what remained of her strength. She didn't know if she could win against him at the moment and truth be told, she didn't care. "The universes that are destroyed are gone! We tried going back before one of the universes was destroyed and all we saw was an empty void! Whatever was destroying them wiped them out completely! They're gone! All that remains of those universes are holographic projections on the Dimensional scanner!" Chronoa's hands were glowing with what remained of her power for a brief moment before she forced herself to power down. "I'm sorry. We tried to save them, we did. My Time patrollers are all dead now. They burned themselves to ash moving Conton city beyond the reach of whatever we're fighting. It seems we've all lost everything we knew and loved. The only thing we can do is make sure that this doesn't happen to anyone else." The Supreme Kai of the Multiverse watched the exchange between Chronoa and Ovaan with a somewhat intrigued expression with Tabaga and Okora preparing to intervene if anything were to escalate.</s>
<\|description\|>Ovaan Species: Freeza Race Age: 30 Gender: Male Appearance Personality: Ovaan is surprisingly personable and charismatic, considering the reputation his species has. Perhaps it was his servitude in the Freeza Force that forged him into an efficient officer? But unsurprisingly, he is also very patient and very calculating. He's not above using what others might perceive as "dirty tactics" for the purpose of bringing down a more powerful opponent, be it in combat or even in politics. He's not averse to training himself, either, deciding long ago that doing so would aid him in his objective of not getting himself killed in Freeza's service. After a while he just sort of took to it, and has found himself in training even after he no longer had Freeza looming over his shoulder. Bio: The history of Freeza's people is muddied in rumor and hearsay. Some think the Cold family rose to power by conquering their own home planet and then simply turned their ambition to the rest of the known galaxies. Others have postulated that the Freeza Force began as a peaceful confederacy of independent worlds that simply became an empire when it was taken over by the Cold Family. Regardless, Freeza's own people ended up becoming one of two things: vassals of Lord Freeza, or dead. Naturally, Ovaan was one of the former. After rising to become a Captain of his own ship, Ovaan discovered that advancement and even basic survival was a deadly game of politics and backstabbing among the officers of the Freeza Force Fleet. He had no choice but to adapt, but it became apparent that Ovaan had a certain... talent for engineering the downfall of others should they prove a political threat to him. While he was never fond of such actions nor took real pleasure in partaking in them, Ovaan had long since resolved to do whatever was necessary to ensure his own survival and the survival of his men. He often treated his crew with a level of respect and care that was never seen in other Captains, and this made Ovaan relatively popular with the rank-and-file as a result. Of course, such would eventually earn Ovaan the ire of several rivals among the fleet. One in particular had an especially strong ire for Ovaan after the latter had out-maneuvered him, resulting in the peaceful acquisition of a planet into the Empire before he and his own crew could even launch an invasion. He had allied himself with a few similarly minded Captains, all with their own various grudges against Ovaan, and together they were able to fabricate evidence to implicate Ovaan in false charges of treason. Freeza never bothered himself with the commonplace vendettas between his officers, and this was no different. This time it was Zarbon who was dispatched to investigate the matter and deal with the supposedly traitorous Ovaan. This led to the two eventually fighting, but with the aid of his transformation, Zarbon could easily overwhelm the likes of Ovaan. What saved Ovaan in the end was intervention of his own men. Against all odds, they bravely decided that their loyalty to their Captain was greater than their loyalty to Freeza. With their aid, Ovaan was able to make his escape. But after that, he was a fugitive. He could not risk staying in any place for long lest he risk an encounter with the Freeza Force. And so his ship and now-renegade crew remained on the move, stopping long enough to refuel and resupply and little else. With so much newfound free time on his hands, Ovaan could only think of one way to keep his head clear: training. He trained as often as he could spare and even began to encourage his men to do the same. If at any point they did encounter a ship from the Imperial Fleet then they would need to be ready. These encounters did happen occasionally, and as they did, Ovaan and his crew also happened to save an increasing number of people from enslavement in the process. Over time this just sort of naturally evolved into an active insurgency against the Empire led by Ovaan and his original crew. Beforehand, most people were too terrified of Freeza to ever consider rebelling. But now? One of Freeza's own people was leading the charge, and if his strength was anything like Freeza himself then maybe there was actual hope for a change? As this was all coming to a head, Ovaan found himself leading an increasingly vast army of resistance fighters having created a small fleet of their own utilizing salvaged and captured Freeza Force vessels. But this? This was enough to get Freeza's personal attention. Before he was content to just let Zarbon, Dodoria, and the Ginyus put down what he initially thought was an insignificant rebellion. But they'd grown enough for him to treat them as a marginal threat now, and he had one tried-and-true way to deal with people he viewed as threats. As soon as he was able to discover where he was located, Freeza personally set course there with the intention of destroying the planet and all the rebels with it in one fell swoop. This was it. It was do or die. If they couldn't defeat Freeza now, then there was little hope for them to do so in the future. Freeza watched his trademark Supernova make its descent on the planet, only to raise an eyebrow when it appeared to stop. It was Ovaan, and with the help of a few of his most capable men, they were just barely able to stop the Supernova and redirect it away from the planet. Freeza was enraged, enough to begin transforming but something interrupted him. Once again, it was Ovaan. He knew all too well of Freeza's transformations, being of the same species after all. Theoretically all he needed to do was keep the heat on his enemy so that he would have no opportunity to power up and transform. It seemed to work at first, but then the Ginyu Force arrived on the scene. By this point Ovaan was confident in his ability to take on Ginyu, but the five of them together was enough of a distraction to allow Freeza the time he needed to transform. Now Ovaan found hismelf face to face with Freeza's natural-born final form, the Emperor apparently deciding that this occasion merited... special treatment. But Ovaan had one last ace. In all the training he had given himself, he discovered that his natural-born form was not the peak of strength his kind was capable of. There was a form beyond it, one that allowed them to concentrate all their power and amplify it a few-fold. Now was the time to test this theory out. To Freeza's shock, Ovaan had also transformed into what he could only surmise was a seeming fifth form, something he had always assumed was impossible. But before these two powers could clash, there was a bright flash and then, for Ovaan, everything went dark. At least for a bit. When he came to his senses, Ovaan had found his Transformation had been undone. He was in an unfamiliar place, and was being glared at by what looked like a young, diminutive girl. Techniques Death Beam (learned through a combination of independent training and observing its use by Freeza) Nova Saber (a blade of Ki summoned by the hand and briefly wielded as a weapon, capable of batting away small ki blasts and even severing some larger beams) Nova Shield (a round shield made up of ki that can be conjured on one of the arms, strong enough to block most physical attacks and weaker Ki blasts and can also be thrown as a disc attack as well) Nova Charge (lunging attack that opens with a gut punch and is followed by a powerful point-blank Ki blast) Nova Bomb (a power-packed sphere of explosive Ki, charged in two hands above the head and then hurled straight down) Transformations: Other Info: He greatly dislikes using his Fifth Form, viewing it as too hulking and brutish for his tastes. So he will only use it if forced to, and afterward will willingly revert back to his much preferred Fourth Form.</s> <\|message\|>Darbin "I'd rather we try to repair our damage equipment than train with faulty, or damaged systems it could lead to a total breakdown and render our already small amount of resources even further. This is a scenario where we can't afford to be careless as we all know. But I'd like a direction kais. What exactly should we be aiming to do? If the imprisoned one is our enemy perhaps we should find a universe known for strong survivors, and try to recruit them. If not then simply aiming for the lower rank, and file is our best bet. But I am not a leader of men for the most part. All I can do is offer suggestions." Darbin states as he considers this imprisoned one. Is it just rumors from the brain washed mongrels' of the enemy? Or was there something more to it. He wasn't sure, not was he entirely capable of thinking about possible scenarios without more information which he was very much lacking in due to the circumstances of their situation.</s> <\|message\|>Ovaan "I beg your pardon?" asked Ovaan, his tone salty and his only movement being a twitch of his tail, "...'Faulty'?" he sounded rather insulted... because he was. He took some steps toward his newly acquired ship and continued to talk in a huff, "I'll have you know this ship is in near-pristine condition. I checked it myself." his tone was beginning to transition from mere saltiness to outright bitterness. "You all asked for a potential solution, and I offered one." he said with a quick, irritated gesture to his ship, "But I suppose if it's not good enough for the lot of you, then maybe I'll just keep it for myself." without any warning he pushed a button on the hatch and the ship transformed back into a capsule that he then pocketed. Thus far his irritation had been directed at the others who were mere mortals such as himself. But now, now he was becoming more willing to risk the ire of the godly figures before them. There was a preposterously simple solution staring them right in the face and if the Supreme Kai of Time refused to bring it up, then Ovaan would be the one to do it, "Now, correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe you mentioned something called a 'Time Patrol' yesterday." he said to the short girl, not quite ready to let go of his bitter mood, "That tells me that you possess a means of traveling through time. So then why, pray tell, have we not used that to go back and prevent our Universes from being destroyed? Even if you had laws regarding time travel, I imagine this is a scenario in which those laws no longer apply." he fixed his irritated glare on the small Kai. Up until now he had not dared risk the wrath of those who could be called Gods. But right now, his mood was sour and his entire Universe was gone. At this point, he decided he no longer had anything to lose. So his patience and courtesy toward these people were officially beginning to wear thin.</s> <\|message\|>Tabaga "Now, correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe you mentioned something called a 'Time Patrol' yesterday." he said to the short girl, not quite ready to let go of his bitter mood, "That tells me that you possess a means of traveling through time. So then why, pray tell, have we not used that to go back and prevent our Universes from being destroyed? Even if you had laws regarding time travel, I imagine this is a scenario in which those laws no longer apply." The Supreme Kai of time simply stared at Ovaan for a moment before she looked at the ground. "Don't you think we tried?." She said quietly as she felt her bottled up grief and sorrow beginning to rise to the surface. "Don't you think we tried?!" She stormed towards Ovaan and was barely able to resist the urge to blast him with what remained of her strength. She didn't know if she could win against him at the moment and truth be told, she didn't care. "The universes that are destroyed are gone! We tried going back before one of the universes was destroyed and all we saw was an empty void! Whatever was destroying them wiped them out completely! They're gone! All that remains of those universes are holographic projections on the Dimensional scanner!" Chronoa's hands were glowing with what remained of her power for a brief moment before she forced herself to power down. "I'm sorry. We tried to save them, we did. My Time patrollers are all dead now. They burned themselves to ash moving Conton city beyond the reach of whatever we're fighting. It seems we've all lost everything we knew and loved. The only thing we can do is make sure that this doesn't happen to anyone else." The Supreme Kai of the Multiverse watched the exchange between Chronoa and Ovaan with a somewhat intrigued expression with Tabaga and Okora preparing to intervene if anything were to escalate.</s>	<\|message\|>Ovaan So all those dead patrollers died saving this city. And apparently time travel was already attempted. He really shouldn't have been surprised. Leave to one of the gods to think of everything. That didn't make this exchange sting any less. She looked positively livid with him, but really, what was he supposed to do? Ovaan had been largely uninformed of how all this worked from the beginning. How could he possibly have known that time travel had already been tried? Well, frankly he couldn't have. But there was something else to all of this. What had the Supreme Kai of Time known about any of them before bringing them all here? Sure, she might have peaked into their timelines and learned a bit about them that way. But clearly she hadn't learned everything. Otherwise, why save someone just as guilty of galaxy-wide atrocities as Freeza had been? Why save someone who deep down wouldn't have even wanted to be saved? Having closed his eyes in thought, Ovaan's throat twitched a bit as he swallowed down a deep breath. His arms, having been crossed over his chest, seemed to relax more as if his guard were lowering. But then his hands suddenly clenched into fists as Ovaan silently let his battle power roar upwards. Was he about to attack? His eyes shot open with a quick glare and he said a bitter, snappy tone, "You should have just let me die!" and then shot upward into the sky and off into the distance.</s>
<\|description\|>Velona Species: Zuichijin (Tentative name. Not sure I like it. Probably won't refer to it much if I can help it. And yes, it's something I made up.) She comes from a pale-skinned species with hyper-aggressive tendencies and strong bio-electric abilities. Over time, the weaker members of their race evolved away from uncontrollable aggression, but the stronger still require intense meditation and sometimes even a blindfold to control themselves. Her species has developed a sort of primitive ki-sensing ability, allowing them to mentally map the area around them in a sort of bubble, in order to make up for the blindfolds some of them wear. Age: 35 Gender: Female Appearance: Long, white hair, pale, almost pure-white skin with a delicate frame. She wears a cloth blindfold over her eyes, which are red. She wears elegant, loose fitting clothes, tied tightly to her body where it won't interfere with her range of motion. Not really 100% what I imagined, but... yeah I'm not gonna find anything closer than that. Personality: Stoic, serene, and patient, though her good nature has been tempered after recent events. She's the type to be the voice of reason in a chaotic situation. Bio: Born on a planet under Freeza's occupation. Rather than being slaughtered and their planet sold off, Freeza attempted to make use of their species for their unique abilities. A group of saiyans were used as an occupying force. A waste of their talents and power, but perhaps that was the point, considering his feelings about saiyans. One day, a young saiyan boy just appeared seemingly out of nowhere, though she would later learn he'd spent his early years growing in a tank. Neither of them fully aware of the tensions going on, they formed a sort of friendship. However, years later, she would learn of her people's plans for rebellion. She was to deal with the boy in order to steel her resolve for future conflict. She did as she was told, but her heart wasn't in it. Despite her betrayal and failure, she was spared, though badly beaten by the time the fight was over. Perhaps he too could not bring himself to finish her, or perhaps he'd been able to tell that she'd been pulling her punches. Regardless, she was left to limp away. She quickly learned that the rebellion was a total failure. With their scouters, the first attack to fail had put the occupying saiyans on alert, and soon enough their power and brutality overwhelmed the frailer of the two species. However, among those her people had slain was the leader of the saiyans -- and the boy's father. Her own parents had carried it out. While saiyans were not known for their warm, loving families, that combined with Velona's betrayal had caused his rage to explode. In the end, they were both left orphaned. In the following days, Freeza himself arrived to mete out their punishment. Since the rebellion had already failed pathetically, Freeza did not simply destroy their planet, but instead razed half its surface to volcanic rock and glass, leaving those who remained to try and survive on the ravaged planet. Velona should have been one of the unlucky ones, trapped on the doomed half of the planet. However, she was dragged away with a few others to be used as servants by the saiyans. A slave. She soon learned that she hadn't been chosen by chance. In keeping with the saiyans monarchical society, the boy with his newfound power had taken the place of his father, even if unofficially due to his age. She expected to spend many, miserable years under their heels, but it was not to be. The first few years were fearful, but over time she grew accustomed, and sometimes would even speak her mind. Her old companion would usually put her in her place, but wouldn't allow his fellow saiyans to do so. Eventually she realized that neither of them had quite truly been left alone in the wake of the disastrous rebellion. As twisted as it was, they had been left with each other. This became especially important when all saiyans were recalled their home world. Seeing what had become of Velona's people, her companion was... suspicious. He delayed all those under his command, claiming engine trouble to those who asked. News soon enough reached them of Planet Vegeta's annihilation. In shock, they all went into hiding, destroying their scouters. Thus, a group of warlike saiyans and a handful of servants were left to try and find a new way to live. They could no longer go tearing across the galaxy sowing havoc or they'd be found in short order. Over time, Velona slowly wormed her way into her old companion's life, perhaps out of desperation looking for the good in him she'd once known. In the end, it wasn't as hard to find as she'd expected. In the end, she found herself in a way... teaching him. Or perhaps, better yet, reminding him of how things could be different. Better. For the longest time, she was still barely more then a glorified assistant to him, but he had come to heed her word and wouldn't shun or silence her. They once more respected each other. When he had a child with another saiyan woman, it was Velona who insisted that he be raised "properly" and not left to incubate in some tank. It was then that she truly tested her standing in his eyes by browbeating him into being a father -- and she succeeded. It was then that she finally had a family again. It was hard to call the next few years truly the greatest of her strange, violent life, but they were happy. Until it was all burned to ash once more. Techniques: Shocking ki-blasts: Amping her natural bio-electric abilities with ki, she can launch it at her enemies. Electric Roots: She can channel her ki through the ground beneath her to lay traps or stealthily attack an enemy who is standing still and unaware. Has the same basic properties as the above, though less explosive. Projected Presence: She can project her ki signature across a fair distance, making it appear she is somewhere else. She can split it in multiple directions and the effect can be made strong enough to work almost like a visual mirage or illusion. Malefic Presence: The prior ability cranked up to 11, instilling a strong sense of danger, but cannot be split. Has been known to frighten weaker victims into unconsciousness. "The monster is right behind you." Extreme Spiral Detonator: A technique she learned through observation and her last resort. Two spinning orbs of ki are pressed together and launched, or preferably slammed into at melee range, the foe. If the victim is too weak, they will usually be sent flying and spinning into the distance. When the ki of the two orbs fully mix, it will lose all stability and explode catastrophically. Usually it is manually detonated by a subsequent ki blast once at a safe distance. Transformations: Predator: While debatably not a true transformation, she can take advantage of her species' physiology to increase the intensity and density of the ki within her. This tends to cause her bio-electric abilities to run wild, leaving her cloaked in a violent storm of electricity and ki. It also tends to bring out her more vicious inner nature.</s> <\|message\|>Maize Maize Maize arrived to see the quite beamish Eve showing her handiwork with cleaning up the city. It wasn't the most solid of work, but it was impressive for something done overnight and by someone she was sure had no background in construction or architecture. It seemed she wasn't the only one that kept busy last night. "Good morning and I see. You did great." It didn't take long for everyone to arrive. Ovaan revealed that he took the shopping excursion a bit more seriously than she did. She collected what was necessary, but he packed to be prepared for any and everything. She was glad that they had someone who was responsible with him. Things like that she left to Cibo, but he was gone. They were all gone. For the time being this was her new crew. She felt a bit insensitive to think of it that way, but she was doing this to avenge them. She wasn't going to let them get away with uprooting and destroying everyone's lives. "I collected a few capsules myself and a scouter. I don't need it, but I figured that since we'll be going on a mission it'd be good for us to be able to communicate if we get separated. I also found this sword. Never used one before last night, but I think I'm getting the hang of it." Of course she was being modest. She saw the sword as another extension of herself much like her ki was and with that in mind wielding it and training with it became sort of natural. Yaksha arrived soon after announcing his haul of senzu beans from Earth. She had heard of it during her time with Frieza's Empire. But it was so far out of the way and filled with weaklings that Frieza felt it wasn't worth his attention or resources. He was wrong as he so often was. She wondered if there was someone like Yaksha on her Earth or if they actually had strong fighters occupying the planet. She sighed in disappointment. She was never going to get the chance to find out now. Not unless there was a way to restore her universe. Her thoughts were interrupted by her nose catching a whiff of something spectacular. She glided off the ground as if she were a cartoon character following the path of the smoky aroma. She reached the spread and found herself in front of an assortment of food that she had never seen or heard of before. Was all of this from Earth? Each thing looked more delicious than the last. That was it. She was going to make it her personal mission to revive her universe and head to Earth. Maize's stomach grumbled loudly clearly not satisfied with the "breakfast" she fed it earlier. "Alright, alright. You're getting fed." She picked up two plates and started to pile food on them. She started with bacon and sausage and worked her way up to pancakes and french toast.</s> <\|message\|>Tabaga GM Post To say that Tabaga had not had a good night would be an understatement. She had spent some of the night wandering the ruined city before finally falling asleep on top of what appeared to be a very large mushroom. For a long time she had simply tossed and turned as certain thoughts continued running through her head. Entire universes were being erased but for some reason hers had been spared, albeit most likely it was devoid of life considering how much destruction those black armored troopers had caused. Eventually though she had fallen asleep and had slept through some of the noisier elements of the night. When she finally woke up she saw the someone had done some repair work on the city and she could smell food but for some reason today she found she just wasn't that hungry. The Saiyan woman followed the scent of the food and found the others already gathered together. She barely looked at the food however as she looked around for the Supreme Kai of Time. After a few moments of trying to either see her or trying to sense her he finally caught a glimpse of her coming out of a nearby building. She kept a very careful watch on the Kai as she approached. She seemed tired but at the same time there seemed to be something different about her. Her step seemed a bit lighter and despite how tired she was there was a small smile on her face. "Good morning everyone!" The Kai called out to the assembled group. "I hope everyone is well this morning." She approached the group. The Dimensional scanner on her wrist was glowing a bright green. "I told you yesterday that I may have a mission for you today. I spent most of the night trying to figure out what we could do and I will be one hundred percent honest, I have the beginning of a plan." She looked at each and everyone of the group and for a brief moment a look of fatigue crossed her face. "I believe our best best is to enter Tabaga's universe and see if we can find any clues as to what caused whatever enemy we're facing to act differently. Her Universe was spared. And hopefully we can find out why."</s>	<\|message\|>Velona There were certain times that Velona was grateful to be blindfolded. Like right now, with two strange saiyans nearby. It made it easy to resist the urge to stare. She couldn't decide if it was comforting or unnerving. OK, with Tabage it was definitely unnerving... but that didn't necessarily have anything to do with her being a saiyan. Saiyans even existing were the closest thing to normal Velona had right now, but she didn't know them any better than she knew... well... any of the other people present. It was strange how she almost felt more comfortable around Ovaan, despite him being of the same race as the person who had turned half her planet into glass. Although, on that note- No, best to just not think about it. She decided to focus on the Kai instead. "Yes, I... figured as much from our conversation yesterday," Velona said in response. "But we're just the victims of all this. How are we supposed to know what to look for? How are we supposed to recognize something important even if we do see it? We're going to a completely different universe," for most of them anyway, "everything is likely to seem strange to us to begin with. I do hope your plan extends beyond sending us there in the first place." Just because they were involved didn't mean they were any better at figuring it out than anyone else. They were just the ones who were slightly less unlucky at the end of the day.</s>
<\|description\|>Velona Species: Zuichijin (Tentative name. Not sure I like it. Probably won't refer to it much if I can help it. And yes, it's something I made up.) She comes from a pale-skinned species with hyper-aggressive tendencies and strong bio-electric abilities. Over time, the weaker members of their race evolved away from uncontrollable aggression, but the stronger still require intense meditation and sometimes even a blindfold to control themselves. Her species has developed a sort of primitive ki-sensing ability, allowing them to mentally map the area around them in a sort of bubble, in order to make up for the blindfolds some of them wear. Age: 35 Gender: Female Appearance: Long, white hair, pale, almost pure-white skin with a delicate frame. She wears a cloth blindfold over her eyes, which are red. She wears elegant, loose fitting clothes, tied tightly to her body where it won't interfere with her range of motion. Not really 100% what I imagined, but... yeah I'm not gonna find anything closer than that. Personality: Stoic, serene, and patient, though her good nature has been tempered after recent events. She's the type to be the voice of reason in a chaotic situation. Bio: Born on a planet under Freeza's occupation. Rather than being slaughtered and their planet sold off, Freeza attempted to make use of their species for their unique abilities. A group of saiyans were used as an occupying force. A waste of their talents and power, but perhaps that was the point, considering his feelings about saiyans. One day, a young saiyan boy just appeared seemingly out of nowhere, though she would later learn he'd spent his early years growing in a tank. Neither of them fully aware of the tensions going on, they formed a sort of friendship. However, years later, she would learn of her people's plans for rebellion. She was to deal with the boy in order to steel her resolve for future conflict. She did as she was told, but her heart wasn't in it. Despite her betrayal and failure, she was spared, though badly beaten by the time the fight was over. Perhaps he too could not bring himself to finish her, or perhaps he'd been able to tell that she'd been pulling her punches. Regardless, she was left to limp away. She quickly learned that the rebellion was a total failure. With their scouters, the first attack to fail had put the occupying saiyans on alert, and soon enough their power and brutality overwhelmed the frailer of the two species. However, among those her people had slain was the leader of the saiyans -- and the boy's father. Her own parents had carried it out. While saiyans were not known for their warm, loving families, that combined with Velona's betrayal had caused his rage to explode. In the end, they were both left orphaned. In the following days, Freeza himself arrived to mete out their punishment. Since the rebellion had already failed pathetically, Freeza did not simply destroy their planet, but instead razed half its surface to volcanic rock and glass, leaving those who remained to try and survive on the ravaged planet. Velona should have been one of the unlucky ones, trapped on the doomed half of the planet. However, she was dragged away with a few others to be used as servants by the saiyans. A slave. She soon learned that she hadn't been chosen by chance. In keeping with the saiyans monarchical society, the boy with his newfound power had taken the place of his father, even if unofficially due to his age. She expected to spend many, miserable years under their heels, but it was not to be. The first few years were fearful, but over time she grew accustomed, and sometimes would even speak her mind. Her old companion would usually put her in her place, but wouldn't allow his fellow saiyans to do so. Eventually she realized that neither of them had quite truly been left alone in the wake of the disastrous rebellion. As twisted as it was, they had been left with each other. This became especially important when all saiyans were recalled their home world. Seeing what had become of Velona's people, her companion was... suspicious. He delayed all those under his command, claiming engine trouble to those who asked. News soon enough reached them of Planet Vegeta's annihilation. In shock, they all went into hiding, destroying their scouters. Thus, a group of warlike saiyans and a handful of servants were left to try and find a new way to live. They could no longer go tearing across the galaxy sowing havoc or they'd be found in short order. Over time, Velona slowly wormed her way into her old companion's life, perhaps out of desperation looking for the good in him she'd once known. In the end, it wasn't as hard to find as she'd expected. In the end, she found herself in a way... teaching him. Or perhaps, better yet, reminding him of how things could be different. Better. For the longest time, she was still barely more then a glorified assistant to him, but he had come to heed her word and wouldn't shun or silence her. They once more respected each other. When he had a child with another saiyan woman, it was Velona who insisted that he be raised "properly" and not left to incubate in some tank. It was then that she truly tested her standing in his eyes by browbeating him into being a father -- and she succeeded. It was then that she finally had a family again. It was hard to call the next few years truly the greatest of her strange, violent life, but they were happy. Until it was all burned to ash once more. Techniques: Shocking ki-blasts: Amping her natural bio-electric abilities with ki, she can launch it at her enemies. Electric Roots: She can channel her ki through the ground beneath her to lay traps or stealthily attack an enemy who is standing still and unaware. Has the same basic properties as the above, though less explosive. Projected Presence: She can project her ki signature across a fair distance, making it appear she is somewhere else. She can split it in multiple directions and the effect can be made strong enough to work almost like a visual mirage or illusion. Malefic Presence: The prior ability cranked up to 11, instilling a strong sense of danger, but cannot be split. Has been known to frighten weaker victims into unconsciousness. "The monster is right behind you." Extreme Spiral Detonator: A technique she learned through observation and her last resort. Two spinning orbs of ki are pressed together and launched, or preferably slammed into at melee range, the foe. If the victim is too weak, they will usually be sent flying and spinning into the distance. When the ki of the two orbs fully mix, it will lose all stability and explode catastrophically. Usually it is manually detonated by a subsequent ki blast once at a safe distance. Transformations: Predator: While debatably not a true transformation, she can take advantage of her species' physiology to increase the intensity and density of the ki within her. This tends to cause her bio-electric abilities to run wild, leaving her cloaked in a violent storm of electricity and ki. It also tends to bring out her more vicious inner nature.</s> <\|message\|>Velona @Double --- That was... unexpected. It certainly helped put her at ease, though. At least a little. For now the majority of them seemed to have agreed to trust these two, and she saw no reason to go against the grain. And, above all else, she was happy to leave the hellscape they'd stepped into. On the other side, Mia expressed a wish to become stronger and, surprisingly, Ovaan immediately supplied them with a potential answer. A gravity chamber. "Right... I was told that the saiyan homeworld had a much higher gravity than mine... and..." And immediately she wished she hadn't said that. "Umm... w-well it could certainly help, yes... b-but I think we have more important things to worry about right now." That being, of course, the two people they'd brought back with them. "We need to tell the Kai of Time what, err, who we found." She'd opened the portal in the first place, so she should have been right there...</s> <\|message\|>Maize Maize Maize returned to the group before the two guests appeared and sulked silently behind the others. She wanted to do more than just stand around and wait for something to happen and was disappointed that no one agreed with her plan. The sound of an explosion disrupted her thoughts as it seemed that trouble found a way of happening without their intervention. From the sound of it some prisoners were escaping and making quite the spectacle of it. She was relieved to know that there were others still alive and not discarded as lifeless husks. Maybe her own crew had managed to survive and was imprisoned in one of those large spheres. She was hopeful at least. When the two cloaked figures appeared in front of them she stayed on alert. For some reason she couldn't sense one of their energies. It was the same thing that happened when she tried to sense the Supreme Kai of Time. It was as if their ki didn't exist or on a frequency she wasn't attuned to but she could tell it was there. When the shorter figured revealed himself it seemed that this was something special to that of the Supreme Kais. Was it because they were gods? The taller figure revealed themselves to be a Saiyan and a friend of Tabaga, possibly more. She couldn't quite tell yet. Maize was just glad that somewhere out there more Saiyans had survived. She may not have grown with her people, but once she encountered Vegeta and the others she did gain a true sense of connection and belonging. One that she hadn't felt her entire time under Frieza's tutelage. When the others returned back to Conton City through the portal she stayed behind for a bit. She looked up in the sky and couldn't help but be angered at the sight of the escapees fighting a doomed fight. She hoped this new Supreme Kai was worth all of the trouble and sacrifices. She felt wrong just leaving the others behind to die. In that moment she decided that she would at least offer them some assistance. She positioned herself behind the boulder Tabaga originally hid behind when they crossed through. She aimed her finger as if it were a sniper blaster. She scanned the skies to see which of the escapees needed some assistance the most. "Let's see how tough that armor is." She fired off a few Death Beams at three different troopers hitting each at least three different times before moving to the next. She wanted to give them any kind of advantage they could get in fighting against the universe destroyers and to show them that their sacrifices didn't go unnoticed or unappreciated. Before she could get herself spotted Maize blew the smoke from her finger and made her way through the portal. She reached the other side in the middle of Ovaan explaining the nature of the ship. A gravity training machine was something that truly caught her attention, but Velona was right. They had to debrief.</s> <\|message\|>Tabaga Tabaga took a careful look at Okora couldn't help that she seemed to have a few more scars then the last time she had seen her. As the others ran back through the portal she lost sight of Maize for a moment. Where did she go? She wondered as the Supreme Kai of the Multiverse and Okora both ran through the portal. After a brief moment she saw Maize taking potshots at some of the solders. Tabaga swore under her breath and was preparing to grab Maize and drag her through the portal when she ceased firing at the solders and went through the portal. Unfortunately, a number of the troopers were now aware of the existence of the intruders and were now heading for the location of the portal. Oh...Many things about this are not good. Tabaga though as she bolted through the portal and immediately motioned at the Supreme Kai of Time to close the portal. "Close it! Close it now!" She shouted urgently as she took careful aim at the portal as the Kai of Time began working on closing down the portal. She could only watch in horror as the image of a black armored trooper began to form where the portal was. Tabaga was preparing to power up when the portal collapsed in on itself and took the trooper with it. The Supreme Kai of Time stormed towards the group with an angry look. "I said to avoid fighting!" She shouted at Tabaga specifically. "Is it so hard to understand those simple words?!" Tabaga recoiled as if struck. She was about to try and come up with a retort when the so-called "Supreme Kai of the Multiverse" approached the Kai of Time. "I apologize. What happened was my doing. It was the only way that would allow us to get away." The shorter of the two Kais looked at him and her face went pale as she looked at the green skinned Kai "Y-You. I recognize you. We haven't seen you in centuries!" "There's a reason for that." The green skinned Kai said quietly. "I was hunted across the multiverse for quite a while before finally being captured by our enemy. My apprentice and I were held captive for a number of months before we managed to create a distraction and used the opportunity to get away." He turned to face the group and bowed. "Thank you. If any of you have questions I can answer them." He said simply as Okora looked over at Tabaga and motioned for her to follow her for a moment. "Are we the only two left?" Tabaga asked quietly. Okora simply nodded. "We were the only two left alive after Planet Vegeta. There's no one else." "How did you end up with him?" Tabaga asked as she motioned towards the Supreme Kai of the Multiverse. Okora smiled slightly. "It's a long story. I'll tell you about it later."</s> <\|message\|>Darbin "Long story or not Kais we should be aiming to either strengthen what warriors we have, or prepare to take on as weak a targets as we can get. Slowly work our way up to the snake's head as its clear we're insufficient with out current forces." comments Darbin as he looks to the kais he keeps his arms crossed. He speaks plainly, and without any intended arrogance as he looks back and forth at the group. "I sense a great amount of power within this group but we're still few, and numbers do make a difference. I've been to battles where smaller, and or weaker troops can outwit a greater threat by working with a valid strategy." Darbin says further as he starts to wonder where exactly these enemies would be weakest at...without sufficient intel they couldn't tell but in the end it would simply mean they'd need to gamble. "We can train, and ponder about the other kais, and the saiyans if we want but at the end of the day we have a duty to save the universe. And I am nothing more than a soldier. A blunt instrument I will do as told to an extent. I still will not throw away my life idly." Darbins says with his arms still crossed.</s>	<\|message\|>Velona Get stronger? As if it were that simple. The strongest of them was still woefully insufficient. If it were otherwise, they wouldn't have been whisked away to this strange place simply to keep them alive. What could they really do? What could they hope to accomplish against something that seemed capable of erasing one's whole reality? Even these kais seemed at their mercy. But what was the alternative? "We have to assume they're after something. We know now of at least one place they didn't completely erase, so... that's one place we can fight them without them just wiping the slate clean." She wrapped her arms around herself in a vain attempt to quell her anxiety. "At least I hope so." She looked to their two newcomers, "Do you know why they're doing all this?"</s>
<\|description\|>Mia Posting just to reserve the concept and give people an idea of what I am going for. Right now I am thinking a female, always smiling and positive, basically your good natured counterpart to the other two. Also focuses on high speed attacks. Like a barrage of punches or a bunch of energy attacks fired off machine gun style as opposed to the more conventional slow charge and fire like what Goku does. Will edit the details in in a moment. Also I just realized I posted this in the wrong subsection. Should have been in OOC. Sorry. New to this forum. How do I delete/move it? Ok, here goes nothing. Species: Oni A humanoid species known primarily for their oddly colored hair and horns which give them a demonic appearance. In terms of power they are a somewhat generic species aside from the fact that for those trained to fight and sense the fighting power of others the horn will act as an amplifier tingling and even glowing in the case of an extremely powerful presence. On their homeworld, the Oni were a peaceful but armed warrior culture preferring to practice armed neutrality (like Switzerland) and stay out of galactic affairs while keeping a core of strong fighters to protect them self from outside threats. At the heart of this was a series of martial arts tournaments culminating with the Great World Tournament held every 10 years. The winners of this tournament earned great honor and the right to join the elite protectors of their planet. A force that was, at least theoretically meant to protect their world from any would be destroyers. Unfortunately it was during the finals of the last tournament that their world was mysteriously destroyed somewhat definitively proving their approach wrong.Age: 26 Gender: Female Appearance:Young, reasonably good looking and with soft smooth skin and eyes ever so slightly larger than is comfortable for human observation she represents a well groomed female specimen of her species. A bar that, to be fair, given her current status as its only living representative isn't something she needs to try much to clear. Still, she does her best to keep her silky pink hair in order and polish her two short and mildly curved horns pointing upward to match her smile. In terms of clothing she dresses simply, preferring full length pants and short slaves for their practicality in a fight and for the same reason cutting her hair just above her shoulders. Although she absolutely refuses to tie it.Personality:She has always been the sort to smile, be cheerful and not take life too seriously. The destruction of her home and everything she knew and cared for seems not to have changed this. Although the astute might tell that these days at times the smile is only skin deep. One thing that definitively did change is that her already strong sense of justice has developed into a mean streak meaning that she is completely willing and arguably eager to kill without hesitation anyone she considers to be a "bad guy". A be it that she will do so cheerfully.Bio:Mia grew up as a normal kid with a normal, loving family. She awoke early on to her love of fighting, her earliest memories being of her self as a small child wrestling other children to the ground with the intent of subduing them. By the time her friends were in high school she was spending every free moment of her time training with her great uncle, a renowned martial arts master known widely as the Hedgehog Hermit. His techniques focusing not on strength but speed meshed well with her natural abilities she quickly mastered his mantra of striking before her foe could react and being where his strikes would not be. By her late teens she was already participating in tournaments working her way up toward the big prize and her all time dream a place in the Great World Tournament, a process that would last her over a decade. Sadly her moment of triumph would also be that of her greatest tragedy. For it was during the finals of this tournament that everything was destroyed. What happened on that day is a haze. She fought in the tournament and lost. But that was to be expected of a new contender. Just being in the event was a great honor. Beyond that however she remembers little. Unusually for the contest, she recalls, an alien fighter was participating. This was not unheard of or forbidden but it was very rare. The alien, whom she remembers poorly managed to fight his way to the final round and earn the right to face last years champion. Everything after that is a blur. Unsurprisingly perhaps for it is at some point after or maybe during that fight that the world ended. Just what happened or for that matter why and how she survived is a mystery for she has no recollection of the events. The memories lost or perhaps repressed by her own mind. But she does remember some things vividly. Images, sounds, the ground disappearing before her eyes. Just the sort of fun thing that make little girls wake up at night screaming and clawing at their eyes. Not that she does mind you, but that's a testament to her strength more than anything. Beyond those however there is nothing. Nothing but the cold, unrelenting certainty of her loneliness and a strong if undefined feeling that the mysterious stranger had something to do with the destruction of her world and her survival, both, leaving her somewhat unsure if she should feel infatuated or vengeful.Techniques:Pulse bomb: She strikes the air with an open hand punch to fire off a fist sized ki projectile. Although not as powerful as some ki attacks (example Kamehameha) it requires no charging time or preparation and can be delivered safely at any range, even in a melee. Pulse barrage: Same as above only delivered at a very high rate of speed through rapid relentless punching with the intent of drowning an enemy in a machinegun like barrage of projectiles. This is her primary high power destruction attack. Ki-Speed: She is train to funnel her ki into moving and fighting faster than mere physical ability would allow. She can deliver strikes really fast or fire off a barrage of punches that puts other fighters to shame. She can also run fast enough to walk on water should the need arise. Mirror attack: Using the full power of her ki speed she moves so quickly as to appear to be at multiple places at once. This technique is typically used in the form of surrounding an enemy by illusory duplicates (by running around in a circle) and attacking from a seemingly random direction or all at once with only one being real. But other uses exist as well. Flight: She can fly using ki. Although I imagine this might be a default thing for us. Super: Kaio-ken: This technique is the last and most powerful one she learned from her master who told her about it being something past down from master to student for many generations ever since their ancestor one of the original planetary defenders, traveled to an unknown world to train with an alien master. He also told her not to use it unless her life was on the line.Transformations:Her species has at least two known and possibly more levels of transformation. However she is yet to achieve any of them. And she really does not know the details, aside from the fact they have something to do with their horns, as these are closely guarded secrets of martial arts masters just above her pay grade. And asking them is going to be a problem seeing as they are all dead. But they are a possibility for a dramatic level up at some point should the plot demand it.Other Info:</s> <\|message\|>Mia Although it didn't show on the outside Mia was feeling pretty useless at this point. She didn't like feeling useless. She wasn't used to feeling useless. And yet here she was. The whole thing would have been aggravating if it hadn't been so funny. Seriously, just a short while ago she was awake, hyped and feeling pretty good about her self. And now the blue guy was here with enough supplies for an army and pinkie literally rebuilt the entire city while they were asleep. Again... she rebuilt the city. Compared to those two all Mia had to bring to the table was tetanus. A short muffled giggle left her mouth at the thought. Seriously, now all it took was for someone to show up with a barbecue and a keg and the day would be complete. And thus her smile was genuine.</s> <\|message\|>Dimsum AKA "Yaksha" @IceHeart @Chev @KillamriX88 @PPQ Purple @Double @NacNak @King Kindred Yaksha's first night in the Time nest... had been bittersweet. Sleeping in a ruining place was quite a challenge on his own, but nothing he could not fix by focusing a little and setting up a tent worth of a Prince with what was left of his magical power. Confident it was snug and and warm enough, he set out to find supplies. He pondered... What kind of supply would be needed the most considering half of the team was battle freaks? Healing items. The supreme Kai, Chronoa, had set quite a lot of stores, but something among them caught his attention. "No way, they could grow this many Senzu Beans?" He said, as he weighed the storage dispositive. A capsule. From Capsule Corp. He recognized the craft. Probably Dr Briefs and Bulma of many timelines had made a killing with these kinds of devices, being exclusive sellers to the Time Patrol? Yes, that was the name of Chronoa's taskforce, according to Supreme Kai Shin. He scratched his head. He was not going to look a gifted horse in the mouth, and they would provide a good backup should they run out of magical healing. So he set to hoard all of these seeds he could find. He was thankful none of the invaders ever realized the importance of these seeds, or else his fights would have dragged a lot longer. Now, if someone could fix the cackling pink maniac remodelling the city rubble in modern art, he could sleep at peace. He resigned himself to the evident. This was such a makeshift team, as he entered the tent. They would need to do some team bonding, perhaps even before they set out from the first mission. The Supreme Kai had warned him about the volatileness and liability of Saiyans, and something needed to be done. Yaksha smiled. He was sure he knew one major weakness a lot of these fighters had, and stood all night meditating to gather energy and concocting his plan. --- The wafting smell of coffee, freshly brewed invaded his nostrils as he set towards the place they were gathering, and eyed those gathered. "Hm. Freeza-kin, you really do outdo yourself. These will be handy on the future. Also good job, Majin... I guess" he said, taking one set of capsules for himself. "I also stocked up on Senzu beans. If you haven't heard of them, it's an Earth speciality and one of the best healing items of the universe." He added, producing a small hoard of these capsules. "It will be a boon." He then grinned, unleashing the plan. He had woken up earlier for this. "By the way, I am going to get some breakfast, if you do not mind." He said, while pointing at the buffet that had appeared not further away from their position. Saiyans could be easily tamed with enough food. And none of these species seemed namekians, who thrived on water. It would also prevent accidental poisoning from the Supreme of Kai's Universe destroying cooking. He had heard that much. "I made a buffet. We should fast, for we are undertaking missions of great importance." The earthling said, as he gazed upon his handiwork of magic, gathering materials and ingredients, and cooking. There were all sorts of breakfast foods in there, but Yaksha was partial to fresh pancakes. It reminded him of his princely meals, once upon a time.</s>	<\|message\|>Mia Well that just happened. Seriously, Mia was impressed. Seriously, fully impressed. In the past 24 hours she had witnessed omnicide, interdimensional travel, explosive planetary disassembly, hell, proof of intelligent alien life not descended from cows, proof of existence of the legendary kai and a strange pink girl literally reassembling a giant city in an evening... But you couldn't exactly eat any of those. And after last nights "sleep" and her adventure this morning with a can of cold, scorched baked beans she would have given her horns for a cup of hot coffee. And boy did that kid deliver. Now this didn't mean she had to like him. The brutal way he stepped on poor monkey girls feelings back yesterday was just inexcusable no matter his mental state. And she was sure he was in one just as they all were. It just didn't excuse things. But right now was not the time for such thoughts. Rather it was time for coffee...</s>
<\|description\|>Mia Posting just to reserve the concept and give people an idea of what I am going for. Right now I am thinking a female, always smiling and positive, basically your good natured counterpart to the other two. Also focuses on high speed attacks. Like a barrage of punches or a bunch of energy attacks fired off machine gun style as opposed to the more conventional slow charge and fire like what Goku does. Will edit the details in in a moment. Also I just realized I posted this in the wrong subsection. Should have been in OOC. Sorry. New to this forum. How do I delete/move it? Ok, here goes nothing. Species: Oni A humanoid species known primarily for their oddly colored hair and horns which give them a demonic appearance. In terms of power they are a somewhat generic species aside from the fact that for those trained to fight and sense the fighting power of others the horn will act as an amplifier tingling and even glowing in the case of an extremely powerful presence. On their homeworld, the Oni were a peaceful but armed warrior culture preferring to practice armed neutrality (like Switzerland) and stay out of galactic affairs while keeping a core of strong fighters to protect them self from outside threats. At the heart of this was a series of martial arts tournaments culminating with the Great World Tournament held every 10 years. The winners of this tournament earned great honor and the right to join the elite protectors of their planet. A force that was, at least theoretically meant to protect their world from any would be destroyers. Unfortunately it was during the finals of the last tournament that their world was mysteriously destroyed somewhat definitively proving their approach wrong.Age: 26 Gender: Female Appearance:Young, reasonably good looking and with soft smooth skin and eyes ever so slightly larger than is comfortable for human observation she represents a well groomed female specimen of her species. A bar that, to be fair, given her current status as its only living representative isn't something she needs to try much to clear. Still, she does her best to keep her silky pink hair in order and polish her two short and mildly curved horns pointing upward to match her smile. In terms of clothing she dresses simply, preferring full length pants and short slaves for their practicality in a fight and for the same reason cutting her hair just above her shoulders. Although she absolutely refuses to tie it.Personality:She has always been the sort to smile, be cheerful and not take life too seriously. The destruction of her home and everything she knew and cared for seems not to have changed this. Although the astute might tell that these days at times the smile is only skin deep. One thing that definitively did change is that her already strong sense of justice has developed into a mean streak meaning that she is completely willing and arguably eager to kill without hesitation anyone she considers to be a "bad guy". A be it that she will do so cheerfully.Bio:Mia grew up as a normal kid with a normal, loving family. She awoke early on to her love of fighting, her earliest memories being of her self as a small child wrestling other children to the ground with the intent of subduing them. By the time her friends were in high school she was spending every free moment of her time training with her great uncle, a renowned martial arts master known widely as the Hedgehog Hermit. His techniques focusing not on strength but speed meshed well with her natural abilities she quickly mastered his mantra of striking before her foe could react and being where his strikes would not be. By her late teens she was already participating in tournaments working her way up toward the big prize and her all time dream a place in the Great World Tournament, a process that would last her over a decade. Sadly her moment of triumph would also be that of her greatest tragedy. For it was during the finals of this tournament that everything was destroyed. What happened on that day is a haze. She fought in the tournament and lost. But that was to be expected of a new contender. Just being in the event was a great honor. Beyond that however she remembers little. Unusually for the contest, she recalls, an alien fighter was participating. This was not unheard of or forbidden but it was very rare. The alien, whom she remembers poorly managed to fight his way to the final round and earn the right to face last years champion. Everything after that is a blur. Unsurprisingly perhaps for it is at some point after or maybe during that fight that the world ended. Just what happened or for that matter why and how she survived is a mystery for she has no recollection of the events. The memories lost or perhaps repressed by her own mind. But she does remember some things vividly. Images, sounds, the ground disappearing before her eyes. Just the sort of fun thing that make little girls wake up at night screaming and clawing at their eyes. Not that she does mind you, but that's a testament to her strength more than anything. Beyond those however there is nothing. Nothing but the cold, unrelenting certainty of her loneliness and a strong if undefined feeling that the mysterious stranger had something to do with the destruction of her world and her survival, both, leaving her somewhat unsure if she should feel infatuated or vengeful.Techniques:Pulse bomb: She strikes the air with an open hand punch to fire off a fist sized ki projectile. Although not as powerful as some ki attacks (example Kamehameha) it requires no charging time or preparation and can be delivered safely at any range, even in a melee. Pulse barrage: Same as above only delivered at a very high rate of speed through rapid relentless punching with the intent of drowning an enemy in a machinegun like barrage of projectiles. This is her primary high power destruction attack. Ki-Speed: She is train to funnel her ki into moving and fighting faster than mere physical ability would allow. She can deliver strikes really fast or fire off a barrage of punches that puts other fighters to shame. She can also run fast enough to walk on water should the need arise. Mirror attack: Using the full power of her ki speed she moves so quickly as to appear to be at multiple places at once. This technique is typically used in the form of surrounding an enemy by illusory duplicates (by running around in a circle) and attacking from a seemingly random direction or all at once with only one being real. But other uses exist as well. Flight: She can fly using ki. Although I imagine this might be a default thing for us. Super: Kaio-ken: This technique is the last and most powerful one she learned from her master who told her about it being something past down from master to student for many generations ever since their ancestor one of the original planetary defenders, traveled to an unknown world to train with an alien master. He also told her not to use it unless her life was on the line.Transformations:Her species has at least two known and possibly more levels of transformation. However she is yet to achieve any of them. And she really does not know the details, aside from the fact they have something to do with their horns, as these are closely guarded secrets of martial arts masters just above her pay grade. And asking them is going to be a problem seeing as they are all dead. But they are a possibility for a dramatic level up at some point should the plot demand it.Other Info:</s> <\|message\|>Tabaga GM Post To say that Tabaga had not had a good night would be an understatement. She had spent some of the night wandering the ruined city before finally falling asleep on top of what appeared to be a very large mushroom. For a long time she had simply tossed and turned as certain thoughts continued running through her head. Entire universes were being erased but for some reason hers had been spared, albeit most likely it was devoid of life considering how much destruction those black armored troopers had caused. Eventually though she had fallen asleep and had slept through some of the noisier elements of the night. When she finally woke up she saw the someone had done some repair work on the city and she could smell food but for some reason today she found she just wasn't that hungry. The Saiyan woman followed the scent of the food and found the others already gathered together. She barely looked at the food however as she looked around for the Supreme Kai of Time. After a few moments of trying to either see her or trying to sense her he finally caught a glimpse of her coming out of a nearby building. She kept a very careful watch on the Kai as she approached. She seemed tired but at the same time there seemed to be something different about her. Her step seemed a bit lighter and despite how tired she was there was a small smile on her face. "Good morning everyone!" The Kai called out to the assembled group. "I hope everyone is well this morning." She approached the group. The Dimensional scanner on her wrist was glowing a bright green. "I told you yesterday that I may have a mission for you today. I spent most of the night trying to figure out what we could do and I will be one hundred percent honest, I have the beginning of a plan." She looked at each and everyone of the group and for a brief moment a look of fatigue crossed her face. "I believe our best best is to enter Tabaga's universe and see if we can find any clues as to what caused whatever enemy we're facing to act differently. Her Universe was spared. And hopefully we can find out why."</s> <\|message\|>Velona --- There were certain times that Velona was grateful to be blindfolded. Like right now, with two strange saiyans nearby. It made it easy to resist the urge to stare. She couldn't decide if it was comforting or unnerving. OK, with Tabage it was definitely unnerving... but that didn't necessarily have anything to do with her being a saiyan. Saiyans even existing were the closest thing to normal Velona had right now, but she didn't know them any better than she knew... well... any of the other people present. It was strange how she almost felt more comfortable around Ovaan, despite him being of the same race as the person who had turned half her planet into glass. Although, on that note- No, best to just not think about it. She decided to focus on the Kai instead. "Yes, I... figured as much from our conversation yesterday," Velona said in response. "But we're just the victims of all this. How are we supposed to know what to look for? How are we supposed to recognize something important even if we do see it? We're going to a completely different universe," for most of them anyway, "everything is likely to seem strange to us to begin with. I do hope your plan extends beyond sending us there in the first place." Just because they were involved didn't mean they were any better at figuring it out than anyone else. They were just the ones who were slightly less unlucky at the end of the day.</s> <\|message\|>Darbin "How are we going to handle such a mission anyways? We splitting into groups, or are we all forming a singular cohesive unit? A group this big may attract unwanted attention especially if people here aren't common in Tabaga's universe." comments Darbin as he cracks his neck. He considers the people around him, and those who have yet to arrive. He wonders if this whole group would just be one big giant eyesore, and an obvious sign that whoever ruined this city made a huge mess in the first place. "I'm not especially looking forward to running into people asking me what I'm doing with saiyans for example. My people tend to be aggressive warriors in my universe, and we don't get along with saiyans. I bet Tabaga's version of my people are either completely different, or very similar. I'm just worried about the dynamics of our team. I mean no offense to those who are here." Darbin says promptly, a bit slowly but calmly as he looks at the strange green beans he didn't know what they were but food was food.</s>	<\|message\|>Mia Mia was following the discussion intently. Well, as intently as one can when stuffing one self with food and coffee at an alarming rate. Alarming for her calorie count that is. There was quite enough to go around. She on the other hand hadn't eaten properly in almost a day and was most assuredly making up for lost time. And besides, she'd burn it off sooner rather than later. At some point though she was finished, or close to it anyway, and the time had come to chime in. Or at the very least point out the plainly obvious. "None taken." "And somehow I think that's, like, the point." She took another sip of coffee. "I don't know about you guys but I am no detective. Not unless you count punching as an investigative skill. And this whole universe destruction stuff is frankly going over my head." She had a point. Something destroying universes was not just a physical impossibility for the most part but also just a matter of logistics. I mean, how the bloody hell do you destroy a whole universe? The energy required to do so alone would need to be... universal. Mia wasn't stupid, far from it, but it didn't take a genius to realize they were missing pieces of the puzzle here. Either that or they were going up against a literal god. She hoped it was the former. Thus, she continued "So my guess is our best bet is to go in there, find one of those whatevers that were messing the place up and hit him or her repeatedly some place soft until we get some answers. Or at least the name of the next person up to 'visit'." "And if they happen to find us first that just makes our job easier." She said this fully seriously, and with a honest smile that lacked any malice. It was just a statement of fact, nothing more. And yet it was exactly that which make the fact that she was talking about finding someone to torture for information somewhat awkward. You would expect such reasoning from most of you. But you had been through wars and done nasty things. She hadn't. Not that you knew this. But even so would any of you really said it so matter of fact and without dropping their morning coffee smile? Maybe you would. In which case this was you looking into a mirror you might not have wanted to see. Mia for her part was equally surprised. This was not exactly her usual style after all. And maybe it was this strange alien coffee speaking but honestly at this point she didn't give a bleep. She wanted some answers. And frankly some payback as well. And while she wasn't quite ready to kill for them just yet a little percussive persuasion was a line she would cross happily. As she said this she took another long and slow sip from the cup whilst casting a careful look over the team. They knew she was right. Or at least that no matter what the plan was this is how it would inevitably turn out. How they would make it turn out... You don't just take a bunch of really strong people and kill everyone they love without making it personal.</s>
<\|description\|>Mia Posting just to reserve the concept and give people an idea of what I am going for. Right now I am thinking a female, always smiling and positive, basically your good natured counterpart to the other two. Also focuses on high speed attacks. Like a barrage of punches or a bunch of energy attacks fired off machine gun style as opposed to the more conventional slow charge and fire like what Goku does. Will edit the details in in a moment. Also I just realized I posted this in the wrong subsection. Should have been in OOC. Sorry. New to this forum. How do I delete/move it? Ok, here goes nothing. Species: Oni A humanoid species known primarily for their oddly colored hair and horns which give them a demonic appearance. In terms of power they are a somewhat generic species aside from the fact that for those trained to fight and sense the fighting power of others the horn will act as an amplifier tingling and even glowing in the case of an extremely powerful presence. On their homeworld, the Oni were a peaceful but armed warrior culture preferring to practice armed neutrality (like Switzerland) and stay out of galactic affairs while keeping a core of strong fighters to protect them self from outside threats. At the heart of this was a series of martial arts tournaments culminating with the Great World Tournament held every 10 years. The winners of this tournament earned great honor and the right to join the elite protectors of their planet. A force that was, at least theoretically meant to protect their world from any would be destroyers. Unfortunately it was during the finals of the last tournament that their world was mysteriously destroyed somewhat definitively proving their approach wrong.Age: 26 Gender: Female Appearance:Young, reasonably good looking and with soft smooth skin and eyes ever so slightly larger than is comfortable for human observation she represents a well groomed female specimen of her species. A bar that, to be fair, given her current status as its only living representative isn't something she needs to try much to clear. Still, she does her best to keep her silky pink hair in order and polish her two short and mildly curved horns pointing upward to match her smile. In terms of clothing she dresses simply, preferring full length pants and short slaves for their practicality in a fight and for the same reason cutting her hair just above her shoulders. Although she absolutely refuses to tie it.Personality:She has always been the sort to smile, be cheerful and not take life too seriously. The destruction of her home and everything she knew and cared for seems not to have changed this. Although the astute might tell that these days at times the smile is only skin deep. One thing that definitively did change is that her already strong sense of justice has developed into a mean streak meaning that she is completely willing and arguably eager to kill without hesitation anyone she considers to be a "bad guy". A be it that she will do so cheerfully.Bio:Mia grew up as a normal kid with a normal, loving family. She awoke early on to her love of fighting, her earliest memories being of her self as a small child wrestling other children to the ground with the intent of subduing them. By the time her friends were in high school she was spending every free moment of her time training with her great uncle, a renowned martial arts master known widely as the Hedgehog Hermit. His techniques focusing not on strength but speed meshed well with her natural abilities she quickly mastered his mantra of striking before her foe could react and being where his strikes would not be. By her late teens she was already participating in tournaments working her way up toward the big prize and her all time dream a place in the Great World Tournament, a process that would last her over a decade. Sadly her moment of triumph would also be that of her greatest tragedy. For it was during the finals of this tournament that everything was destroyed. What happened on that day is a haze. She fought in the tournament and lost. But that was to be expected of a new contender. Just being in the event was a great honor. Beyond that however she remembers little. Unusually for the contest, she recalls, an alien fighter was participating. This was not unheard of or forbidden but it was very rare. The alien, whom she remembers poorly managed to fight his way to the final round and earn the right to face last years champion. Everything after that is a blur. Unsurprisingly perhaps for it is at some point after or maybe during that fight that the world ended. Just what happened or for that matter why and how she survived is a mystery for she has no recollection of the events. The memories lost or perhaps repressed by her own mind. But she does remember some things vividly. Images, sounds, the ground disappearing before her eyes. Just the sort of fun thing that make little girls wake up at night screaming and clawing at their eyes. Not that she does mind you, but that's a testament to her strength more than anything. Beyond those however there is nothing. Nothing but the cold, unrelenting certainty of her loneliness and a strong if undefined feeling that the mysterious stranger had something to do with the destruction of her world and her survival, both, leaving her somewhat unsure if she should feel infatuated or vengeful.Techniques:Pulse bomb: She strikes the air with an open hand punch to fire off a fist sized ki projectile. Although not as powerful as some ki attacks (example Kamehameha) it requires no charging time or preparation and can be delivered safely at any range, even in a melee. Pulse barrage: Same as above only delivered at a very high rate of speed through rapid relentless punching with the intent of drowning an enemy in a machinegun like barrage of projectiles. This is her primary high power destruction attack. Ki-Speed: She is train to funnel her ki into moving and fighting faster than mere physical ability would allow. She can deliver strikes really fast or fire off a barrage of punches that puts other fighters to shame. She can also run fast enough to walk on water should the need arise. Mirror attack: Using the full power of her ki speed she moves so quickly as to appear to be at multiple places at once. This technique is typically used in the form of surrounding an enemy by illusory duplicates (by running around in a circle) and attacking from a seemingly random direction or all at once with only one being real. But other uses exist as well. Flight: She can fly using ki. Although I imagine this might be a default thing for us. Super: Kaio-ken: This technique is the last and most powerful one she learned from her master who told her about it being something past down from master to student for many generations ever since their ancestor one of the original planetary defenders, traveled to an unknown world to train with an alien master. He also told her not to use it unless her life was on the line.Transformations:Her species has at least two known and possibly more levels of transformation. However she is yet to achieve any of them. And she really does not know the details, aside from the fact they have something to do with their horns, as these are closely guarded secrets of martial arts masters just above her pay grade. And asking them is going to be a problem seeing as they are all dead. But they are a possibility for a dramatic level up at some point should the plot demand it.Other Info:</s> <\|message\|>Ovaan Ovaan @IceHeart @Chev @KillamriX88 @PPQ Purple @AtomicNut @NacNak @King Kindred Everyone was voicing their concerns, and rightfully so. In truth, Ovaan was not without concerns of his own regarding this mission objective. For all they knew, this universe had been rendered completely uninhabitable and they could die mere moments after arrival due to any number of unforeseen hazards. Granted, that was a worst-case scenario. But still valid, nonetheless. Ovaan decided to keep those concerns to himself, being too busy gathering the capsule cases he had brought to verbally voice any of them for the time being. Well, there was one thing he decided to provide a verbal response to. "Payback is all well and good, but I for one would appreciate us not allowing such things to cloud our judgement. Thank you." he had seen his fair share of would-be "heroes", both in and outside his time in the Freeza Force. And in his experience, it never ended well. Heroes had a bad habit of acting on emotional impulse, resulting in poor decisions being made that only served to get people killed. His own crew had tended to make a point of avoiding such mistakes at all costs. Which of course required them to make decisions that often seemed rather callous to those observing from afar. But if the choice was between doing something one might feel guilty about later and getting everyone including one's own self killed outright? Ovaan would choose the former every time. He remained quiet after that. Instead he focused on steeling himself for whatever waited for them on the other side of that portal. No matter what, it probably wasn't going to be pleasant. And so, with a hardened resolved, the former Captain stepped through the portal. And what awaited on the other side was... exactly as he had mentally predicted, and then some. Crimson spheres filling out the skies. Bodies dumped in truly immeasurable numbers, only to be scooped up and hauled away by 8-legged machines. It was enough to make Ovaan want to puke on the spot. He took another breath, reaffirming his resolve and maintaining his composure for the most part. But he still looked visibly uncomfortable at what he was seeing. He couldn't recall a single instance of the Freeza Force doing anything even remotely on this level. They at least maintained some kind of governmental order. This? This just looked like pure horror. And yet, a certain question nagged its way into his mind. One that every single person likely wondered as well. And it looked like Ovaan would have to be the one to ask what they were all probably thinking. "Harvesting? What could they possibly be harvesting these... remains... for?" he asked in a hushed, low voice. The truth was they probably didn't want to know. And yet, he had the distinct feeling they would need to find out, anyway.</s> <\|message\|>Darbin "The question is do we stop this, or do we simply try to observe sometimes information can be more valuable then action. Harvesting, or not we should try to be careful until we have an idea of what exactly we're messing with here if entire universes are gone then we may be a bit over our head in terms of power levels." comments Darbin in response to the Frost Demon's confused reply. Darbin knew it was likely a futile endeavor to try and stop some of the saiyans from doing something dumb but the others may be willing to listen. Years of hard work in the fields of combat, and war made it quite clear to him that war was not something you took lightly in any regard. You had to have the right knowledge or else you would lose. Things quite simply put they couldn't afford to be reckless and cause more damage unintentionally.</s> <\|message\|>Maize Maize @vancexentan@AtomicNut@IceHeart@PPQ Purple@KillamriX88@Double@NacNak Maize couldn't believe her eyes when she stepped out of the portal behind Tabaga. This was something she had never seen before. She had seen murder, she had seen destruction, but this was insane. It took everything in her to contain her anger and her breakfast. Where did those rifts lead? Different universes? Maybe this universe wasn't the only remaining one left. She hoped her squad was okay. She whipped them into shape, they were survivors. She had to hold onto that thought to stay sane. She decided not to hide and stayed out in the open. The ones that could potentially sense them weren't even paying attention and the harvesting spiders were focused on their specific job. "I've never known a Saiyan to hide. They're not even looking our way." Ovaan asked the question she and the others were likely thinking. Darbin even seemed to confirm that fact. She knew a direct conflict wasn't the right way to go about this. Not now at least. They had to get some answers and she believed she knew exactly how to do it. "There's only one way to find out what they're harvesting them for." She paused for a moment to focus on her ki and drastically lowered her power level output as low as she could. If they had those who could sense ki on their side it'd be in their best interest to make it difficult for them to find them. "We get harvested ourselves. If you can lower your ki level I suggest you do it." For now it was the only plan they had and if she could say so herself it was a pretty damn good one. A bit reckless maybe, but it was better than busting down doors or trying to sneak in themselves. Being carried inside just made things easier for them. Maize jumped across the field taking several leaps instead of flying over until she got to a suitable pile where she could hide among the dead.</s>	<\|message\|>Mia Well that's dismaying... She didn't really think those words in particular, but she might as well have. For that was the overall feeling she had toward the realization of just what they were getting into. Like... seriously. Forget it... And forget she did, except she didn't. For even as the shimmering portal drew her attention to it like you would expect from a shiny doubt began creeping into the back of her head. Just what would they find there? Mia had newer been to a war zone. Indeed her species had all but abandoned war for a thousand years. And between that and their isolation her only reference for what she could expect to find there were, aside from yesterday of course, ancient paintings and dried up history books that she failed to pay attention to in class. So right now the only thing she knew for sure was that these "Sayans" were more powerful than her and that there was something out there, just beyond that door that was more powerful than a whole galaxy spanning empire of them. And she wouldn't even get to fight one of them. At least not if these spoilsports had anything to say about it. Well at least not if things went well. Which for all intents and purposes meant that even if she won she would loose. Not that she had too much confidence in the plan, mind you. Between her and the others here they weren't exactly a stealthy bunch. Not unless you count stealth as beating up everything that can possibly spot you. And this was all assuming that the universe wasn't left not destroyed explicitly as a trap for them to walk into. A possibility that absolutely could not be discounted. In fact if she was a universe destroying badgirl that is exactly the kind of trap she would lay. By the time all this went around her head and she completed making that mental note, just in case she ever chose to turn evil, most of the others had gone through. So she did what she had to, took a big breath and stepped through the portal. Not in the least ready for what ever she was about to find there. ... ... ... Seconds later... "Well fuck." Those were her exact thoughts this time. And those were the only ones she thought as her will was entirely spent desperately trying to keep her brain from shutting down. This wasn't a trap. It wasn't the ruins of a dead universe. It wasn't even a war. It was a slaughterhouse. All color drained from her face, the bravado she exhibited just a moment ago gone along with a non insignificant chunk of her sanity. And any thoughts of payback or fighting or even just anything vanished from her mind as she just stood there, silent and completely frozen in place. And the narrator couldn't even come up with a witty remark for the end.</s>