|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Mon Dec 15, 2008 11:59 pm
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Dec 16, 2008 12:06 am
 |
|
|
|
In the starry darkness surrounding an ancient white dwarf star, Valeria drifted in a gentle silence. A large world, by most standards, she was a planet of whites and blues and browns, mostly unpoluted and uncorrupted by the many races that lived upon her surface. Vast seas seperated the four main continents, and seperated those same landmasses from the northern and southern poles. Dotting those deep seas were numerous islands, ranging from the volcanic uprisings from the sea floor and the coral atols that crested the volcanos that didn't have the ambition to crest the surface of the waves, to massive sections of land that failed to be called continents on their own only because they were so thoroughly dwarfed by the true continents themselves.
Because of her massive size, Valeria had started with a single large moon, but through the ages she had aquired a wandering rock passing through the solar system, adding a second, smaller moon to her night sky. From the reflections off of these two celestial courters dancing and serenading her, the night-time land of Valeria was either bathed in a very soft silvery light from the smaller moon, or a gentle silvery-blue light from the larger, giving even the darkest of nights a soft luminescient beauty and visability. The core of the solar system itself, the ancient white dwarf, had not really fluctuated since the day it formed, and that star illuminated the daylight side of Valeria in a brilliant, unabashed white light, making colours stand out more clearly, more starkly.
Valeria's surface was home to innumerous creatures, of varying sentience. It was said that the Gods themselves had visited that world many times, their treads crossing the soaring mountains, the shadowed forestlands, the shifting sands of the deserts, and in numerous locations, those same Gods were said to have left their children, the various races of intelligent, if not necessarily humanoid, creatures. In the more ancient, undisturbed areas, one could find cities of Elven architecture beneath ancient trees, or atop soaring peaks. Deep beneath Valeria's surface, one would find the Earthen Folk, the Dwarves, exploring her various secrets, and striving to survive against the threats dwelling far from the cleansing light of the White Star. Fae folk of many kinds dwelled wherever they could, avoiding the potential danger of the younger races, and yet still be close enough to satiate their curiousity by watching the "bigger folk". Primative races akin to trolls, ogres, and goblins had representation, as well, dwelling wherever hunting was most available. It is even said that once, the great serpents of the sky, the Wyrms, or dragons, existed... though it has been longer than even the Elves can readily recall since one of such ancient creatures had been seen.
Time has, however, made the most numerous race on the surface of Valeria be the Humans. Ranging from nomadic tribes crossing plains and mountains in pursuit of herds of beasts to the hardy souls dwelling on the coastlines and braving the seas to reap their bounties, Humans have shown themselves to be one of the most resilient, and stalwart, of the races. In some few places, Humans have even reached a point of growth as a people as to start erecting cities, similar in idea to the structures of the Elder races, if nothing in visible similarity. Religion, agriculture, industry of any kind... these are the defining qualities of the Humans of Valeria.
But on a world as large, and as ancient as Valeria, the only thing that is certain to remain constant is the fact that things change... and time moves forward...
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Dec 16, 2008 12:07 am
|
|
|
|
Rules:
1) Cheshiyre and Urban Thorne are the Mods of this thread. Our word is law, yada yada.
2) No God-like characters. No cybering. No hamsters.
3) Profiles must be accepted before roleplaying, especially if you desire to be one of the upper echelons of the Cathedral or the Iron Fist.
4) Rules subject to change at any time.
5) Normal Gaia and Guild rules apply.
6) No l33t speak or chat speak of any kind, not even for decoration.
7) Please, please do not type in smaller font. I know it looks clean, but my eyesight is not the best and it is very, very difficult for me to read. A normal sized font will suffice. crying
*Field any questions or concerns to Cheshiyre or Urban Thorne, we're more than willing to help.
Profile Standards:
Username:
Character Name:
Apparent Age: ~What you look like. You might be centuries old, but a normal person glancing at you won't be able to tell. If you wish to describe your true age, place that in the Bio.~
Allegiance: If you have any associations or loyalties.
Description & Picture link: ~I will link to your picture, as well as size it as need be to place it within your profile~
Bio: ~Must be at least a paragraph~
Weapons: Rather obvious here. Just remember no god-like items. If you have something overly special, please make sure it's cleared before using it.
Powers: Same as the weapons. No super, mega god-like powers. Please get any special requests cleared before use. If you have the ability to shapeshift, your clothes do not shift with you! When you switch from one form to the other, you are as naked as the day you were born. This means if you shift with your clothes on, depending on the size of the animal you shift into, they will probably be torn and/or ruined.
Also, try to remember that this is a medieval rp. Magic is worked through spells for magi and prayers for priests. Even the Angel's have to pray to receive divine assistance. That means if you are working a spell you'll have to chant, crush herbs, hand motions, or something to actually cast the spell. The more powerful the spell, the longer or more work it will take to cast. For example: Healing a deep cut in someone's leg will probably take about a min of concentration and some description about the chanting and maybe some kind of visible affect (( glowing or soft light )) on the leg as the wound heals. Healing someone of possibly fatal internal injuries would require components, chanting, and uninterupted concentration for several minutes. That kind of thing.
Consequently, the players in this rp tend to be seriously toned down compared to other online rps. Do not send me a profile claiming to be a king/angel/devil/demon from some other astral plane, from some celestial resting place, or from some secret set of ruins that suddenly teleports/falls from the sky/or otherwise appears in Tuatha at the rise of the Beast. There are no other planes of existence in this game, and most ideas of some spiffy, exotic history involving major exceptions to the normal rules will probably be denied. Sorry loves sad
* I reserve the right to ask you to tone down or shift a weapon/power if during the rp it proves to be too powerful.
* Notice that you do not have to put up a sexual orientation in a separate field, but if you wish to include that, or fit it somehow into your bio or description, that's fine ^.^
heart ~* Thank you once again, my lovely Thorne, for all your help in figuring out the descriptions. heart
(( It would have taken forever without your help! ))
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Dec 16, 2008 12:08 am
|
|
|
|
 Humankind is one of the youngest races on the face of Valeria, and as such, have often found themselves in competition with numerous other, older races. The most common answer that Humans came to was to band together, setting aside the differences of clan and tribe, to construct defendable fortresses from which they could protect themselves and their lands. As time passed, these fortifications stopped being merely military locations, and slowly began to sprawl outwards as true cities, places where travelers and traders from other city-nations often came to pass on words and goods from foreign lands. Several decades ago, however, the smallest of the four continents found itself facing a much more dire threat than raiding tribes of various races. Entire communities began to vanish, leaving only smouldering ruins and the rare stunned survivor murmuring brokenly about "The Beast". Slowly, but steadily, all the races of that continent began withdrawing into their own borders, trying to protect themselves from the slowly-growing fear that began to accompany the sight of massive clouds of dark smoke on the horizon, marking another population disappearing in some terrifying, deadly event. Among the most-numerous race, the Humans, two distinctive sides began to slowly emerge as the number of cities destroyed grew. The Cathedral, home of Human's primary core of beliefs regarding the Gods, and their place in the world, stood as a shining beacon of hope for the people, ready to combat the threat of The Beast. Lead by people manifesting divine gifts, called Angels, the Order of the Paladin's Rod spoke to the people, stating that the Beast was a manifestation of their sins, their immorality, their evil... and to combat such an evil, Humanity had to unite behind the Order's banners, dedicating themselves to the service of the Gods and the following of a decent, moral type of civilization. Standing on the other side, in contrast if not direct competition with the Paladin's Rod, stood the Order of the Iron Fist. Devout believers that the Beast was simply some immensely powerful supernatural creature, the Iron Fist dedicated itself to the protection of Humankind through martial might, and stood preparing itself to try to confront the Beast directly, vanquishing it through the power of arms and unity, rather than relying on faith and divine intervention. The Iron Fist promotes the idea of unity and strength by training it's members in martial skills, and supporting the remaining cities by allocating it's numbers as garrisons and defenders, in hopes that they can stymy the slowly rising tide of lawlessness in the land, and the growing desperation of the people. Slowly, the two Orders find themselves embroiled in a fierce conflict against each other, as well as against the chaos outside the doors of their cities. And behind it all, the mysterious Beast rampages on, obliterating one focus of people after another... |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Dec 16, 2008 12:09 am
|
|
|
|
Gabriel
Username: Cheshiyre
Sexual Preference: Divine
Age: Appears to be mid twenties
Allegiance: Archangel and Commander of the Divine Forces of the Paladin’s Rod
Bio:
Gabriel considers himself the divine enforcer, chosen by the Gods to lead the Paladin’s Rod as their Supreme Commander. Amongst the order, Gabriel is known to be a living angel. He believes that the Beast emerged into existence as the result of an imbalance of good and evil in the world. The only way to vanquish the Beast is to restore the balance through the atonement of their mortal kindred.
As Archangel of the Paladin’s Rod, Gabriel believes the Iron Fist to be misguided and detrimental to the eventual fall of the Beast. Although he acknowledges that the Iron Fist’s intentions are worthy, he believes the actions taken by the younger regimentation are barbaric and damning. Without the aid of divine enlightenment, the Iron Fist is unwittingly contributing to the very corruption that sustains the Beast. Gabriel attributes much of the Beast’s continually growing strength to be parallel to the expansion of the Iron Fist. Consequently, it has been decreed throughout the Order that members of the Paladin’s Rod are duty bound to destroy the Iron Fist at any opportunity.
With the proclamation of war against the Iron Fist, a ripple of shock and dismay shook the very depths of the Order as Gabriel’s second in command, Johannes, renounced his position as the Angel of Dominion in protest and defected to the Iron Fist. Johannes was considered the second most powerful angel within the order, and Gabriel has announced that his return to the fold is inevitable and priority. Although the official mandate declares that Johannes is to be encouraged to return without coercion, there are rumors that a special force has been dispatched to retrieve the fallen angel, voluntarily or otherwise.
Weapons: Primary weapons are sword and shield, but he is trained in many.
Powers: Priestly magic and Divine Gifts
Uriel
Username: Urban Thorne
Sexual Preference: Unconcerned
Age: Mid-thirties
Allegiance: Angel in the Paladin's Rod, leader of the Sin-Eater sect.
Bio:
Leader of the Sin-Eaters, Uriel is one of the top-ranking members of the Paladin's Rod, answering almost exclusively to Gabriel himself. Fanatically devoted to the order, he believes that he was placed on this world, at this time, to lead the members of his sect in the cleansing of the souls of those unwilling to accede to the ideals of the Paladin's Rod, thus concentrating the energies of moral corruption into a few select individuals. He firmly believes that, when the world is finally cleansed in it's entirety, it will be his duty to accumulate the energies of his sect, and ultimately sacrifice himself at the appropriate time to deliver a final blow to The Beast's powers, rendering it too weak to resist the Paladin's Rod, and their attempt to banish it back to the nether.
A man completely commited to his faith and ideals, he speaks with a soft baritone voice that carries utter conviction and sincerity. His complete honesty, combined with his utter conviction that he is serving the greater good, masks the truly treacherous nature he follows by default: the unseen striking hand of the Paladin's Rod, aimed at those few targets that the Archangel Gabriel himself deems of too great a risk to allocate to the lower echelons of the Order.
Weapons: The Sin-Eater's Scythe
Powers: Priestly powers, aura reading (to determine the "cleanliness" of the subject), "Sin-transferral", and Divine Gifts.
Evalin S'karl
Username: Thaedrian
Sexual Preference: Male {Usually}
Age: ...is just a number.
Allegiance: Paladin's Rod
Bio:
Eva has been warned on several occasions on her occasional lack of clothing which resulted in her buying a dark green cloak that she only ever wears when reporting for further orders. The cloak is held closed by three silver clasps along the right shoulder, the only other distinguishing feature being the emobroidered leafy vines along the hem.
Bio: Eva is a creature of impulse. Quick to laugh, quick to act, quick to anger. She is often seen as being a shallow person with little thought to what goes around her. If given half a chance, she can prove easily enough her bluntly honest and fiercely loyal nature. Though there are no truly hidden depths, her better nature tends to remain a mystery to those who believe strongly in first impressions. This is, in part, the fault of a choice she made a long time ago to never treat life with any solemnity lest she start taking people seriously. Eva refuses to allow sorrow to register with her. This has its own benefits as well as pitfalls.
She speaks little of her past beyond a handful of years ago and her tendency towards teasing has led to all sorts of half stories. Having little tact, some of these stories have landed her in trouble and she has learned {at least a litte} to be more careful about who she should tease. In this manner and also because of her innate nature, she has been labeled a bit of a heretic. Her inability to take anything seriously has dissolved many a possible friendship so often enough she is alone when reporting to the Cathedral.
If any should question her faith to her face, however, they would immediately face a furious challenge. To those who have watched her fight and pray, her undying faith is not only obvious but unquestionable. She truly believes that what she and the others in the Paladin's Rod are doing is right and just. Her dream is to one day see the death of the Beast that destroyed the lives of so many and perhaps find the answer to the question which she dares not speak aloud.
Other: Don't mention spiders around her. Ever. Bad things happen.
Weapons: Arrows of all types. Namely armor piercing, fire and so-called 'mage killers'. Only a handful of the latter but they are reputed to be able to pierce any magical sheild and/or protection. A boot knife acts as a melee weapon though she is much more skilled in archery.
Powers: Defy Gravity {She can, for a limited time, reduce the affects of gravity on her body} and Eagle's Eye {Increases sight capabilities as to quality of light and distance}. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Dec 16, 2008 12:10 am
|
|
|
|
Johannes
Username: Cheshiyre
Sexual Preference: Male
Age: Appears to be mid twenties
Allegiance: Second in command of the Iron Fist.
Bio:
Formerly the right hand to the Archangel Gabriel, Johannes was once the second highest ranking member within the Paladin’s Rod. The Angel of Dominion, Johannes held the task of regulating the duties of the lower angels. Like Gabriel, Johannes also believes that he is a servant of a higher power charged with the duty of maintaining the balance between good and evil in the world. However, he does not believe the appearance of the Beast to be a result of moral degradation in society. Instead he views the creature as a living scourge upon the world that can be destroyed. Johannes was lovers with Gabriel while he was with the Paladin's Rod, though their involvement remained discreet at Gabriel's request.
Johannes left the order when the Paladin's Rod began its crusade against the Iron Fist. Although the Iron Fist is not driven by the Divine, Johannes believes their good intentions and willingness to sacrifice their lives for the good of their fellow man to be worthy of the favor of the Gods. It was his wish that the two orders could collaborate for the destruction of the Beast. When the Paladin's Rod would not listen to reason, he shifted sides and is now pursuing the Beast's death to restore the balance. In spite of his defection, Johannes has not lost his faith in the Order of the Paladin’s Rod and believes the two forces will one day combine and rid the world of this terrible scourge.
Weapons: Butterfly Swords, Reaver Claw, Dragon Mutilator
Powers: Priestly magic and Divine Gifts
Asmyrra
Username: Urban Thorne
Sexual Preference: Definatively female-oriented. Period. Throw rocks at you.
Age: Appears in her mid-twenties
Allegiance: Iron Fist
Bio:
Born of a magi and a follower of Karmatic faith, Asmyrra was taught from an early age the importance of a powerful sense of self, as well as the ideal that "Those who can, must". As such, it was no surprise to her parents when she departed the fluted towers and runed walls of her birthplace, and set out in the world to see what she could accomplish. It might have been a surprise to them, however, when she appeared at the gates of the Cathedral itself, and demanded that they allow her entrance...
Despite (or perhaps because of) an intensely mercurial personality, her intense devotion to her beliefs and the well-being of those around her always managed to convey a sincerity and trust that garnished her the loyalty of many of the Order's military ranks. Combining a fiercely capable mind for strategy with an almost obsessive mandate of making sure that if a life was lost, it had signifigance, Asmyrra progressed through the rank and file of the Paladin's Rod's ranks at an almost meteoric rate, quickly rising to being a Cardinal serving as the Angel Johannes's field commander and advisor.
With her dedication being signifigantly more to the ideals and the people, it came as no surprise that when the order came for the Iron Fist to be destroyed, Asmyrra had very serious objections. When she finally voiced her concerns to Johannes, he indicated that the very same decision bothering her so greatly had caused him tremendous amounts of worry. Between the two of them, the decision was reached to break ranks with the Paladin's Rod, throwing their support behind the Iron Fist. Perhaps it was of little surprise that when they departed, a sizable portion of Asmyrra's command, mostly the officers and veterans, followed Johannes and Asmyrra in their defection.
Weapons: Twin enchanted swords, named "Daedris" (right blade) and "Xunaegeir" (left blade)
Powers: Eiditic memory, highly skilled in ritual and arcane magics
Zack Arethos
Username: Keeper of the Dungeon
Sexual Preference: Bisexual
Age: 16
Allegiance: Iron Fist
Bio:
Zack stands about 5’10’’ and 165 lbs. He has a thin lean build. His jet black hair is cut short falling just over his emerald green eyes. He dresses in leather armor most of the time. He alway wears his sword at his hip as well.
Bio: Zack's village was destroyed by the beast when he was only about ten. He espacped into a nearby forest along with his father. The two of them survived as best they could but eventually his father caught a sickness and quickly faded, dying within a few months. Zack wandered on his own in mourning for a short while and eventually joined the Iron Fist. He saw them as the best way to get revenge on the beast that had taken everything from him. Although young he is as feirce a warrior as any other.
Zack has a pet, a large black wolf with pale green-yellow eyes that seem to glow in the dark. He has named the wolf Shadow and it fights beside him. It is very protective of Zack.
Weapons: A single blade that he has named "Avenger"
Powers: Zack has no true special powers to speak of, but he seems to have an affinity for animals, that is he seems to be able to communicate with them better then most people.
Ky Kiske
Username: Rikki Tikki Travi
Sexual Preference: Straight
Age: 20
Allegiance: Iron Fist
Bio:
Considered the youngest human prodigy within the Paladin’s Rod, he was regarded with great promise in the future of the Order. With an unshakable integrity, countless displays of chivalry, and natural aptitude with the sword Ky was a shining example of the holy knights. Ky adorns himself in a white and blue uniform that allows him to stand out amongst his peers. The plate on his belt has a single word scratched into it himself with a knife, “HOPE.”
When The Beast appeared, Ky was more than eager to join in the battle to end its existence. Even when the Order began its crusade against the Iron Fist, Ky was loyal to the Paladin’s Rod. But with the many lives that have been lost due to this conflict, Ky began to question if the Order had lost sight of what the real threat was. Now disillusioned, he abandoned the order under cover of darkness to confer with and join the Iron Fist. He feels that their courage, spirit, and willingness to act will be the key to ridding their land of this scourge known as The Beast.
Weapons: A single custom made blade that resembles a 35” Scottish broadsword without a basket hilt. The cross guard is almost non-existent and the grip is long enough to allow for two handed use if he needs to put extra power into a strike. He also has a dagger in his right boot that he uses as either a tool or a last resort weapon.
Powers: Though Ky has shown promise in the way of using lightning in an offensive manner, he requires a catalyst to be able to do so. Having only taken his blade when he left, he is without these necessary tools. His skill with the blade is unparalleled amongst his peers, and though he is young he shows potential to be the one of the greatest swordsmen in Valeria. His style is highly unorthodox, adopting a ready stance that raises the blade over his head in the rear hand. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Dec 16, 2008 12:11 am
|
|
|
|
Aside from the myths and tales of dragons, the two oldest non-Fae races dwelling on Valeria were the races of the Elven people, and the Earthen Folk, also known as the Dwarves. Of the two races, the Earthen Folk were the most seldom-encountered, for the White Star (as they called the sun) was too intense for their general liking, and their greatest interests existed far beneath the surface of the planet, anyway. The Elves, on the other hand, were much more commonly encountered, at least as far as the Elder races go, to the point where their existance was a known factor, instead of a debated subject, like the Dwarves.
The Elven People
The Elven races of Valeria fall under two very distinct catagories, the Faen'dorei and the Kael'dorei. Of the two races, the younger races most-oft encounter the Faen'dorei, as they are the dwellers of the planet's many ancient forests. Much less encountered, except by the Earthen Folk, the Kael'dorei are a more reclusive people, existing in ancient cities that have been lovingly and carefully carved from the face of mountain peaks.
The Faen'dorei are a tall, slender folk, standing often as tall as Humans. Their most notable features are the angularity of their facial structures, and the elongated ears, better suited to hearing the subtle nuances of the world around them. Colouration amongst them tends to be pale of skin, and a number of hues for their hair and eyes, often in darker tones, lending to them the names of Moon Elves, as well as their common moniker of Wood Elves. The Kael'dorei, on the other hand, tend to be smaller of stature, with a signifigantly more delicate look, suited to their scholarly lifestyles. Colouration among the Kael'dorei, or the "Highborne", as they've taken to calling themselves, also tends to run in paleness of skin, but hair and eye colour has a much more extreme range, often looking as though the colour was some sort of magical effect.
The Faen'dorei are a folk dedicated to the balance of Nature, and their existance within it. Their cities are often beautiful places, filled with structures intended to be open to the world around, through a lack of enclosing walls or an encorporation into a grove of trees. Animals of the natural world tend to show no real apprehension in regard to the Moon Elves, and often take to following them about, much like animal companions. Their dedication to the natural world tends to show itself in the mystical arts they practice, as well. Quite numerous are the Faen'dorei who serve various Gods of nature, manifesting their dedication in various shapeshifting abilities, as well as healing skills and numerous elemental-oriented mystical arts.
The Kael'dorei, almost in contrast, are a people dedicated to shaping the world about them. Their mountain-top homes tend to be extremely elaborate, with every stone surface of the fluted spires and sweeping walls engraved in runes and imagery, with innumerable statues and scroll-worked creations standing in mute majesty. Massive libraries and performance halls mark their entertainment, and as a whole the "Highborne" seem to pursue a definatively more scholarly lifestyle. Such intellectual pursuits easily manifest themselves in the races near-obsession with a growing field of study shared by almost all of them: Magic. Long-gone is their dedication to the natural forces in the world; instead, the Kael'dorei have dedicated themselves to the study and experimentation in this new force, something that a few of them call "The Weave", much to the chagrin of their forest-dwelling brothers.
The Earthen Folk
The Earthen Folk, or dwarves as stories have called them, are a stark difference to the Elven races. Smaller of stature than either of the other Elder races, the Folk tend to be signifigantly stronger in appearance, well-suited to their lifestyle of labour beneath the soil. As a race, the Folk are known for deliberate action, grim stubbornness, a tendancy to see one matter through to completion before starting on the next, and a definite impatience and dislike of the more "flighty" folk, including at times the Kael'dorei, whom they do most of their trading with.
Though no strangers to the mystical arts, as their Kael'dorei neighbors are so thoroughly devoted to such pursuits, the Earthen Folk are a people dedicated to craftsmanship, archeology, martial pursuits and skills, and the furthering of their ability to explore the depths of the planet's surface. As an aid to this pursuit, the Earthen Folk have slowly been developing machines of clever design, incorporating alchemical, steam-powered machinery, and the occasional mystical device traded from their neighbors above. These secrets, however, are very carefully kept, as the Dwarves are no strangers to the avarace of the younger races, and the other races dwelling with them beneath the surface, whom they are in a state of almost-constant struggle.
Aerith
Username: Cheshiyre
Character Name: Aerith Fáreryniel
Sexual Preference: Straight
Age: Appears around seventeen
Allegiance: The Elven people and all things Nature
Bio:
Coming soon..
Weapons: Elven long bow, blessed by the gods, known for range and accuracy; hunter's knife; sling; blowgun.
Powers: Aerith is a skilled archer. She has been devoted to earthen magics from a very young age, and is starting to break that barrier between novice and adept.
Talise
Username: Talise Anora
Character Name: Talise Anorallath
Sexual Preference: Debatable
Age: Looks about eighteen, nineteen
Allegiance: The Gypsy Code
Bio:
Talise was born to a traveling band of gypsies. Her particular tribe left the elven lands centuries ago, and have since wandered the dense forests of Tuatha. Unfortunately, the Beast attacks have begun to threaten the ancient forests her people call home. After a particularly brutal attack left the canopies ablaze, Talise decided it was time to head inland and join the humans in the war against the vile creature. Once the plight is dealt with, she will be able to return home to her people where she belongs.
Weapons: Whip, dagger, spring dagger, retractable katar.
Powers: As all gypsies tend to be, Talise is highly skilled in dancing, bartering, and thievery.
Heron
Username: Rikki Tikki Travi
Character Name: Heron Dalearin
Age: Appears around 18
Allegiance: The Elven Kingdom
Bio:
Heron Dalearin grew up in a privileged household, raised alongside his twin sister Naelonni. As much as his parents pushed schooling on him, he never seemed to take much interest in the classes. However, he never seemed to suffer from his lack of participation. Much like his sister, Heron has had a very short attention span. Unlike her he doesn’t daydream, he just dreams. Much like the element he is attuned to, if he stays at rest for too long he is prone to sudden bouts of narcolepsy. But if the waters or stirred, he will come down like a raging tsunami. He is highly protective of his sister, always looking out for her to make sure she doesn’t wander too far. Likewise he depends on her to keep him awake.
Weapons: Mages staff that he can wield and use as a blunt weapon if close combat is needed.
Powers: Control over the element of water.
Nay Nay
Username: Talise Anora
Character Name: Naelonni Dalaerin
Age: Appears around 18
Allegiance: The Elven Kingdom
Bio:
Coming soon.
Weapons: A simple dagger, a wizarding staff, and an adequate short bow for ranged combat once her spells are exhausted.
Powers: Naelonni has a special connection to the air element.
Ishtarelm
Username: Urban Thorne
Character Name: Kae'Dryn Ishtarelm
Sexual Preference: Such mysteries should probably be avoided...
Age: Somewhere between her early and mid-thirties.
Allegiance: Herself, and those she puts value in.
Bio:
Little is known about the past of this Kael'dorei magi, other than the fact that a couple of centuries ago, her tower... appeared... a short distance outside the city of Irrilaeth, with no real warning, and no period of construction that anyone can remember. Since her arrival, however, she has made quite a name for herself as one of the most capable High Magi in the city, if not the region... something she usually only demonstrates when rather sharply quashing some upstart who rides too heavily on arrogance and assumes a station beyond what she deems fit for them.
Her arrival has not simply been a chain of squashed upstarts, however... on the rare occasion she has participated in the debates of the magical Councils, and offered some tidbit of advice that was not simply ignored, surprising breakthroughs in research were made... or stunning disasters avoided. She also seems to have some penchant and enjoyment of an unusual type of exchange: She teaches young magi of families willing to make arrangements with her, and if they survive their tutelage, they leave her tower well-armed to make their own name in the community. The surviving part is occasionally the trouble, however... for she has a small, but slowly growing, list of apprentices that have entered her tower... and failed to be seen again.
Weapons: Not many have seen her use any physical weapons, though a few of her female students can attest, through the instruction they've received, that the sorceress is formidably skilled with the bow, daggers of many kinds, and various physical arts designed for using the physiology of a woman's body to the maximum advantage.
Powers: Ishtarelm has demonstrated on many occasions to be a frighteningly capable wielder of the Weave's energies, as well as a skilled alchemist and shapeshifter. Any other skills she has mastered during her probably very long life, she has yet to demonstrate...
Domini Rosso
Character Name: Domini Rosso (that's Sky-Captain Rosso to you!)
Apparent Age: Looks somewhere in her very early twenties, most of the time.
Allegiance: To the Confederacy of Sky-Captains! (...nevermind that she's the only one of such people...)
Bio:
Domini Rosso comes from a long line of elves usually considered somewhat crazy by their fellow Kael'dorei, following obsessions related to the Earthen Folk's machinery, the function of weather patterns, and various alchemical pursuits. What that family did not often mention, however, was that while those odd "hobbies" managed to pay the bills quite nicely for the various High Magi who occasionally called on their services, those hobbies were much more thoroughly directed to a much different... and much more quietly protected... line of work.
Having managed to put together the workshop after the explosion that claimed the last of her relatives, Domini spent several years trying to isolate and work out the problems that caused that horrific blast. The final result was nothing short of miraculous: On a night lit only by the full moon, a strange, almost ship-like shadow crossed the sky, amidst the soft, throbbing rumble of some odd machinery... and the Rosso family ceased to be seen in that mountain city.
Since that time, Domini has found work wherever her mood suited her, using her rather... unique... skills and abilities to great advantage. However, she has never allowed herself to stay in one location for overly long, in fear of someone taking too direct an interest in her "ship", nor has she allowed anyone to travel with her beyond one agreed trip... and the trips where someone actually boards her precious ship, as compared to where she is simply taking something to another person, are significantly more rare.. and expensive.
Weapons: Beyond a couple knives, whatever tools she can lay hands on, and whatever alchemical concoctions she has in various bottles, Domini's most notable weapon is her unusual "hand-cannon"; a device that combines mechanical properties to harness alchemical compounds in hurling a metal slug down a short tube at great velocity... when it works correctly.
Powers: None to speak of, beyond her skill with machines, her tinker's gift with potions and chemicals, and the occasionally keen insight to weather that might be imparted by a natural gift towards Air magics.
Cyrillia
Username: --Winters-Cruel-Fate--
Character Name: Cyrillia Fythrin
Sex Peferences: Undetermined
Age: Nineteen
Allegiance: The Elven Kingdom
Bio: Cyrillia Fythrin was taught and raised on basic Elven manners. Her parents saw to her training each and everyday, foreseeing both her act and speech were perfected without flaw. Which is one of the many reasons she speaks as formally as she does towards everyone. Cyrillia is soft spoken and is hardly heard from those around her which results in her keeping to herself most of the time.
Both Cyrillia's parents, whom had been traveling at the time of the Beasts appearance, had been killed coming home. After learning the news of her parents death, Cyrillia decided it best to help out with the injured so as to bring Peace back to her nation and some sort of peace to her heart.
Weapons: A white staff with a emerald jewel embedded in the dead center on the top of it.
Powers: Healing |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Dec 16, 2008 12:12 am
|
|
|
|
Marcus
Username: chris teke
Sexual Preference: straight
Age: 13
Allegiance: The Ari's.
Bio:
Marcus was the son of two high ranking members of the paladin's rod. Because of this, he was exposed to more truth than the other sheltered children of the paladin's rod. Eventually his parents were killed by the iron fist. the people of the Paladins rod thought he was dead, but he wasnt. he escaped. he knew that there were others who wanted to know the truth as much as him. AS more and more children were orphaned, the banded together and formed the group, the Ari's. They shared their knowledge, but they want to know more. Nothing will satisfy them until they find the truth.
Weapons: blow gun
Powers: the bending of time, unfortunatly, he isnt skilled enough yet to control more than the space around his darts.
Ebon Witch
Username: Cheshiyre
Sexual Preference: Unknown
Age: Unknown
Allegiance: Unknown, but her dark reputation precedes her..
Bio:
Unfortunately, there are only rumours to confirm the existence of this mysterious creature. The forest denzins have nicknamed her the Ebon Witch, after her dark skin and menacingly exotic appearance. Some of the stories claim that she is in league with the Beast, but those are relatively recent. Earlier rumours of the witch long predate the Beast. One variation of these rumours tell of a dark sorceress sacrificing the faerie folk of the forest in pursuit of her own immortality. Another insists she was the tragic slave of a baneful necromancer that eventually destroyed the vile oppressor and stole his magic. And do not forget the one where she was a dark fey youth raised by an ancient dragon! The tales go on and on, each asserting their story to be the indisputable truth.
Powers: Although tales of her terrifying acts are whispered eagerly through small circles, it is assumed that the legendary power the rumours accredit her are probably heavily embellished, if they hold any legitimacy at all.
Weapons: It is said that the Ebon Witch carries a variety of magickal weapons, including ornately carved staves and strange crystals that pulse with a dark illumination. The only rumour that has been confirmed through repetition is that of her talon-like nails, black as night and sharp as any blade.
Azen
Username: Metal-Ridley
Character Name: Azen Asgard
Apparent Age: 26-28 years old.
Allegiance: The Beast.
Description & Picture link: Azen
Bio: Azen came from a long line of blacksmiths. His father had his own workshop, which had been passed down many generations by his ancestors, while his mother worked as a seamstress. The family wasn’t rich, but they managed to survive well enough with both parents’ work. The Asgards were not elite blacksmiths, but still had been renowned for quite a while for their neat work and fair prices.
One day, Azen’s father left the town, his wife and son behind, promising to come back home as soon as he could with smith skills never seen before in town. Indeed, the young father had taken an interest into the Dwarves work, and had decided to take his chances and quest for their superior knowledge of the metals.
As he grew older, Azen took interest in armors and weapons; only not to forge them, but to wield them. As a younger child, he used one of his father’s old dull swords to “practice” and play knight, but around the age of fifteen, after a long search, the young Asgard found himself a mentor: an old, disabled knight. The man taught his young apprentice the way of the sword for many years, until the grey eyed boy turned into a young man. When he was about twenty-five years old, Azen’s mother passed away from natural cause. The young adult then decided to venture to find his father. He gathered as much information about the Dwarves as possible and eventually could pinpoint his father’s location. Unfortunately, the son learned about his father’s death as he got to his old man’s hangout. He was given his father’s last work: before he passed away, the old Asgard had been working on a set of armor and a sword, too big for any Dwarf to wear or wield.
Azen took off with the newly acquired equipments and wondered the land, learning new things, new aspects of the world as well as working as a mercenary to survive. Though, on his journey, the heavy mercenary learned of the existence of the Iron Fist and Palladin’s Rod, as well as their cause. He couldn’t help but to feel a contradiction in their acts, and questioned their faith.
Weapons: A normal, though rather large, two-handed sword.
Powers: None.
Rizel
Username: Strange Little Horror
Sexual Preference: Pansexual, though she hardly thinks about sex
Age: Appears to be in early 20’s
Allegiance: Loyal to animals, especially forest-dwellers, and only a handful of non-magical humans.
Description:
Rizel has a womanly figure, fair skin, long light golden-brown hair, and bright blue eyes. She wears clothing she finds as abandoned or that is donated. Currently, she is wearing a dark blue summer dress over a white sleeveless lace-up shirt, long socks, and no shoes. Always with her, though, is a white hand-made cloak, lined with white wolf fur on the inside, and brown spots on the back, the reverse markings of a fawn.
Bio:
Rizel was born in a forest village of humans known for it’s connection to white magic. Rizel was born with, not taught, white magic, (which is rare) though she needed extensive training to master it. She left her village and traveled for about a year, doing field-training, one could say.
Rizel never really settled, and currently lives as a nomad. She secludes herself from humans, well aware that witches are seen as wicked heretics by many humans and the divine, and are thus executed is captured. However, Rizel secretly aids those in need by cover of night, healing a sick child here, reviving a lost garden there. Many people suspect that the miracles are due to a witch of white magic, and a few even offer clothing and food, leaving their donations at the edge of their forest.
Also with her white magic is the ability to transform her appearance to that of one animal. Rizel’s animal is a deer, and often appears as a fawn, though she will appear as a grown male deer when traveling for prolonged periods of time or when she feels she is in danger.
Animals are naturally drawn to Rizel, sensing her white magic, and she can communicate crudely with them.
Weapons: Having little need for weapons, Rizel only carries a dagger hidden in her cloak when confronting a human that doesn’t know she’s a witch.
Powers: White magic is magic that generally concerns with life. She can heal to a good degree, such as broken bones, moderately common sicknesses, or other relatively serious injuries, though she cannot do much in the way of life-threatening/severe illnesses or injuries, and can do nothing for the dead. She can also make plants grow, though in small concentrations at a time, and only reasonably large and/or flamboyant.
Rehv
Username: IviriShadowbrood
Character: Rehverend "Rehv" D'Salva
Age:Rehverend looks to be in his early twenties
Allegiance: None
Description:
The oddly named Rehverend stands tall at six foot four inches, with a build to fit the silver-and-gold armor he wears well. His weapon and his armor are, when not being used, put onto a rack after being polished and oiled wherever neccessary. When not in his regalia, Rehv walks in a white linen shirt, standard brown linen pants and brown hide boots.
Bio:
Though he speaks not of it to anyone, Rehverand is rumored to have come from a tribe of religious zealots, zealots who wholly believed in being the blade of the Land’s dominant religion. Whether Rehv walked away out of a need to journey or defected from their ranks has not been confirmed, though Rehv's own religious tendencies at least support the theory of where he originated from. Many doubt that 'Rehverend' is his true name, though he goes by it and Rehv (Preferring Rehv) to the point where few care to ask him. Rehverend has no true allegiance to either side, though if asked a preference, he would lean towards the Iron Fist, as he thinks that the Beast is a physical entity. Rehverand thinks that Faith channeled into holy weaponry will be the key to defeating whatever physical form the Beast takes. As such, the purely moral reform promoted by the Order does not suit him. Though he took up the blade, he never joined the Order, nor the Fist, on the one hand not believing in the Order’s philosophy and practices, and on the other hand just not caring to sign up for the other organization. He seems to have taught himself to use his blade before learning from any ‘professionals,’ thus strengthening his tactics in combat.
Weapons: Rehverend carries with him a greatsword, the metal polished and sharpened. He has named the weapon 'Aulda,' or Hope, as he tells people, and prays to his Faith with the blade in hand. Aulda seems to have the bizarre quality of capturing and withholding a physical manifestation of Holy Energy and Light, which can be used to inflict extra damage on a foe, the power of such damage increasing against beings laden with unholy energy. This weapon is used as Rehv's proof that holy power in weaponry is the key against the Beast, though the last thing he has as proof is a deceased, holy-slain Beast. When charged, Aulda glows akin to a blazing torch.
Powers: Rehverand doesn't have much magical power, instead drawing on his faith. The ‘magic’ he generates through this comes from his prayers to channel Holy power into Aulda, and when he unleashes the energy on a foe. Rehv has been known to harness the energy in non-violent ways, healing a friend or someone in need, though this takes some of the holy energy out of his weapon. Due to the way the Faith Energy he has stored within his blade, Rehverend seems able to shrug off damage to his physical form, although as the power within Aulda fades, he weakens and whatever damage dealt comes back to hinder him.
Faust
Username: The Dashing Gentleman
Character Name: Faust Cadakadda
Apparent Age: An unknown period of living partially underground has left Faust without clear conscience of his true age, but one would guess between 40-45 years of age..
Allegiance: The Dark Gods and scriptures of bending tomes and paper dust that floats within nostrils and hollow chests.
Description: Faust stands at an astute 6'4, the armor, ceremonial as it is ancient and rusting from years of wearing and tearing. His lower half is simple greaves. His gauntlets have battle worn his once luxuriant hands into simple claws, his chest armor hiding away his narrow chest, black and riddled.
Sick and inhumanely strange.
His face however is the essence of youth, sharp and well curved, his eyes icy blue, ushering a stare that could stop songbird whistling. His words are as elegant as his smooth gait, his robes wafting shadow-like in his wake.
Bio: Faust was born into a rather ruddy home, taking to the outskirts of the local wood and fauna. His family had been friend to the forest-folk for years, and he to took in the responsibility of listening to their meager needs. His father, a rune scribe and practitioner of minor magics in his own right, taught him simple white magic for the latter part of his teens, teaching him the guiding herbs and incantations, so that he to could become a fine wanderer of the forest!
Rubbish.
Faust wanted more, and this prissy messing about of healing and caring for someone who didn't give a Wyrm's scale for his aunt wasn't his idea of a grand wizard.
It was his notion of a slave.
Ushering into his own studies, young Faust soon stumbled over tomes and literature of dark Gods, of vague powers that required finger digging and circle drawing of strange wonderful design.
Simple magic. Real magic. As his studies became more foreboding, even tapering into the fabled blackness that is necromancy, his father became agitated..
A fight broke out one night, and with his new teachings, and words quickly turned to violence, Faust slaying his father where he stood.
Mad with grief from his foolery, Faust sprinted off from the house, books under arm, never to return to the cottage from whence he was birthed.
As Faust traveled, he began studying at an almost grotesque rate, skipping meals to read and write, to draw and unearth.. but the more his studies grew darker, the more life sapped away from Faust. He had to find the key to all this madness! Stumbling into an ancient temple, Faust, now old and decrepit from incantation, fell upon an altar, deep within the catacombs of the ruin.
How far had he walked? How far had he trekked these dark walls?
Days? Years?
Here Faust wandered, living off the local woods.
Living and learning..
--
Now he stirs. The formless shape, all robe and no man. It sporadically shivers as it rises from the altar, it's fair face strange, alien to his armored chest and hands. Faust takes a moment to blink his dusty eyes.
Then begins to laugh, filling the chambers above with his cry.
Weapons: The only weapons upon Faust are his gauntlets, which he is deathly fast with. He can make short work to most any flesh creature, the metal claws sharp as razors. Faust also is proficient in sword play, and should not be tampered with when a blade is near his grasp.
Powers: Faust necromancy spans to the point of mere study, although he has the fixed ability to feel the dead underfoot, and a distinct knowledge of spells and tomes. If needed, Faust would no doubt be quite efficient at beginning and ending an incantation in a rather short period of time.
The full extent of his power, technically, is only as far reaching as his dark knowledge.
Faust is a terribly dangerous foe, and should be greeted rather then confronted. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Dec 16, 2008 12:13 am
|
|
|
|
PART ONE
As dusk faded into night, sounds from the quieting camp tapered away beyond the light brown walls of the angel's tent. He sat there on the cot, in his hands he held the over tunic of his discarded Paladin's Rod attire. Sadness radiated from azure eyes as they gazed down at the emblem that once meant so much to him. So lost in these thoughts was he that the first tap on the support pole near the tent entrance was missed. The second one registered and Johannes lifted his eyes to his visitor even as the item in his hands was pushed behind his back. "Enter".
Ky drew back the flap leading into the tent and strode in. Upon entering and replacing the canvas, he approched two steps and kneeled. One hand on the grip, one on the knee, and eyes to the ground as per etiquette. He spoke with confidence and conviction, "Status update, My Lord. Sentries are in place, the scouts have not spotted anything out of the ordinary, and there are signs of a storm coming in from the east."
His report was met with a silent nod from the angel, who upon seeing it was the familiar knight pulled the cloth from behind and folded it in his lap. "Can it be fairly assumed that steps have been taken to secure camp for the expected storm?" Ky nodded an affirmative while keeping his eyes to the ground. "Yes, My Lord. My men are seeing to it as we speak." He heard the movement of the angel folding the tunic. His eyes lifted for a moment, his curiosity getting the better of him. He quickly corrected himself and returned his focus to the ground.
Johannes noticed the movement and glanced up just in time to see Ky's eyes darting away. With a slight shake of his head, the angel regarded the knight kneeling before him. "We are no longer at the Cathedral, Ky," he reminded the other man, a slightly humoured patience in his tone. "Dropping to your knee is not required here."
Ky's lips tightened. It didn't feel right, but if the angel said it was all right. "As you wish, My Lord." Nearly forcing himself to do so, Ky stood up with one hand still on the pommel of his sword. Although he faced Johannes, his eyes still avoided direct contact with his Lord's eyes. "I apologize in advance should the habit overtake me again." He said with light hearted sincerity.
The angel released a deep sigh, his gaze dropping to the fabric now folded in his hands. "I understand it is difficult to go against years of training," he replied sympathetically, an edge of frustration laced underneath. His fist curled around the cloth before it was tossed with faint exasperation towards his travel pack. "Trust me when I say such protocol was never my idea to start with."
Ky chewed the inside of his cheek thoughtfully. He could feel the tension. Not just from his Lord's tone, but from his body language as well. Ky, like many, had thought the angels to be above such negative emotions. Recent events had proved otherwise. But the last statement the angel made suggested something else. With some trepidation he asked, "Is something troubling you, My Lord? Something other than recent events?"
The query was met with a moment of silence from the angel. When the answer did come, it seemed almost out of place in the conversation. "Do you believe in perfection, Ky?"
Ky's eyes wavered momentarily as he processed the question into something he could express with words. He gripped the pommel of his sword a bit harder as he admited, "There was a time that question was met with a quick and simple response. Now, after recent events, I must say that I consider perfection an ideal."
"That it is," Johannes agreed, pleased with the silent reflection displayed by the younger man. "Perfection implies an absence of flaws. That is exactly what the Cathedral masters would have you believe of my Brethren. Because we are divine guardians we are above the various imperfections you find inherent in the younger species we work to protect." Heavy steps took him to the window flap that allowed him to stare into the night sky outside. "It is farce, Ky." he continued, his voice laden with years of unrequited reproach. "We are no closer to perfect than any other race. We make mistakes. We have regrets. Just like you."
It was true. Ky's standard for perfection was the angels. It took a civil war to change that. It took ignoring a malevolent beast, and subsequently blaming its existence on lack of righteousness. Ky pondered what the angel was explaining to him. Before he could stop himself, his mouth went off and asked, "Regrets, My Lord?"
The frankness of the question brought an uncharacteristically sardonic grunt from the usually eloquent angel. Crossing his arms against his chest, the rueful gaze did not waiver from the stars looking down upon them. "I have walked this earth for nearly a millennium," came the wry reply. "There are so many. Every great and dark period of our history, I was present for. Simply take your pick."
The first thing that came to mind was a period that had been picking at his curiosity for a long time. Few spoke of it, and those who did were incredibly vague. He supposed now would be a time to ask someone who was there. How often does such an opportunity present itself. "Now that you mention it, My Lord, I have often wondered about the events of the Dragon Wars. For such a turning point in humanity's history, there is little to no documentation of the period. Why is that?"
The mention of that dreadful time brought back painful memories, particularly for Johannes himself, and the angel closed his eyes tightly against them. "The Dragon Wars..." he repeated, the words rang hollow in the stillness of the night. Another slight shake of his head. "There is documentation all right, but not for public viewing. And with one exception, each archive of those times will likely read a different story. No one wants to remember what really happened in that war. And who can blame them? The extinction of one ancient race, the near extinction of another, the land left broken and irreparable..."
Ky's feet shifted uncomfortably. He felt as though he had opened up an old wound that shouldn't have been brought up. "If the recollection of that period is too painful, My Lord, you need not entertain my foolish curiosity. I apologize if I have offended you."
Hearing the backpedal of his companion pulled the angel from the bitter hole those memories always created. "If it was only foolish curiosity, I would take you up on that offer old man," he countered, unfolding his arms as he turned to face the young solider. "But it is not just foolish curiosity, is it my friend?"
Ky opened his mouth to rebute, but found he had nothing to say by way of a counter argument. He had been pegged. With a surrendering sigh he said, "No, My Lord. It is a desire for the truth. What accounts I have heard were disjointed or vague. I am now presented with an opportunity to hear a first had account of that dreadful war. I feel not seizing the moment would be a waste. Never the less, I stand by my apology."
"Accepted," conceded the guardian, his lips curling briefly with a consolatory smile. Coming back to sit upon the bed, Johannes regarded the younger gentlemen thoughtfully. Ky was a good man. He had proven himself both trustworthy and capable of independent thought. Perhaps it was time. "There is only one other who could provide as thorough an account of the war as myself. Please," he motioned towards a stool opposite of the bed. "Ask away."
Ky inhaled sharply. He had been invited to sit and converse with one of the celestial court. Inwardly he cried out with excitement. Back in reality he bowed. "Thank you, My Lord. I am most honored." He took a few steps and sat himself on the stool while fighting the desire to slouch. He then cleared his throat and took a deep breath. "I suppose the best question to ask would be how it began. What brought two ancient races to war?"
"The war began on numerous fronts," replied the angel, resting an elbow on his knee as he allowed his mind to recall those dark days. "The northern lands have traditionally been home to the older races. The Elves occupied the eastern seaboard, the Dragons nested in the west and center, and the Dwarves resided below the northern center lands. One of the reasons the elder races chose the north was due to the great magical resonance that naturally pervades those areas. Over the years the weather had started to change. No one knows exactly why, but many assume it was a by product of a shift in the magical energies of the region. Whatever the reason, the Dragons were forced by these changes to nest further and further south along their borders."
"Usually this would not have presented a problem. As there is now, there was then a massive expanse of land separating the human societies that reside in the center and southern areas of our continent. This created a well appreciated buffer between the younger humans and the elder species. However, when left alone humans are prone to do what they do best: breed and expand. The Dragons were not aware, but small human settlements had threaded far enough north to border with the Dragon territory."
"I take it our ancestors saw the Dragon's as some sort of demon or monster?" Ky queried.
"In a way, that might have played a small role," came the saddened reply," But if they had attacked the adult dragons, there would have been little issue. No... the war began through the most innocent of harbingers. It was the children."
"You see, with the human settlements so close the children would wander looking for adventure to battle the boredom of youth. They came upon the nests of the forest based dragons tucked away in caves. They couldn't possibly have realised the magnitude of their actions when, during their play, they destroyed the dragon eggs within."
Ky felt his throat knot up. He brought his hand to his mouth in disbelief. "I...I can scarcely believe it. A war that was started by unassuming children." After regaining his composure he took another deep breath. "So it was the Dragon's that saw humanity as a threat." He assumed.
"I am not finished friend. One nest might would have been mourned, but the tragedy at least explanable. Unfortunately... " At this point the angel takes a deep breath, his shoulders starting to slouch unconciously with the weight of the sadness overtaking him. "It is common for even forest dragons to have small treasures close to their nest. Their own scales are shiny and beautiful. These children took a few of their findings back to the village with them and showed them to friends. The children of the village gathered and went looking for more of these treasure filled caves. By the time the dragons returned a couple days later over a dozen nests had been destroyed. Dragons age and breed very slowly. It was the equivilant of murdering an entire generation of infants for the southern nesters."
"On top of the loss of life, the children had brought home their new shinnies to their parents. Before the dragons returned the adults had visited the sites as well. I cannot tell you if they had any idea it was their own children who had destroyed the eggs, but whether they knew or whether they thought the nest abandoned, they stole the treasures they found and took them back to their village."
Ky felt like a child again, listening to stories told by the grown ups. He sat wide eyed and attentive. Not wanting to interrupt with his own assertions he merely asked, "Why did the Dragons leave their nests unattended?"
"The dragons in the south had no predators to concern them," came the easy answer. "They ruled that region uncontested. They would sometimes take wing for days when the weather permitted to hit the shores for fish. Fish dries more easily than animal flesh and can be stored during the winter months. They had no idea the humans had settled so close."
"When the dragons returned the screams of pain and loss echoed through the forests for miles. Their pain became rage and united them. The forest races of dragon are not usually communal, in fact most variations of dragon are not. It is only the Silvers that set up villages and interact with other species. But on that night, every dragon in the south took to the skies together. They scoured the land searching for the predators that would attack their eggs. And what did they find? Previously unknown human villages with large bonfires glinting off dragon scales that had been stacked for shield creation. They descended on the village like death, and the humans that survived scattered to nearby settlements for shelter."
"The dragons hunted and chased the survivors, determined to take vengeance for their loss. Word spread quickly of dragon attacks on the humans, though the true reason of how the attacked began was consistently left unspoken. Eventually news spread to the ears of my Brethren. Many of my brothers entered the fray to help defend the human villages, which were no match against their scaled foes. Some of us attempted to contact the dragons to discover the cause of the attacks. Meanwhile, many of the humans rallied and marched on the dragon lands. They knew they had no chance against an adult, so they targeted the nests. They would wait in stealth until the dragons left for a few hours, then they would slaughter the eggs. They were under the impression that if they caused enough damage, the dragons would simply head further north to escape. Again... we did not discover these things until much later."
"I take it the elder races were too far off to realize there was conflict in the neighboring regions?" Ky inserted quietly.
"It is a safe assumption. The other elder races gave the dragons a wide berth. The entire region that is now known as the Blasted Lands was once dragon territory. Neither the Elves nor the Dwarves had any idea what was going on until they were approached by my brothers. Back in those days we were not known as the Paladin's Rod. The Cathedral was simply a temple and we were known as the Brothers of the Evening Star. Our temple was a place of education, healing and a safe place to rest. We numbered in the hundreds back then, we Angels, and it was uncommon for us all to be gathered in one spot. By the time enough of us had been told of the issues to the north, the damage was irreversible. Once the humans started targeting the nests, the dragons began targeting the villages where the women and children were sent for safety. Each side was out for blood, and the humans were sorely out matched..." |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Dec 16, 2008 12:14 am
|
|
|
|
PART TWO
The angel leaned forward and placed both elbows on his knees. As he continued his tale, the younger knight could see the sadness and heartbreak lacing into the guardian's features. "At some point, my brothers rallied. Sean, Gabriel and I took some of the human leaders to meet the Elves. The elder races were loath to get involved, but they kept many of their reservations to themselves... at first."
"What swayed their sentiments?" Ky asked carefully. He had wanted to inquire about the other angel, Sean, but thought better of it upon considering his Lord's state of mind.
"Sean convinced them that if the humans and Dragons were left to their own devices, there would only be an end to the bloodshed when there were none left standing." The angel paused now, noticing the expression on Ky's face. "Before we became the Paladin's Rod, back when we were known only as the Evening Stars, Sean was the leader of our brothers. He is the oldest of us and Gabriel and I have always considered him a father," he explained before returning to the story. "Sean convinced the Elves to help broker a peace with the Dragons. Sean and Gabriel often handled the political side of race relations. I was always in the field guiding and working with the people first hand."
Again there was a pause, but this time it was not to allow the younger man to digest the information. Indeed, the angel's expression became troubled, his brow furrowed and his hands clenching together in a fist. "It was while out in the field that I stumbled upon something. A project Sean had been working on. Something he had not told anyone of... not even his sons. The three of us were pulled way from the Elven kindgom for a length of time, leaving the humans there with the Elves. That was when the war went from tragic to devastating."
"What sort of project was it, My Lord?" Ky asked with a hint of foreboding gloom. He didn't like the way this particular memory was affecting Johannes' mood. He had a notion it was going to be an unspeakable horror of some sort.
For a moment there was no answer, so lost was the guardian in his thoughts. Thoughts that, judging from the emotions playing behind those azure hued eyes, were unearthing something deeply troubling that had been buried long ago. Finally he shook his head as if the action would be able to physically remove himself from the darkness threatening to enshroud him. He took a minute or two to collect himself and drew his attention back on track.
"Without our presence there to keep them in check, the humans decided to take matters into their own hands," he continued, as if the question had never been asked. "They approached the Elves as a younger race woefully ill equipped to handle the ancient magical creatures. They requested the Elves share their knowledge of magic, swearing they would only dabble in the arts enough to defend themselves and seek out peace. The Elves eventually agreed."
Ky moved the project subject to the back of his mind. His Lord's reaction had been enough to confirm that it was something horrible. With a heavy sigh he concedes, "History shows otherwise. Even if their intentions were as they said it didn't remain that way."
With a nod of agreement, the tale renewed. "Although the most base of cantrips and spells can be taught practically overnight, powerful magics take years to decades to truly understand and centuries to master. Humans had no experience with magic. They expected great feats to suddenly fall from their fingertips. When that did not happen, they grew restless and disillusioned with the experience. Although it was true the Elves were holding back with their knowledge, it was only to protect the humans from getting in more deeply than they could control. The humans, however, took it as an insult. They convinced themselves that the Elves were trying to hold them back to ensure the humans would not rise to the level of the elder races. As is often the case, they believed the only way to win was to hold more power than your opponent. Thus they left the Elves and sought out the other elder race, the Dwarves."
"The Dwarves had veered completely from the conflict up to that point. They had not taken sides nor showed any intention of doing so. There had always been tension between many of the Dwarven kind and the Dragons. Dwarves made treasures unequal to any land dweller. Young dragons were known to steal these masterpieces and hide them away in their lairs. Hence there was a general mistrust of dragons among the earthen folk. When the humans came to them with their tale of woe, the Dwarves took pity on them. They shared some of the earthen technologies passed on through the generations. The humans took this knowledge and retreated back towards the southern borders. By the time we three angels had returned, the humans had been silent for months."
"Silence during conflict is never a good sign." Ky commented wryly.
"One of our greatest failings," Johannes acknowledged bitterly, though perhaps with more feeling than seemed warranted. "During those months of silence, there was some... conflict... between the leaders of our Brethren. The distraction allowed the humans uninterrupted time to put to use these ancient skills they had collected from the north. Sean left without a word just days before reports came in that dragons were inexplicably going down in the forests. Gabriel and I... separated... and I went to investigate the sightings. He stayed with the Elves and sat on his..." It was obvious the rehashing was becoming more and more difficult for the troubled angel, the frustration laced in the undertone growing stronger as the tale went on. Taking a deep breath, he calmed himself again. "Gabriel and the Elves decided it would be too rash to act hastily. They waited for more information."
"A tactic used by him even now." Ky observed silently. Noticing his Lord's growing unease, the young knight suggested, "Would you prefer to speak of this at another time?"
Johannes shook his head. "If I do not finish now, it will never be told," he explained ruefully. "It has just been so long since I spoke of this. There are no other memories as painful as these."
"While with the Elves I had come into contact, secretly, with an ancient dragon. The last of her kind. When I went off to investigate on my own, she and I teamed up. We uncovered that the humans had created huge dragon-killing weapons, most of them mobile. Great contraptions that mixed magic and technology, they were almost unstoppable. With them, the humans were roaming the countryside laying waste to any dragon encountered whether on land or in the sky. They were not seeking surrender," his voice grew quiet in dark reflection. "The humans were seeking the end of the Dragons and all of their kin. They hunted them mercilessly."
"Eventually Gabriel realised what was going on and looked to the Elves for explanation. The Elves of course were mortified that their knowledge had been used to such a purpose. Brave Elven arcanists moved out to spy on the weapons and try to uncover any weaknesses that would help us. The minor intelligence they returned with proved almost useless towards the weapons defeat. However, they brought back other news of far greater importance. The clumsy, inexperienced magic fueling the weapons was powerful and not properly contained. The humans had unknowingly unleashed a much more significant threat. It did not take long for them to lose control of their creations. The pilots within the weapons were absorbed by the magic within, supplying the metal beasts with a combination of madness and coherency. The newly awakened weapons now wandered the countryside aimlessly, targeting anything that moved, destroying anything in their path and leaking wild magics everywhere they went."
"In the end, the humans fled back to the south. The elder races banned together with the handful of dragons that were left and sought to destroy the weapons. But it was too late. It was not any effort of ours that finally brought an end to the war. The earth herself turned against us. The wild magics naturally pervading the region combined with the corrupted energies radiating from the weapons, and the land rebelled. Terrible earthquakes broke up the ground. The very atmosphere became magically charged and unstable. Huge chunks of land rose to float weightlessly in the sky. Massive storms erupting without warning to pelt the ground with hail and lightning. The whole region was lost to us. It is now known as the Blasted Lands."
To be imparting a tale of so much sadness brought a sedateness to the usually composed angel. His tone was somber as he continued with the grave events. "After that, we all felt broken. The Dwarves had lived beneath the area that was now unmanageable. They had walled themselves up in their tunnels during the worst of the conflict. Whether through happenstance or perhaps the earthquakes, some of the weapons had found their way into the Dwarven cave system. Even with a full evacuation, they lost hundreds. We were part of their evacuation, my friend and I. She was very large and could carry many to safety at a time..."
When speaking of the dragon, the angel's eyes misted over with the memory, his voice dropping lower still. "She had lost everything in that war. The Dragons were all but extinct. During the conflict I had sent a few of my Brethren to seek out Dragon settlements not of our lands, but they never returned. Our losses were almost as great. For a race that was not part of the original conflict, we suffered far more than the humans ever did. There were hundreds of us when the war began. At the end, we numbered just over a dozen. It was a crushing blow to our people. Sean retired, stepping down from command and passing it to Gabriel and I. And we... well, the rift that was created between us during that war has never truly healed. Nor do I think it ever will... but it is in my nature to hold out hope, no matter how improbable it seems."
Ky's hand drifted to the plate that held his center of his drapings in place. His thoughts drifted to a time more peaceful. It was a mock ritual that those in his class had drudged during a calm night. Each officer in training was given a single word that exemplified them. Ky had chosen not to partake in it, finding it foolish. That moment, as his fingers brushed over the smooth metal, he decided how he would spend the rest of the evening. He brought his attention back to the angel and asked, "Surely that catastrophe marked the end of the dragon war...did it not?"
"It marked the end of many things," came the grave reply, emotion etched thick with each word. "The end of the war, the end of a species, the loss of hope for another..." Azure eyes drifted downward to stare at his grasped hands, his last words coming out in a whisper that Ky was not sure was intended to be heard. "And amidst it all, a single broken heart."
Ky dropped his gaze in relfection. He had been blessed with knowledge, and felt as though a bond had been made. He entertained the notion to ask about the broken heart, but thought better of it. Instead he took a chance. With steel conviction he raised his saphire eyes to a point where he could look into the eyes of the angel. He offered his hand and stated, "To hope, My Lord. May we see a time when conflict is in the past, and we hold dear to the peace we have earned."
The movement managed to snap Johannes back into the present. His gaze shifted upward to land upon the gesture extended towards him. Rising from the cot, the angel stood tall before the younger man. An arm raised, his fingers curling to grip the soldier's hand. Instead of shaking it though, he held it still. Azure eyes locked onto Ky's blue ones. "If you choose to follow me Ky, do so because you believe in me as a person, as a leader and as a friend. That I am an Angel should have no bearing in this. Promise me that."
Ky maintained eye contact as he stood. Without hesitation he replied, "I swear my life to our cause, our future, and our bond."
For what seemed like the first time that evening, Ky was met with a smile. His other hand swung out to grip Ky's forearm and both gave the young knight a meaningful squeeze. "Rest well and wake my friend. There is still a long journey ahead of us." |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Dec 16, 2008 12:15 am
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Dec 16, 2008 12:17 am
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Dec 16, 2008 12:18 am
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
