"In the End, Nothing will give rise to Something."

A metaphysical cafe. Of course. Shadows around varied tables of luxurious substances from Realities. Each construct a challenge to the other sects. 'Behold my worth.' Strangely, it was a display that seemed of uncertain worth to the Nautical Queen and Man of Glaives. They, themselves, were sequestered in a corner of plain, polished wood; an earthen material which neither could readily identify.

...

"Such is Fate. Mechanical and bound by parameters. Am I to take this as another Catalyst?"

The Nautical Queen wriggled in place, as she often did, while the Man of Glaives observed her thoughtfully. She noted his gaze and gave what was unmistakably an agreement, even with the screaming static interference of a dying Incantation rattled nearby windows. His mask smiled, as always, but his hands were folded; the usual gesticulations absent. He was uneasy, she was amused.

"Of course, in such a formative stage, there is room for speculation. Even that which governs a new Incantation cannot be certain as to the catalyst; only the outcome. To that end, each Incantation is driven by a Desire." The Queen's fingers traced uncertain shapes in the air as she spoke, "That Desire will prove to be essential, when choosing Participants."

The Man of Glaives sat back, crossing his arms. Though he was quiet, countless whispers drifted through the air around him. Not his own. He was not a man given to such careless quirks. Or so the Nautical Queen surmised.

"Then we seek those who have a Desire equivocal to our own," he said with confidence, leaning more forward, "that is a simple task! One I shall not fail in! Though I hope you do not fail, either, I should say!"

There it was. The challenge. The comradarie. The Nautical Queen smiled, and gave an enthusiastic nod. She was the one who had put forward the Man of Glaives as a candidate for Sponsor. It was pleasing to see her intuition confirmed. Despite his few words, her new conspirator was quickly coming to understand.

A game. Both knew the truth of it. No matter where it would take place, the Event would be catastrophic. The Nautical Queen and Man of Glaives had both witnessed the horrors of prior Events; each eventually rising above the ranks of Participants to be welcomed among the Sponsors.

A game that invariably places Mortals at the center.

A game rigged by Fate and, in turn, sabotaged by Chance; both dancing on the strings of Desire.

The Last Adherent watched over the bustling city, a wraith in tattered rags; unseen by Mortals and unbothered by other Sponsors. He, if such sexing were not a superfluous thing, had already chosen his Participant. A criminal, currently awaiting death. Others would choose differently, their own desires more steel than gossamer. Yet, his thoughts were not on such a trivial matter.

Corner City was a massively populated area. The Obstacles presented, once The Event began would be countless. Lives would be lost, and the city itself would become a horrific amalgam of nightmare and familiarity. All through its fetid veins, others moved. Mortal and those beyond, alike, were making their preparations. It was no grand secret. It was simply the nature of things.

Sanctuaries would be created. Pacts would be forged. Participants would choose how great their role. As the Adherent made his ghostly rounds, Desire resonated deeply; a tone both melodious and odious at once...the cacophony of human minds. The other Sponsors would follow strong Desires.

Just as someone was now following him. Another Sponsor. The Last Adherent slowed his gliding, coming to a complete stop in the network of alleyways. Even with the midday Sun overhead, it was a place cast in darkness. "What is it you wish from me," he said, creaking like a coffin lid, "Nautical Queen?" The luminous emptiness of his hood was turned in her direction, as she slithered free from a veil already peered through.

"Forgive me," she giggled, wiggling, "it is just quite rare to have an opportunity like that. Many in the Court would be interested in what you're doing, Last Adherent." When he said nothing, she continued. "Even if it is something so mundane as observing the stage, before the game."

The two had never been friendly, even if the Nautical Queen liked to keep a chipper attitude. "I care not for their interest in my activity. Nor the machinations that you are going to soon present to me," the weight of his gaze lifted from her, but he did not turn, "I will have no alliance with you, nor the Man of Glaives, nor the others." She pretended to be disappointed by the news. He knew that she had already known. "The Old Ways will be upheld. The Judges and Game Masters have already been chosen. If you are of a mind to warp such tradition, punishment is a certainty."

The words were colder than usual. The Nautical Queen almost laughed, despite herself. Instead, she raised a hand. "Merely curious, Last Adherent. I had hope that you would understand, but I assumed this would be the outcome," she smirked, showing rows of small, sharp teeth, "I wouldn't want to waste anyone's time. After all, it is a commodity of striking rarity, now, is it not?"

Silence, for a moment.

"Less than twelve hours. Midnight will mark the end of 'normalcy', for the Mortals of this world," he seemed to relish in it, or so the Nautical Queen supposed, "The Event will change all that has come to be in this Incantation. When that moment passes, you and I will be enemies." Despite herself, she felt a small shiver. "All the Court will become competitors. Mortals with strong enough Desire will be chosen. Other Mortals will reveal what was hidden within them, all along. Through our Participants, we will determine what is to come...after the ashes of this Incantation are swept away."

Something was amiss.
Of course, she knew what was coming; but knowing did little to quench the ember of unease that The Last Adherent had so easily sparked. He was older than the rest of the Sponsors, by far, and, as she had heard it told, one of the last who had come from the First Court. "I will leave you to your thoughts, then," she became transparent, but not yet absent, "please reconsider joining myself and the Man of Glaives." Then, she was simply gone from the Mortal Coil.

Alone, The Last Adherent chuckled. Though none would witness it, he would stare skyward for some time before departing.

After all, the clock had begun to tick. With each movement of its lopsided arms, The Event came closer to release.

"Soon," he whispered into the darkness, "they will come to understand."

Fate: A mechanism by which the lives and actions of Mortals are guided. While vague in utilization, Fate permeates each game and opposes the concept of Chance.

Chance: A schism by which the lives and actions of Mortals deviate from Fate. While vague in utilization, Chance always opposes Fate in each game.

Participant: A Mortal chosen by a Sponsor to participate in the game. Participants are given Abilities that share a vague esoteric connection to their deepest Desire.

Sponsor: An assortment of beings involved with the game, they are not Mortals and may only influence events through championing a Participant.

End: The cessation of any given Reality through actions of Fate or Chance.

Nothing: Absence of reality between sessions of the game. A primordial chaos that often produces Realities after a short incubation.

Something: Reality itself. Also referred to as an 'Incantation'.

Catalyst: That which turns 'Something' into a battlefield compatible with the game perpetuated by Sponsors. Interchangeable with the term 'Event'.

Mortal: Beings that inhabit Something. Usually the central pieces in games. Limited to the Corporeal side of Reality. Notable Mortals are chosen by Sponsors for their Desire and granted Abilities that reflect this whim. These Mortals are labeled as Participants.

Reality: That which is eventually revealed through the machinations of Fate and Chance.

Desire: That which opposes Reality. Usually held by Mortals. When a Sponsor approaches a Mortal of Desire that they deem sufficient, the Mortal will be offered a Pact. If they accept the Sponsor's Pact, they will be granted an 'Effigy Emblem'.

Effigy Emblem: The strange beyond-Mortal potency granted to Participants. Sometimes simply called an 'Effigy' or 'Emblem', it is that which, through a Sponsor, gives reflection to the Desire of a Participant. Effigy Emblems are often literal tokens, belonging to one of several Participant Classifications. The Emblem distorts this Desire with the Sponsor's own essence, allowing the Mortal to wield strange and unexplained phenomena as their weaponry.

Classification: Weapon, Vessel, Totem and Grimoire. The four respective 'Classes' that a participant can fall into, once they accept a Pact.

Weapon: Those who utilize their Effigy Emblem in direct combat, be it up close or from afar. Weapon Class Participants are given a Weapon that evolves alongside them, and can eventually be imbued by their Sponsor directly. Their strength lies in unpredictability, given that nearly any object can become a Weapon. Their weakness is that their Weapon is an object they can become separated from. A Participant who masters the full scope of their Weapon is a dangerous combatant.

A stolen Weapon will not function in the hands of another Mortal, or Participant.

Vessel: Those who are bound deeply to their organic Effigy Emblem, which appears as a sapient creature and remains perpetually by the Vessel Participant's side. Through the Vessel Effigy, a Participant can channel abilities. No two Vessels are the same, aside from their capacity for growth and the depth of the bond shared with their masters. Their strength lies in the ability to coordinate attacks with their Effigy Emblem and the abilities inherent to it. Their weakness is that Vessels can not stray far from their master, and damage inflicted onto the master will weaken the Vessel itself. Vessels often reflect the emotional state of their master, but cannot act outside their commands, often the two will support one another. A Vessel and Participant working in tandem, at their peak, is certainly a sight to behold.

Totem: As with Weapons, Totem Class Participants are gifted with an object Effigy Emblem; one which is permanently attached to their person, in one way or another. Totem Classes are notorious for seeming to resemble Weapon Classes in their early stages of development, being forced to use themselves as a conduit for abilities. As with Vessels, no two Totems will be the same and they grow alongside the user. Their strength lies in growth capacity and wide diversity. Their weakness is having a limited skillset, until the Totem is awakened through a sort of spiritual journey; alongside this, if a Totem is forcibly taken from a Totem Class Participant, they become incapable of using their abilities. A fully awakened Totem is extremely dangerous, given how close it becomes to becoming a part of the Participant.

Grimoire: A loose term for those who are given a book, or other arcane implement. Grimoire Class Participants often wield abilities that seem like magic, usually being based in that which changes the Reality around them. Elemental Grimoires are the most common, but have the most limitations in their versatility. Cursed Grimoires give the Classed Participant access to a particularly potent set of skills, but alongside them is the caveat of extensive utilization rules and conditions. Their strength lies in their sheer power. Their weakness lies in their complexity or simplicity. Grimoires do not bond deeply with their Classed Participants, having no will of their own, or potency that is not already within their pages; it is up to the wielder to become familiar with the Grimoire and use it effectively.

The Court: A loosely connected group of the esoteric Sponsors. Each within the current Court (the Third Court, precisely) will compete in the coming Event/Game to preserve their status within the Court. A Court can be composed of any number of Sponsors, with the Third Court possessing twelve in all. Intrigue and subterfuge is common among Sponsors who share animosity.

It is by their hand that The Catalyst is put into place, and by their vote that the shape our dear Event is given shape and rules. Courts convene fairly often, to discuss matters of importance occurring within the Incantation they inhabit. Once the Game begins, they will still hold these meetings, but with increasing rarity. A gathering of the Court involves a massive metaphysical citadel that is simply called "Virtue".

Judge: A creature neither Sponsor or Mortal. Constructed by neutral parties, the Judge serves to watch over a Game and ensure that the rules are observed by both Participants and Sponsors. They hold a sort of immutable power, once they choose to invoke it, and deal harshly with those who would desecrate the sanctity of The Event. They work in tandem with the Game Master.

This particular Judge is named Magician.

Game Master: Similar in nature to the Judge, a Game Master's title is quite literal. Holding dominion over the entirety of the Event's procession, Game Masters also serve to make things interesting for all parties involved. While they are, in their core, inclined to adhere to the rules, Game Masters are far more fickle; resembling Mortals more than the Judge, or other Sponsors.

This particular Game will have two Masters. One Event Master and one generalized Game Master. The Event Master is a new addition to things, intended to provide challenges to Participants; granting gifts to those who pass. Sponsors ultimately have the last say in whether or not a Participant actually receives their boon, however.

Name: "Christian Sands"

Age: Twenty Eight

Appearance:

Former Occupation: Contract killer and corporate espionage expert.

Personality: A quiet, seemingly shy sort. Behind his forced stutters, incessant politeness, false smiles and lies he is quite simply a monster without his favorite mask. A sadist and masochist, in turns, Christian, once his schemes are foiled or plans failed will be more directly confrontational and cruel; though there seem to exist some moral boundaries he won't cross.

Most, if they can move beyond his appearance and avoid rousing his spite, will find a surprisingly gentle soul; despite the Desire he carries. He is relentlessly level-headed and clever by degress most would not expect. Having lived a fairly long and tumultuous life, being thrust into The Game does not phase Christian. He seems to have a rather optimistic outlook, in most situations.

If anything, the world has come closer to how he has always thought of it. A bleeding cesspool, littered with monsters locking horns for supremacy. Part of him hates that idea, while another is darkly enamored.

Desire: To achieve revenge on the man who managed to have him imprisoned.

Class: Cursed Grimoire

Effigy Emblem: Appearing to be a simple pamphlet, Christian often keeps his Emblem out of sight; as that is one of the conditions of its usage. When active, the Effigy allows Christian to create explosions of varying magnitude on any surface that he has touched within the last twenty-four hours. Regardless of his intent, everywhere chosen as the epicenter of an explosion will 'release' at once.

Bio: Notorious among the elite and wealthy, Christian has operated under many aliases. Well before coming to Corner City, he supposedly served in some militaristic faction before defecting. The truth is hard to discern, however, aside from his evident incarceration.

More feverishly will he speak of Aster Galluk, head of Muse Incorporated; the man who uncovered Christian before he could assassinate him. The grudge held from having his freedom stripped away is what created the potent Desire that surrounds Christian...and what drew his enigmatic Sponsor from the shadows.

Name: "The Last Adherent"

Appearance:

Personality: One of the last among the Third Court who remembers the First Court. An ancient being, even by the standards of Sponsors, The Last Adherent has adopted this moniker as a reminder to all other Sponsors that the 'Old Ways' are still alive and well. A dismissive and sometimes haughty sort, The Adherent is always calculating and maneuvering. His displeasure with the current state of The Court is well known, but he is not entirely opposed to hearing out those of a younger generation.

A strict creature, valuing tradition and victory above all else.

Specialty: Grimoire Classed Participants

Participant: "Christian" Sands

Affiliation: The Court