[Legendary Quest] Aseara [FIN]

[Suhuba]

Legendary Quest: Aseara

|| This quest is a CYOA style prompt.
|| There will be five to six rounds in which the character must respond.
|| If you have questions feel free to ask Suhuba.

IC ||

The world wasn't always like this... ancient legends that are no longer known in Tendaji describe that the world was once cold, over crowded, and with buildings that were trying to dominate the sky. Once the world was much bigger and yet... felt small as what were once called humans moved about their daily lives.

There was life, but clouds of smog and acid rain was threatening the very existence of those who lived there. Hatred and war threatened to destroy everything. Air raid sirens were a daily occurrence, the sound of gun shots ringing through the streets. Society... was on the verge of collapsing.

But even in this darkest hour, things change, events occurred and now the world was saved by a very specific tree. Deep under the earth's new crust lay something... or things that are better left undisturbed. But even things that are forgotten have a way... of coming back to light.

In today's world Tendaji is much smaller than what the world once had been, no longer referred to as 'humans', their descendants were Earthlings, with crystals growing from their skin and a wide variety of new cultures springing forth from the rubble of Old Earth. Your character is such that had seen many things during their life time but the events of this one day... could only be described as Legendary.

You may choose one of the following options to write about:

A) Your character stumbles upon a 'rift' that will transport the character to a new location. You will decide how they find it and where its location is. Most rifts 'shimmer' and are transparent and hard to see. About six feet in height and three feet across these narrow slices of powerful magic open and close ripping the fabric of space and time. (Please note these rifts are often in strange and often isolated locations. On the edge of a cliff, deep inside a cave, high on remote mountain tops are some examples. These rifts open and close randomly and once used are often not found in the same place twice.)

B) Your character discovers and touches a sacred artifact or relic that will transport the character to a new location. These items can be ornate or even dull in appearance. They can be found anywhere on Tendaji and humm with a special sort of magical energy. Once touched the item loses its magical properties and no longer work.

C) A spell backfires. The spell is usually complex and never been attempted before by either your character or a NPC. It can involve several npcs trying to accomplish a bigger spell, or trying to create a new spell altogether. Once cast it seems to stop time for the briefest of moments and the magic engulfs only your character before it transports them to a new location. (Please keep in mind that these are 'freak' accidents in magic. Impossible to replicate more than once.)

You must write a minimum of 300 words and no more than 1k words to this round of the prompt. Please end your response with your character being transported and nothing beyond that.  

[Tasinei]

Suhuba

B) Your character discovers and touches a sacred artifact or relic that will transport the character to a new location. These items can be ornate or even dull in appearance. They can be found anywhere on Tendaji and humm with a special sort of magical energy. Once touched the item loses its magical properties and no longer work.

Tending to the large garden in the backyard of their home had been quite the task and even then it was rare that Aseara touched it more than twice a month since she’d been so busy with her children. The little ones and larger trio took up all of her time and when they didn’t need her for something she was at the Red. She also hadn’t had enough courage to ask a gardener to tend to it so it stayed a small jungle mess until part by part Aseara made it look clean and tidy. Today though, she was free for a bit and she wanted to get a particular corner cleaned for a small pond.

Small metallic shovel in hand, hat and gloves on, Aseara moved to the bushy part of the garden. She was happy to see at least her small shrubberies were doing well. Fixing her dress, Aseara got down on her knees and began with getting all the weeds out of the garden. What little grass there was left was dry and dead but quite tall; Aseara eyed it and wondered if any creatures were lying in wait. Laasyr was not far though, the Keldari liked to follow Aseara around but she particularly enjoyed it when they were in the garden. She liked grabbing the little things that came out of their holes when Aseara disturbed them.

Finished with the weeds, Aseara moved to the tall grass. She made it to the end of her yard where a tall wall kept unwanted out and that’s when she saw it. Something glinting from the sun. Aseara moved closer, inspecting it and narrowing her eyes. Perhaps the previous owners had left something behind? Grabbing her small shovel, Aseara dug around it at first to dislodge the dirt. Once she knew she could get a good pull on it, she took off her glove and grabbed on to tug.

The winds around her suddenly picked up, Aseara looked around before unearthing the pendent completely out of the ground. She brushed off more dirt and found that the wind was now out of control, perhaps it was a desert storm? Getting up, Aseara tried to shield her eyes and make it back to her home but by now the winds had picked up so much she could barely see where she was going. Then suddenly the ground beneath her feet fell away and Aseara felt the winds pick her up into the air. As much as she moved about or tried to grab something she could not.

The wind lasted a few minutes before she found the ground again and the wind died. Aseara opened her eyes slowly and put her arms down; she glanced around and stared in shock.

She was not home.
 

[Suhuba]

Tasinei

Legendary Quest: Choice 2

IC ||

There had been a bright light, it felt as if your body was being torn in two and your mind stabbed with a sharp pain. As things settle you feel yourself back on solid earth and when your eyes open you are dazed by the low level of lighting. Your eyes adjust and you can see the giant mushrooms glow eerily in blues and greens and can feel the humid air surrounding you.

You are far beneath Tendaji, under a vast system of roots, where an underground forest exists. With a ceiling of roots and soil, the creatures here lived in this cavernous forest system without natural sunlight. Instead, crystals grow throughout the cavern, illuminating the air from the ceilings above as well as the ground under their feet. The forest and its caverns range from the northernmost area of Jauhar, stretching all the way down to the cities of Oba and to the east under the soft ground of Tale. Sprouting out in random areas are graveyard cities and towns, places overgrown with foliage but once home to the humans of Earth.

Looking up you can see the tall shadows of... you're not quite sure what they are... rectangular in shape they reach high up into the cavern. You are on what appears to be a ledge; the 'city', or the ruins that were left of it, start deep below you and stretch outwards before you. There is hardly any sounds, and there is no obvious way back to where you came from. No portal, relic or spell. In the distance one of the tall strange shadows begin to move.

You can hear the echo of its steps amidst the quiet of the large underground cavernous forest. It... must be huge no... colossal and it was moving very slowly and carefully.

Please choose one of the following options to write about.

A) Your character decides that there is little point to sticking around and waiting to be rescued. As far as you can tell there is no way back so perhaps it was better to head down the path to the left and head towards the giant beast. Maybe it is friendly? With this in mind you move forward taking note of your surroundings as you went. It is quiet except for the steady sound of the foot falls in the distance. They get louder as you approach and the earth shakes with each footfall.

B) Your character decides not to be rash and to explore current surroundings before heading deeper into the ruins. There is a path to the right and traveling down it you discover that the buildings are a mixture of rock and metal and what appeared to be glass. The forest that has grown in and amongst these ghost like structures are sturdy and it is hard to believe that they grew without the aid of the sun. It is quiet except for the steady sound of the foot falls in the distance. They get louder as you explore and the earth shakes with each footfall.

C) This is crazy and your character decides they are better off trying to find a way back. They don't want anything to do with this place and their primary objective is to get back home. It turns out that they had appeared on a ledge with two branching paths, both of which happen to go down and towards the creepy city. You try to replicate how you got there in the first place, but the sound of foot falls distracts you, maybe it was better to get out of the open. Taking either path will basically take you down into the decrepit city...  

[Tasinei]

Suhuba

C) This is crazy and your character decides they are better off trying to find a way back. They don't want anything to do with this place and their primary objective is to get back home. It turns out that they had appeared on a ledge with two branching paths, both of which happen to go down and towards the creepy city. You try to replicate how you got there in the first place, but the sound of foot falls distracts you, maybe it was better to get out of the open. Taking either path will basically take you down into the decrepit city...

It took a while for Aseara’s eyes to adjust to the darkness of wherever she was, considering she’d been out in the blinding sun, this was quite the change. Where in the world was she? This could not be normal. Aseara hugged herself, worried about her husband and children back home. She didn’t care where she was she just wanted to be back home under the warmth of the sun. And where was the necklace she had found? Had magic taken her here? Why?

Glancing around, Aseara noticed the moving shadow. She needed to get out of here, she didn’t know what that thing was but she was not sticking around to find out!

Mind racing, Aseara glanced around. She wanted to find shelter and it looked like the only place she was going to find it from that thing was within the city. Aseara decides to take the path to the right and descends into the city. It wasn’t exactly her bets plan of action, but she didn’t see any other way out of here right now. Going to see the creature was just crazy. She wished Nuri was here, surely with his knowledge of creatures he could figure out if it was dangerous or not.

Glancing down both paths, Aseara made a face. They both seemed to be going the same way; did she really have a choice? It felt more like the allusion of a choice. The Windling glanced at the shadow again, it moved slowly but was still making good way towards her!

Not wasting any more time, Aseara began to descend to the city, glancing around and observing the buildings around her. Who had lived here? Where were they now? There certainly was a lot of glowing crystals down here; she hoped it was safe for her to be here. Wherever here was.
 

[Suhuba]

Tasinei

Legendary Quest: Choice 3

IC ||

As you go down deeper into the decrepit city you realize that these stone structures look like buildings, unfathomably tall with many square holes that... you guess were once windows. With no light they seem like empty eye sockets staring into the depths of the void. This place gives you the shivers as if countless voices had suddenly been silenced.

As you continue through you can't help but notice that the place is eerily quiet. Despite evidence of there being creatures down here none choose to grace you with their presence, perhaps it was the sound of heavy foot falls that had caused them to vacate the premises, perhaps it was your presence that they feared the most. Distracting yourself you look at the countless 'things' that littered the area, you can only guess the purpose and uses of such things and upon closer inspection you realize this isn't just an abandoned city... it was a graveyard.

Countless bones could be found inside the buildings and amongst the roots of the strange trees. It is alarming to think about the sheer number of them... but the beast is suddenly upon you. It is colossal and strangely humanoid in shape, with glowing eyes perhaps to help it see in the dark, its large ears swivel in your direction as if listening intently. Although not as tall as the broken buildings it rivaled them to an extent, and it was certainly bigger than anything that you had seen in Tendaji. It seems to be studying you, perhaps it was intelligent, and then... lifting its one massive fist brings it down upon you.

Please choose one of the following options to write about.

A) This beast is NOT friendly. In fact it seems pretty intent on killing you. Despite its massive size you decide to try to fight back, it is trying to kill you after all. Its seems to be impervious to projectiles and blades do little to its thick hide. Magic seems to annoy it greatly but doesn't actually hurt it. Despite all of this you fight back trying to dissuade it from attacking you further although it seems a fruitless task. Your biggest advantage is the creature moves slowly, but each one of its attacks seems calculated and very accurate, this thing is much smarter than it appeared.

B) Your decide to flee for your life and hope the beast doesn't pursue you! You avoid the downward thrust of its fist miraculously and try to escape by moving past and around it. The creature being so large has limited maneuverability in these tight quarters perhaps it will be too slow to keep up with you! Out running it may be your only option to stay alive!

C) After dodging the fist you try and hide! Anywhere will do, even these creepy buildings! Hiding at the best of your ability, the creature seems to have lost sight of you... but it seems to know you're in the area and is intent on searching for you.  

[Tasinei]

Suhuba

C) After dodging the fist you try and hide! Anywhere will do, even these creepy buildings! Hiding at the best of your ability, the creature seems to have lost sight of you... but it seems to know you're in the area and is intent on searching for you.

The more Aseara walked around, the more she wondered about the place around her. These were definitely homes, but who did they belong too? Why was it so empty? Where had they all gone? It was a little worrisome… Was that monster thing the reason the inhabitants were all gone? Aseara didn’t really want to stick around to find out, she moved through the city looking for some sort of way out. She’d been brought here, but she would never accept being stuck here. She was going to go back to her children and fi that meant tearing down this place she would do it.

The bones didn’t help either, Aseara hated to think others may have ended up here and died… The pause was enough for the beast to catch up to her however, and Aseara had nowhere to go. She stared right back at it, frozen in fear until it raised its hand.

Whelp, being a dancer was going to prove worthy! Aseara ducked and turned away so it couldn’t grab her and then she ran. She ran as fast as her legs could take her even if her lungs burned as she tried to push herself harder. Aseara blindly ran through the city, turning and twisting and trying to lose sight of the beast. She turned into a small alley way and then ran right into a house. She covered her mouth as she tried to control her breathing, eyes wide as she watched for the thing.

It was looking for her though, she knew it, could feel it. Aseara glanced around at the inside of the house. There were a couple of bones laying here and there but she tried to ignore those. She moved to the back of the home, maybe here it would not be able to find her.
 

[Suhuba]

Yenaal

Legendary Quest: Choice 4

IC ||

The creature is still intently looking for you even as you try to slip away. Whether it is able to locate you by smell, sight, or hearing it's hard to say. But for now you're safe. Right? Though the creature seems able to hone in on your location, you quickly dart to a new spot allowing you several hallowing minutes of safety before being driven to find a new one. The creature is resilient and unwilling to give up the hunt for you. While hiding you realize the footfalls have stopped, you hear... a voice? Daring to take a look the beast is much closer than you thought it was, seeing it so close catches your breath but it's the figure in front of it that currently draws your focus.

Abnormally tall, even taller than the Alkidike from Tendaji she raises a hand towards the creature and utters a few soft words. The creatures stoops to get to eye level with her as if trying to get a better look at the newcomer. More soft words are spoken as she gently lays a hand on what you presume is the creature's nose. More words, a language that seems oddly familiar and yet off. Perhaps it was the accent? Gesturing the creature gives a final evaluating look in your direction before it straightens and turns away, moving away its heavy foot falls weaken as it recedes.

You realize she... has a tail and though it looked like hair you can see that it isn't. Instead she has what appears to be vines and flowering plants adorning her scalp, her clothes are... certainly unique and though she is flat chested there is something about her demeanor that reads as feminine. Once the creature had begun its trek back to wherever it had come from the woman now... began her search for you. Though she wasn't about to play hide in seek, instead she spoke out.

"How did ju 'et 'ere?" Her english feels broken as if this is her first time using it in a long time. "Why 're ju 'ere?" She inquires more persistently and although she didn't appear to have any weapon in her hands and didn't give off a hostile stance, there is an urgency in her voice that betrays her unease with your presence. She awaits for you tor reveal yourself.

Please choose one of the following options to write about.

A) You decide it's better to befriend this stranger who just saved your life than to attack her. Perhaps she has some idea on how to get out of here. You explain how you got here, and inquire about the beast and how she managed to control it. She seems genuinely confused about what you mean, as she tries to explain as best as she is able that the Guardian was not controlled but could listen to reason. It is here to protect this place from outsiders... to prevent another catastrophe from occurring. What catastrophe she doesn't elaborate on but by looking around you can sense something big had happened here. She gestures for you to follow her to where you are unsure but it was away from the beast and away from your original starting point, perhaps she knew the way out.

B) You decide it's best to keep your distance, you don't know where she came from, how she found you or how she managed to control the beast. She is so alien from anything you had seen before it's hard for you to trust her even as she tries to coax you in her own broken english that it was safe and that you didn't have to worry. It seems better to just leave, and go back to finding a way back familiar lands. Food and water would become a concern if you can't find your way out promptly. No sense in wasting time listening to a strange creature when you could be getting out. As you leave however the woman tails you and unaware to you... is herding you away from the beast and where you appeared from originally.

Tasinei

 

[Tasinei]

Suhuba

A) You decide it's better to befriend this stranger who just saved your life than to attack her. Perhaps she has some idea on how to get out of here. You explain how you got here, and inquire about the beast and how she managed to control it. She seems genuinely confused about what you mean, as she tries to explain as best as she is able that the Guardian was not controlled but could listen to reason. It is here to protect this place from outsiders... to prevent another catastrophe from occurring. What catastrophe she doesn't elaborate on but by looking around you can sense something big had happened here. She gestures for you to follow her to where you are unsure but it was away from the beast and away from your original starting point, perhaps she knew the way out.

The Windling took little time in finding new spots to hide in; she was constantly on the run and did not plan on stopping. At least when she found a good hiding spot it gave her some time to catch her breath. She couldn’t keep this up forever, she would need to eat and sleep at some point. She was going to die here wasn’t she? That realization broke her heart, but she would not let this thing get her so easily. Nuri would want her to fight to the end and she planned on it.

And then someone or at least something showed up and then she seemed to make the thing go away. That was good, but was it good for Aseara? She obviously knew Aseara was here and she seemed a lot easier to speak to than whatever the thing was. Aseara debated it, but didn’t see any other way out of this situation. Perhaps this stranger knew how to get out of here? She certainly seemed curious on who Aseara had gotten there to begin with.

“Oh hello!” Aseara came out from her hiding spot and waved a little. “I’m really sorry for intruding! I didn’t mean to, I got transported here by magic I think…” Aseara waved her hands around and then shrugged. “I have kids, I just want to go back home.”

Aseara didn’t really understand whatever else the woman was talking about, but she did know she had to follow her. So, Aseara did that. It felt a lot safer than staying out here with the bones and the so called guardian.

She was curious though, what exactly was it guarding? Everyone seemed pretty dead… Except for this… woman? Aseara wasn’t really sure if it was a she, he, or it to be honest. Whatever, if it got her out of here she was happy enough.
 

[Suhuba]

Tasinei

Legendary Quest: Choice 5

IC ||

Whether corralled or led willingly, you're back on the ledge from where you were originally dropped. The city looms out like the graveyard you now know it to be. The strange being with her hair like roots and strange clothes with even stranger facial features finally stops you where you are.

She starts to speak to you, "Dis world is older dan 'ju know." She gestures out to the expanse behind her with the strange underground forest and glowing crystals wrapped around and through the buildings. "Ju don't remember, but we do." She emphasized 'we', so there must be more than just this figure before you. She continues to tell her tale. The world was wrought with war, the people of earth were destroying themselves slowly, until finally a group launched a disease that changed the very makeup of the planet. The humans of earth began to die off, until scientists created the tree now known as Aisha, the mother of the Alkidike. This tree... it gave life back to the world. But by the time the pollutants had been filtered away by Aisha'a grace, the humans were no longer called humans. They were now the earthlings of Tendaji. The history and science of Earth was lost, there were too few to retain any of the advanced engineering of the old world.

At this the strange woman pauses. It seems as if she is caused grief, but whatever it is, she won't divulge it to you. She seems to skip over the rest of the history that led up to the present day world of Tendaji, and calls out to you once more. "Ju don't belong 'ere." She reaches out and with a gentle tap she touches your skin.

There is a warm glow from the point of impact, it simmers through you and you can feel the heat building. The heat turns into a tingling, and then... it stops. She looks at you with almost a look of warm affection, like she wants you to stay but she knows you cannot.

"It is time now." She trails off...

Please choose one of the following options to write about.

A) The warm feeling from being touched throws you off guard. You stumble backwards, losing your footing and falling. You expect to hit ground, but a light sparks up from behind you, and you're suddenly going through the portal again, the shimmering light engulfing you and takes you home. You land with a thud and one of the first things you notice is your own appearance. Something has happened. When she touched you, it changed you... [Pease allow for introspection and the realization of the changes in your character. The touch from this woman has granted them their legendary trait!]

B) You're almost comforted by the warm touch, but you're not really sure why. She waved her hand once more and the portal opens behind you. "It is time to go 'ome." The light is blinding at first after all of the dim light in the underground forest. You step through, landing on the other side with a soft drop to the ground and realize you're back in Tendaji. One of the first things you notice is your own appearance. Something has happened. When she touched you, it changed you... [Pease allow for introspection and the realization of the changes in your character. The touch from this woman has granted them their legendary trait!]
 

[Tasinei]

Suhuba

B) You're almost comforted by the warm touch, but you're not really sure why. She waved her hand once more and the portal opens behind you. "It is time to go 'ome." The light is blinding at first after all of the dim light in the underground forest. You step through, landing on the other side with a soft drop to the ground and realize you're back in Tendaji. One of the first things you notice is your own appearance. Something has happened. When she touched you, it changed you... [Pease allow for introspection and the realization of the changes in your character. The touch from this woman has granted them their legendary trait!]

Yes, yes! Finally Aseara was going to get back home! She didn’t know what this world was or what this women was talking about, but at least from what Aseara could gather there were others. She didn’t really know what exactly she was supposed to remember, that was a head scratcher for sure. But she was right, Aseara didn’t belong here and she was quite happy that she wasn’t going to be staying any longer in this city of bones. She was excited to see her children and husband again, she was going to run straight to them to make sure they were okay once she was back in Oba.

Aseara almost shrugged away from the heat and tingle, it didn’t hurt but she wouldn’t let the woman touch her again.

When the portal opened, Aseara walked through with her eyes closed. She made a silent prayer to be out of here and back in Oba. When the warmth hit her, Aseara knew. Her eyes opened and she smiled. At first she didn’t notice her skin, instead she ran to find her children who were all in the kitchen watching the younger ones. She didn’t step through but did just watch them.

Going up to her room, Aseara sat at her vanity and then started at her reflection in the gold mirror. Was that… Shimmer on her skin? The Windling glanced down at herself, extending out her hands and blinking a few times. Well, this was… Kind of cool? Aseara ran her hand over the shimmer to make sure it stayed there. Okay well, she hoped she hadn’t caught anything going down there. Still, she kind of wanted to hide herself, she was all shimmery and people would notice. Who had been that woman? And why had she made her skin shimmer so?
 

[Suhuba]

Tasinei

Legendary Quest: Completed!

After the strange journey and all that has happened to you, your adventure is finally complete! You've made it to the Legendary stage and have accomplished something incredible. Congratulations!

Being Legendary
|| The outside world of Tendaji does not know of the Underground and it is a secret among those who are Legendary.
|| Nothing from the Underground world can be taken back to Tendaji.
|| Legendary characters (and all other characters) cannot return to the Underground.